VinExpo 2011

Last week, nearly 50,000 wine trade visitors and exhibitors congregated in Bordeaux attend the France’s premiere wine event. 

Highlights by the numbers:

• Attendance was up by 3% compared to 2009.
• France is #1 in the wine trade with over 30,700 attendees.
• China is at the forefront of global wine sales.
• The United States is the #1 largest wine-consuming nation. 

(Source: winemag.com)

Internet Week: General Assembly’s ONLINE=OFFLINE Discussion

It’s Internet Week in NYC and Sweet Bordeaux’s here to sweeten up some events for the tech & internet savvy attendees!

Kicking off the week with the “ONLINE=OFFLINE” discussion at General Assembly, we served bottles of Château Piada 2005 as Fred Wilson (@fredwilson) of Union Square Venures, David Lee (@daslee) and Chris Dixon (@cdixon) of Collective and Hutch discussed the convergence of “the Internet” and “the real world.” 

Chateau Piada 2005 has notes of honey, quince, dried apricot, peach, orange rind, and a touch of earthy iodine. This wine is a natural pair for rich savory treats like Foie Gras, blue cheese, sweet desserts, or if you’re in for a summery treat, lobster rolls. Find a bottle near you at wine-searcher.com or if you’re in NYC, stop by Astor Wines. 

Catch us this Thursday, 6/9 at DigitalFlashNYC’s Exclusive Internet Week Event: “Video, the revolution will be streaming.” 

Interview with DigitalFlashNYC

“As young, classy women who throw classy events, Sweet Bordeaux is the perfect wine.” – Laura Mignott, co-founder of DigitalFlashNYC

Last week at DigitalFlashNYC’s Panel “Why is Data the New Black,” we had the opportunity to interview Laura Mignott (@lmigno) and Sara Walker-Santana (@sarajnwalker), the co-founders of the organization and hosts of the event, for a quick interview and to share in their experience of trying Sweet Bordeaux for the first time. Looks like Gold should be the new Black too!

What are the first words that come to mind after your first sip of Sweet Bordeaux?
Sweet and refreshing. It has a strong sweet taste, but a soft finish - love the full body that comes with most Bordeaux wines.

When do you most enjoy drinking wine?
Anytime after noon. :)

How would you say wine fits into your digital lifestyle?
We wouldn’t have a business without it - lots of our meetings are held over wine.

Where would you say the intersection between the wine/beverage industry and technology is headed in the future?
We think it’s going to be all about education, curation, and location.

(Fun fact: There are currently 452 mobile wine apps available to download and the number is constantly growing.) 

If you could share a glass of wine with any celebrity, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
SWS: Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook. Why? Because she’s a badass.
LM: Oprah. Because she’s Oprah. 

So tell us, where does wine fit in with your digital lifestyle? 

(Source: trangtran.com )

A Golden Evening at Bordeaux MatchMaking LA

A sweet gathering among wine experts and enthusiasts at the Stone Rose Lounge in Los Angeles.

Bordeaux MatchMaking is an event that celebrates Bordeaux wines and offers the opportunity to discover their rich heritage and delightful tastes. Sweet Bordeaux was served for free at every table to add a sweet note after every tasting. 

The last Bordeaux event of the season will be held in NYC on Thursday, June 9, 2011. To attend, register for free at bordeauxmatchmaking.com.

Remember: Sweet Bordeaux will be poured for free at every table!

Sweet Bordeaux in 10 Cities

Looking for Sweet Bordeaux? Pick up a bottle at these shops in your city!

Boston

• Select Liquors
  424 Cambridge Street, Allston, MA 02134 

Chicago

• The Chicago Wine Company
  835 North Central, Chicago, IL 60191 

Dallas

• Graileys Fine Wines & Wine Cellar
  1544 Edison Street, Dallas, TX 75207 

Los Angeles

• Wally’s Wine & Spirits
  2107 Westwood Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90025 

Miami

• Kendall FineWineSpirits
  10590 North Kendall Drive, Miami, FL 33176 

New York City

• Sherry Lehman
  505 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10022 

Philadelphia

• Fine Wine & Good Spirits
  (Use online store locator to find the closest location.) 

San Francisco

• K&L Wine Merchants
  638 4th Street, San Francisco, CA 94107 

Seattle

• Hookedonwine
  3805 West 42nd Avenue, Kennewick, WA 99337 

Washington D.C. 

• Calvert Woodley
  4339 Connecticut Avenue, Washington, DC 20008 

Did we miss your city? Let us know and we’ll find a location near you.

(Source: wine-searcher.com)

Wine Bottle Openers 101

Wine bottle openers are more than just a tool for opening your Sweet Bordeaux bottle. These gadgets come in a variety of unique shapes and sizes, and each contributes to the wine experience in their own ways. 

From rabbit style openers to corkscrews, the intricate designs of these wine openers are definitely a sight to see. 

Which type of wine opener do you prefer? Leave a comment and let us know! 

Golden Mother’s Day Gifts

Mother’s Day is right around the corner. Check out these sweet gift ideas for Mom that will let her enjoy her Sweet Bordeaux in style!

Sommeliers Sauternes Glass (Riedel) | william-sonoma.com

Acrylic Wine Rack (Ran Lerner) | aplaceforeverything.co.uk

Wine Knot Wine Rack (Scott Henderson) | store.yankodesign.com

Double Wall Bottle Cooler | artofwine.com

A Quick BYOB Guide to NYC

In the mood for some sweet indulgence while saving some money? Bring your favorite bottle of Sweet Bordeaux with you the next time you dine out! 

Here’s our selected list of BYOB restaurants in New York City conveniently located near shops where you can pick up your favorite bottle of Sweet Bordeaux along the way:

Eat-pisode, Lower East Side (123 Ludlow Street | eat-pisode.com)

Prepare your taste buds for this “urban chic” venue’s Thai specialities, such as Pad Kee Mao, with a glass of 2005 Château Lamourette - perfect for the sweet and spicy curried dishes that Eat-pisode has to offer.

Nearby wine shops: Seward Park Liquors (393 Grand Street)

Tea & Sympathy, West Village (108 Greenwich Avenue | teaandsympathy.com)

Grab some grub at this “quintessential corner of England in the heart of Greenwich Village.” Their English staples, such as Shepard’s Pie and Welsh rarebit and kidney pie, are delicious pairings for a glass of 2005 Château Fayau Cadillac. 

Nearby wine shops: Village Wine & Spirits (486 Sixth Avenue)

Lamb & Jaffy, Brooklyn (1073 Manhattan Avenue | lambandjaffy.com)

This elegant Brooklyn bistro’s menu is full of hearty dishes that offer something special to any of your tastes. Whether you’re in the mood for a savory Pan-Roasted Mapleleaf Duck Breast or you’re more focused on their dessert selections such as the Famous Cheesecake, Berry Compote, Lamb & Jaffy’s will not disappoint.

Nearby wine shops: Heights Chateau Wine & Spirits (131 Atlantic Avenue)

Do you BYOB? If so, what are your favorite BYOB spots and your sweet wine of choice? 

Spiderman, Scarlett Johansson and Chateau Guiraud

During last week’s wine tasting, we had the opportunity to interview Augustin Lacaille, Brand Ambassador of Chateau Guiraud – the first and only Chateau of the Premier Grands Crus Classes to obtain organic farming certification.

We threw out the conventional wine questions (i.e. pairings, terroir, best vintage) to learn more about the culture behind sweet wine and the life of a Brand Ambassador. 

What do you enjoy the most about your job?
The challenge. When you speak about Bordeaux to customers around the world, they immediately think about red wine. Of course the red wine is excellent, but not everyone thinks about sweet wine. I want to show people that it’s excellent with a lot of foods. As I’m traveling around the world, my goal is to work with cultural food and educate the consumers how to pair their food with sweet wine.

How are Sauternes enjoyed by the younger generations in France?
Sweet wines are for celebrating good times – and to start a party with a Sauternes is great! We’ve done some big parties with sweet wine tubes and it’s been working well. Though France is a traditional market, we’re attracting younger generations because of its sweetness and easiness to drink. It awakes your taste buds.

If there were to be a superhero that enjoys Sauternes, who would it be?
Spiderman. A man who shoots web and trapezes through city buildings will appreciate residual sugars that linger on your taste buds. 

Which historical figure or celebrity would you want to share a bottle with?
Scarlett Johansson, because I think we would enjoy ourselves. I love her personality and at the same time, she is beautiful and I don’t know, she represents a lot of the nice characters of Sauternes.

What’s your personal motto?
Nothing is impossible.  

Sweet Wine Slushies – Simple and Delicious!

This past weekend, we joined Sasha of SpinTheBottleNY to create one of our favorites – wine slushies! 

If you’re looking for something different to serve, especially on a warm day, this is the prefect treat. 

Just take a half a bottle of sweet Bordeaux, freeze, then blend once frozen.

Simple!

Uncorking our 2005 Chateau Lamourette!

First pour!

A half bottle (375ml) fills a standard ice tray perfectly.

….and the pose.

Scooping out the ice cubes that we froze the night before. 

Dolce - our slushie assistant!

Let the blending begin!

Pour in glass and enjoy!