The 2012 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition on January 6, 2012 has set a new American wine competition record with an astounding 5,500 entries, surpassing its previous record of 5,050 last year. For nine consecutive years, this prestigious competition holds strong as the “Largest Competition of American Wines in the World.” View all winners here.

2010 Rosado de Pinot Noir – Silver Medal

2009 Rumba Pinot Noir – Bronze Medal

2009 Estate Pinot Noir – Bronze Medal

The 10th Annual Pinot Noir Shootout

The medals keep rolling in from all directions.  We took all gold medals at the 10th Annual Pinot Noir Shootout in Northern California.  There were more than 460 Pinot Noir wines submitted.

2009 Rumba Pinot Noir – Gold Medal

2009 Estate Pinot Noir – Gold Medal

2009 Reserve Pinot Noir – Gold Medal

We also picked up a couple of medals at the Oregon Wine, Food & Brew Festival on January 13th & 14th, 2012.

2009 Rumba Pinot Noir – Bronze Medal

2009 Estate Pinot Noir – Bronze Medal

The Portland Seafood & Wine Festival

Our 2009 Rumba Pinot Noir was the only Pinot Noir to receive a gold metal at the 7th Annual Portland Seafood and Wine Festival.  Check out all the winners here.

2009 Rumba Pinot Noir – Gold Medal

2009 Estate Pinot Noir – Bronze Medal

We’re always so proud of our wine and it’s a wonderful feeling when others love it as much as we do.

Do you like wine? Do you like wine from states other than where you live? Have you ever had wine shipped directly to your house? Member of a wine club? Go to a small wine store to find your favorite California Syrah or Oregon Pinot Noir?

Did you know Congress is considering a bill that will STOP all of that?!?!

Please join the wine industry and wine lovers everywhere in writing YOUR congressmen asking them oppose HR 1161. This bill will take away small wineries ability to ship wine out of state. This bill will bankrupt about 83% of the wineries in the US (Only 17% have been able to find adequate distributor relationships nationwide).  Don’t live in a wine region? Maybe you don’t think this applies to you, if you drink wine then you’ll be impacted – period!!!

Not only will countless people be without jobs MILLIONS will be without good wine!!!

Stop HR 1161

How Does HR 1161 Threaten Wine Direct Shipping?
HR 1161 aimed to negate the significant reforms achieved through 50 years of case law, including the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2005 Granholm vs. Heald decision, which was instrumental to increasing the number of states that allow legal, regulated winery-to-consumer shipments.

• Puts Discriminatory Shipment Bans Beyond Legal Challenge: HR 1161 would make state laws that are in violation of the Commerce Clause, or any other federal provision, immune from challenge. Make no mistake, influential wholesalers will continue to attempt to pass discriminatory state laws including prohibitions on direct-to-consumer shipments from out-of-state wineries, which was invalidated in the Granholm v. Heald ruling. If this or a similar bill passes, it will be virtually impossible for consumers, winemakers or others to challenge these discriminatory bans.
• Reduces Consumer Choice in Wine, Bankrupts Wineries: Only 17% of wineries are distributed nationally, and 54% of them were unable to find a wholesaler in states where they actively sought representation, according to a survey by Wine Institute, a public policy trade association representing more than 900 California wineries. As a result, many wineries now rely on direct sales to survive. If a winery cannot secure distribution, but is prohibited from selling to its customers directly, it will be locked out of the market and consumer choice is significantly diminished. Bad for you, bad for your local wineries.
• Ensures Wholesaler Monopoly Power: HR 1161 would give wine wholesaler middlemen the power to pass state laws to gain unfettered monopoly power and to pass discriminatory laws that would not only reduce consumer choice in wine, but also hurt businesses, jobs, and state and local economies.

Talking points:

• HR 1161 is a bad law for Oregon wineries and winegrowers and could have a massive negative effect on the state’s $2.7 billion wine industry and place thousands of jobs in jeopardy.
• HR 1161 is bad for consumers because it would allow states to pass laws that restrict consumers’ freedom of choice to purchase Oregon wine.
• Oregon’s smallest wineries that rely on direct to consumer sales to operate profitably would feel the biggest impact, but all wineries would see their revenues decline dramatically.
• States currently have more than adequate means to control the sale of alcoholic beverages in their states.
• HR 1161 is anti-competitive and would give large distributors monopoly powers.

Courtesy of Sam Tannahill, President Oregon Winegrowers Association

2010 Pinot Gris - Soft and round aromas of tropical fruit and melon followed by peach flavors on the front of the palate giving way to lively acidity and a long lingering finish. Crisp, light and flavorful.

2010 Rosado de Pinot Noir – This wine is made from 100% Estate grown Pinot Noir grapes. The skins are removed earlier in the wine making process leaving a beautiful blush wine. Reminiscent of a dry white wine, fruity and tart. Refreshingly perfect for the warm summer days.

Make sure to order early for your summer parties, we’ll won’t be able to ship using the more economical ground method for much longer.

Cubanisimo Vineyards is offering a limited time discount for those that wish to show their Mother how much they love and appreciate her this Mother’s Day with a little Cubanisimo Wine.

Cubanisimo Vineyards will pay 100% of UPS Ground shipping costs  for all ½ case and full case orders made through our Web Site from 4/25 thru 4/29, this is in addition to the usual volume discounts!!!!

Now go ahead, show Mom what a smart and savvy shopper you are and don’t forget to pick up a few bottles for yourself.

Use Discount Code at check out: LoveMom2011

Offer only valid for shipping within the US.

Much too often we have visitors come to our wine tasting room, or we talk to them at wine festivals, and they seem worried about their capacity to fully describe how they appreciate our wines.  Sometimes, they seem to be intimidated about not having the right words in describing the wines they taste.  To all these folks I say emphatically, “Remember the most important aspect about wines is that they are to be enjoyed, not analyzed.”  With time, as you taste enough different wines you will learn to appreciate the different wine components such as aroma, the different flavors, the mouth feel, and the aftertaste sensations.  Who knows, some of you may get to the point of waxing poetically about wine at some point, but this is not necessary to enjoy wine.

Remember, never let yourself be intimidated by others experience, taste comments, or judgments about a given wine.  Anyone who sets themselves as an arbiter of a wines quality and value, is an impostor.  Those who believe them cheat themselves, and are self deceiving.

The enjoyment of wine is very personal.  It is a fact that smells, and taste judgment varies between us all.  This variation is based on genetics, cultural, and historical traditions as we grow up, and acquired wisdom.  Wine creates aromatic, tactile, and flavor impressions that produce an emotion in each of us, and this is enriched by the memory of similar previous emotions.  Therefore, trust yourself, and enjoy.

Be aware that wine is the result of the fragile union of Nature’s genius, and man’s creativity.  Occasionally, under certain circumstances, the result of this fragile union is a magical, mystical, and unrepeatable wine experience.  So live, fully, enjoy life intensely, and drink plenty of Cubanisimo wines!!!!!

Add to your luxurious experience with a bottle of Cubanisimo Vineyards wine when you board a Caribbean cruise with Oceania Cruises.  Our wines are featured prominently in the Grand Dining Room of the new ship, the Marina, and they are available to for you to order with dinner.

I just received an email from a loyal Cuban customer of ours named Jorge Ponce (pictured above on the left).  He wanted to let us know that he couldn’t rest until he provided feedback on our wines at the popular Cuban website, Babalú Blog.  There was a initial post about a recent article that appeared in El Nuevo Herald about Cubanisimo Vineyards.  There was then a couple comments that were critical of our wines.  Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I am bothered when people make judgments without remembering that taste is subjective.  Fortunately for us, we had Jorge Ponce come to our rescue.

Here’s what he said:

Jorge Ponce February 6th, 2011 at 10:00 AM
As a proud Cuban-American, I always go out of my way to help out “my gente”. Reading Mauricio Collada’s story, I was touched not only because of his achievements as a neurosurgeon, but his ability to do something totally different than what he does professionally. I’ve grown to be cautious of one-track minded people, and to enjoy the company of those who have multiple hobbies. They are just much more fun to be around. In addition, Mauricio’s winemaking business employs his wife and daughter. There is nothing more wonderful and honorable than providing employment to your loved ones. I have tried Cubanisimo wines repeatedly in the past, and I found them to be outstanding – especially the Pinot Noir. My wine-connoisseur friends, who are not Cuban, have been just as impressed by these wines as I have. Daughter Cristina Collada also has provided outstanding customer service when arranging the shipment of the wines to Virginia. I am so impressed by the Collada enterprise that I wear the shirt with the Cubanisimo logo to all kinds of social events. This way, I market the wines and show the world that, when everything is said and done, I am a proud Cubanisimo. To order your Cubanisimo wines, go to http://www.cubanisimovineyards.com/

You can read the original post here.

The kind, encouraging comments from so many has been very moving, especially since the recent article about us in El Nuevo Herald.  It makes me proud to be part of an endeavor with Cubanisimo Vineyards, and our wines that not only enhances life’s precious moments, but also arouses so much pride in my fellow Cuban Americans.  My goal will always be to make the best possible wines from our Oregon vineyards, and to continue to present our wines alongside with celebration of the Cuban culture.  We have been blessed to be able to succeed in this great land, the U.S.A., that has adopted us, and which we now call home, yet will always celebrate our ethnic pride.

Many have inquired with interest in supporting us, and acquiring our wines, and I would like to make sure you visit the different sections of our web site.  Under “Wines” you can look at the section “Find our wines” to see where the wines are being sold in the states where we have distribution.  You can always use the internet order form for us to ship you the wines directly to states where this is allowed.  Finally, we encourage you to become “Amigos de Cubanisimo Club Members” to receive periodic shipments, and get discounts on wines along with other perks.

Our 2008 Estate Pinot Noir won another gold medal at the NW Wine Summit.  This wine previously took a Gold Medal at the San Fransisco Chronicle wine tasting earlier in 2010.  We’re very proud of this wine, we look forward to the enjoyment of it’s continued quality as it ages.

It is my fervent hope that you are able to enjoy our Cubanisimo Vineyard wines, and our flagship Estate Pinot Noir, and that it promotes, and enhances your lust for life, a Cuban tradition.