2012 DOMAINE WINE STORAGE NCAA MARCH MADNESS TOURNAMENT - WINNER TAKES ALL!!

Back by popular demand, you are invited to participate in the Domaine Wine Storage March Madness pool.  This year the contest will be split into two groups – Midwest or East Coast

ENTRY
1 – 750ml bottle of wine per entry, minimum $50 value(Per Wine Searcher low value; final determinations will be made by management if there are any questionable entries).

RULES
The conduct and format of the brackets will be run through the Bracket manger on CBS Sportsline.  NOTE: you have to create your own login first to join the group. 

Once the field has been announced on Sunday, March 11th, use CBS Sportsline to make your bracket selections. When the tournament starts, you will be able to track your results LIVE!

SCORING 
One point will be awarded for every correct pick throughout the tournament. In the event of a tie breaker, winner will be determined by the final score of the championship game.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING YOUR BRACKET
Noon EST on Tuesday, March 13th prior to the start of Round 1 games

DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING YOUR BOTTLE
Same as above. We are happy to pull a specific bottle from any of your lockers, but all must be chosen prior to the start of the 1st game. No Exceptions!

Christopher is kicking this off with a bottle of 2008 Sine Qua Non Syrah B20.

SCHEDULE
March 11 Selection Sunday
March 13 & 14 First Round
March 15 & 16 Second Round
March 22 & 23 NCAA Sweet Sixteen
March 24 & 25 Elite Eight
March 31 Final Four
April 2 National Championship

If you are interested in participating (why wouldn’t you be!) follow this link to join the group.

Midwest participants – Contact christopher@domainewinestorage.com to enter your wine.
East Coast participants – Contact justin@domainewinestorage.com to enter your wine.  

Feel free to watch all of the Games at Domaine Chicago throughout the tournament, where we’ll be sure to have some special bottles open as well! As always, all Domaine customers are welcome in the Chicago Lounge.

We had over 50 participants in our inaugural pool and expect the interest to be higher this year.

Some of the wines the 2011 winner took home:  1985 Phelps Backus Cabernet, 1999 Gaja Ca Marcanda, 2003 Larkmead Cabernet, 2003 Almaviva, 2003 Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Rosso Vineyard, 1997 Argiano Brunello, 1997 Banfi Brunello, 2001 Pio Caesare Barolo,2006 Chateau Lafon La Tulierie, 2000 Philip Togni Cabernet Estate,  2007 Pride Mountain Cabernet, 2005 Dunn Howell Mountain Cabernet, 2005 Etude Cabernet, 2006 Benovia ‘Sonoma Coast’ Pinot Noir, 2004 Anderson’s Conn Valley Vineyards Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, 1992 Silver Oak Napa/ & Alexander, 1995 Alenza Condado de Haza, 2007 Sea Smoke Southing Pinot  Noir, 2007  Modus Operandi Cabernet, 1999 Arietta Red Wine, 2007 Kistler Vine Hill Chardonnay, 2004 Cos D’Estournel, 2002 Bouchard Pere & Fils Nuits St. Georges “Les Cailles”, 2006 Rivers Marie Cabernet, 2008 Lafarge Volnay, 2004 Elvio Cogno Barolo Ravera, 2000 Kistler McCrea Vineyard Chardonnay, 2004 Drinkward Peschon Cabernet, 2006 Montes Alpha M, 2005 Pax Kobler Syrah, 2007 Switchback Ridge Cabernet, 2002 Dominus

• February, 29 2012   |   Click here to Comment

Cellar Advisors and Domaine Wine Storage & Appreciation are proud to partner with the American Heart Association’s Heart’s Delight Wine Tasting & Auction.  The annual fundraiser is taking place May 2-5 in Washington D.C.

Widely recognized as a premier destination event, Hearts Delight gathers winemakers, culinary greats and distinguished guests to play and bid in our Nation’s Capital.

YOU CAN HELP IN TWO DIFFERENT WAYS

1. Donate bottles to the auction
2. Purchase a ticket to one or more of the events

WINE DONATIONS

The American Heart Association would like to fill the remaining auction lots with ’07 Cult California Cabernets, Burgundy or Bordeaux.

• Minimum auction donation: $100
• Deadline to donate: March 8
• Contact Sarah Blind at sarah@cellaradvisors.com or 314.667.5328 x 1003 to plan your donation
• We want to make this easy for you!  Our team will manage all logistics and paperwork associated with your donation and ensure that you receive a tax letter after the event.

EVENTS

Join us for one or more of the events below!  Contact Sarah Blind at sarah@cellaradvisors.com or 314.667.5328 x 1003 to purchase your tickets.

UNITED STATES OF WINE

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Wednesday evening is a new United States of Wine celebration showcasing the best of American wine. Highlighted wines will be presented by owners and  winemakers, and will include a live auction featuring large format bottles from the winery.  This will be followed by a Collectors Dinner.  Tickets: $200 & $500

PRIVATE DINNER SERIES

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Thursday Offers a series of intimate wine dinners with an international flair in homes, restaurants and Embassies with a host, chef and winemaker at each.  Tickets start: $400

FRIDAY NIGHT VINTNERS SERIES

Friday, May 4, 2012

Friday features an exclusive Vintners Dinner highlighting the wines of Château Mouton Rothschild.  The dinner is followed by a live auction led by Sotheby’s Jamie Ritchie.   There will be an award presented to the Congressional Honoree.  Tickets: $1,000

GRAND TASTING, RECEPTION & AUCTION

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Saturday begins with a virtual tour of Bordeaux including an unique wine tasting of the 2009 vintage and an older vintages selected by the visiting Château owners and wine directors.  The adventure continues with exciting seminars and food prepared by some of the nation’s top chefs.  During the Grand Tasting Reception guests will have the opportunity to bid on exclusive travel packages, dining experiences and rare and exceptional wine during the spirited silent and live auctions. Tickets start: $250

• February, 29 2012   |   Click here to Comment

Underwritten by Lloyd’s of London, we have access to over $100 Million of coverage that holds an A.M. Best Rating of A+ (XIV).  This rating means that the Lloyd’s syndicate has the highest score for management and $1.5 to 2 Billion of reserves in excess of outstanding policies.  In addition to this tremendous financial strength, our policy has domestic support from Edgewood Partners Insurance Center, one of the 50 largest brokers in the US.

Through our years of experience evaluating policies good and bad, we have built a program with extensive features and protections.  All Domaine clients receive:

• Worldwide transit/shipping coverage for wine directed to or from a Domaine Facility, regardless of carrier.
• Zero deductible for storage coverage and very low deductibles for transit/shipping.
• All peril coverage in all Domaine facilities under one policy, including extremes of temperature, mechanical breakdown, theft, breakage and loss.
• Coverage for earthquake and flood.
• Additional coverage for wines in client homes up to 20% of the value of wines at Domaine.
• Complimentary appraisal from Domaine for purpose of securing appropriate coverage.
•  Individual certificates of insurance issued in customer name – know you are specifically covered and not part of a group.

We are certain that you will not find a better-priced insurance program at any facility, and our features are second to none as well.  Pricing quotes are available from any of our facilities and we have access to substantial discounts for collections over $1 Million.

• February, 22 2012   |   Click here to Comment

Eric Asimoy’s recent article in the New York Times brought light to the question of why Americans don’t drink Syrah.  I am proud to say that this American does, and plenty of it, specifically Côte-Rôtie from the famed Northern Rhone.

This past fall I hosted 10 wine collectors at Domaine Chicago to sample a selection of these wines.  My intent was to showcase some of the top producers as well as compare traditional vs. modern styles.

As luck had it, and probably with a little intent of my own, many of the wines were focused on a family of winemakers whom I personally think have turned out the best examples of Syrah in history.  René Rostaing, one of the greatest icons of Côte-Rôtie married into a family deeply rooted in the region.  His father-in-law Albert Dervieux-Thaize, president of the Côte-Rôtie growers association for thirty-three years, produced a little wine himself, while his uncle Marius Gentaz Dervieux might be considered the greatest producer of Syrah ever.

Côte-Rôtie

11/1/11

The first flight focused on wines that had considerable age but also revealed elegant low alcohol levels.

1979 Côte-Rôtie, Côte Brune-Marius Gentaz Dervieux

From 100 year old vines.  Never a disappointment with good bottles, and this was no exception. Showing firm grip, fine tannins, blood, and iodine.  Packed with rich cherry fruits and Asian spice balanced with heavy earth tones.  Great balance, but, began to fade after about 45 minutes.

1983 Côte-Rôtie, Brune et Blonde- E. Guigal

I threw this in not having much expectation, but boy was I wrong.  Of the wines of the flight, this wine was amazingly young and fresh.  Not as powerful as 83 La Lá examples I have tasted, revealing more subtle oak nuances, a dark core and fruit to match.

1985 Côte-Rôtie, Côte Brune- Marius Gentaz Dervieux

The bottle on this eve was not as spectacular as others I have had from the same case.  There was certainly a presence of volatile acidity that masked a lot of the fruits, but still came across as pure and elegant.

1985 Côte-Rôtie, La Chatillonne Côte Blonde- Vidal-Fleury

The wine epitomized the feminine qualities taht Côte-Rôtie exhibits.  Almost Burgundy like, showing a slightly stewed character as it opened in the glass, hints of plum, rich cherry fruits, cinnamon and pepper were evident in the darkest and richest wine of the flight.

The Famed La Landonnes  from René Rostaing were up next.  Typically garnered as his top cuvee, Rostaing’s holdings in La Landonne include vines inherited from Marius Gentaz-Dervieux.

1978 Côte-Rôtie, La Landonne- René Rostaing

From the private cellars of Rene, this wine has showed a lot of variation over the past few years.  I have tasted examples that have been powerful, albeit elegant and bottles that tend to lack such concentration.  The bottle tasted on this eve was as pure, smooth and elegant as they can be.  Revealing a great sense of minerality, matched with complex dark fruits and fine tannin.

1994 Côte-Rôtie, La Landonne- René Rostaing

The wine was dark and brooding, with blue fruits, smoke, and bacon.  Unfortunately the alcohol took over anything else that this wine might have revealed.

2000 Côte-Rôtie, La Landonne- René Rostaing

The 2000 from a heralded vintage was very hallow.  Lacking depth and balance, it was a bit astringent, perhaps from the oak, and also a bit chalky.

2003 Côte-Rôtie, La Landonne- René Rostaing

This wine was second to the 78′ in this flight, but definitely on the opposite spectrum of elegance.  This wine, albeit quite young, was delicious to drink.  It was deep, dark and ripe with amazing concentration.

Our last group of wines brought us to a smattering of style and vintages.

1995 Côte-Rôtie, La Vialliére- Dervieux- Thaize

If my information is correct this wine is made by surviving family members from Albert’s side.  These wines don’t hit the heights that the example from René and Marius do and the 1995 followed suit.  This wine was insipid, and lacked concentration, coming off as a bit thin.

1996 Côte-Rôtie, La Vialliére- Dervieux- Thaize

Corked.

2001 Côte-Rôtie, La Serene Noire-Mathilde et Yves Gangloff

This was a real treat as examples of the Serene are becoming harder to find out in the market place as of recent.  This wine was opaque and hard tremendous depth, concentration and complexity.  Exotic spices balanced well with rich dark fruits.  Hold on to this one.

2001 Côte-Rôtie, La Mouline- E. Guigal

The 2001 Guigal La Mouline is still an infant and needs a lot of time to rest.  It was huge, amazing on the modern style spectrum, black fruits, savory herbal elements, and dense.  This wine was the anti elegance.  I found this wine to be very one dimensional, big and over the top and was unfortunately (or not) left in the dust by some of its contemporaries.

“Like” Domaine Wine Storage on Facebook to view more photos from all of our events.

• February, 15 2012   |   Click here to Comment

Construction on the second floor is underway.  So we will have new options of 17,27 and 34 case lockers.  This new layout will allow the cases to be divided up into smaller lockers, affording clients with large cellars easier access.  Having to pull a case at the very back of a 300 case locker will no longer be a time-consuming problem.  Spread the word to collectors in the Chicagoland area!  Contact Christopher Klingenstain at: Christopher@domainewinestorage.com or 1-773-252-3300 to reserve your space.

“Like” us on Facebook to stay up to date with the progress.

• February, 9 2012   |   Click here to Comment