A full day with Annika, including a clinic, golf tournament, and a vineyard dinner mark the release of the ANNIKA Chardonnay
(LIVERMORE, CA; June 14, 2010)-ANNIKA Vineyards will be celebrating the release of its newest wine, a 2008 Chardonnay, this July 25 at Wente Vineyards in Livermore, CA. Hall of Fame golfer Annika Sorenstam will host an all-day affair at the winery for consumers to be among the first to sample the wine, while experiencing the beauty of the Wente Vineyards property.
The day will begin with a continental breakfast, followed by a golf clinic led by Annika herself. A shotgun golf tournament will be held, and players will be treated to the Chardonnay, poured by Annika on the 7th tee. The first wine in the ANNIKA Vineyards portfolio, a 2006 Syrah that was released last year, will be poured for participants on the 14th hole. At the end of the tournament, an awards and wine reception will be held, followed by a dinner on the vineyard lawn. Attendees at the event will also have the first chance to sign up for the Annika Wine Club, which will give members a 20% discount off wines and exclusive allocations for future releases.
“I look forward to opening the first bottles of my Chardonnay with those in attendance,” says Sorenstam.
Pricing for the day is $350, with a dinner only option available for $75. A bottle of the 2006 ANNIKA Syrah is included in the purchase price of a full day package. Participants can sign up through Wente Vineyards’ website at http://www.wentevineyards.com/images/headers/annika_event_flyer.pdf.
The Chardonnay, which will be available for purchase at the event and on www.annikavineyards.com, is “full-bodied with a great balance with apricot, peach, and tangerine interlaced throughout that lead to graham, vanilla, and ground spice flavors on the finish,” states Winemaker Karl Wente. “With a perfectly weighted mouth feel, balanced by a refreshing acidity to cleanse the palate, this wine is both complex and crisp. The Chardonnay was barrel fermented in a combination of French, American, Eastern European, and neutral oak and was aged for 10 months.”
Annika and the Wente family share the same passion for fine wine, dining, and golf as a way of life. There is a natural partnership, as the same vineyards that were selected for the ANNIKA Chardonnay for their exceptional fruit and production consistency share a home with Northern California’s premier destination golf course. Annika’s excitement and passion for the wine is evident through her involvement in every aspect of the process, from hands-on blending with fifth generation Winemaker Karl Wente to her personal introduction of the wine to the world on July 25.
About Annika
Annika is the greatest female golfer of our generation and often regarded as the best of all-time. During her 15-year Hall of Fame career, she rewrote the LPGA and Ladies European Tour record books, won countless awards and changed the way women’s golf was played, viewed, and covered. She amassed 89 worldwide professional victories, including 72 LPGA wins, ten of which are Major Championships. Annika stepped away from professional golf after the 2008 season to focus on her family and the ANNIKA brand of businesses, including the ANNIKA Academy, ANNIKA Financial Group, ANNIKA Course Design, the ANNIKA Collection of apparel with Cutter & Buck, signature high-end wines with Wente Vineyards and an online retail shop, shopannika.com. In 2007, Annika created the ANNIKA Foundation as a way to teach children the importance of living a healthy, active lifestyle through fitness and nutrition, and offer aspiring junior golfers opportunities to pursue their dreams. In 2008, Annika joined Arnold Palmer as only the second Ambassador of the United States Golf Association, and in 2009, along with Jack Nicklaus, she was named a Global Ambassador by the International Golf Federation and aided in the successful bid for golf in the 2016 Olympic Games. Annika will serve as a vice-captain for The 2011 European Solheim Cup Team at Killeen Castle in County Meath, Ireland, September 23-25. More information can be found at www.annikasorenstam.com.
About Wente Vineyards
The country’s oldest continuously operated family-owned winery, Wente Vineyards is led today by the fourth- and fifth-generations of the Wente family. Blending traditional and innovative winemaking practices, the winery draws from 3,000 acres of sustainably farmed estate vineyards to create an outstanding portfolio of wines. Located just east of San Francisco in the historic Livermore Valley, Wente Vineyards is recognized as one of California’s premier wine-country destinations, featuring wine tasting, fine dining, and championship golf.
Suggested Retail Price – $40.00/750ml Bottle
Nationally Released – July 2010
250 cases produced
To purchase, please visit www.annikavineyards.com.
Contact:
ANNIKA VINEYARDS
5565 Tesla Rd.
Livermore, CA 94550
925.456.2011
www.annikavineyards.com
WAGSTAFF WORLDWIDE
Ashley E. Rodgers / Rosemary Rowen
323.871.1151
Ashley@wagstaffworldwide.com
Rosemary@wagstaffworldwide.com
