I Shall Be Released

They say everything can be replaced. They say every distance is not near.

Ummm.

You know what cannot be replaced? The last rare bottles of wine from Ledge Vineyards' current wine offer. It's in your email right now if you are in the know.

You know what distance is not near? The breathtaking beauty of an Idaho River Adventure. Read on, Squire!

Today we sent out our bi-annual wine allocation email, which includes the last of the JBV Grenache Blend (97 pts) and some rare Adams Ranch Vineyard Syrah as well as a few other nuggets (including two new releases).  Our Wine Allocation list gets first dibs, mailing list gets second dibs, lurkers get no dibs. NO DIBS FOR LURKERS. 

As far as the Idaho River Adventures guided tour, this is a 6 day guided tour down the middle fork of the Salmon River in Idaho, complete with a friendly staff who set up camp, cook the meals and take you to some of the best fly fishing and rafting spots on earth. Also included is live entertainment every night and rare wines from Ledge Vineyards.

I'm stoked to be attending and look forward to hanging out with some of you on this adventure!

Want a Wine Allocation? email: info@ledgevineyards.com

Interested in the Idaho River Adventure? https://www.idahoriveradventures.com/book-now

Both the select wines and the (limited) seats on the trip will sell out.

Act Fast! Join the fun! Get back into life! Captain my Captain! Odelay! Órale! What would you do for a Klondike bar?

Until next week, Earthlings.

MCA

Feb 27, 2019 at 6:00 PM Permalink

I'm Gonna Live Till I Die

Hello Again,

I’m hustlin’ out here in Detroit this week and am honored to be on a very distinguished panel at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra for a series called “Uncorked”.  

The moderator is NYC based music expert and sommelier Ronald Merlino and my panel mate is Grammy Award winning bassist John Clayton. 

Ronald Merlino represents talented conductors from all over the world and is equally passionate about wines and music of every variety. 

As for John Clayton, his is a sprawling CV which includes a Grammy win for his work with Queen Latifah as well as a nomination for best Jazz Instrumental Album with The Clayton Brothers. He has worked with Count Basie, Henry Mancini, Quincy Jones, Whitney Houston and many more. 

As for my participation, I will be discussing the parallels between musical improvisation and Viticulture, a topic which I feel surprisingly confident to tackle. There are SO many parralels between winemaking, farming and music. 

In short, I am totally pumped for this discussion and look forward to following the inspiring career of John Clayton as well as speaking on future panels with Ron Merlino as he expands these seminars to orchestras throughout the world. 

As for the wine, we will be pouring:

2017 G2 Vineyard Grenache Blanc 
2017 James Berry Vineyard Counoise Rosé
2015 MCA Cuvée (Syrah, Grenache, Tannat, Zinfandel)
2013 Vineyard Drive (Syrah, Mourvèdre, Grenache)

(Bottom, L to R) Ronald Merlino, Mark Adams, John Clayton)

Feb 20, 2019 at 2:57 PM Permalink

Isn't She Lovely

Another week has passed and my mullet is growing out nicely. The unfortunate thing is, mullets aren't nearly as "en vogue" up here in the country as they are down in Los Angeles. Ironic, I know. The business in the front part makes me feel like a desk jockey. The party in the back part makes me feel like an artist without a canvas. I'm afraid I've been tricked.

I would cut it all to one length, but then I would be neither business in the front nor party in the back. I would be like that person who brings a party ball to a soirée (remember those?) only to leave after half a beer at 10:15.

Beverly Hills might have ruined me.

I'm really struggling with my mullet you guys.

Let's move on to another topic, shall we?

I've got it!

Two things happened 9 years ago at this this time in 2010. For those of you familiar with the Adams Ranch Vineyard, you know that we planted about 4 acres of Estrella Clone Syrah in 2005. What you may not know is that we soldiered on to plant more grapes almost every successive year, unconcerned about crippling poverty, zero market presence and chronic halitosis.

Yea, though we walked through the valley of unbridled ambition, we feared not getting the shaft.

No, instead we planted GRENACHE!

What is now known as "The Fin", our first acre of Grenache, is celebrating it's 9th Birthday! What could be better than that you may ask? Well I will tell you.

On February 13th 2010 at 11:45pm, Ciera and I welcomed our Daughter Elizabeth into this world. Today she is also 9.

Happy Birthday Muffin!


 

Feb 13, 2019 at 8:31 PM Permalink

Riding in my Car

You guys,

I am in Beverly Hills pouring wine for the stars. I know what you're thinking, and it's totally true! 

For those curious about what Gaga and Bradley j'adored the most - it was (drum roll please, Caesar)...

The 2016 Adams Ranch Syrah!

Gaga (she likes it when I call her Stefani) said she loved the enahanced aromatics and oily viscosity that the Roussanne brought to the wine.

Brad just said, "I really dig your car, man".

Well guys, that's it for tonight. Ciera came down to "The Hills" with me for this work trip, and thank goodness too. I needed all of the cerebral support I could get and she knows all of the words to "Think of Me" from Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera. She sang it softly and sweetly for hours on end as we poured our wines at the Peninsula Hotel from 11am to 9pm. She is THE BEST. 

Special thanks to Miema and Poppa Adams for taking care of our sweet Elizabeth while we were loading up on Hollywood street cred. We will be home soon, although you may not recognize us in our freshly carved mullets. Business in the front and party in the back. It's about to be the "en fuego" trend for both males and "contra-males" (thats what chicks like to be called down here).

See you around and bite my dust,

MCA



 

Feb 6, 2019 at 11:11 PM Permalink