Niche Wine Blog

19th Annual Wine Festival of Colorado Springs

COLORADO SPRINGS (Feb. 3, 2010) – The Wine Festival of Colorado Springs, the premier wine festival in the Front Range, will feature The Wines of South Africa, March 5-6, with events held at The Broadmoor, Garden of the Gods Club and Paragon Culinary School.

 

All proceeds will benefit the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center.

 

South Africa’s wine culture goes back some 350 years, and from that long history comes a wine tradition of tastes and styles with its roots in the classic “Old World” of France, German and Italy. But it also has an acute awareness of the contemporary consumer, as has been defined by the winemaking in the “New World” of California and Australia. It has often been said that South African wine is in the unique position of straddling both of these wonderful worlds.

 

The weekend-long Festival kicks off at the Broadmoor Hotel on the evening of Friday, March 5, with the South African Wine Experience Seminar. The perfect preview of this unique weekend, our South African wine ambassadors will offer a journey of the palate and the eyes. Through their wines and photographs, you will experience the 350-year-old winemaking tradition from one of the world’s most diversely beautiful countries. Next up is the Grand Tasting, featuring over 300 varieties of wine, culinary delights from a wide assortment of the region’s finest restaurants and caterers, a silent wine market auction, music and dancing.

 

During the day on Saturday, March 6, you can educate your palate at two seminars. In the South African Wine, But What Cheese? Seminar, our experts carefully choose the cheeses that best accompany the wines. The Classic Food & Wine Pairing Seminar, hosted by Chef Victor Matthews at the Paragon Culinary School, is structured for elegance and food compatibility. South African wines perfectly fit the bill for this delicious, sell-out luncheon seminar. Chef and our guests, using the flavors of South Africa, will shed light on the art of food & wine pairing.

 

The culmination of the Festival is the Gourmet Wine Dinner and Live Auction held at the Garden of the Gods Club on Saturday, March 6. A five-course, world-class gourmet dinner, each course paired with the elegant wines of our distinguished guests, will be followed by an exciting live auction of rare and one-of-a-kind collectible wine and wine-related lifestyle packages.

 

The Festival has benefitted the Fine Arts Center since 2006. In its 19^th year, the Festival has become one of the preeminent arts fundraisers in the Pikes Peak region, raising millions of dollars for art causes and bringing some of wine’s biggest names and wineries to Colorado Springs. The featured guests this year include South African Peter Koff, who has earned two very special distinctions in the wine world: becoming a Cape Wine Master in 1984, one of only five in South Africa at the time; and then qualifying as a Master of Wine in 1993, one of just 12 in the United States at that time.

 

Featured Guests

Jim Clarke                               Wines of South Africa                                        Wines of South Africa

Peter Clinton                           Vinnovative Imports                                          Vinnovative Imports

Alister Glen                             Douglas Green-Bellingham                                DGB

Peter Koff, MW                       Fairest Cape Beverage Company                        Fairest Cape

Scott High                               Southern Starz/Classic Wines                            Southern Starz Wines

Berenice Wallace                   Savanha Wines                                                 Spier Wines

 

TICKET INFORMATION                                                                                                                             

 

All events are open to the public with FAC Members receiving discounted rates.  Reservations are required for all events, except for the Grand Tasting, where walk-ins are accepted.

 

Call the FAC Box Office at 719.634.5583 to reserve your spot or visit the FAC’s special Wine Festival website at csfineartscenter.org. Tickets can be purchased by event or via the Gala Festival Package, which includes admission to all events.

 

Gala Festival Packages

$300 per FAC member | $340 per non-member ($160 tax deductible)
Includes all events. No substitutions, exchanges or refunds.

 

LODGING                                                                                                                                                    

 

The Broadmoor Hotel and the Garden of the Gods Club are offering special room rates.
Available on a space available basis; mention “Wine Festival” to make reservations

 

·          $130 at the Garden of the Gods | Call 719.632.5541

·          $130 at the Broadmoor Hotel | Call 800.634.7711

Sonoma Valley's VinOlivo - February 12, 2010

 

 Fifth Annual VINOLIVO Set for February 12^th

 

Tickets On Sale December 15th for Sonoma Valley’s Epicurean Event of the Year

 

 

Sonoma, Ca (December 15, 2009)  Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Alliance (SVVGA) will put tickets on sale Tuesday, December 15, 2009 for the Fifth Annual VINOLIVO, taking place Friday, February 12^th from 7pm -10pm at event partner and host facility, Lodge at Sonoma (www.lodgeatsonoma.com  for map/directions).  VINOLIVO marks the largest event of Sonoma Valley’s three-month long Olive Festival, and celebrates the unparalleled “farm to table” bounty of California’s oldest wine country.  From artisan olive oils and wines to gourmet food products grown and produced locally, over 60 acclaimed wineries, restaurants and food purveyors will be on hand to showcase  the agrarian diversity that has many calling Sonoma Valley  “America’s Gourmet Basket”.

 

As with last year, exclusive Sonoma Valley wine, food and travel packages will be auctioned online before, during and after VINOLIVO. Bidding for these special lots begins Friday, December 18^th and runs through Monday, February 16^th at www.vinolivo.cmarket.com.

 

VINOLIVO highlights include:

·         Sip Sonoma Valley’s best wines from over 50 wineries

·         Get to know the winemakers and grape growers of Sonoma Valley

·         Ignite your taste buds with culinary delights from over 20 of Sonoma’s finest restaurants, caterers and artisans

·         Sample local savory olives and olive oils at the Olive Bar

·         Enjoy the seductive Port Wines

·         Experience the Pommes Frites and Sparkling Wine Bar

New this year! VinOlivo Winemaker’s Salon - Step into the Winemaker’s Salon where Salon ticketholders will have the exclusive opportunity to lounge with the winemakers in the intimate Piano Bar of The Lodge at Sonoma, as they pour their Winemaker’s Selection Wines. 

 

 

Participating Wineries:

Amapola Creek Vineyards & Winery

Anaba Wine

Arrowood Vineyards & Winery Atmosphere Wines

Audelssa Estate Winery

B. R. Cohn Winery and Olive Oil Company

Bartholomew Park Winery Benziger Family Winery Blackstone Winery

Bonneau Winery Chateau St. Jean

Clarbec

Cline Cellars David Noyes Wines

Deerfield Ranch Winery

Emery Estate Vineyard and Winery

Enkidu Wines

Eric Ross Winery

Fichtenberg Vineyards

GlenLyon Vineyards & Winery

Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards

Gundlach Bundschu Winery

Haywood Estate Highway 12 Vineyards & Winery Imagery Estate Winery

Jacuzzi Family Winery Kaz Winery Kunde Family Estate Landmark Vineyards

Larson Family Winery

Little Vineyards Family Winery

Loxton Cellars

MacLeod Family Vineyard

MacRostie Winery and Vineyards Mayo Family Winery

Moon Mountain Vineyard Mulas Family Vineyards

Muscardini Cellars Nicholson Ranch

Paint Horse Winery

Paradise Ridge Winery Ravenswood Winery

Robert Hunter Winery

Roche Carneros Winery

Schug Carneros Estate Winery

Sebastiani Vineyards & Winery Sharp Cellars

Sojourn Cellars

Spann Vineyards

St. Francis Winery & Vineyards

Teresina Vintners

Ty Caton Vineyards

Viansa Winery & Marketplace

VJB Vineyards & Cellars Wellington Vineyards Westwood Wine

 

Participating Restaurants and Artisans:

BlueGrass Bar & Grill Carneros Bistro & Wine Bar El Dorado Kitchen

The Epicurean Connection

ESTATE + the girl & the fig

Ramekins Culinary School

Sonoma Sausage Sonoma-Meritâge

The Vineyards Inn

Wild Thyme Events

Wine Country Chocolates

 

Tickets for this year’s VINOLIVO are $65.00 per person in advance by 10pm, February 11th, $75 at the door and $85 per person for Winemaker’s Salon Tickets – and $95 at the door. Purchase tickets early as this event has been a SOLD OUT event for the last five years.

Tickets include unlimited wine and food tasting and a commemorative wine glass. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.sonomavalleywine.com or call 707- 935-0803.

 

SVVGA Annual Events

Each year, the Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Alliance partners with local wineries, growers, restaurants and hospitality providers to produce four signature events designed to raise awareness and appreciation for the beauty and bounty of Sonoma Valley. The events include: Holiday in the Vines, December 1^st -31^st; VINOLIVO, February 12^th; Passport to Sonoma Valley May 15^th -16^th; and Sonoma Wine Country Weekend and Sonoma Valley Harvest Wine Auction, September 3^rd - 5^th

 (Labor Day Weekend). For more on these events, visit www.sonomavalleywine.com or

call 707-935-0803.  

About SVVGA

The Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers Alliance (SVVGA) is a non-profit trade organization serving over 500 vintners, growers and associates who share a mission to promote awareness of Sonoma Valley’s grapes, wine, terroir and history as the birthplace of the California wine industry. The Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Foundation (SVVGF) is a non-profit organization that has raised over $8,000,000 for local Sonoma Valley charities through the Sonoma Wine Country Weekend and Sonoma Valley Harvest Wine Auction. To learn more about the SVVGA and SVVGF, visit www.sonomavalleywine.com or call 707-935-0803.

Sonoma Valley's Holiday in the Vines Announced - Nov. 26-Jan. 3

 

4th Annual Gingerbread Winery Contest Takes Center Stage During

Sonoma Valley’s Season Long “Holiday in the Vines” Celebration

 

Wineries Ring In the Season With Special Events, Holiday Gift Shopping,

New Release Wines, Winemaker Dinners and After-Hours Open Houses

 

 

Sonoma, CA. – November 24, 2009 -- Sonoma Valley’s Vintner’s & Growers Alliance (SVVGA) has unveiled plans for this year’s Holiday in the Vines, a season long celebration of the sights, sounds and flavors of the holidays in wine country. From Thursday, November 26^th  thru Sunday, January 3^rd  Sonoma Valley wineries will be offering revelers of all ages special seasonal events, after-hours celebrations, gift shopping and winemaker dinners. For the complete list of festivities, visit the Events Calendar at www.sonomavalleywine.com

 

The Gingerbread Winery Contest will again be the season’s signature event. Professional and amateur chefs alike will join in the fun; producing extravagant gingerbread likenesses of Sonoma’s most acclaimed wineries. Throughout the month of December, visitors can pick up a map and a ballot at any of the participating wineries and cast their ballots for their favorite munchable-masterpiece. As an added bonus, each time voters cast a ballot they’ll be entered into a raffle to win a case of Sonoma Valley wines.

 

Previous winners have included Nicholson Ranch Winery with a life size gingerbread fireplace complete with stockings. This year’s participating wineries are Anaba Wines, Arrowood Vineyards & Winery, Chateau St. Jean, Cline Cellars, Jacuzzi Family Vineyards, Kenwood Vineyards, Landmark Vineyards, Larson Family Winery, Little Vineyards Family Winery, Nicholson Ranch, Robledo Family Winery, Roessler Cellars and Viansa Winery & Marketplace.

 

Additional Holiday in the Vines events are being added daily. For more information visit the Event Calendar at www.sonomavalleywine.com

23rd B.R Cohn Fall Music festival wrap-up--Nearly $400,000 raised

 

NEARLY $ 400,000 RAISED AT

23^RD ANNUAL B.R. COHN CHARITY FALL MUSIC FESTIVAL

OCTOBER 2-5

 

Glen Ellen, CA. – October 7, 2009 -- In what may have been the most successful event at the famed B.R. Cohn Winery amphitheatre, Journey and the Doobie Brothers, Pablo Cruise, Taj Mahal, Little Feat, Jackie Greene, Whiskey Thieves, Eyewitness Blues Band, Jerry Hannon and Doobie kids Pat Simmons Jr. and Lara Johnston performed to over 6000 concert attendees October 3 and 4 raising much needed funds for several worthy charities including the Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance, Sonoma Valley Education Foundation, the Boys and Girls Club Valley of the Moon and Level II Trauma Center at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, The American Legion Post 911 Veterans Organization and others.

 

The 23rd annual B.R. Cohn Charity Events Fall Music Festival and Golf Classic kicked off Friday October 2 with the gala dinner at the B.R Cohn winery prepared by one of America’s top chefs Bradley Ogden and a charity auction hosted by acclaimed food and wine personality Narsai David.  Held in the autumn hues of the winery’s Olive Grove, the event featured a world-class dinner paired with B.R. Cohn wines.  536 bidders at the auction bid on trips, large format wine bottles and other rare wines and wine dinners including two dinners for twelve at Bruce Cohn’s home by culinary greats Thomas Keller and Bradley Ogden.  The evening raised over $165,000 with a fund-a-need for the San Francisco Chapter of the American Legion garnering $61,000.

 

The over-all four days of fundraising which includes ticket sales, food and beverage, stage-auctions and tournament fees came close to generating $400,000 for charity. Attendance for both concert days was 6000. Plans include a distribution of funds as soon as all the expenses have been paid.

 

“We have had some great charity events here over the past 23 years, but I think everyone will agree that this is one of the very best we have ever produced”, exclaimed BR Winery owner, Doobies manager and event producer Bruce Cohn. “Without having Journey, the Doobie Brothers and all the other great artists perform basically, just for their expenses, and without the tremendous participation of the 6,000 plus people who turned out to support the concerts, we could never have raised this much money for charity, especially in these challenging times.  It is truly remarkable and a collaboration of everyone’s efforts involved, including that of my great staff”.

 

The four-day event came to a close Monday at Sonoma Golf Club on a picture perfect day for golf.  Over 130 golfers hit the links winding down a memorable weekend of great music, fundraising, food and wine at one of the finest destinations in wine country, the B.R. Cohn Winery.  Go to www.brcohn.com for info on next year’s event.

Sonoma Wine Country Weekend Wrap-up

TOP CHEFS, WORLD CLASS WINES AND RECORD ATTENDANCE

HIGHLIGHT 2^ND ANNUAL SONOMA WINE COUNTRY WEEKEND

 

Taste and Auction Events Filled To Capacity

 

The Three Day Series of Events, Sponsored by Visa Signature

Raised More than $400,000 for Local Sonoma Charities

 

 

Sonoma, CA (September 8, 2009) --  Sonoma Wine Country Weekend, one of the country’s most prestigious wine events and Sonoma County’s largest food and wine fundraiser of the year, enjoyed record participation and attendance while raising more than $400,000 for local Sonoma charities. The annual three-day, pre-harvest celebration – comprised of the 30th Annual Showcase: Taste of Sonoma, the 17^th Annual Sonoma Valley Harvest Wine Auction and a series of vintner hosted lunches and dinners – shines a spotlight on Sonoma’s unparalleled culinary, winemaking and hospitality heritage.  In all, more than 150 wineries, 60 chefs and countless hospitality providers and volunteers took part in the annual fete that drew a record crowd from across the country and around the world in idyllic wine country weather.

 

“We are thrilled with both the turnout and the proceeds from this year’s event.” said Executive Producer Maureen Cottingham, “This has been a challenging year, and we didn’t know quite what to expect, but everyone, from the participating wineries and chefs to the visitors who traveled here from all over the country really stepped up to make this a fabulous event for Sonoma’s food and wine community and the local charities we support.”

 

Sonoma’s legendary Sangiacomo family served as honorary chairs for the 2^nd Annual Sonoma Wine Country Weekend, underscoring this year’s focus on the contributions made by Sonoma’s grape growers to the historic wine region’s world class standing.

 

For the second year in a row, Visa Signature™ served as presenting sponsor, providing Visa Signature card owners exclusive perks and savings during the weekend’s events.

 

Vintner Lunch & Dinner Series The weekend’s festivities began on Friday and continued into Saturday with a sold out series of intimate vintner lunches and dinners hosted in the cellars, vineyards and dining rooms of Sonoma’s premier wineries. Guests enjoyed a unique opportunity to hobnob with their favorite winemakers and growers while enjoying feasts prepared by Sonoma’s finest chefs. Some of the most coveted seatings at this year’s vintner series included, Chalk Hill Estates, Hook & Ladder, Stryker Sonoma, Tandem, Paul Hobbs, Benziger, Lancaster, Quivira and of course, Saturday night’s grand Honorary Chair Dinner hosted by the Sangiacomo family at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa. 

 

Record Attendance at Showcase: Taste of Sonoma

One of the most highly anticipated wine and food events of the year, Showcase: Taste of Sonoma was hosted Saturday on the grounds of the historic MacMurray Ranch in Healdsburg.  The record capacity crowd of 2500 enjoyed a picture perfect summer day, immersing themselves in the food and wine culture of Sonoma County. Noted as “the largest outdoor food and wine event in California” by Santa Rosa Press Democrat, Showcase: Taste of Sonoma featured 60 of Sonoma’s best restaurants including Cyrus, Bistro 29, Zin, El Dorado Kitchen and Syrah, together with more than 150 world class wineries and countless artisan food purveyors gathered among the vines of the storied estate that was once home to the late actor Fred MacMurray.   Wine lovers and foodies alike were treated to endless examples of Sonoma’s bounty, from the Gloria Ferrer Bubble Lounge and Farmers Market to basket press demonstrations and sommelier-led AVA Tent tours - not to mention the unparalleled line-up of world class food and wine.  For many, the highlight of the day was the Steel Chef Competition, which saw Sonoma’s culinary masters competing for the coveted title of Sonoma County’s Chef of Steel. After a neck-in-neck final round, this year’s winner was Ryan Fancher of Barndiva in Healdsburg.  

 

“We travel all over the world to wine and food events,” enthused Rande Willson and Kelly Madrid of Boca Raton, FL.  “and this weekend is the one we keep coming back to!”

 

Hijinks and High Bids at the 17^th Annual Sonoma Valley Harvest Wine Auction

Can you say Toga Party? Sporting the tagline “Party with Us and You’ll Want to Come Bacchus”, the 17^th Annual Sonoma Valley Harvest Wine Auction took place Sunday on the bucolic grounds of Cline Cellars in Sonoma. The day started with a leisurely preview of silent and live auction lots in the luxuriously appointed Toga Lounge, followed at 1pm by the dropping of the first gavel by auctioneer Fritz Hatton in the Wine Spectator Auction Tent. The bidding was fast and furious throughout the afternoon, helped in part by the decision this year to reduce the number of overall lots in favor of fewer and more exciting packages.  Gods and goddesses alike strutted their stuff across the stage, delighting the crowd with Greco-Roman inspired decadence in an effort to gain top bid for their lot. The raucous crowd – egged on by vintner and grower hosts at each table - was whipped into a paddle-waving frenzy. The high bid of the day went to Benziger Family Winery who took to the stage en masse and in togas to sing a high-spirited, if somewhat off key rendition of “Shout” while raising $51,000 for a 102 person toga party to be held next summer at the Benziger’s Imagery Estate Winery. Other lots drawing top bids included The Sangiacomo Family’s Chairman’s Lot, which included a trip for two to Portofino and Milan, Italy,  a lunch for 20 in their vineyards and a selection of Sangiacomo Vineyard Designated wines; A Roman Holiday, featuring a 2-day Sonoma experience, vertical of Cherry Block Cabernet Sauvignon, 6 day adventure trip to Tuscany & Umbria from Sebastiani Vineyards & Winery; a Hobbs-Knobbing with the Winemaker Soiree, offering an instant wine cellar, plus VIP winery visit and twilight dinner for six from Paul Hobbs Winery; A Golden Anniversary Wine, Dine, Music and Idaho Adventure package, including winemaker/celebrity chef dinner for 10, season tickets to winery concert series and three-day fly fishing trip to Idaho from Rodney Strong Vineyards; and a Star Treatment Mediterranean Cruise, including 11 nights for two aboard the new Solstice Class Celebrity Equinox, from Celebrity Cruises. As it has in years past, Fund-a-Need drew enthusiastic bidding even though there was nothing to win, other than the opportunity to help one of Sonoma’s most vital non-profits, the Sonoma Community Center, so that this treasured Sonoma landmark can continue its mission to support the cultural, educational and recreational enrichment of Sonoma Valley.

 

“This is the event that we both look forward to attending all year,” exclaimed perennial bidder Rob Irwin of Tulsa, OK, who attended with his wife, Jeannine. “We love this auction and the whole weekend, and we keep adding more friends from Tulsa to our table!”  Rob and Jeannine have bid on the head table lot three consecutive years.

 

In all – between the live auction, silent auction (larger total than last year) and online e- auction that went live to bidders from around the world beginning August 1, the 17^th Annual Sonoma Valley Wine Auction raised well over $400,000 for local Sonoma county charities.

 

About 2009 Sonoma Wine Country Weekend Sponsors and Beneficiaries

A partnership between Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers and Sonoma County Vintners, Sonoma Wine Country Weekend is the area’s largest wine and food fundraiser, having donated more than a combined $8 million to local charities that support students, children, farm workers and people in need. 

 

The 2009 Sonoma Wine County Weekend is presented by Visa Signature, whose cardholders will receive exclusive perks and savings throughout the event. From benefits that save time to benefits that help to safeguard purchases, Visa Signature helps cardholders get the most out of life. In addition to a choice of numerous airline, hotel and other premium reward partners, cardholders enjoy access to around-the-clock complimentary concierge services; epicurean events and reservations at the hottest restaurants; premium merchant offers; and access to exclusive events such as the Olympics, Super Bowl and the Tony Awards, as well as preferred access and seating at local sporting events, concerts and movie screenings. For more information about Visa Signature, visit www.visa.com/signature.  

 

Other partners include Executive Sponsors: Trilogy Glass & Packaging and MacMurray Ranch; Major Sponsors: American AgCredit, Sonoma County Winegrape Commission, Southern Wine & Spirits, and Buick; Winery Sponsors: Cline Cellars, Jacuzzi Family Vineyards, Rodney Strong Vineyards, and Gloria Ferrer Caves and Vineyards; Supporting Sponsors: Caliber WinePak, Stölzle USA, and Viking Range Corporation; Media Sponsors: Wine Spectator, Gourmet Magazine and San Francisco Magazine. For a complete list of beneficiaries and sponsors of the 2009 Sonoma Wine Country Weekend, please visit www.SonomaWineCountryWeekend.com.

 

About Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers Alliance and Foundation

The Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers Alliance (SVVGA) is a non-profit trade organization serving over 500 vintners, growers and associates who share a mission to promote awareness of Sonoma Valley’s grapes, wine, and history as the birthplace of the California wine industry. The Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Foundation (SVVGF) is a non-profit 501c.3 organization that has raised over $6,000,000 for local Sonoma Valley charities through the Sonoma Valley Harvest Wine Auction. For more information on the SVVGA and SVVGF, please call 707-935-0803 or visit www.SonomaValleyWine.com.

 

About Sonoma County Vintners

Sonoma County Vintners (SCV) is the leading voice of Sonoma County wine, dedicated to raising awareness of Sonoma County as one of the world’s premier wine regions, noted for its heritage of artisan winemaking, distinct growing regions, and extraordinary quality. Founded in 1944, SCV represents more than 175 wineries of all sizes throughout the county. www.SonomaWine.com.

 

Event Beneficiaries

Throughout the history of the Sonoma Valley Harvest Wine Auction and the Showcase: Taste of Sonoma, over $8 million has been raised to support local Sonoma charities. Beneficiaries for the 2009 event are local charities that benefit students, children, farm workers and people in need. Past recipients of event proceeds include the Redwood Empire Food Bank, Santa Rosa Junior College Foundation, Friends in Sonoma Helping (FISH), Hanna Boys Center, Operation Youth of Sonoma County, Sonoma Community Center, Sonoma Jazz Plus, Sonoma Overnight Support/Sonoma Brown Baggers, Sonoma Valley Community Health Center, Sonoma Valley Education Foundation, Sonoma Valley Hospital Foundation, Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance, Willmar Center for Bereaved Children, Boys & Girls Clubs of Sonoma, and Vineyard Worker Services. For more information, visit www.SonomaWineCountryWeekend.com.

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