Following Chardonnay Classic’s Success, Cabernet Classic To Feature Master Sommeliers, Winemakers, and Curated Food & Beverage Experiences
LOS ANGELES (July 6, 2021): Patron Foundation, an organization focused on advancing the wine and hospitality industries, announces the inaugural Cabernet Classic. This immersive experience brings together Master Sommeliers, wine aficionados, industry experts, and world-class wineries in celebration of Cabernet Sauvignon, the region’s most renown varietal. Attendees can expect more than 20 expert-led tastings; 100s of world-class wines, including rare award-winning wines; gourmet dining experiences; and more – all nestled under the hills of Napa Valley vineyards. In honor of the event, $25,000 will be donated to the SommFoundation to help support and enable scholarships for the country’s next generation of winemakers, Master Sommeliers, and wine experts.
Cabernet Classic will take place at The Meritage Resort and Spa in Napa, California from Thursday, Aug. 19 through Saturday, Aug. 21.The Meritage Resort and Spa hosted the inaugural Chardonnay Classic in May of 2021 and boasted attendance from premier Chardonnay winemakers and experts. The weekend-long event attracted hundreds of attendees from across the United States. The Meritage Resort & Spa hosts several experiential weekends yearlong, including Moondance Napa, a wellness focused event. The resort is well positioned to host a dynamic weekend in Napa Valley with its grand Lawn, Vineyard decks, Food & Wine Center and Estate Caves, all conveniently accessible on their 40 acres.
“After the wonderful feedback we received for the inaugural Chardonnay Classic event, it’s only natural for us to now host the Cabernet Classic, which will serve as a collective tasting experience where participants can explore Cabernet at the resort,” said Joe Leinacker, Managing Director of The Meritage Resort and Spa in Napa, California. “We are honored to host some of the world’s top wine experts at our resort, here in the heart of Napa.”
“We are proud to partner with Patron Foundation to celebrate Cabernet and invest in the development of the tastemakers who advance the wine and spirits industry,” said Jay Fletcher, Master Sommelier and Cellar Master at the SommFoundation. “We are grateful for the generous contribution from the Patron Foundation and are delighted to be participating in this premier event.”
Tickets start at $700 for day passes and $2,000 for weekend passes. Guests can also purchase passes for just the Grand Tasting where they will be able to experience 30 of the weekend’s wines and meet with the winemakers. Tickets for the Grand Tasting are $300 per person. Event tickets can be booked at cabernetclassic.com. Accommodations can be booked directly on The Meritage Resort and Spa website, with rates starting at $249.
About Cabernet Classic:
Participants can expect a very robust itinerary. Each day’s activities will feature one premier tasting directly after lunch. Saturday’s Legends of Bordeaux and Napa will be led by Master Sommeliers Jay Fletcher and Thomas Price, and will treat guests to a flight of some of the most acclaimed wines from these two iconic regions. Attendees will receive a rare chance to taste Cabernet from each of the five main communes of Left Bank Bordeaux as well as enjoy Napa Valley wines from a diverse range of terroirs. The wines featured include 2003 Château Cos d’Estournel, 2012 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, 2017 Château Smith Haut Lafitte, 2017 Château Léoville Poyferré, and 2016 Chateau Giscours. Wines from Napa will include a Joseph Phelps Insignia, Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Cardinale Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2007 Chappellet Pritchard Hill Cabernet Sauvignon.
While Napa and Bordeaux may be the most iconic growing regions of Cabernet Sauvignon, world class Cabernet is being made by winemaker’s the world over. At Thursday’s Around the World with Cabernet guests will take a virtual journey to renown vineyards sites across the globe as they taste and learn about some of the world’s best Cabernet. Here attendees will be invited to taste a Penfolds Bin Series Cabernet Sauvignon Australia, 2015 Castello Rampolla Vigna d’Alceo Tuscany Italy, Almaviva Cabernet Based Blend Chile, 2017 Chateau Rauzan-Segla Margaux, 2017 Secret Door Sage Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Napa, 2017 Klipsun Cabernet Sauvignon Red Mountain Washington, 2017 Capture Cabernet Sauvignon Cloverdale Peak Sonoma, and 2014 Casas del Bosque Cabernet Sauvignon Gran Bosque Alto Maipo Chile.
Friday’s Retrospective of Cabernet Sauvignon will provide attendees a taste of classic Cabernet expressions of three iconic Cabernets from three varying vintages and terroirs. Master Sommelier Jay Fletcher and Thomas Price host this event along with second generation Proprietor of Catena Zapata, Laura Catena, to learn and taste firsthand the nuances of how each vintage influences wine, and how Cabernet evolves with 5, 10, and 15 years of cellar time. Participants will savor 1996, 2006, and 2016 vintages of Freemark Abbey Cabernet Sycamore Vineyard Napa, 2005, 2012, and 2016 Joseph Phelps Cabernet Backus Vineyard Oakville, as well as three vintages of Catena Zapata Nicolas Red Argentina.
The weekend kicks off with Cabernet Sauvignon Seen Through the Eyes of the Antinori Family. Guests will join Antica General Manager, Glenn Salva, as he guides the group through the 635-year history of the Antinori family via their Cabernet Sauvignon. This tasting features one of the family’s flagship Cabernet Blends, Guado al Tasso from the hills of Tuscany, as well as five other wines spanning Italy, Chile, Washington state, and Napa Valley. The flight includes a Marchesi Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva Italy, Le Mortelle Botrosecco Maremma Toscana Italy, Haras Albis Maipo Valley Chile, Col Solare Red Mountain Washington, Antica Townsend Vineyard Atlas Peak Napa Valley, and Guado al Tasso Bolgheri DOC Superiore Italy.
Throughout the weekend guests are invited to delve into other varietals. The Behind the Bottle with Master Sommeliers is an extraordinary chance to taste and learn about rare and classic expressions. The tasting lineup includes a 1996 Hospices de Beaune Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru, 2010 Domaine Gros Frère et Sœur Echezeaux Grand Cru, 2005 Mongeard-Mugneret Grands-Echezeaux Grand Cru, 2006 Domaine Gros Frère et Sœur Richebourg Grand Cru, 1989 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Blanc, 1996 M. Chapoutier Hermitage De L’Orée, 2012 Yalumba The Caley Australia, 2015 Yalumba The Caley Australia, 2014 Vocoret Chablis Montee de Tonnerre, 2005 Domaine Huet Vouvray Demi Sec, 2004 Château Leoville Barton Saint Julien, 2004 Château Montrose Saint Estephe 2004, 1998 Château La Gomerie Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, 1999 Delas Frères Hermitage Les Bessards, 2014 Janasse Chateauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes, 2017 Secret Door Hirondelle Vineyard Block A1B, 2016 Bergstrom Wines Pinot Noir Cumberland Reserve Willamette Valley, 2007 Williams Selyem Bucher Vineyard Russian River Valley, 2018 Maritana Jenkins Ranch Russian River Valley, 1997 Luciano Sandrone Barolo Le Vigne, 2009 Prunotto Barolo Bussia, and 2009 Pewsey Vale Contours Dry Riesling Australia.
About The Patron Foundation:
Patron Foundation is an organization focused on hospitality for hospitality – spanning wine, culinary and wellness education – with the goal to foster growth of the people who power our industry. The foundation will do this through experiential activations that directly benefit those within the community – from the base of those in labor intensive roles to emerging leaders within the industry. Patron Foundation partners locally with organizations to support this mission and advance the members of our hospitality community.
About The SommFoundation:
SommFoundation (The Guild of Sommeliers Education Foundation) is a California 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, their mission is to assist wine and spirits professionals to achieve the highest level of proficiency and accreditation in the food and beverage industry. They provide enrichment opportunities and scholarships to sommeliers, restaurant professionals, wine journalists, and winemakers to further their knowledge about the world of wine and spirits.
About The Meritage Resort and Spa and Vista Collina Resort:
Offering acres of sun-soaked hillside vineyards and beautiful accommodations paired with luxurious amenities and award-winning cuisine, The Meritage Resort and Spa and Vista Collina Resort celebrate the best of Napa Valley. These sister resorts blend world-class luxury with exceptional hospitality for a resort experience in the heart of California’s wine country. Amenities include indulgent spa treatments in the serenity of an underground Estate Cave, a Food & Wine Village with a locally-sourced artisanal market, nine on-site tasting rooms, a spacious community lawn for picnics and outdoor gatherings and more. Find more information at MeritageResort.com, VistaCollinaResort.com.
