Prager Port Works Answers the Question:
What to Do This Memorial Day?
Raise
a toast to summer with two new ports --
one red, one white
St.
Helena, CA, March 14, 2007- Prager
Winery & Port Works announces
its Annual Memorial Day Open House
Celebration, which coincides
with the release of two new Prager ports,
one red and one white.
"Memorial Day weekend is an opportunity
for us to welcome back old friends, make
new ones, and share what's new at Prager
with all of them," according to John
Prager. "Our customers look forward
to this event all year long."
Everyone is invited to join the Prager
family in raising a toast to summer.
The festivities will take place on the
lawn and patio overlooking the family's
estate vineyards and lovely flower gardens
in St. Helena, May 26-27.
Visitors can look forward to sunny skies
typical of the season and to tastings
of the newly released Aria and Royal Escort
Ports. The family will serve up
nibbles for pairing with port, too, including
fresh local strawberry-goat cheese poppers,
nuts, cheeses and, of course, chocolate.
The first new release to be celebrated
is Prager's newly released 2003 Aria,
a seductive white port made from Napa
Valley Chardonnay grapes and named after
a Prager grandchild. The port aged
in three years in small oak cooperage,
where it developed aromas of fresh pear,
caramel apple, vanilla, and toasted hazelnut.
Ideal as an aperitif, Aria also pairs
nicely with creamy soups, shellfish, and
crème brûlée.
Prager's 2004 Royal Escort will share
the spotlight this Memorial Day weekend.
"The 2004 Royal Escort is rich, full
bodied and tasty," says Peter Prager,
port maker. The port aged in wood
for 2 1⁄2 years where it developed
aromas of spiced cherries, boysenberries,
cedar and plums. Those flavors were
enhanced by carefully balancing the sugar
and acid in the wine, a Prager port-making
trademark. The grapes are harvested
at a lower brix and with higher acid,
resulting in a full-bodied red port that
is less sweet than most. This technique
allows the bright fruit flavors so typical
of California ports to shine.
At
their family winery, the Pragers have
produced ports and welcomed visitors since
1979. Stepping onto their tidy property
tucked into the vineyards just outside
St. Helena is like stepping back into
Napa Valley history. Prager Winery
& Port Works evokes a time when making
wine was about improving the quality of
life rather than buying into architectural
splendor and wine country glitz.
The
Prager family also produces Noble Companion
Tawny port made from Cabernet Sauvignon
grapes, Tomas Port made from rare Portuguese
Touriga and Tinta Cao grapes and named
after another grandchild, as well as a
Petite Sirah table wine. Their dessert
wines, Madeline and Sweet Claire, are
also named after grandchildren.
Prager
Wines and Ports are available at the tasting
room at 1281 Lewelling Lane in St. Helena,
from their Web site at www.pragerport.com,
and at select retail stores. There
is a $10 charge for the Memorial Day tasting;
those enrolled in the Prager Port Club
taste for free. Tasting hours are
10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.