Shadowbox Wine Tasting at Wine Watch Wine Bar

"It’s a black fly in your Chardonnay. It’s a death row pardon two minutes too late."

Ironic by Alanis Morrisette

We are already SOLD out for the magnum party on Friday night but we still have a few spaces for the Summer white tasting Thursday night here at the Wine Watch.  We have over 30 whites on the menu for tonight’s tasting. 

And on Wednesday June 14th we have a small producer from Napa that is what we call a “virtual winery” as they do not have their own winemaking facility.  Making wines for private individuals has become more than just a hobby as there is a whole industry of facilities now that offer custom crush options.  You also have grape growers that will sell you any particular row of vines in their vineyard for the right price so it is now in the realm of possibility that any person can create their own wine.

We have several locals here in South Florida that created their own wines and the best wines can only be made from the best fruit so it helps if you know where the grapes are buried.  Who better to source quality Napa grapes than the couple who produces the most comprehensive wine guide to Napa, The Preiser Key to Napa Valley.   Monty and Sara Preiser have a few partners in crime and I always say you need to know what a great wine tastes like to make one so wine collectors, Ira and Eydie Holz share a love and appreciation for wine and make the perfect partners to complement the Preiser’s first-hand knowledge of Napa’s winemakers and vineyards. 

The fee for this tasting is $125 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463.

Shadowbox Wine Dinner at Wine Watch Wine Bar
Wednesday, June 14th
7:30pm

2012 Shadowbox Chardonnay "Orchard vineyard" Napa Valley                
Price: $55.50       Sale $48.84          Case $567                                                           
               
Only 100 Cases of this beautifully balanced and layered Chardonnay were made. 11 months of aging 50% new and 50% once used French Oak barrels, and 50% malolactic fermentation have given this wine a golden straw color and a fruit-to-dry finish that seemingly lasts forever. Aromas of brioche, grapefruit, and Crenshaw melon abound, with a mid-palate of caramel, apples, and a hint of ripe banana. Overall, the wine is bright and round enough to enjoy on its own or to accompany light meats, salads, and fish, while suggesting a period of age ability. Drinking perfectly now.

2013 Shadowbox Pinot Noir "Anne Katherina Vineyard" Carneros                          
Price: $71.25       Sale $62.70          Case $727           
                               
As with every vintage, this pinot noir continues to amaze us from its sexy dark ruby color to a lengthy, lingering finish. A sniff fills the nose with toasty allspice, fragrant violets, and ripe dark cherries, while the palate shows layers and layers of blood orange zest, forest floor, red currant and a hint of white pepper. Lively acidity and fine tannins dance toward a finish of savory truffle.

2014 Shadowbox Red blend "Template" Sonoma County            
Price: $44.25       Sale $38.94          Case $452           
                               
Template defines a model of consistency in production. This ideal allows us to use different varietals from year to year while maintaining a steady style each vintage and making continual adjustments toward perfection. The inaugural release of our Template Red Blend is full of opulent boysenberry, blueberry and dark chocolate flavors from commingling Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, and Petite Sirah. Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, & Petite Sirah 160 Cases Produced Winemaker: Jason Moore Aged 21 Months in Mix of French and American Oak 15.9% Alcohol

2012 Shadowbox Syrah Truchard Vineyard Napa Valley
Price: $56.25       Sale $49.50          Case $574           
               
A full floral cycle combines with asphalt and chocolate for a power and enticing bouquet. The texture is layered with velvet and tar, ending with a rose petals and espresso for a lengthy finish. We were very excited to work with the Truchard Family for this small production Syrah. The cool climate of the Carneros region helped to develop bright, full acid, and we blended in just 2.5% Petite Sirah to add depth and power to the back palate.

2012 Shadowbox Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Price: $105.00    Sale $92.40          Case $1071         

Most of this Cabernet is sourced from the Stag's Leap District, but the approachable nature of the 2012 vintage led us to blend in fruit from Rutherford to incorporate the beauty of Rutherford Dust tannin. The nose is blooming with elegant big cherry and ripe blackberry aromas, while the palate has layers of cassis and cigar box. The tannins and acid balance perfectly.

Menu

Mini Flat Bread with Sweet Onion, Saffron, Anchovy, Crisp New Potato and Olive

Salad of Poached Pear, Arugula Pinot Noir Vinaigrette and creamy Cambzola toast points

Pancetta wrapped Ingred Sea Scallops with American Sturgeon Caviar and Orange Beurre Blanc

Mole BBQ Pork Loin with CCurrant/Anise Black Bean Mash

The fee for this tasting is $125 + tax + gratuity, for reservations call 954-523-9463.

Proprietors

MONTY & SARA PREISER

Attorney Monty Preiser and his wife Sara Preiser reside full time in Palm Beach County, Florida, and spend their summers visiting wineries and studying wines on the west coast where they have a home in Napa. The Preisers publish the world's most comprehensive guides to Napa Valley and Sonoma County wineries and restaurants titled, appropriately, The Preiser Key to Napa Valley and The Preiser Key to Sonoma County, in which they write the informational and educational articles. The guides have received accolades as the best (or indispensable) from, among others, famed writer Jancis Robinson of the Financial Times, Dine Magazine, msnbc.com, cnn.com, Tom Simoneau of KSRO Radio, and Frommers.

For many years Monty and Sara were the wine columnists for The Boca Raton News, served as contributors to the South Florida Business Journal and numerous magazines, and were the principal wine writers for Sallys-Place.com, one of the Internet's largest travel sites with over 3.5 million readers. Presently they serve as wine editors and contributors to Living on the Suncoast. They are also wine judges, serving on panels on many competitions in addition to being co-founders of the American Fine Wine Competition in South Florida.

Unable to resist the wine business itself, a condition quite common to those who spend a great deal of time in Napa and Sonoma, Monty, Sara, and their partners founded shadowbox cellars.

Proprietors

IRA & EYDIE HOLZ

Ira and Eydie Holz share a love and appreciation for wine with everyone involved in Shadowbox Cellars. Eydie works in interior design and enjoys travel and the arts. She is also very involved in philanthropy and has chaired and organized events and served on committees for numerous charity organizations.

Ira Holz has been a passionate collector of wines for many years. He possesses a highly developed palate and brings a wealth of knowledge about wine to Shadowbox cellars. He was a longtime member of the Chicago Board of Trade and The Chicago Board Options Exchange. He is currently an investor in a diverse group of businesses. Ira is also involved in philanthropy and enjoys golf, collecting art, and travel.

Proprietors

JUSTIN & STACY PREISER

Justin grew up in South Florida and with both parents being food and wine writers, there is little doubt how he was drawn to Napa After school at the University of Colorado in Boulder, he moved to the Napa Valley and began his day job - Director of Operations for The Preiser Key.

Stacy was born and raised in Rusk, a small town in east Texas, and continued on to study at Stephen F Austin University and receive a Masters from Texas Women's University.

Justin and Stacy met in December of 2008 when Stacy was visiting Napa with several friends. It did not take long before they were travelling to and from Northern California and Texas almost every weekend. And Justin knew she was the one when she called from Texas, upset with him because she could no longer palate the wines grocery store wines she drank before they met.

Stacy moved to Napa, and works as a Speech Pathologist, and in September of 2010 they were married. They are both looking forward to doing the grunt work to getting shadowbox up running.

We just showed the first vintage of Shadowbox along with the wines below from the 2007 vintage and the Shadowbox got 1 vote for first place!!  That means that one person of the 16-present thought that it was the best among its peers and there is some pretty stiff competition below- two of the wines scored (100 Points) in the Wine Advocate and the rest are double or triple the price of the Shadowbox!! That gives this new producer immediate street creds.