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Spring is sort of a bridge between winter comfort foods and fresh salads. Here is a marriage of the two. Wine Pairing: I'm going to serve a Syrah or a rich red blend with this recipe. You can't go wrong with one of Chris's Picks from Cameron Hughes or Owen Roe. Order one or two from me today. |
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In The Vineyard |
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Bud break is still a couple of months away, but walk out in the vineyards and you'll see the potential. Lots of new acreage planted last year, which will produce some delicious fruit in the next 3-4 years. Some in the industry are concerned we will experience a glut of fruit once these vineyards come into full production, however, there is little indication that demand is dropping. Perhaps in the higher end wines, but not in the mid-price arena. We may even see a new AVA announced with these new vineyards. Such an exciting time to be in the wine industry! |
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| ". . .direct from vine to table."
April 2009 |
Dear Wine Enthusiast:
Ah, the sounds, smells and feel of Spring is in the air and with it, the buds are beginning to take shape in the vineyard with the promise of another great Oregon vintage. We are starting to see the wines from the "iffy" 2007 vintage and the 2008 whites are making a presence. I think all reports are that 2008 is going to be a stellar vintage, and I'll let you know as new releases are entering the marketplace.
This month I'm featuring great "bargain" wines ~~ Cameron Hughes and Owen Roe's Murphy's Law label.
The recession has been good for the likes of Cameron Hughes. Like Oregon's A to Z wines, Cameron Hughes is a negociant, rather than a traditional winemaker. By that, I mean he buys excess wine inventories from well-known wineries under the promise of confidentiality. Combining these different wines into a regional blend or simply reselling and relabeling one vineyard's overstock, allows CH to sell the wine at amazing prices - say $17-22/bottle - that would be priced at least twice that if the original winery was selling it. He sells it by Lot Nos., variety and region. Thus, good news for Cameron Hughes and excellent news for you!
And let's not forget the genius of David O'Reilly from Owen Roe. He has a label - Murphy's Law - that provides another excellent value -- $14/bottle!! This wine is basically available only in the Chicago area (not sure why!) but because of my relationship with Owen Roe, I have been able to put my hands on some of this wine. You absolutely cannot get this locally anywhere. Check it out here! |
Heard it through the Grapevine...
The slow economy doesn't appear to dampen the spirits of the vineyard owners! Here are some interesting facts - total grape acreage in Oregon grew by 1,570 acres in 2008, the third consecutive year of record plantings. The dollar value of wine sales surged more than 15% to roughly $240 milliion. And one more juicy fact - as of the end of 2008, Oregon had 395 wineries, 7% more than in 2007. What does this mean for you - more choices, varied price points, and more weekend road trips to your favorite winery!
I love planning trips to the local wineries - so if you're interested in taking some out-of-town friends or just a group of local friends/relatives, give me a call and let me plan a trip suited for your wine palate and pleasure. I'll "custom" design a fun day just for you! |
Chris'
Picks
Cameron Hughes ~~
I would recommend the Meritage (red Bordeaux blend) or the Alexander Valley (from California) sampler red blend wines - mostly cabernet sauvignon. Both wines are $18 and are quintessential to their variety - dark, rich, and full of flavor.
Owen Roe - Murphy's Law ~~
Check here to see David's "Chicago-based" wine selections. And don't feel limited by these O'Reilly wines....you all know that Owen Roe is at the top of my list of delicious wines so check your cellar and let's make sure it's fully stocked for spring and summer!
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Thanks to those of you who took my 2009 CWM Marketing Survey. The results will help me to steer CWM in a direction that will best serve the needs of my customers. Custom Wine Marketing has been in business since 2006, and is one of only a handful of companies that broker wine direct to the consumer - with no retail markup involved. And interest in this type of wine buying continues to grow -- try Googling Custom Wine Marketing and you will see that it comes up as the #1 or #2 hit! That is because of the strong interest in CWM -- and you are a big part of that! Thank you very much for your continued loyalty. I look forward to bringing wine to your table soon - give me a call today!
Chris Hardy
Custom Wine Marketing, LLC
503-310-4576 |
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