Winery to the Stars
Enter the tasting room of Miramonte Winery in Temecula Wine Country and you immediately know this is no ordinary winery. The flashy branding on several rows of reds don’t have a demure, conservative label on them. Instead there is the glitter and glamour of rock and pop music stars etched in the glass, the most prominent being the garish tongue, made famous by the Rolling Stones.
“We sent a variety of wines to the Stones for a tasting to find out what their favorites might be,” declared Miramonte winemaker and owner Cane Vanderhoof. Cane bought the winery in 2001 and combined his talent for etching with his recent skills as a fine winemaker. He went on to say that “Mick Jagger likes our Bordeaux Blend. He and the rest of the Stones are great fun to deal with and they are very savvy about the wines. This part of our business, Celebrity Cellars, gives us a vehicle to move forward to build up the Miramonte brand as a premium winemaker.”
In a sense, the bottles are works of art and include signature bottles for Madonna, Celine Dion, Bon Jovi, the Police and others whose names will be released soon.
The Stones bottles contain 23 layers of paint and Vanderhoof himself does all the design work.
Now, here is the special kicker to this fascinating story. The public can purchase one of their favorite stars etched bottles with their favorite wine. You can either take the trip to the Miramonte Winery on Rancho California Road in Temecula, or access their website which is: www.celebrationcellars.com.
Since he has taken over the winery, Vanderhoof has made it one of the most respected properties in the valley, with wines of depth, character and sophistication. His wines have taken many gold medals and best of the class in competition. A second generation of winemakers in the valley are making major changes, turning to Rhone varietals like Syrah, Voignier and Mourvedre.
“They will be the signature wines going into the future,” he observed. His estate Syrah, a double gold winner, already is laying claim to this forecast.
The Week-Long San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival is just a month away
This is the BIG one, the one we’re all waiting to enjoy. The wine world will descend on San Diego Wednesday, November 14 through Saturday, November 17 for non-stop wine and food events.From a “wine rave” wine tasting on the edgy side along with hip food offerings at the Little Italy Urban Bar and Restaurant on Wednesday, to the Grand Daddy of Wine Tasting at the Embarcadero Park behind Seaport Village on Saturday, it’s virtually a non-stop experience for vino lovers and foodies. And don’t forget to come to the Reserve and New Release Tasting on board the docked “Inspiration” with 150 wines to try, Friday evening, the 16th.
There will also be 10 gourmet food stations on board the three decker yacht. This is the fourth year for this grand event produced by Michelle Metter and Ken Loyst of World of Wine Events. There are many ways to purchase ticket packages for all or part of the events schedule. Corporate discounts are available. The best thing to do is to contact the ticket office at 619-342-7337, or search the website for your favorite events at www.worldofwineevents.com.
The Local Sip
• The Westgate Hotel is presenting “La Dolce Vita,” an Italian wine and dinner feast on Saturday, October 20 from 6:30 to 9:30pm, featuring the wines of Feudi di San Gregorio, from southern Italy. Chef Hardel has a special menu to enhance the wine experience. $79 per person. Call 619-557-3655 for RSVP.
• Vino 100 in San Marcos brings one of the leading wineries in Temecula, Leonesse, to its shop for a tasting on Friday, October 19 from 5 to 9pm. Cost is $15. For more info, call 760-591-9113.
• Wine Street in Carlsbad brings in wine experts from Spain and Portugal. The best of these two exciting regions will be tasted. This special appearance is Saturday, October 20 from noon to 3pm and is $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Call ahead for the savings at 760-431-8455.
• Wine and jazz will be flowing at a dinner in McCormick & Schmicks at the Omni Hotel downtown San Diego, on Thursday, October 25 starting at 7pm. The great Jordan Vineyards in Sonoma will be spotlighted. $75 per person. Reservations a must at 619-645-6545.***
I am pleased to announce that I am now featured in my 4th publication, the VALLEY NEWS, in Riverside County, along with my successful world wide website and blog. Thank you all for your support.Frank Mangio is a renowned wine connoisseur certified by Wine Spectator. Reach him at mangiompc@aol.com.
10631 Vinedale Street, Sun Valley, CA 91352 - Phone (818) 767-3413 - Fax: (818) 767-1410
