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Rhone Rangers Ride into Seattle for Syrah Stampede Showdown at McCaw...

May 18, 2005 -- A small coterie of vintners began meeting informally in the 1980s. As their numbers expanded, they organized themselves under the name "The Rhone Rangers".    
Wines produced by member vintners include red varietals syrah (shiraz), petit syrah, grenache, mourvedre, cinsault, carignane and counoise. White varietals include viognier, roussanne and marsanne.



"We're thrilled to be back in the Northwest," said Chuck Carlson, president of the Rhone Rangers and winemaker of Curtis Winery. "Our first Rhone Ranger tasting in Seattle was so successful that we couldn't wait to come back. We have made many new friends, encouraged new members and we are expanding the public consumer and trade professional knowledge of American produced Rhone wines."



Doug McCrea, winemaker at McCrea and member of the Rhone Rangers' Board of Directors noted, "we are extremely excited about showcasing our wines at McCaw Hall. It is a wonderful time to be a Rhone producer in Washington, and to be involved in this great organization. Syrah is flourishing in our State and is rapidly becoming the number one wine. We're also making great progress with several other Rhone grapes in a climate that would practical defy their success." McCrea added, "if last year's event is any indication we can positively expect a dynamic Rhone Rangers Northwest tasting."



The Rhone Ranger San Francisco Grand Tasting, now in its 8th year, generally draws about 3,000 attendees annually and features around 120 wineries. The organizers expect the Seattle tasting, seen as a more intimate gathering involving 50 to 70 wineries, to draw approximately 500 attendees. The event includes educational seminars with Richard Kinssies, wine critic for the Seattle Post Intelligencer and Andy Perdue, publisher of Wine Press Northwest.



Rhone Ranger NW Grand Benefit Tasting for FareStart Event Information



Tickets to the NW Grand Tasting are on sale on now at www.ticketmaster.com- (Search for Rhone Rangers.)



www.rhonerangers.org

Ticket prices $30

Event Date: August 6, 2005

Event Times: Trade Tasting 12:00 noon -2:00 pm

Public Tasting 2:00pm -5:00 pm

Place: The Marion Oliver McCaw Hall is located at Seattle Center.



About the Rhone Rangers

The Rhone Rangers are a non-profit organization focused on promoting the enjoyment of Rhone Varietal wines produced in the United States. These grapes include the 22 traditional varieties approved by the French government grown in the Cotes du Rhone (about 13 - 14 of these grapes are grown in the United States), as well as Durif (Petite Sirah), a grape that originated in the Rhone but is grown primarily in California today. As criteria for membership, wines must contain 75% of any single or combination of these varieties to qualify as "Rhone Ranger" wines. Additionally, all wines must comply with BATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms) regulations for label content. www.rhonerangers.com.

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