Napa Wine-Trade Tasting: Domestically Produced Iberian Varietal Wines

Discover What North American Winegrowers are
Creating from Native Spanish and Portuguese Grapes  

TAPAS* is pleased to announce the most extensive tasting of domestically produced Iberian varietal wines ever offered in America. Take the nearest “Spanish Trail” to COPIA: The American Center for Wine, Food & the Arts, 500 First Street, Napa, CA to attend the TAPAS events on August 8 & 9, 2008 . 

This two-day Fiesta features walk-around tastings of wines made from grape varieties indigenous to Spain and Portugal that are now cultivated in America. These new and delightful domestic wines originate in Arizona, California, Oregon, Texas, and Washington, and range from crisp, refreshing whites, through big full-bodied reds, to elegant port style wines. This is a unique opportunity to sample wines from more than 40 participating wineries and learn about varieties like Tempranillo, Albariño, Garnacha, Graciano, Mourvedre, Touriga, Verdejo, Bastardo and more.  

Friday August 8^th is designed for members of the wine press and trade. From 3:00-5:00PM there will be a large walk-around tasting of the wines produced by TAPAS members in America from these indigenous Spanish and Portuguese winegrapes.  Note - Tickets for the August 8 event are complimentary to members of the wine press and wine trade.  Please send in the registration form, available at http://www.tapasociety.org .

Randall Grahm, Bonny Doon Vineyard, Santa Cruz CA, says “While known as a Rhône Ranger, I have felt a passion for all things Iberian ever since writing Don Quijones: Man of Garnacha for one of our earlier newsletters. Growing wines such as Albariño, Loureiro and Trexiadura at Bonny Doon is a great adventure, discovering a new world of superlative flavor, complexity and finesse.”      

*Tempranillo Advocates, Producers and Amigos Society (TAPAS) is a trade association comprised of over sixty members, whose mission is: “To promote Tempranillo and other varietal wine grapes native to the Iberian Peninsula and wines produced from them in North America.”    See http://www.tapasociety.org .