Iconic and Collaborative Label Debuts Collection of Eight New Wines on Saturday, June 28, 2014
Coro Mendocino, a collection of ultra-premium wines produced to showcase the rich heritage and unique characteristics of Mendocino County, will debut their 2011 vintage at a Release Party hosted by the Little River Inn on Saturday, June 28th. The 2011 vintage marks the 11th release for Coro Mendocino, and includes wines from eight diverse Mendocino County vintners. ‘Coro’ means ‘chorus’ in Italian and Spanish, which is fitting, as Coro Mendocino is the first wine of its kind to set blending and aging parameters for a wine distinctive to its region, and the only truly collaborative winemaking consortia in the United States.
Every Coro wine is a signature blend, individually handcrafted in Mendocino County from 100% Mendocino County grapes, in strict accordance with the production protocols and bylaws set forth by Consortium Mendocino. Zinfandel, the county’s heritage varietal, must make up no more than 70% and no less than 40% of the wine. Nine other types of grapes may be included, typically Rhone or Italian varietals.*
All Coro Mendocino wines are aged a minimum of one year in the barrel and one in the bottle before the world is permitted to taste them. Even then, no one can sip until all of the winemakers in the Consortium have blind-tasted every wine and determined that the wine is worthy of the Coro label.
2014 marks the 11th vintage of the Coro Mendocino label, established in 2000 by a collection of liked-minded Mendocino County winemakers. The reviews for previous years have been effusive, calling the wines “smooth, lush, intense; sophisticated, fun; fat, rich, long and stylish” with hints of fruit such as blackberry and ripe plum.
Of course, no two Coro wines are ever exactly alike. Oenophiles will have the opportunity to be the first to taste the 2011 vintage at the official Coro Release Party, to be held at the historic Little River Inn property located on the Mendocino Coast. Each vintner will pour a sampling of their white and sparkling wines during the cocktail hour, then attendees will feast on a gourmet dinner, prepared by Executive Chef Marc Dym of Little River Inn. Each course will be paired with one or more of the 2011 Coro wines. Afterwards, attendees will receive a complete collection of 2011 Coro wines to take home and enjoy.
2011 Coro Mendocino Release Party
- WHERE: Little River Inn — Little River, CA
- WHEN: Saturday, June 28th, 2014 — 6 p.m.
- WHAT: Multi-course, progressive dinner for two prepared by Chef Dym using local and seasonal ingredients
- PRICE: $500 per couple
- WINE: Coro Mendocino 2011 vintage collection (and other wines) by Barra, Brutocao, Clos du Bois, Golden, McFadden, Parducci, Fetzer and Testa. Everyone receives a complete set of these eight wines to take home.
“The Coro wines have evolved over the last 11 years as full-bodied, fruit-forward products that stand out as complex and different from standard varietal bottlings,”said Dennis Patton, Winemaker for Golden Wines. “The Little River Inn, operated by fifth-generation innkeeper Cally Dym, has been hosting our release dinner for almost a decade now, and is the perfect setting in which to show off our 2011 vintage.”
About Coro Mendocino
Established in 2000, Coro is the only American example of winemakers coming together to set standards for a class of wines to represent a particular wine region. That region is Mendocino County, a diverse area that encompasses a variety of climates and soils, and boasts a mixture of multi-generational winemakers with deep Italian roots alongside newcomers with extensive and varied backgrounds. Coro means chorus in Italian and it represents the crafting of the Mendocino terroir into wines that “sing” on the palate.
Every Coro wine is a signature blend, individually crafted in Mendocino County from 100 percent Mendocino County grapes, in strict accordance with the Coro Mendocino bylaws. Each Coro wine must lead with between 40-70 percent Zinfandel and may be blended with up to nine named varietals, honoring the “Old Italian” field blends of Mendocino. Every bottle is held to strict protocols, and must be aged at least one year in the barrel and one year in the bottle, followed by blind-tasting by all of the winemakers before it can be deemed a Coro wine.
For more information about Coro Mendocino, please visit www.coromendocino.com and find them on Facebook and Twitter.
About Little River Inn
Little River Inn is a family-owned and operated boutique resort on the Mendocino coast of California with a chef-driven restaurant, nine-hole Audubon-certified golf course, professional tennis courts and a day spa. Ideal for the entire family and pet-friendly, the Inn has 66 guest rooms ranging from the economical to the luxurious. Several private meeting and special event spaces with stunning ocean and garden views make the Inn an excellent venue for small- to medium-sized weddings and corporate retreats. The restaurant, helmed by CIA-trained Executive Chef Marc Dym, is a destination unto itself and the delicious, often hearty California coastal cuisine has a following so dedicated that it is not uncommon for guests to fly in by private plane for Sunday Brunch. Ole’s Whale Watch Bar is a classic local hangout where guests gather for drinks and a casual bite, and Sue Bondoux is the treasured bar manager with a remarkable 21-year history of making drinks at Little River Inn. Little River Inn has a beautiful, nine-hole golf course that plays like 18 and is appropriate for many skill levels. The Inn also has a Day Spa with three treatment rooms and offers in-room services. Overseen by fifth-generation Innkeeper Cally Dym, Little River Inn is very proud to be celebrating their 75th anniversary in 2014. www.littleriverinn.com
