Are you following your passion? Do you like the Smurfs?

Hello Oenophiles,

This video is old but I watched this clip with Gary Vaynerchuk. What I got from this is that you should follow your passion using social media and it could possibly lead to something big.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNM9kA1bSHk

I love this quote, "It's word of mouth on steroids"

Have a Nice Flight!!!TM

Andy Gamitian

Founder & CEO

Flights Wine Blog, Inc.

ZAP Launches Scholarship

Zinfandel Advocates and Producers, known to wine lovers around the country as ZAP, launched the Donn P. Reisen scholarship for Wine MBA students at Sonoma State University.

For full press release click on the link below.

http://www.winebusiness.com/news/?go=getArticle&dataid=78115

Have a Nice Flight!!!TM

Andy Gamitian
Flights Wine Blog Inc.
Founder & CEO
www.flightswineblog.com
Connect with me on LinkedIn
www.linkedin.com/in/flightswineblog
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Sonoma State University names Ray Johnson as Wine Business Institute's Director

I want to congratulate a dear friend of mine, Ray Johnson, as he has been named the Director of the Wine Business Institute at Sonoma State University. I met Ray Johnson as my first wine professor at the U.C. Berkeley Extension in San Francisco. Many years ago, I took his class the Fundamentals of Wine: California and Europe, which he still teaches. See the link below.

http://extension.berkeley.edu/cat/wine.html

It's a great class to establish a foundation for your knowledge of wine, tasting wine and learning about the wine regions.

Here is a link to the entire press release on this positive move forward for Ray Johnson and Sonoma State's Wine Business Institute.

http://www.winebusiness.com/people/?go=getPeopleArticle&dataid=77830

The Wine Business Institute can help you make a transition into a new career in the wine industry. It can also allow you to improve your wine business or to even start your own wine business. Additional background and advantages of the Wine Business Institue are also available at their website which is listed below.

http://www.sonoma.edu/sbe/wine-business-institute/

Have a Nice Flight!!!TM

Andy Gamitian
Flights Wine Blog Inc.
Founder & CEO
www.flightswineblog.com
Connect with me on LinkedIn
www.linkedin.com/in/flightswineblog
Follow me on Twitter
www.twitter.com/flightswineblog

California Family Wine Makers

Hello Oenophiles,

If you're in the Bay Area, you'll have to check out the California Family Wine Makers tasting at Fort Mason in San Francisco. Don't miss out this Sunday from 3pm - 6pm there will be over 300 wineries pouring. You can taste from over 1,000 wines.

To buy tickets click this link

http://familywinemakers.eventbrite.com/

--

Have a Nice Flight!!!TM

Andy Gamitian
Flights Wine Blog Inc.
Founder & CEO
www.flightswineblog.com
Connect with me on LinkedIn
www.linkedin.com/in/flightswineblog
Follow me on Twitter
www.twitter.com/flightswineblog

Underdog Wine Merchants TV Show

Hello Oenophiles,

Tempra Tantrum from the Tierra de Castilla region of Spain who will host a virtual wine tasting on Thursday August 19, 2010 at 6:30pm PST, streaming on Underdog TV http://underdogwinemerchants.com/underdog-tv. It’s a fun way for wine drinkers to interact with vintner Rocio Osborne

Have a Nice Fight!!!TM

Andy Gamitian
Flights Wine Blog Inc.
Founder & CEO
http://www.flightswineblog.com/
Connect with me on LinkedIn
www.linkedin.com/in/flightswineblog
Follow me on Twitter
www.twitter.com/flightswineblog

A Hidden Gem in Livermore Valley in California

Behold, there is a hidden gem in Livermore Wine Country. McGrail Vineyards and Winery is a family owned and operated winery. They focus on high quality wines including Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. I'd like to thank Heather McGrail for sending me samples of their 2006 Reserve Cabernet Sauvigon. They have a beautiful tasting room as seen to the left. They hold many events open to the public. On July 24, 2010, they will be holding a release party for their 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon so don't miss it.

Their 2006 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon has a Garnet color with medium density. The aroma has dark cherries with a little bit of black pepper. Also there is low to medium oak on the nose. The wine is medium to heavy body. On the palate it's fruit forward with dark cherries, plums and strawberries with a medium level of tannins which makes it very complex. It has moderate balance and moderate to good intensity. This wine has a long finish that is pleasing to the new world wine fan. It should age well for the next 5-7 years. I would rate this wine an A. Alcohol level is 14.3% and sells for $36. You can purchase their high quality wines at the winery or online at http://www.mcgrailvineyards.com/purchase.html . Also, here is a link where you can find McGrail Wines at retail locations and restaurants. http://www.mcgrailvineyards.com/resellers.html

I hope your palate takes off when you indulge yourself with McGrail Wines.

Have a Nice Flight!!!TM

Andy Gamitian

Flights Wine Blog Inc.

Founder & CEO

Zin in Paradise - 19th Annual Zinfandel Festival

The 19th Annual Zinfandel Festival attracted thousands of Zinfandel fans. There were over 300 wineries pouring at two buildings at Fort Mason. Wineries A-G in one building and H-Z in the other.

As I walked into the Zinfandel Grant Tasting Event, there were thousands of Stolzle wine glasses set up to hand out to attendees.

After grabbing my wine glass, I came across a table full of baguettes. They definitely hit the spot for soaking up all the wine that everyone was going to taste.

After grabbing a baguette, I went straight for my favorite winery, Seghesio. Their wine would probably be the first to run out so I wanted to make sure I got to taste their new releases. I tasted the 2008 Sonoma, Sonoma County ($24), the 2007 Cortina, Dry Creek Valley ($36) and my favorite the 2007 Old Vine, Sonoma County (90 year old vines, $36). After tasting the

Seghesio wines I went back to the A-G Building and stumbled across Frank Family Vineyards. They pour their 2007 Napa Valley Zin which was fruit forward full of blackberries and dark

cherries. Great structure and complexity. Another thing that caught my eye was the Centellino Decanter as shown below. I thought this decanter and pourer was a very creative invention.

In addition to the tasting was a Silent Auction benefiting America's Heritage Projects which

supports programs that benefit Zinfandel research, preservation, scholarships and wine education.

Some of the well known producers I visited include Chateau Montelena (2006 Estate, Napa Valley $30, 2007 Estate, Napa Valley $30) , Folie a Deux (2007 Amador County $18) ,

Cakebread Cellars (2006 Snow's Lake Vineyard, Red Hills, Lake County $41) , Gundlach Bundschu (2007 Sonoma Valley $38) , Peju (2006 Napa Valley $28), and V. Sattui Winery (2007 Bar 49 Vineyards Napa Valley $27, 2007 Black Sears Vineyard, Howell Mountain $40, 2007 Gilsson Vineyard, Russian River Valley $35, 2007 Ramazzotti Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley $40, 2007 Old Vine Pilgrim Vineyard Lodi).

One winery that caught my eye was Rockwall Wine Company, Inc. The winemaker is Shauna Rosenblum, daughter of world renowned winemaker Kent Rosenblum. Kent is also a consulting winemaker to Rock Wall.

Their wines were impressive. 2007 Sonoma County Reserve, Monte Rosso, Sonoma County $35, I rate it an A+. The 2007 Sonoma County, Windsor Oaks Vineyard/Monte Rosso, Sonoma County $25, I rate it an A-. Finally, the 2008 Jesse's Vineyard, Duarte Vineyard, Contra Costa County, $28, I rate an A.

I'll see you at the 20th Annual Zinfandel Festival.

Have a Nice Flight!!!TM

Andy Gamitian

Flights Wine Blog Inc.

Founder & CEO