ARE YOU READY FOR WINE BOOT CAMP®?
SIR, YES, SIR! MISSION SITE...SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS!

Santa Cruz Mountains, CA Wine Country, June 12, 2005 – WINE BOOT CAMP® challenges recruits to dive into wine by rolling up their sleeves and plunging into winegrowing and winemaking. A 12-hour intense wine-encounter, WINE BOOT CAMP® begins in the vineyard tending vines and ends in the winery blending and bottling.

WINE BOOT CAMP® 2005 will conduct a mission in the Santa Cruz Mountains exploring the unique aspects of this Viticultural Appellation on September 17, 2005. Wine lovers will work hands-on in the vineyards at Cinnabar under the guidance of Winemaker George Troquato and General Manager Suzanne Frontz. The mission will continue with a fabulous cellar experience at Cooper-Garrod Estate Vineyards under the tutelage of Bill Cooper, winemaker. Recruits will have the opportunity to blend a bottle of wine from the wonderful wines in barrel at Cooper-Garrod. Wine workshops and tastings of outstanding wines are an integral part of the program.

Conducted by AFFAIRS of the VINE, WINE BOOT CAMP® is a challenge to the senses, awareness, and understanding of fine wines. An intensive, highly enjoyable one-day training program, WINE BOOT CAMP® provides the experience and knowledge needed to become totally confident in the appreciation and enjoyment of fine wine. Business associates and friends will marvel at the leadership of “Camp” graduates as they storm the wine lists of America and the world.

SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS

The Santa Cruz Mountains has been recognized as a premium wine producing region since the late 1800's when local winegrowers first began to win acclaim for their wines in national and international competitions. Few of these original wineries survived prohibition, but many new wineries have developed since the 1940's.

In 1981 the Santa Cruz Mountains Viticultural Appellation became federally recognized, one of the first American viticultural areas to be defined by geophysical and climatic factors. The appellation encompasses the Santa Cruz Mountain range, from Half Moon Bay in the north, to Mount Madonna in the south. The east and west boundaries are defined by elevation. The number of wineries and the acreage planted in the Santa Cruz Mountains has increased dramatically. There are now over forty, small, family-owned wineries in the region. The small size of these operations allows the winemakers the opportunity to handcraft their wines and to maximize the potential of the grapes. The individual microclimates, marine influence, mountain terrain, distinctive soils, and low crop levels, all contribute to the production of intensely concentrated fruit.

CINNABAR

What incredible wine! What an incredible view! Cinnabar’s "island vineyards" overlook Silicon Valley at 1,650 feet of elevation. Cooled by the Pacific Ocean and nearby San Francisco Bay, the temperate climate and red clay-loam soils create ideal conditions for grape growing. Low impact farming and meddle-free winemaking produce complex, well-balanced wines that punctuate Owner Tom Mudd’s commitment to first-class production methods and uncompromising standards of excellence.

The Cinnabar estate, in the Santa Cruz Mountains (the first California region to be planted with vines by European settlers in the 1800s), is the last link in what Paul Masson called the Chaine d’Or (Golden Chain). This unique grape growing region begins in Woodside and extends south along the west side of San Francisco Bay. It includes Ridge Vineyards, Mount Eden Vineyards and Cinnabar.

Twenty-three acres of hillside were cleared for planting in 1983. The first commercial vintage was 1986. The winery building was completed in 1987. The vineyards are planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Situated on the eastern rim of the Santa Cruz Mountains above the town of Saratoga, the site enjoys a long growing season, often extending through mid-November. Vines are farmed in well-drained red clay-loam soils with a range of exposures and elevations.

When it was time to plant the Cinnabar vineyards, Tom sought cuttings with a proven record of yielding exceptional grapes under local growing conditions. "In addition to their 100-year history of producing great wine in the Santa Cruz Mountains," says Tom, "our first planting had bloodlines traceable to France's elite classified growths. The cabernet sauvignon was derived from cuttings taken from Chateau Margaux while the chardonnay descended from Burgundy's Corton-Charlemagne."

Recently, however, all of the pedigree vines have been replaced with certified clones and rootstock that better suit the cool mountain climate.

The winery is a state-of-the-art production facility was designed by Owner Tom Mudd. Caves were later built into the hillside to provide natural cooling for wines aging in barrel.

Tom welcomes the challenges of the wine industry with a philosophical approach: "Making the perfect wine is beyond reason, but we will continue to make the maximum effort to achieve that goal."

Winemaker George Troquato always knew he would be in the farming business. "I love agriculture … it follows the seasons," says George. There is a beginning, a middle and an end. You do your best to make a wine; then it takes on a life of its own."

George gained valuable cellar experience at a few other wineries before joining Cinnabar in 1990. He helped his father at Troquato Vineyards from 1985-88; worked at J. Lohr in 1989 and 1990; and spent the summer of 1990 in the Beaujolais Nuveau area of France.

George has a profound understanding about the finality of winemaking: "Every year is different, but you only get twenty to thirty tries." With many successful vintages under his belt, he is making the most of his chances.

In the 14th century, alchemists believed they could miraculously transform ordinary metals into silver and gold with the help of the mineral cinnabar. As a result, this purple-red derivative of mercury was highly coveted by medieval nobility. Time has of course proven them wrong, but their conviction endures in the heart of Owner Tom Mudd. By allowing rainwater to permeate his mountain vineyards and foster extraordinary grapes, Tom captures the magic of alchemy in his handcrafted wines.

Wine Boot Camp® is honored to include Cinnabar as our vineyard mission site. Cinnabar only opens its doors to the public for a handful of "open houses" and annual events sponsored by the Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Association.

Enlist and be part of the mission.

Cooper –Garrod Estate Vineyards

Cooper-Garrod is a family owned and operated 28-acre estate vineyard and winery specializing in Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Viognier varietals and their own Bordeaux-style blend, R.V.'s Fine Claret. Located above the village of Saratoga on unirrigated hillsides in the eastern Santa Cruz Mountains, the vineyards capitalize on the sunny days, moderate nights, and long growing season which bring this appellation due recognition for world class wine production.

Cooper-Garrod has been producing award-winning wines since 1991.

The Garrod family began involvement with California agriculture and open space in 1893, purchasing lands from the Mount Eden Orchard and Vineyard Company. Beginning in 1972, aging orchards were replaced with grapes which thrive in this microclimate. So continues the agricultural excellence begun by Vineyard Master Jan Garrod's and Associate Winemaker Bill Cooper's great-grandfather. Winemaker George Cooper, has refined his craft by learning from his fellow vintners in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Napa Valley, Burgundy, and Bordeaux.

This family owned winery boasts wonderful wines and wonderful people. Unique in many ways, Cooper-Garrod has an equestrian center, Garrod Farms Riding Stables, on the same property as the vineyards and winery. The Garrod Farms Riding Stables offers horseback riding daily on trails with panoramic views of Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Bay. Join the cavalry on this mission and you will get to view the vineyards on horseback.

Select annual production is about 3,000 cases.

We know you’ll enjoy the Cooper-Garrod wines as much as the families enjoy making them for you!!! And just wait until you meet the family!!!!

The cost of WINE BOOT CAMP® includes all seminars and educational materials, lunch in the vineyard, dinner paired with appropriate wines, extensive wine tasting, a bottle of wine created by the recruit, transportation to all food and wine events, a WINE BOOT CAMP®” cap, and an “I Survived WINE BOOT CAMP®” T-shirt. Enlistment is $395 per person. Raw recruits and wine generals alike may attend WINE BOOT CAMP®. To enlist in WINE BOOT CAMP® contact Major Drady at 707-874-1975 or camp@affairsofthevine.com.

For additional information visit www.WineBootCamp.com

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696 Elliott Lane ~ Sebastopol, California 95472

Tel: 707-874-1975 ~ Fax: 707-874-9226 ~ camp@affairsofthevine.com ~ www.affairsofthevine.com