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Thrilled to see our single vineyard 2007 Pinot Noir from La Encantada Vineyard (St. Rita Hills) honored with a 90-point score and lauded as a “Smart Buy” by Pinot Report, a leading industry newsletter for people passionate about Pinot Noir. Pinot Report praised the Damian Rae 2007 Pinot Noir’s “deep, ripe dark cherry and toasty aromas; good structure and balance, and long finish.”

The Damian Rae 2007 Pinot Noir is ideally paired with chicken, grilled seafood, pork tenderloin, pasta alfredo, and soft-ripened cheeses including Brie and Camembert. It is value-priced at $45 and can be ordered while supplies last at www.damianrae.com. The Pinot Report newsletter can be accessed at www.pinotreport.com

Inky dark, this impressively smooth Syrah offers a panorama of flavors, and its richness is balanced with fine, silky tannins, leading to a delightful finish. Barrel-aged for a full 18 months, this wine is now ready to drink, or it can be cellared and enjoyed in the years ahead. The Damian Rae 2007 Syrah is value-priced at $50 and can be ordered while supplies last at www.damianrae.com. The Chef article featuring the Damian Rae Winery 2007 Syrah can be found at http://www.chefmagazine.com/digitals/2010/0110CHEF/index.html, page 35.

Great news --- our 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon is now available!   Barrel-aged in 50% new oak, this delicious wine is a sumptuous hand-crafted blend from fruit from Carrefour Vineyard (Coombsville) and Ink Grade Vineyard (Howell Mountain), two of California's premier Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards.  It first tempts with an outstanding nose - rich and robust with dark fruit aromatics.  The taste buds are then met with full-bodied blackberry and black currant flavors, and a hint of tasty oak. Balanced just right, this Cabernet is elegant and sophisticated, with a deep berry color, intense aroma, and a smooth but powerful flavor that finishes flawlessly. 

The Damian Rae 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon is delicious now with steaks, prime rib, and stews, but cellaring this vintage wine will make it even more spectacular upon maturity.  With only 50 cases made, the wine is value-priced at $70 and available to members of the Damian Rae Wine Club as well as online.

More than 300 wine enthusiasts, including dozens of trade professionals, jammed Crushpad’s winemaking facility last week for the San Francisco Wine Association’s first annual Spring Fling.  Attendees sampled from an assortment of 53 premium wines from 17 boutique vintners (including Damian Rae Winery) that produce their wines in San Francisco.  There were terrific munchies as well, to complement the outstanding vintages.  Dozens of party-goers took advantage of special discount pricing and purchased wine on-site, and several lucky people took home great wine raffle prizes, including a Crushpad Fusebox blending kit.  

A nice event by the SFWA, and I can’t wait for the SFWA holiday party in December!