Cultivar Wins Gold At 2016 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition

Cultivar Wine is honored to announce that out of 7,162 entries in the  2016 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, four Cultivar wines have received awards. The 2013 Cultivar Oak Knoll Cabernet Franc won Gold, the 2012 Cultivar Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2013 Cultivar Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, and the 2014 Cultivar Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc all won Silver. For those of you wanting to try these award winning wines, Cultivar Wine Club members will be receiving two of the winning wines in the upcoming February Wine Club shipment, the 2013 Oak Knoll Cabernet Franc and the 2014 Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc. Celebrate this accomplishment with us and enjoy our wines! 2014 Cultivar Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc Silver Award $20.00 $204 Case / $192 Club Case Buy Now 2013 Cultivar Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Silver Award $29.00 $296 Case / $278 Club Case Buy Now 2013 Cultivar Oak Knoll Cabernet Franc Gold Award $52.00 a bottle $530 Case / $499 Club Case Buy Now 2012 Cultivar Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon Silver Award $72.00 $734 Case / $691 Club Case Buy Now Join Cultivar Wine Club

Jan 15, 2016 at 12:05 PM

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A Simple Wine & Cheese Night Courtesy of Cait of Pretty & Fun

What's the best way to entertain girlfriends and serve a great assortment of delicious food & wine, yet keep it simple? One of our Cultivar Wine Bloggers Cait of Pretty & Fun shared a great post on her blog of doing exactly this. Below is a preview of the post. Please visit Pretty & Fun for the entire story.  

Exerpt from the blog post "There are certain things that are just better together. Peanut butter & jelly. Spaghetti & meatballs. Chuck Bass & Blair Waldorf. The list goes on. For me, one of my all-time favorite pairings happens to be wine and cheese. There’s just nothin’ better than snacking on a cheese plate with a glass of wine in hand."

To celebrate one of the greatest pairings of all time and make the most of our new apartment’s amenities, I wanted to throw a little afterwork wine and cheese night to catchup with girlfriends and unwind from the week and while at first pulling it all together seemed a bit intimidating, it was actually as easy as can be. A look at how it can be easily done.

I tend to feel a little lost while browsing the wine aisle – there are just SO many options, brands and vintages. To keep it simple and set a theme for the night I grabbed several bottles of Cultivar Wine; it was really fun to try a new vineyard together and taste the differences between vintages. Their Cabernet Sauvignon’s were so good (and I’m typically more of a Pinot Noir kind of girl!)

Read the full story on Pretty & Fun here. We hope you have a great party and enjoy yourself. Cheers to delicious wine, great food and fabulous company!

Photos by Tory Putnam

Dec 31, 2015 at 8:30 AM

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Solo Italian Date Night Courtesy of Avec Mallory

We are so excited to share with you a post by one of our Cultivar Wine Bloggers, Mallory of Avec Mallory.  This is a sneak peak of the post. Please visit Avec Mallory's Solo Italian Date Night post for the entire recipe. Thanks again Mallory for including Cultivar Wine in your delicious date night. 

Exerpt from Avec Mallory "I’m so excited to share this fun new post with you all today with the help of my new favorite Napa Valley winery, Cultivar Wine. I was lucky enough to spend five years living in San Francisco and developed an everlasting love and respect for the Napa Valley. Cultivar is a timeless example of what the valley is truly about. Founded in 2010 by brother and sister Jody and Gingy Harris, it’s a family run business that prides itself on using high quality products all sourced directly from Napa."

"For today’s post, this one goes out to all the single gals or ladies like me who’s chef boyfriend works most nights. Just because you’re home alone doesn’t mean you shouldn’t treat your evening like a date night! As I’ve said before, the thing I find most important about keeping your kitchen game on point is to keep key ingredients always on hand. In the past few months I’ve become completely obsessed with these Trader Joe’s pasta packs. As much as I love making my own pasta, some nights after a 10 hour day you just want to come home and whip something up fast. My favorites are the Porcini Mushroom & Truffle Triangoli and the Girasoli Ricotta & Lemon Zest. So here’s my weeknight dinner for one pasta jam, with a side of fantastic Cultivar Cabernet Sauvignon!"

Voila! Look at the gorgeous finished product. To see the entire recipe, visit Avec Mallory's full post here.  

If you're looking to purchase our Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon you can find purchase it here. 

Dec 17, 2015 at 10:53 AM

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Making the Perfect Cheese Platter paired with Cultivar Wine Courtesy of Kelly of "A Side of Sweet"

We are thrilled to share with you a post by one of our Cultivar Wine Bloggers, Kelly of A Side of Sweet. This is a sneak peak of the post. Please visit A Side of Sweet for the entire recipe (Cheese, crackers, greenery and other yummyness featured below). Kudos Kelly on such a fabulous casual cheese & wine spread.  We love it and are thrilled to share it with our readers. 

"Putting Together a Fancy Wine & Cheese Spread"

Cheese :: "I figured this was my chance to go crazy and get a whole bunch of cheese! I definitely went overboard, which was fine by me because it meant I got to eat my favorite meal of cheese and crackers for dinner the next few nights."

"My first stop was Trader Joe’s where you can get some delicious options that are great for a budget. The I hit up Whole Foods. Although it’s a bit more expensive, the nice thing about Whole Foods is that the staff is super knowledgable and will go out of their way to help you pick the perfect cheese for your occasion. They also had a better selection of local cheeses. Here are the cheeses I got."

Trader Joe’s

Creamy Toscano soaked in Syrah
Parmesan Reggiano
Italian Truffle Cheese
Le Delice de Bourgogne Triple Cream Soft Ripened Cheese
Assortment of Chèvre

Whole Food’s

Cave-Aged Gruyere
Cowgirl Creamery Mt. Tam cheese
Point Reyes Original Blue cheese

Costco

Spanish Tapa’s Assortment
Goat’s Milk Feta

Wine :: "I wanted to go with local wine, so I served Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc from Cultivar Wines. Cultivar is a family-run winery in Napa Valley, California. They make their wines from some of the best grapes in Napa and it shows – when we opened our first bottle I almost fell over! This wine is some of the best I’ve had in California, even with all the trips to wine country that we’ve made since we moved here! I think it was one of the highlights of the night – our guests kept commenting on how good it was!"

To read more about the Charcuterie, Crackers and other tips for this amazing dish visit A Side Of Sweet. 

Nov 30, 2015 at 12:00 PM

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Pair Cultivar Wine with your Thanksgiving Meal

Happy Thanksgiving! Rain, rain, rain! Everyone is ecstatic that it is raining here in the Napa Valley! We are looking forward to Thanksgiving with our family and friends. We are joyous as we contemplate all the things that we are thankful for; you, our customers, rain and a wonderful harvest are all at the top of our list. Happy Thanksgiving! From our family to yours, Jody & Gingy What wine will you serve for Thanksgiving? May we recommend the following wines for your Thanksgiving celebration... The 2013 Cultivar Coombsville Syrah is a medium bodied wine with the perfect acidity to pair with your Thanksgiving meal of roasted turkey, classic sweet potatoes, and roasted chestnuts. We love its opulent fruit, the balance of fruit and spice, and the dark red raspberries seem to jump from the glass along with aromas of allspice with a touch of vanilla. On the palate, it is rich and mouth filling with perfectly balanced tannins. $42.00 a bottle, $428 a case, $403 for club members.   The 2012 Cultivar Coombsville Cabernet Sauvignon has just the right amount of spice to pair perfectly with your savory Thanksgiving dishes, turkey or ham. On the nose it has dark cherry and currant fruit intertwined with sweet oak. On the palate it is rich and full bodied. $72 a bottle, $734 a case, $691 a case for club members. The 2013 Cultivar Oak Knoll Chardonnay is a pure expression of Chardonnay and pairs perfectly with a classic roasted turkey with all the trimmings. On the nose it has baked apples, pear and melon notes with nuances of spice and flower aromas. On the palate, it has beautiful weight and balance with a touch of richness. $28 a bottle, $296 a case, $278 a case for club members. Make it a Thanksgiving to remember! Bring the 2012 Cultivar Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 3L or 6L large format bottle and sharpie markers and see what unfolds! You'll have amazing wine, a centerpiece and you'll have fun writing the reasons you are thankful on the bottle. Memories to last all year long! 2012 Cultivar Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 3 liter $190 What will you write on your bottle? Buy Cultivar 3 Liter The 2012 Cultivar Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon strikes that perfect balance of intense, dark fruit with sweet tannins and refined structure. This wine is dark and rich with ripe black currant, plum and dark cherry flavors, complemented by a truly elegant finish. We like it for Thanksgiving because it is always a crowd pleaser! 2012 Cultivar Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvinon 6 liter $450 Buy Cultivar 6 Liter Need help with placing your order or have wine or gifts to send to multiple locations? You can call 707-400-9280 or email Dianne Jones and she will help you with all of your customer service needs. Rethinking your Thanksgiving meal? Turkey Osso Buco Looking for a less traditional turkey dish? Ready for something different? Try Turkey Osso Bucco made in our Cultivar Cabernet Sauvignon. Perfect for Fall! Here is the recipe. 6 turkey drum sticks; crosscut into osso buco - (have your butcher do it) 1/2 cup vegetable oil 2 medium onions, chopped 2 medium carrots, peeled, chopped 2 celery stalks, chopped 6 garlic cloves, smashed 2 Tbsp. juniper berries, smashed 1 Tbsp. fennel seed, crushed 6 bay leaves 1/2 bunch parsley 1/2 bunch sage 1 750ml Cultivar Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1 quart stock or broth (turkey, chicken or mushroom) Heat a Dutch oven on high. While the pot is heating up, pat dry the osso buco legs with paper towels. Season the legs with salt and pepper. Add the oil to the Dutch oven. Once the oil begins to smoke, add the legs one at a time. Sear each side of the osso buco until a dark golden brown color. Remember, the more color the meat gets the more flavorful your sauce will be. Once all the pieces are seared, remove from the pot and add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, juniper berries and fennel seed. Let sauté for 5 minutes with a lid on the pot. Next add the bay leaves, parsley, sage and cabernet sauvignon. Let the wine boil for 5 minutes, add the osso buco back to the pot and cover with stock. Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid and place into a 350 degree oven. Let cook in the oven for approximately 1 1/2 hours or until the osso buco is tender enough to cut with a fork. Remove the osso buco from the Dutch oven; strain the liquid into a different pot. On high heat, boil the liquid until it reduces to half of its original volume. Taste, season with salt and pepper. Pour the reduced liquid back over the osso buco. To plate, place generous scoop of stuffing on the plate, top with osso buco and ladle on some of the sauce. Serves 6-8. Thanksgiving table setting with Osso Bucco photo by Deborah Evans.

Nov 22, 2015 at 9:00 AM

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Sharing the Excitement of Harvest 2015 at Caspar Estate

CASPAR ESTATE’S VIEW ON HARVEST 2015 FROM WHERE WE SIP  We witnessed the unmistakable beauty of the leaves starting to turn colors, breathed in the earthy smell of crush and experienced the magic of harvest. The days were warm, stunningly beautiful and there was a crispness in the air. As we walked the rows of vines, we experienced the many micro-climates from the peaks and valleys within our vineyard. Each needed to be picked at it's optimum time. It was an exciting and busy time as we hand picked our Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot grapes from our 13 acre vineyard, and sent them off under the watchful eye of Julien Fayard, our winemaker, to craft our next vintages. (See all Caspar Estate Wines and Cultivar Wines) The growing season started and ended early this year - the earliest ever for us! That along with the drought yielded a smaller crop in 2015, and the quality is indeed excellent. The smaller berries lead to bigger wines, due to the skin to juice ratio, resulting in more tannins and significant flavor. With this warm and early 2015 Harvest wrapped up, we will begin to prepare your annual allocation of our 2012 Caspar Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. We are looking forward to sending out what is likely to be your favorite vintage yet. From our family to yours, Jody & Gingy THE BENEFITS OF GOING MAGNUM Create a party and keep it going with a beautiful and bountiful Caspar Estate Magnum, 3L, 6L or 12L bottle.  When you choose a large format bottle you are guaranteed to keep the good times flowing and create special memories too. Want to make a lasting impression? We love putting metallic pens on the table and getting everyone to sign the bottle. Your guests can add their warm wishes, and you have a timeless keepsake long after they’ve left. To personalize your experience even more, the 6L, 9L and 12L bottles can be custom etched. Contact Dianne for all the details. Celebrate abundance at your next special occasion with a large bottle of one of our most popular wines. Limited quantities available - order them while they last!

Oct 6, 2015 at 10:00 AM

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Excitement at Cultivar – Two New Releases – Order Now

Become a Member of Cultivar Wine Club Today and Let the Good Times Flow Join Cultivar Wine Club to become a part of the Caspar Estate and Cultivar family and gain access to the best Napa Valley wines delivered to your door. Inspired by the ideals and lifestyle of a modern day Gentleman Farmer, you will be delighted with the most distinct wines of Napa Valley and given all the stories and behind-the-scenes details of a truly sustainable organic farm. We are thrilled to share two brand new September Releases available for the next 30 days exclusively for our beloved Wine Club Members: 2013 Coombsville Syrah - a newcomer to Cultivar 2013 Oak Knoll Cabernet Franc - the new vintage of a classic favorite Can't to wait to get them? Join our Cultivar Wine Club today! You can sign up here and choose from the 4-bottle or 12-bottle Wine Clubs, or if you want to select your own wines, join our Cultivar Custom Club. We look forward to sharing and savoring with you the best small production wines from across the Napa Valley. Join Now 2013 Cultivar Oak Knoll Chardonnay  Want to catch up with your best friend over a perfect bottle of wine? Perfect for reminiscing, our 2013 Oak Knoll Chardonnay is a pure expression of Chardonnay. Comforting, friendly, natural, and just a bit sentimental, this Chardonnay delivers fruit on the nose and on the palate taking one back to an age where fresh pies were set on windowsills to cool. On the nose this perfect-for-Fall Chardonnay has baked apples, pear and melon notes with nuances of spice and flower aromas. On the palate the wine has beautiful weight and balance, being fermented in neutral oak barrels to add just a touch of richness. The palate delivers more baked apples and a touch of creme brûlée for a beautiful delicate finish. As we roll into Dungeness Crab season here in San Francisco, the Cultivar Chardonnay is a perfect match. Drink now and over the next two years.   $28/bottle $296/case $278/club case 2013 Oak Knoll Cabernet Franc Better than your favorite television drama, our Cabernet Franc is mysterious, deep, romantic and just a little bit dangerous. Our Cabernet Franc comes from the cooler growing region of Oak Knoll. We believe our Cabernet Franc has both characteristics of The Loire Valley and Bordeaux regions in France. The 2013 is deep dark red with a distinct brightness. On the nose, black cherry fruits are intertwined with notes of roses and violets, along with hints of tobacco and pepper. On the palate it is rich, medium to full bodied with great balance. The black cherry fruit follows from the nose to the palate with hints of plums and blueberries. The sweetness of the fruit is balanced with the perfect blend of vanilla and warm Asian spices. This wine has a long mouth finish that draws you back to the glass. This is perfect with roasted game and rich Asian inspired dishes. Drink now or over the next 5 years.  $52/bottle $530/case $499/club case Available now only to Wine Club Members. 2013 Cultivar Coombsville Syrah The ultimate expression of a classic with a twist! Fresh and eclectic with a unique and distinct sense of purpose, this is the second Syrah offering from Cultivar and our first Syrah from the Coombsville appellation. The 2013 Coombsville Syrah shows a bold spectrum of deep red fruit varietals. Dark red raspberries and dark cherries seem to jump from the glass, along with notes of pretty roses and violets and aromas of allspice with a touch of vanilla.  On the palate it is rich and mouth filling. The tannins are perfectly balanced giving the red fruit its structure. This is the perfect wine to share around the BBQ or paired with classic Fall dishes. Savor now or over the next 5 years, if you can keep it that long without opening it. $42/bottle $428/case $403/club case Available now to only Wine Club Members.   2012 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon Look out world! Cabernet from Howell Mountain has become known for its boldness, tannic structure, and intense fruit. Deep, powerful, rich, intense, intelligent and decadent, our 2012 Cultivar Howell Mountain is all that and more: dark in color almost bordering on black, with a nose of dark cassis, currant, and blackberries. Intertwined with these powerful fruits are notes of cedar and wood smoke and hints of truffle-coated blackberries, licorice, and espresso. The distinct long finish on the palate and note of tannins on the top of your mouth will have you dreaming of mountain cabins and the great outdoors. This Cabernet screams for a beautiful rib eye steak or to be decanted for this Christmas Holiday and paired with a perfectly standing rib roast. While tempting to drink now, this wine will age for another 10 years, if you can keep your hands off of it in the cellar.  $72/bottle $734/case $691/club case With the opening of your very first bottle of Cultivar Wine, we encourage you to explore your own dreams, share your own desires, and cultivate your own passions, with each and every sip in each and every shipment.   More Juicy Details

Sep 15, 2015 at 10:00 AM

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Reserve your ticket before it’s too late for Cultivar’s Wine Club Happy Hour at Schroeder’s

Join us for a private Cultivar September Release Tasting paired with Schroeder’s culinary delights!    Buy Tickets NEW DATE for Cultivar Wine pouring at Williams-Sonoma, Sonoma Store’s Artisan Market.  Due to an event change from Williams-Sonoma, Cultivar will now be pouring Cultivar wines on  Saturday, August 8th from 12:00pm-4:00pm  (instead of Thursday, August 6th) at the Williams-Sonoma, Sonoma at  605 Broadway, Sonoma, CA 95476.   We look forward to seeing you this Saturday!

Aug 4, 2015 at 10:15 AM

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Make Your Summer Even Hotter at a Cultivar Tasting Event Near You

We are excited to share a full array of fun and fabulous Cultivar Events with you. View this email in your browser   As we all wait for it to rain, Cultivar will be ready to pour! Keep the summer fun alive with four tantalizing Cultivar Wine Events that are guaranteed to wet your whistle as the summer days continue to sizzle. At Cultivar, we are passionate about making great wine. Each bottle of our distinctive and delightful wine is a true labor of love. So join us at these upcoming special events and let us pour our hearts out…to you.   Cultivar Tasting Event at the Sonoma Store Thursday, August 6th  4:00 – 6:00 pm Wine Club Happy Hour and Cultivar September Release Tasting  Tuesday, August 18th 5:30 - 7:30 pm Cultivar Pouring at Los Angeles Food & Wine Festival  August 27th - 29th  6:30 - 10:00 pm  Grand Avenue between 1st and 3rd Cultivar Wine Club and the San Francisco Giants Pairing Party! Sunday, September 20th  11:45 am until end of game Vintner's Suite AT&T Park

Jul 30, 2015 at 1:34 PM

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Experience Two Great Catches - Cultivar Wine & The Giants

Come experience the excitement of two of San Francisco’s favorite pastimes with the Cultivar Wine family. Enjoy an exclusive guided tasting of our newest Cultivar Releases paired with local, artisanal cheeses and our specialty Cultivar olive oils and vinegars as well as our distinctive “Straight from Caspar Estate” olive oil and wildflower honey. Meet the wine making team behind your favorite wine and get to know your fellow Wine Club Members as we cheer on our home team in the private Vintner’s Suite at AT&T Park. Limited tickets are available. Login to your Cultivar Wine account and secure your seats today. Let the games begin! Buy Tickets

Jul 22, 2015 at 3:10 PM

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