Newsletter | May 2008 Newsletter

Dear Wine Lover,

Amidst the excitement of spring and all of the joy that she brings, there is some sad news to report this month.  Robert G. Mondavi, the undisputed father of the American Winemaking Industry has died.  He was 94 and he had a long and incredible career that all of us in this great industry will be forever grateful for.  Mondavi established the first major winery built in Napa Valley following the repeal of Prohibition and thanks to that beginning and the many winemaking techniques that he pioneered, our industry was truly born.  Until Mondavi came along, American wine was considered by the world to be an inferior imitation of wine being produced in the traditional wine regions of the world.  Mondavi had an innovative approach, his interest was in combining Old World winemaking tradition with New World technology to produce world class wines.  Produce them he did!  Mondavi was also among the first to export premium California wine and thus introduced the world to a new standard of American winemaking which is now well respected and producing wines that stand beside those of Bordeaux, Burgundy and the like.  Thank you Mr. Mondavi.  You will be missed but your legacy is forever present in every bottle of wine produced across this great country!

 

We have an event coming up that I have to tell you about.  It's not happening until August but it's so huge, so unique, so exciting - I can't wait to share!  Gary Vaynerchuk, the star of Wine Library TV, has attracted a cult-like following with over 60,000 "Vayniacs" tuning in to his podcast each day - including our very own Vayniacs, winemaker Rob Cox and partner Michael Ching.  (Check it out anytime at tv.winelibrary.com.)  Most shows are centered around wine tasting - Gary will come to the table with a selection of wine and take you on an informative, honest and hilarious journey through tasting and evaluating each one.  He'll offer information on regional influences, wine flavors and how to buy wine.  Another favorite pastime is debunking popular myths about wine.  Gary is unpretentious and so much fun but he's also very knowledgeable and serious about wine.  He offers a step away from the stuffy approach of yesteryear and a step towards straightforward and accessible information that makes learning about wine a pleasure.
Well,  big announcement,  Gary is coming to La Grange!!!  August 23rd will be All Gary, All Day!  In the afternoon there will be a podcast seminar.  He'll taste our wine and some other local favorites and he'll tell us, and all of his viewers, exactly what he thinks.  That evening we'll host a dinner in Gary's honor with a continuation of the wine conversation over a delicious multi-course dinner.  Gary, Chris Pearmund and some other special guests will guide us through this entire experience.  Space will be limited so sign up today!!  See the "Happenings" section of our webpage for details.  If you love wine and fun, you don't want to miss this.

 

Some other great events you might be interested in are on the calendar.  This very Friday, May 23, we have "Date Night" which is an evening for you and your love or your favorite friends to spend picnicking on our lawn under the stars.  Beginning at 8:00pm we'll show the film A Good Year.  Your picnic ticket includes a bottle of our wine and some great food!  Reservations required.

 
June 28 is our next winemaker's dinner.  It's the annual "Taste of the Islands" dinner held on the lawn where you'll feel like you've been swept away to a tropical place with tiki torches blazing, island music in the background, seafood and exotic sides and, what's that?, is that a giant parrot in the tree??  Fun for all!  See our "Happenings" page for details on all of this and more!

Weddings, weddings, weddings.  We have had some of the most beautiful weddings here this spring and we're lined up with many more all through the summer.  It's so wonderful that La Grange is being chosen by couples in love as the place where they want to mark their new beginning.  We've had large ones, tiny ones, casual and elegant and each one has been simply fantastic.  We've also been witness to no less than 4 engagements.  We've been hiding rings for nervous grooms, pouring wine to celebrate when we hear that thrilled "yes" and we've seen some happy tears when the ring slips onto the finger - so sweet!  We've also got some great parties planned - birthdays, retirement and a surprise party .Ssshhhhh.

We hope you'll have some special times here this season, whether we can help plan a very special occasion or if you just make this your favorite gathering spot with your family or friends, we're always happy to see you and grateful for your support. 

Cruise Holidays is offering a 10 day Virginia Wine cruise from Rome to Barcelona on June 17-27, 2009.  Join Chris & Lisa Pearmund as you enjoy Virginia wines and wineries of Italy.