Project Description

This week, our tasting looks a bit different. Join Greg Lambrecht, Founder and Inventor of Coravin, Adrian Bridge of Taylor-Fladgate, Lucas Payà of the House of Lustau, Paul Mugnier of Blandy’s and John Sporing, Founder of A Life Well Drunk for a conversation about Fortified wines. Sip along with us on April 1st at 6 PM EST. It may be April fools, but this tasting is no joke!

 

In our conversation with these gentlemen, we will be guided through the world of Fortified Wines and the new Coravin Pivot.

Lustau Fino Jarana Sherry
Lustau Oloroso Don Nuño Sherry
Blandy’s 5 Year Bual Madeira
Blandy’s 10 Year Malmsey Madeira
2018 Taylor-Fladgate Vintage Port
Taylor-Fladgate 10yr or 20yr Tawny

The wines should be available at your local wine shops or via direct-to-consumer sites like Wine.com. Buy one or all five. Remember, fortified wines last a long time after opening (especially with the Coravin Pivot).

We look forward to seeing everyone again soon in person, until then we hope to see you at the tastings, even if you do not have the wines!

Register for the free webinar HERE.

Meet the Speakers

Adrian Bridge

CEO @Taylor-Fladgate

Adrian Bridge moved to Portugal in 1994 to grow the Taylor Fladgate and Fonseca Porto brands in the UK and USA.  In 1998, he became CEO of the Taylor Fonseca Group, spearheading its expansion by acquiring valuable industry assets, including Croft and Delaforce Port, and forming an enlarged group called The Fladgate Partnership.

Adrian has been at the forefront of innovation and change in the Port industry.  In 2008 he created rosé Port, the first new category for a generation, and launched the super-premium Port segment with the high profile release of Taylor’s Scion in 2010.  In 2014 he expanded the luxury gifting market with a series of 50-year-old Single Harvest Ports.

Adrian created The Yeatman, Porto’s first world class luxury hotel, later adding two more iconic properties to the group’s portfolio, The Vintage House and Hotel Infante Sagres. Adrian is the creative force behind the concept and construction of the World of Wine which includes 6museums / experiences, 10 restaurants / bars, a wine school and retail arcade. This new cultural district has been implemented in 35,000 m2 in the historic Port lodge area of the city and was opened on the 31stJuly 2020. Adrian is leader and mentor of the Porto Protocol, a global climate change initiative.

Lucas Paya

U.S. National Brand Educator @ House of Lustau

Lucas moved to the United States in 2008 to become wine and beverage director for José Andrés ThinkFoodGroup (TFG), responsible for overseeing the wine and beverage programs for all fifteen TFG restaurants in the US and internationally. In this role, Lucas clearly demonstrated a genuine passion for Sherry, consistently promoting by-the-glass Sherry offerings, food pairing menus, and Sherry-based cocktails on the wine programs he developed. In 2016, Lucas was appointed House of Lustau U.S. National Brand Educator, bringing a wealth of experience to the position. He has been instrumental in educating both consumers and the trade on the versatility of Lustau’s full range of premium Sherries.

 

 

Paul Mudnier

Vice President Sales & Marketing @ Premium Port Wines

Paul, a veteran of the Port trade joined Premium Port Wines, Inc. in 1999. He currently looks after the Symington Family brands in the US: Graham’s, Dow’s, Cockburn’s, Smith Woodhouse, Quinta do Vesuvio, Prats & Symington, Quinta da Fonte Souto along with Blandy’s, and Leacock’s Madeiras. A South Louisiana native, Paul worked in New Orleans restaurants and the wine trade prior to joining Premium Ports in his adopted hometown of San Francisco

 

 

 

 

Greg Lambrecht

Founder and Inventor of Coravin

Greg Lambrecht is the Founder and Chairman of Coravin Inc., the creator of the wine-preservation system that revolutionized the way people enjoy wine. Greg was born in Manhattan, NY in 1969 to European parents. His mother is Austrian, and his father’s family is from Germany. After eight years of testing, following the inception of the first prototype, Greg filed for a patent. Soon thereafter, in 2011, Coravin, the idea became Coravin, the company: Coravin Inc. was born. There are currently four different Coravin systems available: Model One (The Essential), Model Two (Classic Design), Model Two Elite (with a choice of elegant colors), and finally, Model Eleven (Automatic and Connected). All four share the same characteristics and the same Argon gas. To read a full bio about Greg, click here.

John Sporing

Founder of A Life Well Drunk

John founded A Life Well Drunk to help spread the word of wine. The company offers wine education and wine tourism as its primary mission, but also offers education and experiences in spirits and beer. A Life Well Drunk offers experiences in the United States and internationally.  He has an Advanced Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET) of London and hold the titles of Certified Specialist of Wine from the Society of Wine Educators and Sommelier from the Guild of Sommeliers. The past year, he has been hosting virtual tastings every week. International travel may be paused, but wine exploration is not!