This holiday season, keep your eyes on the bubbles. Sparkling wine & the French version, Champagne, are synonymous with celebration. These fabulous concoctions deserve a place in our everyday life. Not reserved solely for celebration. Before you purchase that next bottle, sink your teeth into this: sparkling wines and champagne run about ten calories less per glass than a red or sweet wine. This very day should be a celebration!
Schramsberg has built a reputation out of quality, dedication and vision. Creating the best possible sparkling in the business is what they’re known for. They don’t stop there. Schramsberg also carries quality stills with their Davies, J. Davies and Jamie brands making exceptional quality Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir.
VIDEO: Interview with vintner Hugh Davies
In 1965 the Davies family was captivated by the idea of building a wine company. Jack & Jamie Davies, along with their young brood, found a beautiful spot in Napa Valley. This winery, now 154 years old, is located on Diamond Mountain. Diamond Mountain is part of the extensive 52 mile Mayacamas Mountain range and is located between Calistoga and St. Helena. It had a house on it and vines that were more of a nature experiment than vines they might use, but they saw the same promise one Jacob Schram saw almost 100 years before their arrival and embraced the chance to put their drive in action. There were just 22 wineries operating in 1965, but the Davies had a vision, a dream, and a family to take care of and were focused on the goal.
VIDEO: Interview with Schramsberg Winemaker Sean Thompson
“We’re going to carve our niche as the ultimate producer of sparkling wine in the United States”
With a Harvard MBA under his belt, Mr. Davies knew that focus on a unique offering could make this new business a success. He and Jamie determined a sparkling California wine was one they could embrace using old world methods to ferment. Méthode Traditionelle is a labor intensive and more expensive, involving a -secondary fermentation- and is also known as “The Champagne Method”. First, a base wine is fermented in steel or oak barrels and then it is moved to bottle for secondary fermentation. The devotion and focus Jack & Jamie Davies had on producing sparkling using this method paid off significantly. They set a precedent for others to follow.
VIDEO: Stacking is the method used to get 2.6 million bottles into the caves. Check it out!
“The one thing we don’t want to lose sight on is the initial vision we started out with.”
The thing about a start-up, then or now; it doesn’t matter how much money you have, you are always gambling.Prohibition left vineyards and the industry in an abominable state. With time the industry started to turn around. Jack and Jamie Davies had the vision, tenacity, and determination to make this work. The hard work would not go unnoticed. It was about the time the man landed on the moon that the Davies family got their first landmark recognition. It arrived at one of the most historic meetings the world would see.
Their Blanc de Blancs was the first American made wine served at an official U.S. State function, and it made an outstanding debut for the historic meeting of the minds with global leaders between the U.S. and China in 1972. Today, it continues to be a mainstay of the White House.
www.schramsberg.com
Bouchaine Winery is the spot to discover great Burgundian varieties made in Napa Valley’s Carneros region. Modern winery meets social hour. Bouchaine Vineyards tasting room
Somm Foundation Receives $25,000 in Support Pouring of Chateau Montelena’s stunning 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Over 200 people descended on Napa Valley’s Meritage Resort & Spa
Sojourn to the apex of Napa Valley with Theorem Vineyards. Adventuring up to Calistoga offers a wide array of wine riches including some boutique & family-owned small lot wineries.
Savoring every ounce of Porto & Gaia.
These captivating towns! This area is where savvy Europeans chill during holiday. It’s relaxed pace, good natured locals and delicious food and wine grace this region . Their beauty is remarkable. It’s history rich.
This day I ran first to the sea. Yet in the wrong direction. So I never made it there. But I discovered new things. Relived past visits and learned from those I spoke to.
The charm here will draw you in. Hold your heart captive.
Don’t look for crowded streets in the mornings.Life begins in the afternoon here. And then it knows no bounds.
A wedding. An hourly trolly. Buildings that have seen more history than we will ever know.
Dinner. A perfectly cooked tentacle of octopus, beyond generous in portion. Paired with a delectable #Alvarinho. An accommodating chef, and attentive service.
This was a day I’ll remember always.
Do you have a destination that you treasure?
Food by @restaurantebacalhoeiro
Wine by #quintadecidro
Vibe by #Portugal
When jet lag hits Porto and collides with a dirty Grey Goose tini up with Nicoise olive and a twist.
Good night.
Self Portrait: Finally changed my profile pic. Removed the one of me at the Eiffel Tower taken on March 12th just before the borders closed in France and the US.
I think the time after the old pic was taken has truly been a time of self reflection.
Each and everyone of us has been through such a crazy year and a half.
I'm grateful for this time since it's given me time to appreciate and spend more time with my family first. And to focus on the friends who truly are part of my life in ways that matter.
It gave me the opportunity to get in the best shape of my life and focus on the things that really count in this life.
I hope your journey too has been productive, meaningful and takes you where you want to go.
Wishing you a fabulous weekend in moderation, healthy food and great exercise!
To whatever is in your glass! May it be the most delicious sip ever.
Peace✌️And have a fantastic weekend with your loves.
Melka Estates
Precision is the name of the game. And you’ll certainly find the art of it at Melka.
A venture with two incredibly talented and diverse individuals, husband and wife team, Phillipe and Cherie Melka have created an enviable venture at the top of St. Helena’s Silverado Trail.
Precision’s opportunity presents itself in many venues of winemaking and the one wine creators agree upon is what happens in the vineyard is paramount to creating powerful and diverse taste in the glass.
To capitalize on this during harvest, the Melka’s make not one or two passes in the vineyard but several. To capture the spirit of vibrancy, the depth of flavor, the uniqueness of terroir.
It is a tasting that takes every sense and envelopes it completely. The heights of which taste continually excels the more in-depth one gets into the wine. It brings emotion to the forefront. Part of why I got involved in wine in the first place. Those taste that change one’s perception forever. That open the door to possibility and never let it go.
In the wine space it is not difficult to get jaded on occasion my the dearth of decent wine on the market today. There is not shortage of overpriced above average wine.
Here, the senses are in tune with what nature presents, while taking it a step beyond. The memories of this tasting will long be with me. It gave new life to my interest in wine. It gave meaning and dimension to the thought of truly exceptional wine.
This is a start of the story on the Melka’s and what they are doing for their family brand. Can't wait to delve in deeper!
Pictured: The bottle that brought happy tears to my eyes. 2017 Metisse Martinez Vineyards 70% Cabernet Sauvignon 20% Cabernet Franc 10% Petit Verdot
Great time tasting with dear friend @vinifera_collection. Thanks for capturing the puppy pic!
#TheWineSiren
New on TheWineSiren.com
Dreamers. Those who are a little crazy and very driven took to Carneros in the 1880’s. Boon Fly was the first to plant grapes and fruit trees here.
One day that dream would evolve into some of the region’s most celebrated Bordeaux varietals.
Learn how this outstanding venture is sweeping wine lovers off their feet. Winemaker &GM Chris Kijani has made incredible in roads along with her team.
Want more? Check out the link in bio for insight on this stunning one of a kind destination in Carneros.
#TheWineSiren #KellyMitchell #Wine #Carneros #NapaValley #winecountry #winedestinations #wheretogo #winetasting #beautifuldestinations #sustainablefarming
Special evenings call for an experience from The Restaurant at Auberge.
Off the beaten path miles away from the concert traffic rests a regal insular escape.
@aubergedusoleil is the place of gorgeous views, delicious food and all the soul enriching goodness of a home away from home.
We brought our own Napa Valley favorite from @larkmead_vineyards to capture the best memories of the moment. Like a story woven from the vineyards of Larkmead the wine represents a powerful statement of place. Subtle elegance is the profile of this lush expression. From the bright floral notes to the plump black cherries the wine tells its story further. Herbs, mocha, spice, anise and so much more spill forth with boundless beauty. This symphony of well orchestrated taste is mesmerizing. Tuned to perfection. Well played @danpetroski !
The wine complimented each dish. From the sautéed foie gras, and tomato risotto to the Prime beef pavé and potato gnocchi. It was a meal made for savoring each sip and delightful bite.
Life is for moments like this. Intimate. Shared. Celebrated.
#KellyMitchell #TheWineSiren
#wine #finedining #napavalley
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