Premier Winegrowing AVA Announces Arista Winery as Venue for Fourth Annual Soirée
Santa Rosa, CA (June xx, 2015) – The Russian River Valley Winegrowers announced today that the exclusive Paulée Dinner celebration will be held on April 30, 2016 at Arista Winery. The notice comes on the heels of the successful May 2, 2015 Paulée Dinner that kicked off the first annual Sonoma County (SoCo) Barrel Auction weekend festivities.
This year’s dinner had a particularly celebratory ambiance, following the conclusion of the SoCo Barrel Auction, which saw two Russian River Valley lots tie for the highest bids at $24,000 each – one for a joint pinot lot created by Joseph Swan, Williams Selyem and Kosta Browne; and another for Williams Selyem “Reverence” pinot noir from the Russian River Valley. The auction featured 23 lots of “Never Before, Never Again” wines, and allowed members of the wine trade and avid collectors to obtain wines masterfully created by Sonoma County’s greatest winemakers. Out of the total amount raised $461,700, the Russian River Valley was responsible for bringing in more than $160,000.
This year’s Paulée celebration was held at Kosta Browne’s recently opened tasting room at Sebastopol’s industrially chic The Barlow, with winemakers and guests sharing special bottles from their personal cellars. In the tradition of Paulée, which originated in Burgundy, France, guests mingle with winemakers, growers and proprietors of the most acclaimed wineries and vintages in the Russian River Valley, the premier AVA for pinot noir and other cool climate-loving varietals.
The 2016 Paulée will mark the event’s return to Arista Winery, where the inaugural dinner was held in 2013. Attendees will dine on a delectable, multi-course feast, sharing coveted wines and taking in views of Arista’s expansive rolling vineyards and the spectacular Russian River Valley.
The wines shared at the Paulée celebration vary greatly, but always present is a diverse array of world-class vintages that represent some of the world’s most celebrated regions and complex flavor profiles. Standout wines shared this year included a 1975 Chardonnay from Chateau St. Jean, a gift from the Bacigalupi Family; a 1999 Perrier Jouet Blanc de Blanc and 2003 Mommesin Clos de Tart, shared by Chris Donatiello of C. Donatiello Winery; and a magnum of De Loach 2010 Maboroshi Vineyard pinot noir, shared by Jean-Charles Boisset of De Loach Vineyards. Please visit www.rrvw.org for more information.
About RRVW: The Russian River Valley Winegrowers (RRVW) is a non-profit marketing and educational organization dedicated to maintaining the agricultural diversity of the Russian River Valley while preserving its natural resources and protecting its authentic farming heritage. As a trade association that supports grape growers and wineries, our nearly 300 members participate in educational seminars, sponsored and consumer events, and community networking. The RRVW provides marketing, publicity and community relations support and is committed to promoting the Russian River Valley as the world’s premier winegrowing region. For more information on the Russian River Valley or becoming a member, please email info@rrvw.org or visit www.rrvw.org.
