The Year in Wine: 2010

Thanks for making 2010 a great year for WinewomenPSP and the charities we serve. Besides your help in boosting membership and event attendance all year long, we appreciate how you rolled up your sleeves to give your time and support at the milestone Coachella Wine Festival and Women Leaders Forum's L.E.A.D. educational conference. Thanks too for spreading the word about the WinewomenPSP Facebook page we launched and comments you've shared.

In no particular order, these outstanding 2010 wine events deserve a toast. Chime in with your memorable 2010 wine experiences.

Wine spot: The summer opening of 3rd Corner Wine Shop and Bistro was a welcome addition to the valley wine scene. General Manager Marc Plummer guides visitors through their balanced and intriguing wine inventory and gives tableside tips for choosing a wine match you'll like. Executive Chef Matt Smith's cuisine, special wine-pairing and tasting events satisfy wine-curious diners or experienced wine lovers in a comfortable, energized setting. Go.

Wine reading: Daring Pairings by Evan Goldstein was a favorite wine book of the year. See this post for more details. It's not too late to pick it up for the wine-foodie on your list or your own library. After all, Valentine's Day is just around the corner.

Wine online: Sorry Gary V, but Decanter.com's re-release of wine expert Hugh Johnson's 1984 series How to Handle a Wine takes top billing. Learn, laugh and love, as Johnson takes you through the basics with charm and British wit.

Wine values: The best wine prices in years made it tough to decide between bargains and specials that streamed in from all directions. Keep looking and shopping in 2011 as more mark-downs roll in. Stock up on 2008 Pinot Noir from Oregon and big reds from Washington and heavenly picks in 2007 California Cabernet Sauvignon.

Wine tourism: Visits to Los Olivos, Napa, Oregon's Willamette Valley and Washington's Woodinville wine country in 2010 brought exciting wine leads to explore. Napa standouts in 2010 were Robert Biale Vineyards, Regusci (be sure to try their estate olive oil, too), Luna, Hill Family and Signorello. We also checked in with solid producers whose great juice and strong portfolios make them worth return visits. If you haven't built your own list of go-to wines and wineries you like, find a way to taste or visit Byron, Stolpman, Longoria, St. Supery, Failla, Alpha Omega, Lang & Reed, Andrew Rich and Carlton Winemakers Studio, Bergstrom, DiStefano, DeLille and Januik.

Empty bottles: Use the search function or wine listing at the lower right column to bookmark 2010 wines and values from this blog worth a pour. For more, you might want to seek out these winners we tagged in 2010:

Red Wine
Skylight Cellars 2007 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Santa Ema Amplus One 2006 Old Vines Carignan
Otis Kenyon 2006 Merlot
Coho 2005 Merlot, Michael Black Vineyards
Chateau Virecourt Pillebourse 2005 Bordeaux
Seven Hills 2005 Petit Verdot
Cantele Primitivo 2006
Bodegas El Nido 2007 Clio Jumilla
Zaca Mesa Syrah 2005
Vallado 2007 Douro
Clos de los Siete 2006
Millworks 2008 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
Becker Estate 2007 Pinot Noir
Adelsheim 2008 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley
Tamarack Cellars DuBrul Vineyard 2006 Reserve Rattlesnake Hills

White Wine
Botani 2008 Dry Moscatel
Zolo 2008 Torrontés
Bethel Heights 2009 Pinot Gris
Mönchhof Robert Eymael 2007 Mosel Riesling Spätlese
Andrew Rich 2008 Roussanne
Stolpman 2007 L'Avion

Rosé
Bodegas Borsao 2009 Rosé
Barnard Griffin 2009 Rosé
Truett Hurst Salmon Run 2008 Zinfandel Rosé
Argiolas Serra Lori 2009 Isola di Nuraghi Rosato

Dessert Wine
Royal Tokaji 2000 Tokaji Aszu 5 Puttonyos
Andrew Rich 2007 Late Harvest Gewürztraminer

We're looking forward to a tasty 2011 as more Pacific Northwest 2008s hit the shelves. Look for more blogging too at writeonwines, writeonhealth or winefoodhealth. Drop a line at gmail for more information.

Have a fabulous, healthy New Year!

WinewomenPSP Hit Back-to-Back Homers

What a week it's been! WinewomenPSP hit it out of the park in support of two outstanding organizations, first with Women Leaders Forum annual leadership conference on Thursday, October 21 and again last night with our Winewomen and Song Ahnfeldt wine dinner at Miramonte benefiting Well in the Desert.

WLF's L.E.A.D. conference was a huge success attended by more than 200 women (and a couple very brave men). After a provocative keynote address by Jet Propulsion Laboratory's super-scientist Dr. Cinzia Zuffada, we headed to intimate breakout dinner panel sessions. And the crowd went wild!

Besides praise for Renaissance Esmeralda Banquet Chef Brian Perry and Pastry Chef Sefika, attendees found L.E.A.D. panelists inspirational to the nines. Panelists shared their knowledge with generosity and grace, giving each breakout audience tips and actionable guidelines to leadership and success.

Here are some of the comments we heard afterwards: The Literary panel got me so jazzed, I couldn't wait to get home to start writing again…Lifestyle and Wellness panelists gave me plenty of food for thought…Wow, I'll never forget the amazing women on your Philanthropy panel…Where did you find those sharp women on the Business and Entrepreneurship panel?! What a terrific format for everyone – please do this again next year!

Thank you to all the Winewomen who participated in that stellar event! Tell us more on this blog and our WinewomenPSP Facebook page.

Next, we'll tell you about last night's Winewomen and Song event that featured Jessica Tivens' magical voice, an exquisite Ahnfeldt wine dinner and your lovely smiling faces bathed in moonlight. What a night it was!

Showtime! Winewomen and Song This Friday

Our Ahnfeldt wine dinner on Friday, October 22 is sure to hit the high notes. Between the vocal performance of classical songstress Jessica Tivens with Gale Enger at the piano, wines that include two reds from Napa's excellent 2005 vintage, Chef Nyerick's cuisine, a gorgeous outdoor venue at Miramonte and the incredible charity that is Well in the Desert, you are in for a monstrous treat.

Tivens has covered a lot of sheet music in her twenty-something years. The precocious talent made her debut on TV's Star Search when she was only eight years old. Later, she trained at New York's legendary Julliard School of Music, followed by her professional operatic debut in 1999 and an appearance at Carnegie Hall only a year after that – how tough is that in Noo Yawk? Lemme tell ya.

Besides performing for dignitaries Rudy Giuliani and the Clintons, Jessica has also shared the concert stage with Josh Groban, Davis Gaines and Michael Crawford. Listen to this lady rattle the rafters on her website – yowza!

As though all this weren't enough for one night, our Winewomen and Song event features Nyerick's gorgeous fall menu wine dinner and five pairings with Napa Valley's Ahnfeldt wines.

Start with passed appetizers and Ahnfeldt 2005 Cuvee at 6 PM and be humming your way home by 9:30 PM. The dinner includes Ahnfeldt's 2009 Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay as well as two 2005 vintage beauties: Ahnfedlt Estate Cabernet Sauvignon and Estate Merlot.

Weather permitting, Tivens' performance and our wine dinner should unfold under the stars at Miramonte's romantic Mediterranean Lawn. Proceeds will benefit Well in the Desert, a charity dedicated to food assistance, programs and services that focus on poverty prevention and intervention.

Make your just-in-time reservations today! Tickets are $75 for WinewomenPSP members and $85 for nonmembers.

See the entire four-course dinner menu and event schedule online and ring K at 760.799.7076 con brio. See you there!

Friday is Think Pink Day

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This year, the Renaissance Esmeralda supports awareness efforts with a series of events in and around the Indian Wells resort on Friday, October 8. Net proceeds from the day's activities benefit the Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, Inland Empire Affiliate and the Lucy Curci Cancer Center in Rancho Mirage.

Early risers can step to the Pink Power Walk at 7 to 9:30 AM. Sleepy-heads or sun-worshipers, dive into Pink in the Pool from 10 AM to 2 PM. Fashionistas, head to the Pink with Passion Fashion Show at STIR from 2 to 3:30 PM with a special exhibit of gorgeous pink sapphire jewelry.

Too busy for you? From 4 to 6 PM, choose instead to Rejuvenate in Pink at a private spa party. Or not busy enough? FM radio's Mix 100.5's Acoustic Lounge and Bradley Ryan kick it up from 6 to 8 PM with Five For Fighting, also at STIR.

Each event offers prizes and specials from continental breakfast, pink T-shirts and water bottles for the walkers to mini-facials and spa treatments, cocktails and hors d'oeuvres for the Rejuvenators. Contact Jackie Diaz for tickets and information at 760.836.1286 or jackie.diaz@renaissancehotels.com.

Events carry separate admission tickets starting from $10. Make a day of it with event packages ($100) with or without a day room at Esmeralda ($250) or an overnight stay with a $25 resort credit ($500).

The silent auction that begins at 9 AM will include a fun wine experience donated by this Winewoman: A private guided tasting of five excellent pink wines for eight people. The winning bidder need only provide a venue. Private wine tastings are a cool way to thank or entertain business clients, friends or family. The five wines will include at least one lip-smacking pink sparkler meant to color your thinking about this amazing wine category.

Instead of the sweet stuff that gave pinks a bad rap, tasters will enjoy a refreshing range of international rosé, blush and pink sparkling wines. Wine boss brings everything – wines, glasses, tasting sheets and light, wine-friendly snacks. Guests get to relax, nibble, enjoy, taste and learn. We promise you'll rethink pink.

Come on out tomorrow, and bring a sister, mom and friends. Take in as many activities as you can, meet some great people and bid on cool auction items to help these great causes.

Ribbon art copyrighted by Bobbie Peachey.

Coachella Wine Festival April 9 – 11

Get ready to pour it on at the first Coachella Wine Festival the weekend of April 9 through 11 on the grounds of the Miramonte Resort and Spa.

The three-day event kicks off Friday evening, April 9 with your choice of a celebrity winemakers' dinner or a sweet-tooth soirée.

Join Olympic legend Peggy Fleming with husband and winemaking partner Greg Jenkins for their winemaker dinner starting at 6:30 PM. Peggy and Greg will describe their unique wine journey as you taste their high-scoring Fleming Jenkins wines. Savor Chef Robert Nyerick's farm-to-table cuisine during this intimate outdoor dinner served amidst Miramonte's citrus and herb garden. How special is that? Seated limited to 40 guests – see ticketing info below.

Also on Friday, you might choose instead to reserve a spot for the Just Desserts Soirée that takes place from 7 to 9 PM on Miramonte's Mediterranean lawn. Enjoy delicacies and treats from the valley's lauded pastry chefs and fine restaurants that will be served with sparkling and still wines paired to perfection as you enjoy the sweet sounds of live jazz under the stars.

Sleep tight so you can dive into the weekend's Grand Tasting and events Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 5 PM. More than 20 wineries will be represented, including hand-crafted gems from Truchard, Roessler, Ahnfeldt, Vina Robles, B Cellars, Laird Family Estate, Fleming Jenkins and many more from boutique Old and New World producers. Check the Web site as more wineries sign on to this not-to-be-missed event. Get to know the winemakers and visit with some of the valley's top chefs as you savor their inventive dishes on Miramonte's picturesque grounds framed by the majestic Santa Rosa Mountains.

All the while, you'll be enthralled and entertained by fine art, boutique shopping and live music. Enjoy a tasteful, tranquil weekend of gustatory delights with other wine and food enthusiasts in a postcard-like setting energized by spring's vibes, creativity galore and the pleasures of the vine.

Event producers Kajon Media will donate a portion of proceeds to Habitat for Humanity of the Coachella Valley, the local affiliate of the international organization that provides safe, affordable housing for families in need.

Tickets for individual events and day passes are on sale now. Reserve early to ensure admission, best-pricing and access to limited-seating events such as Friday's celebrity winemaker dinner, limited to 40 guests.

Information and tickets available online at www.coachellawinefestival.com or by calling 1.760.799.7076. See you at the festival!

Rutherford Rocks The River

Our August 28th Night at the River event at Piero's Acqua Pazza is nearly sold-out already, which is great news for our charity, S.O.S. (Soldiers' Organized Services), Piero's and B Cellars, our featured winery.

Napa's B Cellars wines are known for combining different grape varieties to create their signature blends. Winemakers compose B Cellars' varietal wines with juice from vineyards around the Napa Valley Appellation. You'll find them tastefully balanced and intriguing palate-pleasers.

Among the Killer Bs we're slated to sip is the 2006 George III Cabernet. This limited-production Cab is sourced from a Rutherford Bench vineyard plot originally planted by George de Latour III, founder of Beaulieu Vineyards (BV), in 1933.

The low-elevation Rutherford AVA is characterized by gravelly and loamy earth where grapes grow in alluvial soils between Napa's two main mountain ranges. Intense summer sunlight allows steady ripening of the fruit followed by brisk cool-downs as temperatures begin falling soon after sunset. This distinctive terroir has made the Rutherford site known throughout the world as Cab Central.

None other than André Tchelistcheff, one of the fathers of California wine, recognized the beauty and power of the region to make great Cabernet, which he nicknamed Rutherford Dust. We can't wait to start rolling in it.

Also on deck on the 28th are two blends. The 2007 Blend 23 of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier is artful, complex and refreshing. We think you'll enjoy its luscious mouthfeel and unique flavor profile of white peaches, mineral and fresh citrus.

Go pazza with your first sip of 2005 Blend 24 as you smell and taste Italy in your glass. This Super Tuscan blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sangiovese and a smidge of Petite Sirah wowed us a few months back at the Friends of James Beard Benefit dinner at Spencer's.

Finally, you'll be juiced by B Cellars 2006 Petite Sirah. We're expecting a big-on mouthful of dark fruit, perhaps with hints of mocha or mint. Piero's is serving it with their flourless triple chocolate cake, which means the wine should deliver broad-shouldered heft to sail from glass to fork and back.

Topping it all off, B Cellars has special offers in store for us, along with our usual WinewomenPSP festivities. Grab one of the few remaining reservations today by calling Kathleen at 760.799.7076 or you'll be eating, rather than tasting, Rutherford Dust.

Summer of Love

What's hotter than July in the desert? Nada, niente, zero baby. We gave July the kiss-off at That's Amore, our July event benefiting the Stroke Recovery Center. Our hosts at Amorè Ristorante Italiano served a top-notch dinner for nearly sixty Winewomen (and a few brave men) as seamlessly as a cooked-to-perfection dinner for two.

Phil Molnar chose four outstanding wines from Creative Wines International's boutique portfolio. We eased in with Sandholdt 2006 Pinot Grigio from the Central Coast. Its soft nose and medium body paired well with appetizers of baby spinach and mozzarella caprese. Next, Godwin 2006 "Floral Clone" Russian River Chardonnay proved a perfect pairing with Tuscan rigatoni served in bianco with sausage and white beans. Its gentle oak had us smiling and sipping as we lapped up pasta in white wine-butter sauce.

The two whites proved so popular, many of you stayed with them through the chicken marsala and mushroom main course. We hope you didn't miss another winner from Mettler, the family vineyard whose Zinfandel sent us over the top at April's Spring Fling at La Quinta Resort. This time it was their 2006 Lodi Cabernet Sauvignon – wow, Lodi is definitely on our wine map! The winery goes organic in 2010. Perhaps we'll try their Petite Sirah before then (many times, we hope).

Phil was a prince for rolling out a great finale: Mendelson 2000 Muscat Canelli dessert wine. Winemaker Richard Mendelson, who's also a lawyer and artist provoked this closing argument: Which dessert from Amorè's trio was the favorite? Our vote went to the Sicilian mini-cannoli with fresh ricotta stuffing and crisp pastry shells. There was love in the kitchen that night!

We learned Stroke Recovery Center dishes out the loving all year round with their menu of free services for clients living with the aftermath of stroke. Contact James Martinez and give these great folks your support so they can begin their good work where others leave off.

As though we weren't having enough fun, Amorè's Jerry Ring closed out the evening with an operatic Happy Birthday serenade to Margi in his rich baritone voice. She won't be forgetting that anytime soon – bravo, Jerry! We hope you won't forget to pick up some of these terrific wines at Dan's Wine Shop in Palm Desert. Give Dan a call at 760.674.0305 and ask for WinewomenPSP's special pricing, courtesy of Prince Phil. Grazie a tutti!

Since we believe you can never have enough summer love Italian-style, we have more in store for you on Friday, August 28th at Piero's Acqua Pazza at the River in Rancho Mirage. Don't miss this one – make your reservation today. Arrivederci!