One Thing Leads to Another: Musings in New York

Off I went to New York City, chasing a 9 liter bottle of our 1993 25th Anniversary Chardonnay (now 16 years old) to pour alongside our current release 2007 Chardonnay. The latter was recognized by Wine & Spirits Magazine as one of the Top Restaurant Wines in the Country. After 20 years of creating the poll, Wine & Spirits Magazine kicked-off its first ever “Top of the List” tasting at City Winery in Manhattan on June 2nd.

I landed in NY on Monday evening in time to meet up with a few friends for a glass of wine at City Hall Restaurant. Patrick Burke, a friend and associate of mine joined me at the restaurant. He mentioned that on a recent trip to Burgundy he had come across a bottle of ZD 1972 Pinot Noir in a retail store! He was kind enough to purchase it and bring it all the way back for me, as a gift. The wine was about 2 inches below its original fill height looking more like a keepsake than something we would actually drink. I thanked him, and put it in my wine bag (everyone should have one) and forgot about it as we headed off to dinner at Del Frisco’s.

At Del Frisco’s, we were warmly received by David O’Day, Corporate Wine Director, and his Sommelier, Crystal Friedman. Serving Abacus X (1992-2008) with their delicious steaks was a treat to be remembered. Why stop now, the next day we had lunch at Modern where Belinda Chang, Wine Director, formerly of San Francisco’s Fifth Floor, and Chicago’s Charlie Trotter, now resides. Belinda obviously knows how to find exceptional cuisine to pair with her wine lists. The “Slow Poached Egg in a Jar” with Maine Lobster, hearts of palm… is fantastic!

Time for the tasting! Opening a 9 Liter bottle (1993 ZD Chardonnay) is of course exciting. The golden wine that poured from the bottle was like nectar. The rich honey character was a reminder of a great Sauterne without the sugar. I received a lot of questions about how to go about pouring this wine out of a 9 Liter. A decanter both allowed me to keep the wine at a nice temperature as well as to not feel as if I was spending a night at the gym. Pouring the 1993 alongside our 2007 Chardonnay with its citrus, tropical fruit characters of grapefruit, pineapple and coconut showcased the differences between young and old. Check out older Magnums of ZD Chardonnay, as we are pouring and selling them in our tasting room through the month of June.

After the short three hour tasting, I still had over half of the 9 liter remaining. What to do? Time to visit more friends! I don’t have a great answer for carrying a 9 Liter bottle of Chardonnay down the streets of NYC. At Blue Ribbon we shared a little of our good fortune, and of course enjoyed a seafood platter upon arrival. The seafood disappeared before our eyes, but the bottle did not. Now where to go?

How about Lure? Once again the 9 Liter was the envy of the 6-8 block walk. At the restaurant, the ever jovial Executive Chef Josh Kapon and Sommelier, Natalie Tapken welcomed us with open arms and delicious sushi to continue the evening. As we listened to 80’s rock in background, and tested each other’s band knowledge of that era, we remembered the 1972 Pinot Noir in my wine bag! Should we open it? At first there was hesitation, which was followed by reserved excitement. Once opened, the first pour was offered to John Coyle, our NY distributor’s top salesman. The first word of out of his mouth was “Wow”! The wine was truly spectacular. I am just happy to say I knew the man who made this very special wine, as “Dad”. Thanks, Patrick!

And, yes, we finished the 9 Liter…

- Brett deLeuze, President

ZD is Socializing - Internet Style

It always seemed to me that being social and using the internet to socialize were on opposite ends of the communication spectrum. The internet being reserved for the nerds too shy and awkward to make it in the real world. However, it seems that the tables have turned and that the “place to be” is on the internet, using sites like Facebook and others to achieve your social networking dreams.

I suppose that I was a late bloomer with this social networking phenomenon. Being that I am the “3rd Generation” of the deLeuze family at ZD and being in my mid 20’s, once I finally got signed up with Facebook, I found that the majority of my friends were there waiting for me to join the party.

The real reason that I finally made my own Facebook page was because the ZD Wines page that I wanted to create needed an administrator. However, once you enter the world of Facebook, the more friends (or fans in ZD’s case) you have, the cooler you are. So the race was on not only to make Facebook friends of my real life friends, but to get a quality ZD page going so that I would be able to build a group of ZD fans who were on Facebook. As of right now, the friend/fan score is Brandon - 63, ZD – 86.

The ZD Wines Facebook page has turned out to be a success, and I suspect that it will become more useful as more people become aware of it. I post all of our upcoming events on the page, as well as give little updates about interesting things that are happening around the winery. If you have a moment, check out the facebook site, let us know what you think about the site, and if you are a fan of our wines, become a fan of our page!

- Brandon deLeuze, Assistant Winemaker

Ecological Farming Conference - Asilomar, CA

As the Wine Educator at ZD Wines, I was excited by the opportunity to attend the 29th Annual Ecological Farming Conference to learn more about the latest trends in organic & biodynamic farming, alternative energy, and related earth sensitive farming philosophies. It was an enlightening and humbling experience on many levels.

At the conference, in the company of Robert deLeuze, CEO & Winemaster; Julie deLeuze, Executive Director; Rafael Llamas, Vineyard Manager; Barbie Jamieson, Retail Sales Director; Chris Pisani, Winemaker; and Brandon deLeuze, Assistant Winemaker, we “divided and conquered” to gather information at as many relevant seminars as possible. With so much to take in, the strategy was effective in our efforts to access the immense knowledge, experience and optimism present at the conference.

It was an eye-opening experience listening to some of the true pioneers of the organic farming movement, some of whom have been actively transforming the industry since the late sixties. Pioneers though they may be, they were as diverse as the crowd of professionals you might find at a Grateful Dead show (in fact, Jerry Garcia’s widow had an inspiring short film on “soil” that I viewed with the ZD boys). It was refreshing, as we all seemed to connect on a deeper level, and it made me proud to work for ZD, whose belief and focus on organic farming began in the early 1980’s.

For the sake of efficiency I am going to list several of my highlights from the conference:

• There are billions of farmers on this planet growing the crops we eat while there are only a handful (3 or 4) of Multinational Corporations (MNC’s) that control the channels in which this food is “dispensed” back to the billions of us that eat it. Something’s fundamentally wrong with this picture, as many of the people growing the food are dying of starvation, at the expense of the MNC’s profit!

• The amount of potential energy produced everyday by the Sun is equivalent to all of our stored energy (oil, coal, and natural gas) on Earth! It took billions of years to store these “reserves”, so we should treat them as such and focus on Solar and other renewable energy sources.

• “Conventional” farming actually depletes our soil, while Composting actually builds soil! Compost is the best natural fertilizer that you can find, and it’s even better if you produce your own. It adds organic matter back to the soil, helping build up our soil, rather than using it up!

• Organic Farming is not just a movement; it’s the way the world needs to farm! While science has provided some conveniences (pest control & increased yields) during the past century, these techniques are not sustainable. We need to get back to our “roots” and encourage science to incorporate a more natural and sustainable farming focus.

I hope that you who have taken the time to read this have found something to inspire you to help make this world a better place. I know I am a fortunate lad who’s trying to lead by example, and may you do the same. Let’s toast (with your favorite ZD, of course!) to making this world a better place to live, one glass of wine at a time!

~ Trent Ghiringhelli, Wine Educator

Valentine's Day in Napa Valley: A Romantic's Guide

Still no plans for Valentine’s Day? It is fast approaching and we recommend spoiling that special someone in your life with a wine country experience guaranteed to win over hearts. To kick-off the long weekend, check-in to one of the romantic boutique hotels or Bed & Breakfasts nestled throughout the valley. Flowers in the room are highly encouraged! Artisan florists make getting the perfect bouquet effortless.

Pastries and rich coffee from local bakeries are a sweet way to start a day of wine tasting and site seeing! And because you’ll want to travel in style, classic convertible rentals like a 1947 Packard make an ideal touring car and are undeniably romantic. Bring a bottle of sparkling, your sunglasses and a sense of adventure.

There are numerous wineries in Rutherford to delight all levels of wine connoisseurs. Visit winecountry.com for a list of surrounding wineries and to map your trip. The site makes it easy to get a feel for each winery so you can select a handful that are perfectly suited to your Valentine wishes!

For the ultimate romantic treat, be sure to stop into ZD Wines! The Winter Wine Experience will take you through the cellar on a private guided tour where you will sample soon to be released wine as it matures in the barrel. Taste several current vintage and reserve wines, and purchase a decadent chocolate-dipped bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon to enjoy later!

For lunch, small delis and luxury food stores make great places to get picnic items such as cured meats, freshly baked bread, and a range of cheeses. In St. Helena, window shop along Main Street before heading to Calistoga to unwind at one of the natural springs or get your hands dirty with a Mud Bath! In the evening, there are endless dining options to satisfy your taste buds or, stay in and curl up with a bottle of ZD and your favorite someone.

If you can’t make it to Napa Valley this February 14th, create your own Wine Country magic with one of ZD’s indulgent chocolate-dipped Cabernet Sauvignon bottles or with our multiple award-winning 2006 Reserve Chardonnay. You’re Valentine is sure to swoon.

ZD Reserve Chardonnay & THE Lobster

Should you be so fortunate to visit Santa Monica in your summer travels, a stop to the historic Santa Monica Pier is a must. Built in 1909, the pier hosts a Ferris wheel, merry-go-round and numerous retail shops to entertain anyone.

Really though, any food/wine lover will be more enthusiastic to visit the restaurant at the entrance of the pier. Greeting locals and tourists alike on Ocean Avenue is none other than The Lobster! Regardless of whether or not you take a spin on the carousel, you must visit one of the most stunning restaurants around. Serving classic American seafood, guests sitting at any seat in the restaurant or bar can enjoy 180 degree views of the Pacific Ocean while dining on fresh Maine Lobster, Big Eye, Artic Char or John Dory.

For as long as I’ve worked at ZD, a highlight to working the LA market is sitting at The Lobster sipping a glass of wine and enjoying an appetizer while taking in the spectacular view (okay and people watching). Fortunately, now everyone can enjoy sipping a refreshing glass of ZD 2006 Reserve Chardonnay. With high hopes, I made a special trip to meet and taste with The Lobster’s Beverage Director, Mr. Francesco Ferrario. He runs a stellar wine program which ZD is very excited to be a part of now. Not only did Francesco like our wines but he thought with the great acidity and elegant minerality, our Reserve Chardonnay would pair well enough with their food to offer it by the glass! Most recently, our ZD Reserve Chardonnay made the perfect companion with their Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes and Seared Day Boat Scallops with shrimp bisque sauce.

This restaurant is an unofficial historical landmark and serves some of the best seafood in California now along with (in my opinion) one of the best Chardonnays in California too! By the way, ZD is celebrating our 40th Harvest this fall... does that make us an 'unofficial historical landmark' also?

Kendra Gillette

Regional Sales Manager