Hello Merlot. I Think I Love You.

Who could ever believe it is already July? Time seems to go so fast (especially when it is non-winter in Chicago). Since it is July 1st that means the new wines of the month are released! The wines for this month are Merlot (New Release Club and Reds & Breads), and the Governor’s Cup winner, Seyval Blanc (White Wine Club).




Aroma: Red garnet in color. Inviting aromas of vanilla, cloves, warm spices and traces of coconut.
Palate: This full-bodied Merlot has flavors of dried cherries and plum upon entry and finishes with a long and peppery finish.
Foods: Divine when enjoyed with full-flavored cheeses such as Cheddar or Gorgonzola. Try with grilled steaks, pork loin or mushrooms. Also delicious with hamburgers.


Aged……….French & American Oak
Vintage..........................................2006
Residual Sugar.............................0.1%
Alcohol Percentage......................13.5
Titratable Acid..........................6.75g/L
pH...................................................3.45
Release Date............October 1, 2009
Total Cases........................827 cases
Club Release Price..................$20.00
Winery Release Price..............$25.00
Aging Potential....................5-7 Years
Serving Temperature......................65




Aroma: Pale straw in color. Summery aromas of fresh peaches followed by notes of tropical fruit.

Palate: This medium-bodied white is true to its grape characteristics; mineral notes and bright tropical fruit lead to a crisp and clean finish.

Foods: Extremely food-friendly wine. Savor with shrimp cocktail, oysters, salads and crab.



Aged..........................Stainless Steel
Vintage......................................2008
Residual Sugar..........................0.8%
Alcohol Percentage...................13.5
Titratable Acid.........................7.5g/L
pH................................................3.01
Release Date.........October 1, 2009
Total Cases......................307 cases
Club Release Price...............$17.00
Winery Release Price...........$20.00
Aging Potential..................2-3 Years
Serving Temperature.....................55

Wine club members may come and pick up their wines anytime! We look forward to seeing you soon!

Does Your Palate Like an Adventure or the Sure Thing?

Hello Lyn-friends! I am so excited to be sharing our new ideas with you! For the past 30 years Lynfred Winery has continued to grow because of loyal patrons and fans. We are constantly looking for ways to improve upon your entire Lynfred experience.

In the recent past we created the Epicurean Experience and have offered educational classes to our club members. We have also realized that many non-members would like to experience some of these events as well. After a ton of planning we have created a 'menu' of winery experiences for you to enjoy starting July 1. Members will still receive special pricing but the events are now open to all of our guests. I look forward to sharing all of this with you in the very near future!

For the Wine Adventurer...
Sample 7 different wines - 3 reds, 3 whites, 1 fruit.
(No substitutions).
$9 ($7 MEMBERS)

I Know What I Like...
Choose one of 7 wines available by the glass.
$9 ($7 MEMBERS)

Something on the Side...
Add a snack to your wine tastings experience -
chocolate, antipasto, fruit (weekends only), cheese & grapes, cheese & salami.
$5

The Sure Thing...
Try our featured premium or reserve wine by the glass.
$10 & up

____________________________

Epicurean Experience...
*Member Exclusive*

6 gourmet appetizers paired with 3 wines.
Also enjoy a visit from the Lynfred Chefs.
$20 MEMBERS ONLY ($25 guests)
____________________________


VIP ROOM NOW OPEN 7 NIGHTS A WEEK!*
Join us for these exclusive VIP Room events

Wine & Cheese Pairing
FRI 5pm - 6:15 pm - SAT & SUN 1 pm- 6:15 pm

3 premium wines, 3 cheese, artisan bread.
$20 ($15 Members)

Buy the Bottle
MON & TUE 5 pm - 6:15 pm**

Buy and bottle (2 people minimum).
$5 Corkage Fee
(NO Corkage Fee for Members)

Wine Ed
** last TUE of the month 5 pm - 6:15 pm
Call or Email for this month's topic.

$25
($20 Members)


Wine Down Wednesday
*Member Exclusive*
WED 5 pm - 6:15 pm
Enjoy this month's wine tasting in the VIP Room
$7 (Members Only)

Flight Night
THUR 5 pm - 6:15 pm

Premium Reds - $30 ($25 Members)
White Flight - $15 ($12 Members)


We hope you enjoy our new experiences and feel free to share your comments!

Have a grape day!

Christina, the Marketing lady

Lynfred Says 'Aloha'

One of our favorite things about having a winery is hearing about how people enjoyed our wine. About 8 years ago we started ‘Where in the World is Lynfred Wine’ so we could hear of our wines on vacation. Sometimes we do have to admit we are quite jealous of the wine, especially when it gets to go to places like Hawaii…

Aloha!

Elaine & I are back from Hawaii, and yes, Lynfred was with us. I have attached several photos for your enjoyment.

- Roger & Elaine Kolman

Bring Lynfred wine with you on your next vacation and share your photos!

A Grape Art Show Recap

"Wine to me is passion. It's family and friends. It's warmth of heart and generosity of spirit. Wine is art. It's culture. It's the essence of civilization and the art of living."Robert Mondavi

This past weekend was our fourth-annual ‘Grape Art Show’ held in conjunction with the Bloomingdale Artist’s Association. The artists are told to create artwork that is wine-inspired to present at the show. The artwork is then judged, by winery patrons, and the winners are revealed on the last day of the show. This year’s winners are:

Creativity Award – Beverly Miotke – ‘The Lynfred Ladies’

Series Creativity Award – Joan Ladendorf

3rd Place – Randy Paulson – ‘Indulgence’

2nd Place – Marianne McKoveck – ‘Carpe Diem’

Grand Prize – Irene Peterson – ‘The Vines’

CONGRATULATIONS!

We Really Don't Want To Brag, But Okay, We're Going To Brag

It’s the height of wine competition season and lately we’ve been receiving some very favorable news from the judges! We last reported to you our 91 point rating on the Rose’ wine and since then, we have taken a few other great awards:

Illinois Governor’s Cup
(Best Dry White Wine):
Illinois Seyval Blanc, Vintage 2008 (soon to be released)

San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
DOUBLE GOLD: Merlot, Vintage 2005

Amenti Del Vino International Wine Competition

DOUBLE GOLD: Cabernet Sauvignon, Vintage 2006
DOUBLE GOLD: Cabernet Sauvignon, Vintage 2005, Cosecha Especial
GOLD: Pinot Grigio, Vintage 2008
SILVER: Syrah, Vintage 2006

Eastern International Wine Competition
SILVER: Cabernet Sauvignon, Vintage 2005
SILVER: Viognier, Vintage 2007

A Big ‘Cheers’ to our Winemaker, Andres Basso, and his stellar cellar crew!

One last exciting thing: This weekend is our annual ‘Grape Art Show’ at the winery. We were just listed in Crain’s ‘Top 10 Things To Do This Weekend’ list! See the list HERE.

Shaw's Winemaker Dinner Menu

We just received the menu for our winemaker dinner at Shaw’s Schaumburg August 13:

Reception

Coromandel Oysters on the Half Shell
Pomegranate Granite
N.V. Lynfred Brut Rose

Dinner

Mesclun & Herb Salad
Warm Goat Cheese Toast
2008 Lynfred Sauvignon Blanc

Poached Maine Lobster
Vanilla Bean Broth
Summer Fruit Chutney
2006 Lynfred Semillon

Seared Alaskan King Salmon
Heirloom Tomatoes, Fingerling Potatoes, Basil & Green Beans
Sweet & Sour Mushroom Broth
2008 Lynfred Pinot Noir

Braised Onion Crusted Pork Loin
Green Lentils & Celery Root Puree
Roasting Jus
2006 Lynfred Syrah

Warm Michigan Peach Cobbler
Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
2002 Lynfred Vidal Blanc Ice Wine

$89.95 all inclusive
Contact Lura Reyes for details & reservations
847-517-2722

Food + Wine = LOVE

Hello Lyn-fans! I cannot believe it has been almost a month since our last blog! As you can imagine this is the time of year we are creating all kinds of fun events for our favorite people… YOU!

As you know we love wine and food and we have been working on some amazing opportunities for you to imbibe. The first big wine and foodie event is an annual event at the winery and possibly my favorite; the Creole Shrimp Boil! Our chefs order in a ton of shrimp and create an all-you-can eat shrimp boil with potatoes, corn, coleslaw, dessert and WINE! My favorite part is the Dixie-land band we bring in! They have a banjo, bass, and even washboards that they have our guests play! Truly a fabulous evening of food, song and WINE!

In August we have brought back our annual Winemaker Dinner at Shaw’s Crab House in Schaumburg! Lynfred Winemaker, Andres Basso, and Shaw’s Sommelier, Steve Tindle, have already chosen the wines for the dinner and are working on creating a scrumptious menu to pair with them. I can already tell you we are starting on their patio with Sparkling Rose’ and oysters… need I say more?

Lynfred Winery is celebrating 30 years this October (October 14 to be exact) and we are celebrating, on the exact anniversary date, with another

in Lisle! Allgauer’s Chef Nick Landaweer creates mouth-watering dishes paired with Lynfred wines. This year Lynfred owner, Fred Koehler, will be telling stories of 30 years of Lynfred with guests. Not an evening to be missed!

If you are a Lyn-fan, a foodie or just a wineaux, all of these events are sure to please! Here’s more information (all events are open to the public):

Creole Shrimp Boil
Friday, June 26, 2009
6:30 pm - 9:00 pm
$70 per club member / $80 per non-member
Call 630.529.9463 for reservations. No refunds after June 21

Winemaker Dinner at Shaw’s Crab House
Shaw’s Crab House at the Streets of Woodfield
Thursday, August 13, 2009
$89.95 per person (all inclusive)
6:30 pm - Oyster reception
7:00 pm - dinner
For Reservations Call: 847.517.2722


30th Anniversary Winemaker Dinner at Allgauer's
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
6:00 pm - $75 per person (plus tax & gratuity)
Call Allgauer's at 630.505.0900, ext. 3100 for Reservations
Allgauer's at the Hilton-Lisle 3100 Corporate Drive - Lisle, IL

I hope to see you at one (or all) of these fabulous Lynfred events! If you have any questions just email me at wineinfo at lynfredwinery dot com

Your friend in wine,

Christina, the marketing lady

Way Back Wednesday

It’s time for another ‘Way Back Wednesday’! In celebration of our 30th anniversary I have been delving into the past finding old photos and articles about Lynfred from 1979. It was this past weekend that I was listening to some music from the 70’s when I was hit by inspiration – why not create a time warp blog back to the culture of 1979 in the US when Lynfred first opened its doors?

The 1979 time warp started off about music but the more I talked about it to friends the more someone would mention a television show or a movie. I was having so much fun searching for photos and singing along to a show’s theme song that I decided to leave the summary to you. So, without further adieu, my photo summary of 1979:

The President:

The Music:

Disco was queen but with the release of The Knack's 'My Sharona' and Sugar Hill Gang's 'Rapper's Delight', rock and rap were on their way up. Village People were creating a buzz with YMCA.

The TV Shows:

The top TV shows at the time were 'Angie', 'Mork & Mindy' (nanu nanu), 'Three's Company', 'Laverne & Shirley' but I had a few of own personal favorites in addition... Who could forget Chips, The Love Boat, Charlie's Angels and Knight Rider?!

The Movies:

The most popular movies of 1979 were Alien, Apocalypse Now, The Jerk, Meatballs, Kramer vs. Kramer, Rocky II and my personal favorite at the time, The Muppet Movie.

Sports:

Michigan State were the NCAA champs, the Pirates won the World Series, the Steeler's the Superbowl and Steve Dahl, in his defiance against Disco, had a run-in with the White Sox at Comiskey Park.

Inventions in 1979:

The Sony Walkman and Trivial Pursuit

Fashion:

Calvin Klein Jeans hit the market and jumpsuits were all the rage.

Prices in 1979:

First Class Stamp - 15 cents

Gallon of Gas - 86 cents

A Dozen Eggs - 85 cents

A Gallon of Milk - $1.62

Wine Tasting at Lynfred Winery: $1.00

What do you remember of 1979? How about your first memories at Lynfred? Share it with us!

Until next time,

Christina (nanu-nanu), the Marketing lady

Rose' Colored Glasses

More than once I have been accused of wearing ‘rose colored glasses’. How could I not be in a happy little world when I work at Lynfred? The combination of the awesome weather in Chicago today and the news of our new award have me wearing those glasses but also hoping to clink some ‘rose colored glasses’ in a few hours!

Rose’ wine is a perfect summer sipper and begs to be served at picnics and barbecues. I have always loved a good Rose’ and our newest one will knock your socks off! Not only does it have me doing back flips but the judges at BTI (Beverage Testing Institute) loved it too! Here’s what they said about our Rose’:

RATED: 91 points (Exceptional)

Deep crimson color. Vibrant aromas of baked cherry, bubble gum dust, and raspberry compote follow though on a round entry to a fruity-yet-dry medium body with rhubarb pie, sundried tomato, anise, and honey notes. Finishes with a long tangy cherry butter and spice fade. A delicious and vibrant rose that will shine with Asian duck dishes.

WOW! I have never had such an appreciation for bubble gum dust before, but I sure do now! Our Rose’ is $12 a bottle and is also on our wine tasting until the end of April.

Have a ‘rosy’ weekend,

Christina, the Marketing lady

P.S. Just a little tip – Rose’ is one of my favorite wines with burgers and pasta salad!

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

Take me out to the ball game take me out to the crowd. Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jacks I don’t care if I ever get back. . .”

America’s favorite past time is back in full swing in Chicagoland and that means I start to crave peanuts, Cracker Jacks, hotdogs, you know, anything sold from a vendor at the stadium. Of course you think of beer when it comes to these foods but why not wine? As a good friend of mine says ‘Potato chips and Sparkling wine are totally underrated’. I decided to make a list of those favorite baseball foods and pair them up with some Lynfred wine for you.

Hot Dogs. A baseball game just isn’t the same without them. We love them with Rose’, Pinot Grigio, Vin de City Red and Barbera.

Jumbo Soft Pretzels. My favorite is when they are loaded with the course salt and dipped in cheese sauce! We think they would be awesome with Sparkling wine or Rose’.

Nachos. OH, I LOVE NACHOS! Load them with cheese and jalapenos, please. The jalapenos make a sweeter wine a must. I have personally had them with Riesling but they would be yummy with Gewurztraminer, too!

Cracker Jacks. Making its debut in Chicago’s World Columbian Exposition in 1893, Cracker Jacks, with its molasses, popcorn and peanuts had me drooling since childhood. I recently had Cracker Jacks with our Reserve Semillon 2004 – holy yum! It would be quite delicious with Apple wine, too!

Whether you root for the Cubs or the Sox, one thing I know is that our Lyn-FANS are the winners! Next time you’re hosting your own baseball party be sure to pick up some winning wine from Lynfred!

Home run wishes,

Christina, the Marketing lady