Good Night and Good Talk
The Paterno Portfolio Tasting Takes to the Airwaves
 Offering its 50-wine label portfolio that spans the globe, from the great names of California to the icons of Italy and France, family-owned Paterno Wines International met with the trade last month for a tasting at the Beverly Hills Hotel.
From the intimate setting in the spacious ballroom, the word of the wines spread to thousands across the U.S., as CRN Radio talk show host Mike Horn and Patterson’s Editor-in-Chief Meridith May hit the airwaves with some of the names behind the Paterno Wine labels.
The radio show was heard live in dozens of markets and taped for broadcast in hundreds of cities from coast to coast.
Segment One: Paterno Wine Group CEO Bill Terlato introduced the Paterno company portfolio and discussed the state of the wine industry. Paterno’s exquisite fine wine brands can be found on Terlato’s www.paternowines.com Web site. Winefinder calls up a label name, a varietal and maps out a retail location for its availability.
Segment Two: Chris Hanna, President and General Manager of Hanna Winery tasted us on her 2005 Sauvignon Blanc. The cool-climate single vineyard white grows charmingly in Sonoma’s Russian River region on the Hanna estate. While exhibiting the grassy grapefruit qualities reminiscent of a New Zealand Sauv Blanc, the Hanna profile is broad and more generous than most, with aromatics that range from melon to citrus.
Segment Four: Kim Nicholls, Winemaker at Markham Vineyards poured us the 2002 Markham Merlot. Markham earned a reputation as a reliable producer of wines that capture the essence of Napa Valley: fruit forward, rich and fairly priced. This Merlot is dense and concentrated, not the overripe or underwhelming type. This bold red is redolent with vanilla, cola and deep berry notes.
Segment Five: Jay Schuppert, President of Cuvaison Winery, representing Carneros, the stellar Chardonnay and Pinot Noir growing region, straddling Napa and Sonoma. His 2003 Cuvaison Carneros Chardonnay is grown on the winery’s 400-acre estate. While caramel and a creamy quality lure you in, the palate bursts with melon, peach and apple blossoms. This is a classic.
 Segment Six: Doug Fletcher, Director of Winemaking, Terlato Wine Group. Fletcher represents the family-owned portion of the Paterno portfolio: Alderbrook, Chimney Rock, Sanford, Rutherford Hill and Terlato Family Vineyards.
The eloquent Mr. Fletcher brought us a bottle of Chimney Rock 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, representing the concentration, power and elegance associated with this Napa valley appellation. Plush to the max, layers of palatable surprises arise from vanilla to blackberries and a hint of smoke.
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By
Meridith May
©2006 Patterson's Beverage Journal.
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