Rise Over Run Wine Tasting
Friday, 09 February 2024 13:48About: Wine Tasting with Rise Over Run
White / Blanc et Fils Apremont Willy
White / Maison Yves Duport Bugey Blanc Chardonnay 2022
Rose / La Cave du Prieure Rosé 2022
Red / Domaine Rolet Arbois Trousseau 2020
Even down to our name, the inception of Rise Over Run emanated from a passion and respect for distinct and often challenging viticultural microclimates. Many are viticultural marvels, and the finished wines are expressions that could not be recreated elsewhere. Our book is a compilation of these wines that have stories to tell, and we are excited to be the ones doing so.
Chris studied art before becoming obsessed with the subject of wine and its endless details. This gave rise to a career in the restaurant business spanning over twenty years. Originally from Detroit, he’s lived and worked in Savannah Georgia and Portland Oregon. Chris has spent his career advocating for small, family run wineries who practice low intervention viticulture and the people who make these places function. Chris lives in Canton North Carolina with his beautiful wife and three boys.
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Contact for MetroWines: Gina Trippi
Metro Wines Asheville
Charlotte Street! It's the Next BIG Thing!
"Big Shop Selection. Small Shop Service"
(828) 575-9525
How And Why Time Enhances Wine Flavor
Tuesday, 06 February 2024 15:52Gathering with friends over a glass of flavorful wine is a timeless and cherished social experience. The rich and nuanced taste of a well-selected wine adds depth to the conversation and enhances the overall enjoyment of the moment.
Santa Barbara Wine Tasting with Morgan Clendenen
Friday, 02 February 2024 15:21Kris Curran undoubtedly ranks among California’s highest profiled winemakers, particularly for her gift for creating outstanding Pinot Noir. She’s voted as one of Wine Spectator’s Top Winemakers almost annually due to her pioneering station amid the industry’s forward-thinkers.
Kris’s love for animals led her to Science, which led her, ultimately, to winemaking. She initially graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo with an Animal Science Degree, followed by her second Bachelors, this time in Winemaking from Fresno State. From there Kris took up a position at Cambria as Assistant Winemaker and later became a founding member at Koehler. She progressed to Sea Smoke where she produced seven vintages but left when Foley Wines offered her the Winemaker position, where she made wines under the Foley, Lincourt and Two Sisters brands.
Today Kris continues to fulfill her innovative standing as the first Californian vintner to popularize Grenache Blanc which she started making in 2003. Her love for Spanish varietals prompted her to take up the challenge of mastering different production techniques: “I have come to appreciate the unique personality of each varietal with which I work. I combine this understanding with my scientific knowledge in pursuit of crafting the best wine possible.”
With a history of hunting and fishing in the wild and a love for open spaces, it was no surprise Bruno earned a Degree in Soil Science from Cal Poly. However, his Italian heritage compelled his inherent appreciation for wine, so his second Degree, this time in Winemaking, was earned at UC Davis.
Bruno’s early career is almost as fascinating as his current one. He started out with the now-late Richard Graff of Chalone at Edna Valley Vineyards and worked there for three vintages. Bruno later joined Richard Sanford to start Sanford Winery where he remained as Winemaker for twenty-three vintages.
Today, fans of Bruno’s Pinot Noir acquire his exceptional offerings under the BADGE and Di Bruno labels. “Over the years I have begun to understand the designing of wine. That has become my goal: to create wonderful, stable, long-lived, stylized wines.”
Bruno is an ardent foe of the practice of using harmful chemicals in the winemaking process. All D’Alfonso-Curran wines bode well with the imbiber’s health, in addition to their senses. Bruno’s purist approach to winemaking ensures uncontaminated, unpolluted wines that respect his customers’ health and wellbeing.
Morgan started in the wine industry working for an Italian wine importer in her native North Carolina. Then she moved on to a boutique wine importer to optimize her learning curve. A move to a sales and marketing position at Robert Sinskey Vineyards, in Napa, led to her meeting Jim Clendenen, winemaker and owner at Au Bon Climat. They married, and she moved to Santa Barbara County. When Au Bon Climat, by chance, was offered a lot of Viognier grapes in 1996, Cold Heaven Cellars was born.
Morgan knew little about Viognier at the time and had only some practical knowledge of winemaking and no formal training. She learned winemaking “on the job” and also says that she had some amazing mentors, including Bruno D’Alfonso and her then-spouse.
After closing the Cold Heaven tasting room in 1998, Morgan joined Shokrian Vineyard in Los Alamos as one of its winemakers. She continues to produce Viognier, making up to five single-vineyard versions, and Syrah, and has added Pinot Noir to her portfolio.
Judge Jay Wilkinson Returns for the Sequel ...
Wednesday, 31 January 2024 08:50Sicilian Love Stories
In case you missed author Jay Wilkinson's excellent presentation and book signing in November of last year, Ciao Asheville is pleased to announce that Jay will be back in mid July with a sequel presentation titled "Sicilian Love Stories", which tells the story of the four great Sicilian-culture-tinged romances in Jay's book "A Lie Will Suffice". Jay is a dynamic and engaging speaker so you won't want to miss this event. Stay tuned for more details.
Life is Beautiful" Ciao Asheville Film Series
Tuesday, 30 January 2024 13:44Film Showing
Roberto Benigni's
Life is Beautiful
Winner of 3 Academy Awards!
Sunday, March 3, 1pm
Metro Wines
169 Charlotte Street
Join Ciao Asheville and Metro Wines for a showing of this 1997 comedy-drama film. There will be a group discussion of the film following the showing. Snacks provided "on the house" and wine will be available for purchase. This film is in Italian with English subtitles.
This event is *free* but registration is required. Seating is limited so call Metro Wines at 828-575-9525 to reserve your seat.
Basics of Burgundy
Tuesday, 23 January 2024 16:41"When some people hear “burgundy wine,” they immediately think of red wine. “Burgundy” does not refer to the color of the wine, however, but to the region of France in which the wine is made. That region is called “La Bourgogne” in French, “Burgundy” in English.
Some of the world’s finest red and white wines are produced in this storied region. These sought-after red wines are made entirely from the Pinot Noir grape, and the world-famous white wines are made entirely from the Chardonnay grape.
While these wines are known throughout the world, few people realize that Burgundy is by far the smallest major wine-growing region in the world. In fact, the heart of Burgundy is only about 30 miles long by one mile wide – tiny by wine standards. Obviously, the villages are tiny, too, and are a mere kilometer or two apart.
Herein lies one of the most complicated aspects of Burgundy – namely, the terrain presents a compact arrangement of microclimates. These microclimates present a complex assortment of altitudes, slopes, exposures and soil types. Literally, two vineyards separated by a stone wall or a dirt road will produce grapes that make wines which can be very different in flavor as well as quality. It’s no wonder that Burgundy produces a greater variety of single-grape wines than any other region in the world and it’s also no wonder that Burgundy can be a minefield for the wine lover in the United States.
Wines made in Burgundy receive their quality classifications, called appellations, based on the region, village or individual vineyard in which the grapes are grown. In most cases, the more defined the growing area of the grapes, the more consistent the quality of the wine produced by those grapes. Oftentimes, the finest wines are produced by vineyards that are no more than a few football fields in size."
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Contact for MetroWines: John Kerr
Charlotte Street! It's the Next BIG Thing
"Big Shop Selection. Small Shop Service"
5 Star Review on Sunday!
Sunday, 14 January 2024 15:44Wine Language: A Quick Glossary
Wednesday, 10 January 2024 11:35Understanding the language of wine can be a journey, much like wine tasting itself. As rich and complex as the beverage it describes, wine terminology can feel elusive to many. Fear not, fellow wine enthusiasts, we're here to help.