August 8, 2011
In this email:
Italian Grapes
Presentation by Italian Winemaker
FROZEN ORGANIC DOCG GRAPES FROM CHIANTI, ITALY
We are very excited to announce that this fall we will be bringing in some amazing grapes from Chianti, Italy. These are certified organic grapes, carefully selected by a commercially certified enologist, and they are used by commercial wineries in Chianti to make DOCG wines. DOCG means that they have to follow strict rules governing growth and production, and the wines have to pass an official taste test to guarantee quality. DOCG is the pinacle of Italian winemaking, the highest quality designation given to Italian wines.
These superior wine grapes will be picked, destemmed and rapidly frozen using a proprietary process to lock in the delicate aromatic properties, then shipped frozen to preserve the grapes in a “just picked” state, and they should arrive at our stores in November. Keystone Homebrew Supply is the exclusive distributor of these grapes (wholesale inquiries are welcome). We are offering 5 varieties:
Sangiovese: the most widely planted red grape in Italy, and the primary grape in Chianti and most Super Tuscans
Trebbiano: white grape used in small quanities in traditional Chianti blends
Colorino: dark red grape enhances color in traditional Chianti blends
Cabernet Sauvignon: blended with Sangiovese to produce Super Tuscans with power and depth
Merlot: used in many Super Tuscan blends, adding complexity and soft tannins
You can find more information on our website, and you can also pre-order these grapes online: https://www.keystonehomebrew.com/frozen-docg-grapes-from-chianti/
PRESENTATION BY ITALIAN WINEMAKER
We will be sourcing our Italian DOCG grapes through Vino Superiore (a brand co-founded by Joe Cuciniello, a home winemaker and long-time Keystone Homebrew customer). Vino Superiore has arranged for Federico, the Italian enologist who has selected the grapes for us, to visit us here at Keystone Homebrew Supply to share his experience with these grapes, details about the Chianti region where they are grown, and his overall winemaking expertise. Federico chose the five varieties for us in part to allow our customers to make their own authentic Chianti and Super Tuscan blends. He will discuss traditional blends and his personal recommendations, as well as the qualities of the individual varietals and the process of growing high quality organic grapes. He will also break down the mysterious Italian wine classification system and what it takes to achieve DOCG status. In addition, the Vino Superiore team will be on hand to explain the blast freezing process and the care and transportation of the grapes.
This is a unique opportunity to meet a prominent Italian winemaker of more than 15 years, and to learn about a fantastic new product that will be available at Keystone Homebrew Supply. We will have Italian wines and snacks available for tasting after the presentation. If you would like a guaranteed seat for the event, please RSVP by replying to this email. If you do not RSVP, you can still attend but there may not be a seat available for you. The event is FREE for everyone.