Mosaic Wine Group celebrates the month of Movember for Cancer Research

Mosaic Wine Group is a proud supporter of Movember: Changing the Face of Men’s Health and will be hosting a special fundraising benefit for this great cause with an event at Parkside Restaurant in Austin, TX on Monday, November 23rd from 7-10pm. The event will include fine wines from the Mosaic Wine Group portfolio, incredible food from Parkside Restaurant and music from Austin’s own Slow Down Lady.

WHAT IS MOVEMBER?
Movember is the month formerly known as November, and has become an important month for raising awareness and funds for cancer research that afflicts males – specifically testicular and prostate cancers, which affects 1-in-6 men. During the month of Movember men across the globe will be growing mustaches, hosting events and raising money for this important cause.

The idea for Movember was sparked in 2003 in Melbourne, Australia to help raise awareness towards cancers that afflict males, specifically testicular and prostate cancer. The movement has spread globally, and to date Movember has raised over $47 million for this important cause. Mosaic Wine Group has launched its own team, MO’BETTA, with a goal of spreading the good word and raising funds and awareness. The Lance Armstrong Foundation is one of the primary beneficiaries of Movember, and Mosaic Wine Group is honored to be a part of this movement.

WHAT DOES MOVEMBER MEAN TO ME?
Earlier this year my father, Ron Redman, was diagnosed with colon cancer at 68 years old. This news was devastating to my family, given what little we actually knew about cancer. That was when a good friend of mine, Chris Brewer, from the Lance Armstrong Foundation came to the rescue. He put us in contact with the foundation, who flooded my family with information on cancer, treatments and recovery, which armed us with knowledge that my father could beat this thing! Having long been a supporter of the Lance Armstrong Foundation, now I have a vested interest in supporting the cause to help find a cure.

MOVEMBER EVENT AT PARKSIDE RESTAURANT
Monday, November 23rd, 2009.  7-10pm
Parkside Restaurant
301 East 6th Street (corner of 6th & San Jacinto)
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 474-9898
www.parkside-austin.com
$25/person

To purchase tickets, or simply to donate money to the cause:

Please bring a copy of your receipt to the event (your name will be on the guest list at the door).

For more information on Movember and to join the cause and/or donate to MO’BETTA, go to http://us.movember.com/register/17912.

BEEN DOON SO LONG – Mosaic Wine Group welcomes back an old friend – Bonny Doon Vineyard!

What a difference a Doon makes! Mosaic Wine Group is very pleased to announce its newest addition to the portfolio – an old friend, adviser and colleague, Randall Grahm and Bonny Doon Vineyard! Times have changed for the Grahm over the past couple of years, as he has retooled his portfolio in order to streamline his message of building one of the the greatest biodynamic wineries that California has ever produced.

Dan Redman of Mosaic Wine Group and the Grand Master of Wine Zen

I had the opportunity to work with Randall Grahm and Bonny Doon Vineyard during their monumental climb of brand equity and consumer recognition, with the rise of Big House Red, White & Pink. Having sold off those ‘industrialized’ wine labels, he has focused his sights on streamlining his portfolio to create wines of great substance and character, through biodynamics. Randall first introduced me to the ways and means of Biodynamics at a Bonny Doon National Sales Meeting several years ago in California, when he invited one its pioneering forefathers, Nicolas Joly of Coulee de Serrant, in the Loire Valley of France, to speak to a room full of farmers and winemakers. It was that day that the lightbulb turned on for me, regarding biodynamics, and I have immersed myself in learning as much about this ‘natural’ style of farming in order to help educate the masses to its benefits.

Randall Grahm is back, and he’s better than ever! Known for his razor sharp wit and intellect, he has a new book, titled ‘Been Doon So Long’ being released next month, which chronicles his life, his stories and his penchant for making world class wines in California. I hope to have Randall back in Texas soon when he tours the country on a national book signing tour.

Here is a letter that Randall authored, which is going out to the trade channels of Texas.

Dear friends and fine wine buyers of Texas -

Randall Grahm here, speaking to you through the magically realistic medium of words. I’m writing to tell you about some very significant changes chez Doon.  You have, perhaps, heard of our divestiture of the Big House and Cardinal Zin brands?  No need to get into the convoluted psychological mechanisms that motivated the sale[1] of the brands and significant restructuring of the company,[2] but suffice it to say that we are now calibrated to a truer compass, becoming ever more congruent to our deepest values and aesthetic sensibilities. We have cut our production 90%, and reduced the range of wines produced similarly.

The Bonny Doon portfolio is now much smaller and more focused, deeply committed to vins de terroir. It is our aim to move as quickly as we can to utilizing only Estate grown fruit, but this process, of course, does not occur overnight.  At the moment, we are farming 125 eclectic acres biodynamically in Soledad, CA, and the third commercial releases of these wines – Albariño and Muscat most notably – were released in February.  They are pure,[3] mineral-intensive wines and a great harbinger of things to come.  Since 2007, they are also certified Biodynamic® by Demeter. These wines, along with an extremely distinctive Sangiovese (also farmed biodynamically in the slightly warmer climes of San Benito County) will be sold under the Ca’ del Solo label.

Until our new Estate vineyards are producing, we have greatly upgraded all our grape sources[4] – all killer, no filler, as it were, and are working primarily with biodynamically grown fruit. From the 2008 harvest, we sourced about 70% of our fruit from biodynamically farmed (working towards certification) vineyards.

The core of the Bonny Doon portfolio remains the Cigare family – Le Cigare Volant, Le Cigare Blanc, Vin Gris de Cigare and Le Vol des Anges;[5] this was the starship that brought us here (and will presumably take us back some day).  As a complement to the meridional Cigare, we also produce a septentrional[6] Syrah, “Le Pousseur,” from the Central Coast. We will plant a large (100ish acre) Estate Cigare vineyard in the area in the coming year, with the aim of producing a Truly Great Cigare.  I believe that we have seen a great breakthrough in the quality of Cigare in recent vintages, and if you have been following our wines, this is not really news to you.[7]

The most germane news that I have to report is that in addition to Pioneer Wine Company, Bonny Doon wines are now also being represented in Texas by Dan Redman’s Mosaic Wine Group.  We are very excited to be working again with Dan. He is a particularly passionate wine person; if you aren’t already cognizant of this truth, I promise you that it will be a great pleasure for you to work with him.

Dan Redman, Mosaic Wine Group
P (512) 904-9463
M (713) 398-2604
F (512) 401-3101
dan@mosaicwinegroup.com
9120 Edwardson Lane
Austin, TX 78749

Pioneer Wine Company
North and East Texas, Dallas (214) 461.7600
Central, South & West Texas, Austin (512) 895.0558
Greater Houston Area (832) 778.5743

Best wishes,

Randall Grahm
Winemaker & President-for-life

---

[1] In brief, I felt that the company had drifted too far from its originating spirit – a commitment to distinctive, fine wines, to terroir (though I didn’t really fully appreciate the preciousness of this notion back then).  Further, I had developed a very keen interest in Biodynamic wines, wines with more soul and life-force.  At the scale that we had attained, it was effectively impossible to convert our portfolio to 100% Biodynamic production.

[2] The most salient changes: Big House and Cardinal Zin brands were sold to The Wine Group (i.e. no longer Bonny Doon products) and we are phasing out certain products (viz. Eurodoon wines and others) to make the line more coherent.  The Pacific Rim brand, while I still own will be a quasi-autonomous entity no longer managed by Bonny Doon directly, nor sold by the Bonny Doon Vineyard sales team.

[3] Is purity really a virtue in this town?  All of the wines from our Ca’ del Solo vineyard, at least, were fermented this year with indigenous yeast; use of enzymes and other technical aids were eschewed, as was acidification and virtually all of the winemaking tricks upon which we winemakers have grown so reliant.

[4] We have changed too many practices to really enumerate here, but the biodynamic bit has really made the largest difference.

[5] “The Angel’s Flight.” A new dessert wine for us, botrytised roussanne, which should set everyone free.

[6] Referring to grapes grown below or above the 45^th parallel, but in fact signifying a Southern and Northern Rhône style respectively.

[7] Certainly we were somewhat distracted by the Big House sideshow and all of the marketing schtick that attended it, but we have been on the path back to Our Roots, as it were, for a few years now.

Mosaic Wine Group proudly announces the addition of Patz & Hall Winery!

Mosaic Wine Group is pleased to announce the addition of Patz & Hall Winery to its incredible portfolio of clients. Patz & Hall is acclaimed as one of the top producers of world class Pinot Noirs & Chardonnays from California. With a philosophy of utilizing only the best and most trusted farmers from the greatest vineyards in Napa & Sonoma, Patz & Hall has created a diverse portfolio of amazing, focused wines.

Established in 1988, Donald Patz & James Hall embarked upon their mission to craft benchmark, small-production, single-vineyard Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs from the best vineyard sources in Napa & Sonoma. Today the winery produces 8 top-quality Chardonnays and 7 incredible Pinot Noirs. Here’s a breakdown of the portfolio, with descriptions:

CHARDONNAY

• Dutton Ranch: Always one of the most highly sought-after single vineyards for Chardonnay, this dry-farmed vineyard produces small, but intensely concentrated fruit. Tasting Notes: Aromas of stone fruit and green apple and pure fruit flavors of pineapple, peach and spicy pear, with an intricate, plush and creamy palate and a long, textured finish with dense, structured acidity.
• Napa Valley: This Napa Valley appellation wine combines three distinctive vineyard sources, including Hudson Vineyard in Carneros, Atlas Peak’s Antinori Vineyard and Garvey Vineyard in Oakville. Tasting Notes: Bright flavors of green apple, pear, lychee and white flowers coalesce in a richly textured and elegantly balanced wine that concludes with a long, satisfying finish.
• Alder Springs: At 2600′ elevation in Chato Peak in Northern Mendocino, Alder Springs is one of the highest Chardonnay vineyards in California. Tasting Notes: Remarkable density and palate tension with concentrated aromas of spicy cinnamon pastry, honey, peach and pineapple. Beautifully textured with intricate stone fruit flavors and extraordinary minerality, this is a benchmark wine from an elite mountain vineyard. (520 cases produced)
• Hyde Vineyard: Located in Carneros, Larry Hyde is highly regarded for his incredible Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vineyards. Tasting Notes: Well defined with lemon cream, orange blossom and creme brulee flavors, with restrained oak, refreshing acidity and an appealing roasted hazelnut quality. (2,690 cases produced)
• Hudson Vineyard: Also located in Carneros, Hudson Vineyard is characterized by the well-drained loam soils and long hangtimes. Tasting Notes: Crisp acidity lends a balancing freshness and minerality to vibrant, juicy fruit elements of citrus peal, grapefruit, peaches and lightly poached pears, with well-integrated oak that contributes a textural foundation and hints of clove. (845 cases produced)
• Zio Tony Ranch: Located in the Russian River Valley and owned by the Martinelli family, with iron-rich, reddish sandy loam soils. Tasting Notes: Vibrant and racy, with bright minerality and layers of concentrated peach, spicy pear, green apple and honeydew melon. Intriguing floral and spice elements are accented by pleasing layers of vanilla, clove and maple syrup. (448 cases produced)
• Durell Vineyard: From Sonoma Valley, these meticulously farmed vineyards produce extremely low yields and beautiful, concentrated fruit. Tasting Notes: Displaying cool climate elements of the fruit spectrum with lemon blossom, crisp pippin apple, pear and lemon cream, with a cleansing acidity, natural minerality and an extraordinary finish.

PINOT NOIR

• Sonoma Coast: This Sonoma Coast appellation wine combines vineyard sites from Sonoma Coast, Green Valley, Sonoma Valley and Russian River Valley. Tasting Notes: Beautiful expression of PInot Noir with bright red fruit aromas of cranberry and pomegranate, accentuated by seductive layers of chambord, butter and cinnamon spice. Exhibits classic acidity with well-structured and balanced cranberry and cherry notes.
• Hyde Vineyard: Carneros is one of the classic locales for Pinot Noir and Larry Hyde is a master of Carneros. Tasting Notes: Showcases layers of strawberry, cherry and cassis, with an exotic hint of cinnamon-clove spice, intricate balance and complexity and smooth tannins and focused acidity. (1,515 cases produced)
• Alder Springs: Defined by its high elevation and low-vigor uplifted marine soils Alder Springs produces small vines, clusters and berries. Tasting Notes: Vibrant aromatics of plum skin, cranberry and tart cherry, which segues to flavors of red and dark fruit and enticing notes of sassafras and licorice, with youthful acidity and silky tannins.
• Chenoweth Ranch: Located in Green Valley, Chenoweth is one of the regions coolest areas and is farmed exclusively for Patz & Hall. Tasting Notes: Concentrated red fruit flavors of plum skin, cherry and pomegranate, and deep layers of maple syrup, blackberry and wood smoke, with polished, sweet tannins that will appeal with maturity.
• Pisoni Vineyard: Gary Pisoni is considered by many to be the King of the Santa Lucia Highlands, and his vineyards yield grapes of remarkable power and complexity. Tasting Notes: Red apple and raspberry aromas the reveal notes of smoky clove and loganberry, with classic Pisoni layers of raspberry, blackberry and strawberry pie and incredible length and depth. (224 cases produced)
• Jenkins Ranch: These low-yielding, gravelly loam soil vineyards are located in Sebastopol and exhibit beautiful Sonoma Coast flavors, aromas and acidity. Tasting Notes: Supple, satisfying and elegant, with walnut bread aromas that mingle with layers of clove, cinnamon spice and mulled cherry cider. The palate is creamy, with highlights of raspberry, cherry and pomegranate flavors and a soft, lingering finish.
• Burnside Vineyard: This Sonoma Coast vineyard expresses classic Pinot Noir aromas and flavors with cool marine elements from the Pacific Ocean. Tasting Notes: Beautiful and energetic with tremendous extraction, aromas of dark cherry, rose petal and cinnamon and plush flavors of red apple, cranberry and cherry jam that lead to a long, velvety finish. (224 cases produced)

James Hall, Donald Patz, Anne Moses and Heather Patz of Patz & Hall

For more information on Patz & Hall in the state of Texas, please contact Mosaic Wine Group.

Texas welcomes the wines and music of Maynard James Keenan!

Mosaic Wine Group is proud to announce the highly anticipated arrival of the wines from Maynard James Keenan and Eric Glomski of Page Spring Cellars! The wines have just landed in Texas and will be distributed through Pioneer Wine Company. Coincidentally, Maynard was in Texas this past weekend touring with his iconic rock band, TOOL. Mosaic Wine Group had the pleasure of attending both shows and spending some time with Keenan to talk about his wines, and his part in the pioneering duo behind Caduceus Cellars, Arizona Stronghold and Merkin Vineyards.

Maynard James Keenan and Eric Glomski

In May, Mosaic Wine Group had the opportunity to fly out to Arizona to visit the property to familiarize ourselves with the story, the terroir and the components of this innovative project in the highlands of Arizona. For more information on this visit, check out our blog post of the trip. The portfolio includes a broad selection of wines from Arizona, supplemented by a couple of wines produced in the Central Coast of California and Paso Robles, where Eric Glomski honed his winemaking skills with David Bruce Winery.

Here’s some detailed information on the portfolio of wines:

ARIZONA STRONGHOLD

• TAZI (Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling and Malvasia Bianca): Tazi was the eldest son of Cochise and peacemaker for the Chiricahua Apache Tribe. Tasting Notes: Fresh, bright acidity, with floral aromas and both tropical & citrus fruit flavors, leading to a clean, balanced finish. (1967 cases produced)
• DAYDEN ROSE (Saignee Rosé of Grenache, Sangiovese, Zinfandel, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Mourvedre): Dayden means “little girl” in Cochise’s native Apache language. Tasting Notes: Light crushing and limited skin contact lend to fruity and floral aromas, while the palate is rich and full-bodied with delicate flavors of crushed strawberries, sour cherry and crisp, refreshing acidity. (295 cases produced)
• NACHISE (Syrah, Grenache & Petite Syrah): Nachise was the youngest son of Cochise, and fiercest warrior & freedon fighter for the Chiricahua Apache Tribe. Tasting Notes: This Rhone-style blend is rich and smoky with flavors of cassis, blackberry,  licorice and mineral notes. (Fall ‘09 Release)
• MANGUS (Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Pfeffer & Petite Syrah): Mangus Coloradas was Cochise’s Father-in-Law and leader of the Mimbres Clan of Apache. Tasting Notes: Italian-style blend with bright red fruit, cardamom spice and leather, with nice concentration of dried fruit, lush acidity and firm, integrated tannins. (Fall ‘09 Release)

MERKIN VINEYARDS

• CHUPACABRA (Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petite Verdot & Petite Syrah): “The Shape Shifter”, this wine has evolved since it’s inception, with inaugural vintages born of Paso Robles, California fruit, which will transition into Arizona fruit. Tasting Notes: Bold, rich and dark with a ribbon of acidity and freshness that leads to tremendous structure and complexity.

Merkin Vineyards Chupacabra Label

CADUCEUS CELLARS

• DOS LADRONES (Chardonnay & Malvasia Bianca): “The Two Thieves”, this inaugural release of 50/50 Chardonnay & Malvasia Bianca is stunning! Tasting Notes: Tropical fruit aromas and flavors of pineapple, mango and white peach, with lovely balance and acidity.
• PRIMER PASO (Syrah & Malvasia Bianca): “The First Step”, this Cote Rotie style Rhone blend is tremendous, bold and well sculpted! Tasting Notes: Beautifully concentrated aromas of forest, orange peel and tobacco, with velvety red & dark fruit and a deep, rich and clean finish. (280 cases produced)
• ANUBIS (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc & Syrah): Rhone meets Bordeaux in our unique blend. Tasting Notes: Blueberry, floral and cedar notes lead to rich, decadent tones of clove, star anise and cigar box and a silky, smooth finish.
• NAGUAL DE LA NAGA (Cabernet Sauvignon & Sangiovese): From Paso Robles, this Super-Tuscan blend is a perfect combination of ‘New World’ Sangiovese meets ‘Old World’ Brunello. Tasting Notes: Raspberries and black cherries with black currant, coffee and thyme. Rich, complex and delightful.
• NAGUAL DEL SENSEI (Cabernet Sauvignon & Syrah): Inaugural release from Pope Valley in Califiornia, earned 90 points from Wine Spectator. Tasting Notes: Brawny, muscular style with fruit forward style, and velvety-smooth tannins. (87 cases produced)
• JUDITH (100% Cabernet Sauvignon): Named for Maynard James Keenan’s mother. Tasting Notes: Incredible concentration of dark and red fruit, currant, cassis and cedar, with beautiful acidity and a long, lingering finish. (90 cases produced) – SOLD OUT

Maynard with a bottle of his prized Caduceus Cellars Judith Cabernet Sauvignon

For more information on these wines, please contact Mosaic Wine Group. And stay tuned for more information and details, including fall / winter tour dates when Maynard will be touring with his new project, Puscifer!

Great scores for Vias Imports Brunellos in the Wine Advocate!

RECENT PRESS REVIEWS FOR VIAS IMPORTS WINES

Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate, June 2009, Issue 183

For information on availability on these and any other Vias Imports products, please send us an email.

ARGIANO

NON CONFUNDITUR 2007 — 89 POINTS
“Another lovely bottle from Argiano and a terrific value”

ROSSO DI MONTALCINO 2007 — 90 POINTS
“an accessible, easygoing style”

SOLENGO 2006 — 93 POINTS
“In 2006 Solengo has taken on elements of a Bordeaux-like classicism I find very appealing, although the Tuscan warmth inevitably comes through. Not a bad combination.”

SUOLO 2006 — 94 POINTS
“This is a heady, sensual wine from Argiano”

BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2004 — 92 POINTS
“This is the first vintage oenologist Hans Vinding-Diers made from start to finish at Argiano (…). Finessed tannins round out this beautiful Brunello that is more about elegance rather than sheer power alone.”

CAMIGLIANO

ROSSO DI MONTALCINO 2007 — 89 POINTS
“simply lovely”

SANT’ANTIMO CABERNET CAMPO AI MORI 2005 — 88 POINTS

BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2004 — 91 POINTS
“The estate’s 2004 Brunello di Montalcino is a full throttle effort loaded with dark fruit. (…) This is one of the finest wines yet from Camigliano”.

BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO GUALTO 2003 — 91 POINTS
“Super-ripe fruit and terrific overall balance”

LE PRESI

ROSSO DI MONTALCINO 2005 — 89 POINTS
“This is a very pretty and complete Rosso”

BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2004 — 92 POINTS
“The wine from Le Presi are made in a rigorously traditional style. (…) The Brunello is a masculine, authoritative wine that flows with generous wild cherries, tar, smoke, earthiness and dried herbs”.

LA PODERINA

ROSSO DI MONTALCINO 2007 — 90 POINTS
“This soft-textured, expansive Rosso is simply irresistible”

BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2004 — 93 POINTS
“La Poderina’s wines rarely fail to put a smile on my face. It takes a fair amount of discipline to put the glass down when tasting through these gorgeous offerings”.

FOSSACOLLE

ROSSO DI MONTALCINO 2007 — 90 POINTS
“This caressing, generous Rosso is a beautiful bottle to enjoy over the next few years”.

BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2004 — 92 POINTS
“This small estate located in the Tavernelle zone of Montalcino continues to craft better wines with each passing vintage”.

CERBAIOLA (SALVIONI)

BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2004 — 96 POINTS
“This is a gem form Giulio Salvioni and it is not to be missed!”

CERBAIONA (MOLINARI)

BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2004 — 97 POINTS
“If forced to drink only one wine from Montalcino, I might very well choose Diego Molinari’s sumptuous Brunello. This is an incredible wine!”

Taste 3 wines today at Austin City Lofts, 6 pm

Mosaic will be pouring Bisol Prosecco, Terredora Falanghina, and Produttori del Barbaresco Langhe Nebbiolo today from 6-8 p.m. at Austin City Lofts today:

Austin City Lofts
800 W 5th St
UNIT 902
Austin TX 78703

No RSVP required.

The tasting is brought to you by Urban Space Realtors, Mosaic Wine Group, and The Austin Wine Merchant.

Hope to see you there!

Ain’t that America? Graville-Lacoste Semillon at Chantal’s in Georgetown

Above: Chantal’s Bistro and Wine Bar occupies the historic “Anderson House” (circa 1908) in picturesque Georgetown, Texas — Americana at its best. Mainstreet in Georgetown was honored with the Great American Mainstreet Award. Check out the site for this historic American mainstreet.

Chantal’s Bistro and Wine Bar
204 E 8th St
Georgetown TX 78626
512-535-6143

Mosaic Wine Group recently made a visit to Chantal’s Bistro and Wine Bar in historic Georgetown, Texas. Man, this place could have been the setting for Spielberg’s Back to the Future! It’s as Americana as they come. But that doesn’t stop them from appreciating great European wines like Non Confunditur (NC) by Argiano (Tuscany), Langhe Nebbiolo by Produttori del Barbaresco (Piedmont), or Château Graville-Lacoste (Brodeaux), a white wine (Semillon with a little Sauvignon Blanc) from the world’s most famous region for the production of red wine (Graves in Bordeaux).

Ain’t that America? Home of the free!

Above: last month at the Kermit Lynch portfolio tasting in San Francisco, winemaker Hervé Dubourdieu of Château Graville-Lacoste explained that the Semillon and Sauignon Blanc he uses for his dry white Graves are sourced from the same vineyards that he uses for his Sauternes.

San Francisco Tow Truck Fandango

From the “one day we’ll be able to laugh about this” department…

Above: the Ferry Building Marketplace on the San Francisco Waterfront.

For the love of money! Mosaic Wine Group spent a wonderful couple of days in Arizona and California last weekend, which could not have gone much better — beautiful weather, great friends and plenty of terrific wine. The stars seemed to be aligned for us on our entire trip, everything falling into place at every turn. Life was good!

We were on our way to the airport in Oakland with plenty of time to stop and grab a quick bite before heading home, so we decided to stop at the Ferry Building Marketplace on the San Francisco waterfront, which offers a great variety of restaurants to choose from. We arrived to find the streets lined with parked cars, meters and gaggles of tourists. Parking is always an issue in San Francisco, but with the way this trip was going, surely this day would be a different story? We drove along Market Street and, VOILÀ, found a totally rock-star spot at the front of a long line of parked vehicles. We deposited our coins, which provided us exactly an hour for a quick lunch, and then off to the airport.

Perusing the many restaurants and their wares, we all settled on different sites to soothe our senses. Mosaic’s Melinda Redman had her eyes set on Fish-n-Chips, and thus began our gourmet treasure hunt. What better way to end a great trip than with a cold beer and some of the local digs? Appetites sated. Then it was time to regroup and head to the car. Jeremy Parzen would be first to arrive at the car, with his lovely (new) fiancée, Tracie B, in tow. Uh-oh… something was amiss — and I just typed the word TOW! The long line of cars were all being towed, one by one, with ours being at the front of the line and freshly departed.

It turns out that there was a sign posted behind our parking spot that said this lane was changed to “No Parking” during rush hour traffic after 3 pm. Here we were at 3:23 pm and our rental car had been towed! Our flight was at 5:55pm, across the water in Oakland, and now we had to deal with recovering our car and belongings. GREAT!

As city planning and efficiency would have it, the City of San Francisco has streamlined its bustling towing prowess by having the impound located just a few short, almost convenient, miles from this bustling tourist hotspot. A quick $10 cab ride and we might just be able to make our flight. Our skilled and compassionate cabbie was more than accommodating and seemed to share in our frustration of such an exasperating situation, as he had obviously witnessed plenty of these transgressions in his day. He assured us that the process would be quick, but that we would probably have to shell out $100-120. Those fish-n-chips were getting more and more expensive, and weren’t sitting quite so well. Arriving at the enormous impound, we scurried to the entrance, to find window after window after window of customer service personnel anxiously waiting to “help.”

Gracing our window was a cheerful city employee ready to assist. She gleefully pulled up our account and surveyed the charges. “Your charges today will be $286.60.” WTF?!! There’s nothing like that hollow feeling of helplessness and anxiety, but we would have to power through! We have a plane to catch and missing the last flight out would certainly cost more than $286.60, with hotel, etc. I convulsingly handed over my credit card to move on through this speed bump of a situation. Just get me outta here I thought, before I say something that will get me in trouble and keep us stuck in the city (possibly even in jail). A disingenuous smile and a “thank you very much,” and we proceeded to the lockup attendant, who was ready to take my receipt and pull our vehicle around like an award-winning valet from any top-notch fine dining restaurant in the country, only much surlier.

Our rental chariot arrives, devoid of any pomp and/or circumstance befitting such lofty expense. We had hoped for a ticker-tape greeting, or at least some kind of a homeless brass band concerto. Nothing! We hopped into our vehicle, ready to depart with just enough time to make it to the airport for our flight. But wait, there would be one last surprise for us. A shiny yellow parking ticket, gleaming in the setting sunlight of the day. Cost: $70! 

San Francisco tow truck experience… Priceless! Thank you, San Francisco Department of Tourism. This poignant little tip o’ the hat is a bargain at twice the price! Well, perhaps not…

Some day we’ll be able to laugh about this. Or will we?

Click here for instructions on what to do if your car is towed in San Francisco. If you do not retrieve your car before 4 hours, more charges apply.

Kermit Lynch: Good wine is a necessity of life for me

Above: Owners of Mosaic Wine Group Melinda and Dan Redman with Kermit Lynch (center) at the pre-portfolio-tasting dinner on Sunday night in San Francisco.

“Good wine is a necessity of life for me.”

—Thomas Jefferson

Were truer words ever spoken? These sacred words adorn every bottle enshrined with the Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant label, and this message rings through in the life, vision and empire of one of the wine worlds most impassioned and respected wine importers, Kermit Lynch.

Mosaic Wine Group spent a memorable weekend in California, culminating in the opportunity to spend time with this legend of the wine industry, Kermit Lynch. We had the pleasure of enjoying an incredible dinner with the Kermit Lynch team in San Francisco at a wonderful restaurant called, Jardinière, then perused through many of the current releases in the portfolio at a trade tasting event. Kermit is (among many things) a wine importer, retailer, winemaker, author, and musician. His first book, Adventures on the Wine Route, is a must read for anyone in the wine industry, and anyone interested in how a self-described hippie helped to revolutionize French wine and its accessibility in the United States.

Above: the floor of the Kermit Lynch wine shop, in Berkeley, California (photo courtesy Inspiring Thirst).

Kermit Lynch opened his retail shop in Berkeley, California in 1972. Passionate about French wine, he was dedicated to supporting producers who represented the best of their region and appellation, but above all whose wines were pure, with minimal external influence and/or manipulation. Kermit’s quest, as he describes, took a most important turn in 1973, when he was invited to join one of his importers on his annual buying trip to Burgundy. During this trip, Kermit met countless farmers, winemakers and négociants interested in having their wines represented in the US.

Wine Importers are a dime a dozen these days. Walk the aisles of your local retailers shelves and simply look at the back labels of any French, Italian, Spanish and any other non-domestic wine — you’ll see what I mean. There are just so many wines out there in the world, and so many individuals looking to capitalize on bringing in “the next big thing.” This is the antithesis of Kermit Lynch’s message and mantra. The goal of a Kermit Lynch labeled wine is to give an introduction to the producer and their product with this prized emblem. A consumer should know when seeing a Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant logo on a bottle that this is a producer who has earned the respect to carry the logo, and therefore the wines will represent a pure and natural winemaking style, true to the region and varietal.

The Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant portfolio is loaded with prized producers from all across France, including wineries like Vieux Télégraphe, Domaine Tempier, Auguste Clape, Marcel Lapierre, Coche Dury, Francois Raveneau and many, many others. The story of Kermit Lynch does not begin or end with representing the wines from these producers, but of walking the vineyards, tasting each barrel and being very involved in almost every aspect of the life and development of each wine. This story has been well documented in Adventures on the Wine Route when Kermit Lynch describes arguing with one of his most acclaimed producers about only representing his wines if they remained unfiltered.

Among the press and accolades Kermit Lynch has earned, he has received the most prized insignia of Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur by the French government in 2005, as well as the Chevalier de l’Ordre du Mérite Agricole medal and Wine Professional of the Year by the James Beard Foundation.  

Kermit Lynch is well respected for his incredible portfolio of wines, which Mosaic Wine Group is very pleased to represent in the state of Texas. At the helm in the national sales office at Kermit Lynch is Bruce Neyers (above), who began his journey with KLWM in 1992, after a long journey with Joseph Phelps Winery in Napa Valley. Bruce’s knowledge, expertise and business prowess has helped to expand the Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant portfolio across the US and been of great influence in maintaining elite status as one of the top importers of French (and now Italian) wine. In addition to running the national sales office for KLWM, Bruce also represents an incredible portfolio of Napa and Sonoma, under his own Neyers label (which Mosaic Wine Group also proudly represents in the state of Texas). 

We’re hoping to see a glimpse of Kermit Lynch in this year when he tours the states in support of his new music CD, his second offering of his music. Stay tuned for more details. For more information on the Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant portfolio, check out Kermit’s blog or contact Mosaic Wine Group for support.

Check out Jeremy’s post Red, white, and sparkling carpet at Kermit Lynch tasting.

Rockin’ the wines of Arizona with Maynard James Keenan

Here’s the link to the documentary on Maynard and Eric and their wines.

Above: from left, winemaker Eric Glomski, national sales manager Paula Woolsey, Mosaic Wine Group founder Dan Redman, and winemaker Maynard James Keenan at the Enchantment Resort in Sedona, Arizona.

Mosaic Wine Group kicked off their newest business relationship with Maynard James Keenan and Eric Glomski of Arizona Stronghold, Caduceus Cellars and Merkin Vineyards, traversing the vineyards of the Northern Arizona Highlands. We first met these visionaries of the Arizona wine scene in Texas when they were on a tour of the US  introducing their wines and signing bottles through Whole Foods Market. This wine project is a collaboration of two passionate and pioneering souls — Maynard (legendary frontman for iconic rock bands TOOL, A Perfect Circle and his latest endeavor, Puscifer) and Eric Glomski (former winemaker at David Bruce Winery). The two met and became immediately driven to produce world-class fine wine from the soils and micro-climates that Arizona provides.

Above: high altitude, cool temperatures, limestone soils and the canyon breezes created by the presence of an ancient lake bed make for ideal conditions for growing fine-wine grapes. The canopy at the top of this Grenache vineyard has already begun to develop while the lower-lying plants are taking much longer — a great example, winemaker Eric Glomski pointed out, of the area’s unique micro-climates.

While touring the vineyard properties and winemaking facilities with Maynard and Eric, we immediately understood why this was a special place, capable of producing wines that we could stand on our soapbox and be proud to sell. Ascending the winding roads into the mountains two hours north of Phoenix (near Sedona), we were able to see for ourselves what this team saw in the soils of Arizona. For those of us who once considered Arizona to be marred by desert conditions, too hot and dry for grape vines of any consideration or consequence — take off your blinders and come see for yourselves! These sites are characterized by limestone and volcanic soils, average elevations of 4,000 ft. above sea level and climatic conditions that are conducive to Rhone, Bordeaux and Italian varietals.

Above: Maynard James Keenan practices integrated farming at his top growing sites, where fig trees and plum trees are planted in growing sites adjacent to his vineyards.

Enter Maynard James Keenan and Eric Glomski. Maynard has an immense passion for wine and an eye for wines with acidity, balance and soul. Eric Glomski honed his winemaking skills with Pinot Noir, one of the most difficult, fickle grapes to grow and produce. Together, they set out to produce varietals that made sense to them with the terroir of Arizona. Red Grapes include Syrah, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sangiovese, Tempranillo, Mourverdre, Petit Syrah (and currently searching for a few others). White Grapes currently planted include Malvasia Bianca, Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and a unique varietal that Maynard named “Aurelia,” which was discovered in the area and for which Maynard & Eric are currently propagating to plant in the vineyards.

Above: as is clear from viewing the strata of the subsoil, the growing sites are rich with limestone, ideal for growing fine-wine grapes. Dan and Maynard are touring Maynard’s top vineyard, where Cabernet Sauvignon is grown for Caduceus “Judith,” named after Maynard’s mother.

There are three distinctive labels from Maynard and Eric: Arizona Stronghold, Caduceus Cellars, and Merkin Vineyards. While the real fabric of this story is all about Arizona, the team set out to produce a line of wines to help set the stage as these vineyards develop and production increases, thus also producing a handful of wines from California vineyards in Paso Robles. The wines are primarily blends that will please the most savvy of wine lover, while also pleasing the novice consumer seeking fulfillment with all the bells and whistles. The common thread with these wines is a brilliant backbone of acidity and minerality that frames the structure, concentration and depth of each wine.

Above: from left, Eric, Paula, Maynard and Dan barrel taste together.

Mosaic Wine Group is honored to be working with these incredible pioneers of the wine industry. We hope that you’ll seek these wines out and help us to tell the story of this visionary team of Maynard James Keenan and Eric Glomski. And stay tuned for more great news to come, including a full-length documentary on this project, called “Blood to Wine,” poised for release later this year. We’ll be posting updates as they become available.

These wines will be available soon in Texas and other markets throughout the US. Please contact us for more information, or to learn more about this incredible wine project.