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Plaza Cellars’ Fine Wine Celebration

Tour de Forcefor Wine Loversin Puerto Rico

Plaza Cellars’ Fine Wine Celebration

Tour de Forcefor Wine Loversin Puerto Rico

November 1, 2009

HistoryThe Silent AuctionSER de Puerto Rico2009 Program Preview

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Getting closer to wineKnowing the person who conceived the wine you are tasting, is truly a privilege. Few experiences are as exciting as tasting with a winemaker. Even after years of tastings and wine travels, I find this kind of encounter, one of the most assertive resources to grasp the message of wine; to understand the human side of wine.

That would be my reason number one to attend the Plaza Cellars’ Fine Wine Celebration. Reason num-ber two would be to dedicate an entire afternoon to

taste wine with more than forty celebrities who’d be pouring their wines, here at home. Plenty more than what is possible to taste in one day even if I decide to take a plane to any wine region of the world!

Which brings me to reason number three. All the major wine regions of the world will be represented. As one goes from one table to the next, one goes from one culture to another. From one vision to another. From one success story to yet, another great story.

This edition of WineLifePR, is a Special Edition, because the Plaza Cellars’ Fine Wine Celebration is a special event. The kind that takes place when a cultural expression stops being just a hobby and becomes a life long passion.

Enjoy the pages ahead. We trust that they will inspire you to share a splendid Sunday afternoon with us, fully indulging in your passion for friends and wine.

Amarylis Dávila

For tickets and information contact us

By phone787.781.2070 X 1339

By webwww.plazacellars.comwww.winelifepr.com

By fax787.783.6475

Donation$125.00 + IVU per ticket

Sunday, November 1st, 2009La Concha Resort

In this Issue

History and Achievements6|

Gone to...Your Cellar!12|

Program Preview8|

Partnersin Miracles10|

It TakesPassion18|

10 YearsTossing with Us16|

Unforgettable Pourings14|

Program Preview

“Ya hemos ido como 5 veces en guagua desde el área oeste. La actividad de Plaza Cellars se parece muchísimo al New York Wine Experience. Siempre queda muy elegante y el portfolio de vinos de Plaza Cellars es envidiable.”

Dr. R. Quiñones

Dr. Pedro Valentin, Dr. Waldo Santiago, Mirely Colberg, Lcda. Blanca Portela, y Dr. Raymond Quinones.

Plaza Cellars’ Fine Wine Celebration Decanted

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Eleven years ago, the desire to of-fer a great wine show became the Plaza Cellars’ Fine

Wine Celebration. From the beginning it was clear to David Cimino, Plaza Cellars’ CEO, that this show had to be unique in many ways. It had to be truly worthy of attention, it had to offer fine wines and it had to be offered in an elegant setting.

From the first Plaza Cellars’ Fine Wine Celebration which took place at Casa Olímpica undoubtedly helped a great deal in creating a wine society where both collectors, connoisseurs and enthusiasts feel quite pleased sharing a few glasses of wine in a beautiful com-mon ground.

The Plaza Cellars’ Fine Wine Celebra-tion has been so successful in anchor-ing the day-to-day activities of Plaza Cellars in terms of trade, suppliers

and consumer relationships, that it has inspired a whole new wave of wine shows, wine tasting dinners and wine-maker events.

At the heart of the Plaza Cellars’ Fine Wine Celebration’s success is the group of discerning wine lovers and collectors that attend every year. And because wineries are represented by their owners or winemakers, the event is a grand celebration indeed.

Every year, the level of expectation raises among the wine community. And every year, a refreshed and better experience is decanted.

Every year the Plaza Cellars’ Fine Wine Celebration gains superior relevance and consistently consolidates its posi-tion as the premier wine exhibition of the Caribbean. And according to many winemakers, the show is one of the top ranking exhibitions of the world!

World Class

Tastings and

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one of the top

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the world.

A tribute to your taste

In one exhilarating afternoon, wine lovers can meet the person that puts so much plea-sure in their glasses creating a life lasting bond that a simple tasting can’t achieve.

More than just a great wine event, the Plaza Cellars’ Fine Wine Celebration is a trib-ute to individual taste and an invitation to delight yourself in the company of remark-able wine personalities.

After ten years of enticing your palates and creating countless of unforgettable wine sto-ries, you can count on an outstanding 11th edition to take place on Sunday, November 1st at La Concha Hotel, in Condado.

Alejandro Fernández will be one of the wine personalities attending the Plaza Cellars’ 11th Fine Wine Celebration.

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Program Preview

SeghesioChateau D’Esclans

Bodegas MontecilloOsborne

Castello BanfiGrgich Hills

Champagne BollingerLacrimus

Gnarly HeadPesquera

Dehesa de la GranjaEl Vínculo

Gutierrez de la VegaMarqués de Cáceres

BriegoFetzerTenta

Altos Las HormigasColonia Las Liebres

Doña PaulaKorbel

Pulenta EstatesBodegas Trapiche

Torre OriaAdegas Galegas

Dehesa de Rubiales

Champagne Laurent PerrierMarqués de MurrietaPaul JabouletMiguel TorresRobert MondaviArzuaga NavarroKendall JacksonChampagne Nicolas FeuillatteNavarro CorreasMelipalViña Santa RitaChateau St. JeanDow’s Warre’sDomaine Jean BousquetWente VineyardsViña MaipoBonterraWillankenzieClos PegaseGrant BurgePonziFelton RoadCaliterraArboledaPazo Pondal

What about a “pre-tasting” ?

Well, here it is!

Join us for a lot more at the11th Plaza Cellars’ Fine Wine Celebration

November 1st, 2009, at La Concha Resort in Condado.

A Warm Welcome

María Teresa Martínez, Montecillo Winemaker

Alejandro Fernández, Pesquera Propietor

Cristina Forner, Marqués de Cáceres Owner

Fernando Benito and Gaspar Benito, Briego Proprietors

Pepe RodríguezAdegas Galegas Winemaker

Sergio Case,Trapiche Winemaker

Fransheska Perazo,Viña Maipo Winemaker

Ignacio Arzuaga,Arzuaga Navarro Proprietor

Vicente Taberner,Huerta de Albalá Proprietor

Sebastián BustamantePresident Domaine Jean Bousquet

Bertrand de FleurianPresident, Champange Laurent Perrier USA

“We look forward to attending the Fine Wine Celebration every year. It provides us a chance to see old

friends and meet new ones.

Plaza Cellars promotes and organizes the event to perfection and makes it great fun as well. It is the perfect

combination of business and pleasure and a highlight of our year.”

Maryanne Wedner, Grgich Hills Export Manager

Among the many personalities that will be pouring their wines this year are:

This is a story of success, vision and a genuine desire to make a positive, multiplying contribution

there, where your heart takes you.

Partners in Miracles

David Cimino, Plaza Cellars CEO and Nilda Morales, Director of SER de Puerto Rico.

“As humans, we have two very defining qualities. On one hand, we have our limitations. And on

the other hand, we have the capacity to turn every decision in a creative and smart effort to make, not just a positive gain, but a multiplied positive gain”, declares David Cimino.

Many, many great relationships that have re-sulted in supporting resources for SER de Puerto Rico have become possible because of the Plaza Cellars’ Fine Wine Celebration. Just to mention a few, Don Alejandro Fernández from Pesquera and Nicolás Amaro from Toyota Puerto Rico became interested in contributing to the organi-zation and have developed their own supporting events. Another example is Cordelia González who has lent her talent and voice to SER de Puerto Rico events.

When David Cimino became directly involved with SER de Puerto Rico, a non-profit organiza-tion which he later presided and chaired, it was not all that clear to him how to bring about the necessary resources that were required to sup-port SER de Puerto Rico’s immediate and future goals. The Board could have organized a gala dinner; but Mr. Cimino recognized that the con-cept of the gala is tired.

“A gala costs a lot of money and those who have handled these complex operations know that a gala does not yield a significant amount

of money when compared to the expenses and the energy that it requires,” asserted Cimino. He added that another alternative was to make a monetary contribution “and feel good about it”.

Meanwhile, the Plaza Cellars’ Fine Wine Cel-ebration had become the most important fine wine event in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. Sufficient experience and control over the fiscals matters of the operation had been gained over

the previous years. Such leveling allowed the Plaza Cellars Fine Wine Celebration’s team a vantage point.

“At that point, we were -as we still are- in a position to consider ad-ditional layers to enhance the Plaza Cellars’ Fine Wine Celebration expe-

rience. It became sort of a very natural desire to begin this shared journey”, Cimino said.

So it is the fact that the Plaza Cellars’ Fine Wine Celebration success makes possible this very important, yearly contribution to SER de Puerto Rico that makes the entire operation a very inter-esting affair for SER de Puerto Rico, for Plaza Cellars and for David Cimino and his family.

Shared SuccessA firm proponent of the multi-layered focused effort, Mr. Cimino points out that in the concept of the shared success the key piece consists of the wine enthusiasts and collectors that with their presence bring the spirit of the Plaza Cellars’ Fine Wine Celebration to its finest achieve-ment year after year. “The truth is that there is a clear correspondence of our intentions and the expectations of all attendants”, commented David Cimino.

One major achievement made possible by the the Plaza Cellars’ Fine Wine Celebration’s contributions awarded to SER de Puerto Rico is the new services center located in Aibonito, which runs a comprehensive program in a re-gion that was lacking even basic support and counseling services to its community and its neighbors.

Cause to Bid

D ealing wine through auctions is a familiar activity for serious wine collectors. Plaza Cellars’ Fine Wine Celebration caters especially to Puerto Rico’s wine connoisseurs by offering a silent auction with lots of real auction value and future market desirability.

The inclusion of the silent auction within the Fine Wine Celebration responds to the ongoing goal of improving the wine lovers experience of the Plaza Cellars’ Fine Wine Celebration. At the same time it cre-

ates an extra venue of contributions for SER de Puerto Rico. These contributions project a very tangible sense of accomplishment and a significantly bigger donation to SER de Puerto Rico.

As every year the lots are sourced mainly from David Cimino’s private cellar and the Cimino Family’s Cellar. Other important donations are made by important col-lectors of Puerto Rico and distinguished wineries from around the world.

The bottles that come as a direct donation from winer-ies are of special interest since they come from winer-ies with really low production. This is the case of Dia-mond Creek whose owner is sending a signed magnum for this years silent auction. Take into consideration that Diamond Creek is a boutique winery that produces no more than 400 bottles per harvest.

This kind of generosity symbolizes the impor-tance that the Plaza Cellars’ Fine Wine Celebration has earned within the in-ternational wine trade community.

The silent auction by itself is also of great inter-est to collectors and wineries that are constantly apprais-ing their collections and library labels, especially those bottled in large

“One of the most attractive lots will be the 10 years vertical of Romanée Conti.

Very simply stated there are a couple of lots that will get the attention of the big auction houses.”

-David Cimino

Auction Highlights

Romanée Conti

Champagne Salon

Ch Lafite Rothschild

Chateau Latour

Chateau Haut Brion

Ch Mouton Rothschild

Chateau Beychevelle

Chateau D’Yquem

Faiveley

Martha’s Vineyard

Opus One

Duckhorn

Janus Pesquera

Arzuaga Navarro

Gaudium

Jermann

New to wine auctions?Wine enthusiasts can join the excitement of the

silent auction since the catalog will offer fine wines at different price points. There are even a few

bottles with a reserve price of less than $100.00.

Be a good wine sport and experience first hand -or first heart, should we say- the thrill of an auction.

To join the silent auction just get a catalog from the auction table and check for wines that are of interest to you. Then find the bidding list and

place your bid.

Remember, it is a double prize: When you win, SER wins.

See you at the bidding table!

format and that are delivered signed by the winery owner or winemaker. Large format and signed bottles have a tendency to increase in value and sell for a higher bid at future auctions.

One of the most attractive lots will be the 10 years ver-tical of Romanée Conti. The extraordinary regard that prevails worldwide for the Domaine Romanée Conti position this year’s Plaza Cellars’ Fine Wine Celebration Silent Auction in the golden mallet league. “Very simply stated there are a couple of lots that will get the attention of the big auction houses”, expressed David Cimino.

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Many once young palates have become seasoned tasters and many friendships have been celebrated thoughout a decade of Plaza Cellars’ Fine Wine Celebration, the Caribbean’s most important wine fest.

10 Years ...

... and Counting

To be continued . . . November 1st, 2009 at La Concha.

16

At thePlaza Cellars’Fine Wine Celebration

Every YearIn this pages, WineLifePR recognizes those wineries’ wine-makers and owners who have attended every single edition of Plaza Cellars’ Fine Wine Celebration.

Their continued enthu-siasm and commitment towards the event is truly exceptional.

Also, we share some praising words from some of Plaza Cellars’ long time Spanish trade friends and partners.

“Las razones por las cuales he asistido a todas las“Celebraciones PCFWC” es porque desde su primera edición en el Viejo San Juan, tienes un contacto directo con toda la gente que ama el vino y con profesionales del sector de res-taurantes y hoteles. Para mí es muy importante lo que el con-sumidor final me comenta so-bre mis vinos, tanto cosas bue-nas como cosas malas y tener la oportunidad de poder expli-

car el proyecto de Bodegas Arzuaga que nos inspira a hacer cada vino y qué estilo queremos dar ya que elaboramos vinos

de estilos muy distintos; modernos, intermedios y algún vino clásico como el gran reserva pero con nuestro sello de identidad. En este evento también puedes hacerte una idea de cómo van cambiando los gustos de los consumidores y hacia donde van, lo que en moda se llama tendencia. Es interesante ver como la gente tiene gustos distintos según la edad y como la gente joven busca algo distinto a lo que ha visto beber siempre en casa y el interés que tienen por conocer los métodos de producción de la uva y del vino, la influencia de los terrenos y qué hacemos las bodegas para hacer el vino con nuestra propia per-sonalidad. Creo que es un evento muy didáctico ya que aquí todo el mundo aprende, tanto el bodeguero como el consumidor final sin olvidarnos de la gente de los restaurantes que comprende mejor el vino y así lo pueden maridar de mejor manera. Y para mi personalmente me es muy gratificante ya que veo a viejos amigos que vienen año tras año y conozco a nuevos. Reciban todos un abrazo.”

Ignacio ArzuagaBodegas Arzuaga Navarro

Ignacio Arzuaga

“Para mí el Fine Wine Celebration de Pla-za Cellars es una actividad que creó una pauta totalmente diferente en P.R. Una actividad que permite al público en general y a la industria pon-erle rostro al portafolio espectacular de vinos que tiene Plaza Cellars y compartir personalmente con ellos más allá de lo creado por cada cual en su imaginación. De-stacaría también el ambiente y la actitud conseguida a través de los años en los que en realidad cada bo-deguero llega con la intención de lucirse, de presentar lo mejor de sus creaciones en la bodega para que sea algo más que acudir a una presentación, sino alcanzar

que los asistentes lleguen seguros que van a probar cosas extraordinarias en una sola tarde, en un sólo re-cinto. Inclusive, es posible tener contacto con los vinos de lujo que probablemente después mucha de la gente vea difícil tener acceso a ellos para comprarlos.En resumen una actividad exquisita que cada año siem-pre se ha superado a sí misma. Enhorabuena a Plaza Cellars y a todas las personas que me consta trabajan mucho por que todo esto sea así.”

Jesus HerbónWine Collector & Kasalta Co-Owner

“Para mí, y lo digo muchas veces a lo largo del año en Europa, es la actividad de vinos más bonita y mejor organizada que asisto. Nos encanta venir tanto a mí como a Berta y además de trabajar un poco lo pasamos muy bien porque nos da oportunidad como empresarios del vino de vivir intensamente no sola-mente con unos clientes profesionales del vino sino con este fenómeno que existe sólo en P.R. de tanto público en general con tanto conocimiento y tan buen paladar. Venimos siempre con mucha alegría y nos encanta que llegue la fecha para hacer las maletas hacia este punto tan bonito del Caribe. Sigan con ese entusiasmo y cuent-en siempre con nuestra presencia y apoyo.”

Pepe RodríguezAdegas Galegas OwnerJesús Herbón and Pepe Rodríguez

To Coach aVision

There must be a commanding inner desire to create a very specific atmosphere. To create an almost elusive conglom-eration of energy focused on

concrete long lasting, effervescent results. To engage, and inspire others to engage, in the creation of a wine show such as the Plaza Cellars’ Fine Wine Celebration.

Many stories begin and evolve because of the caliber of the people that come together one Sunday afternoon. “We are talking about 500 people that come together in our tiny little world, Puerto Rico, to make pos-sible a world class event that many vintners have qualified as one of the best events in the world,” stated David Cimino, during a recent interview with WineLifePR.

Everyone’s presence is significant. From the wineries standpoint it is difficult to justify the investment of time, money and effort made by the wineries to have wine-makers travel here when there are other markets that produce hundreds more dol-lars than Puerto Rico. “Something stronger than the beaches and the palm trees -and the fact that they know that they will have a splendid time after a long, intensive day- at-tracts them”, conveyed Cimino.

The people that attend the Plaza Cellars’ Fine Wine Celebration year after year are

looking for a certain style, a certain quality of experience that is attuned to their prefer-ences. It’s no secret that the Plaza Cellars’ Fine Wine Celebration is the most elegant wine affair of Puerto Rico. Its a matter of enjoying fine wines in a particular setting, and Plaza Cellars has always been extreme-ly successful in delivering a superlative function in this respect as well.

The ambiance’s energy is created by this synergy of stories. “If we are going to have this multiply effect is thanks to the attrac-tion of each person to the Plaza Cellars’ Fine Wine Celebration and then for them to being able to be present” expressed Cimino.

“It’s a vision. It’s always a vision. The vi-sion is to create a spark, that can create a multiplying effect for all who participate. To create a setting that can actually allow the spark to come into a flame. And then to allow that flame to actually burn all the way. And again its all because 500 wine loving people come together in one truly majestic afternoon”, concluded David Cimino.

“We are talking about 500 people that come together

in our tiny little world, Puerto Rico, to make possible a

world class event that many vintners have qualified as

one of the best wine events of the world,”