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Arguably the most captivating time of year in Napa Valley, fall is finally upon us which means the winery is humming with excitement and activity as Harvest begins.
September 22nd marked our first day of crush with the deLeuze Family Vineyard Carneros Pinot Noir. Depending on Mother Nature’s mood as we finish the Pinot Noir harvest we will continue into Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon in the coming weeks.
During this time, truckloads of grapes will be delivered to the crush pad at the back of the winery where they will be poured into the brand new destemmer. From there, grapes are gently pumped into the awaiting stainless steel tanks in our cellar. Once in the tank, the caps of the grapes are gently punched down to extract color and it is here that the luscious, intoxicating smell of fermenting grapes announces that Harvest has in fact arrived.
It’s a wonderful time of year to visit the winery. Come witness the picking, sorting, crushing, pumping, pressing and fermenting. Simply stop by or schedule a tour and tasting in advance for the opportunity to taste fermenting wine and to see our Harvest activities in action. Visit us online to learn more about scheduling a time to visit. Raise a glass to ZD’s Harvest!
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We love a good trick here at ZD Wines, but this Halloween we have a treat for you. Visit ZD Wines in costume on Friday and Saturday (October 30 - 31st) for a tasty treat. Only those brave enough to show their ghoulish, quirky, comic, or terrifying sides will get their reward....
PUMPKIN BISQUE & RESERVE CHARDONNAY
Chef Cullen Newhoff, Season's Restaurant in Davis, California
1 Leek |
1/3 Cup Mascarpone |
1 Yellow Onion |
2 Quarts & 3 Cups Water |
3 Cloves of Garlic |
5 1/2 Cups Cream |
4 Tablespoons Sugar |
2 1/2 Sticks of Butter |
4 Tablespoons Sugar |
1 1/2 lbs Diced Sugar Pie Pumpkin |
 Cook leeks, onion, butter, garlic and sugar in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until soft. Add pumpkin and stir. Add flour, reduce heat to medium and stir until well-combined. Add water and simmer ingredients until soft. Using a blender, slowly add cream and mascarpone until the soup has a velvety texture. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with ZD Wines’ 2007 Reserve Chardonnay for a luscious treat.
 PUMPKIN CARVING TEMPLATE
This Halloween, express your creative side with a ZD Wines carved pumpkin. Clink on one of the following links for the template size of your choice and carve your own ZD masterpiece.
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It’s nearing holiday season and with the holidays come endless opportunities to eat and drink to your heart’s content. Thanksgiving, for instance, is a holiday centered around the bounty of the table with plenty of delicious foods and, hopefully, equally delicious wines to satisfy any palate. We encourage you to dress up your table this Thanksgiving (or any celebratory night!) with something new and special - a big, beautiful bottle of ZD Wines.
 Though they may look intimidating at first glance, the large format bottles actually make the ideal party wines. The double magnum (Squared Off) is equivalent to four bottles of wine or roughly 24 glasses; a festive party amount! Large format bottles also tend to age better than the standard 750ml Lone Ranger (since less air gets to the wine), slowing down the oxidation process. So, this holiday season don’t be afraid of the big bad bottle. In fact, we are sure that with one in tow you will be the life of the party! Call us today to learn more about our 9L, 5L, 3L and 1.5L bottles or visit us online. Let the celebrations begin!
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Dustin Moilanen, Hospitality Director
 Previously with Villa Italia,an importer of fine Italian wines, Cuvee in Napa and The Lodge at Tahoe Donner where he developed award-winning wine lists, Dustin’s goal was to provide superior educational information and customer service. A history of cultivating relationships centered around wine makes Dustin the perfect fit at ZD Wines were he works closely with the Tasting Room staff to make sure that each ZD experience occurs with “Zero Defects”. His gregarious personality is a welcome addition along with his savvy wine knowledge. Looking for an unforgettable tour experience? Ask for Dustin and taste your way toward ZD enlightenment.
Curtis Hecker, Tasting Room Manager
 Having worked for Alliance Beverage, a distributing company, representing ZD Wines throughout Arizona, Curtis is a natural fit. Having distributed ZD Wines for years, his familiarity with our history, people and wines made his transition from Phoenix to Napa seamless. As Tasting Room Manager, Curtis’ dynamic personality is one of the many you may come across during your ZD experience. His vast knowledge of wine, and of ZD wine in particular, is a natural extension of his easygoing, approachable demeanor. A recent addition to the ZD team, come introduce yourself and join us in making Curtis feel at home!
In addition to Dustin and Curtis, we are so fortunate to have fun, charming, sociable, wine-savvy hospitality employees to round out the ZD experience! Whether you get to know Barbie first-hand through First Taste, Brenda’s customer satisfaction guarantee, Jorge’s big laugh and even bigger personality, Emily’s effervescent California cool, Kristin’s spontaneity and dry sense of humor, Darlene’s undeniable warmth and generosity, Jason’s easy demeanor and quick conversation, Turquesa’s effortless likability or Sergio’s worldly charm, it’s a “bunch” of delightful personalities at ZD and we hope you will take a moment to get to know these incredible people. Stop by and experience the people that make ZD Wines so unique! We’ll see you here...
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THE CARNEROS EXPERIENCE: ONLINE AUCTION
For the first time in its 25 year history, the wineries of one of the world's most renowned wine regions will celebrate "The Carneros Experience" with a unique wine trail passport through its highways and backroads just north San Francisco. The Online Auction features various los offering holiday gifts, experiences and special wines to benefit the Carneros Land Stewardhip Foundation and Cru Carneros.
ZD Wines is offering a VIP Vineyard View Tasting and Tour for 6 people, including a 3 Liters of 2007 Carneros Pinot Noir to enjoy! The entire lot can be viewed online. Click here to learn more or to bid.
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8383 Silverado Trail |
Napa |
California |
94558 |
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T: 800 487 7757 |
F: 707 963 2640 |
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Note from deLeuze Family
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Fall is always an incredible time of year in the Napa Valley and this year has been especially memorable as we celebrated our 40th Anniversary in style October 2-4, 2009. Thank you to everyone who helped us celebrate during the three-day weekend filled with great wine, food, music, a grape stomp, barrel tasting and more. We couldn’t have asked for a better way to commemorate 40 years of winemaking. The enthusiastic support of so many friends is inspiring and we would like to extend our sincere gratitude to The Carneros Inn; Napa Valley Wine Train, Four Seasons Palo Alto; Seasons Restaurant Davis; Hog Island Oyster Company; Vintage Sweet Shop.
As fall gives way to winter we are anticipating a wonderful Harvest season and delicious new wines in the coming year. With the past 40 years as a guide, we’re looking forward to seeing what lies ahead!
Best wishes,
The deLeuze Family
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NEWS & EVENTS
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October 14 & 16
ZD Wine Dinners
Join ZD’s own Teresa D’Aurizio for a special five course wine-paired dinner at Thistle Lodge at Casa Ybel Resort on October 14. To learn more please call (239) 472-9200 or visist www.ThistleLodge.com. Enjoy a four-course custom menu with Teresa on October 16 at Solu in The Resort at Singer Island. Call (561) 340-1795 or visit www.solurestaurant.com.
October 20
Wine Dinner with Rosa Lee
Join ZD’s Founder, Rosa Lee deLeuze, for a rare treat! Experience a wine-paired dinner designed to showcase ZD's award-winning wines with proceeds benefiting C*A*R*E* Chest of Sierra Nevada. Tickets can be purcahsed online by visiting www.carechest.org
Novemeber 1
Napa Valley Language Academy
Join ZD Wines as we celebrate the La Vina Wine Auction 2009 at The Carneros Inn. This year’s theme is Dia de los Muertos and will feature a sumptuous dinner, and live and silent auctions. Cole’s Chop House and ZD Wines have teamed together on a delicious, four-course wine-paired dinner. Come and indulge! Visit www.nvlacharter.org to learn more.
November 6
13th Annual Vincenzo Wine Tasting and Auction
Join Barbie Jamieson of ZD Wines at the 13th Annual Vincenzo Wine Tasting & Auction, a gala evening benefiting Catholic Charities CYO Youth Housing Programs. Hosted at the historic Bently Reserve in San Francisco, the evening will include exclusive tastings from California's premiere wineries (ZD Wines) along with a gourmet dinner and auction. Visit www.vincenzo.org for more details.
December 7
Seasons Restaurant Wine Dinner
Join ZD Wines' President, Brett deLeuze, for a wine-paired dinner at Seasons Restaurant in Davis, CA. Serving new American, seasonal cuisine, Seasons Restaurant supports local growers, ranchers and farmers, a philosophy that resounds at ZD Wines. Visit www.seasonsdavis.com to make a reservation and indulge in a culinary experience this holiday season.
To view more upcoming events, visit us online.
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