Experience 22 Reasons to Fall in Love with Wine All Over Again

    ALBION, CA, September 08, 2015 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The Rhone Rangers are offering a unique opportunity for wine enthusiasts to taste and discover the lesser-knowns - wine made from grape varieties such as Marsanne, Roussanne, Cinsault, Grenache and Mourvedre--all under one roof at its annual Southern California Tasting of American Rhone Varietal Wines. Most of the events will take place on November 7th, 2015 at The Reef in downtown Los Angeles. The Reef is LA's exciting, new creative habitat with more than 800,000 square feet of event and office space, housing innovators and entrepreneurs in the fashion, technology and design industries.

Meet the 22 Varieties, All Under One Roof

"Most of us remember falling in love with wine for the first time, but rarely do we have the opportunity to experience the thrill of that discovery all over again," said Barbara Smith, President of the Rhone Rangers. "The Los Angeles tasting will offer attendees the chance to taste these intriguing varieties and to rediscover the special romance and appreciation of wine."

Tickets are now on sale at: www.rhonerangers.org.

The Saturday, November 7th events include:

Walk-Around Tasting. 2-6 PM, The Reef, 1933 South Broadway, Downtown Los Angeles.
Fifty Rhone Ranger winemakers will pour their wines for consumers during the walk-around tasting. A silent auction of wine and wine-related travel and experiences will also take place; a portion of the proceeds will go to support the Rhone Rangers Scholarship Fund. VIP ticket holders are invited to attend from 2-6 PM ($75/ticket); consumers with General Admission tickets are invited to attend from 3-6 PM ($50/ticket). Tickets are available now and can be purchased at www.rhonerangers.org.

Technical Seminar: "Grenache On the Rise" 10:30 - 12 PM, The Reef
This seminar is intended for wine aficionados and members of the wine trade, and will be moderated by Patrick Comiskey, Senior Editor of Wine & Spirits Magazine. The seminar will cover the entire Grenache family, including Grenache Noir, Grenache Blanc and Grenache-dominant blends. Tickets are $40 and can be purchased online.

Additional activities are planned for Friday evening, November 6th and will include a series of in-store retail tastings and intimate dinners at restaurants in Los Angeles. Details for these events will be announced shortly.

Please see below for a list of participating wineries committed to date.

PURCHASE TICKETS

Tickets are now on sale and the public is invited to purchase them online at www.rhonerangers.org. For more information, call 800-467-0163.

- Saturday Pass: $99
(includes one ticket to the seminar and VIP entry, 2-6 PM, for the walk-around tasting)
- Seminar (a la carte): $40
- VIP Admission at 2 PM: $75 ($85 at the door)
- General Admission at 3 PM: $50 ($60 at the door)
- Group General Admission: $250
(includes six tickets for the group to enter together at 3 PM; one of the tickets is complimentary)

PARTICIPATING WINERIES (committed to date)

ANGLIM BERNAT BONNY DOON VINEYARD BURT STREET CELLARS CADARETTA CAMPOVIDA
CHACEWATER CLAYHOUSE WINES CORNERSTONE CELLARS DERBY WINE ESTATES ECLUSE WINES FESS PARKER & EPIPHANY FIELD STONE WINERY KENNETH VOLK VINEYARDS KITA WINES KUKKULA LIGHTNING WINES LONE MADRONE MARGERUM WINE COMPANY MICHAEL-DAVID MOUNTS FAMILY WINERY ONX WINES PETRICHOR VINEYARDS QUPE SEVEN OXEN ESTATE WINES TABLAS CREEK VINEYARD TERCERO WINES VINA ROBLES VINES ON THE MARYCREST WESTWOOD ESTATE WINE

About the Rhone Rangers

The Rhone Rangers are a group of roughly 150 wineries dedicated to making wines from the 22 grape varieties originally made famous in France's Rhone Valley. These varieties range from the better-known Syrah and Viognier to the up-and-coming Mourvedre, Grenache and Roussanne, to obscure (but delicious) grapes like Counoise and Picpoul.

The Rhone Rangers started from a small gathering of American vintners who began meeting informally in the 1980s. As their numbers expanded, the group organized under the name "Rhone Rangers." The Rhone Rangers is a non-profit organization focused on promoting the enjoyment of Rhone varietal wines produced in the United States. These grapes include the 22 traditional varieties approved by the French government for the Cotes du Rhone, as well as Durif (Petite Sirah). In order for a winery to join the Rhone Rangers, they must produce at least one wine that contains 75% of any single approved varietal (or combination of these varietals.)

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