Organic Labeling

Here's a recent article from the LA Times discussing organic labeling and why there aren't more wineries with the label.  This is a great article, discussing sulfites and the controversy surrounding these additives.  As Tony says in the article, regarding his choice to keep the organic label off his wines,  "It confuses the public.  Plus, a lot of wineries would piggyback on me. If a consumer has a bad wine and it's an organic wine, they could turn on the whole category."

Viniveri

Tony just received an invitation from his favorite Italian winery to attend a natural wine fair.  Tony was invited by his favorite wine producers, the Bea family.  Stay tuned--Tony might be venturing over to Italy soon!

Hello Tony,
    I am Giampiero Bea happy, son of Paul Bea happy of one of the wines from you more beloved: the Sagrantino Montefalco DOCG. Tank's very much, for this!

As you will remember, our method of job (philosophy) in the vineyard and in the wine cellar is very similar to your way: no herbicides, not fertilizers of synthesis, no assistant yeasts, not enzymes, not additions and controls temperatures, not filtering, no forced stabilizations. For these essential motives, I have founded in Italy a movement I am the name of True Wines, from the last year become Consortium [ www.viniveri.net ]. Our principal objective is that to make to know to the whole world this healthy idea of job, that first of all defends the nature and the identity of the tastes to make to come on the table a healthy drink for the one who fortune has to drink it.

Among our missions there is to organize a fair of the "Natural Wines" during the same period in which the European greatest fair of the wine develops him and perhaps of the World: the "VINITALY" in Verona town.

Such our exposure develops him to around 20 miles from the city of Verona.

Currently I am also the President of the Consortium ViniVeri that organizes such event under the name "VinoVinoVino". This year the edition 2011 will have carrying out during the days 7-8-9 April 2011. I am very pleased to invite to participate you. I would feel me honorable to be able to see you among the exhibitors of this event that it intends to be a point of reference for the wines produced by the nature and not facts (built by the man). Waiting for to read soon you, dispatch kindest regards,
Giampiero Bea

On the Road

If you want to catch up with Tony at any of his upcoming wine tastings and wine dinners, here's his schedule for the end of November.

Wednesday, November 24th
Winfield/Flynn
558 3rd Avenue
New York, NY 10016-3541
(212) 679-4455

5-8 p.m.

In-Store Wine Tasting. 

Friday, November 26th

Ten Tables Restaurant
597 Centre St.

Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

(617) 524-8810

Wine Tasting.  Contact the Jamaica Plain location for more information.

Saturday, November 27th

Formaggio Kitchen
244 Huron Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138-1328
(617) 354-4750
12-2 p.m.

Stand Up Wine Tasting.

The Spirited Gourmet in Cushing Square

448 Common St
Belmont, MA 02478
(617) 489 9463

4-7 p.m.

In-Store Wine Tasting.

Monday, November 29th 

Bergamot Restaurant

118 Beacon Street
Somerville, MA 02143-4304
(617) 576-7700

Winemaker Dinner.  Call restaurant for reservations.

Tuesday, November 30th
Ten Tables Restaurant
5 Craigie Circle
Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 576-5444

Winemaker Dinner.  4 courses of delicious food paired with 4 of Tony’s most delicious wines for $65 per person.  Contact the Cambridge location for details.

As we get more information and menus we'll post them.

Harvest

Photographer Michael Grimm visited for a few days of harvest and took some beautiful pictures.  He has also put together a wonderful video that captures harvest in all its glory--including the dirt!  He has done an amazing job capturing Coturri Winery's harvest.  I hope you find the video as touching as we all did.

His pictures capture the hard workers of Coturri winery perfectly; he even managed to get everyone to take a brief moment out of their exhausting day and smile for the camera.

Take a moment to wander around Michael's blog.  He has more beautiful pictures and other great videos.

New Releases

Here's the latest list of new releases.  Order today before we run out!  And don't forget to join the Wine Club to get the best deals and the earliest information on everything Coturri.



2008 Primitivo Testa Vineyards
$30.00 per bottle
$24.00 per bottle for wine club members


2008 Albarello North Coast 
 $20.00 per bottle
$16.00 per bottle for wine club members


Non Vintage P. Coturri Zinfandel Sonoma Valley
$30.00 per bottle
 $24.00 per bottle for wine club members


Here to order, and here to join the Wine Club.

Tony and... Beer?

Tony's other great passion is beer.  Check out this article where Tony tours a brewery and learns about the positive side of Brettanomyces.  Check out some cameos from other Sonoma County residents, including the head brewer at Lagunitas Brewing Company.  (And if you want a little review, here's a link to Brettanomyces' Wikipedia page.)  The article comes from local periodical North Bay Bohemian, a great guide to life and culture in the North Bay.

Coturri Anniversary Dinner Photos

If you missed the party, or if you just weren't able to take enough pictures, here's a great gallery taken by Emily's husband, Oz Robledo.  Download any photos you like.  We'll be taken down the gallery at the end of November, so enjoy it before it disappears!








Check out Oz Robledo's other wonderful photos at his website.  He has taken some amazing nature photos; also check out his evocative "Places" photos and his adorable pet photos.

Tony's Latest Trip to Texas

Here's the latest from Cruz de Comal from Tony's late-October trip.  Check out the rest of the blog, Vintage Texas, a great blog for information about Texas wine and the industry in Texas.

Tony's New York Trip

We've gathered a few blog posts about Tony's recent trip to New York.

First, read a great summary of Tony's tasting at Thirst Wine Merchants, located in historic Fort Greene, Brooklyn.  Michael Yarmark has been a Coturri fan for years and the tasting at the shop he co-owns was phenomenal (it went on for almost three extra hours!).

Next, we have Tony's appearance at the Jenny & Francois Fall Preview.  The first article, from McDuff's Food and Wine Trail, gives a great overview of the entire event, reviewing nearly all the wines present.  (Tony's review is near the middle of the entry, under the heading "It Wasn't an All French Affair.")  This entry is part two, so if you'd like to read about all the wines, check out the first part as well.

The final article, from Karen Ulrich's blog Imbibe New York, focuses on Coturri wines, highlighting each wine that was at the Jenny & Francois Fall Preview.  Karen offers great tasting notes and great comments on the event as a whole.

Zinfandel

Back when Coturri started, we focussed on Zinfandel. Through the years we have branched out some, but we always have a Zin available. If you are interested in learning more about Zinfandel, check out this blog entry from "Yesterday's Island." "Yesterday's Island" is a Nantucket weekly newsletter that runs an "Island Sommellier" column written by Leslie-Ann Sheppard.

If you're interested in restocking your Zinfandel stock, order some here. (Remember, you get a discount and other great benefits if you join the wine club!)

Slow Food Charlotte

A few months ago, Tony did a slow food event in Charlotte. Here are some wonderful pictures from the event taken by IMI Photography.

Follow this link to learn more about IMI Photography.

Coturri's Credo

Godfrey Daniels, a blogger for the magazine Foodism, recently devoted an entry to Tony. In his entry, Godrey offers a wonderful summary of Tony's philosophy. Read the article, and learn all about "Coturri's Credo."

Foodism is a Northern California-based magazine that publishes articles about Bay Area culture and cuisine, focusing on restaurants, arts, and events that are sustainable. If you'd like more information about subscribing to Foodism, click here.

New Releases

2009 Sonoma Valley Chardonnay

$30.00 per bottle

$24.00 per bottle for wine club members

2009 Sonoma Mountain Rosé

$23.00 per bottle

$18.40 per bottle for wine club members

Click here to place an order.

Click here to join the wine club and get 20% off your orders!

P. Coturri--"Full Speed Ahead!"

Are you holding on to that one last bottle of P. Coturri? Here is a great pairing suggestion, and a nice review of a recently enjoyed bottle. Read the review & blog here!

La Cruz de Comal

Learn more about Tony's Texas wine project, La Cruz de Comal. Cory Cartwright visited La Cruz de Comal recently to taste the wine and learn all about winemaking in Texas from Lewis Dickson, the winery's owner. Cory, who works for the Terroir Natural Wine Merchant in San Francisco, keeps a blog called Saignée where he writes about his experiences with wine-tasting. His entry on La Cruz de Comal is insightful and includes history and tasting notes; he also manages to capture the great friendship of Tony and Lewis that is the cornerstone of La Cruz de Comal.

(If you are visiting Texas, here's a list of locations where you can find La Cruz de Comal.)

Feedback!

Tasting with Tony

Tony always enjoys feedback on his wines, and especially talking to people who have never tried Coturri before. Feel free to send us any feedback you have (you can email Tony at tony@coturriwinery.com).

Here's one great example (among many!) of feedback from "Christopher's Wine and Cheese" blog. This is another great piece of feedback, with lots of pictures, from misstiffie.net.

We'd love to hear from you!

Christopher's Wine and Cheese Blog

Here's a great review of our Freiberg Zinfandel from "Christopher's Wine and Cheese" blog. He also did a great review of our new Rosé.

Check out the rest of the blog for some great thoughts on wine (and, of course, cheese)!

Anniversary Party

There is still room if you want to join us for our 31st Anniversary party! It's going to be held August 21, 2010. Contact us (emily@coturriwinery.com) if you want more information or to make a reservation.

MyDailyWine Interview

A California Natural Wine Trailblazer

Amy Atwood interviewed Tony earlier this year. She asked some great questions and made some great wine recommendations. In addition to her blog, Amy Atwood runs Amy Atwood Selections, a California-based wine wholesale and import company that specializes in natural, biodynamic, and organic wines.

Amy Atwood asked, "What do you think has been the biggest shift in the wine business during the past 5 years?"

Tony replied, "The old fossil gatekeepers are slowly leaving the wine buying positions in the wine shops and restaurants. They are being replaced by young and open-minded wine buyers who have open palates and have for a largely extent grown up in households that have embraced organic and natural food products. These young people have a better understanding of what I am doing. And don’t have the provincial attitudes of the old. Also they tend to by more adventurous and have tasted more wines from all over the world. The young have open palates that go beyond the normal and conventional wines of the older wine buyers."

Read her whole blog post for more of the conversation.

Food & Wine Magazine: Natural Wine

The Way Things Were

In the latest edition of Food & Wine Magazine there is a great article about the Natural Wine in the Loire Region of France. Jean- Pierre Robinot takes us through his idea of natural wine making. It's seems so simple: It's the way things were done. Plus, a listing of some top natural wine shops here in the states, with the '07 Coturri Carignane featured as the wine to buy at New York City's Appellation Wine Shop!