Vinfolio.com

For as long as I have been following the David Arthur project, the wines have been made by Bob Egelhoff. Beginning in the 1996 vintage this brand begin producing an iconic pair of Cabernet Sauvignon from their Estate; Cabernet Sauvignon, and Elevation 1147, that have gone on to be recognized as some of the top wines produced in California year after year.

In late July I was chatting with Nile Zacherle of Zacherle Wines and Lava Vine (we have offices located in the same building) and he mentioned to me he had just taken over as winemaker at David Arthur beginning with the 2008 vintage. I thought this was very exciting news as I have known Nile for several years since he was making Barnett on Spring Mountain. He cut his teeth at Sterling and Chateau Montelena early in his career. The Wine Spectator picked up on Nile's appointment earlier this month and interviewed him here.

Congratulations to Nile for joining one of my favorite Cabernet producers! I just tasted the new releases last week and they will be appearing at Vinfolio soon.

Earlier this week I finished writing the latest installment of The Wilder Side of California, Issue 206 that will be available for viewing on our website Thursday night. In the opening paragraph I commented that out of the wines I could have written about, there was a particular resonance to writing about the selection I did. I couldn't even explain it to myself at the time but for some reason they just went together and the time was right. It wasn't until today I realized there really was a theme.

So this morning I learned from a posting by Tim Corliss on the Mark Squires Bulletin Board (eRobertParker.com) that Celia Masyczek was just named Food & Wine Magazine's Winemaker of the Year for 2008. I couldn't be happier for Celia to receive this award. As I have mentioned before she got on my radar screen in 1999 after I tasted the marvelous 1998 Staglin Cabernet Sauvignon she made. Over the last two or three vintages her career as a consultant and the attentiion brought to her wines has gone into hyperdrive. In my opinion, this recognition is overdue.

One of her projects (a long list of stunning wines including Scarecrow, Lindstrom, Hollywood & Vine, Rocca, Keever and her own Corra label which had its world premiere last year on this blog), is the first wine I discuss in Friday's issue. (a hint... It is the highest scoring debut release from her I have tasted)

By some coincidence, the offer concludes with the new release from Robert Foley who just happened to be Food & Wine Magazine's Winemaker of the Year 2007.

We hope you enjoy the wines discussed in this coming offer of top-flight Napa Bordeaux varietal wines and please join all of us at Vinfolio in congratulating Celia Masyczek on this honor from Food & Wine Magazine. Don't miss Issue 206 of The Wilder Side of California to see what the buzz is all about.

And lastly, I can't forget to mention Vinfolio was named one of Food & Wine Magazine's Top 10 Best Online Wine Shops of 2007

For someone like me whose job it is to taste wine regularly (practically every day) the idea of having a glass of Merlot or virtually any other variety open in my office doesn't raise any eyebrows among colleagues or management, but millions of Americans generally can't have a glass of wine  until 6PM at the earliest or they reach 21 years old.

I just learned of a new product on the market called First Blush Juice that was mentioned on Springwise, a database of entreprenurial ideas, that offers consumers nonalcoholic grape juices providing health benefits from varieties we normally associate with coming from the fine growing regions of the world. Currently the company produces Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay available in 16oz bottles that sell for about $4.00 each. Among the health benefits are antioxidant characteristics that have been widely attributed to grape juice. Additionally there is a property called ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity) existing in red grape juice (at 6000 units, it is twice as high as apple, and 5x that of brewed tea.)

This isn't a new idea though. Navarro Winery in Mendocino has produced nonalcoholic juice from wine grapes for as long as I remember and it is of the highest quality. The problem has always been access as it is generally only available from the winery. First Blush is currently available in 18 states so it will bring high-end grape juice to a much wider audience. It seems the producers are positioning First Blush as an alternative to tea or pomegranate juices that have advertised health benefits. 

But I do have a couple questions

1.How long till non alcoholic Merlot or Chardonnay grape juice in Little Johnny's lunch box lands him in the principal's office because someone thinks it is wine? 

2. To what extent does making non alcoholic grape juices from premium wine grape varieties available to a fruit juice consumer market influence their opinion about wine in general?

It used to be every discussion of dry pink wine included a detailed explanation that it was not the same as White Zinfandel but yes, your Aunt Edna could sip it on Sunday afternoons and would likely enjoy it just fine. Apparently this message has been hammered home several million times over because now there is apparently an un-precedented surge in consumption of Rose in America.

A recent article appearing in Wines and Vines written by Tina Caputo cited a Nielsen Co. report stating that Rose consumption grew exponentially faster than the sector for total Table Wine over a one-year cycle. In the 52 week period ending February 9, 2008, the report shows a modest boost of 2.9% in total Table Wine consumption domestically. However consumption of Rose has risen over 49% in the same period.

The article further quotes Paige Poulos, President of Paige Poulos Communications and co-founder of RAP (Rose Avengers and Producers) "These latest numbers demonstrate a powerful long-term trend for fine rose in the U.S." Poulos adds, "Rose has become an important and respected wine on the American table."

RAP will celebrate its 4th annual PINK OUT tasting event featuring dozens of producers of Rose, in San Francisco on May 13th at Butterfly Restaurant on the waterfront. it is open to consumers between 630 and 830 PM and tickets are $35 each. Tickets may be obtained by sending an email to rap@paigepoulos.com

I have personally tried several very well made Rose recently with favorites being Joy Sterling's Iron Horse Rosato of Sangiovese, and a barrel aged example of Cabernet Franc from Greg and Petra Martin's Martin Estate, the latter a dead ringer for a fine Pinot Noir!

Incidentally statistics showed that the largest percentage growth over the last year for Rose occurred in the Miami, FL market, so if you are planning on visiting Aunt Edna at her Pompano Beach condo this summer, she may just offer you a Bandol instead of White Zinfandel.

Wouldn't that be refreshing? Yes, I'm sure it would...

This may seem like an odd note to post on freerunjuice because it doesn't seem like it really has much to do with wine, but be patient and read on.

Vinfolio's San Francisco office is located in a very large former industrial structure on Potrero Hill. Shortly after the office opened here in 2005, A restaurant called Arc Cafe opened downstairs where I could start my Tuesday in the city with an espresso, something to munch on and the great equalizer - free Wi-FI! I usually get into SF early as I drop my partner off downtown by 630AM and I have some time to kill. It became one of my personal rituals that abruptly ended when they closed down in December of 2006. The only alternative to coffee in the morning was a Starbucks on the next block which I resigned myself to for the foreseeable future.

Imagine my surprise when I came into the office today after being gone for three weeks and seeing the old Arc Cafe space was actually open under a new name, Coffee Bar. It was a little early when I poked my head in the door asking if they were open, but a friendly guy named Jason said he could make me an espresso which turned out to an exquisite way to begin the day (in the proper cup, with a metal spoon, no less!) i asked about breakfast bites and he advised me that the ham and cheese croissants from Patisserie Philippe, to be delivered by 730 were not to be missed.

I powered up my laptop and began surfing the web in their spacious, newly outfitted, modern space. When the pastry finally arrived (right on time), it was every bit as good as Jason suggested and as he mentioned, still "bakery fresh warm". This Tuesday morning "start-up" is the boost I need to approach tastings in the city and ultimately gets me through writing my weekly offer published on Friday. There is the wine connection!

They have some items for lunch but also an extensive wine selection that becomes available after 5 PM.

If you find yourself doing a pickup of my latest wines from The Wilder Side of California at Vinfolio and you need an espresso or a quick bite. Here is your answer.

Vinfolio is proud to participate in the third annual A Menu For Hope in support of the UN World Food Programme. Last years contributions from food bloggers from all over raised $17000 to help UNICEF. If you have never participated, this is a raffle where you may bid on this prize. An important item to remember is the the PRIZE CODE for this item is WB04.

Vinfolio has assembled a case selected from my Top 25 list of 2007* - wines that exhibit the pinnacle of quality, value and rarity that I seek throughout the year. This portion of the list represents only about 1% of the wines I taste throughout the year

The case contains one bottle each

2005 Herman Story Syrah, Larner Vineyard; VF 95 Made by Russell From, Vinfolio's Winemaker of the Year 2007

2004 Diamond Terrace Cabernet Sauvignon; VF 95

2005 Donum Estate Pinot Noir Russian River Valley; VF 97

2004 Fidelitas Cabernet Sauvignon, Champoux Vineyard; VF 96

2005 Neiman Cellars Chardonnay; VF 94

2005 Stolpman Whitle Wine L'Avion; VF 96

2005 Maldonado Chardonnay, Los Olivos Vineyards; VF 95

2006 Hartwell Sauvignon Blanc; VF 96

2005 Owen Roe Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla; VF 95

2005 Dierberg Pinot Noir Estate; VF 96

2005 Dierberg Chardonnay Estate; VF 96

2005 Koehler Grenache Estate; VF 94

* subject to substitution

 In order to win click on the link at the top of the page and follow the instructions.

1. Choose a prize or prizes of your choice from the Menu for Hope.

2. Go to the donation site and make a donation.

3. Please specify which prize you would like in the Personal message section in the donation form when confirming yur donation. You must write in how many tickets per prize, and please use the prize code.

4. If your company matches your charity donation, please check the box and fill in the information so we could claim the corporate match.

5. Pleae check the box to allow us to see your email address so that we could contact you in case you win. Your email address will not be shared with anyone.

Check back on Chez Pim (http://www.chezpim.com) on January 9 for the results of the raffle.