Hugh Davies, CEO of Schramsberg Vineyards, Talks To Us About The Upcoming Release Dinner For Three of Their Prized Wines
In preparation of the release of their 2004 J. Schram Rosé, 2004 J. Schram and 2008 J. Davies Cabernet Sauvignon. Napa’s own Chef Hiro Sone, of Terra Restaurant, will prepare a harvest feast to remember. Served in Jack & Jamie’s Grove amongst our J. Davies Diamond Mountain vineyards on the Schramsberg Property, this sit-down dinner will include many culinary delights and special library wines.
Schramsberg Vineyards is now in the hands of Jack and Jamie Davies' youngest son, Hugh. Born in 1965, the year his parents Jack and Jamie Davies revived the historic Schramsberg Vineyards property in Napa Valley, Hugh was named President and CEO of the 40-year old sparkling wine house in 2005. Prior to this, he held the dual responsibilities of Winemaker and General Manager. He holds a master's degree in enology from the University of California, Davis, and has his undergraduate degree from Bowdoin College in Maine.
At Schramsberg, Hugh has led the ongoing effort to fine-tune winemaking and grape growing techniques, building upon the winery’s venerable track record of producing award-winning sparkling wines. Schramsberg’s current stable of vineyards includes more than 90 specially selected sites in the Carneros district of Napa Valley, the Anderson Valley, and along the Sonoma and Marin coasts. The winery's commitment to small lot base wine production has yielded extraordinary blending opportunity for the 8-10 sparkling blends produced each year. Over 200 lots are evaluated after harvest, representing many variables: vineyard terroir, grape clone, barrel fermentation, stainless tank fermentation, malolactic fermentation, etc.
We're Talking With Owner of Starlite Vineyards, Arman Pahlavan About The Their Beautiful Winery and Fantastic Wines
We are a boutique winery and estate located in Sonoma County’s famed Alexander Valley. The vineyards are nestled on a hilltop close to the Russian River. With support from our wine makers, we have created elegant yet delicate wines with the most impressionable flavors and bouquets. Our patrons have described our wines as European in style and the sommeliers at the top establishments have hailed our wines as the most expressive of their varietals from our region.
The T\terrain and the micro climate in Alexander Valley create fabulous varietals of our grapes. The hot, dry summer climate and poor soil make the conditions ideal for growing premium quality grapes for wine production. Under these stressful conditions, the vines produce small amounts of highly concentrated fruit that exhibit incredible depth and complexity. The vineyard has a southwestern exposure to maximize sunlight. The rows are planted three-by-six to deliver additional vines per acre in order to maximize stress. Irrigation is kept to lowest degree necessary in order to minimize growth.
Grammy Award Winning Artist Michell Branch Joins Us To Talk About Her Newest Album "LOUD MUSIC" And Her Partnering With "Reading Is Sweet!" National Book Drive
In June, she released “LOUD MUSIC,” the lead single from her highly anticipated album “WEST COAST TIME” scheduled for release this fall. The single, which Branch introduced to fans this summer while touring with the Goo Goo Dolls, is receiving rave reviews and creating a frenzy for her first solo album in several years. In addition to the release of her new album this fall, the singer/songwriter is excited to help Great American Cookies (www.GreatAmericanCookies.com) kick off the second annual Reading is SWEET! National Book Drive. The company created the program in 2010 to celebrate October as National Book Month and National Cookie Month.
Michelle Branch was all of 18 years old when her debut album, 2001’s The Spirit Room, became a platinum seller, spawned three hit singles (“Everywhere,” “All You Wanted,” and “Goodbye to You”), and sold four million copies worldwide. The album, as well as 2002’s “The Game of Love,” Branch’s Grammy Award-winning smash single with Carlos Santana, established the Sedona, AZ, native as a young musical artist with a very grown-up talent. Following the release of her darker, more ambitious 2003 platinum album Hotel Paper — which featured the hits “Are You Happy Now?” and “Breathe” — and the birth of her daughter in 2005, Branch found herself at a crossroads. She put her solo career on hold to team up with Nashville singer/songwriter Jessica Harp to form the country music duo The Wreckers, an inspired vocal and songwriting collaboration that was nominated for both a CMA Award and a Grammy Award.
The Wreckers released their debut album, the platinum Stand Still Look Pretty, in 2006 and their popularity helped establish Branch as a fixture on country radio, thanks to such winning tracks as the No. 1 “Leave The Pieces” and the Top Ten hit “My, Oh My.” But the pair decided to part ways just as their music was rising on the charts — an emotionally difficult time that Branch documents on her deeply personal six-song EP, Everything Comes and Goes, which was released in August 2010 as a gift to fans as she focuses on recording the follow-up to Hotel Paper. Branch is currently in the studio in Los Angeles working on her new album titled West Coast Time, which will be released by Reprise Records later this summer. The first single “Loud Music” is available now on iTunes: http://wbr.fm/LoudMusic.
Don't forget to "Like" CRN's Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/crntalkAnd "Like" Our What's Cookin' Today Page, too! http://www.facebook.com/whatscookintoday