LOS ANGELES, CA (April 24, 2013) – Whole Foods Market, in partnership with Santa Barbara County and San Diego County vintners, are stirring up another barrel of quality wines with six new “One Wine” custom blends. Teaming up with vineyards including Ampelos Cellars, Fallbrook Winery, Hartley-Ostini Hitching Post Winery and Margerum Wine Company, Whole Foods Market Southern California stores will be stocked with the latest from this collaborative label, bringing shoppers unique, local varietals at affordable prices.
Available for only a limited time at Whole Foods Market’s Southern California stores, the latest edition of special One Wine labels include a pinot gris, a white wine blend, and a variety of rosés and red wines.
“We’re raising our glasses to even more fruitful partnerships in the Central Coast, and now Temecula,” said Roger Fawcett, Whole Foods Market Southern Pacific region specialty associate coordinator. “The areas’ distinct climates, geography and soils work together effortlessly, much like the relationships we’ve formed with our local winemakers.”
The Santa Barbara County, Paso Robles and Temecula areas are local gems in Southern California’s precious wine country. To date, Whole Foods Market’s One Wine collaborations have delivered 29 handcrafted wines from partnerships with Ampelos Cellars, Au Bon Climat Winery, Clendenen Family Winery, Fallbrook Winery, Happy Canyon, Hartley-Ostini Hitching Post Winery, Hearst Ranch Winery, Margerum Wine Company, and Sextant Wines.
“We’re thrilled to join the One Wine family to offer Whole Foods Market shoppers a unique Tuscan blend that’s grown, harvested and bottled locally,” said Vernon Kindred, winemaker at Fallbrook Winery. “This entire process has been more than just creating a new wine – it’s been a celebration of culture, location and the fruits of our labor.”
The newest One Wine creations include:
One Wine Ampelos Cellars Rosé ($19.99; sale price $17.99)
As one of the first vineyards in the U.S. to be Sustainability in Practice, organic, and biodynamic certified, Ampelos Cellars sits on the rolling Santa Rita Hills and enjoys the perfect recipe of sunlight, cool breezes and rich clay soil that yields life to organically grown grapes. A delicate blend of warm and cool climate syrah fruit is harvested for this dry rosé, offering a red wine mouth feel that is full of succulent strawberry and watermelon. A hint of lime sorbet and a dollop of riesling and grenache bring the rosé full circle.
One Wine Fallbrook Winery Tuscan Blend Red Wine ($19.99; sale price $15.99)
Located in the South Coast wine region, Fallbrook Winery is committed to producing the highest quality wine from a range of California’s premier varietals. A climate characterized by warm sunny days, cool evenings and consistent ocean breezes flavors this Tuscan blend, which is comprised of 44 percent cabernet sauvignon, 34 percent merlot, and 22 percent sangiovese.
One Wine Hartley-Ostini Hitching Post Winery Red ($14.99) and Rosé ($14.99)
Produced and bottled in Buellton, California by proprietors Gary Hartley and Frank Ostini, Hartley-Ostini Hitching Post wines soak up the rich Central Coast climate to provide a quality product to match any taste or preference. The red wine blends valdeguie with cabernet and several merlots from a selection of vineyards in the Santa Barbara County area. Hitching Post’s rosé is easy to drink and is remarkably versatile for pairing with a variety of foods. Handcrafted by Hartley and Ostini, this selection includes 48 percent valdeguie, 46 percent grenache and pinot noir that is barrel fermented and aged before bottling.
One Wine Margerum Wine Company Pinot Gris ($19.99; sale price $15.99) and White Table Wine ($19.99; sale price $15.99)
Margerum Wine Company owner Doug Margerum focuses his efforts on delivering wines that are both handcrafted and personal, using only the highest quality grapes in every blend. The white table wine balances 50 percent sauvignon blanc with 25 percent old vine chenin blanc and 25 percent riesling for a lively, bright, refreshing, clean and complex flavor. The pinot gris is a blend of 93 percent pinot gris and 7 percent riesling, creating a refreshing and crisp wine that’s perfect for summer!
For more information on Whole Foods Market’s wines, along with tasting tips, please visit www.wholefoodsmarket.com/department/wine. Also, wine lovers can get a taste of One Wine by viewing a mini-documentary here.
One Wine is produced in limited quantities due to the specialized blends. Check your nearest Whole Foods Market Southern California store to pick up the latest collaboration creation.
