These first few months of 2010 have flown by so quickly and all of a sudden we realized it was time to get an update out to our loyal Sean Minor Wines community! We hope the new year is off to a great start for all of you.                   

We hosted our first local wine dinner here in Sacramento mid-January at Tuli Bistro. We had such a wonderful time meeting new people and reconnecting with friends. Not only was it our first local dinner, but it was also the inaugural wine dinner for the restaurant. As Chef Adam Pechal recently recalled, "it sold out in about five minutes!" The food and wine pairings were outstanding. The menu and pictures from the evening are available for viewing on our Facebook fan page. We really appreciate all of you who attended and we are hoping to do another dinner at Tuli in the near future.                  

New Release                     

We are pleased to announce the release of our 2008 Central Coast Chardonnay. Our Central Coast Chardonnay displays aromas of peach, green apples and tropical nuances.  On the entry, the wine is soft with green apple, white peach and pineapple notes.  The mid-palate displays subtle oak nuances which evolve into a hint of minerality and continue into a lingering clean finish. We had such a great response to our last vintage and are confident the new vintage will exceed your expectations! Be sure to visit our website and take advantage of FREE SHIPPING on all case orders.                     

Upcoming Releases                     

We are looking forward to releasing our 2009 Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc. We have finalized the blend and it tastes great. We will be releasing the wine Mid-April just in time for Spring and leading into Summer - the perfect seasons for crisp white wines. We have less than a case of our remaining 2008 Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc so if you would like to order please contact us in our office at 707-226-1414.                         

Recipes               

Our Sean Minor Wines Community has continually asked us to share wine pairings and we recently found a recipe for Foil Baked Salmon paired with our 2008 Carneros Pinot Noir on the Wine and Walnuts Blog.  We posted it on our Facebook fan page and one of our loyal fans/friends tried it the same night and here is what she had to say:                    

We also posted two new recipes in our blog. The first is Nicole's recipe for Asparagus Soup served either hot or cold and perfectly paired with our Sauvignon Blanc, a perfect Spring and Summer soup. The second, submitted by a friend and fan in Utah, is for Moroccan Spiced Game Hen with Couscous, which he also paired with our Sauvignon Blanc. Be sure to check out the recipes and if you happen to try them, let us know what you think!             

Expanded Distribution            

Once again, we are expanding our distribution throughout the US! We mentioned in our November newsletter our new representation in New York and New Jersey by Polaner Selections, in Arizona by Quail Distributing, and in Oregon and Washington by Triage Wines. We are pleased to announce our wines are once again available in Illinois through our new distributor Novovino Wine Company! We are currently working on expanding into Pennsylvania and Connecticut, and possibly Florida, too. We will keep you posted as we continue to expand our distribution!            

For those of you who live in these markets start looking for our wines in retailers and restaurants near you over the next few months! And if you don't see them help us spread the word by mentioning us to your favorite wine shop or sommelier!  You are our BEST customers.

On the road again                 

I've spent the first few months of 2010 traveling throughout the U.S. selling our wines and it doesn't look like I will be slowing down for at least a few more months. My favorite thing about being out in the different markets is hearing feedback from our satisfied customers.                   

Nicole and I spent the first week of February in New York City kicking off the Sean Minor 4 Bears brand with our new distributor Polaner Selections. Wow, we love NYC! I went to an incredible account for dinner called Co.(pronounced Company)- 230 9th Ave - fantastic artisan pizza! They just started pouring our Sauvignon Blanc by the glass. I had the good fortune to try the Meatball pizza and the Honshimeji & Guanciale pizza... crazy delicious crust, really good! I enjoyed the atmosphere, great crust and great staff/service - a must have in NYC!                   

I also spent some time in Arizona with our new distributor, Quail Distributing. They are doing an excellent job getting our brand out there in the short time they have been representing our wines. For those of you in Arizona you can view our list of AZ accounts by city (both restaurants and retailers) who carry Sean Minor 4 Bears wines. One account in particular, Fat Cat in Chandler, is pouring all five of our wines by the glass! They just recently opened and you can read more about them in the First Taste: Fat Cat article from The Dish section of the East Valley Tribune.  Great support and kudos to Arizona!                     

I spent the first week of March in Kansas. Our distributor, LDF, is rocking with our brand. Our wines are everywhere! We did a wine tasting at JP Wine Bar in Leawood where they expected approximately 40 patrons to attend. The actual number of guests who attended was more than double that figure! We also held a tasting at Yia Yia's Euro Bistro in Wichita and had a great turn out. Unbelievable representation in my home state, keep up the good work Kansas!
  
Wine Competitions and Reviews
  
San Francisco Chronicle results are in and we scored silvers across the board. The wine competition season is upon us and we are gearing up to submit our wines for review at several of the major competitions. We also recently received 87 points on our 2007 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from the Wine Spectator and were featured as a daily wine pick in the Under $20 category.         

"Supple, graceful, complex and harmonious, this is firm and taut, with spicy plum, currant, cedar and mineral notes. Drink now through 2014. 12,000 cases made." –JL         

Be sure to check out our Facebook and Twitter pages to get all the updates on awards and accolades as they come in! And if you ever are curious as to how our wines stack up the most recent list of accolades is available in the Press section of our website.                    

Featured Accounts

We would like to highlight Heritage Wine Company in Pasadena, CA. They are a family owned business, just like us, and they carry our wines! I did a wine tasting in their shop last July and they have since turned several of their customers onto Sean Minor 4 Bears and we have heard nothing but excellent things about them. Thank you Heritage Wine Co.!

We also received a tip from one of our loyal Sean Minor 4 Bears fans letting us know Green Restaurant at Fort Mason in San Francisco is carrying three of our wines! Green Restaurant was built in 1979 and helped establish vegetarian cuisine in the ranks of fine dining restaurants in the United States.  Their wine list emphasizes small high-quality producers from the West Coast and Europe. We are proud to be included and thankful for their support!                  

If you have a favorite account you frequent, let us know! We would be happy to include them in our newsletter and Facebook page.                

Events

We recently had the pleasure of presenting our wines to the Heritage Park Wine Club in Natomas. Not only was the community and clubhouse beautiful, but we really enjoyed meeting their Wine Club members and appreciated having the opportunity to showcase our wines. Thanks to the Heritage Park Wine Club for inviting us to be their featured winery!             

We will be participating in Sierra College Foundation's Taste of Excellence on Saturday, April 10, 2010. This elegant affair has become a must-attend event in Placer County and the proceeds have enabled the foundation to do extraordinary things for Sierra College. If you live in the area and would like to attend please click HERE to visit their website. Thank you to Capitol Cellars in Roseville for including us in this prestigious event!     

 This is always an exciting time of year! Spring brings warmer weather and longer days. The vines have awoken from their winter slumber and grow almost in front of your eyes. Spring is also a time for new releases from Sean Minor Wines: Four Bears, which is always an exciting part of the wine making process. It's like introducing a new family member! We will keep you posted on our upcoming wine releases, events and happenings around the winery. In the meantime, we would love to hear from you! Send us your thoughts, questions and comments at info@4bearswinery.com!    

Cheers,    

Sean and Nicole Minor (& the 4 Bears)

A friend of ours recently contacted us to find our wines in Utah. He picked up a bottle of our 2008 Sean Minor Four Bears Sauvignon Blanc from Sonoma County and shared this recipe with us. We thought we would pass it along to all of you to enjoy!

"Last night I prepared Moroccan spiced game hen with couscous, a veg medley, and olive bread. This was artfully enjoyed with one of the most AMAZING Sauvignon Blancs I've ever experienced, thanks to your skillfull mastery of some Sonoma grapes!! I LOVED IT!! Whoo-hoo!! I'm one happy camper, so thanks for all your help in getting me introduced to 4B!! Consider me hooked!"

Although it can be altered, this is what I prepared for Moroccan Game Hen, which I was very happy with:
2 Game Hens (can be either rotisseried, or spatchcocked flat for the grill)
1 Grated Onion
2 Tbs chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 Tbs chopeed fresh cilantro
3 Tbs fresh lemon juice
2 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp hot paprika
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp white pepper
Combine everything and whisk to mix, then add hens, cover and marinate for 8 hours. Then grill for 16-22 mins, alternating med and hot sides of grill on both sides.

for the Moroccan veg w/ couscous, I used a recipe I found on Epicurious:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Quick-Moroccan-Vegetable-Couscous-1194

-Steve, Salt Lake City, UT

If you try out this recipe let us know what you think! A big thanks to Steve for giving us the opportunity to please his palate.

Cheers,

Sean and Nicole Minor

We are posting daily on Facebook and Twitter. If you use either of these sites check us out! And if you aren't into the social networking don't worry about it. You can see all of our posts right here on our blog. Just check out our live Twitter feed to the right to stay on top of all the latest and greatest from Sean Minor Wines!

Bring separate pot of salted water to boil, add asparagus tips 2-3 minutes, remove them and place in ice water, when they are cooled pat them dry and reserve to side.

In a blender, puree asparagus stock mixture, strain and adjust taste with seasoning. CHILL or have HOT

Garnish soup with tips and goat cheese! It is terrific! And looks so gourmet!!

This past year has been an incredible journey for Sean Minor Wines.   We added our 2007 Napa Valley Carneros Pinot Noir only to see it sell out in 60 days!  We remain true to our mission to produce great wines that over-deliver and when the Pinot released, we were jazzed to see our consumers highly satisfied. We are so thankful for our loyal customers and we truly appreciate your support and encouragement and hope that our mission has proven consistent and satisfied your wine consumption wishes! 

 Holiday Orders Ready for Delivery!

The winery is gearing up for holiday orders, parties, and client gifting and we hope that you will join us in sharing a bottle of Sean Minor Four Bears wine with your collegues.  At the request of some of our Sean Minor Four Bears fans, we have limited edition bottles of Sean Minor: Four Bears 2007 Napa Valley Cabernet signed by Sean available.  This makes a wonderful gift more personal and certainly a great way for us to show our appreciation.  Orders may include any varietal or quantity for shipping, however, if you include limited edition 07 Cab, it will be hand signed.  The winery will enclose a gift card and if you wish to save time, email us your "SEND TO" list or fax it to 707-307-7120 and we will handle the rest. Remember that as a member of our Sean Minor Four Bears Community, you will receive FREE SHIPPING on case orders!  That can be a $30 savings to you on every case! 

Expanded Distribution

We have recently partnered with three new distributors which will allow us to expand our retail and restaurant business into FIVE new states! Sean Minor Four Bears wines will be represented in New York and New Jersey by Polaner Selections, in Arizona by Quail Distributing, and in Oregon and Washington by Triage Wines. For those of you who live in these markets start looking for our wines in retailers and restaurants near you over the next few months! And if you don't see them help us spread the word by mentioning us to your favorite wine shop or sommelier!  You are our BEST customers.

New Releases 

We are pleased to announce the release of our 2007 Napa Valley Merlot! We just started shipping this new vintage in October and it is tasting great. The wine displays lush aromas and silky flavors of ripe black cherry, plum and mocha. On the palate the wine demonstrates those same fruit flavors with an integrated mid-pallet of sweet oak and tannins that offer a lingering and full finish. We also just released our 2007 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and 2008 Carneros Pinot Noir just in time for the holidays. Be sure to check our website for all the latest releases. The 2007 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is deep ruby in color and displays aromas of ripe cherry, cassis and blackberry fruit.  Flavors of blackberries and raspberries combined with hints of savory spices coat the palate. The soft tannins and sweet oak balance lead to a long and lingering finish. The 2008 Napa Valley Carneros Pinot Noir is medium-bodied with blueberry, cherry, plum and light toast flavors.  On entry, the wine displays blue fruit characters that are balanced with the lingering spicy/earthy notes.  The vanilla and toast nuances integrate well with the silky round tannins which evolve into a lengthy finish.
 

Social Networking

Over the past months we have begun exploring social networking through sites such as Facebook and Twitter. We have heard a ton of feedback from fans of our wines all over North America. We have started a new testimonial page on our blog which includes all the comments we have received via email and Facebook from our customers. We really appreciate all of you who have taken the time to send us notes. We always like to hear how you heard about us, where you tried our wines, etc. Check out our testimonial page to read some of the incredible things our customers have sent us! Also, we have received a few photos from fans and posted them in our blog and in our Facebook Fan Photos album. If you would like to be included go ahead and send us a photo of you and/or your friends enjoying our wine via email to info@4bearswinery.com or become a fan and post it on our Facebook! Tell us where you were and where you are from. We will include it in our collection of fan photos. Meet one of our followers; Desiderio Restaurant in Gainsville, Virginia, followed Sean on Twitter and was one of the first to carry our 2007 Carneros Pinot Noir. They recently added the 2006 Napa Valley Cab to their list based on consumer recommendations.  We send out Facebook updates anytime we receive new press, awards and/or accolades, we post upcoming events, videos of us tasting the newest vintages, etc. Be sure to check it out and become a fan today!

We are constantly amazed and thankful for the coverage we receive in the media. Social media is something we are learning more about each and every day.

We are constantly striving to stay up to date in the social media world and maintain contact with fans of our wines. Be sure to check us out on Facebook and/or Twitter  for daily updates on what we are doing, recent reviews and winery news. We have also recently added a Testimonial  page to our blog! If you have something to say about your experience with our wine please email us at info@4bearswinery.com or post it on our Facebook and we will add it to our blog testimonials. We always enjoy hearing feedback from our customers.

The Wine Spy recently reviewed our 2007 Carneros Napa Valley Pinot Noir in the Flathead Beacon in Montana. Our distributor in Montana, George's Distributing, is doing a great job!

The Beaune Yard is an interesting blog we just learned about. Earl gives insight into various places to try, wines to drink, wines to avoid and other vices he enjoys while living life. Luckily our 2006 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a wine he enjoyed on a recent vacation and recommends to his readers! Be sure to check out his blog!

Cheers!

Sean & Nicole Minor

We got a kick out of a recent blog post on Good Wine Under $20. Author Deb Harkness was challenged to find a dry red or white wine that goes with breakfast for the 53rd Wine Blogging Wednesday. First she contemplated the breakfast items -- a goat cheese and red pepper frittata and Welsh rabbit -- and creatively paired them with our 2006 Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc. I enjoyed the post and was inspired to think of other breakfast items that would pair with the Sauvignon Blanc -- we'll be testing it out with our Frosted Flakes tomorrow :) 

We are also honored to have been included in Kate Murphy's article on the wines that made 2008 memorable. The article ran in the Missoulian as well as Kate's Know Your Vino blog.

Sean Minor: Four Bears Merlot is featured in the May 2009 issue of Every Day with Rachael Ray Magazine as a recommended pairing with a delicious Pasta Primavera Recipe! 

"Every Day with Rachael Ray Magazine provides simple ideas and a "keep-it-real" attitude. Each issue delivers a fresh approach to cooking, entertaining, style and travel that helps our readers take things off their to-do lists and have fun while they're doing it."

We are so pleased to have our 2006 Four Bears Sauvignon Blanc being poured at the Palo Alto Hills Golf and Country Club. Set amongst the beauty of 128 acres of rolling hills and nestled next to the protected open space of th

e Arastradero Preserve, Palo Alto Hills Golf & Country Club offers incomparable Bay Area vistas. This welcoming and distinctive private club provides challenging golf and year-round recreation and social activities for everyone, creating memories for a lifetime for members, their families and their guests.

It's easy to assume that in spite of economic woes, unemployment and other less than fortunate circumstances we see in our world today, alcohol sales may be the only growing statistic as we battle through these tough times. Many say the reason is that people turn to wine and spirits to drown their sorrows, others say that instead of going out for a night on the town many are turning to evening spent with friends and family, sipping their favorite drinks instead of ordering them from the bartenders. We found an interesting discussion weighing both sides over at Fermentation- a site always great for insight into the wonderful world of wine and the people behind it.

Is the real question, also touched on by Fermentation, about SALES NUMBERS actually increasing or simply the AMOUNT OF TRANSACTIONS? Are people actually SPENDING MORE per visit or are MORE PEOPLE buying wine and spirits these days because they have the time to kill. Either way it's an interesting debate and we wonder what you all have to say about the matter.  

Are you spending more time at home instead of going out these days? More bottles and board games than nights out on the town?

 Here at Sean Minor- we're still working to get you the best wines for the lowest price and we look forward to continuing what we set out to do from the very beginning.