It’s your turn!  We already know what the wine judges think.

Do you like Villa del Monte Winery?  If so, let the world–or at least Silicon Valley–know by selecting  us at the Best Winery on the Metro Newspaper 2012 Best of Silicon Valley Readers Poll.  Voting closes on February 20.

Make plans to visit Villa del Monte Winery during The Summit Wineries A Wine Lover’s Weekend.  On February 11 and 12, The Summit Wineries*, a wine trail consisting of five wineries in the Summit Road vicinity in Los Gatos, will host special tastings.

We will be open from noon to 5 pm on both days.  We’ll be tasting our latest releases, and we will have all the important c-words: cheese, crackers, and chocolates from Rocket Fizz** in Campbell.  With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, be sure to pick up a bottle of our award-winning wine to share with your special someone!

* Each winery’s tasting fee/policy applies.  At Villa del Monte, tastings are $5 per person, refundable with purchase.

** On February 8, we will be pouring wine at Rocket Fizz during the Downtown Campbell Winter Wine Walk.

Villa del Monte wines will be featured at the  Winemaker’s Dinner at Seascape Beach Resort in Aptos on February 7.  Plan now to attend so that you can enjoy the sunset, the wine, and the four-course meal specially prepared to pair perfectly with our wines.   

Winemaker Neil Perrelli will be on hand to tell guests a bit about the wines.

Menu highlights:

Assorted Domestic and Imported Cheeses with dried fruits and nuts, with baguette for the reception

Appetizer Course:
Day Boat Scallops Seared with Corralitos Market Bacon and Apple
2010 Pinot Noir Santa Cruz Mountains Regan Vineyard

Salad:
Braised Duck and Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese and a Warm Vinaigrette
2009 Syrah Santa Clara Valley Pasha Vineyard

Entree:
Eye of the Rib Eye with Butternut Squash Gnocchi and Crispy Shallots
2009 Merlot Reserve Carneros Moon Vineyard* 
*Silver Medal at the 2012 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition

Dessert:
Savory Dark Cocoa and Rye Bread Pudding with Raspberry Wine Ice Cream
2004 Zin Port

Winemaker’s Dinner
February 7, 2012
Sanderlings Restaurant
Seascape Beach Resort
One Seascape Resort Drive
Aptos, CA   95003
1-831-662-7120

We will be open for tastings from 1 to 5 pm on January 28 and 29.  Taste our award-winning wines, including the 2009 Merlot Reserve which recently won a Silver medal at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.  You will also have the chance to sign up for our wine club since our next shipment is scheduled for April. 

Can’t make it to the winery on the 28th or 29th? Check our events calendar to find out where we will be pouring next.

Did you receive our January newsletter? If not, be sure to check it out so you can read about our latest award, a review of the 2011 harvest, and our upcoming events. 

As always, our newsletter pairs well with a glass of Villa del Monte wine!

Villa del Monte Winery is pleased to announce that the 2012 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition has awarded a Silver medal to our 2009 Merlot Reserve Carneros Moon Vineyard. This competition set a new American wine competition record with 5,500 entries, surpassing its previous record of 5,050 last year. For nine consecutive years, this prestigious competition holds strong as the “Largest Competition of American Wines in the World.”

The 2009 Merlot Reserve Carneros Moon Vineyard is 100% Merlot from the Moon Vineyard in Los Carneros in Napa.  This is a big and deliciously smooth Merlot with a deep burgundy color, a wonderful plum/blackberry flavor, and a smoky, earthy aroma. This wine is a perfect balance between fruit, oak, and tannins.  This wine has also been awarded a Gold medal at the 2011 Riverside International Wine Competition, a Silver medal at the Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Association 2011 Commercial Wine Competition, a Silver medal at the 2011 West Coast Wine Competition, and a Silver medal at the 2011 NextGen Wine Competition for Millennial Wine Drinkers.

About the 2012 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
Hosted by the San Francisco Chronicle, this is the largest competition of American Wines in the World and is recognized for its participation by the most distinguished judges in the country.  Judging for this wine competition took place in from January 2-5, 2012 in Cloverdale, CA.  More than 60 judges, including winemakers, sommeliers, wine educators, bloggers, and members of the media, evaluated the wines. The field of entries included a record-setting 5500 wines.   For more information, visit www.winejudging.com.

As 2011 comes to a close, we asked our winemakers, John Overstreet and Neil Perrelli, to describe 2011 from a winemaker perspective and to make some predictions about the harvest.

“What a year!  The growing season started out with late spring rains and continued with cool-to-moderate temperatures.  The early rains happened during bloom and resulted in less than average fertilization.  Since not every flower turned into a grape, we knew that yields would be down a bit.  But, then we had an unseasonably high amount of rain late in the growing season. This had the potential to cause havoc on the grapes as swollen fruit can dilute the flavors and sugars or, worse, split the grape skins which makes them susceptible to rot,” explains John.

“We worked very closely with our growers, talking with them daily to discuss weather reports and to plan, and re-plan, the picking schedule.  While we are always selective about our grapes, the picking process was a more labor intensive task than in past years as each cluster had to be inspected to insure it was rot-free,” adds Neil. “While yields throughout Northern California were down, the resulting wines should be delicious–full of fruit and perhaps a bit lower in alcohol level.”

This year, we are excited about the addition of a Zinfandel and a high-elevation Cabernet vineyard.  Our 2011 vintages will include:

• Cabernet Santa Cruz Mountains (two different vineyards)
• Chardonnay Santa Cruz Mountains
• Merlot Carneros
• Pinot Noir Santa Cruz Mountains
• Syrah Santa Clara Valley
• Syrah Rosé  Santa Clara Valley
• Zinfandel Santa Clara Valley

We thank you for your patronage in 2011, and we wish you a Happy New Year!

Do you know which wine goes best with post-Christmas shopping?  Villa del Monte wine! Visit us at the Free People store on December 27 from 6-8 pm for the Santana Row Holiday Dine and Wine Around.  Tickets are $10 and proceeds benefit Second Harvest Food Bank.

We will be pouring:

• 2010 Chardonnay Santa Cruz Mountains
• 2010 Pinot Noir Santa Cruz Mountains Regan Vineyard
• 2007 Merlot Carneros Moon Vineyard

Free People
333 Santana Row, Suite 1115
San Jose, CA  95128
408-246-3311

John Overstreet and Neil Perrelli, our winemakers, share their favorite holiday dishes and wine pairings. 

“Being from Georgia, I like a holiday meal with southern accents,” says John.  “My favorites include a standing rib roast, steamed kale and collard greens, roasted root vegetables, black-eyed peas, and skillet cornbread.  The fruitiness of our 2010 Pinot Noir works well with this menu.”

Neil, born and bred in California, prefers “roast lamb with a pecan crust, sautéed carrots, and a creamy polenta with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese, served with Syrah.  The richness and robustness of lamb works well with the complexity of our 2009 Syrah.”

CLICK HERE to order Villa del Monte wines for your holiday festivities.