Ethos by Randy Elrod - How To Create Culture

The Winning Wines At Our New Year's Eve "Toast To 2010" Blind Tasting

Congratulations to Brian & Lisa Beathard of downtown Franklin for winning "A Toast To 2010". All proceeds benefit Kalein Center for Creative Studies

We had a blast and enjoyed great wine!! It also proves my long standing belief that a great wine does not have to cost a fortune.

Here are the top 5 placing wines:

1. 2007 Napa Creek Cabernet $10. (Brian & Lisa Beathard)

2. 2008 Pali Pinot Noir Bluffs Russian River Valley $20. (Dr. David & Rhonda Kemp)

3. 2005 Eden Stuart Napa Valley Korte Ranch Zinfandel $22. (Michael & Gail Hyatt)

4. (Tie) 2008 Baqueano Patagonia Cabernet Malbec Argentina $9. (David & Shelley Breen)

4. (Tie) 2007 Chateau Musar Cuvee Rogue  Bekaa Valley Lebanon $15.99 (Audrey Assad)

5. 2008 Venta Morales Tempranillo $8. (Gabe & Keely Scott)

Join Me For "A Toast To 2010" - The Most Unique (and FUN) Wine Tasting of Your Life - And Benefit A Great Cause

 

# of Persons

1 Person $50.00 2 Persons $100.00 3 Persons $150.00 4 Persons $200.00 5 Persons $250.00 6 Persons $300.00

Suzanne Phifer-Pavitt of Napa's Award-Winning Phifer-Pavitt "Date Night" Cabernet Will Personally Lead A Tasting Oct.1 In Franklin, TN To Benefit "Kalein Center For Creative Studies"

Suzanne's 2006 Date Night Cabernet garnered a lofty 93 from Wine Spectator. Here is what Wine Spectator magazine says.

PHIFER PAVITT Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Date Night 2006 Score: 93 | $75

Well-crafted, tight and structured, with a complex blend of currant, boysenberry, black cherry and plum fruit framed by chewy, integrated tannins. Ends with a loamy earth edge. Drink now through 2017. 275 cases made. Phifer Pavitt Date Night is the best Pope Valley Cabernet I've tried (although the label doesn't say Pope Valley) Phifer Pavitt's bottling comes from Pope Valley, which is legally part of Napa, but is separated from the valley by Howell Mountain. This is the second exciting vintage from this producer, and I'm sure that once people realize how good Pope Valley wines can be, you'll start to see and hear more references to the Pope Valley-Napa Valley appellation, as well as more producers seeking its grapes. (A petition for a Pope Valley AVA, or American Viticultural Area, is in the works.) The wines are rich and fleshy, with gobs of fruit and great depth, but not as heavy as some Cabernets from the valley floor. —J.L.

The tasting will be at the home of Dr. David & Rhonda Kemp and conducted poolside if weather permits. It will take place Thursday evening, Oct. 1 at 7pm. Suzanne will be flying in from her Napa Valley home and personally conducting the tasting. Phifer-Pavitt has graciously donated the wine and her expenses, so all monies go directly to our charity Kalein scholarship fund. We will do a comparative tasting of the 2006 (93 rating W.S.)and the rare and sold-out 2005 (94 rating W.S.) "Date Night" vintages. We will also taste the extraordinary Olabisi Chardonnay from Phifer-Pavitt award-winning winemaker Ted Osborne and possibly a Syrah as well. Plenty of wine complemented by cheeses selected for ideal pairings will be on hand.

Space is limited to first 35.

The tasting is $50. donation per person.

You may sign up HERE.

# of Persons

1 Person $50.00 2 Persons $100.00 3 Persons $150.00 4 Persons $200.00

To read more about our wonderful experience with Phifer-Pavitt Wines in Napa Valley, read HERE.

Kalein 2009 Napa Valley Leadership Retreat Highlight Video

All photos by me. Music by the one and only John Scott Evans who joined us on the trip and provided a beautiful music backdrop to our experience.

Day 4 In Napa - ZD & Terra Valentine Wineries

Thursday morning after coffee around the fire and our daily delicious breakfast from our CIA Chef Patty, we decided to nap and enjoy time around the beautiful pool. We needed a time of rest from all our "work" eating and tasting wines.

While we sunbathed, Chef Michael and his sous chef Gerogio had been hard at work punching homemade pizza dough that had risen over night, cutting mozarella they had created from scratch and laying out ingredients for all of us to create our own pizza artistic masterpiece in the pizza oven on the patio. It felt just like we were in Italy! They were delectable.

Then on to ZD Wines where owner Brett De Leuze personally escorted us on a wonderful tour of their completely organic grown vineyards and solar powered wine making facility. We tasted from barrels, and Brett eventually escorted part of our group to a personal tasting of their flagship blend "Abacus".

However, several of us had slipped out minutes before the "Abacus" surprise to a reserved tasting at Terra Valentine. This winery is very special to Chris and me because the exquisite bottle of 1979 Yverdon Cabernet we had on our 30th anniversary came from this vineyard.

Climbing the curvy and narrow road up Spring Mountain, we felt as though we had been transported to  Tuscany. And as we walked up to the extraordinary castle called Terra Valentine we were sure that we had hit some sort of time warp to Chianti. Heidi was the quintessential host and guide for the storied history of this unique place in Napa.

The wines absolutely bewitched us. From the opening Viognier to the Yverdon Cab, we were enchanted by the medieval terrior, aromas, tastes and amazing finishes of these magical wines. Wow!

We then merrily (with a designated driver, I might add) descended back to the valley and Calistoga and prepared for a wonderful evening of friends old and new, music and amazing cuisine.

To be continued...

Hendry Wines Napa Valley Harvest & Tasting

It's March In Napa ...

My dear friend and wine connoisseur Dan Perkins has written a wonderful post at Wine For Novices

"It’s March in Napa and it’s my favorite time of year to visit. Generally this is due to less crowding but specifically it’s because of the Mustard Festival, which begins in February. “Huh?” you may be thinking… “I thought they grew grapes not mustard in Napa Valley?” True but you can experience the marvelous beauty of this region as they celebrate winter dormancy and the fluffy yellow stuff amid the vines. 

So, what’s this all about?..."

Read the rest HERE

Ethos Best Wines Under $10

1. 2005 Bohemian Highway Cabernet Sauvignon $8.
2. 2004 Columbia Crest Two Vines Merlot $8.
3. 2006 Smoking Loon Cabernet Sauvignon $9.
4. 2005 Bohemian Highway Chardonnay $7.
5. 2005 Catena Chardonnay, Mendoza $10
6. 2007 Pacific Rim Gewurtraminer $10.
7. 2004 Folie à Deux Ménage à Trois California Red, $9
8. 2004 Smoking Loon Viognier, California, $10
9. 2005 Esser Cabernet Sauvignon, $10
10. Your Suggestion?

Can a good wine be had for $10? Absolutely. If you usually skip the bargain displays at your wine seller and head for the more expensive stashes in the back, you’re missing out on worthwhile wines at sensational prices.

Anything that’s good and inexpensive tends to be a little offbeat, but when a inexpensive wine gets a good reputation, it becomes less of a value. For example, my number two recommendation could be found in our store's "bargain basement" at $4. until Wine Spectator named it a "Best Buy" last year. The Two Vines Merlot immediately doubled in price.

I call these wines our weekday or "house" wines. I will talk about "Sunday" wines another day. Enjoy!

Tell us your suggestions for the "Under $10" list HERE.

And The Winning Wine Is...

"A Toast To 2009" was a magnificent evening and great fundraiser for Kalein. Special thanks to O'More College of Design for the use of Abbey Leix mansion and to Mark McGill and his company ProForma for donating our beautiful Kalein wine glasses.

Rhonda & David Kemp took home a room full of wine after winning the evening's blind tasting of almost 40 wines by a landslide with a 2004 Aries Pinot Noir from Robert Sinskey Vineyards. Retail price around $23. This is a GREAT wine and a GREAT value.

Top 10 Wines from "A Toast To 2009"

1. 2004 Aries Pinot Noir-Robert Sinskey Vineyards $23.
Dr. David & Rhonda Kemp
Total Votes-106
Wine Spectator Score-87
2. 2002 Hentley Farm Shiraz $28.
Dr. Mark & Rosemary Hilliard
Total Votes-82
Wine Spectator Score-86
3.2005 Elements Red Wine Artesa Vineyards $17.99
Robert D. Smith
Total Votes-78
WS-N/A
4. 2005 Testarossa Pinot Noir- $40.
Hans Ott
Total Votes-77
Wine Spectator Score-89
5. 2005 Allterra Cabernet Sauvignon $20.
Jeff & Gina Kremkau
Total Votes-71
Wine Spectator Score-N/A
6.2005 Bohemian Cabernet Sauvignon $8. BEST BUY!
Karrie Hardwick
Total Votes-70
Wine Spectator Score-N/A
7. 2007 Beringer White Zinfandel $5. BEST BUY!
Josh & Rebecca Trombley
Total Votes-68
Wine Spectator Score-N/A
8.2005 Hecula Monastrell $14.
Randy & Chris Elrod
Total Votes-64
Wine Spectator Score-N/A
9.2005 Esser Cabernet $12.
Toby Sturgill
Total Votes-59
Wine Spectator Score-82
10.2006 Rosenblum Zinfandel Rockpile Rockpile Road Vineyard $40.
Spence Smith
Total Votes-59
Wine Spectator Score-91

A Toast To 2009 - New Year's Eve At The O'More Mansion In Historic Franklin, TN