Newsletter
Happy Valentines Day, My Sweets!
I
hope this note finds you happy, healthy and thirsty. Another year has
passed..as they all do…and it’s once again “Pinot Czarina Wine Club
Discount Time”. For those of you that are new members - this is what
that means: You have purchased my wine-babies from my website (or you
are a relative or best friend). That entitles you to a once yearly 15%
discount on any wine I make. Sooo much more fun than the other wine
clubs that send you their special blends (read…stuff they couldn’t
sell) or library selections (read…off vintage). In my club, YOU get to
pick the wine AND the amount you want because, really, shouldn’t it be
about you? (The part about me is next..)
This is also my
yearly newsletter, so here is what happened to me and the winery since
last Valentines Day. I did the usual sales travel. The trip to Calgary,
Canada was an outstanding example….They picked us up at the airport
(many wine people from the Enovations sales book) and took us to this
swanky hotel in town. The newly redone rooms were Zen-sheik and there
was a swag bag waiting (Mom, that means a bag full of free-cool stuff)
plus instructions for the two night stay. We all met at the bar down
stairs at 6:00 for cocktails, then walked over to a great restaurant
where we took over the downstairs dining room. Bubbles and hors
d’oeuvres were served while we perused the menus and chatted. I ordered
the pressed duck (they have one of the only duck presses left in the
country-and the dinner came with the brass id tag from the duck I
ate….kinda neat). The next day, the trade tasting was at 2:00, so I had
a yummy room service breakfast and just stayed in bed with the fluffy
down comforter over me while I read and watched the this beautiful dry
snow dance down from the sky. At 1:00, I put on my pretty pouring
outfit and good jewels and went downstairs. I ordered a bottle of Veuve
champagne (I like drinking sparkles while I pour at these events…keeps
me more talkative) and set up my table. The trade and press people
trickled in and out while we poured, chatted and ate wonderful little
snacky foods. After the event, we were all packed into two limo buses
(That is a bus that’s set up like a limo..all the cushy black leather
seats were in a circle facing the center, lighting was sparkling disco,
tunes cranked up on a superior sound system and …of course a bar with
more bubbles). We were driven about an hour out of town, to this
beautiful hunting lodge/restaurant in the country. We had the place to
ourselves. All of the food was prearranged and fabulous (course after
course). We had all the open, leftover wine from the tasting plus some.
By the end of the night, there was lots of kissing and laughter. Then
back to the bus after making a few dozen snow angels…sweet dreams and
home again. Life on the road is hard, but it must be done.
I could go on about stuff but let me introduce this years wines before I run out of space….
2005 French Camp Syrah
(retail $21.50 your price $18.25)
I
call this one Spicy. I make it like the Pinot’s so it isn’t one of
those over the top Syrahs. It is however packed with more fruit than in
previous years. The soft texture turns voluptuous as it opens, it’s
structure is based more on it’s refreshing acidity than on tannin. The
fruit starts with red berries then slides into wild ripe blueberries.
Spices and slight hints of floral notes tickle and tease you…..
2006 Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir
(retail $26.00 your price $22.10)
I
call this one Fruity. No nonsense, just great drinking wine. Come home,
open and pour then start returning phone calls; turn around and the
bottle is empty, how did that happen? Crunchy red fruit and wisps of
silky smoke slide down while oh-so soft tannins leave the youthful and
supple hints of rose, white pepper and strawberry.
2006 Bien Nacido Vineyard Pinot Noir
(retail $33.00 your price $28.00)
I
call this one Elegant. There’s a delicacy to this wine that’s
transparent and beautiful. Fresh cherries and strawberries weave into
sweet, wet earth with hints of pepper, smoke and wild flowers. The
essence of fruit lingers on the remarkably classy finish making your
mouth whisper, “ more please“.
2006 Julias Vineyard Pinot Noir
(retail $36.00 your price $30.60)
I
call this one Bold. A stunning wine that won’t be ignored. Dark black
plums and berries play peek-a-boo with long streams of smoke and cola.
The tannins are there but the sweet fruit and toasty flavors equal and
surpass them, so all your left with is haunting, breath taking Pinot
Noir at it’s best.
Over all, this years wines are slightly
bolder the lovely 2007 line up. Any of the above wines are good to go
now but will also do nothing but improve over the next ten to fifteen
years. (Right now, I’m drinking my 1992-1994 wines and they are
wonderful).
On a personal note, husband Ariki is doing super and
his label, Labyrinth is going great guns. Sister Suz and family are
Sunset perfect. Uncle Don turns 80 this year and in general, we are all
fit and fine….accept for the fact that my little eel ate my yellow
blenny this morning….o-well, such is life.
May each one of
you have a super Valentines Day and remember to order something just
for yourself…because you deserve it! Cheers…
Love, Your Pal,
Lane
Also, here's a link to past newsletters.
The Pinot Czarina Wine Club
Yes, I have a wine club. Here is how it works..I don’t send you
wine whenever I need cash or want to off load something. You buy wine
from me one time and you are automatically enrolled (that is the only
way you get membership). Once a year, I mail you my special, members
only newsletter. You get a 15% discount on your order. The wines
available to you will be my new releases plus any library wines I may
want to offer. You are the first ones that have access to my library
wine offers.
YOU PICK THE WINES YOU WANT….YOU GET THE DISCOUNT!
Order now, operators are standing by.
Prince of Pinot Features Lane
May 7, 2008 Features include: The Boys of John Ash & Co., Kastania Pinot Noir, Pinot Czarina: Lane Tanner, Twin Oaks Cellars, Small Sips of Pinot, Pinot Briefs, Pinot Events, The Long and Winding Pinot Road, Part X.
Fun Media Links of Lane
A really cool news piece was shown on the NBC station in San Francisco on, well, ME! Here's a link to the video:
http://www.nbc11.com/video/6216804/index.html
And here's a video of Lane at the Morrell Wine Store in New York