| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Lynmar Winery Breaks Ground on Enhanced
Winery, Caves and Visitors Center
Winery Also Launches New Website Resource
on Russian River Valley
Sebastopol, CA—October
27, 2004—Lynmar Winery, a Russian River Valley specialist
in estate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, announced the groundbreaking
of a new gravity flow winery facility expansion, temperature
controlled barrel aging caves, visitor center and guest house
to be completed in time for the 2005 harvest. In addition,
the winery has established a new virtual presence with a redesigned
website at www.lynmarwinery.com
that is an informational resource for the Russian River Valley
appellation.
"These two initiatives take Lynmar Winery to the next
level," said the winery's General Manager Larry Moraes.
"It signals the real and figurative rebirth of Lynmar."
In March of this year, the winery completed the compilation
of its new team with the addition of Hugh Chappelle, Director
of Winemaking. Chappelle, a recognized authority in the world
of California Pinot Noir, spent more than three years overseeing
winemaking at Flowers Vineyard & Winery on the Sonoma
coast. He now works closely with Lynmar's well-known consulting
winemaker, Paul Hobbs, and vineyard consultant, Greg Adams,
also a Flowers veteran and an expert on Russian River Valley
and global viticultural practices. The team recently completed
their first harvest together.
"The new facility's design reflects this team's commitment
to produce world-class wines from our esteemed Quail Hill
Vineyard estate. Likewise, our redesigned website more accurately
reinforces and communicates the winery's vision of promoting
an appreciation for Pinot Noir and the many attributes of
the Russian River Valley appellation," Moraes added.
San Francisco-based architectural firm Baum-Thornley Architects
LLP designed an enhanced, state-of-the-art winery that incorporates
the principles of gravity flow to minimize juice handling,
allows maximum temperature control of fermentation tanks,
and uses traditional basket presses for Pinot Noir. The new
caves will provide an ideal, stable environment for aging
and are accessible directly from the winery structure.
"Quail Hill Vineyard is blessed with some of the oldest
Pinot Noir plantings in the appellation, a desirable combination
of Sebastopol Sandy Loam and Blucher series soils, cool coastal
fog, and a diversity of site orientations. It's only fitting
that we have a practical winemaking facility that takes full
advantage of these favorable attributes," said Hugh Chappelle.
The architectural firm designed the new visitor center to
be an educational resource for the region. Visitors will be
encouraged to linger, learn about Russian River Valley Pinot
Noir and sip wine in the courtyard with views of the estate's
undulating vineyards and the Laguna de Santa Rosa preserve,
and walk up a vineyard path to the new winery facility. Featuring
wood and stone, and a board and batten finish, the Lynmar
visitor center will resemble a comfortable home set amidst
the vineyards fitting into the Sonoma landscape rather than
detract from it.
"For visitors, we want to reinforce the primacy of Quail
Hill Vineyard, to allow them to explore and discover the direct
relationship between this extraordinary vineyard and its wines,"
said Douglas Thornley of Baum-Thornley Architects LLP. "We
also wanted to create a first class structure without losing
the warmth and friendliness for which the Russian River Valley
is known," he added.
The redesigned website includes in-depth information about
Quail Hill Vineyard and its wines, the winery's philosophy,
its history and future. The site also seeks to educate wine
consumers on the Russian River Valley region and Pinot Noir
with original content and links to other Russian River Valley
resources. An online shopping cart and consumer email newsletter
have been incorporated. The wine trade and press will find
information, images and presentations for download.
About Lynmar
Lynn Fritz, an expert in global logistics and humanitarian
relief efforts, and family founded Lynmar Winery in 1990 with
the vision of creating world-class Pinot Noir. Lynmar's 42-acre
Quail Hill Vineyard lies within one of the Russian River Valley's
coolest areas, Laguna Ridge, an ideal microclimate for Pinot
Noir and Chardonnay. The winery launched a five-year investment
plan in early 2004 to create a state-of-the-art winery and
visitor center. For more information, visit the winery's temporary
tasting room at 9060 Graton Road, Graton, CA or call (707)
829-3374. www.lynmarwinery.com
# # #
MEDIA CONTACT:
Kimberly Charles, Charles Communications Associates, (415)
701-9463
Amelia Weir, Charles Communications Associates, (415) 701-9463
media@lynmarwinery.com
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