Willcox, AZ

Coronado Vineyards is adding three new wines to its family this weekend.

• Voodoux is a delightful blend of white wines seduced into releasing their inhibitions and ample fruitiness, while maintaining a delicate balance of glamour and allure—an excellent accompaniment to oysters on the half-shell and other tempting treats.  This wine is made to be enjoyed with someone you find extraordinary.
• The 2010 Riesling is a traditional German-style Riesling, pairing nicely with summertime fare, fruits, and cheeses.
• Coronado is also welcoming back the Two Heads Red, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese.  An old favorite of many.

A fun celebration for the three new wines for Coronado Vineyards will kick off this Saturday, June 25, from 10am to 4pm followed by the first Coronado Vineyards winemaker dinner at 6pm (reservations for dinner required).

Meet the winemaker behind the wine and learn about your favorite blends at Coronado Vineyards. Wine lovers and those just beginning to appreciate the grape will learn just how to pair their favorite foods and wine. Each person will take away a little information about wine to impress guests at your next gathering.

The winemaker dinner evening will begin with assortment of fresh appetizers prepared by Chef Zach and nicely paired with the new Coronado Vineyards Voodoux. The cold beef habanero blood orange vinaigrette salad will feature the vineyard’s new 2010 Riesling. Source verified pork medallions an apple puree, jasmine risotto and chef vegetables will delight palates when perfectly paired with the reinvented Coronado Vineyards Two Heads Red. Dessert is still ahead on the menu. A sweet finish to the evening with a delectable dessert paired sweetly with Coronado’s gold medal Dolce Veritas.

A meet and greet with Coronado’s winemaker, Philippe Liotto, will entertain and enlighten guests.

“This is Coronado’s first Winemaker Dinner and we are thrilled with the chance to have new palettes try our new additions,” says Jacque Cook, owner of Coronado Vineyards. “This event is new for us and will surely become a tradition for many years to come.”
Coronado Vineyards is located in the Willcox wine region.

Janos Restaurant and Dr. Loosen Estates on the Mosel River in Germany join forces to create a four-course wine dinner featuring the restaurant’s trend-setting cuisine paired with Dr. Loosen’s celebrated and trail-blazing German Rieslings. The Thursday, February 24, 2010 event will begin at 6:00 pm with hors d’oeuvres at Janos Restaurant, 3770 East Sunrise Drive, on the grounds of the Westin La Paloma Resort and Spa.

“We love the wines being produced at Dr. Loosen,” said Janos’ chef/owner, Janos Wilder. “They represent the pinnacle of the vintner’s art and have been recognized for making some of the world’s best Rieslings. Their unique and distinctive style is being noticed by all the top vineyards in the world. We are particularly pleased to be joined by Matt Giedraitis, coming from Germany to join us at this dinner. In addition to other Dr. Loosen Estates wines, Giegraitis will be bringing the very rare 1991 Wehelener Sonnenuhr Spatlese for our guests to enjoy.”

Also being served will be the 2008 J Christopher Pinot Noir from the winery’s sister property in the Willamette Valley, Oregon. The J Christopher Pinot Noir is a great vintage, presenting good acid, good balance, and structure.

Cost is $65 per person (tax and gratuity additional) Space is limited; please call 520-615-6100 for reservations.

New wines released in Elgin

Lightning Ridge Cellars, Elgin, AZ will be releasing its first estate Zinfandel this weekend. Ann Roncone reports that only 25 cases have been produced, so this one is expected to move pretty fast.  

Kief-Joshua Vineyards has also released a 2009 Zinfandel, as well as a 2010 Malvasia Blanc and a Chardonnay blend. Kief Manning says they will be introducing their 2010 Chenin Blanc this weekend.

Sounds like a great time to gather your wine-loving friends and head to Elgin to explore these new releases and to check out what others you can discover among the other Sonoita/Elgin wine region wineries.