“World’s Hottest Winemaker” to Unveil 2007 Derenoncourt California Wines: Turning Wine to Water in Las Vegas

Napa Valley, California Tuesday February 1, 2011

Stéphane Derenoncourt, recently called the “world’s hottest winemaker” by Wine Spectator, and Montesquieu Winery Founder and CEO Fonda Hopkins announced plans today to unveil the highly anticipated 2007 Derenoncourt California collection of wines, the second vintage from the world-renowned winemaker’s California venture. Acclaimed by critics and enthusiasts alike, these six single-vineyard wines were handcrafted in tiny quantities from miniscule parcels on some of Napa’s most prestigious vineyards, each selected by Stéphane for its unique capacity to reflect Napa’s distinctive terroir.

The premiere of these wines will be celebrated by a release dinner and charity fundraiser on March 3, 2011 at Twist by Pierre Gagnaire (the lone restaurant in America where one can experience the Michelin three-star chef’s inventive cuisine) perched on the 23^rd floor of the Mandarin Oriental in Las Vegas. All six of the 2007 Derenoncourt wines will be poured with a six-course menu specially created by the chef to complement the wines.

The evening offers a unique opportunity to meet Stéphane Derenoncourt and also to support a critical cause. Half of the proceeds for the evening will go directly to Wine to Water, a non-profit that provides sustainable sources for clean water to needy communities around the world. Wine to Water’s Founder and President Doc Hendley will also be present to share his experiences building wells in places of critical need like Haiti, Cambodia, and the Sudan.

“We truly value this opportunity to partner with Wine to Water,” says Fonda Hopkins. “To think one person in six lives without access to clean water—it’s hard to imagine.” Derenoncourt California has also committed to donate 10% of all sales for the month of March to Wine to Water. “We expect to be able to contribute at least $30,000 between the Twist dinner and sales for March,” said Hopkins. The new 2007 Derenoncourt wines will be offered on an allocated basis to those on the winery mailing list in early March.

The ultimate goal of this campaign is to provide 10,000 people in Haiti with clean drinking water for five years. The need for clean water, especially in Haiti, has reached a point of crisis. “With the support of our friends and Doc’s vision and commitment we believe we can really make a difference,” Hopkins added. “Let’s hope this will only be the beginning and we’ll be able to convince even more wineries to join us by supporting Doc and his team.”

Derenoncourt California is a unique winemaking venture formed by Stéphane Derenoncourt, an internationally renowned vigneron who consults for over 60 wineries around the world. Stéphane formed Derenoncourt California in partnership with California-based wine importer and producer Fonda Hopkins, Founder and CEO of Montesquieu Winery. For twenty years, Montesquieu wines have offered consumers and collectors experiences of rare, hand-crafted wines from some of the best producers and vineyards worldwide. A Montesquieu wine broker works directly with each client on an individualized basis to source wines that meet the client’s unique tastes and needs.

To learn more, visit the Montesquieu Wine Lovers blog, become a fan of Montesquieu Winery on Facebook or visit www.montesquieu.com.

For more information about the Derenoncourt California release dinner in Las Vegas, contact Stephen George sgeorge@derenoncourtca.com 707-363-7990.

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