Winemakers from many of the world's finest wineries are beginning to converge in Sarasota for one of our community's most anticipated events! This weekend, the Forks & Corks Foods & Wine Festival will offer a variety of winemaker events throughout Sarasota and Manatee Counties. We have the distinct honor of hosting representatives - winemakers and winery owners! - from 15 properties at a special retail wine tasting in the Store this Saturday. Please join us from 3-5 p.m. on Saturday, January 24, 2015 to taste dozens of wines from the following wineries! Admission is just $10 per person and reservations are NOT required for this event. (If you wish, online pre-registration is available by clicking here.) Altesino: Altesino is a leader in various, important innovations in the production of Sangiovese from Montalcino, causing it to stand out and become a reference point for the entire territory. Some of the positive contributions putting Montalcino on the world map are: the introduction of the "Cru" (Montosoli) concept in 1975, the first experiments with barriques in '79, the production in '77 of the first Grappa from a winery and the first Futures (purchasing wine before its release) for Brunello 1985. Over the last forty years an intense relationship has been developed with the land full of history, with its almost sensual beauty that is physically perceived and its subtle charm that reaches the body and soul. This is the philosophy that inspires Altesino to produce wine and maintain its culture. Marchesi di Gresy: Marchesi di GresyIn the 1960’s, Alberto di Grésy spent much of his time supervising the agricultural operations of the family estates where he concluded early on that he didn’t want to limit himself to selling the grapes from his vineyards to the finest wine producers in the area, as was the tradition in the Langhe. In 1973 Alberto di Grésy began vinifying his own wine: the objective to produce wine with the best available technology while respecting tradition, and to transfer as much as possible of the character and personality of the terrain, vineyard site and varietal into the bottle. Famous in ancient Roman times when the estate was known as “Villa Martis”, today Martinenga’s 29.5 acres of Nebbiolo vineyards are considered to be one of the greatest single vineyards dedicated to the production of Barbaresco d.o.c.g. Ideal southern exposure and a particular composition of the soil (blue marl), produces fruit that is transformed into a Barbaresco of extraordinary class and finesse. The winery, recently expanded, provides the means to produce products of the highest quality, with respect to the oenological tradition.   Zenato: The Zenato winery possesses a strong link to the richness of its local history and culture, and continues to develop this connection today. The estate is based in a territory that surrounds Lake Garda, with an extraordinary microclimate that allows for an optimal growing season. Cherishing a ‘frank and simple’ approach to life, Zenato is committed to producing affordable wine of exceptional quality. With a passion for the land and a dedication to vigorous research, innovation and quality improvement, Sergio Zenato strived to eclipse past results. He crafted wines that are known for their quality and consistency. Founded in 1960 by Sergio and Carla Zenato, the Zenato winery was originally based on the production of quality wines from an indigenous varietal, Trebbiano di Lugana. Over time, the winery has been passed to Sergio and Carla’s children, who have maintained and expanded upon this vision. Their daughter Nadia currently handles the marketing and promotional activity for the company, while their son Alberto oversees all aspects of production, from the growing of the vines to the completion of the bottling process. Zenato has also explored another important area of Italian wine production — Valpolicella. It is here that they have dedicated endless efforts to the improvement and success of Amarone production, a wine of noble attributes and prestige. Zenato has entered into international markets and received the highest accolades from the wine industry’s leading experts, praise that reflects the way in which the company operates on a daily basis. Today, Zenato continues to look to the future and invest in development projects based in the areas of Valpolicella and Lugana. Alexander Valley Vineyards: A family-owned and operated winery located in the heart of Sonoma’s Alexander Valley. The historic property was originally settled in the 19th century by Cyrus Alexander, the valley’s namesake. Since 1975 the Wetzel Family has been producing an array of estate wines that reflect the unique character of the property. AVV’s vineyard practices were initially recognized by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance in March 2006 and again in 2010 when named a Sonoma Green Business. CYRUS® is a  registered trademark of Alexander Valley Vineyards. Willamette Valley Vineyards: Founder, Jim Bernau, purchased the Estate site in 1983 and cleared away the old pioneer plum orchard hidden in scotch broom and blackberry vines. He planted Pinot Noir (Pommard and Wadenswil clones), Chardonnay (Dijon and Espiguette) and Pinot Gris. In the beginning he hand watered the vines with thousands of feet of hose. Numerous classes at UC Davis, and seminars from here to France, sharpened Jim’s viticultural skills and in 1989 he was ready to build his dream--a world class winery in the Willamette Valley—and make cool-climate varietals, especially Pinot Noir, in sufficient quantities to be served and sold in the best restaurants and bottle shops in the world. A combination of determination and extraordinary people has brought Willamette Valley Vineyards from an idea to one of the region's leading wineries, earning the title "One of America's Great Pinot Noir Producers," from Wine Enthusiast Magazine. The estate's approach is to grow, by hand, the highest quality fruit using careful canopy management, and to achieve wines that are truly expressive of the varietal and the place where they are grown. Since they ferment and barrel each vineyard lot separately (sometimes as small as two barrels), the winery can save the best barrels for single vineyard bottlings and Signature Cuvée. A stylistic emphasis is on pure varietal fruit characters, with attention to depth, richness of mouthfeel, and balance. The wines are truly a collaborative effort of the entire vineyard and winemaking staff. The winery and underground cellar are carved into the top of an ancient volcanic flow, the soil red from its oxidized iron content and well-drained. This unique terroir is similar to the red clay soil found in the Grand Cru Pinot Noir vineyards of Romaneé-st-Vivant in Burgundy, where the "soil gives France's most perfumed, satiny, expensive wine" (Hugh Johnson, World Atlas of Wine). Saintsbury: Saintsbury was founded in 1981 by winemakers Richard Ward and David Graves. The winery was named in honor of George Saintsbury, an English man of letters best known for his Notes on a Cellar Book. The winery established its reputation early on for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and has long been a champion of these varieties. Silverado: Silverado's winemaking is rooted in the vineyards. The property is dedicated to expressing the delicious quality and character of grapes grown on each of six vineyards in the Napa Valley. Since its founding in 1981, the winery has grown to nearly 400 acres which is farmed organically and sustainably. From them, Silverado produces Estate and Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Chardonnay. Hook & Ladder: In the midst of a 16-year career as a San Francisco Firefighter, Cecil De Loach discovered the Russian River Valley and grape growing. In 1970 he and wife Christine purchased Louis Barbieri’s Zinfandel Ranch planted in 1905. With that purchase, the De Loach family legacy in the Russian River Valley began. After selling the De Loach brand in 2003, Cecil founded Hook & Ladder Winery, a smaller project allowing the family to showcase the best of their 250 acres of fruit. Now in the third generation, Cecil’s grandson, Jason De Loach is hand-crafting wines showcasing the quality and character of a region that only four decades of experience and a family’s commitment can deliver. All Hook & Ladder wines are hand-made in small batches to craft the finest products possible. The wines have garnered hundreds of awards and 90+ ratings since their first vintage in 2003. The winemaking exhibits a consistent style emphasizing bright, bold flavors and aromas, along with elegant structure focused on the vineyards from which the wines are produced. With it’s great-tasting, and best-selling Chardonnay, Cabernet blend, and Zinfandel blend at by-the-glass pricing, it is arguable that Hook & Ladder wines are the best value in the Russian River Valley. Presqu’ile: Presqu'ile winery is a venture with deep roots. For over a century, four generations have partnered in farming, forestry, oil and gas and conservation. Today, two generations of Murphys form the heart of Presqu'ile: Matt, Amanda, Jonathan, Lindsey, Anna, Madison and Suzanne, together with winemaker Dieter Cronje and vineyard manager Jim Stollberg. The Presqu'ile Winery team brings together their heritage, pursuit of excellence, affinity for the land and the motto: If we aren't having fun, why bother? Presqu'ile arose from our penchant for fine wines, an inclination for adventure, and the discovery of Santa Maria Valley's ideal terroir. The property includes 73 acres of certified sustainably farmed vineyards on our 200 acre property where we craft Santa Maria Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah. To complement the estate production, we partner with top growers to source additional outstanding fruit. Jaffurs Wine Cellars: Jaffurs Wine Cellars is dedicated to producing great Rhone varietal wines with a new-world independence. Their wines – Syrah, Grenache, Petite Sirah, Mourvedre, Viognier, Roussanne and Grenache Blanc – are among the best in the county. Owner/winemaker Craig Jaffurs, produced his first professional wines during the 1994 harvest. All the Jaffurs wines are carefully made in small lots. Only about 5000 cases are produced each year – production is limited. All our wines are crushed, pressed, cellared and bottled in their Santa Barbara facility. O’Neill: O'Neill Vintners was founded in 2004 by Jeff O'Neill, former CEO of Golden State Vintners and third generation member of a California winemaking family with roots dating back to 1934. From grape supply through wine processing to bottling services, O'Neill is recognized as the preferred outsourcing partner for many of the world's leading beverage alcohol companies and brand owners. Today, O'Neill Vintners has grown to become the 8th largest U.S. winery and has earned a reputation as one of the premier custom wine producers in California. Gamble Family Vineyards: My (ad)venture in wine seems to me to be a natural progression of history. As a third generation Napa farmer, I have been influenced all my life by my forebears' lives in agriculture. They have left, as part of their legacy, their deep and abiding affinity for the land from which came not only their livelihood, but also a life full of purpose. I am hopeful I can transfer that way of life to yet another generation. Given this legacy, one does not continue farming for dispassionate reasons alone—there are easier ways to make a living. And thus, taking the next step and putting one’s name on a bottle of wine does not come lightly. All our wines are produced in small quantities, with the careful attention to farming my forebears would expect. I hope you will try one or more of my wines and let me know if you agree. - TOM GAMBLE OWNER / Farmer Ferrari Spumante: Established in northern Italy’s Trentino region over a century ago, Ferrari has earned a worldwide reputation as the premier source of luxury metodo classico sparkling wines from Italy. All Ferrari wines are produced according to the regulations of the metodo classico Trento D.O.C, a process akin to that used by the finest Champagne houses. Ferrari’s best-known wines – Ferrari Brut, Perlé and Giulio Ferrari – are blanc de blancs, meaning they are made from 100% Chardonnay, apparent in their remarkable delicacy and finesse. Ferrari was founded in 1902 by Giulio Ferrari. After studying in France, Giulio returned to Trentino convinced that his native region’s terroir was ideal for growing Chardonnay grapes suitable for the production of world-class sparkling wines. A pioneer in Italian viticulture, Ferrari was the first Italian winemaker and viticulturalist to dedicate his vineyards almost entirely to Chardonnay – and by 1906 the awards had begun to roll in. Ferrari was well on its way to producing what would soon become the most famous sparkling wine in all of Italy. In fact, Ferrari is a perennial 22-time winner of the Tre Bicchieri award, Italy’s highest wine accolade, often with Giulio Ferrari and with the most recent honor going to the 2005 Ferrari Perlé Nero bottling in 2012. In 1952, Giulio Ferrari, not having any children, chose friend and local merchant Bruno Lunelli as successor for his beloved business. Today, the third generation of the Lunelli family is at the helm, overseeing 300 acres of prime estate vineyards in Trentino. Production is in the hands of a capable team of eight winemakers, led by chief winemaker Marcello Lunelli, and four agronomists. The pursuit of excellence in all areas of Ferrari production and management is an enduring family legacy with several cousins involved from the new generation: Marcello’s cousin, Matteo Lunelli, is the Chairman of Ferrari F.lli Lunelli SpA, Camilla Lunelli heads up global communications, and Alessandro Lunelli, an engineer by training, is responsible for planning and technical oversight. Plus Castello di Querceto and Dow's Port!