Italy #1 will be held next Wednesday, April 18^th, and next Thursday, April 19^th, with both classes starting at 6:30 pm in the lounge.

Next weeks classes will cover the many different grapes, and wines, of the Northern Italian Regions:

-Trentino-Alto Adige

-Liguria

-Veneto

-Lombardy

-Piedmont

“Italy #1” will run approximately 2 hours, and the class size is limited to 20 people each night. The cost is $25 which will include all wine.

Please email Joe at joelertch@gmail.com or call 443-502-2551, to reserve your place, and let us know if you’re signing up for the Wednesday class, or the Thursday class.

Thank you….. and see you in wine class.

Joe

Here is the moment many of you have been waiting for again…

Here is the moment many of you have heard about but missed last year…

Here is history in the making once again!

Last year we witnessed the world premier, and launch, of a brand new winery, and a brand

new wine… Masut.

Last years world premier was here, at The Vineyard Wine Bar… here, before New York, before Chicago, Dallas, Miami and San Francisco… even before the winery opened its doors.

Last year we started a tradition that Ben and Jake Fetzer want to continue each year… so once again we will be the first in the country to experience the new vintage, (Vintage 2010), of Masut Pinot Noir.

On Monday Night, February 27, 2012, between the hours of 6:30 PM and 8:30 PM you will

have the opportunity to witness history in the making once again as winemakers Ben and

Jake Fetzer introduce to the world their next vintage of “Masút” Pinot Noir. This East Coast

introduction is making its World Debut right here at The Vineyard Wine Bar in Havre de Grace, Maryland.

Please join us, and meet Ben and Jake Fetzer, and taste their 2nd release of “Masút”. If you are a lover of Pinot Noir this limited bottled, artisan crafted wine could be the best Pinot Noir you have ever experienced.

Ben and Jake will be here to talk about their dream, share a taste of it with you, autograph a bottle…. and even snap a picture with you.

This world introduction is something you don’t want to miss…….

Monday night….. February 27th. Stop in anytime between 6:30 PM and 8:30 PM.

About The Fetzer Winery:

In the 1980’s “Fetzer” was a household name, as the Fetzer Winery produced good-value, everyday-drinking table wine. It was as widely known as Robert Mondavi or Sutter Home.

Perhaps you’ve had a glass, or a bottle, of Fetzer “Sundial Chardonnay”, or one of the other    wines made by the Fetzer Winery.

The fact is that Fetzer started out as a family winery in 1968, and became so popular in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s that it grew… and its size and importance to the wine industry caught the attention of the very large wine and spirits company, Brown Forman. (Think Jack Daniels whiskey, Southern Comfort, Early Times whiskey, Findlandia Vodka, etc.)

Brown Forman purchased Fetzer in 1992, and Bobby Fetzer moved his family north to Mendocino County where he purchased land with hopes of getting back to making wine on a much smaller scale. It was at this time that he realized part of his land purchase included a very small plot perfect for growing high-quality Pinot Noir. He named the vineyard “Masút”.

Bobby built a barn among the Masút Vineyard.  It was basically a sturdy frame used for storing farm equipment and lumber, but it would eventually become the site of his two son’s (Ben and Jake) first attempt at winemaking.

As the boys experimented with blending their “home brew” in the barn, they began to take their efforts more seriously.  Soon, the budding vintners needed a space more conducive for their craft.  Thus, the transformation of the barn into a winery began.

The winery is now a classic example of modern technology enhancing traditional methods of winemaking.  Comprised of small, open-top fermenters that are temperature controlled, French oak barrels, and a state of the art bottling line, Ben and Jake, at full capacity, will be able to produce a maximum of 5,000 cases (6-pack cases) for the world, with their personal signature on each bottle.

About Bobby’s sons: Ben and Jake Fetzer:

Ben and Jake Fetzer spent their childhood surrounded by their family’s Fetzer Vineyards.  At an early age they developed a great admiration for their family’s accomplishments and knew that they would one day build upon its legacy.

As they grew older and worked alongside their father, Bobby Fetzer, they found the lessons of growing up were best learned from the earth itself.  He taught them to respect the “masút”, meaning “dark, rich earth,” which he exemplified through organic and biodynamic farming methods long before they were popular.  This respect not only provided superior results, but also became a way of life for the family.

In 2006 Bobby Fetzer passed away.

Since then Ben and Jake have been determined to carry on the sustainable practices they learned from him and to make their own place in wine history.  Thus, they started “Masút Winery” in 2009 using only estate-grown fruit from the acclaimed pinot noir vineyard that they had planted with their father.

Ben and Jake are proud to continue the legacy and share their passion for Masút with you… and we, at The Vineyard Wine Bar, are proud to welcome them and help them introduce their new vintage of “Masút” Pinot Noir.

We hope to see you on February 27th.

The Vineyard Wine Bar, Bistro, and Bottle Shop

142 N. Washington Street

Historic Downtown Havre de Grace, Maryland 21078

443-502-2551

www.thevineyardwinebar.com/

Because we are closed on Valentines Day, (Tuesday, February 14th)…

…We will be celebrating Valentines Day the entire weekend before:

Saturday night, February 11th

Sunday night, February 12th and

Monday night, February 13th

We’ll have some exciting ”Specials” to help you celebrate Valentines Day in Style.

Please call for reservations or make them through our web site, or through “Open table”.

Hope to see you soon at The Vineyard Wine Bar

January 23^rd at The Vineyard Wine Bar.

As we are pleased to announce a very special appearance by Laurent Drouhin of the world famous French Burgundy firm: “Maison Joseph Drouhin”.

The name Maison Joseph Drouhin is one of the most respected names in all of Burgundy, and the wines are sought after world-wide by collectors of fine French Burgundy. Their top white Burgundy, “Montrachet Marquis de Laguiche” is often referred to as the best dry white wine in the world.

Laurent will be here to talk about the company founded by his great grandfather, lead us through a tasting of some of the great red and white Burgundies of Maison Joseph Drouhin, autograph bottles, and even have a photo taken.

Be sure to come and meet Laurent on Monday night, January 23^rd between 7:00 and 8:30 Pm.

This is a “Flow Tasting”, meaning that you can arrive anytime between 7:00 Pm and 8:30 Pm

HISTORY:

Joseph Drouhin always had a passion for wine, and in 1880 in Burgundy, France, he founded the independent company that still bears his name. Today, his great grandchildren, Philippe, Véronique, Laurent and Frédéric, run the family-owned company from their ancestors house. Day after day, they strive for harmony, the hallmark of Joseph Drouhin wines.

BELIEFS:

The philosophy of the Drouhin firm is best defined as respect of the soil, of the vine and of heritage.
• Respect of the soil. Maison Joseph Drouhin still plows, uses natural compost.
• Respect of the environment. Only the most natural weapons are used against insects and diseases. Bacteria and predators have replaced chemical products for years.
• Respect of genetic heritage. Maison Joseph Drouhin produces their own grafts when planting new vineyards or replacing old stocks. The selection comes from the best and oldest vines in order to conserve and transmit the genetic characters of the finest Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Since 1880 Maison Joseph Drouhin has built a reputation for wines that primarily reflect their individual terroir and vintage. Faithfully preserving individuality of each appellation, the Drouhin firm constantly strives for wines of breed, finesse and elegance.

We are honored to have Laurent with us Monday night, January 23^rd. Please come out and meet him.

Please note that we will be closed:

Sunday, January 1st

Monday, January 2nd

Tuesday, January 3rd

Wednesday, January 4th

Thursday, January 5th

and will re-open on

Friday, January 6th at 5:00 PM

Thank you.

NEW YEARS EVE 2011

What are you doing New Years Eve?

Why not make The Vineyard Wine Bar your destination for a celebration!

Join us this New Years Eve for Dinner, or Dessert, or both.

We’ll have 2 reserved seatings this New Years Eve.

We will open at 6:00 PM for our 1st seating, which will be for Dinner, (no dessert or drinks only please). We will seat dinner guests between 6:00 Pm and 7:00 Pm… and will close at 9:00 Pm. (We’ll also have a few dinner, and wine, features for the evening.)

We will re-open at 10:00 PM for our 2^nd seating which will be for Dessert and Drinks, (you’ll also be able to order from the dinner menu too if you haven’t yet had dinner.)

Our Dessert and Drinks seating will be from 10:00 Pm to 12:30 Am.

We’ll also have live music at our 2^nd seating, with Tim McAlee on jazz guitar. Tim will be playing smooth jazz tunes, classics, and even some Christmas related songs with a “Jazzy influence”. We’ll also be handing out party hats, and party blowers for the 2nd seating as we usher in the New Year.

Plan to celebrate New Years Eve with us at The Vineyard Wine Bar.

Call us at 443-502-2551 to reserve your place.

Wine News:

In the Spring of this past year, (after much pleading), Chester Osborn, (Wine maker extraordinaire) from the d’Arenberg winery in Australia agreed to make us ONE-LAST-BATCH of his Sparkling Chambourcin… which many of you love, and is discontinued. Well… Chester made that last batch and we are now down to the last 7 cases (they’re 6 bottles to a case). ….so, if any of you would like the last of the d’Arenberg Sparkling Red Chambourcin please come in and get yours. When it’s gone, it’ll be gone for good.

Gourmet Shop News:

We are pleased to announce that our Artisan, Handmade, GLUTEN-FREE, salami’s have finally arrived from Creminelli. We have them available in three flavors/styles: Sopressata, Piccante and Castalingo. They’re delicious. Stop in to our Gift Shop for a sample.

Facebook:

For those of you that follow Facebook…. you can now follow us, and “Like Us” on Facebook.

Thank you, and hope to see you soon.

1. Join us for “Live Jazz” as we welcome guitarist Brent Shallcross next Monday night, December 12th at The Vineyard Wine Bar between 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM. Brent’s smooth Jazz guitar will calm the nerves after a day of work, or holiday shopping.

2. Announcing our next WINE BASICS Wine Education class.

Our last “Wine Basics/Wine Appreciation” class for 2011 will be held on Thursday, December 15th at 6:30 pm in the lounge.

With this “Wine Basics/Wine Appreciation” class, we’ll be discussing:
The 3 different styles of wine
The 3 different types of wine
The “5 S’s”
The proper way to hold a glass, and why certain glasses make wine taste better
How to read a wine bottle label and understand what they’re telling us
The role BIG BUSINESS plays in the wine industry
Different grapes, (Native, Hybrid and Vinifera), and the areas they grow in
The difference between “New World” wines and “Old World” wines
The role “Sulfites” plays in wine
The difference “Oak” makes in wine
Decanting wine
Storing wine
Proper temperature to serve
Wine “Flaws”
… and other topics along with time for questions and answers.

“Wine Basics/Wine Appreciation” will run approximately 2 hours, and the class size is limited to 20 people. The cost is $25 which includes wine.

Please email Joe at joelertch@gmail.com or call 443-502-2551, to reserve your place.

3. Reservations: You can now make reservations on our web site by simply “clicking” the “MAKE A RESERVATION” tab. (You can also make reservations via your i-phone or Droid phone via “Open Table”.)

4. In the next couple days we will be posting our New Years Eve schedule. Stay tuned and spend New Years Eve partying with us.

Our friend, and Italian Wine Specialist, Filippo Lapides, will start the tasting at 7:00 PM and will talk about the importance of the Montepulciano grape from the Valle Reale Winery.

We’ll taste:

Valle Reale Trebbiano (White)

Valle Reale Montepulciano D’Abruzzo Vigna Nuovo (Red)

Valle Reale Montepulciano D’Abruzzo (Old Vine) (Red)

and

Valle Reale “San Calisto” (Red)
(San Calisto is the most award wining Montepulciano in Italy, and is a low-yield, small production wine.)

The Valle Reale Estate Winery is the only winery located within the National Park of Abruzzo and produces what many call the best Montepulciano from the Abruzzo region. As a bonus the wines are organic without added sulfites.

The tasting is FREE and is a “Flow Tasting” meaning that you can come anytime between 7:00 and 8:30 Pm and listen to Filippo talk about, (and of course taste), the wines from The Valle Reale Winery.

We hope to see you on December 7th for this fun tasting.

The Vineyard Wine Bar would like to work with you to help make this Holiday Season special for the Children of Havre de Grace.

We will be accepting donated presents at our Gift Shop located at 200 N. Washington St. and in return we will thank you with a $5 gift card to The Vineyard Wine Bar.

We request donations to be unwrapped NEW items for boys and girls ages 0 -15 yrs.

Some gift ideas: Hats, Gloves, Scarves, Sweaters, Pajamas, Books, Puzzles, Games, Art Supplies, Dolls, Action Figures, Etc.

We will be accepting donations from Dec 1st – Dec 10th. We will wrap all the gifts and deliver them to St. Patrick’s Church so they can distribute them to families in need.

If your schedule does not allow time for shopping we will gladly accept monetary donations and we will do the shopping for you.

We would like to thank you ahead of time for helping make this Holiday Season more enjoyable for the Children of Havre de Grace.

Seasons Greetings!

Joe, Jarrod, and the Entire Staff of The Vineyard Wine Bar.

The Vineyard Wine Bar Gift Shop Hours

Wednesday 3pm-8pm
Thursday 11am-8pm
Friday 11am-9pm
Saturday 11am-9pm
Sunday 12pm-6pm

As part of our 1 Year Anniversary Celebration we are pleased to announce that…..

On Monday Night, November 8, 2010, between the hours of 6:30 PM and 8:30 PM you will have the opportunity to witness history in the making as winemakers Ben and Jake Fetzer introduce to the world their new wine “Masút”.  This East Coast introduction is making its World Debut right here at The Vineyard Wine Bar in Havre de Grace, Maryland.

Please join us, and meet Ben and Jake Fetzer, and taste their first release of “Masút”. If you are a lover of Pinot Noir this limited bottled, artisan crafted wine could be the best Pinot Noir you have ever experienced.

Ben and Jake will be here to talk about their dream, share a taste of it with you, autograph a bottle…. and even snap a picture with you.

This world introduction is something you don’t want to miss…….

Monday night….. November 8^th. Stop in anytime between 6:30 PM and 8:30 PM.

About The Fetzer Winery:

In the 1980’s “Fetzer” was a household name, as the Fetzer Winery produced good-value, everyday-drinking table wine. It was as widely known as Robert Mondavi or Sutter Home.

Perhaps you’ve had a glass, or a bottle, of Fetzer “Sundial Chardonnay”, or one of the other wines made by the Fetzer Winery. 

The fact is that Fetzer started out as a family winery in 1968, and became so popular in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s that it grew… and its size and importance to the wine industry caught the attention of the very large wine and spirits company, Brown Forman. (Think Jack Daniels whiskey, Southern Comfort, Early Times whiskey, Findlandia Vodka, etc.)

Brown Forman purchased Fetzer in 1992, and Bobby Fetzer moved his family north to Mendocino County where he purchased land with hopes of getting back to making wine on a much smaller scale. It was at this time that he realized part of his land purchase included a very small plot perfect for growing high-quality Pinot Noir. He named the vineyard “Masút”.

Bobby built a barn among the Masút Vineyard.  It was basically a sturdy frame used for storing farm equipment and lumber, but it would eventually become the site of his two son’s (Ben and Jake) first attempt at winemaking.

As the boys experimented with blending their “home brew” in the barn, they began to take their efforts more seriously.  Soon, the budding vintners needed a space more conducive for their craft.  Thus, the transformation of the barn into a winery began.

The winery is now a classic example of modern technology enhancing traditional methods of winemaking.  Comprised of small, open-top fermenters that are temperature controlled, French oak barrels, and a state of the art bottling line, Ben and Jake, at full capacity, will be able to produce a maximum of 5,000 cases (6-pack cases) for the world, with their personal signature on each bottle.

About Bobby’s sons: Ben and Jake Fetzer:

Ben and Jake Fetzer spent their childhood surrounded by their family’s Fetzer Vineyards.  At an early age they developed a great admiration for their family’s accomplishments and knew that they would one day build upon its legacy. 

As they grew older and worked alongside their father, Bobby Fetzer, they found the lessons of growing up were best learned from the earth itself.  He taught them to respect the “masút”, meaning “dark, rich earth,” which he exemplified through organic and biodynamic farming methods long before they were popular.  This respect not only provided superior results, but also became a way of life for the family.

In 2006 Bobby Fetzer passed away.

Since then Ben and Jake have been determined to carry on the sustainable practices they learned from him and to make their own place in wine history.  Thus, they started “Masút Winery” in 2009 using only estate-grown fruit from the acclaimed pinot noir vineyard that they had planted with their father.

Ben and Jake are proud to continue the legacy and share their passion for Masút with you… and we, at The Vineyard Wine Bar, are proud to welcome them and help them introduce “Masút” Pinot Noir.

We hope to see you on November 8^th.

The Vineyard Wine Bar, Bistro, and Bottle Shop

142 N. Washington Street

Historic Downtown Havre de Grace, Maryland 21078

443-502-2551