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Wine Club Newsletter

Dear Club Members,

Welcome to another wonderful year at Wente Vineyards! We are filled with appreciation and gratitude for your continued loyalty and support. Your enthusiasm and thoughtful feedback inspire us to continually grow and improve, ensuring Wente Vineyards remains a warm, welcoming place for all.

As a valued member, you are at the heart of everything we do. We are deeply committed to creating a space where people can come together, connect, and enjoy meaningful moments. This year, we are excited to bring you even more club-exclusive experiences, including live music events, beautiful wine-led dinners, and countless opportunities to celebrate and share the joy of wine.

Sustainability and community are at the core of our mission. We’re dedicated to fostering an environment that nurtures both the natural beauty of our vineyards and the strong connections within our club family.

Thank you for being an integral part of Wente Vineyards. We look forward to sharing an incredible year with you, filled with unforgettable memories and exceptional wines. Stay tuned for updates, and we can’t wait to see you soon!

 

Cheers!
Ann Orpina, Tasting Room Manager
Brendan Finley, Executive Vice President of Hospitality
James Lovaas, DTC Operations & Wine Club Manager

MEET OUR STAFF

Ann Orpina, Tasting Room Manager

Can you tell us a little about your background in wine and hospitality?

My journey in wine and hospitality started at the Wente Estate Tasting Room in 2017 as a weekend Sales Ambassador. Over the course of time, I became interested in taking on a larger role in the day-to-day operations of the business. I am able to combine my love of wine with my multitasking skills in what I consider a “best of both worlds” position!

What excites you most about working at Wente Vineyards?

Each day offers more opportunities to learn about just how much teamwork, integrity and experience it takes to create the beautiful final products we offer. The energy of being in a busy Tasting Room on a weekend is invigorating to me.  Seeing the smiles on guest’s faces when they taste our wines for the first time makes me proud to represent the brand.

Do you have a favorite Wente wine or pairing you’d recommend to club members?

Fun question! My team knows my “love language” is our Artist Series Duetto – which just happens to be in our upcoming Release wine. I find this wine to be fruit forward with smooth tannins.

Are there any new initiatives or experiences you’re looking forward to bringing to the tasting room this year?

I am excited to bring the food program back to our property, with the potential for also bringing back some of the educational classes that Winemaker’s Studio once offered. Member only events will be new this year and something we all look forward to.

What’s one fun fact about yourself that you’d like our members to know?

One of my most favorite activities is attending live music productions – specifically Broadway shows. I have probably seen more than 100 shows in London , New York, Chicago and San Francisco – some that I can never see enough of would be Les Miserables, or anything Lin Manuel Miranda or Andrew Lloyd Webber.

February Wine Club Release

2024 Niki’s Rosé | 2022 Meritage | 2022 Duetto | 2022 nth DEGREE Merlot

Important Club Release Dates:

February 2 – Last day to update your account and customize your wines.  Please verify shipping or pick-up preference, credit card information and that your shipping address is correct.

February 3 – Your credit card will be charged.

February 4 – February 23  – Pick-up window.  Tasting Lounge hours: Daily11:00am – 6:00pm. 

February 10 – Shipping orders will begin to ship out.

February 8 & 9 – 11:00am – 1:00pm, Club Pick-Up Event

February 23- Final day to pick up your order.

February 24 – Your order will be refunded and re-processed as a shipping order and ship to you if you have not picked it up.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Save the date for these exciting events!

 

February 8 & 9 – Wine Club Pick-up Event

February 14 – February 17 – Special Valentine’s Flight & Cheese Pairing at the Tasting Lounge

April 12 nth DEGREE Dinner

May 11 – Mother’s Day Brunch & Mother’s Day Event

May 25 – White Party

Stay tuned for an email with links to purchase tickets! 

Wine & Food Recipe Pairing

Apple Galette paired with Niki’s Rosé

Prep Time – 30 minutes | Time To Make – 1 hour 30 minutes

Alex is the baker behind Bright-Eyed Baker, where you can find a variety of baked goods and other sweets made from scratch (many of which are gluten-free), plus the occasional savory recipe or mixed drink. Her goal is to show you that from-scratch baking, gluten-free or not; doesn’t have to be intimidating. This apple galette has all the cozy flavors of a warm apple pie, complete with a buttery crust, but its free-form shape gives it a rustic vibe and is approachable to make. Try it with a glass of 2024 Niki’s Rosé.

Ingredients

Crust

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
5 ounces unsalted butter, cold
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
3 ½-4 ounces ice water

Filling

3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 ½ tablespoons corn starch
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Dash of ground nutmeg
Dash of ground all spice
¾ lb granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced

Glaze

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Raw sugar, for sprinkling

Instructions

1 – In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, salt, and cinnamon.
2 – Use the large-hole side of a box grater to grate in the cold butter. Use hands to gently toss the butter into the flour mixture until it’s dispersed, with no large clumps remaining.
3 – Sprinkle the vanilla extract over the flour mixture. Add 3 ½ ounces of ice water and fold in partially with a spatula. Use hands to finish bringing dough together, adding the remaining ½ ounce water if needed. The dough should be slightly tacky, but not overly sticky or dry.
4 – Press dough into a round disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for one hour.
5 – In a small bowl, whisk together brown sugar, corn starch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and all spice for filling.
6 – Flour a large sheet of parchment paper to use as a rolling surface. Roll chilled dough out to a 12” circle, dusting dough with flour as needed to prevent sticking. If desired, use a knife to trim any uneven edges.
7 – Leaving a 1 ½” clear border around the outer edges, arrange apple slices concentrically over the galette dough, working from the outside towards the center. The apple slices should partially overlap. Sprinkle filling mixture evenly over the fruit when done.
8 – Use parchment to carefully lift the outer edges of the galette and fold them over the border of the fruit filling, forming a crust. If dough cracks, use your fingers to gently patch it back together.
9 – Slide parchment onto a baking sheet and place assembled galette in freezer for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400ºF.
10 – Just before baking, brush galette crust with melted butter, pouring any remaining butter directly over the fruit filling. Sprinkle galette liberally with raw sugar.
11 – Bake galette in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, or until the crust is golden. Serve warm, optionally with whipped cream or ice cream.

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