ISSUE 20 | May 2011

Welcome to the Winacea E-newsletter.

The mother of all grapes, Muscat, is thought to be the oldest known grape variety. Of the four principal types of Muscat, the Muscat Blanc a Petite Grains is the most ancient and revered. It produces superior, fine white wines of great intensity with concentrated flavors and perfume. Muscat actually smells grapey, musky and floral, thanks to the monoterpenes found in the grape. Monoterpenes are natural chemical compounds that contribute to the characteristic flavor properties of certain wine grapes, including Muscat and Riesling. Muscat possibly originated in Greece and then made its way to France, eventually spreading to other regions and countries by Roman hands. It has many aliases including Muscat of Frontignan, Muscat Blanc, Moscato d'Asti (Italy), Muscat d'Alsace, Muskateller (German), and Muskadel (South Africa). The wines produced by Muscat grapes are dry, sweet, and every category in between. There are even fortified wines made from these colorful grapes.

If Muscat is the mother, who's the father?

Lamb Skewers paired with Bordeaux

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:
	2 oz extra-virgin olive oil
	2 oz red wine
	2 oz lemon juice
	4 bay leaves
	3 cloves garlic, chopped
	1 tsp herbes de Provence (basil, fennel seed, lavender, marjoram, rosemary, sage, savory, thyme)
	1 tsp salt
	1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
	lamb, boneless leg or shoulder, diced 1-1.5"
	4 shallots, cut into 1"pieces
	2 oz Cognac

Mix the first 8 ingredients together to make a marinade, add lamb and marinate overnight.
Skewer the meat pieces alternating with the shallots, total of 8 skewers. Grill the skewers for 8 to 12 minutes until all the meat is cooked. Place the skewers in a heat proof pan or serving plate and flambé with cognac (be very careful during this operation). Serve 2 skewers per person.

Recipe adapted from local chef, Bruno Krioussis with Cooking with Bruno.

Cheers and Congratulation!

First toast goes to Winacea's Stephanie Davis and her latest accomplishment and designation as a French Wine Scholar (FWS) through the French Wine Society on April 13th. The study of wine is a lifelong commitment, and Stephanie is both a dedicated teacher and student. If you'd like to learn more about French wine, contact Stephanie.Davis@Winacea.com.

A round of applause to NVIDIA Fort Collins, Jay's Bistro, and Winacea for their generous efforts to raise money for The Food Bank for Larimer County. On April 16th, these local businesses worked together and hosted the impressive Bordeaux "Five Hundred" Wine Dinner. This amazing, once in a lifetime, Fort Collins fundraiser was the imaginative idea of NVIDIA's own Ken Severson. The dinner and wine experience raised $13,500 for the The Food Bank! You can see more pictures and descriptions of the event on the Winacea FaceBook Page.

"Hip, Hip, Hooray!" for Disabled Resource Services (DRS) and their annual Wine Fest fundraiser on April 22nd. What a splendid evening of tasting wine, nibbling on local fare, and mingling with local wine enthusiasts. The success and attendance was greater than anticipated! Over $36,000 dollars were raised for our local DRS organization. Please share your experience at Wine Fest on the Wine Fest website and/or Wine Fest FaceBook page. Pictures of this year's event will be posted soon.

Stay Tuned!! Next month's issue will feature alternatives to your favorite wines.

Winacea Events

Private Wine Tasting for St. Olaf Alumni - Fort Collins, CO (date TBD)

Other Recommended Colorado Wine Events

Ridge Wine Dinner at Chimney Park - Windsor, CO (June 7)

International Wine Guild: Certification Seminar - Denver, CO (May 21-22 and June 11-12)

Aspen Food & Wine Classic - Aspen, CO (June 17-19)

Telluride Wine Festival - Telluride, CO (June 22-26)

Other US Recommended Wine Events

Vegas Uncorked - Las Vegas, NV (May 5-8)

Auction Napa Valley - Napa Valley, CA (June 2-5)

Kapalua Food and Wine Festival - Maui (June 9-12)

Jackson Hole Wine Auction - Jackson Hole, WY (July 1-2)

Wine Lingo

Fermentation = The process where yeast convert natural sugar in grapes into alcohol and carbon dioxide.

Must = The juice and liquefied pulp from crushed or pressed grapes before the fermentation process.

Noble Rot = scientifically called "botrytis cinerea"; a beneficial mold that grows on grapes and is necessary to produce many of the world's great sweet wines. The mold penetrates the grapes' skins and uses the available water in the juice. This results in concentration of sugar, flavor and acid in the mold affected grape.

NV = "Non-Vintage", meaning a wine made from a blend of vintages (more than one year's drop).

Sulfur Dioxide = Used in winemaking and viticultural practice as a preservative, antioxidant, and sterilizing agent.

Winacea will launch its inaugural membership campaign in 2011! Please stay in-touch for more information regarding the exciting Winacea expansion and exclusive membership.