Superior Cellar Awards
If your in or are traveling to Oregon and are looking to take your Oregon Wine experience to some of the best restaurants dedicated to wine in Oregon then this is for you. For a complete list of restaurants visit http://oregonwinepress.com/owp-scawards
Cheers!
- Brandon
In September 2010, Oregon Wine Press launched its Superior Cellar Awards to recognize restaurants whose wine programs place particular emphasis on Oregon wines.
The introduction of these awards honoring the best Oregon wine lists was timed to coincide with our annual restaurant issue in September, and we were delighted by the response.
For the program’s first year — 2011 — we focused exclusively on Oregon restaurants. After all, it is local dining establishments that embrace our state’s own wine industry with the greatest support and enthusiasm.
After an extensive evaluation of restaurant wine lists around the state, Oregon Wine Press selected 40 restaurants whose commitment to Oregon wines stood out.
Though breadth, depth and diversity were obvious considerations, well-selected smaller lists qualified as well.
For 2012, we are pleased to announce that we will be partnering with the Oregon Wine Board and, by extension, the Oregon wine industry. As a result, we are moving forward with the national expansion of the Superior Cellar Awards.
This will be an ongoing process, which over time we fully anticipate will see more and more restaurants within the state, throughout the region and across the nation prove worthy of being honored with an Oregon Wine Superior Cellar Award.
It stands to reason that Oregon restaurants will always offer a larger, diversified portfolio of local wines and place more emphasis on them than restaurants in other states.
However, the growing reputation of our industry, enhanced in particular by the prestige of world-class Pinot Noir, appears destined to extend its reach and increase its influence throughout the country.
Obviously, it remains vitally important to the strength and stability of our statewide wine industry for Oregon restaurants to put as much support behind it as possible.
That’s what they do in European countries, so much so that from one region to another, many restaurants are likely to offer primarily or even exclusively the wines of that region.
In that regard, for an Oregon restaurant to retain its position on the roll of Superior Cellar honorees from year to year, its wine list must meet a higher standard than elsewhere. Being Oregon-oriented both in selection and recommendation is mandatory.
Owing to the wide range of wines produced around the state, a restaurant’s wine list could be exclusively Oregon and still be able to offer every basic type — aperitif, sparkling, red, white, rosé and dessert.
Furthermore, by featuring local wines as well as farm fresh produce and locally raised meat and poultry, restaurants are truly presenting the best of Oregon’s bounty to tourists and other visitors.
As for our diversity of table wines, cumulatively around Oregon almost every major European wine region is represented through the propagation and production of their most popular varietals.
This includes France’s Burgundy, Bordeaux, Rhone, Loire, Champagne, Alsace and Provence, Italy’s Piedmont, Tuscany, Lombardy and Alto Adige, Germany’s Rhine and Mosel, as well as key varieties from Spain and Austria.
In our new relationship with the Oregon Wine Board, we are redoubling our efforts to seek out deserving restaurants in other states. However, it is inevitable that worthy candidates will be overlooked.
To that end, we welcome reader input. If you know of a restaurant in any state that would appear to meet Oregon Wine Superior Cellar award criteria, please let us know by e-mailing kklooster@oregonwinepress.com with the restaurant name and location.
This is an ongoing program and consideration of potential awardees will be conducted on a regular basis. To be named an award winner means the restaurant has risen above hundreds of contemporaries to emerge a champion of Oregon wines.
For 2012, only 60 elite eateries around Oregon have been selected as Superior Cellar Award winners. Of them, 20 new names now share the list with 40 current ones, whose level of excellence has earned them a continued place among the honorees.
They are joined by 10 elite eateries beyond our borders, whose commitment to Oregon is commended by the industry and is hereby recognized. We look forward to seeing many more earn the right to enter their ranks in the future.
Start Your Own Winery
I was fascinated with this simple concept, which could only help to bring about some interesting wine offerings in the years to come.
Cheers!
- Brandon
Winery Investing Beyond Cashing-Out
Micro-lending and crowd-funding make opening a winery possible without needing a personal fortune.
By Janice Fuhrman
Today, possessing a large fortune is no longer the only means to start your own winery. While millions of retirement dollars or capital gains can score you the winery of your dreams in California, New York or Virginia, concepts such as crowd-funding and micro-lending could get you through the cellar door for much less.
Crushpad, a custom wine-making facility based in Sonoma, California, recently instituted its Syndicate program, which provides the business tools including private investment agreement and business and compliance models to start a wine brand.
Through crowd-funding, the leveraging of communities of investors, a small wine brand producing 50 to 2,500 cases annually can be formed using Napa Valley grapes for as little as $20,000.
“We’ve found that the more investors there are in a wine brand, the more people there are promoting the wine because they have pride of ownership,” says Michael Brill, Crushpad founder. “Our clients are very busy and even 50 cases require a lot of effort to sell. So if you’ve got 10 investors promoting it, you’re better off.”
Before the current economic downturn, Sonoma vintner Ross Halleck attempted to use micro-lending to raise money for Halleck Vineyards through Prosper, a person-to-person lending marketplace. Previously, he came up with only $1,000 from micro investors, which he turned down because “it wasn’t worth the trouble.”
Today, Prosper reports that its small business loans jumped 83% in the last six months, including loans to wine-related ventures. The recent trend is for small business owners to seek personal loans and use the capital to fund small businesses, notes Prosper spokesman Laurie Azzano.
Small investors can also buy into the wine business by acquiring shares of publicly-traded wine companies, such as Constellation Brands or Treasury Wine Estates. “You have more fluidity with a publically-traded company and it’s easier to buy and sell,” says Richard Hogan, a managing director with Merrill Lynch in San Francisco.
For those who envision the scale of Napa or Sonoma wineries, the economic downturn has created buying opportunities, though not exactly fire-sale prices. Rob McMillan, founder of Silicon Valley Bank’s wine division in St. Helena, California, says, “As we make the long, hard slog out of this recession, people are buying and selling wineries, and financing is available.”
About Corx Wine Bags
Corx Wine Bags was founded in 2005 by two friends who had passion for wine. One of them being a self proclaimed klutz and the other a self proclaimed sewing master, they sought to create the ultimate wine bag. After several prototypes the “Tre” 3-bottle wine bag was born. A wine bag of the highest quality that prevents bottles from breaking in transit for those klutz’s out there, while keeping your wines at proper storing temperatures during your trip to your favorite BYOB restaurant, picnic location or bringing bottles home from your favorite winery. For more information about all of our wine bags please visit us at www.corxwinebags.com
Poleeko Pale Ale…golden goodness!
Corx Wine Bags: When I Choose Beer Over Wine
When it's 90 degrees out AND the sun is out, I don't drink wine.
Don't hate me cause' I love cold beer on a hot, summer day!
On a hot summer day, I love to grab my Corx Wine Bag, load it up with beer and snacks, and head down to a cool river. Life doesn't get any better than wading in cold river water with a great beer in your hand!
Well, I didn't get down to a river this weekend...but I did drink a Anderson Valley Poleeko Pale Ale after 2 hours of yard work in 90 degree heat. And guess what? It was fantastic!
I have been drinking Anderson Valley Boont Amber and IPA for years, but this pale ale is new to me. Not my favorite of all time, but very, very good!
Cheers!
-K
Historic Undurraga Family Back in Chile Wine Making
The notorious Undurraga family is back in the wine making business. This is another reason the world needs to take notice of Chile's ever growing international wine presence.
Cheers!
- Brandon
Wine: Chile's Undurraga family back in wine business
By FRED TASKER — McClatchy Newspapers
Chile's pioneering Undurraga family has been in the wine business since Francisco Undurraga planted his first vines in the foothills of the Andes Mountains in 1885. By the 1980s, it was one of Chile's biggest producers and most popular exporters to the United States. By 2005 it was making 1.5 million cases a year.
But when the fifth generation came along in the 2000s, there were 12 brothers and sisters, only four of whom were really interested in the grape. So the family board voted to sell the business in 2005. It left family patriarch Alfonso Undurraga and sons Alfonso, Max and Cristobal with pockets full of money and great wine reputations but nothing to do.
"For the first time in our lives we were out of wine," says the younger Alfonso Undurraga, co-owner. "We were lost."
So they started not one, but two new wineries, both in Chile's cool Colchagua area, both now entering the U.S. market.
One of them is Terrapura, making value-priced wines in the $10 range, aiming at 300,000 cases within five years.
The second is Vina Koyle, making premium to super-premium wines in the modest $17-to-$25 range, aiming for 30,000 cases.
Terrapura's wines are made in the international "fruit-forward" style with little oak aging, focusing on tasting like the grapes from which they are made, Undurraga says.
Vina Koyle's wines aim for greater elegance and complexity, with aging in French oak barrels, giving the terroir - the area in which they are made - its chance to influence the flavors.
Both wines are made in the Colchauga, Curico and Maipo areas of Chile, about 100 miles south of Santiago in the low foothills of the Andes at altitudes of 1,200 to 1,600 feet, seeking the cooler weather and more powerful sun at relatively high altitudes.
Both wines aim at crisp acids, light-to-medium body and restrained levels of alcohol, making them easy to drink with food, more likely to persuade the diner to order a second glass.
"It's better to sell three bottles than one," Undurraga says.
Highly recommended:
2007 Koyle Cabernet Sauvignon Royale, Alto Colchauga, Chile (85 percent cabernet sauvignon, 13 percent malbec, 2 percent carmenere): a classic bordeaux-style red wine with complex flavors of cassis, black plum and bitter chocolate, full body and bright acids; a great steak wine; $26.
2007 Koyle Syrah, Maipo and Colchauga, Chile (87 percent syrah, 13 percent carmenere): opaque purple color, hint of oak, flavors of black raspberries and spice, hearty, creamy, long finish; $17.
Recommended:
2007 Koyle Cabernet Sauvignon, Maipo and Colchauga, Chile (88 percent cabernet sauvignon, 12 percent carmenere): hint of oak, flavors of black raspberries and milk chocolate, soft tannins, long finish; $17.
2010 Terrapura Sauvignon Blanc, Central Valley, Chile: light and crisp, with tart pear and green melon flavors; $10.
2009 Terrapura Merlot, Central Valley, Chile: light body, very dry, black raspberry flavors, firm tannins; $10.
2009 Terrapura Cabernet Sauvignon, Central Valley: classical cab flavors of cassis and licorice, light and fruity, spicy finish; $10.
Read more: http://www.centredaily.com/2011/08/08/2871760/wine-chiles-undurraga-family-back.html#ixzz1UUu208xx
About Corx Wine Bags
Corx Wine Bags was founded in 2005 by two friends who had passion for wine. One of them being a self proclaimed klutz and the other a self proclaimed sewing master, they sought to create the ultimate wine bag. After several prototypes the “Tre” 3-bottle wine bag was born. A wine bag of the highest quality that prevents bottles from breaking in transit for those klutz’s out there, while keeping your wines at proper storing temperatures during your trip to your favorite BYOB restaurant, picnic location or bringing bottles home from your favorite winery. For more information about all of our wine bags please visit us at www.corxwinebags.com
Great Wine in Oak-Town (Oakland)
If You Are A Zin-Head, You Should Check Out Rosenblum Cellars...Grab Your Wine Bag & Go!
Spicy, Jammy Reds, Blended To Yummy, Goodness!
I was introduced to Rosenblum Cellars by my father. The wine he shared with me:
Richard Sauret Reserve Zinfandel, Paso Robles
Owned and managed by Richard Sauret, a farmer for over 60 years, this vineyard is meticulously maintained and produces exceptional fruit. Located on a hilltop on the west side of Paso Robles, at the base of the Santa Lucia Mountains, the vineyard has two plantings: the House Plot, an 11-acre parcel planted in a bed of limestone, shale and clay, and the Hill Top Vineyard, 12 acres of rolling vines planted with St. Peter’s Church budwood on clay soils and calcareous outcroppings. This low-yielding vineyard is composed of Zinfandel, Alicante and Petite Sirah, most of which is old vine and head pruned. https://www.rosenblumcellars.com/wine-shop/2008-richard-sauret-reserve-zinfandel-paso-robles
I was hooked once I tried this juice. Juicy, spicy, balanced...exactly what you would expect from old-vine zin. Also, this was my first exposure to Paso Robles.
Here is more info on Rosenblum:
About Rosenblum Cellars
At Rosenblum, we’re famous for being all about Zinfandel – Old Vine Zin, High Altitude Zin, Single Vineyard Zin, BIG Attitude Zin. We love Zinfandel so much, we make over 20 different types. Rosenblum Cellars has some of the highest rated, most-awarded Zins from California’s most highly regarded vineyards. Not just Napa and Sonoma, but all over the state. And while we are a founding member of the Zinfandel Advocates & Producers group (ZAP!), we do make other amazing wines, including Rhône-style red wines like Syrah, Petite Sirah, Grenache, as well as Rhône-style white wines and dessert wines. We’re like a collection of 30 small wineries rolled into one large hanger in Alameda, California. https://www.rosenblumcellars.com/about-rosenblum
In short, grab some Rosenblum! Their single vineyard old vine zin is especially yummy. Don't forget about their Rhone-style reds, as well.
Cheers!
-Kevin
PS - If you're in the Bay-area, grab your Corx Wine Bag and head over to Rosenblum. They are located in the east bay.
Dry Dock Double IPA
This weekend was gorgeous in Denver; 80+ degrees and low humidity. Fantastic!
Erika and I cranked out some projects, so we decided to reward ourselves with a pizza. We stopped in to Denver Pizza company at Happy Canyon, and our pie still had a few minutes. I ambled over to the liquor store...I felt like something different.
I selected a 22 oz. Dry Dock Double IPA. Let's face it, I'm a wino not a hop head...so I'll leave the ratings alone. Regardless, this IPA is one of the top 5 from Colorado...
Here is a review from the Denver Post:
"Aurora's Dry Dock microbrewery, in business for a little more than five years, is testing the Colorado retail market with the release in bottles of its Urca Vanilla Porter, U-Boat Hefeweizen and this marvelous double IPA. A hazy golden amber with a cream-colored head, Seven Seas is made with seven hops, which dominate the aroma. The piney smell of Cascade hops is balanced a bit with some bittering that's not found in many modern IPAs. It's citrusy up front, smooth in the mouth and throat, with a nice bitterness flowing through and building at the finish, which is quite dry. This is one of the smoothest IPAs to be had anywhere, with an inviting mouthfeel and easy drinkability despite its 9 percent alcohol by volume. It's a great debut." http://www.denverpost.com/food/ci_17186574
Here's some info from the Dry Dock website:
"Dry Dock Brewing started as an idea when Kevin DeLange, owner of homebrew store The Brew Hut, noticed a small, vacant space next door. He had been selling beer-making ingredients for several and would frequently host Home Brew nights to invite brewers in to share what they had created. In 2005, DeLange found used equipment, rented the space, began brewing small batches of beer, and opened the doors. As many locals will recall, this taproom had four taps with only seven bar stools and a few tables; a cozy setting to say the least.
In 2009, we moved to the corner suite of the same strip mall, expanding to seat 200, and have been brewing like maniacs ever since. Winning the Great American Beer Festival’s premier award, Small Brewing Company of the Year, later in 2009, we’ve been able to spread the gospel and pour the beer. Led by DeLange and head brewer Bill Eye, Dry Dock Brewing has become the most popular tap house in Aurora, Colorado." http://www.drydockbrewing.com/about-us
I highly recommend the Dry Dock Double IPA. I look forward to trying their other brews!
Cheers!
Kevin
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About Corx Wine Bags
Corx Wine Bags was founded in 2005 by two friends who had passion for wine. One of them being a self proclaimed klutz and the other a self proclaimed sewing master, they sought to create the ultimate wine bag. After several prototypes the “Tre” 3-bottle wine bag was born. A wine bag of the highest quality that prevents bottles from breaking in transit for those klutz’s out there, while keeping your wines at proper storing temperatures during your trip to your favorite BYOB restaurant, picnic location or bringing bottles home from your favorite winery. For more information about all of our wine bags please visit us at www.corxwinebags.com
Royal Family to set up Vineyards
Royal Family hysteria continues...although I find this a bit more exciting!
Cheers!
Brandon
Royal family to set up vineyard in Windsor Great Park

Original article can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-13307566
More than 16,500 vines bearing champagne grape varieties will be planted in 3 hectares (7.4 acres) of the park, owned by the Crown Estate.
Laithwaites Wine, tenant farmers on the royal estates, said they were "extremely proud to be invited by the Royal Farms" to work on the project.
The first harvest is predicted to be in about three years' time.
In a private seeding event, the wine company will plant chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier varieties on an unconfirmed date next week.
'Coup' for country
Michael Roberts, chairman of English Wine Producers, said the royal family's interest was a coup for the country's vineyard owners.
"This is the sincerest form of accolade to a whole industry.
"It's interesting to see how enthusiastic they must be to actually allow a small part of Windsor Great Park to be planted," he said.
Laithwaites spokesman Simon McMurtrie added: "As champions of English wine we are delighted to do what we can to help boost its production and popularity in this country at this time."
A Windsor Castle spokeswoman confirmed the vines were being planted but said no further comment would be given as it was a "private estate" matter.
English wine and sparkling wine was served at the royal wedding on 29 April.
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About Corx Wine Bags
Corx Wine Bags was founded in 2005 by two friends who had passion for wine. One of them being a self proclaimed klutz and the other a self proclaimed sewing master, they sought to create the ultimate wine bag. After several prototypes the “Tre” 3-bottle wine bag was born. A wine bag of the highest quality that prevents bottles from breaking in transit for those klutz’s out there, while keeping your wines at proper storing temperatures during your trip to your favorite BYOB restaurant, picnic location or bringing bottles home from your favorite winery. For more information about all of our wine bags please visit us at www.corxwinebags.com
Fork & Bottle – Wine Resources
Fork and Bottle has a great page for wine resources.
http://www.forkandbottle.com/resources/wineresource.htm
Check it out!
Cheers
-K
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About Corx Wine Bags
Corx Wine Bags was founded in 2005 by two friends who had passion for wine. One of them being a self proclaimed klutz and the other a self proclaimed sewing master, they sought to create the ultimate wine bag. After several prototypes the “Tre” 3-bottle wine bag was born. A wine bag of the highest quality that prevents bottles from breaking in transit for those klutz’s out there, while keeping your wines at proper storing temperatures during your trip to your favorite BYOB restaurant, picnic location or bringing bottles home from your favorite winery. For more information about all of our wine bags please visit us at www.corxwinebags.com.
Taste of Pearl
Hi. My wife and I attended the Taste of Pearl on Pearl Street in Boulder on Sunday. In general, it was a good event.
Here are my ratings:
- Food - B+ (Happy, SALT, and the Gondolier shined)
- Wine - C (Balistreri & Snowy Peaks were good...didn't drink Guy Drew due to the line)
- Staff - A (the volunteers were fantastic)
- Overall - B
I would certainly go again next year!
Cheers!
-Kevin
Event Details: http://www.boulderdowntown.com/events/taste-of-pearl
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About Corx Wine Bags
Corx Wine Bags was founded in 2005 by two friends who had passion for wine. One of them being a self proclaimed klutz and the other a self proclaimed sewing master, they sought to create the ultimate wine bag. After several prototypes the “Tre” 3-bottle wine bag was born. A wine bag of the highest quality that prevents bottles from breaking in transit for those klutz’s out there, while keeping your wines at proper storing temperatures during your trip to your favorite BYOB restaurant, picnic location or bringing bottles home from your favorite winery. For more information about all of our wine bags please visit us at www.corxwinebags.com.


