Big News

Forest Grove, OR – SakéOne, America’s leading producer of premium saké, has released the newest product in the American-produced g saké line, g fifty, which joins its sister product, g joy. g fifty is part of the rising trend of fine saké ($10+), a category that has recently seen significant growth in the US market. This emerging beverage category intrigues the consumer, as it’s an alternative everyday versatile libation for enjoying on its own or for food pairing.

Handcrafted by saké brewmaster, Greg Lorenz, g fifty is a Junmai Ginjo Genshu saké that uses rice milled to 50%, a Daiginjo grade. The difference between g joy and g fifty is the rice polish rate. g joy is also a Junmai Ginjo Genshu, but the rice is polished at 60%. The g saké line consists solely of Genshu products, meaning the saké is not diluted, indicating there is no secondary water added to modify the alcohol level. The water sourced for g fifty is from the Coast Mountain range in Oregon. It’s imperative to use exceptional water when brewing saké, as it makes up close to 80% of the product. The rice is from the renowned region of the Sacramento Valley in California and is M401, which is a special strain with lower fats and protein and produces an extremely subtle and delicate saké.

g fifty is a powerful, yet elegant saké, that boasts subtle notes of grape, pear and mint, with a backdrop of mineral and spice flavors. Although brewed in a customary Japanese sense by using traditional equipment, g fifty is fairly complex but smooth and harmonious, which captures the essence of East and West cultures.

It pairs impeccably with grilled meats and hard, aged cheeses. g fifty joins the esteemed g saké line, as well as SakéOne’s two other Oregon craft-brewed saké lines of Momokawa and fruit-flavor infused Moonstone. g fifty will be available nationwide at a suggested retail price of $25 for a 750ml bottle and $13 for a 300ml one, nicely placed in the niche premium saké category. For more information, please visit sakeone.com.

About SakéOne

SakéOne was founded in 1992 as a joint partnership with Momokawa Brewing Japan originally as an importer, later to be the original American operated Kura (brewery).  SakéOne is the leading producer of “Ginjo” (premium) grade sake in the United States and today produces premium sakés under the Momokawa and G labels as well as innovative new products, such as the fruit-flavor infused saké under the Moonstone brand, in addition to its imported brands. Most recently, SakéOne released SakéMoto, a smooth and slightly dry sake with rice from the Yamaguchi prefecture. SakéOne distributes its saké in all 50 states, Canada, Mexico, South America and the Caribbean.  A leader committed to saké education at the wholesale, retail and consumer levels, SakéOne is focused on expanding the enjoyment of premium saké in the United States. For more information, visit SakéOne’s website at sakeone.com.

For media information and interviews, please contact Skye Morgan of Charles Communications Associates at press@charlescomm.com or 415|701-9463.

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To build upon this milestone, celebrations from Wente Vineyards Event Center in Livermore, California, kick off at 4:00pm PST on May 23, when the Wente family will appear on a special Tout Suite Social Club live-stream video event, to offer up a special virtual toast to Chardonnay for wine enthusiasts around the country. Admirers of America’s favorite varietal can join in the celebration from their laptops to hear brief remarks from Fourth Generation Winegrowers Carolyn and Philip Wente, before raising a glass together in the first annual Wente Vineyards National Chardonnay Day toast.Wente Vineyards was the first winery in California to varietally label Chardonnay in 1936, and since then, the family has been producing benchmark Estate grown Chardonnays.

The Wente family’s connection with Chardonnay began with second generation Winegrower Ernest Wente, while he was a student at the University of California at Davis. In 1912, with the help of University of California Davis’ academic staff Leon Bonnet, Ernest persuaded his father and winery founder Carl Wente, to import cuttings from the vine nursery at the University of Montpellier in France. Around the same time, Ernest Wente also sourced budwood from the Gier Vineyard in Pleasanton which had cuttings from Meursault in France. He planted the two sources in his family’s Livermore Valley vineyard and over the next 30-40 years, selected vines that showed favorable traits, and re-planted them to establish the Wente Clone of Chardonnay¹.

In 1976, the Judgment of Paris featured a 1973 Chardonnay from Chateau Montelena that was comprised largely of the Wente Clone of Chardonnay. When that wine bested some of France’s most prestigious whites in a blind tasting, California Chardonnay plantings grew exponentially from 2700 acres in 1970 to 11,000 acres in 1980 to 45,000 acres in 1988².

Currently, there are almost 100,000 acres of Chardonnay planted in California and it has become the number one selling wine varietal in the U.S³. For more information on the Wente family’s Chardonnay history or to host your own National Chardonnay Day celebration by downloading the Chardonnay Party Kit, please visit www.wentevineyards.com/chardonnay. Join the conversation on Wente Vineyards' Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages as well.

For media inquiries, interviews or to find out more about National Chardonnay Day, please contact Kimberly Charles or Skye Morgan at Charles Communications Associates: 415|701-9463 or press@charlescomm.com.

About Wente Vineyards

Founded in 1883, Wente Vineyards is the oldest continuously-operated, family-owned winery in the country; owned and managed by the fourth and fifth generations of the Wente family. The winery draws from nearly 3,000 acres of Estate vineyards in the Livermore Valley, San Francisco Bay and Arroyo Seco, Monterey appellations to create an outstanding portfolio of fine wines. Wente Vineyards is distributed in all 50 states and in over 70 countries worldwide.  In 2010, Wente Vineyards was among the first wineries to receive the Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing designation, and one of the only wineries to certify every aspect of its business. In 2011, Wente Family Estates was named American Winery of the Year by Wine Enthusiast and a top 30 wine company by Wine Business Monthly. 2012 marks the 100th anniversary of the Wente family bringing Chardonnay cuttings to California. Today, the Wente clone of Chardonnay is the most widely planted in California. This year, the winery celebrates its 130^th anniversary.

Located just east of San Francisco in the historic Livermore Valley, Wente Vineyards is recognized as one of California’s premier wine country destinations. The property features wine tasting, world-class concerts, award-winning fine dining and championship golf. For more information, visit www.wentevineyards.com.

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Bibliography

Asher, G. 1990. Wine Journal: Chardonnay, Buds, Twigs, and Clones. Gourmet (May):62.

California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). 2011. Grape Acreage Report 2010 Crop.

Olmo, Harold P. 1971. Chardonnay. Wine Advisory Board, San Francisco, California.

Robinson, Jancis. 2006. The Oxford Companion to Wine. 3d ed. Oxford University Press. Oxford, England.

Sweet, Nancy L. 2007. Chardonnay History and Selections at FPS. FPS Grape Program Newsletter. (November)

Wolpert, J.A., A.N. Kasimatis, and E. Weber. 1994. Field Performance of Six Chardonnay Clones in the Napa Valley. Am.J. Enol.Vitic. 45(4): 393-399.

¹ Philip Wente

² Wolpert et al. 1994; Robinson 2006

³ CDFA 2011

Graton, CA  - Purple Wine Company, known for wines of high quality, outstanding value and consistent style, is launching Alto Cinco. Sourced from Northern Spain’s Cariñena DO, the wine is a blend of 94% Garnacha and 6% Tempranillo. Alex Cose, Purple Wine Company’s Senior Vice President of Winemaking, drew upon his grape sourcing and blending expertise, working in close collaboration with local Paniza winemakers to create a vibrant, exciting wine.

Purple has been cognizant that many emerging wine consumers in the 21-24 age range prefer full-flavored reds like Cabernet, Zin-based Blends, Malbecs, Cabernet and Petite Sirah.¹ Spanish wines are also a favorite of this group with 45% drinking Spanish versus 29% of all adult wine consumers.² Alto Cinco fills both of these desires and offers value and quality to this target market that enjoys experimenting with its wine choices.

Alto Cinco also appeals to younger wine drinkers with a name that loosely translates from Spanish as “high five” with “high” referring to the height of Paniza’s dry-farmed vineyards in the region of Aragon at elevations around 2,800 feet above sea level. “Five” refers to the Paniza growing area. Located within one of four officially recognized growing regions in the area, some believe it should be its own appellation.

Alto Cinco’s first vintage was aged for six months in a combination of French and American oak barrels for additional roundness and texture. The wine tastes of ripe, juicy raspberries and black cherries, complemented by oak notes of mocha and vanilla on the finish. Its crisp acidity, silky tannins and ripe fruit flavor profile makes it a versatile pairing with a wide range of cuisines.

The bold label design draws upon the rich heritage, colors and tradition of the region and the flag of Aragon. A whimsical lariat element pays tribute to Spanish spontaneity, artistry and flair.  The wine will be available nationwide at fine dining establishments as well as fine wine retailers. Alto Cinco will exclusively produce one wine at a suggested retail price of $16.

About Purple Wine Company

Recently named to Inc. Magazine’s top 5,000 companies in 2012, Purple Wine Company was founded in 2001 by Derek Benham and is based in Graton, California.  Its mission is to create wines of outstanding value, high quality and consistent style from vintage to vintage. Current brands include: Avalon, BEX, Four Vines, Cryptic, Lucky Star and Kumbaya.  Both Avalon and Four Vines were recently named Hot Prospect Brands by M. Shanken’s Impact Newsletter for 2012, tracking the most promising wine and spirits growth brands in the marketplace.  For more information, please visit www.purplewine.com.  For press inquiries, please contact Kimberly Charles at Charles Communications Associates at press@charlescomm.com or 415.701.9463.

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1.      (Source:  Mentel/Experian Simmons NCS/NHCS Winter 2012 Adult Full Year-POP)

2.      (Source:  U.S. Dept. of Commerce/Gomberg, 2012, Total Table Wine)