in the mix magazine - fall 2013

2 in the Mix Fall 20132 in the Mix Fall 2013

3in the Mix www.intheMixMagazine.com

4 in the Mix Fall 2013

5in the Mix www.intheMixMagazine.com 5in the Mix www.intheMixMagazine.com


MediaP r i n t D i g i t a l W e b V i d e o


With a reputation for delivering great quality at a remarkable price, Decoy has established a loyal following for its distinctive style, which emphasizes ready-upon-release wines that are capable of expressing their full charm and complexity in their youth. Over the past year, Decoy has outperformed the 16% growth of the luxury wine category at 56%.

WINEGROWING & WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY

Because of Duckhorn Wine Companys unique structure, Decoy Winemaker Don Laborde collaborates with the talent, experience and expertise of our four other winemakers, each of whom has a unique area of varietal specialization. In 2012, after several years of working with its sought-after grapes, Decoy acquired the renowned Ridgeline Vineyard property. Situated in the Alexander Valley appellation, Ridgeline provides an Estate presence for Decoy in Sonoma Countys best region for growing Bordeaux varietals.

THE EVERYDAY WINE...

duckhornwinecompany.com

for information or help in locating these wines: AJ FreemanOn-Premise National Accounts ManagerDuckhorn Wine [email protected] | (314) 494-9909

RIDGELINE VINEYARD, Sonoma CountyRIDGELINE VINEYARD, Sonoma County 2013

Duc

khor

n W

ine

Com

pany

, St.

Hel

ena,

CA

DUCKHORN WINE COMPANY WINEMAKERS

Neil Bernardi - Migration Michael Fay - Goldeneye

David Marchesi - ParaduxxBill Nancarrow - Duckhorn Vineyards

Don Laborde - Decoy


Applejack is still made in Scobeyville, New Jersey and Lairds is the only one who produces it. They are the oldest operating distillery in America, Nectaly continued. If you ever find yourself in New Jersey, you should pay them a visit.


light dry wines but a large percentage of these people simply love sweet tastes, which after all, mask bitterness. Liking sweet wines is not an indication of sophistication, or lack thereof as some pundits believe, or intelligence. The woman in this story is, in fact, a doctoral student who speaks six languages, is an accomplished ballerina and a Shakespeare scholar. Its just a question of palate and taste. Delighted with this insight, she put it to the test, and I say that server who aided and abetted her deserves a raise. Correct me if I am wrong but, in a restaurant that has 1,500 labels on its wine list, dont you want to encourage a sense of adventure? Why on earth would you carry so many wines in the first place? Both restaurants are also embodying another seemingly revolutionary idea that is often given lip service but not put into practice: that there are no such things as strict wine and food pairings and that wine, instead, should be paired to diner, not the dinner. Doesnt that just make sense? If you dont like a wine, its unlikely that a food is going to make it taste better for you. If you love a certain style of wine, why not enjoy it with dinner? I can tell you with confidence that if someone dislikes a wine style category, whether sweet or intense red, they will probably categorically dislike that style wine with any dish. But any wine with any dish? What about the idea that certain wines can overpower or even destroy a particular food? A trend thats gaining traction with some California chefs is the idea of flavor balancing adjusting the levels of salt and acid in a dish that is adversely affected by a wine. Sarah Scott, for many years executive chef at the Robert Mondavi Winery, is a strong proponent flavor balancing; and now working as a freelance chef for wineries, she is highly in demand for her ability to create dishes that make Napas renowned, intense fruit-bombs wines purr like a cat. And I recently helped organize an event for the staff of a Napa restaurant where the participants were presented with a buffet of foods and a range of wines. They were encouraged to try the worst pairings they could think of oysters and Cabernet, steak and Riesling and so forth and then to see how a twist of lemon and sprinkling of salt quickly restored the smoothness to the wine. The result: They are embarking on a new program to encourage diners to find their favorite wines and try them with a dish they want, from intense reds with fish to Moscato and steak. But isnt this the way we eat in the Napa Valley? a friend asked me. Dont we pretty much just drink the wines we like with whatever were eating? Dont we say to guests, What can I pour for you? Which wines do you like?

Tim Hanni is one of the first two Americans to earn the title of Master of Wine. He is an industry consultant and educator, hailed by The Wall Street Journal as The Wine Anti-Snob and is on faculty at Sonoma State Universitys Wine Business Institute. Hanni is a widely-recognized leader in developing wine marketing and education programs around the world, and is involved in sensory and behavioral research projects to foster a better understanding of consumer wine preferences.

Author of Why You Like the Wines You Like, available from Amazon.com. Visit his website at TimHanni.com.


I was lucky enough to arrive at this landmark hotel one evening in June just as the Mediterranean sun was setting through the French doors of our balcony overlooking the sea. It had been a frustrating and long travel day that included a 10-hour layover in Paris, thanks to air traffic controllers on strike. Upon entering room 425, we were surprised with a lovely gift of Champagne chilling in a bucket with a warm note of welcome from Public Relations officer Malya Zaim. Remnants of the day were quickly left behind with each sip of Champagne and endless gazes into the sky, with its spotty wisps of clouds and twinkling lights on the water from a deluge of mega-yachts mooring overnight below.


AA

90 in the Mix Fall 2013in the Mix Fall 2013in the Mix Fall 2013in the Mix Fall 2013

The Experience

by Ned Barker

99in the Mix www.intheMixMagazine.comPlease enjoy responsibly Diageo 2011

99in the Mix www.intheMixMagazine.comPlease enjoy responsibly Diageo 2011


Back in 1948 Mario and Mary Trinchero, along with their three children, left their comfortable New York City life for the Napa Valley. They discovered and purchased an abandoned 19th-century winery called Sutter Home, and by the 70s, they were solidly entrenched in the Zinfandel business. Then in 1972, Bob Trinchero invented a little gem called White Zinfandel no one needs to be told how successful that was! They used this new-found growth to start buying the best Napa vineyards they could find, and with the purchase of Folie Deux winery in Rutherford in 2004, they now had the makings for creating the new Trinchero Napa Valley winery. Recreated from the ground up, the winery was designed as a showcase that displays the Trinchero familys personality and history everywhere. With the addition of Mario Monticelli as

Trinchero Napa Valleythe winemaker in 2007, the puzzle was complete and their first wine of exceptional quality was produced. State-of-the-art from head to toe, the winery is also equipped with a full restaurant kitchen, chef and staff for teaching and accommodating their guests with some of the best cuisine in the valley. TNV produces an array of wines. As many as six types of Cabernet are produced from different appellations including Rutherford, St. Helena, Mt. Veeder and Atlas Peak. The two outstanding Merlots hail from Rutherford and Daybreak Block in Napa Valley. Marys Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc and Meritage from Napa Valley round out the portfolio. The winery is located in Rutherford, just north of beautiful St. Helena, in a stunning setting with breathtaking views.


Rutherford Hill Winery is the Terlato familys first owned winery. Situated on top of a hill in Rutherford, it is appropriately named. The views from the 26-acre estate are as spectacular as its wines. They farm 180 acres of Napa vineyards; two vineyards are in their home-based Rutherford appellation, and the other properties are in Pope Valley and Oak Knoll. Merlot is king at Rutherford Hill, which was one of the first wineries to bottle Merlot as a stand-alone varietal back in the 70s. It still accounts for almost 60 percent of their production. Chardonnay, Cabernet and Barrel Select Red are also available from distributors, all of which are 100 percent Napa Valley fruit. They craft nearly a dozen wines at the facility including Quickfire, Tangley Oaks, the Luke

Donald and Jack Nicklaus label wines, and The Terlato Family Vineyards wines, all under the direction of Marisa Taylor Huffaker, their winemaker since 2004. Marisa and all of the Terlato Wine Group winemakers as a whole are under the supervision of Doug Fletcher, VP of Winemaking for the Terlato Wine Group. Rutherford Hill has a spectacular cave system, which is among the largest in California at over 40,000 square feet. With the naturally cool temperature and high humidity, it is the perfect atmosphere in which to age and maintain their wines. All their wines are barreled in 100 percent French oak, with the reds spending 16-18 months in the caves.

Rutherford Hill Winery

116 in the Mix Fall 2013116 in the Mix Fall 2013

1-3031-6061-9091-116

in the mix magazine - fall 2013

Documents

mix fall

everyday wine

luxury wine category

decoy winemaker don

sonoma countys best

release wines

mediap r i n t d i g

growing bordeaux