And without further delay, the winners are…

2011 Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, Evelyn Parrish Vineyard, Platinum Series
Named for our former head of Windsor Vineyards Customer Service who was a dedicated employee for over 40 years, Evelyn Parrish Chardonnay remains a favorite of both critics and customers. Delicate scents of Asian pear, ripe apples, and fresh-cut Meyer lemons greet you upon opening. These are soon followed by oak scents which bring you into the developing flavors of tropical fruits, white nectarine, and finishing with smooth and creamy crème brûlée.

» Available on our website

2011 Chenin Blanc, California
This versatile white carries notes of pear, honeydew, and crisp apple along with spicy orange peel, citrus, and honey flavors that will brighten any meal from a simple weeknight take-out to your favorite grilled meat.

» Available on our website

2010 Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County, Private Reserve
Huge flavors of red currants, black and blueberries intertwine with the tingle of tobacco. The soft finish is full of smooth dark chocolate dipped cherries. Enjoy with a juicy grilled ribeye steak, beef tenderloin medallions in a rich mushroom sauce, or classic beef stew.

» Available on our website

2010 Merlot, Alexander Valley, Platinum Series
Our 2010 Alexander Valley Merlot starts with aromas of warm, ripe black plums, chocolate mint and espresso. Comprised of mostly Merlot from the renowned Alexander Valley, a small amount of Malbec and Petite Verdot have been blended into this wine providing additional structure and complexity that red wine lovers will truly appreciate. Its round, ripe plum, black cherry, dark current and caramel flavors are framed by ultra-soft tannins with a long, pleasant finish.

» Available on our website

We’d like to thank the Academy — er — the Chronicle judging panel and everyone who helped produce these great wines from vineyard to glass. To quote Sally Field, “You like us, you really like us!”

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To download the images below click on the image to go to the file location and display the full image.  Then right-click on the image, or control-click if on a Mac, and select Save Image As… to download the photo to your computer.  Then, on Facebook, go to your profile and hover over the top image, called a “cover” until the “Change Cover” box appears in the lower right.  Click on the box and choose Upload Photo from the drop-down.  Press Save and then you’re done!  Merry Christmas from wine country!

Wine

You knew there was going to be some wine, didn’t you?  The holidays give the party host quite a variety for event themes and styles.  Don’t feel like you have to serve it all.

Cozy Affair – Cooler climates call for heartier wines like Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Syrah and Port.   A dessert wine like Port is perfect for sitting by the fireplace and paired with your favorite holiday sweets.

Holiday Sweets -  Sweets like holiday cookies or desserts demand a wine with some sweetness, preferably more than the food itself.  So, Port, Late Harvest Riesling, Sauternes or Moscato are great options.

Traditional Fare – Turkey and Dressing Love - Looking for wines for the Thanksgiving table?  Well, a full discussion on wine and food for Thanksgiving will take up a whole other post, but keep Chardonnay, Riesling and Pinot Noir in mind as they are some of the most versatile food wines and can pair with many dishes you are bound to have along with Turkey, ham or any game bird.  The key to wine and food pairings first and foremost is the level of acid and Riesling is a naturally acidic variety, especially when fermented completely dry, which makes it a go-to food wine nearly every time.

Wine Tasting Affair – A Sample of This, A Splash of That - Unsure how to please everyone and even the most discerning palate at your party?  Try offering a variety of wines and consider smaller bottle formats, like 375 ml bottles or “demi” (187 ml are called “splits”) so you won’t have to break the bank to please the crowd.  A good mix of wine styles for any party include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio.

Food

Just say “Cheese” and “Charcuterie” (fancy word for meats).  We have found almost everyone loves meats and/or cheeses. For the host, not only does it require minimum preparation, it pairs great with wine, makes for an impressive presentation and gets people sampling.  Start by creating  a board of assorted cheese.  Visit your local grocery or cheese monger and go to town. Hard, soft, aged, goat, cow, stinky, mild, don’t be afraid to mix it up.  When pairing cheeses and wine, remember this helpful mantra “what grows together, goes together,” meaning if the wine itself or the grape variety is from a particular region, try pairing a cheese from the same place.  Here are few ideas to get you started:

• Cabernet Sauvignon – Dry Jack
• Merlot – Asiago, Mild Blue, Gruyere
• Zinfandel – Asiago, Blue, Dry Jack, Gouda
• Pinot Noir – Brie, Camembert, Epoisses

Next create your charcuterie platter – Charcuterie, or rather the branch of cooking devoted to preparing meats, originated in the old days as a means to preserve meats before the advent of refrigeration.  These days, we get to enjoy the rich flavors that come from the process.  Most grocery store s and specialty food shops will carry prepackaged and pre-sliced meats. Some of our favorites include milano salami, capicola, sopressata, prosciutto, coppa and other assorted meats.    Go light with Beaujolais to let the big meat flavors to prevail or marry them straight up with Zinfandel or Syrah and let those bacon and jerky attributes really come through.  To round out your party platter, add some sourdough or french bread slices or crackers along with some spreads like infused olive oils, honey and fig compote as well as assorted nuts.

Fun

Theme or no theme, we recommend these cool and fun wine-centric games:

Wine Bingo – play this game just like traditional Bingo but with the added incentive that the winner receives a bottle of wine.

Blind Tasting Challenge – To spice your party up, pour a mystery bottle in a paper bag and see who can guess the region, variety and/or vintage.  Wine charms, bottle-openers and wine bags make great prizes!

Since 1931, Vella Cheese has been a companion to the finest foods in the world. As an ingredient, sprinkled on top, or served alongside the full fresh flavor and smooth creamy texture of Vella Cheese is guaranteed to satisfy.  The success of Vella Cheese lies in the personal attention each day’s production is given. Quality starts in the pasture.

For more information about our Wine & Cheese gift sets click here: http://ow.ly/fdVth 

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2010 Windsor Merlot (Bronze)

Who says Merlot is dead?  Not us!  Comprised of mostly Merlot from the renowned Alexander Valley, a small amount of Malbec and Petite Verdot have been blended into this wine providing additional structure and complexity that red wine lovers will truly appreciate. Its round, ripe plum, black cherry, dark current and caramel flavors are framed by ultra-soft tannins with a long, pleasant finish.

aromas of warm, ripe black plums, chocolate mint and espresso

2011 Windsor Chardonnay Russian River Valley Evelyn Parrish (Bronze)

Our Evelyn Parrish Vineyard Chardonnay was named for our former head of Windsor Vineyards Customer Service who was a dedicated employee for over 40 years. Evelyn’s (or “EP” as we call her) tireless efforts to provide extraordinary service to our customers is something we consistently try to emulate.  This is a “cool climate” Chardonnay sourced from the heart of the Russian River Valley which allowed for slow ripening, developing long-lasting aromas and flavors while maintaining a level of acidity that keeps it fresh and food-friendly.  A great wine for Thanksgiving!

Delicate scents of Asian pear, ripe apples, and fresh-cut Meyer lemons greet you upon opening our Evelyn Parrish Vineyard Chardonnay. Followed by oak scents bring you into the developing flavors of tropical fruits, white nectarine, finishing with smooth and creamy crème brûlée

2011 Windsor Pinot Noir Russian River Valley (Silver)

Pinot Noir is well renowned as a perfect food wine, and our New-World, California-style Pinot is no exception. Pair our Russian River Pinot Noir with hearty fish like salmon or tuna, warmly spiced dishes, lamb or duck, or mushrooms.  This work well with almost any dish on your Thanksgiving table this year.

 smells of strawberries, cherry-vanilla cola, and sweet dried cherries. Cherry and strawberry again come through as flavors and a hint of ginger completes this complex red

When: November 3&4, 11am-4pm

Buy Tickets Here:  http://wineroadwineandfoodaffair.eventbrite.com/  Note: you must purchase tickets from Wine Road and not with the wineries.

Our tasting room is located on the Healdsburg Plaza at 308 B Center Street, Healdsburg, CA  95448

Smokey Autumn & Bacon Truffle

• 6.25 ounces Guittard Milk Chocolate
• 2/3 cup Heavy Cream
• 2 ounces Bacon, diced, rendered and drained of fat
• 1 ounce Light Corn Syrup or invert sugar
• 5.5 ounces Windsor Vineyard Pinot Noir
• 1 teaspoon Whole Black Peppercorn
• 2 each Cloves
• 1 each Cinnamon Stick
• 1 pound Dark Chocolate for garnish, melted in a double boiler
• As Needed Cocoa powder for garnish

Directions:

1. Place rendered bacon in pot with cinnamon stick, peppercorns, cloves, and wine. Reduce until the mixture reduces to a syrup, add the cream and let steep for 1 hour.
2. Place the milk chocolate and corn syrup in a mixing bowl. Bring the cream mixture to a boil and strain through a fine mesh strainer over the chocolate.
3. Using a spatula, stir until well-combined and let sit overnight in the refrigerator. Using a small scoop or melon baller, scoop ½ ounce portions onto parchment paper. Next round them by using your palms. Place back in the refrigerator to let set.
4. Using the dark chocolate that’s melted, dip truffles using fingertips and roll them in the palms like as before. Then place them in the cocoa powder making sure to completely cover them with the cocoa powder. Let set at least 30 minutes. Once chocolate has set, shake off excess cocoa in a small sifter or hands.

Appropriate Occasions

Leave an Impression

Once you’ve determined that you want to gift wine you will want to consider the type of wine you want to give and how it is presented and perceived.  For these reasons, your gift will impart a particular impression on the recipient and reflect your tastes as well as your budget.  Instead of running down to the local wine shop and grabbing an expensive Napa Cabernet off the rack, consider how you can personalize and customize your gift to leave that long-lasting impression you really want to make or that the situation demands.  Do you want to send only a single bottle of wine, or would a collection of various wines or a gift basket of wine and food really provide the impression you want and bring wine country right into their lives?

Personalize

To really make the occasion extra special consider personalizing your wine selection with a customized label or etching.

1. Leave an impression – the fact you took a couple extra steps in creating your gift will be special and appreciated by the recipient
2. Be remembered – a personalized gift will ensure you and your organization are remembered
3. Display your personality – get creative and show your personality and gift something unique and different

Custom Labels are Part of Our Heritage

In the early days, so many customers asked Rodney Strong, our founder, to reserve their favorite wines that he started putting their names on the labels. One innovation followed another when customers bought the wines for personal use and for holiday gift ideas. Personalized wine labels and shipping directly to customers or gift recipients began, and so was born the Windsor Vineyards tradition. Today, we are one of the few producers who specializes and offers custom corporate logo labels, custom labels for wedding favors and holiday wine gift ideas.

Ultimately, apply careful thought into your wine gift election to ensure it has the desired impact and that it is enjoyed and appreciated by the recipient.

We are offering a pretty awesome wine and travel package for two lucky winelovers to escape to Napa Valley.  Enter for a chance to win the 4-day, 3 night excursion for two to Napa Valley, one of the premier wine, food and travel destinations in the world.  Enjoy luxury suite accommodations, round-trip airfare, VIP winery tours and more!

ENTRY IS NOW CLOSED – We will draw the winner after August 31, 2012.

• Airfare for two
• 3 nights luxury suite at the North Block Hotel, Yountville
• 4 VIP Napa winery tours + private chauffeur
  • Girard Winery
  • Cosentino Winery
  • Rudd Winery
  • Vine Cliff Winery
• 2 bottles of Girard wine upon arrival
• Gift certificate for dining at Press St. Helena
• Gift certificate for lunch at Oakville Grocery

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE 50 UNITED STATES (INCL. D.C.) 21 YEARS AND OLDER. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. Sweepstakes ends 8/31. One grand prize valued at 10,500  USD.

See Official Rules