This Week's News: The Willowwood Foundation’s 22nd Anniversary Lilac Party: Sunday, May 21st, 4:30 – 7PM 
The original Lilac Parties held under the lilacs during Dr. Ben Blackburn’s residence signaled that the growing season was now in full swing. Now, under the tent—rain or shine—or both—party go’ers now sample scrumptious hors d’oeuvres and review artisanal wines, accompanied by wondrous music by pianist and composer Amir Mortezai. Each year Proceeds from the Lilac Party are used to fund the essential horticulture intern program at Willowwood. Advance Reservations to the Lilac Party are required. For ticket information, please call the Willowwood Foundation at 908-615- 4841 or email wwfoundation@willowwoodfoundation.com Please stay tuned for upcoming events including a meet and greet with Matt Hobbs as well as Brunello tasting… * * * Tonight's Lineup: 
2015 Von Winning Winnings Pfalz Riesling $17.99  
About the Winery Since Von Winning Winery was founded in 1849, unique wines reflecting the vineyards in Ruppertsberg, Deidesheim, and Forst have been produced in their historic cellar. In 1907, Leopold von Winning, son-in-law of Dr. Andreas Deinhard, dedicated his life to creating top quality wines with respect to the outstanding vineyards in which he was allowed to work. He meticulously raised the quality of the wines to a new level and became founding member of VDP, an association of German premium wineries. His decision to work as gentle and close to nature as possible remains the overarching goal of today’s young and ambitious team led by Stephan Attmann. Thus, the visionary Leopold von Winning’s legacy of great wine lives on! 
About the Wine Intensive and sustainable work in the vineyard enables them to harvest grapes of optimal balance for vinification without interfering with the wines’ inner structure. The wine is bottled with minimal handling and often without the aid of filtration. This approach is their way of expressing both world-class vineyards, such as the legendary Kirchenstuck of Forst, as well as the distinctive style of the winery. This Riesling will always be teasingly dry and teasingly sweet so you’ll keep changing your mind (“Wait, it’s a dry wine, no, it’s a sweet wine, no wait, it’s a dry wine again….”) while the bottle empties faster than you could have imagined. This wine was made in friendship and with a ton of heart, and it’s as smart and yummy as a wine can be. 2016 Yves Leccia Patrimoio Rosé Corsica Nielluccio
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About the Winemaker Born into a family of winemakers, Yves Leccia never approached the topic of what he would do later in life. After studying enology in the 1980s, he took on the family estate back in 2004. With his wife Sandrine, the two created their own domaine, consisting of some of the vines from his father. The vines are sloped facing southwest on clay-limestone soils with shale at the foot of the mountain range. The microclimate of this region is heavily influenced by the Gulf St. Florent, which is conducive to good maturity for the fruit. With the vines averaging an age of twenty years, harvest is manual in order to pick grapes that are both ripe and healthy. The cellar is equipped with modern technologies, such as stainless steel tanks complete with temperature-controlled fermentation capabilities. Combine these technologies with a terrior driven juice and there is a freshness and minerality that has a lasting impression. 
About the Wine His name, Leccia, is Corsican for Oak. The name is ironic if you look at Yves’ wines, given that he’s never had his wine touch a single oak barrel and has never allowed wood to enter his cellar. The name is less ironic if you look at Yves himself, with his stoic manner and understated personality. Yves is a firm believer in the idea that if you want something done right you need to do it yourself, and thus he tends to his vines alone and works the cellar by himself as well. He keeps his yields low, knows when to harvest, and knows how to let E Croce express itself in the wines. Not a single bottle comes out of the domaine that isn’t meticulously looked after from start to finish. Made from 80% Nielluccio and 20% Grenache, this wine comes from vineyards on the unique terroir of E Croce. Planted on slopes exposed to the southwest, they benefit from a microclimate due to the maritime influence of the Gulf of St Florent, very conducive to good maturity and remoteness of disease. Cultivated, plowed and loosened the traditional way, the vines roots are forced to dive into the ground to get the best. While the color is a brilliantly pale-pink color, on the nose there is a lovely floral aroma consisting of roses and newly picked flowers. The palate is fresh and aromatic, yet slightly spicy from the undertones of the soils. 2013 Paul Hobbs Bramare Lujan de Cuyo Malbec $47.99 .jpg) .jpg)
About the Winery The Bramare Appellation highlights the richness of Mendoza regions and it exquisitely shows the differences among the excellent grape growing potential in Luján de Cuyo and the Uco Valley. These wines are abundant, expressive and hedonistic with highly aromatic intensity, ripe fruit and soft tannins. Bramare- from the Italian word “bramare” (brah-MAH-reh) means “to long, to look forward to”. It expresses the wish of Viña Cobos to go beyond, to challenge the limit. Viña Cobos, driven by the vision of producing ultra-premium wines in Argentina, Cobos and Bramare were the first two wines of the new winery. From the moment these two labels were released they showed the high quality that can be achieved in Argentina’s wines, showcasing the grapes from special lots of the vineyard along with the commitment of the winemakers who rigorously worked from the vineyard to the production stage. .JPG)
About the Wine Lujan de Cuyo, is known historically as the ‘prime zone’ for wine-growing in Mendoza. Its high elevation location, in combination with a semi-desert climate and low-nutrient gravelly soils, provide ideal conditions for producing high quality fruit. Hand-harvested, April 9th to the 24th. This Lujan de Cuyo Malbec seduces with its deep amethyst and ruby tones. The nose has great presence of cassis and strawberry opening to joyful notes of caramel, white pepper, star anise, dark chocolate and graphite, enlivened with delicate mint and rosemary notes. Remarkably broad in mouth, this elegant Malbec shows sweet, firm tannins and a very long finish with great persistence. 91 Points, Wine Spectator. * * * | 
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