Passaggio Wines – America Dreaming
09 May 2012 6 Comments
in California Wine, Chardonnay, American Dream Tags: passaggio wines, wine country, unoaked chardonnay, Crushpad, Winemaking
I met Cynthia Cosco several months ago through social media, basically Twitter. Then a year ago I made my first (yes, I plan on going back again and again) trip to California Wine Country. Cindi and I met in person at Sebastiani Winery and shared a bottle of wine with Chef Robin White. I didn’t even realize that Cindi made her own wine until the day we met. She brought me a bottle of her unoaked Chardonnay – and it is scrumptious!
So here’s to Cynthia Cosco for living the American Dream! Cheers!
It was 2002 when I started thinking about leaving Law Enforcement to start my own journey into the Wine Industry. It is my passion, it is my life…
In 2004, I finally took the plunge. It was like standing on the edge of a diving board 20 feet above water. Do I jump? Or should I turn around and walk back down the steps that brought me to the edge of that diving board. Each step up that ladder represented an accomplished goal taking me where I wanted to be. “Do I have the guts to do this?” I thought…and then I jumped…
It was July 2004 when I took the journey across the country. Yes, I left my Law Enforcement career in Virginia and drove across the country to California. I pursued my passion. I had a plan…sort of. I really had no idea how one gets into the wine industry so I decided to get a job at the local Beverages and More (better known as BevMo) BevMo is a large retail shop selling wine, spirits, beer and much more. I filled out the application and got the part time job. I was hoping to meet someone in the wine industry who could steer me in the right direction. I did. I met Hal Hanifl. Hal would host tastings in the store every Saturday for BevMo. I found out that Hal also worked full time for Chateau St Jean in Sonoma. Hal was kind enough to get me a harvest temp position with Chateau St Jean for the 2004 harvest. I started working in August. They put me in the cellar and I loved it. The sight and smell of everything wine was pushing me to learn everything I could.
It was a couple of weeks into the 2004 harvest when the Lab Supervisor from Chateau St Jean came and asked me if I would mind coming to work in the lab for the rest of harvest. I thought to myself “are you kidding…who wouldn’t?” I said yes and ended up working for Chateau St Jean for three years. I was able to study Enology at Napa Valley College while working. I soon was promoted to Wine Chemist II and wanted more.
In 2007, I decided it was time to pursue that passion even further. I wanted to make my own wine. I had heard of this place called Crushpad, a custom crush facility located in San Francisco. I went to their open house. It was an awesome place to say the least. A large winery located in a 35,000sq ft warehouse. I walked around in amazement. I found the head winemaker and was able to speak to him for a few minutes. I explained to him that I wanted to make an unoaked chardonnay. Unoaked Chardonnay was not that popular then, but it was what I wanted to do. During our conversation I told him a little of my story and background. He then told me that he needed a Lab Manager. He asked if I would be interested. In August of 2007 I became the Lab Manager for Crushpad and brought in my first harvest of chardonnay grapes. In May of 2008 I launched Passaggio Wines. In 2010 I was promoted to Winemaker in charge of the White Wine program. In August of 2011 I took that final plunge to branch out on my own. I left my job at Crushpad and now work solely on Passaggio Wines. Today I have four varietals…Unoaked Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Rose, and Pinot Noir. For 2012, I am upping my production. Scary? Yes. Exciting? YES!!!
I have come to appreciate those who work in Marketing and Sales. Making wine is part of my nature. Marketing? WOW – what a hard job! It takes all I have to get the word out about Passaggio Wines. If you had told me three years ago that I would be tweeting and blogging about my wine, I would have looked at you sideways. Surprisingly, I am becoming adept at social media and I have built quite a few loyal followers…the number is growing.
During my three years at Chateau St. Jean, I overcame many obstacles and jumped over the proverbial hurdles that come with learning a new way in life. Those three years provided the foundation that I needed to be successful. I surrounded myself with successful, strong, like-minded people in the wine industry. I followed my passion and they helped steer me in the right direction for success.
My years at Crushpad gave me the experience of different styles of winemaking. It truly pushed me forward and launched Passaggio Wines in the wine industry. I still have many friends there who continue to support me.
Jumping off the diving board can be a scary thing to do at times. The water is deep, but if you believe you can swim you can make it. Surround yourself with people who believe in you and believe in what you are doing. You will definitely need some cheer leaders along the way. Have a plan. Realize that it may take longer than you expected and that is ok. Following your passion is all about the journey it takes to get to where you want to be.
Each day is a new day in your adventure…
1) Be passion driven
2) Have a plan
3) Surround yourself with great people
4) Believe in yourself
5) Have fun
6) Share your time, talents, and resources
7) Go for it
Follow Your Passion
Cynthia Cosco @Passagio
Eating Dinner In
06 May 2012 2 Comments
in #wbc11, Nebbiolo, Virginia Wine Tags: Breaux Vineyard, Nebbiolo
This wine was a media sample from Breaux Vineyards
One of our new favorite ways to eat dinner out is to eat dinner in and it saves so much money! You can call any restaurant and order from their menu then stop by and pick your order up to take home. Lots of restaurants now offer a special curb side service where they bring the food to your car and others have a special door for you to enter if you are waiting on a to-go order. You get the same great quality as if you had eaten your meal at the restaurant but you eat in the comfort of your own home and there is no mess to clean up. You can also pair dinner with one of your favorite wines – either from your wine fridge at home or by stopping by your local wine store and picking up that special bottle. This is a better option that taking your wine with you to the restaurant and paying a corkage fee.
So that is what we did tonight. We had been out of town all weekend. On the way home we were discussing what we would do for dinner when hubby suggested we call and order something to pick up on the way home. We ordered from Romano’s Macaroni Grill.
I already knew what wine I was going to open when I got home – a 2005 Nebbiolo from Breaux Vineyards. I had gotten this wine sample last summer at the Wine Blogger’s Conference” in Charlottesville, VA. (If you recall, I have been digging through my wine collection over the last couple of weeks and pulling out some real gems!)
When taking my first sip of the Nebbiolo, I had to actually stop and look at the label again. This wine was so spicy and peppery, that it could easily have been mistaken for a Syrah. Had it not been for the prominent tobacco on the nose, I would have argued the point. Nebbiolo may be one of my new favorite wines! From checking their website, it looks as if the 2005 might be sold out, but they did have the 2006 listing in their online store.
Varietal: Nebbiolo Alcohol: 13.8% Price: $38.00
Another Great Riesling
03 May 2012 1 Comment
in Finger Lakes Wine, Riesling, Wine Tasting Tags: Billsboro Winery, Finger Lakes, Finger Lakes Alliance, Riesling
This wine was a media sample from the Finger Lakes Alliance
This must be the week for cleaning out the wine rack. I had thought I was out of white wine but then remembered that I had a Riesling left over from a virtual wine tasting I participated in last fall. I had been fortunate enough to receive a shipment of wines from the Finger Lakes Alliance. Often I end up with nobody to share my wines with for virtual tastings so I choose to only open 2-3 of them and save the others for a later tasting and special blog post. So goes this post for Billsboro 2010 Riesling.
Having had a really mild winter in the Southeast, we are now experiencing an exceptionally early spring with some exceptionally warm days, the kind of warmth that makes you crave a good chilled white wine. What better way to quench this craving than with a Riesling from the Finger Lakes wine region.
Pleasantly refreshing, this wine offers up kiwi and a touch of banana then finishes with mango on the back of the palate. Considered a semi-sweet wine, this is a great wine to finish off the day watching the sun go down. I would suggest pairing it with spicy foods such as black beans and rice as well.
Varietal: Riesling Alcohol: 11.5% Price: $16.00
Dinner with Wine & (New) Friends
01 May 2012 2 Comments
in Food & Wine Event, Wine Events, Wine Tasting Tags: Chianti, Coli Chianti, Italian wine, Tuscany
One of my favorite past times is going to wine dinners hosted by local restaurants! You get fabulous food, the atmosphere is always fun and festive and you get to try glorious new wines that you might otherwise never get to taste, not to mention all the great people you get to meet. A glass of wine always breaks the ice and is such a great conversation starter! The price for the 4 – 5 course meal with a different wine paired with each course is one of the best deals you will ever find, typically a better price than the restaurant’s regular menu. Then you have the option of purchasing these wines at incredible discounts!!! We always buy a case. Chances are we will never have another opportunity to purchase them.
As I was pulling wines out tonight to pair with dinner, I stumbled across a 2007 Reserve Chianti from Coli. We picked this wine up a couple of years ago at a wine dinner at Meridian in Winston Salem. I had thought these wines were all gone so I was pleasantly surprised. It was the perfect accompaniment for the pasta dish hubby had prepared for dinner.
Chianti Riserva 2007
Coli Wine Cellars – Tuscany, Italy
12.5% Alcohol
Very dry, earthy, licorice with a hint of tobacco
Private Wine Locker
29 Apr 2012 2 Comments
in wine clubs Tags: BYOB, personalized wine menus, Wine cellar, wine lockers, Wine Storage
I was on a business outing several weeks ago that took me to City Club in Charlotte, NC. This is one of those private clubs that is abundantly adorned in rich mahogany wood and you know as soon as you step through the doors that being a member is as much a status symbol as anything else. I was actually there to network with the local banking community of Charlotte. Having arrived early, I had plenty of time to wander around – and I am so glad I did!
Wall of Wine
I stumbled upon a Wall of Wine! I immediately went up to the desk and started asking the receptionist questions. (1) What are these wines for? and (2) Can I please take pictures?
Turns out these doors/windows you see in the picture are private wine cellars for club members. You will note that each one has its own lock as well as the member’s name engraved on a brass plate at the bottom of the door. Members can bring wine to the club from their private collections at home and have them stored in these temperature controlled wine cellars so that their own wines are readily available for dinner! Talk about a status symbol! The members can actually have their own wine menu created from their personal wine collection so that when they sit down to dinner, they are ordering wines from their own private collection!
These lockers are in huge demand at City Club too. There are not enough to serve every member so you have to put your name on a waiting list to even get one. The picture above is only one portion of a wall. When you step into the dining room, there is another wall lined with private wine lockers. And for the really expensive wines that need to be kept under even more security, the club manager has a wine locker in his office as well for members to lock these up in. You will notice that each wine has a tag hanging from it. This tag has the member’s number on it so that he/she can request his reserve by membership number.
And if you don’t already have a “private” collection of wine at home, the wine manager at the club is constantly finding great wine deals that he passes along to members. Members can order wine at his discount and either take them home or keep them in their private wine locker and have them added to their own personalized wine menu! If you are not fortunate enough to have one of the private wine lockers, you can still bring your own bottle (BYOB) to the club and enjoy it with your meal.
Needless to say, I was duly impressed! I wonder how this would compare to being in a wine club. You would have options to purchase great wines at bargain prices plus get all the added perks mentioned above.
Kool Bag (Really Cool!!!)
22 Apr 2012 5 Comments
in Wine Gifts, Wine Tasting Tags: koolbag, wine buckets, wine chillers, wine tastings
This was a product sample from Koolbag.
This is one of the handiest items any wine lover can own! Hands down!
Fold it up and stick it in your bag to take on your next wine tasting adventure or better yet, keep it in the trunk of the car – that’s where I’m keeping mine! Just pull it out when you get to your destination and ask for some ice. You’re set. It is even good for red wines in the heat of summer as you can add a small amount of ice to keep your wine from getting too warm on those sweltering summer days.
This bag is also a great gift idea. Fill it with a favorite bottle of wine and use it for the gift bag. The Koolbag becomes part of the gift – and there is a place for a gift card to slide right in (where you see the gray ”Koolbag” card inserted on this one) - or a business card if this is a busness or promotional gift. You can even have your own brand or logo put on the bag! Businesses can order in bulk to get special discounts – some orders may even qualify for free shipping.
The bag appears very durable – made from lightweight flexible PVC with heat-pressed handles to hold the weight of a full bottle of wine and ice. The bag I have shown in the picture holds a regular 750ml bottle of wine, but it is also available in a smaller size for the 375ml bottles. AND rumor has it that they are coming out with a bag that holds a 6-pack of beer. How kool is that???
On a Robert Parker scale, I would give the Koolbag 99 points and recommend that everybody own at least 2!
Grapes & Small Plates – A Winston Salem Food & Wine Event
10 Apr 2012 Leave a Comment
in Food & Wine Event Tags: Carmel Road Winery, Downtown Winston Salem, piedmont triad, Reynolda Village, Winston Salem Food & Wine Event
Grapes & Small Plates bursts onto the scene in April to showcase the tastes of Winston Salem at almost 20 area restaurants. On Tuesday’s and Thursday’s during April, participating, independently owned and operated restaurants will tempt patrons with signature small plates and optional wine selections from the grapes of Carmel Road winery.
Grapes & Small Plates, co-founded by Kyle Agha of New Town Bistro, John Milner of Milner’s American Southern Cuisine, and John Fulp of Noble’s Grille in partnership with Wildfire, LLC, will kickoff its inaugural event on Tuesday, April 3rd at these restaurants: 1703, Bernardin’s Fine Dining, Bleu Restaurant & Bar, The Carriage House Restaurant, Cimarron, Diamondback Grill, Chef Dion Sprenkle, The District Rooftop Bar & Grille, Downtown Thai & Sushi, Full Moon Oyster Bar & Seafood Kitchen, J. Pepper’s Southern Grille, King’s Crab Shack & Oyster Bar, Lucky Blue, Milner’s American Cuisine, Mozelle’s Fresh Southern Bistro, New Town Bistro, Noble’s Grille, Outwest Steakhouse, River Birch Lodge, Village Tavern at Hanes Mall, Village Tavern at Reynolda Village and Willow’s Bistro.
Each week participating restaurants will offer affordable, signature small plates plus an optional Carmel Road wine suggestion to enhance the small plate. Imagine Large NC fried oysters over a bed of fresh Tega Hills lola rosa and mouthwatering bacon balsamic aioli, or Boguete Mountain coffee-encrusted Heritage Farms braised pork belly with Sea Island red peas and crispy pork chips, paired with a glass of rich, oak-aged Carmel Road Pinot Noir, whispering flavors of red berries, warm spice, earth, chocolate with a long, silky finish.
Noble’s Grille certainly imagines such pairings, in a warm and inviting atmosphere. “It’s really something fun to promote all restaurants in our area and give customers an affordable option to dine,” says John Fulp.
On April 26th, the last Grapes & Small Plates date, all the restaurants will feature North Carolina ingredient inspired small plates and the wines of the Yadkin Valley (YAPA).
Participating customers will have the opportunity to enter into drawings each time they dine for Grapes & Small Plates. A drawing of all entered guests will be held at the end of the month, with winners receiving prizes including gift cards to participating restaurants and donated items like a brand new chef’s knife set.
“The idea is to give people a chance to taste the flavors of our area restaurants. We hope that a small plate offering will entice diners who may not otherwise come in because of a pricey perception to come enjoy the various tastes around town. It’s one way they can support the local restaurant community, have a meal full of variety and as a bonus, maybe they will win something” says Kyle Agha.
Additional restaurants will be permitted to join in as the event continues to develop.
“If our first attempt is successful, we may plan to do again later in the year. We really want this to grow into something the community looks forward to, that builds better relations with wineries and increases awareness on the many tastes and flavors the Winston area has to offer…affordably” says John Milner.
PepsiCo and Carmel Road Winery are the presenting sponsors of the event. Eastern Foods is a prize sponsor for the event.
About Grapes & Small Plates
Grapes & Small Plates is a new event that was the brain child of three local restaurant owners and brought to life by Wildfire, a local marketing communications company. For more information on Grapes & Small Plates, please visit www.grapesandsmallplates.com.
About Wildfire, LLC
Wildfire is an advertising and marketing agency located in downtown Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Since its founding in 2002, the company has expanded to nearly 50 full-time employees and is the Triad’s third largest marketing-communications firm. In 2007, the company relocated to its current location, a renovated scrap metal warehouse at 709 N. Main Street. Ranked no. 51 in 2009 out of the Top 100 North Carolina Small Businesses in Triad Business Leader, Wildfire represents Hanesbrands, Inc, BB&T, Lowe’s, Wake Forest Athletics, Carolina West Wireless, The Army National Guard, Dixie Classic Fair, among others. In addition, the agency is active with various community organizations including AARF and the North Carolina Triad Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure®. To learn more about Wildfire and see more creative work, visit www.wildfireideas.com.
Oatmeal-Yogurt Pancakes with Blackberry Crush
09 Apr 2012 Leave a Comment
in Breakfast, Recipes Tags: Blackberries, Brunch, Champagne, pancakes, Sparkling wine
These pancakes were pretty darn delicious. If you are willing to spend some extra time making these, its well worth it. They have oats and greek yogurt in them! I wouldn’t call these healthy…. but different! This recipe is from the lovely cookbook, The Newlywed Cookbook by Sarah Copeland. You can find it here . Also check out Sarah’s amazing blog…
TWEETUP TIME!!!
08 Apr 2012 Leave a Comment
in Drink Local, NC Wine Tags: Cabernet Franc, Grove Winery, Lake Cabernet, Summer Concert Series
This is a special invitation from me (and the good folks at Grove Winery) to come join us Friday at 6 pm for a tweet-up and a new wine release!!! Max and the gang will be releasing their new Cabernet Franc and all you have to do is show up to get free tastings!!!
But that’s not all – we are going to have a REAL party! Light appetizers will be served along with your free tasting of the new Cab Franc and you will get 20% off bottle purchases; only $3 for glass purchases. AND you will be entered into a drawing for tickets to the opening concert at Lake Cabernet on April 20.
The 2012 concert series starts off with Jon Shain who will be promoting his new The Kress Sessions album. The concert series will run from April through October. Grove’s Lake Cabernet stage was voted runner-up as Best Outdoor Music Space in the Triad by the readers of the Greensboro News-Record in 2011. Two other winners in this Best of the Triad vote were Lauren Light and Hanging Thread who will be making appearances this year at Grove on 6/15 and 7/20 respectively. We will also be featuring three large festivals this year. To see the complete lineup of artists, click here.
What: Open invitation for wine, food and fun
Where: Grove Winery
When: April 13, 2012, starting at 6pm
They Called Him,”Boom, Boom”
01 Apr 2012 12 Comments
in heart broken, Uncategorized Tags: Boomer Smith, Football, Monterey, monterey tn, Richard Smith, Scholarships, TN
I am going to side step for this post. It isn’t wine related; it is very personal. My brother lost his son a week ago and our hearts are so full of grief and sadness that I am compelled to write about what a wonderful kid he was.
Richard “Boomer” Smith – he was only 20 – and had so much living yet to do. I know we hear all the time when anyone dies what a great person they were and how everyone loved them, how they had no enemies. Well, from the more than 2,000 people who showed up at the funeral home March 27, 2012, I am going to go out on a limb and say that Boomer was THAT person; the one who is so loved. He lived in small town USA - Monterey, TN and the whole town was heartbroken. Heartbroken because we/they lost him and heartbroken for my brother, Richard, and for Boomer’s other siblings, Anthony, Mercedes, Philip.
Boomer excelled at everything he did. He graduated high school with honors having straight A’s through all 4 years. He played football and was MVP in both his junior year and senior year. He had 8 (yes, “8″) full ride scholarships laid in front of him when he started his senior year. He was the #2 college recruit for football in the state of Tennessee in 2010. But all of this is nothing compared to the heart of this kid. None of this went to his head. He was humble and appreciative. If he saw anybody on the street or at church who looked like they needed a helping hand, Boomer was the first one to hold out his hand to help.
Boomer was artistic and creative. My brother has a house full of trophies and accolades Boomer won or was acknowledged for. He has a book where he saved poetry Boomer wrote and pictures he drew as well as letter from recruiters. How could any one person have so much talent and so much love in his heart? Is that why he was taken from us – he was too good for this earth???
The night of his funeral, the football team showed up in their jerseys to show their respect and love for Boomer. His brother, Philip, wore Boomer’s old shirt with the #10 emblazoned on the front. The entire graduating class of 2010 showed up, each with a single rose to drop off for him. The minister started the funeral by commenting on Boomer’s “Goofy grin” and then choked, not able to go on for several seconds. We all miss you Boomer Smith – you were not long on this earth, but you touched a lot of lives. Thank you for touching mine!
Boomer wrote the following poem when he was only 14:
Where I Am From
I am from swimming at the pool
Softball on Saturdays
And going to School
I am from a home of laughs
From telling jokes
To passing gas.
I am from George W. Bush
to Dale Earnhardt’s grave
To going golfing at the range.
I am from Dollar Store
To Save-A-Lot
From going home to eat a lot
Marijuana and Meth
All of the above
Kills the people and
Kills the love.
I am from Monterey
And the people who loved him most, the kids he hung around with – they called him, “Boom, Boom!”
