CellarPass Thanksgiving Wine Picks

The CellarPass team just got back from their annual "Turkey-Wine Hunt" with some wonderful wine suggestions for traditional Thanksgiving fare. From no-fail options to some very surprising perfect pairings these wine suggestions will help you select the perfect wines to balance and enhance your holiday feast.

CellarPass Wine Picks

Pinot Noir
Some might say Pinot Noir is a boring pairing that's been overdone, but to us this is a classic and classic is always in style. From our point of view, an excellent Pinot Noir can be your Turkey's best friend on the dinner table. 

Saintsbury 2008 Brown Ranch Pinot Noir

"A reticent red berry fruit nose remained so even with 30 minutes of air. The detailed and dusty medium-bodied flavors possess good depth and mid-palate concentration before terminating in a sappy, mouth coating and focused finish."
Available at Saintsbury Napa, CA

Belle Glos Clark & Telephone Vineyard Pinot Noir

"Scarlet in color; bursting with aromas of cinnamon, caramel and hints of ginger-spiced tea." This wine is available (vintage may vary) at Caymus Vineyards.

Syrah
Not exactly the traditional pick, but maybe that's exactly why we like it so much.  The spicy notes of pepper stand up nicely with herb infused stuffing as well as both light and dark meat and robust gravy.

Delectus 2006 Napa Valley Syrah
"The nose advances through a succession of enticing aromas, starting with smoke and tar, opening into lychee, and arriving at deeply concentrated roasted chestnuts, pepper, and sandalwood. The powerful mouth features a condensed center, with jammy and earthy flavors, and a focused yet extremely long finish."
Visit Delectus a luxury winery tucked in an urban environment in Napa, CA

Burgess Cellars 2007 Napa Valley Syrah
"The aromas of spice and varietal characteristics of blueberries and red fruits are quite pronounced and complemented by oak tones."
Enjoy sweeping views of Napa Valley from Burgess Cellars located in St. Helena, CA


Sparkling Wine
A very popular pairing selection, and not just for special occasions. Sparkling wines are elegant and incredibly food friendly, but the flavors of Thanksgiving will really make this wine stand out. Sparkling wines are a perfect selection that can easily take you from appetizers to dessert.

JCB # 69 Brut Rose

"For Jean-Charles Boisset, our dry rosé No. 69 sparkling wine is not a dainty
pink thing. It's a FLAMBOYANT, profound mouthful of serious bubbles. The VIBRANT crispness of No. 69 is thirst quenching. Yet the flavors—evocative
of pinot noir—are beautifully SENSUAL."
You can taste and procure this wine at the JCB Tasting Room in Healdsburg, CA or the JCB Lounge located at Raymond Vineyards in St. Helena, CA.

Mumm Napa Brut Reserve Rose

"The elegant Brut Reserve Rosé displays alluring notes of dark cherry, cranberry, and raspberry on the nose. The yeast characters on the palate nicely balance the fruit, and the wine is notable for its great structure and long finish. The robust quality of this Brut Rosé makes it an excellent wine to pair with many cuisines, ranging from California fusion to Indian curries. It is especially wonderful as an aperitif, served with hors d’oeuvres."
Visit Mumm Napa to sip this delightful wine and pick up a few bottles while you are there.

Rose
We always tuck away a few bottles of our summer rose just for Thanksgiving.  This versitile Thanksgiving wine is a perfect go between for those who are not firmly set on just reds or whites.

Flora Springs 2010 Syrah Rose

"A wonderfully balanced dry rose with essecnce of strawberry and peach and a crisp acidity that begs to be paired with spice, herbs and of course turkey."
Head to Flora Springs' Tasting Room "The Room" located in St. Helena, CA next door to Dean and Deluca.

Sauvignon Blanc
These wines tend to be crisp and bright with abundant citrus flavors that love spice and herbs and the acidity is a wonderful counterpart to rich high-fat dishes. Sauvignon Blanc naturally goes well with turkey and creamy mashed potatoes.

Robert Mondavi 2009 Fume Blanc

A drier wine that stands out from sweeter Sauvignon Blancs. "Plush, exotic aromas of guava, passion fruit and verbena layer over flavors of ripe white peaches and nectarines on the palate, wrapped in mouth-watering acidity and extending into a lively finish."
Visit Robert Mondavi Winery in Oakville, CA. Tour the gournds, sip bottled history.

Raymond Vineyards 2009 Reserve Sauvignon Blanc

"Opening aromas of lemongrass, thyme, and white apricots are layered with notes of licorice and tart fruits, followed by citrus and grapefruit flavors with
a crisp, lively acidity. Refreshingly bright, with hints of minerality and a well structured mouth feel.  "
Visit Raymond Vineyards located in St. Helena, CA

Pinot Grigio
Balances quite well with garlic, onions, herb and decadent high fat dishes making this wine an absolute go to pairing for your Thanksgiving meal.

Swanson Vineyards 2009 Pinot Grigio

"Year after year, this is a stunner: vibrant aromas, flavors of ripe peach and pear, and a clean goodbye kiss will leave you feeling strangely tingly, giggly even—and possessed by the perfectly outrageous notion of pairing it with caviar and potato chips (as we do in the Salon), the centerpiece of a picnic in bed or a sunny afternoon doing nothing at all. Wanna know what a Pinot Grigio grape tastes like on the vine? Buy a case and find out; this grape loses nothing in translation."
Swing by the Sip Shoppe at Swanson Vineyards it's like a candy store for adults.

All of us at CellarPass wish you a very Safe and Happy Thanksgiving!

Fall Cleaning

Most of us are familiar with the term Spring Cleaning. The time of year (usually the Spring) when you clean just about everything to start a fresh for the Spring including to those hard to reach spots that in our home are reserved for dust bunnies.

For me fall cleaning is a tradition and celebration of my favorite season and all that it brings from beautiful colors, bountiful harvest, to deep rich flavors and aromas of fall cuisine and of course the big red wines that pair with them so nicelyHere are some tips for a perfect Fall Cleaning Celebration…
1. Start in your kitchen (just do it) and store anything that is obviously summery and bring out the fall/winter collection of soup bowls and your slow cooker that probably have been pushed back into the depths of your pantry by now.

2. Start preparing a big pot of soup this is great time to make minestrone which will help you clean out your produce in the refrigerator too.
3. While your soup is simmering go finish the rest of your fall cleaning tasks.
4. Dust your wine cellar. While you are there pull out a nice bottle of red wine. You’re probably ready to sip on something not white right about now anyway. A merlot or Syrah would go nicely with hearty minestrone too.
5. Now pour a glass of wine, light some candles and toast to the beauty of fall…enjoy!

-Sarah Elliman

CELLARPASS RESERVATIONS UP 250%, CONSUMER TRAFFIC UP 63%

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Next Generation Reservation Tool Does Double-Duty for Wineries as Traffic Generator and Hospitality Management Tool

 For Visitors, Makes Touring Wine Country Easy with Free
Customized Search Results, Reservations, and Itineraries

(NAPA, CA, June 12, 2011) -- CellarPass, the leading online destination to explore, book and share wine country experiences has announced record reservations growth of more than 250% for appointments placed in May 2011 over April 2011, shattering all previous company records to date.

“The reservation and consumer membership growth for CellarPass has far exceeded industry expectations,” states Sarah Elliman, VP Marketing & Sales for CellarPass. “But that’s only the beginning of the good news, we are also showing a record conversion rate of 25% - meaning more visitors for our customers, not just inquiries” continues Elliman.

More than 10,000 consumers used CellarPass to book their Napa Valley wine tastings and tours, which led to $80,000 plus in winery tasting fee revenues in the month of May. “We’re focused on reaching out to wineries and showing them how easy it is to increase consumer visits and it shows as CellarPass represents more winery clients in more states than any other winery reservation system,” states Elliman. “We’re also endorsed by more regional organizations, further recognizing the service’s leadership and commitment to increasing tourism.”

Continued growth and higher conversion rates are projected for the future according to Elliman, as their new Concierge interface has become popular with the hospitality and travel planning professionals, netting a large increase in reservations for their winery members. “No more leaving messages or trading emails with the winery. Concierges simply go to www.cellarpass.com/concierge, and with a few clicks, they are done.”

CellarPass Benefits for Wineries

•   Allow guests to reserve their wine tasting or tour 24/7

•   Generate additional visitor traffic, both online and in your tasting room

•   Improve back office management

•   Increase consumer database

•   No software to install with CellarPass.com’s web-based system

•   Seamless integrated with popular industry Point of Sale and Ecommerce systems

About CellarPass
Launched in January 2010, CellarPass^SM is the leading wine tasting and tour reservation website that offers consumers easy and free access to customized winery searches, real-time confirmed reservations and shareable itineraries. Cellarpass provides the tools wineries need to promote events nationwide while connecting with their guests in ways that enhance the visitor experience and build long-lasting relationships.

For more information, please contact Sarah Elliman at (707) 255-4390, or email selliman@cellarpass.com. Follow CellarPass on Facebook at http://facebook.com/cellarpass and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/cellarpass to get the freshest updates.

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The Do's and Don'ts For Visiting Wine Country

If you have ever gone wine tasting then you may have witnessed a faux pas or two by fellow tasting room guests.  If you haven’t well, then shhhhh, it might be you, just kidding.  In our travels and wine tasting adventures, we have seen it all from the most polished  to the “I hope no one saw that” moments and this week we share our tips so you hopefully will never experience the latter.  

Do’s

1.       Invite friends or family. Wine is meant to be shared and CellarPass makes it easy to add guests to your itinerary (just sayin’)

2.       Ask questions. Don’t be shy if you really want to expand your knowledge about wine then speak up.  Your tour guide or tasting room host is eager to share information and educate you on their wines.  Here’s your chance to get all your questions answered- you might be surprised what you will learn.

3.       Plan ahead. Many wineries offer unique tours and tasting, but have limited space. So waiting until you arrive in wine country to pick your wineries to visit may limit your choice of experiences as many of the special tours and tastings require at least 48 hours notice- some even longer depending on demand.

4.       Have a designated driver or hire a driver or car service. There are plenty of options out there to meet just about everyone’s budget and you don’t want your memories of wine country to be the about how nice the police officer at the station was.

5.      Eat. Yes, it seems simple enough, but as you work your way through your selected wineries it can be easy to forget about. Plan to stop for lunch in between wine tastings or select a winery that has picnic ground for you to enjoy and bring a bountiful basket of goodies to share with your friends.  Many wineries also offer catered fare from box lunches to abundant spreads depending on your desires. CellarPass.com even allows you to book reservations with restaurants in Napa, Sonoma and beyond, so check it out.

6.     Drink. Water that is. Be sure to sip water between your tastings to keep hydrated especially on the beautiful summer days. Most people recommend a glass of water for every glass of wine. We recommend way more than that in the summer as it tends to get pretty hot (and humid) in wine country and the best way to make it through the whole day is to keep your fluids up and the hangover monster away.

Don’ts

1.     Don't be Late. Plan to arrive at least 5 minutes early for your tasting or tour.  Your timely arrival will give you time to check in and allow your host to provide you with a memorable experience.  Unless you know the area you are visiting very, very well leave at least 30 minutes between tastings to allow for driving time.  It can easily take 45 minutes or more to get from Calistoga to Napa in the famed Napa Valley.

2.     Don't be a No Show. If you can’t avoid being late or gulp, need to cancel your appointment, have the courtesy to call the winery to let them know. This will allow the winery to take other appointments or at least not rush the other group out the door in preparation of your scheduled visit. The cool thing about CellarPass is that you can cancel in most cases right through your My Account page.

3.      Don't Overbook. Keep your winery visits to no more than 4 wineries per day.  Nothing is worse than being rushed to get through your wine tasting.  Relax and enjoy, that’s what this is all about.

4.     Drink too much.  We understand that you want to have a good time, however, know your limit. If you’re drunk, you can’t appreciate the wines and chances are you’ll annoy those around you too. Many wineries are on the lookout for these sorts of people after lunch and have no problem '86ing you no matter who you are.

5.     Don't forget where you’ve been.  All too often when we meet fellow winery visitors we find out they cannot remember which wineries they visited on a previous trip. Sadly, they almost always really enjoyed the wines they tried, but darn it if they can’t tell us the name.  Keep a note pad or wine journal for your reference.  CellarPass keeps track of your booked wineries, so you don’t have too.  Now, you will have no problem finding the name of that really great winery next time and where you went last. 

6.     Don't be a victim of fashion. Ladies this one is for you. We love our Jimmy Choo’s too, but many wineries are well, surprise…rustic.  Some of the best wineries have gravel roads and non-stiletto friendly environments. Be smart and pack a pair of flats just in case.  You’d hate to turn down an impromptu invitation from the winemaker to do some barrel tasting in the cellar…right???

Did you know that CellarPass is not only a great place to plan your visit to wine country, but you can also view hotel accommodations, restaurant guides and more?

Pet Friendly Wine Country

Wine Country Is the Ultimate Getaway For Your Pampered Pooch

It is safe to say that people are pretty much taking their dogs everywhere these days.  If you happen to be one of them and you enjoy the wine country as much as we do, then read on dear friends…

Some of us here at CellarPass like to bring our furry friends on outings as often as possible, even as I write this our resident daschund, Brandi is relaxing on her office bed.  As much as we like to travel with our best friends it can sometimes be difficult to find places that truly welcome and can accommodate Fido.  That being said, we are lucky that wine country is such a perfect place to visit with your pooch and from wineries to luxurious lodging here are some ”five paw” recommendations for you. 



Photo Courtesey of Napa River Inn



The Napa River Inn located in the historic Napa Mill is a wonderful boutique inn with echoes of a bygone era. The property is conveniently surrounded by shops, galleries and some of Napa Valley’s top restaurants most offer romantic outdoor seating as well.  Your pooch will be spoiled with the Inn’s VIP (Very Important Pet) program. Some of the highlights of this special service include a custom-designed pet blanket with a color coordinated place mat, Napa Valley Cab-Bone-Nay or Char-Dog-Nay dog biscuits and a personalized welcome letter with a list of local pet support services from dog walkers to on-call veterinarian.   Visit the Napa River Inn website to reserve your room today. http://www.napariverinn.com/about-us/pet-services.cfm

When it comes to dining you can always grab a quick sandwich or smoothie and head to the park for people watching and fetch. But half the fun of visiting wine country is the fabulous restaurants too. So, when the humans in the group prefer a meal actually served at a table your choices can be quite limiting. Fret not, during the warmer months many establishments in this wine and food mecca have wonderful outdoor seating options which typically allow well behaved dogs (but it is always polite to ask first).  But to give you a couple ideas, here are two we find dog-gone good…

Bistro Don Giovanni, this Napa Valley favorite is very pet friendly. They won’t necessarily go over the top for your tail wagging friend, however, their outdoor patio and art clad courtyard offer both canine and human an excellent choice for fine dining.  A more casual option is Downtown Joe’s in Napa. This brew pub “welcomes all species (including K-9)” and serves up traditional American favorites and incredible hand-crafted micro brews.

Of course we couldn’t write this article without mentioning our favorite dog friendly, errr dog crazy winery, Mutt Lynch located in Healdsburg, CA.  We think the name says it all, but don’t be fooled by the tongue and cheek label the wines are every bit as balanced and refined as those from more serious names.  This appointment only property will host you and your four legged buddies in their rustic barn tasting cellar.  While you sip and enjoy the bounties of wine country, your pampered pooch can nosh on complimentary dog biscuits and stretch out on the cool cellar floor.  Mutt Lynch is also a supporter of local canine rescue and charity organizations. What is not to love about this place?

To view more pet friendly wineries visit Click Here and select "Pet Friendly" in the Advanced Search.

How To Do Red, White and Blue In Wine Country

If you want a fun and festive getaway this 4^th of July weekend, then get ready to head to wine country.  We’ve got the info for release parties, barbeques and hometown celebrations and of course where to view the best firework shows in wine country regions coast to coast. 

Napa Valley

4^th of July in Napa Valley is a perfect time to visit with the family as you will have a hard time not finding something incredibly fun to do from fairs to spectacular winery parties you are sure to have a memorable holiday.

Calistoga - Napa Valley

Annual 4^th of July Parade – July 4^th @ 11:00am

Calistoga has long been host to the Silverado 4^th of July Parade.  Come grab a street side spot right downtown and view this community tradition filled with floats, clowns, classic cars, horses and more.

Napa Country Fair - July 1 – 4^th

If you love a hometown celebration, then the Napa Country fair in Calistoga is where you’ll want to be.  Get your corndog and cotton candy fix and spend a great day with kids exploring the Antique Tractor & Truck exhibit, be a farmer for a day, pony rides or just play on the midway at the Carnival.  Fair hours July 1^st 4pm – 11pm, July 2 – 4^th Noon – 11pm. Admission $8

Fireworks Spectacular - July 4^th @ 9:30pm the Fair Grounds

For more information visit http://www.napacountyfair.org/County-Fair/index.html 

St. Helena - Napa Valley

Cheers! St. Helena – July 1^st 6pm to 8pm

Enjoy fine wine, restaurants, entertainment, and shops. Bring your friends, meet new friends and welcome visitors as we celebrate here in St. Helena, Napa Valley's Main Street.

Flora Springs and Clif Family Winery

Spend your day wine tasting with our friends at Flora Springs The Room and http://www.cellarpass.com/Clif-Family-Winery-Farm.aspx, both have cold crisp whites perfect for a summer day.  Just as dusk starts to set in, find your way just outside of town near Louis M. Martini winery and Sutter Home and find a spot to view the show.  Bring a blanket and a basket filled with some goodies to enjoy during this truly amazing fireworks show.

Show starts around 9pm and is paired with a music presentation that can be heard by tuning your radio to 88.1 FM.

Yountville - Napa Valley

4^th of July Celebration & Fireworks – July 4^th Noon – 9:30pm  FREE

You can’t get much more American than the Yountville 4^th of July Celebration & Fireworks show at the Veterans Home of California.  Join the veterans at this historic and beautiful property for a day of American pride, live music, food vendors and more.  Stop by Page Wine Cellars in down town Yountville and try some of their wonderful hand crafted wines before making your way to the Veterans Home.

New York

Finger Lakes Wine Country

4^th of July marks the first official weekend of summer in Finger Lakes Wine Country and we can’t think of a better way to celebrate than spending time with friends and family visiting the many wineries and beautiful lakes of this incredible region. 

July 2^nd & 3^rd

Glenora Winery – Dundee, NY

Visit Glenora Wine Cellars on beautiful Seneca lake for the release of their new Chillaxin Red wine.  The tasting room will be festive in celebration of Independence Day and this cool new wine. 

July 1^st – 3^rd

Three Brothers Wineries -  Geneva, NY

Kick off the holiday weekend in style! At Three Brothers Winery & Estate enjoy live music while visiting the three wineries and the War Horse brewery, yes that is four different places to sample wines and brews all on one estate.  Then relax with some wine and tapas to share as you take in the fireworks display over the lake from the Stony Lonesome terrace. 

Wine Country & race cars…vrooooooom!

Head to Watkins Glen International “The Glen” in beautiful Finger Lakes wine country to take part in the Camping World Grand Prix IndyCar Series. Your admission includes access to the IndyCar autograph session, Saturday night concert featuring Phish and more.

Buy Tickets

Napa Valley Boutique Wineries

The CellarPass team has been hard at work researching unique wineries off the beaten path, thoroughly evaluating fine estates, caves and unbelievable views and even sampling small production hand-crafted wines all to provide you with this week’s CellarPass picks and for that our research team thanks you. 

If you are planning a visit to wine country, but large wineries and their crowds send a shudder down your spine or you just prefer the extraordinary, you will love the CellarPass picks for an intimate Napa Valley experience.  These boutique wineries will ensure you receive personalize service, access to unique and often private wine tasting experiences ranging from sit down tastings of flights or verticals in private estates to progressive tastings working from the vineyard into the caves for barrel tastings providing a glimpse of what the wine country lifestyle is all about and giving you very memorable trip to Napa Valley. 

Bialla Vineyards

Perched 1700 feet above the Napa Valley in the Atlas Peak Appellation, this boutique winery enjoys exquisite terroir resulting in very highly rated wines.  Bialla is a very private estate that offers dramatic views of the Napa Valley where you may taste their limited production (500 cases max) wines.  Bialla is best visited during the weekdays for the best selection of appointment times.

http://www.cellarpass.com/memberdetails.aspx?id=6320&stdt=6/21/2011

CADE Winery – Howell Mountain

CADE Winery, the latest project from PlumpJack, is located in the heart of scenic Howell Mountain in Angwin, CA. CADE Winery is a unique, state-of-the-art winery, awarded LEED Gold Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.  CADE winery is proud to be Napa Valley's first organically farmed, LEED Gold Certified Winery.  The CellarPass team recommends, enjoying your wine tasting outdoors and take in the sweeping views of the Napa Valley below, among a dramatic hillside of Manzanita trees, while relaxing in the cozy lounge chairs a perfect place to sip a glass of CADE’s small production Sauvignon Blanc.

http://www.cellarpass.com/Cade-Winery.aspx

Caymus Vineyards - Rutherford

One of the most famed wineries in Napa Valley, Caymus has been producing award winning Cabernet Sauvignon since 1972.  Your visit to Caymus will be a private wine tasting experience with personalized service by their experienced staff.  Due to their popularity commitment to a quality, personal experience advanced reservations are highly recommended and are pretty much necessity during the peak season. 

http://www.cellarpass.com/memberdetails.aspx?id=95&stdt=6/21/2011

Keenan Winery – Spring Mountain

This rustic stone winery located on beautiful Spring Mountain will not disappoint. While the beauty and history of the land are appealing, it is the richness of the soils that makes the hillside perfect for an estate winery. These soils are, in great measure, responsible for the dramatic intensity of the fruit associated with the ultra-premium wines produced at Robert Keenan Winery. The winery recently completed a solar power system on their property. The system will supply all of the winery's power needs.

Keenan Winery has earned its rank among CellarPass’ most loved wineries.  This is a great place to enjoy a picnic lunch and linger just awhile longer on a summer afternoon.

http://www.cellarpass.com/memberdetails.aspx?id=4171&stdt=6/21/2011

Ladera Vineyards – Howell Mountain

What is it about this particular area that yields such amazing mountain fruit wines and breathtaking winery estates too?  Whatever it is, it’s working! The CellarPass team loves visiting Howell Mountain wineries. Ladera is sure to please for those looking for something special; the Estate Tour is an intimate and comprehensive experience of the LADERA story from dirt to table. Hear about the winery’s history as you walk through the vineyard. Learn about their gravity flow winemaking techniques and explore the restored 1886 stone winery. Enjoy the cool air of wine caves and then share the best from the Estate Vineyards in Ladera’s private Great Room.  

If your plans allow you for a mid-week visit, Ladera’s Howell Mountain Experience is an absolute must.  Although advanced planning is required (2 weeks notice to be exact), this full day tour and tasting package is all you will need for a most unforgettable experience. You will visit three of the Valley's most well respected family-owned Cabernet producers. This is a chance for true wine lovers to taste exceptional wines that exhibit the unique terroir that makes Howell Mountain so special.

http://www.cellarpass.com/Ladera-Vineyards.aspx

Vine Cliff Winery – Napa

The beauty, the history, the wines we simply cannot gush enough about this winery estate.   This small, family-owned winery located in the Oakville appellation of Napa Valley is nestled in a quiet canyon high above the valley floor.  Each appointment is private allowing their attentive staff to provide a unique and educational experience where you will learn about the rich history of this property and taste their acclaimed wines from the estate vineyards.  

http://www.cellarpass.com/Vine-Cliff-Winery.aspx

The Wine Country Next Door

Ah wine country, just the mere thought and we’re dreaming of lush green vineyards, rolling hills, stunning estates and of course the incredible wines.  A trip to wine country may be at the top of your list, but perhaps plans have otherwise derailed your weekend. Not to worry, wine country could be as close to you as just around the corner. That’s right, with the revival of the Urban Winery in full swing there are new wineries turning up in some of the most unexpected of locations all over the U.S.

Even in the heart of wine country there are many tasting rooms and wineries emerging on downtown streets and warehouse districts in the surrounding areas.  Many of these new urban tasting rooms are popping up in small clusters, excuse the pun, giving visitors an opportunity to stroll and taste various wines from multiple producers in a single location. What’s even more intriguing about these cool new venues, is that so many are embracing their unique locations and creating more of a lounge like atmosphere with comfortable chic spaces to relax and linger and often offer wines by the glass and in some cases light bites too. Some even stay open later than their vineyard based sisters, making them great options for a pre dinner or after work glass of vino with friends.

We love these urban wineries and tasting rooms with their unexpected twist to the traditional vineyard winery tasting experience.  City residents and tourists alike can take an easy getaway to the wine country next door.

Here are some CellarPass picks for local urban winery tasting rooms….

Napa Valley

Bourassa Vineyards  - Napa, CA

Tucked away in the warehouse district located in South Napa, Bourassa Vineyards maintains one of Napa's most distinguished and intimate wine tasting rooms. For an unforgettable start to any Napa Valley wine tour, escape to our luxurious private lounge where friendly, expert staff will guide you through the range and depth of our award winning vintages.  

http://www.cellarpass.com/Bourassa-Vineyards.aspx

Page Cellars / Revolver Wine Co. -  Yountville, CA

Centrally located in Yountville, Page Wine Cellars’ tasting room or “Saloon” as they prefer is an easy walk from hotels, fabulous shopping and world renowned restaurants.  Additionally with at least 24 hours notice, you may book a special appointment for a tasting at their “Garage” winery located in downtown Napa. This is “where all of the craziness happens” and you’ll get to experience the most intimate side of Page Wine Cellars & the Revolver Wine Co. Relax and enjoy current releases and barrel samples of tasty treats in our cellar.

http://www.cellarpass.com/Page-Wine-Revolver.aspx

Clif Family Winery & Farm at Velo Vino

Velo Vino is a unique place where the passions of cycling and wine are celebrated and blended. A road less traveled where you can taste Clif Family wines, sample the latest Clif Bar flavors, enjoy an espresso drink and embark on a world-class cycling excursion, all right in the heart of the Napa Valley. Visit the newly opened patio where you can relax with your Clif Family wine or espresso in the tranquil garden setting. Velo Vino is a great place to start or end your wine tasting adventure.

http://www.cellarpass.com/Clif-Family-Winery-Farm.aspx

Flora Springs The Room -  St. Helena, CA

One of our favorite spots to enjoy a glass of wine is Flora Springs’ The Room.  The hip roof top lounge is a great place to enjoy lunch and a glass of wine and take in the views of Napa Valley’s west hills. The Room's modern design evokes the natural springs and hillside caves of our Estate, located just down the road. Private Cave Rooms are also available for group tastings or barrel samples with our friendly and educational hospitality staff. No appointment necessary; drop in for wines by the glass, a wine tasting flight or food pairing with our top-rated Napa Valley wines.

http://www.florasprings.com/visit/the_room.php

Sonoma County

These next three are all located in the urban winery village of Santa Rosa’s Vintner’s Square…

D’Argenzio Winery – Santa Rosa, CA

Although you are just minutes from downtown and mall shopping in either direction, once you step through the doors at D’Argenzio you are swept away to what feels like an Italian Trattoria and will be treated to tasting their sumptuous Russian River Valley and Dry Creek wines.

http://www.cellarpass.com/DArgenzio-Winery.aspx

D'Argenzio Burbank Enoteca -  Burbank, CA
The sister property to D'Argenzio Winery in Santa Rosa, the Burbank Enoteca provides the same old world style wines rich with family tradition, but in the hip So Cal location.  D'Argenzio Burbank Enoteca is a family friendly venue and is open late too.

http://www.cellarpass.com/DArgenzio-Enoteca.aspx 

Sheldon Wines - Santa Rosa, CA

The “Sippy Room “of Sheldon Wines embraces a slightly more gritty industrial vibe is definitely a cool way to sip traditional wines.  A Micro-Winery crafting single vineyard designate wines of excellence. Sheldon  wines are sustainably farmed, hand harvested and basket pressed. Many small lots are hand bottled and hand labeled by Dylan and myself. We make limited productions of award winning Chardonnay, Viognier, Pinot Noir, Grenache, Graciano, Petite Sirah and Cabernet Sauvignon. A few special vineyards only yield enough for a single barrel (just 25 cases).

http://www.cellarpass.com/Sheldon-Wines.aspx

Krutz Family Cellars – Santa Rosa, CA

Get the best that Krutz Family Cellars has to offer from past, present, and future. You will have the opportunity to experience a personal tasting from a member of the Krutz Family starting with our current releases, then move to the some past library wines, and then take a peek into the future through the bung-holes of the barrels! A must for those who want to experience all Krutz Family Cellars has to offer!

http://www.cellarpass.com/krutz-family-cellars.aspx

Wineries Expecting the Busiest Summer Since 2008

With summer right around the corner, wineries all over the US are preparing what is expected to be the busiest summer in over 4 years. Hampered by the economy which prevented many wine consumers from planning wine country vacations, wineries are rolling out the red carpet by designing and offering new tours and tastings, larger discounts on purchases and using social media to engage wine lovers to plan a wine country visit. Websites like CellarPass are designed to help wine country visitors plan their visits by making reservations.

The staff at CellarPass has been tracking industry traffic patterns since 2006 and the traffic on their website for 2011 is setting records. In fact in May 2011, visitors to CellarPass.com was up 26%, while reservation traffic was up nearly 250% breaking all previous single month records. "We're very pleased with May's numbers, but most since most of the regions experienced inclimant weather, many consumers waited it out and made reservations for later summer months like July and August", says Sarah Elliman, VP of Sales and Marketing for CellarPass. "June is off to a rough start, but the forecast for the second week of June looks really good, with warm weather settling in", continues Elliman. This not only makes the winemakers happy as this helps accelerate the growing season, but consumers flock to wine country when the sun is out and the weather is warm."

The weird weather patterns haven't stopped the CellarPass staff from getting more wineries readied for the summer as they've recently added wineries to their website so that wine country visitors can plan their visits by building itineries and making reservations. Wineries in New York, such as Seneca Lake, Hudson Valley and Cayuga Lake have joined CellarPass, while more have been added to Calaveras, Sonoma and Napa. "We're very happy to see wineries embracing CellarPass for it's leadership in usability, market leadership as wineries have greatly benefitted from our coast-to-coast reach. By having wineries in New York benefits wineries in Sonoma as consumers have identified CellarPass as the clear brand of choice when making their wine country plans", says Sarah Elliman.

"What has suprised wineries the most is guests making reservations for months out, rather than just days", says Tim Campbell. "Our early research showed that visitors would use the system to book months out, even as long as a year out to celebrate anniversaries, birthdays and so on and we're really happy that it's proving our early data."

With wineries expecting more wine country visitors, there's never been a better time to take the time to visit CellarPass.com, plan your intinerary and make reservations, guaranteeing your spot on the tour or space at the tasting bar. And now, with CellarPass offering reservations for popular wine country restaurants, it couldn't be any easier for you to sign up and get started as it takes just a few clicks to create an account and start planning your itinerary as it's FREE to join and costs nothing to make reservations 24/7. Learn More

Where to Go Wine Tasting in Napa Valley

One of the most common questions we ask consumers is "where should I go wine tasting in Napa?" There's no right or wrong answer as just like cars, houses, clothes and mobile phones, each one provides a unique experience waiting to be enjoyed. "A common issue when going wine tasting in groups is finding a winery that everyone will like", says Sarah Elliman, VP at CellarPass. "It's why from the very beginning, we included an advanced search feature on CellarPass that allows our guests to search by popular points of interest such as varietals offered, types of tours (barrel tasting, cave tour, vineyard tour) and what ammenities the destination has to offer such as scenic view, architectural appeal, etc", contiunes Elliman. "By entering the "likes" from the entire group, CellarPass provides a great list of wineries that match the selected criteria and in seconds they can make a reservation so everyone in the group of friends or family are happy."

So back to where do you go? It's easy. You should always start at CellarPass as it provides quick winery recommendations on the homepage and rotate frequently- so check it often. For even more ideas, CellarPass took it a step further by receiving recommendations from popular bloggers and other wine coutnry visitors of where they like to go visit and published the Quick Wine Country Getaway ideas (Napa Valley and Calaveras County) which allows you to book the whole itinerary as, or just book potions of it. "The getaway ideas have been a big hit and we're currently preparing another set which will include Sonoma and Seneca Lake which we're all very fond of, so be sure to keep your eyes out for them in the coming weeks", continues Elliman. "Some of us managed to get a sneak peak of the Finger Lakes region in April and we were all blown away of the hospitality and quality of the wines that were offered to us."

With no winery created equal, we'll always have our favorites and here's a great list of wineries beyond the wine country getaway ideas.

Napa Valley (View Complete List)
Burgess Cellars- The view is spectacular, but the Cabernet is a total sleeper- meaning that Burgess should be on every wine list, but then there wouldn't be any left for us here since they are very limited production.
Reservations are highly recommended as Burgess is very small, but big on wines!

Domaine Charbay- Expect bare bones, rustic charm, but be prepared to be blown away of the wines and other goodies that are offered. Be sure to say "Hi" to Sunny and Snifter for us.

Cade Winery- After stopping at Burgess, head up the hill just a bit further to Cade Winery. Be sure to make a reservation for the outside patio in Spring through early Fall as the view here is magical. Looking South, you can chillax with a group of friends, surrounded by tall pine trees while savoring 90+ point wines.

Clif Family at Velo Vino- -Soon to be the center of the Napa Valley cycling universe, bring your bike and an appetite for an early espresso (summer only) or an after-ride glass of Sauvignon Blanc. The tasting room is beautiful and the patio out back is a great place to hang out and meet up with friends before and after a long ride in the valley.

Flora Springs Winery & Vineyards- If you head North on Highway 29 towards St. Helena, you will drive right by Flora Springs which is in the center of "South of St. Helena Mecca", where you can peruse Dean and Delucca's hundreds of cheeses, fresh produce, delicious baked goods and the local secret butcher shop that we'll be sure to leave out here- you'll see it when you are there. Make a reservation for their Rooftop so you can get a nice view of the upper valley from there.

Vine Cliff- Tucked back in the eastern slopes of Napa Valley for good reasons., Vine Cliff quiet, romantic and secluded from the "hustle and bustle" of the Napa Valley west side.  We love it because of the way you approach the winery, filled with mountain-side gardens, ponds and if you are nice to Mark or Pete, they may even let you hold an ad hoc picnic lunch. Reservations are a must as they only offer private tours.

If you are spending a couple of days in the Napa Valley, be sure that you sneak over to Sonoma County for an entirely different experience. CellarPass offers a great list of wineries to choose from.

CellarPass Reports Double-Digit Growth in Reservations and Site Traffic

CellarPass, the leading destination to explore, book and share wine country experiences announced that their website is recording unprecedented growth which has been contributed by their national and regional marketing campaigns, sponsored events and addition of their wine country getaway ideas to Napa Valley and Calaveras County wineries. Further analysis of their unique visitor traffic have shown an increase of affinity for the CellarPass.com  which has swelled by 59% in the last 30 days.

"Our staff has been working very hard to not only add more wineries to our reservation service, but to expand that into other verticals such as restaurants, transportation services and more", says Sarah Elliman, VP of Sales and Marketing for CellarPass. "This work has shown early signs of success and expect this to grow even more as the tourism season kicks into high gear in the next couple of weeks", continues Elliman. "With the season kicking up, our staffers have been really busy getting new wineries added on a weekly basis which is a win-win for everyone." Cade Winery, Glenora Wine Cellars, Flora Springs Winery & Vineyards and Clif Family at Velo Vino are just a few of the many recently added to CellarPass.

CellarPass has recorded significant growth to their website which is known for being the leading destination for visitors to explore, book and share wine country experiences. In April, CellarPass processed over 8000 guests, proving to wineries that when given the opportunity to make a reservation, guests will take advantage of the service. "May is showing unprecedented growth over April in the first 11 days and we expect to set another all-time record for number of reservations and guests handled by CellarPass", contiues Elliman.

To see a complete list of CellarPass' comprehensive list of features for their popular reservation management service, click here. To see a list of CellarPass' wineries, click here. For more information, contact Jonathan Elliman at (707) 255-4390 or via technology@cellarpass.com. Follow CellarPass on FaceBook at http://www.facebook.com/CellarPass, on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/CellarPass and our Blog at http://www.CellarPass.com/Blog to get the freshest updates.

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CellarPass Maintains Industry Leadership Through Technology and US Coverage

CellarPass, the leading destination to explore, book and share wine country experiences announced that it has completed the much-anticipated service upgrade which includes many new features that were co-developed with some of our leading winery clients. Features that include a completely redesigned backoffice reservation management interface and integration with popular calendaring systems such as Microsoft Outlook, Lotus Notes, Apple's iPhone and iCal and many more. Now, not only do consumers get to use the best technology, they are using the reservation system that offers the most nationwide service.

"We've been working on the latest phase of development for over 6 months now and by working closely with our subscribers, particularly our power users, our development team has delivered more industry firsts for this vertical than any other reservation system for the wine industry", says Jonathan Elliman, Chief Technology Officer for CellarPass. "When we initially launched our reservation service, we came right out of the gate with features and integrations that to this day, none of our competitors have", says Elliman.

Launched in March 2010, CellarPass took the industry by storm by offering seamless integration with Microsoft's Retail Management System, which is the leading Point of Sale system for the wine industry. Then in April 2011, CellarPass launched their integration with OpenTable so that visitors to the Cellarpass website can book with wineries and restaurants. "The integration with popular calendaring system is another first", says Jonathan. "So many wineries have chosen CellarPass over our competitor's simply on our system's interface alone, but we like to think that it's our whole platform that makes the difference too." CellarPass is already in the works of expanding their coverage to include transportation services, activities and more.

With the latest upgrade to the CellarPass service, when consumers or wineries make reservations, they immediately have the option to add the appointment in their own calendar, whether it's on their iPhone, desktop, iPad or any calendar program that is iCal 2.0 compliant. "The calendar integration takes CellarPass to a whole new level as wineries can now sync their CellarPass reservations with their company's internal calendar, allowing employees to plan their resources, being space, hosts, tableware or what have you", continues Elliman. Guests get the conveniece of store their reservation information in their smartphone's calendar with details such as confirmation number, winery contact info, event details and more.

Since January 2011, CellarPass has doubled the number of guests processed through the system with over 4,000 guests in April alone. The trend is expected to continue to grow as CellarPass launches more wineries in other regions such as Finger Lakes in New York and Calaveras in California's Sierra foothills over the next 2-3 weeks. CellarPass already manages over 30% of the wineries in Calaveras County and a handfull in the Seneca Lake wine country have already launched ahead of the official June launch date. CellarPass already has growing coverage of Sonoma County, Napa Valley and has begun expanding into other grapegrowing regions such as Virginia, Oregon and Washington State.

To see a complete list of CellarPass' comprehensive list of features for their popular reservation management service, click here. To see a list of CellarPass' wineries, click here. For more information, contact Jonathan Elliman at (707) 255-4390 or via technology@cellarpass.com. Follow CellarPass on FaceBook at http://www.facebook.com/CellarPass, on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/CellarPass and our Blog at http://www.CellarPass.com/Blog to get the freshest updates.

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San Francisco Pink Out Sponsored by CellarPass- Sold Out

CellarPass, the leading destination to explore, book and share wine country experiences closed out a great evening in San Francisco on Tuesday night at PinkOut 2011 aheld at Butterfly Restaurant. The first half of the tasting event was attended by over 100 media and trade representatives, giving an opportunity for a CellarPass test drive. Unaware of such a service existed, many were very excited to see how much information CellarPass provides on wineries, tasting rooms, restaurants and more.

The second half of the evening allowed over 140 consumers to sample Rosé wines from Spain, France and the United States. Paired with the wines were "heavy" appetizers prepared by Chef Lam such as his strawberry & salmon spring rolls and Kobe beef sliders that had everyone asking for seconds. Just as the media and trade welcomed the advent of CellarPass, consumers were even more excited as many took the opportunity to book winery tour and tasting reservations with Cade Winery for the coming weekend right on the spot.

"This is the second year we've sponsored this event and no doubt it has become a 'must attend' event as it sold out rather quickly- no tickets available at the door, which is a really good sign for Rosé", says Sarah Elliman, VP of CellarPass. "Not only did it give consumers a chance to take a test drive of CellarPass, but the media and trade folks were equally interested, which is a good sign for us as 'reservations' is still a new concept for most, but is quickly becoming accepted as a great way to plan your trip to wine country", continues Elliman.


Tim McDonald of Robert Oatley talking with Joel Quigley of Creative Furnace


Some of the sassy shoes found at PinkOut


One of our favorite Rosé's found at PinkOut


The Kobe Beef Sliders prepared by Chef Lam at Butterfly were a huge hit

Take a test drive of CellarPass yourself by logging onto http://www.cellarpass.com/ which is filled with wineries ready to provide you the red carpet treatment. Make a winery reservation today!

CellarPass Set to Release Major Upgrade to Platform and Service

CellarPass, the leading destination to explore, book and share wine country experiences has announced that they will be completing a major upgrade this week which will include many new features to their web-based reservation management system designed specifically for the wine industry. Enhancements will include integration with popular calendar applications such as Apple's iCal and Microsoft's Outlook program and more.

"We've been spending the last 4-5 months working closely with our major winery users, consumers and concierges in order to meet our company's mission of providing the leading reservation management system for the industry", says Jonathan Elliman, Chief Technology Officer for CellarPass. "We've been focused on three key areas and so far we've delivered two major phases in the past 8 weeks which places us in a perfect place just before the major tourism season kicks into high gear", continues Elliman.

CellarPass' software upgrade this week will add the support for adding reservation details to popular calendaring systems such as Microsoft Outlook, Lotus Notes, Apple's iCal, Google Calendar and other systems that support iCal v2.0. Beyond the calendarding integration, CellarPass will also release a completely redesigned backoffice reservation rescheduling interface which has been optimized to work with the popular web browsers like Safari, FireFox, Chrome and the recently released Internet Explorer v9.

Now when guests make reservations, they have the option to immediately add the reservation details to their own calendar while the winery too can add it to their own locally-kept calendar. Doing so will allow employees to synchronize reservation information with their own personal calendars stored on their PCs, smarthphones and more. The integration with external calendaring systems is another technology first for the wine reservation industry developed by CellarPass. Other firsts include the easy-to-use concierge interface and the only reservation system to have direct integration with popular Point of Sale systems such as Microsoft's Retail Management System, Submerce POS and VinNow.

"We're very excited about the pending release as it's been under development for some time and we know that our subscribers are looking forward to the enhancements", says Elliman. "The feedback and ideas have helped us make the system better and better and without that valuable feedback we would not be where we are today and we have them to thank for our continued success."

Winery subscribers to the platform will be automatically upgraded on the morning of Wednesday, May 11th while release notes will be made available to provide further details.

Are you a wine consumer looking for cool places to go wine tasting? Check out CellarPass.com for what we call are "undiscovered gems" of the wine country. And in just a few short clicks, you too can be joining us at the tasting bar, barrel, vineyard and more!
To learn more, visit the CellarPass website at http://www.cellarpass.com/
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