Blackstone Winery teams up with the Rally Foundation and forms Corks Against Cancer

How often are you actually ordering wine in a restaurant for a cause? Now through the end of the year, when  you purchase Blackstone wines from participating Florida restaurants, Blackstone will donate up to $30,000. The funds will benefit three Florida research hospitals: Nemours Hospital in Jacksonville, Miami Children’s Hospital and Moffitt Hospital in Tampa.

Florida restaurant goers will have more than 100 restaurants to choose from and they’re not just located in the cities with the Cancer Hospitals. With a wide range of cuisines, I saw yummy alligator on some of the menus, and prices it’s a cinch to get your Blackstone wine drink on for a good cause. Go ahead, take one for the team!

Just so you know the funds are going where they should all participating restaurants along with Rally will add up the final tally and ensure all funds go to the three chosen childhood cancer programs.

Even if you don’t live in Florida, you can still enjoy the many varietals Blackstone offers. My latest is the Blackstone Sonoma Reserve Merlot. The Sonoma Reserve isn’t the typical Blackstone seen on the retailer shelves, this one retails for around $20 and has a night and day difference between the $9.99 version.

Aromas are full of spicy vanilla and oak. Plum, coffee and chocolate flavors combine with well structured tannins with a dry finish.

So my love hate relationship with Blackstone continues. For more on that see some of my archive articles here. Seems my relationship may be rekindled thanks to the more gentle and smoother sophisticated Sonoma Reserve line.

2010© Kellie Stargaard. All Rights Reserved.
http://winechicksguidetoeverydaywines.blogspot.com/

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Blackstone Sonoma Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

A few days ago a sample of Blackstone showed up on my doorstep. So, we meet again my old friend,  Blackstone, it’s been nearly a year since we last spoke (click here for review). This time you come to me under a different cloak. Now appearing as Sonoma Reserve, my interest is piqued as I wonder, could we renew the love affair we once had but has grown estranged. Blackstone Sonoma Reserve, come on in, make yourself comfortable and let’s have a little chat….

Tempted time and time again, only to be let down and broken hearted by its indifference,

I approach the wine cautiously. The nose is filled with spices, vanilla and oak. Aromas carry over to the flavors bursting with cherry, toasted oak and plums and currants. The tannins are well structured and produce a wonderfully dry mouthfeel. As the wine temperature rose to slightly higher temp than reds are typically served, the flavors really came through.

Blackstone Sonoma Reserve was added to the Blackstone family as a way of offering different levels of wine at varying price points. The original Blackstone can be found around the country for around $10. Sonoma Reserve is priced at $17 and the difference in price shows in the higher quality wine.

Grapes sourced from premium vineyards in Dry Creek River Valley, Sonoma Valley, Sonoma Coast and Knights Valley are hand harvested at night and shipped cold to the Kenwood winery. Skins are left on during maceration giving the wine its well structured tannins, flavors and color. The wine is then barrel aged for 20 months before bottling.

Blackstone Sonoma Reserve, you really stepped up to the palate, er I mean plate this time. I hear you have Merlot counterpart, can’t wait to meet up. This wine paired divinely with salty hard cheeses and cured meats.

My rating -  Too good to put down.

2010© Kellie Stargaard. All Rights Reserved.

http://winechicksguidetoeverydaywines.blogspot.com/

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