Learn About Wine Blog

Another great tasting at Valentino!  The 2004 Brunello’s did not disappoint.  The vintage is pure, ripe, balanced, and showcases some of the most exciting wines in the marketplace today.  This seems to be the right wine for the times, 95 point wines for $50 a bottle and ready to drink… sales have been very strong on pre-offer efforts and the window for success may be small.  I would advise my Italian friends to sell as much as possible on pre-offer and be excited to move on to the future as the wine market is going to be very difficult with a series of great vintages on the horizon.  (2005-2006-2007)   I would advise wine fans to keep some room in your cellar and jump on the values that this economy creates.  The world needs you to take serious positions on great wines so we can all get through this time and continue to evolve as a wine world and not slide back.  2004 Brunello – a Champion wine for difficult but important times.

Click Here to see the 2004 Brunello Tasting Notes

After six years of producing the STARS of Santa Barbara in Los Angeles and Beverly Hills, LearnAboutWine took its well known wine classic to Orange County.  The South Coast Plaza played host to an amazing display of food and wine hysteria as Jason Bentley of KCRW played an epic soundtrack of well timed music that keep the energy high, the charity profitable, and the wineries optimistic about their future success in the Orange County market place.  Ian Blackburn, owner of LearnAboutWine.com said “the idea was always about increasing the visibility of these fantastic wines to the ideal audience, it’s all about drinking the best local wine and Santa Barbara is it.  We have been pounding this drum long before SIDEWAYS came along and since the movie, the industry has continued to grow, improve and change with the times.  Santa Barbara represents our best efforts, our best vineyard land and some of the best stories in wine.”  

All total, the Second Harvest Food Bank will receive proceeds from healthy ticket sales and a generous silent auction, as well as a few very generous gifts from top sponsors like Disney, South Coast Plaza and William Gillespie Foundation… it was not only our first event in Orange County for many years, says Ian, but we had to elevate the Second Harvest events of the past – which didn’t really fit with the great Mall in America… this was a direct hit, with a gorgeous affluent crowd of likely customers, and incredible participation from the top restaurants in Orange County.

The success of this event was due to the great team work of a number of top PR, Marketing, and promotion professionals, the team at South Coast Plaza and the quality reputation that LearnAboutWine and KCRW bring to the table… it was a total value proposition that was well received and we benefited everyone… a win- win – win – and that is the way it should be.   We went “all in” and its wonderful when the efforts are all received.  It wasn’t perfect on our side, but we did a great job and we know where we can improve.

DJ Jason Bentley (Host of KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic) put on am incredible show.

Everyone here at LearnAboutWine is very exited to announce our first ever Napa Valley excursion! We will be taking a group in July to our favorite Napa Valley locations! Check out the official agenda below!

The Napa Valley Tour.

You are one of the FIRST to be invited to join our exclusive Napa Valley Tour!

This will be our only weekend Napa Valley tour this year…so get your place quick before it sells out!!! 

Ian Blackburn, Founder of Learn About Wine and Master of Wine student is your host and I will ensure you have an amazing experience no matter what wine level you are.
TWO WAYS TO JOIN US

Package All INCLUSIVE – includes 2 Nights Hotel at the Luxurious Napa Valley Lodge and Full Napa Valley Tour

• • Includes 2 Nights accommodation at Napa Valley Lodge
  • Tour is conveniently located around your hotel (Tour starts & ends at your hotel, dinner locations are walking distance to your hotel)
  • Full Napa Valley Tour – see itinerary below
  • Includes all tips, gratuities, taxes and all meals.
  • $999.00 per person based on double occupancy ($1099 after 6/15)
  • Single supplement is an additional $395
  • Airfare is not included

Package BE A PART OF THE TOUR – Full Napa Valley Tour without Hotel

• • Full Napa Valley Tour – see itinerary below
  • Includes all tips, gratuities, taxes and all meals.
  • $699.00 per person (when paid before June 15^th, $750 after 6/15)
  • Excludes Hotel and Airfare

Important Information:

• • Tour starts Friday 10^th July at noon, and ends Sunday 12^th July at 3pm
  • This tour is very intimate and personal, small group limited to 30 guests.
  • No changes can be made to the packages
  • We can accommodate dietary restrictions with proper notice
  • Full payment is due by June 15^th. 
  • We can arrange for transport from your airport arrival/departure for a small fee of approx $50 each way per person
  • Once the $200.00 deposit is made – a trip program and bill will be issued.

Agenda:

FRIDAY – JULY 10^th

12 noon:  Check in for the weekend

We will gather at the Napa Valley Lodge in Yountville, a fantastic hotel location near the French Laundry, Bistro Jeanty and Bouchon .  The rooms have king size beds (I have only 3 rooms with two Queens) with an average rate close to $450 per night (Learn About Wine has an exclusive discounted Hotel Rate which is included in Package A).  You can choose to make your own accommodations or stay here with us. The rooms are very luxuriously appointed and include breakfast. 

12:30 pm:  We depart for Duckhorn Vineyards – Experience terroir Napa Valley

A luxury coach will pick us up and take us away as a group to Duckhorn Vineyards.  Duckhorn has long been renowned for their tremendous Cabernet, and Merlot based wines.  We will learn about the development of Napa Valley and the unique qualities of its soil structure.

2:40 pm:  We depart for Paraduxx Vineyards – An experience in blending

About 10 minutes down the road from Duckhorn, we will visit a sister property at Paraduxx along the Silverado Trail.   The architectural innovation of the estate is a unique ten-sided fermentation building, which houses a contemporary winemaking facility.  Some of Napa Valley best blends are made at Paraduxx and you will have your chance to play wine maker and blend your own wines.

5pm – Return to the hotel for a rest and change of attire.

6:30pm – Depart for Quintessa Vineyards – Dinner in the Vineyard

One of Napa Valley’s most picturesque vineyard settings, and one of the most delicious producers!   Dinner will be a celebration of the best of Napa Valley.

Saturday – July 11^th

Breakfast is included at the Hotel and Bouchon Bakery is across the street.

9:45 AM – Depart for exclusive experience on Howell Mountain with Cakebread

Cakebread Cellars will pick us up in a coach and take us to Dancing Bear Ranch on Howell Mountain (20 minutes) where we will hike approximately 1.5 miles (dress correctly).  The Cakebread culinary team will be waiting for us with a wonderful lunch and tasting at the Howell Mountain Cabin.  Following lunch, we will return to the winery so you can stock up on your Cakebread wine!

4pm – return to Yountville Hotel location to rest, shop, and reload.

6pm – depart for Maine Lobster Bake at Ma(i)sonry Napa Valley

Blackbird Vineyards president Paul Leary will welcome us to their wine, art and design gallery in Yountville. Trust me when I say that is 100% gorgeous!  – We will stroll from our hotel location – passing the infamous restaurant, The French Laundry, as well as a few other hot spots to hobnob in Yountville – to a luxurious Lobster Night!  The Blackbird wines have been some of the most exciting new bottlings in the Napa Valley and we will be able to experience a selection from their portfolio as well as wines from the Ma(i)sonry wine collective (such as Tor Kenward Family Wines, Brown Estate and Lail Vineyards).

Sunday – July 12^th

10am – Depart for Viader Vineyards, Picnic with the Winemaker and Family

11am our coach arrives at Viader Vineyards for Sunday Picnic at Viader! Viader is recognized around the world for consistently producing high quality red wines, the estate cuvee is a personal favorite!  One of the most picturesque estates is wine, the mountain top location will provide the perfect backdrop for our  experience.

3pm – Return to the Lodge to depart – and transfer to the airport.

Transfers are not included, but can be scheduled for you from the hotel to the airport.  (approx $50 per person/ each way)

Click HERE to Register Now!

A $2000 Value – Now on Sale for ½ Price at $999 ($699 without hotel)

Day One:

Duckhorn and Paraduxx Events – worth $100

Quintessa and Dinner worth $250

Hotel night worth $550 (half of this as your sharing a room)– ($450 plus almost 20% tax!)

Bus with professional driver

Professional Guide that provides service and perks

Value $800 pp

Day Two:

Cakebread Experience – worth $250

Blackbird Lobster Night – worth $200

Hotel night another $275

Bus with professional driver

Professional Guide that provides service and perks

Value $1000 pp

Day Three:

Viader Picnic $200 pp

Bus with professional driver

Professional Guide that provides service and perks

$350 pp

Over $2000 worth of greatness and uniqueness that money can’t buy anyway!

Our summer series at the Grove is off to a great start!   The Great Aussie BBQ was a huge success thanks to the hard work of the vendors, the Grove,  and the LearnAboutWine team.

We produce events large and small in some of LA’s top locations like the GROVE, Two Rodeo, Staples Center, The Peninsula Hotel, The Beverly Hills Hotel and private homes.

Join us for Summer TASTE – the first Wednesday each month at the park in the Grove!

Click here to see more photos from the event!

LearnAboutWine on Indie 103.1’s Wino Wednesdays!

Ian is on the air right now! Tune in at www.indie1031.com !

If you missed the show, we will provide a link to the podcast as soon as it’s available.