News for December 2004

"To enjoy wine … what is needed is a sense of smell, a sense of taste and an eye for color.
All else is experience and personal preference."

-- Cyril Ray

Our Tastings and Wine Dinners

Gourmet Wine Dinner
January 10, 2005 - 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Redrock Canyon Grill, Centreville, VA
Reservations: (703) 830-6600

Gourmet Wine Dinner, $80 + tax & tip
February 12, 2005 - 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Our Barrel Room
Reservations: (540) 347-3475

Our Products

Our 2004 harvest resulted in top-quality fruit which will soon become our much anticipated 2004 varietals. Therefore, we want to take this opportunity to mention that our first Malbec will available in the Fall of 2005. One of the five classic Bordeaux varietals, Malbec, is a thin skinned grape that thrives in sunny, hot weather. Characteristically, the Malbec grape is known for its red-berry fruit aromas with a hint of spice.

We will continue to share previews of our 2004 varietals in future newsletters. However, we also wanted to warn you that, sadly, we cannot produce a 2004 Petite Verdot or 2004 Fletcher’s Chardonnay. Our 2003 Petite Verdot is already sold out, but those who love our 2003 Fletcher’s Chardonnay should contact the winery soon to purchase the few remaining cases.

Those of you who missed last year's holiday wine will be happy to know that we just released our 2003 Vin de Sol. Blended from 100% Vidal grapes, this medium-bodied, non-fortified, Spanish Sherry-style wine can provide the perfect finish to your holiday dinner.

Our Process

This month, we decided to change our normal “process discussion” into sharing the history of Boxing Day, otherwise known as the day after Christmas.

True of False? The name Boxing Day comes from the need to rid the house of empty boxes the day after Christmas. False. Better known as the Feast of Saint Stephen, the first Christian martyr, Boxing Day is celebrated in Australia, Britain, Canada, and New Zealand. The holiday’s roots can be traced to British practices of giving cash or durable goods to those of the lower classes. Gifts among members of the same social standing were exchanged on or before Christmas Day, but those of a lesser fortune were given gifts on the 26th of December. In honor of this tradition and letting all of us enjoy the frivolity of our winery's working class, Pearmund Cellars will be sharing mulled Cabernet Franc and gourmet light fare with anyone who comes to relax and reflect with their family and friends.

Do you have a favorite reason for visiting Pearmund Cellars? Send it to sue@pearmundcellars.com. Here is our Top Ten List of reasons to visit Pearmund Cellars on Boxing Day or anytime this holiday season:

# 10 – Did someone say the in-laws are coming? You'll need to stock up on gourmet food, wine, and wine-related items.
#   9 – Show your friends from California that they're not the only ones who can make great tasting, quality wine.
#   8 – Going down Route 29 and through the vineyard, you’re hoping you might lose that chatty cousin on the way.
#   7 – What better way to spend that newly received Christmas cash?
#   6 – You found Grandma and Grandpa asleep in the basement next to a case of empty wine bottles and need to restock.
#   5 – Nothing spruces up holiday leftovers like wine.
#   4 – Santa brought presents but forgot the wine.
#   3 – The wine barrel someone gave you didn’t fit under the tree and you need to check it out in our Barrel Room.
#   2 – Chris needs the money to pay for his new car.
#   1 – Every day is a great day to drink wine!

Pearmund Cellars will be closed on Christmas and New Year’s Day, but open on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve as well as the rest of the holiday season. We will remain open every day this winter from 11:00 AM – 5:00 p.m. (other hours by appointment) and would love to see you.

Our People

Chris and Lisa would like to personally thank all those who make every Pearmund Cellars’ experience an enjoyable and memorable one. Our gratitude goes to our exceptional staff and our wonderful volunteers who continue to help us achieve new goals and make great things possible. Thanks goes out to our local Virginia winery network who band together to help in countless ways such as joint promotional activities, equipment sharing, wine-making tips, and vineyard techniques. Thank you to our inaugural class of Barrel Sponsors. And, a big thank you goes to YOU, our customers, for visiting our winery and supporting Pearmund Cellars and the Virginia wine industry.

Our Industry

On December 7th, the United States Supreme Court heard testimony on whether current state alcoholic beverage regulations, created when the Prohibition was lifted by the 21st Amendment in 1933, should remain in force during our technological age of e-commerce. Virginia's position was represented by the case of Juanita Swedenburg, proprietor of Swedenburg Winery, vs. the State of New York For a synopsis of the Supreme Court hearing and an interview of our own Chris Pearmund, see Mike Majchrowitz's Report and Video on Demand.

To advance the spirit of cooperation between wineries in neighboring states, we now have a sister winery in Siler City, North Carolina: Horizon Cellars will open very soon with our own Chris Pearmund as its winemaker. If you are ever in central North Carolina, this new winery is definitely worth a visit. Stop in to enjoy their spectacular views and taste southern hospitality. Winery owners, Guy and Nicole Loeffler plan to serve chili on winter weekends, host monthly wine dinners, and try their hardest to make you their best customers. Join their mailing list to learn more about future happenings.

We appreciate your business and your feedback. What topics would you like to see covered in future newsletters?
Please send your comments to info@pearmundcellars.com, and please forward this newsletter to other wine aficionados.

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