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WINE PICKS: 3 Chardonnays that are Perfect to Drink Right Now

On a hot sunny day or in cool stormy weather, if you’ve closed a big deal or just sitting down to relax, these 3 Chardonnays are perfect for any situation or climate.

Tolosa 2018 1772 Chardonnay, Eden Ranch Edna Valley

Fermentation: French oak barrels

Aging: 9 months in French oak barrels, with 20% of them being new

Vineyard: Edna Ranch

Alcohol: 13.4%

Tolosa has a wine series they call “1772”. The series is named for the founding year of the Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, and honors the local terroir and winemaking history of the cooler and Pacific Ocean-influenced climate and limestone sediment of the Edna Valley. The 1772 Chardonnay from 2018 is priced around $58 a bottle. Tolosa calls this their classic Chardonnay, and says that it truly captures the essence of the estate. The 2018 Tolosa Chardonnay has an appealing hint of bright acidity, with notes of the minerality of the Edna Valley, as well aromas of fresh fruits and herbs. This Chardonnay was aged for 9 months in French oak barrels.

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Anaba 2017 Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast

Vineyards: Tolay Vista, Dutton (Shop Block and Mill Station), J McK Estate

Alcohol: 13.2%

Fermentation: Hand-sorted and whole cluster pressed. Barrel fermented (75% malolactic fermentation, 25% retained natural malic acid). Aged 17 months sur lie in French oak barrels, 25% of which were new.

Cooperage: Damy, Cavin, Taransaud, François Frères Cases Produced: 738

This Sonoma Coast Chardonnay comes from distinct areas within the Sonoma Coast AV. Some of these areas were impacted by the 2017 North Bay fires, however the fruit was picked before those events took place so they were not affected. In general, the regions from which they come are cooler or foggier than some other Chardonnays, giving this 2017 vintage a great year.

The Anaba Chardonnay’s fruit tends towards the citrus and vanilla bouquet, with a bit of minerality and a very subtle palate. The alcohol content is in the European-style of 13.2%. Only 738 cases were produced, and it was aged 17 months in French oak barrels.

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Sangiacomo 2018 Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast

Alcohol: 14.3%

Production: 280 cases

The Sangiacomo family has been farming in Sonoma County for three generations and almost 100 years. The Vineyard is 100% certified sustainable, and it produces California Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Sangiacomo Sonoma Coast Chardonnay has aromas that bring in tea-like flavors, including nutmeg and chai, as well as the French oak in which it rested. You might also enjoy some aromas that remind us a bit of a delicious pear cobbler. It’s very rich, and was aged in the aforementioned French oak for about 10 months. The alcohol content is medium-level 14.3%, and the retail price is a reasonable $55. Only 280 cases however were produced by James MacPhail the winemaker.

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Wente Vineyards CEO Carolyn Wente receives Grande Dame Award from Les Dames d’Escoffier

Les Dames d’Escoffier International’s (LDEI) prestigious Grande Dame Award is being presented this year to Carolyn Wente, CEO of Wente Family Estates, America’s longest continuously operated family-owned winery.

LDEI is an organization of women leaders in the food, beverage and hospitality industries. Its Grande Dame Award honors a lifetime of outstanding professional achievement, excellence, and charitable/community contributions within the culinary industry and is bestowed annually. Wente, the sixteenth recipient of this international honor, receives the award at LDEI’s first virtual conference this year.

Joining the family business in the early 1980s, Wente’s culinary career in wine spans over 40 years and she is a part of the fourth generation of Wente’s family-owned vineyards, sustainably cultivating over 3,000 acres. “There are very few family businesses that survive past the third generation,” shares Wente. “I am proud to be a member of the fourth generation in a successful and growing family business in a very competitive global environment.”

Under Wente’s leadership, the company has become a world-renowned destination located in the idyllic settings of the Livermore Valley and Monterey County, California. The first step to realizing the family’s dream for a new appreciation of wine as part of America culture was the opening of the Wente Vineyards Visitors Center and Restaurant in 1986. In that same year, The Concerts at Wente Vineyards was launched featuring musical artists including James Taylor and Sheryl Crow. In 1998, an 18-hole championship golf course designed by Australian golfing great Greg Norman was developed. And in 2010, the course was awarded with the esteemed “Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary” status.

Wente has guided the expansion and growth of the Wente Family Estate’s portfolio of wines and the development of the Wente family’s lifestyle businesses for four decades. A co-founder of LDEI’s San Francisco Chapter, Wente has been a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier for 31 years and has served on the national Board of Directors as well as in San Francisco.

Wente has authored two books. In 2003, “The Casual Vineyard Table” was published, sharing wine and food pairing along with everyday meal planning. Prior to its publication, she co-authored “Sharing the Vineyard Table: A Celebration of Wine and Food from the Wente Vineyard Restaurant” with Kimball Jones.

Over the last several years, Wente has been awarded numerous honors, perhaps most notably the Leading Women Entrepreneurs of the World in 2002 sponsored by J.P. Morgan, Baccarat and Hermes. Additionally, she was awarded Winery CEO of the Year 2019 by North Bay Business Journal; the “20 Most Admired People in the North America Wine Industry” in 2013 from Vineyard & Winery Management; the Women Leadership Award in 2012 from Girl Scouts of America; and the American Winery of the Year Award in 2011 from Wine Enthusiast — among many others.

Wente is well-known for her generosity of time and community outreach as seen through her board service with the Stanford Athletic Advisory, the U.S. Department of State’s Fine Arts Committee, and more. She also has the distinction of being the fifth member of the Wente family to serve as Board Chair of the California Wine Institute (2014-2015).

Currently, Wente is heading efforts to meet her family’s goals for Wente Family Estates: continued business growth, strengthening the brand promise, and developing a high performing organization — each integral to ensuring transition where the fifth and future generations take over a healthy profitable business to include both family and non-family members. Wente says, “As a family, we are always pushing the quality envelope for our wines. With our lifestyle businesses, the same holds true, providing a quality experience that exceeds our guests’ expectations.”

Les Dames d’Escoffier International (LDEI) is a worldwide philanthropic organization of professional women leaders in the fields of food, fine beverage and hospitality. The invitation-only membership, composed of over 2,400 women in 44 chapters across the US, Canada, France, the United Kingdom and Mexico, is highly diversified and reflects the multifaceted fields of contemporary gastronomy and hospitality. For more information, visit visit ldei.org

About Wente Family Estates

Founded in 1883, Wente Vineyards has been resoundingly celebrated for its industry-wide contributions to innovation as the longest continuously-operated, family-owned winery in the country, now owned and managed by the fourth and fifth generations of the Wente family.  The company portfolio is comprised of Wente Vineyards, Murrieta’s Well, Hayes Ranch, Ravel & Stitch, entwine and Angel’s Ink brands. The winery draws from certified sustainable estate vineyards in the Livermore Valley, San Francisco Bay and Arroyo Seco, Monterey appellations to create an outstanding array of fine wines that are distributed in all 50 states and in over 70 countries worldwide.  In 2010, it joined the top 4 percent of  California wineries who meet all three tiers within the Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing codes & designation. In 2011, Wente Family Estates was named American Winery of the Year by Wine Enthusiast and is among the top 30 wineries in the United States according to Wine Business Monthly, (February 2020). 2012 marked the 100th anniversary of the Wente family bringing Chardonnay cuttings to California from France. Today, the Wente clones of Chardonnay are the most widely planted in California.

Located just east of San Francisco in the historic Livermore Valley, Wente Vineyards is recognized as one of California’s premier wine country destinations. In 2018, the winery took a leadership role in its longstanding mission to inspire employees and guests to make time for what really matters, as realized through Wente Vineyards’ best practices, outstanding wines and wine country experiences. The property features wine tasting, world-class concerts, award-winning fine dining and championship golf. Wente Vineyards is also proud to have 100% estate grown wines and have the Certified Sustainable designations across their vineyards and winery through California Certified Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance.

For more information, visit www.wentevineyards.com.

ROSE OF THE DAY: Handley 2019 Pinot Noir Rose

Our Rose of the Day pick is the HANDLEY 2019 PINOT NOIR ROSE. The reason is simple, the TasteTV wine reviewers love it! The taste is light, crisp, and bright, with a slight sweetness and traces of citrus fruits and yellow stone fruits like nectarines.

WINE PICK: Broadside 2018 Chardonnay and Cabernets

Today’s pick is Broadside Wine. You may be familiar with the instantly recognizable label designs, as well as their reliably delicious flavors. The TasteTV wine reviewers recommend the following three as ones that combine great value with an attractive price.

WINE NEWS: Domaine Carneros CEO Eileen Crane to Retire

Sparkling wine industry pioneer Eileen Crane, CEO and head winemaker at Domaine Carneros, will be stepping down from her role as CEO this summer. In 1987 she was selected by Claude Taittinger, President of Champagne Taittinger, to develop the winery. From the beginning, Crane has been an innovator in winemaking, hospitality, direct-to-client services, open book management and environmentally sound practices. Crane has always been ahead of the curve with respect to leadership practices and winemaking excellence.

Prior to joining Domaine Carneros, Crane was hired in 1984 to construct Gloria Ferrer and make their early cuvées. Her first job in the wine industry was as a tour guide at Domaine Chandon. Crane’s desire to become a winemaker was born out of her early experiences in New Jersey where she learned about wine via her father’s extensive wine cellar. She fell in love with champagne with her first sip as a child. After having earned a Master’s degree in nutrition as well as professional training at the Culinary Institute of America, Crane drove across the country to California in 1978 to enroll in oenology and viticulture courses at the University of California, Davis. Told there by a male professor that she would never get a job in the wine industry as a woman could not do barrel work, with determination and the support of Professor Ann Noble at Davis, Crane forged ahead, eventually becoming known as the “Doyenne of Sparkling Wine” by noted writer and author Karen MacNeil. Over her career, Crane has received wide international praise for her refined wines as well as her effective management of the highly reputed winery.

Of Crane’s contributions, Champagne Taittinger President Director General Pierre Emmanuel Taittinger stated, “From the time my uncle Claude interviewed Eileen till today, for the past 33 years, she has been a guiding, steady and creative hand at the helm of Domaine Carneros. It is an internationally renowned brand due to her commitment to excellence and ability to create memorable and elegant wines.” Crane shared, “My dream from the age of eight was to make delicious sparkling wine. From a little girl in New Jersey through a path of many adventures with twists and turns, eventually I found the career that has been more than a dream come true. And it has been a great pleasure to work with the Taittinger family for 33 years.”

Stepping into the role of sparkling winemaker will be Zak Miller, who has worked for over a decade with Eileen as a member of the winemaking team.

ABOUT DOMAINE CARNEROS

Founded in 1987, Domaine Carneros reflects the hallmark of its founder, Champagne Taittinger, in creating a vision of terroir-driven sparkling wine and preserving the quality tenets of the traditional method production. Located entirely within the Carneros AVA, between Napa and Sonoma counties, the six estate vineyards total approximately 400 acres with 125 acres planted to Chardonnay, 225 acres planted to Pinot Noir, with the remaining acres currently in development. The winery focuses on making ultra-premium Carneros sparkling wines largely estate grown and limited production Pinot Noirs.

Domaine Carneros’ château has become a landmark and symbol of the region. The architecture and interior design were inspired by the 18th century Château de la Marquetterie, the historic Taittinger family residence in the Champagne region.

Tasty Food & Drink Sampled at the TASTE AWARDS Red Carpet in Beverly Hills

TASTING THE BEST

VIP Guests had great wine, sparkling cider, and other gourmet items to sample at the TASTE AWARDS Red Carpet reception in Beverly Hills.

Gowan’s Heirloom Cider

The red carpet reception included sparkling cider from Gowan’s Heirloom Cider and R&B Cellars 2012 “Lyric of the Vine” Napa Valley Reserve Cabernet

Tastings were served by ChocoMe chocolates and Prosciutto di Carpegna, who served freshly carved prosciutto at a tasting station during the reception portion of the TASTE AWARDS event in Beverly Hills.

Prosciutto di Carpegna