The sun is shining and the fresh smells of summer hang in the air.

We’d like you and five friends to join us for a private luncheon overlooking the beautiful rolling landscape of the one-of-a-kind Sodaro Estate Vineyard.  With plenty of wine and food to go around, you will be hosted by owners Don & Deedee Sodaro, and joined by our Winemakers Bill & Dawnine Dyer.

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This Day is For You

You work hard.  Come relax and enjoy good food, good friends, and a view you have to see to believe.  We’ll drink wine, have some good laughs, and give you an inside look at winery life that few ever see.

A Special Gift

When our day together comes to a close, we’ll present you with a limited edition Double Magnum of our 2005 felicity Cabernet Sauvignon.  Less than 10 of these bottles are in existence.

How to Win

On May 22nd, the Napa Valley Vintner’s E-Auction will open.  Simply bid on Sodaro Estate Winery’s lot, and keep up with ongoing results until the auction closing on Friday, June 5.  All proceeds go to non-profit organizations in the Napa Valley.

For more information, go to the Napa Valley Vintner Website at http://www.napavintners.com, and check back with us as the event gets closer.  We’ll have specific log-in information available for your convenience.

We can’t wait to meet you.

Sodaro Estate was proud to support the Boys and Girls Club of Coachella Valley, donating a case of our award winning 2004 felicity Cabernet Sauvignon for their Grand Auction 2009.

Owner Deedee Sodaro’s brother William Caine, Jr. was in attendance, and we understand the event was a great success.

Boys and Girls Club of Coachella Valley Auction 2009

Join us this Thursday, February 12 at the Wine Gallery in Corona del Mar!

The Wine Gallery will be hosting a tasting from 5:00pm - 9:00pm featuring the 2004 felicity Cabernet Sauvignon.  Mark Phelan, our Assistant Manager will be present during the earlier part of the evening to discuss Sodaro Estate Winery and its unique terroir.

We hope to see you there!

Contact Info:

Wine Gallery
2411 East Coast Highway, Suite #250
Corona del Mar, CA 92625

(949) 675-3410 Phone
(949) 675-1430 Fax

Cucina Alessa, the cozy Italian restaurant generating so much buzz in Newport Beach, will begin serving Sodaro Estate wine in early February.

Cucina Alessa - Affordable Italian Cuisine

Alessandro Pirozzi, chef and owner of Cucina Alessa is quickly becoming a famous face around the neighborhood restaurant, known for walking around the dining room conversing with guests as they enjoy his fine Italian cuisine and its impeccable attention to detail.  We look forward to a long relationship with Cucina Alessa, and to providing top quality wines to pair with Alessandro’s thoughtful and masterfully assembled meals.

Click here to view the Dinner Menu at Cucina Alessa

Contact Info:

Cucina ALESSÁ
6700 W. Coast Hwy
Newport Beach, CA 92663
Tel: (949) 645-2148

Open hours:
Sun-Thursday 11:00AM - 10PM
Fri-Sat 11:00 AM - 11:00 PM

A sampling of Cucina Alessa’s Rave Reviews

http://foodfrenzy.freedomblogging.com/2008/09/11/promising-pie-and-more-cucina-alessa/1647/

http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/20/661283/restaurant/OC/Cucina-Alessa-Newport-Beach

http://thingsyoushoulddo.com/uncategorized/cucina-alessa-newport-beach-california

The Wine Gallery, a landmark for wine lovers looking for rare, small-production wines located in Corona del Mar to feature Sodaro Wines

The Wine Gallery in Corona del Mar features Sodaro Estate Wines

The Wine Gallery, located in the heart of old town Corona del Mar, California, was founded in 1999 by long time local residents Jeff Schroeder and Chris Olsen. Since that time, the small boutique wine shop has emerged as a landmark for wine lovers locally and nationwide who are looking for rare, small-production wines at competitive prices.

In recent years, Corona del Mar resident Jim Huston has joined the Wine Gallery team, providing additional depth and appreciated opinion in the store’s wine buying and overall company philosophy.

In the early part of 2007, the Wine Gallery underwent a large expansion, adding a new Tasting Bar and extra retail space. The Wine Tasting Bar offers not only an opportunity for their customers to taste a variety of rare and excellent wine, it gives them a chance to get to know them and their interests as well.

We look forward to a long relationship with the Wine Gallery, and hope to arrange a Sodaro Wine tasting event there soon.

Sodaro Vineyard

AVAs or American Viticultural Areas describe the geographic pedigree of a wine and play a major role in their identity.  Alan Goldfarb of Appellation America recently contacted Sodaro Estate’s Winemaker Dawnine Dyer and Vineyard Manager Michael Wolf for expert input on the Coombsville region of Napa Valley; the home of Sodaro Estate Winery.

Why Cool Coombsville is HOT

Just as the pending Calistoga AVA remains in controversial limbo, at the other end of Napa Valley, a bitter brawl is underway about not only the naming of an AVA but its boundaries.

by Alan Goldfarb
October 8, 2008

n case you haven’t noticed - and chances are you haven’t – save for a little dust-up over a name, the so-called Coombsville area east of the city of Napa is the hottest spot for grapes these days in the Napa Valley. Sitting on a plateau under the imposing Mt. George, the growers in the region are experiencing a come-to-the-mountaintop moment, while at the same time they’re trying to figure out what the heck to call their little corner of America’s most important wine region.

“Coombsville, because of its proximity to San Pablo Bay, is cooler than up-valley vineyards. Thanks to that temperate climate, the region is afforded conditions that allow grapes to mature to full ripeness without driving up sugar levels. Is this why cool Coombsville is so hot? “It’s because it’s not hot,” replies Dawnine Dyer, with a hearty laugh. Dyer, along with her husband Bill, makes a Coombsville red Bordeaux blend called Meteor (along with their other brand, the Diamond Mountain-based Dyer Vineyard).”

“Dyer characterizes Coombsville as ‘not exactly in a cool climate. I would call it moderate. When it’s hot in other parts of the Napa Valley, it’s not as hot here. When it’s cold in other areas, it’s not really cold here.’”

“Michael Wolf, a vineyard management consultant, who farms more than 100 acres in Coombsville, concurs about trying to pin it down. ‘It’s a hard region to generalize about, which is one of the things that’s interesting about it,’ he says. ‘(But) it’s a region that lends itself nicely to making single-vineyard wines.’”

For the full article visit: Why Cool Coombsville is Hot

In early June, Sodaro Estate Winery participated in Auction Napa Valley, an event put on by the Napa Valley Vintners to raise money for local charities.  As a result of this highly successful event, $7.26 million dollars has been donated to very worthwhile causes in the Napa area.  See article below.

Emcee Jay Leno at Auction Napa Valley 2008 - photo: Jason Tinacci

Napa Valley Vintners Gives $7.26 Million to Napa County Charities

Ensuring the Area’s Health and Wellbeing in Challenging Times

St Helena, CA – The Napa Valley Vintners (NVV) today awarded $7.26 million raised at its 2008 Auction Napa Valley, giving grants to area healthcare, affordable housing and youth service non-profits, bringing the giving total to $85 million.

“The Auction is such a terrific aspect of our community where we see everyone come together to make it a success, and we are thrilled to have led the event this year,” said Kathleen Heitz Myers, president of Heitz Wine Cellars who, along with her team, chaired the 2008 Auction.

An Outpouring of Generosity

The largest grants, totaling $1.7 million, were awarded to Community Health Clinic Ole and its Sister Ann Dental Clinic from the incredible outpouring of bidder generosity from the 2008 “Fund a Need” paddle raise held during the June event’s Saturday Live Auction. With no prize to be won other than supporting medical care for children, bidders raised their paddles, beginning with those in for $1000, then those in for $5000 and so on, finally paying their top bid placed. When the lot closed, it raised money from 89 individual bidders and more than doubled the 2007 paddle raise revenue.

Maria Criscione Stel, Development Director, Community Health Clinic Ole said, “Community Health Clinic Ole is honored to be counted among ANV’s long-time beneficiaries. As we strive to make medical and dental services accessible to all Napa County residents, we will use the proceeds from this year’s Fund a Need to help cover the cost of providing 62,000 patient visits at our six clinic sites.”

2008 Giving Exceeds Promise

Last year, the NVV made a $25 million promise to the community, ensuring that the Auction will distribute a minimum of $5 million to its beneficiaries each year over the next five years. With the windfall of money raised at this year’s event, the Auction was able to award 45% more than projected.

Pat Stotesbery, NVV’s Board of Directors President said, “Given these shaky economic times, the vintners association is proud to fuel our local non-profits to strategically solve some of the most pressing issues in our community.”

Stotesbery was referring to the new funding guidelines established last year after an extensive community needs assessment, done in cooperation with the NVV and the county’s major healthcare providers. Additionally the NVV conducted a separate study to assess youth and affordable housing needs. These were conducted to ensure that overall Auction proceeds will have the most positive community impact possible and that the Auction’s funding will be focusing on specific needs or criteria, rather than funding specific agencies or charities.

Linda Cranor, Raising A Reader Manager, Child Start Inc. said, “Auction Napa Valley has supported thousands of young children and their families with their generous awards to the Raising A Reader Program over the last seven years. Helping to prepare young children to become successful when they begin school is one of the most important investments we can make as a community.”

Full article available here

Sodaro Estate Winery’s Cabernet Dinner at SIMONLA was featured today in Valley Scene Magazine, an entertainment news publication.

Chef Kerry Simon Hails a Few Cabs from Napa

By Gerry Furth-Sides

Chef Kerry Simon recently hailed a few cabs at his underrated SIMONLA restaurant. They just happened to be a range of rich Sodaro Estate Napa Cabernets in an innovative wine pairing menu. As always, the menu he created for this special event taught a thing or two with high-style in his deceptively simple, modern - and fun - dishes with their underlying complex satisfying flavors.

SIMONLA’s carefully planned alfresco setting sets the stage for a treat, with congenial servers like ours, Amy, who knew the food and spirits well. Only the energy buzz, not the noise, from the Beverly Center traffic outside transfers to the playful, cozy Sofitel patio that feels like the best seat on the Riviera.

Looking for a corollary between wine notes and ingredients is helpful in food and wine pairings. The chef demonstrated it first in a warm California goat cheese tart with figs and small herb salad paired with a luscious Felicity Cabernet Sauvignon 2003, with a red depth of color. The supple structure of this cab was able to handle the strong flavors of the light introductory course. The cab’s dark fruit notes of red cherry compote and plums paralleled the figs while it complemented the herb salad, and the soft, dusty overlay of sandalwood coax ed out the flavors in the goat cheese tart.

A pleasingly “meaty” fish, halibut is a good choice to pair with red wine. The challenge with halibut, however, is that it lacks a distinct flavor of its own and can be bland or, as in this case, act as a beautiful blank slate for the chef. Chef Simon paired a Roasted Pacific Halibut with Corn and Fava Bean Succotash with a Cabernet reduction with a Felicity Cabernet Franc 2004. He first attracted the eye of the beholder with a papery-thin crunchy layer on top. It contrasted with the tender, perfectly cooked moist inside. The fava bean succotash added a summer color and balance to the fish while the cab reduction mirrored the wine pour in the glass.

A shallot wine sauce pulled together the flavors of the bold, traditional meat-with-red wine dish, Grilled Prime Culotte of Beef, here accompanied by fresh French filet Beans and Truffled Potato Cake for an appealing, subtle twist.

“By using a handful of simple sauces and broths, the diner is able to experience food’s natural, intense flavors,” the chef explains. “The dishes themselves end up lighter, fresher.” He adds that a feature of his natural style featuring selections from the best, locally raised produce.

For dessert, a crunchy Chocolate Mousse Cake with Passion fruit and Marinated Raspberries were balanced with a Ramos Pinto Port Quinta de Ervamoira.

Sodaro Estate Winery Assistant Manager, Mark Phelan was on hand to fill in the story about the wines.

Valley Scene Magazine Website

On the evening of October 4th, Master Sommelier Rene Chazottes brought members from the Pacific Club of Costa Mesa to Sodaro Estate Winery

Twenty members from the Pacific Club joined Wine Director Rene Chazottes and his assistant Enrique Martinez on a journey through the Napa Valley, arriving at Sodaro Estate Winery on the evening of October 4th.

Dawnine Dyer discusses the Vineyard

Members were treated to a discussion of the Vineyard by Winemaker Dawnine Dyer, who led them from the tasting terrace, to the crush pad, and into the caves for an extended wine tasting of yet unreleased wines.  Following the wine tasting, members joined Don and Deedee Sodaro in their home for an elegant dinner (menu included below).

We want to thank everyone who joined us for this very special event, and look forward to staying in touch with all the new friends we made.

More pictures from the event can be seen on our MEDIA page.

Sodaro Estate Winery Evening with the Pacific Club Dinner Menu

FIRST
Teddy Bear Pumpkin Risotto w/ Mascarpone
Locally Baked Breads

THEN
Roast Loin of Pork
Garlic-Brown Butter Demi-Gloce
Pt. Reyes Bleu Cheese and Pinenut Bread Pudding
Oven Roasted Autumn Root Vegetables

FINALLY
Caramel Nut Torte with Butterscotch Ice Cream