The Rhone is coming, Wine that is!
Strap on your chaps, and get ready to cut out your favorite American Rhone wines from the pack, the Rhone Rangers are coming to Los Angeles this Saturday August 6th. Join the posse and hunt for your favorite wines during this one-day event at the Skirball Center, which includes a winemaker seminar and luncheon, VIP and grand tasting of hundreds of wines from over 40 wineries. Popping the cork on these increasingly popular wines, Rhone Ranger member wineries are celebrating their distinctive and food-friendly wines. Find out what all the buzz is about, from trendy Grenache and Petite Sirah to fresh Rosé blends and white wines.
OK, so what is a Rhone wine? These wines, which originally came from France’s Northern and Southern Rhône regions, can include single varietal wines such as Syrah, Grenache (Blanc and Rouge), Roussanne, and Viognier; but the most fascinating wines are blends of several grapes, yielding a complex wine full of fruit and spice. Red Rhone wines can be a spicy Syrah, with dark fruit, peppery and meaty; or a classic blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre, aka GSM, that thrills with a complex palate of fruit, earth, leather and spice. White Rhone wines can be an exotic Viognier, with a bouquet of apricots, pears, and tropical fruits; or a crisp, full bodied Grenache Blanc, with green apple, citrus, and white peach. These distinctive wines are perfect all season sippers, great with summer barbecue yet equally delicious with heavier winter food.
The Los Angeles Celebration of American Rhone Wines offers multiple ways for everyone to discover and enjoy the diversity of these wines. It’s a full day of Rhone wine-centric activities, starting with an 11am winemaker seminar, “The Past and the Future”, a panel discussion and tasting with seven of California’s hottest American Rhone winemakers, moderated by notable wine writer Patrick Comiskey, followed by a winemaker luncheon, giving wine tasters the chance to chat with all who participated in the seminar. Then, at 1:30pm, VIP ticket holders get first crack at the Grand Tasting, with a one hour earlier admission, and a bonus VIP private lounge, where special library wines and appetizers are available. Then the main event begins, the Grand Tasting, a chance to meet the owners and winemakers, while sampling the many wines. A silent auction of wines and lifestyle lots will give attendees a chance to bid on their favorites from the tasting. A Saturday Pass, which includes the whole package, the winemaker seminar, luncheon, and VIP grand tasting, is $150. The VIP Pass, which includes early admission to the grand tasting and the VIP area, is $85, while the general Grand Tasting, from 2:30 to 5:30pm, is $65. Tickets are available online, and parking is free.
The Rhone Rangers are passionate about American Rhone wines. This non-profit organization conducts tasting events around the country, promoting and educating wine drinkers about these American interpretations of French Rhône wines, with their New World fruit and intense perfume. The Rhone Rangers is over 3000 members strong, which include 150 wineries, growers, and “sidekicks”, who are consumers that support their mission.
Strap on your chaps, and get ready to cut out your favorite American Rhone wines from the pack, the Rhone Rangers are coming to Los Angeles this Saturday August 6th. Join the posse and hunt for your favorite wines during this one-day event at the Skirball Center, which includes a winemaker seminar and luncheon, VIP and grand tasting of hundreds of wines from over 40 wineries. Popping the cork on these increasingly popular wines, Rhone Ranger member wineries are celebrating their distinctive and food-friendly wines. Find out what all the buzz is about, from trendy Grenache and Petite Sirah to fresh Rosé blends and white wines.
OK, so what is a Rhone wine? These wines, which originally came from France’s Northern and Southern Rhône regions, can include single varietal wines such as Syrah, Grenache (Blanc and Rouge), Roussanne, and Viognier; but the most fascinating wines are blends of several grapes, yielding a complex wine full of fruit and spice. Red Rhone wines can be a spicy Syrah, with dark fruit, peppery and meaty; or a classic blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre, aka GSM, that thrills with a complex palate of fruit, earth, leather and spice. White Rhone wines can be an exotic Viognier, with a bouquet of apricots, pears, and tropical fruits; or a crisp, full bodied Grenache Blanc, with green apple, citrus, and white peach. These distinctive wines are perfect all season sippers, great with summer barbecue yet equally delicious with heavier winter food.
The Los Angeles Celebration of American Rhone Wines offers multiple ways for everyone to discover and enjoy the diversity of these wines. It’s a full day of Rhone wine-centric activities, starting with an 11am winemaker seminar, “The Past and the Future”, a panel discussion and tasting with seven of California’s hottest American Rhone winemakers, moderated by notable wine writer Patrick Comiskey, followed by a winemaker luncheon, giving wine tasters the chance to chat with all who participated in the seminar. Then, at 1:30pm, VIP ticket holders get first crack at the Grand Tasting, with a one hour earlier admission, and a bonus VIP private lounge, where special library wines and appetizers are available. Then the main event begins, the Grand Tasting, a chance to meet the owners and winemakers, while sampling the many wines. A silent auction of wines and lifestyle lots will give attendees a chance to bid on their favorites from the tasting. A Saturday Pass, which includes the whole package, the winemaker seminar, luncheon, and VIP grand tasting, is $150. The VIP Pass, which includes early admission to the grand tasting and the VIP area, is $85, while the general Grand Tasting, from 2:30 to 5:30pm, is $65. Tickets are available online, and parking is free.
The Rhone Rangers are passionate about American Rhone wines. This non-profit organization conducts tasting events around the country, promoting and educating wine drinkers about these American interpretations of French Rhône wines, with their New World fruit and intense perfume. The Rhone Rangers is over 3000 members strong, which include 150 wineries, growers, and “sidekicks”, who are consumers that support their mission.