ANGEL’S ENVY Releases Newest Cellar Collection Series, Vol. 5 Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in French Oak Extra Añejo Tequila Barrels
ANGEL’S ENVY Unveils Vol. 5 of Its Exclusive Cellar Collection: A Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in French Oak Extra Añejo Tequila Barrels
Angel’s Envy, the beloved craft distiller known for its innovative approach to whiskey, is rolling out something truly special for 2025. On May 31, the brand will debut its latest Cellar Collection release—Vol. 5 Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in French Oak Extra Añejo Tequila Barrels. For the first time ever, this exclusive expression will be available nationwide.
Crafted under the watchful eye of Master Distiller Owen Martin, this release is a bold, innovative riff on classic rye whiskey. By finishing the spirit in French oak barrels previously used to age Extra Añejo Tequila, Angel’s Envy has created a whiskey that is both deeply rooted in tradition and refreshingly forward-thinking. It’s a true testament to the brand’s commitment to pushing the limits of whiskey-making while honoring its legacy.
New Yorkers, known for their discerning palates and adventurous taste, will certainly want to get their hands on this unique expression when it hits shelves. The release promises a flavorful experience that’s sure to stand out in the city’s vibrant whiskey scene.
Crafting Angel’s Envy Vol. 5: A Masterpiece of Rye and Tequila Barrels
To create the remarkable Vol. 5 Straight Rye Whiskey, Angel’s Envy took an innovative approach. The whiskey begins with a blend of Straight Rye Whiskey aged for up to seven years, which is then finished in French Oak Extra Añejo tequila barrels for up to 12 months. But the magic doesn’t stop there—Master Distiller Owen Martin took things a step further by blending the finished whiskey with an older Straight Rye, aged for over 11 years, to create a whiskey that is not only harmonious but complex and layered.
To ensure the perfect barrels for this unique finish, Martin ventured all the way to Hacienda PATRÓN, the renowned home of PATRÓN Tequila’s distillery in Jalisco, Mexico. There, he carefully selected the barrels, immersing himself in the rich tequila-making traditions that would add an entirely new dimension to the whiskey. It’s this dedication to both craft and innovation that makes Vol. 5 a standout release in the prestigious Angel’s Envy Cellar Collection.
For whiskey lovers in New York City, this is a perfect example of how tradition and experimentation can come together to create something truly exceptional—one sip at a time.
“This launch is very special to me as the first Cellar Collection innovation for ANGEL’S ENVY that I oversaw from beginning to end…”
Owen Martin
Master Distiller
“…As a part of the vision, we collaborated with PATRÓN Tequila’s Master Distiller, David Rodriguez, to identify a parallel between the production processes. We are always striving to showcase the unique character of a finishing cask and how it can amplify our base whiskey’s dynamic flavor – this release embodies that particularly well,” said Owen Martin, Master Distiller.
Tasting Notes for Angel’s Envy Vol. 5: A Rich, Complex Flavor Profile
The newest release from Angel’s Envy, Vol. 5 Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in French Oak Extra Añejo Tequila Barrels, dazzles with a golden caramel hue, immediately catching the eye. On the nose, it opens with floral and fruit-forward aromas that invite you in, followed by a rich toasty vanilla and a hint of subtle clove smokiness.
The first sip reveals a symphony of flavors: warm baking spices and a touch of cracked pepper give way to the earthy richness of herbal agave, which brings a unique tobacco and brown sugar profile to the forefront. The French oak finish rounds out the experience with a soft and balanced texture, while delicate notes of orange blossom honey and tropical fruits emerge, adding a refreshing sweetness that lingers on the palate.
For whiskey enthusiasts in New York City, this expression offers a dynamic tasting experience, combining the best of both rye whiskey and tequila barrel finishing to create a truly one-of-a-kind spirit.
Cellar Collection Series Vol. 5 Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in French Oak Extra Añejo Tequila Barrels is housed in a special-edition gift box, featuring a number of symbols, including the agave plant, reflecting the innovative union of flavors and ANGEL’S ENVY’s continued pursuit of excellence. It will be available at retailers nationwide and on ReserveBar (where eligible) for an SRP of $269.99 per 750ml bottle. Additionally, 500Main members can enter a lottery launching today, for a chance to purchase a bottle for in-person pick-up at the Distillery on May 31.
For more information and purchasing details, visit https://angelsenvy.com or on Instagram, @angelsenvy.
Big Papi’s New York Debut: David Ortiz’s Dominican Ozama Rum Lands in Manhattan With Bold Flavor and Cultural Swagger
In a city that appreciates craftsmanship, culture, and a killer cocktail, there’s a new player on the scene ready to disrupt bar menus from Brooklyn rooftops to Central Park South. Hall-of-Fame legend David “Big Papi” Ortiz—yes, that David Ortiz—is officially entering the world of fine spirits with the launch of Ozama Rum, a 100% Dominican-made, ultra-premium rum that’s already turning heads in the five boroughs.
Far more than just a celebrity vanity label, Ozama Rum is a deeply personal project rooted in Ortiz’s Dominican heritage, shaped by tradition, and tailored for modern palates. Named after the Ozama River in Santo Domingo, the spirit is crafted from start to finish in the Dominican Republic, earning the prestigious Ron Dominicano designation that certifies its authenticity.
“To me, Ozama isn’t just about rum, it’s about identity, pride, and progress,” said Ortiz. “I wanted to build something that celebrates the energy and soul of my people and shows the world what we’re made of. It’s always been important for me to do things the right way, which is why this labor of love has been one of the most rewarding projects of my career. I can’t wait for people to try it! They say that perfection doesn’t exist, but you can get close to it.”
Ozama Rum: Where Craft Meets Culture in a Bottle
Available in three expressions, Ozama Rum brings a polished Dominican sensibility to Manhattan’s world-class cocktail scene—whether you’re sipping at Bemelmans, lounging at Soho House, or unwinding in a Brooklyn brownstone. Each expression is aged for at least a year in oak barrels and bottled on the island, delivering a terroir-driven taste of the Caribbean with unmistakable sophistication.
Ozama Blanco: Bright, citrus-forward, and kissed with white pepper, this platinum-hued rum is clean yet complex. Ideal for refreshing cocktails in Greenwich Village patios or summer spritzes on the rooftop at Le Bain.
Ozama Añejo: Smooth and refined, this copper-colored beauty delivers layers of vanilla, toffee, and a subtle note of chocolate—perfect for pairing with dessert at Eleven Madison Park or sipping solo in a Chelsea loft.
Ozama Gran Añejo: Rich and elegant, with aromas of honey, dates, candied fruits, and fine wood. This is a sipping rum made for slow conversations in the Upper East Side, where the bottle becomes the centerpiece.
Price points are as approachable as the flavor profiles—ranging from $25 to $40 for 700ml—making Ozama accessible luxury in every sense.
A New Spirit for a City of Tastemakers
New York is no stranger to premium spirits. But Ozama enters the market at a moment when consumer interest in rum is booming. According to Global View Research, the global rum market was valued at $11.77 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow 5.6% annually through 2030. That growth is driven by a shift toward artisanal, culturally rooted spirits—just the kind of origin story Manhattan drinkers crave.
And Ortiz isn’t just lending his name. The former MLB star partnered closely with a team of Dominican artisans and Abbott Wolfe, CEO of Drink2Success, to bring this vision to life.
“From day one, David had a clear vision to create an ultra-premium rum that feels authentic, vibrant, and undeniably Dominican—it was important to him to spotlight the Dominican Republic and at the same time give back to the community that raised him,” said Wolfe.
Giving Back, the Dominican Way
Ozama Rum’s purpose doesn’t stop at the bottle. Two percent of the brand’s profits will go toward cleaning up the Ozama River and supporting underserved communities along its banks. It’s a gesture that feels at home in a city that values global citizenship and local impact.
Where to Find Ozama in New York City
Available now online at drinkozama.com, Ozama is rolling out this summer at select retailers, bars, and restaurants across Manhattan and Brooklyn. Early interest from high-end mixologists in Tribeca, Williamsburg, and the Upper West Side suggests Ozama will quickly find a place among New York’s finest pours.
Whether it’s mixed into a refined mojito at Dante, poured neat at Maison Premiere, or offered as a pairing in the city’s growing number of Afro-Caribbean culinary spots, Ozama is a rum built for New York sophistication—with a heartbeat from the Dominican Republic.
Final Pour: The Big Apple Meets Big Papi
In a town where everything is fast, curated, and fueled by narrative, Ozama Rum offers something deeper—a bottle with a backstory, a cultural anchor, and the kind of authenticity that New Yorkers respect.
As Ortiz says, “They say that perfection doesn’t exist, but you can get close to it.”
And here in Manhattan, close to perfect is more than enough reason to raise your glass.
Taraji P. Henson Brings Her Moscato for with Manhattan NYC Magic to the High Seas with Princess Cruises
Broadway lights, Harlem hustle, and now—Taraji P. Henson’s Moscato on the open ocean.
The Emmy-nominated, Oscar-nodded powerhouse and entrepreneur has teamed up with Princess Cruises to bring her celebrated Seven Daughters Moscato to the brand’s exclusive Love Lines Premium Liquors Collection. And while Taraji’s roots are D.C. born, New Yorkers know she’s always brought a Manhattan-level boldness to everything she touches—whether it’s a red carpet or a wine glass.
“Seven Daughters is more than just a bottle of wine; it’s a celebration in a glass,” Henson shared. “Our Moscato is inviting, refreshing, and perfect for moments of connection which is what makes this partnership with Princess Cruises so amazing. Now we can experience this feeling with people from around the world, whether they’re toasting under the stars or relaxing on the open sea.”
That connection is something every New Yorker craves—especially when escaping the city’s breakneck pace for a well-earned recharge. With Princess Cruises offering sailings from the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, it’s never been easier to trade the city skyline for an ocean horizon—glass of Henson’s Moscato in hand.
Featuring notes of tropical fruit and honeysuckle, Seven Daughters offers the kind of bright, celebratory flavor that fits perfectly between a jazz brunch in the West Village and a rooftop toast in Midtown. Now, thanks to Princess Cruises, it’s also a go-to at sea.
“Princess Cruises is committed to curating distinctive, high-quality experiences for our guests, and Seven Daughters aligns seamlessly with that vision,” said Sami Kohen, Vice President of Food and Beverage at Princess Cruises. “Taraji’s Moscato reflects a bold yet approachable style that we know our guests will love.”
Henson’s wine joins an all-star lineup of bottles in the Love Lines Premium Liquors Collection, which includes Jason Momoa and Blaine Halvorson’s Meili Vodka, Camila and Matthew McConaughey’s Pantalones Organic Tequila, Blake Lively’s Betty Booze and Betty Buzz, Liev Schreiber’s Sláinte Irish Whiskey, Jason Aldean’s Melarosa wines, Romero Britto’s Love Prosecco, and Kylie Minogue’s No Alcohol Sparkling Rosé.
But Henson’s addition feels especially New York in spirit—sophisticated, stylish, and full of character. For city dwellers looking to trade the subway for a stateroom, Seven Daughters is an invitation to unwind without leaving the energy behind.
As Strategic Advisor and Creative Collaborator, Henson has helped shape every aspect of the wine’s personality, much like she’s done with her most iconic roles. And just like New York, this Moscato is lively, expressive, and impossible to ignore.
Whether you’re a downtown art dealer, an Upper East Side socialite, or a Brooklyn creative looking to unplug, a Princess cruise with a glass of Taraji’s Moscato might be just the blend of luxury and leisure you didn’t know you needed.
So the next time you’re booking a departure from NYC, remember: this isn’t just another cruise. It’s a chance to sip something special—with a side of Taraji—and toast to life beyond the grid.
Find out more about the Love Lines Premium Liquors Collection and upcoming sailings at www.princess.com.
WWE and Seagrams Just Dropped Boozy, Slam-Worthy Drinks—And Manhattan Is the First Stop
NEW YORK, NY — In a city where everything moves faster, hits harder, and parties louder, WWE is making its boldest off-the-top-rope move yet—launching its first-ever ready-to-drink alcoholic beverage right here in the heart of Manhattan.
WWE and Seagram’s Escapes Spiked just announced a multi-year partnership that’s as wild as a Hell in a Cell match in Madison Square Garden. The result? A brand-new, wrestling-themed lineup of flavored malt beverages, designed for fans who live big and drink bold.
And New York, you’re first in line. From East Village rooftops to uptown bodegas, the Seagram’s Escapes Spiked WWE Series is already popping up across the five boroughs—just in time to raise a can and body slam the summer heat.
The Big Apple Meets the Big Elbow
This isn’t just a licensing deal. It’s a cultural collision between two icons—WWE, the global entertainment empire born in gritty arenas, and Seagram’s, a brand rooted in fun, flavor, and that “no apologies” energy New Yorkers know best.
“Seagram’s has a rich history of innovation and a deep commitment to authenticity, making it the ideal partner to go to market with our first-ever licensed ready-to-drink product,” said Grant Norris-Jones, EVP and Head of Global Partnerships at TKO Group Holdings, WWE’s parent company. “And let’s be honest—there’s no better place to launch than NYC.”
Flavor That Hits Like a Superkick
The new Spiked series isn’t here to sip quietly—it’s here to stand on tables in the Meatpacking District and shout “Let’s get ready to rumble!” at rush hour. The three debut flavors bring serious personality:
Rumble Punch™ – A remix of the fan-favorite Jamaican Me Happy, this tropical knockout blends strawberry, watermelon, lemon, and guava. Perfect for rooftop hangs in SoHo or post-work drinks on the Hudson.
Pineapple Powerhouse™ – With bold pineapple, cherry, and lime, this can packs all the energy of a 2 a.m. dance floor in Hell’s Kitchen.
Slammin’ Blueberry™ – A clean one-two punch of blueberry and lemon, tailor-made for chill park days at Bryant Park or Union Square pre-games.
All three flavors are now stocked across Manhattan—from your corner deli on Lexington to upscale liquor boutiques in the West Village.
WWE Superstars Coming to a Bodega Near You?
This isn’t just about what’s in the can. As an Official Partner of WWE, Seagram’s Escapes Spiked will be front and center at major WWE events—Money in the Bank®, SummerSlam®, and Survivor Series®—and heavily featured in exclusive digital content starring your favorite Superstars.
But NYC gets something even better: in-person appearances from WWE Superstars at select retailers across the city. Think autograph signings, selfie ops, and unexpected encounters with wrestling royalty at your go-to wine shop in the East 60s or downtown bodega.
“Our collaboration with WWE marks an exciting moment for Seagram’s Spiked as we connect with WWE’s global—and very NYC-centric—fanbase,” said Jaime Polisoto, brand director for Seagram’s Escapes. “Our sales team is amped to bring Superstars directly into the city to meet fans where they live.”
From MSG to Madison Ave—This Is New York’s Drink of the Summer
If there was ever a city made for this kind of crossover, it’s NYC. From the gritty legacy of wrestling nights at Madison Square Garden to the rooftop bar culture that defines Manhattan summers, Seagram’s Escapes Spiked WWE Series is built for the urban fight fan, the flavor chaser, and anyone who wants to sip something loud while living larger.
So next time you’re grabbing a six-pack for a rooftop party in Williamsburg, pregaming before a Barclays event, or just need something cold to crush after a subway grind—grab a can and drink like a champion.
Because this summer in NYC, the most electrifying drinks in entertainment have officially entered the ring.
Steve Lutz of Oregon Wine’s Lenne’ Estate sells his iconic vineyard as he eyes: what’s next in wine career.
Steve Lutz, vigneron and founder sells his iconic estate after 22 years
Peavine soils certified worst in Yamhill County, proved to yield distinctive Pinot Noirs
Lutz is said to be setting up next phase of his idiosyncratic wine career
Purchasers Jory, LLC will release next stage brand name and concept for the estate
Lutz’s wine career spans 4 decades and includes hospitality management for part of the Mondavi Wines Group in Napa Valley among other Napa brands and heading up hospitality at Chateau Benoit (now Anne Amie) in Carlton, Oregon culminating in the discovery of his unique 20.9 acre estate vineyard.
Lenné is French influenced wordplay of Lenny, Steve’s father-in-law
The brand name Lenné’ was derived as a French influenced wordplay of Lenny, Steve’s father-in-law who reportedly was a chicken farmer in a suburb of London.
Having achieved cult wine status for over 20 years
Lenné’ produces only estate wines, with annual production ranging from 1,600 – 2,000 cases, most of which is allocated to local wine club and out of state wine enthusiasts. Having achieved what is essentially cult status over 20 years as a craft producer
Lutz quips:
“…Most people think that wine is a lifestyle business,
it most assuredly isn’t, although, of course,
we do enjoy some perks!”
When queried about what’s next, Steve offers “Lenné’s unique programs and experiences will exist in new formats for years to come, although you’ll have to get on our mailing and membership lists to take advantage of what’s coming up next.”
you’ll have to get on […] mailing and membership lists to take advantage of what’s coming up next
The Lenne’ tasting room closes at the end of 2022.
Steve Lutz of Oregon Wine’s Lenne’ Estate sells his iconic vineyard
Jory, LLC had been searching for a bespoke Pinot producing site and were delighted when approached by Steve.
Jory intend to further develop the existing property with a new brand name, marketing concepts, and larger facilities. Co-owner Eugene Labunsky has admitted to being thrilled to finally acquire a property he has had his eye on for years.
Lenné’ Estate
Lenne’ Estate grows death-defying Pinot Noir vineyards on steep slopes in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA. Steve Lutz planted his first vines in 2001, expanding the vineyard property to 20.9 acres. The estate is planted with five clones of Pinot Noir (Pommard, 777, 115, 114, and 667), and most recently Chardonnay.
Jory, LLC
Jory, LLC is a partnership between grower and wine enthusiast Eugene Labunsky and Jared Etzel, winemaker and co-founder of Domaine Roy, and son of Mike Etzel of Beaux Frere fame. The partnership was formed with the intent to grow a portfolio of fine wine brands produced from singular estates of Willamette Valley Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Additional information will be released in the upcoming months.
DOC NYC, America’s largest documentary festival, revealed the 2023 award winners for its juried U.S. Competition, International Competition, Metropolis, Kaleidoscope, Shorts, Short List: Features, and Short List: Shorts sections, as well as the #MyJustice Film Award (complete list below). The festival’s Audience Award winner will be announced in the coming days.
TOTAL TRUST RECEIVES INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION GRAND JURY PRIZE
The awards announcement comes on the eve of the closing night of the festival’s hybrid 14th edition. DOC NYC’s online screenings run through November 26, with some 90 features available to stream across the United States, including eight of the festival’s award-winners and more than 100 of the festival’s short films, including all six shorts award-winners. Many of the award winners also have in-person screenings in the final two days of the festival.
For a full schedule of available films, see www.docnyc.net. Ticket and pass information is below.
LUCHA: A WRESTLING TALE TAKES METROPOLIS GRAND JURY PRIZE
For DOC NYC’s competitive sections, five juries selected films from the festival’s U.S. Competition, International Competition, and Kaleidoscope sections, as well as its long-running Metropolis and Shorts lineups, to recognize for their outstanding achievements in form and content. The Short List: Features program—a selection of nonfiction films that the festival’s programming team considers to be among the year’s strongest contenders for Oscars and other awards—vied for awards in five categories: Directing, Producing, Cinematography, Editing, and Score, with a Directing prize also awarded in the Short List: Shorts section. The Short List awards were voted on by two juries of filmmaker peers. New for 2023, the DOC NYC U film student screenings were restyled as a competition.
ZINZINDURRUNKARRATZ WINS KALEIDOSCOPE GRAND JURY PRIZE
JURIED AWARDS, FEATURE FILMS
U.S. Competition: The jury selected from among 10 new American nonfiction films in this section.
Grand Jury Prize: Mediha, directed by Hasan Oswald and produced by Hasan Oswald, Annelise Mecca, Fahrinisa Campana, Alexander Spiess, and Stephen Nemeth. (World Premiere)
Jurors’ statement: “Mediha is a person and a film that you will think about long after it ends. Hasan Oswald’s portrait of Mediha, one of many women and children survivors of the ISIS orchestrated genocide against the Yazidis, is a truly collaborative project in which Mediha tells her own harrowing story, and finds her own activist voice in the process. The film shines a light on the trauma of war and the difficult struggle to overcome it, while exploring the psychological complications of captivity of these women and children. This extremely careful and nuanced portrait of the experience of different generations of women resonated deeply with us. We are proud to give the U.S. Competition Grand Jury Prize to Mediha, and we sincerely congratulate the talent and courage of the team in bringing this story to the world.”
Available online through November 26.
Special Mention: Happy Campers, directed/produced by Amy Nicholson. (World Premiere)
Jurors’ statement: “Amy Nicholson’s Happy Campers is a truly cinematic film with a strong directorial sensibility and a genuine auteur’s stamp that celebrates, mourns, and memorializes a beloved working-class seaside refuge about to undergo redevelopment. The film beautifully captures the life, spirit, and charm of the Inlet View Campground. The U.S. Jury chose it for special mention as the film is a genuine delight to watch in today’s turbulent times.”
Available online through November 26.
Jurors: Violet du Feng (Emmy-winning filmmaker), Meredith Kaulfers (EVP of Current Production, Imagine Documentaries), David Winn (Head of the News & Documentary Emmy Awards)
Films featured in the U.S. Competition section: 36 Seconds: Portrait of a Hate Crime, The Cowboy and the Queen, Happy Campers, How to Come Alive With Norman Mailer, Mediha, Obsessed With Light, The Riot Report, Shaken, Taking Venice, and Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Tomorrow.
International Competition: The jury selected from among 10 new international productions in this section.
Grand Jury Prize: Total Trust, directed by Jialing Zhang, produced by Knut Jäger, Michael Grotenhoff, Saskia Kress, Jialing Zhang. (U.S. Premiere)
Jurors’ statement: “Courageously told with spectacular access, Total Trust speaks to power in its story of the stifling effect that Chinese government surveillance has on its citizens–while also highlighting the voices of resistance. Though the film provides a wealth of new insight into the regime’s policies, the judges were even more captivated by its use of character and emotionally rich scenes to reveal the human consequences of surveillance society. They commended its delicate balancing of the personal and political, notably contrasted in the claustrophobic sense conveyed in the small spaces occupied by its characters and wide shots capturing the massive spectacle of state displays. This is a film that not only explores government’s monitoring as an issue, it skillfully demonstrates its repercussions, particularly on the children who will inherit its legacy. Citing its bravery and artistry, the judges bestow Total Trust with this year’s International Jury Award.”
Available online through November 26.
Special Mention: Al Djanat – The Original Paradise, directed by Chloé Aïcha Boro, produced by Frédéric Féraud, Aïcha Boro, and Faissol Gnonlonfin. (U.S. Premiere)
Jurors’ statement: “Beautifully crafted and edited, Al Djanat – The Original Paradise, follows filmmaker Chloé Aïcha Boro as she returns to her homeland, Burkina Faso, after the death of her uncle. The judges praised Boro’s engaging and seamless tracing of conflicts—family, political and philosophical–in a story that’s both specific and personal yet deeply universal.”
Available online through November 26
Jurors: Michael Graversen (filmmaker), Ruchi Mital (producer and founder of Solani Media), David Siev (filmmaker).
Films featured in the International Competition section: Al Djanat – The Original Paradise, The Caravan, Dalton’s Dream, Dancing On The Edge Of A Volcano, The Dmitriev Affair, The Home Game, Le Spectre de Boko Haram, Neirud, Someone Lives Here, and Total Trust.
Metropolis: The jury selected from among eight films in this section, which is dedicated to stories about New Yorkers and New York City.
Grand Jury Prize: Lucha: A Wrestling Tale,directed/produced by Marco Ricci. (World Premiere)
Jurors’ statement: “The story of four members of the Taft High School women’s wrestling team, the Bronx-set Lucha: A Wrestling Tale landed the Metropolis Award for its compelling characters, sense of community, and intimate, but not imposing, approach to the verite style. The judges were especially impressed with the way the film doesn’t shy from the difficult realities faced by the young women, who are allowed to struggle and show their flaws – making them more powerful. Director Marco Ricci follows the story over the course of three years, which allows us to witness the characters’ growth and change, but we never sense intrusiveness, as the film instead bravely lets its moments play out, even the toughest ones.”
Available online through Sunday, November 26.
Jurors: Giselle “Hush” Bailey (filmmaker), Julia Solomonoff (filmmaker and chair of NYU Tisch Grad Film), Amanda Spain (VP of Longform Acquisitions, MSNBC Films).
Films featured in the Metropolis section: Ashima, Confessions of a Good Samaritan, Diversity Plaza, Holding Back The Tide, Lucha: A Wrestling Tale, Nathan-ism, Psychedelicized: The Electric Circus Story, and Scooter Laforge: a life of art.
Kaleidoscope: The jury selected from among five films in this section, which showcases essayistic and formally adventurous documentaries.
Grand Jury Prize: Zinzindurrunkarratz, directed/produced by Oskar Alegria. (New York Premiere)
Jurors’ statement: “In Oskar Alegria’s dreamlike documentary Zinzindurrunkarratz (a brilliant onomatopoeia word) we journey with the filmmaker through a Basque countryside that is transformed into a metaphysical landscape as he attempts to retrieve memories using an old camera. Alegria encourages us to contemplate the distinct dichotomies between past and present, rural and urban, haptic and cerebral. In this way, the film comes together somewhere amidst Alegria’s mind, the screen and our consciousness. In the process, we find ourselves in an ecstatic awareness of the way that silence, sound and image can be together and apart, always transforming. Both entrancing and poignant, Zinzindurrunkarratz made us ponder what constitutes a film, and closely observe our perception. For all of these reasons, we recognize it as the winning Kaleidoscope film at 2023 DOC NYC.”
Available online through November 26.
Jurors: Irena Kovarova (film programmer, producer and writer); José F. Rodriguez (senior film programmer, Tribeca Festival), Lynne Sachs (filmmaker and poet).
Films featured in the Kaleidoscope section: Grasshopper Republic, Megaheartz, The Walk, A Wolfpack Called Ernesto, and Zinzindurrunkarratz.
SHORT LIST: FEATURES AWARDS
DOC NYC’s Short List for Features puts the spotlight on 15 documentaries representing the best of the year.
Directing Award: While We Watched, directed by Vinay Shukla.
Jurors’ statement: “This superbly crafted story of a broadcast journalist in India who is battling a tide of disinformation uses intimate cinematography to drive a gripping dramatic tension. The story is local and yet completely universal. As the film progresses we are reminded that struggles for freedom and protection of truth are occurring all around the world. For its elegant yet painfully perceptive storytelling, the Directing Award goes to While We Watched.”
Available online through November 26.
Producing Award: While We Watched, produced by Vinay Shukla, Khushboo Ranka, and Luke Moody.
Jurors’ statement: “This film seeks the truth behind the veil of politicized ethics, ideology and propaganda. Against the backdrop of a crumbling newsroom, we witness exceptional courage and perseverance day after day. Despite death threats and condemnation, we find a vulnerable and beautiful vision that holds both craft and story close. The Producing Award is presented to While We Watched.”
Available online through November 26.
Editing Award: Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project,edited by Terra Long and Lawrence Jackman.
Jurors’ statement: “To bring the life, times and work of a fearless American original to the big screen, it takes a rich, deep and wild visual language. The unfettered imagination on display in this film’s editing beautifully evokes the vision of the woman at its heart. The Editing Award goes to Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project.
Cinematography Award: The Mother of All Lies, cinematography by Hatem Nechi.
Jurors’ statement: “Shooting a tightly focused personal film about a family is difficult; capturing big political events in a compelling way is just as demanding. But when long-ago public crimes poison the home life of three generations, making the connection visible is a virtuoso achievement. For the evocative image-making—of faces, of memories, of re-created, revised and rebuilt history—that makes the political vividly personal, the Cinematography Award goes to The Mother of All Lies.”
Available online through November 26.
Score Award: The Eternal Memory, music by Miguel Miranda and José Miguel Tobar.
Jurors’ statement: “The heart-piercing and unforgettable score for The Eternal Memory exhibits the type of playful togetherness we imagine is at the core of all eternal romances. As we journey through this world, the score is one continuous movement and an expressive thread, crafted with intimacy and delicate respect.”
Special Mention for Editing: The Disappearance of Shere Hite, edited by Eileen Meyer.
Jurors’ statement: “This film weaves together a cinematic tapestry that is as elegant as its protagonist. The result is an immersive story that reveals the true story of a woman the patriarchy tried to erase. For its lyrical creativity, a special mention for editing is presented to The Disappearance of Shere Hite.”
Jurors: Su Kim (producer), Mary Manhardt (editor, professor and consultant), Dawn Porter (filmmaker and founder of Trilogy Films).
SHORT FILM AWARDS
Shorts Competition:All new short films playing at the festival were eligible for the Shorts Grand Jury Prize, with the exception of DOC NYC U showcases and Short List: Shorts selections.
Grand Jury Prize: Mountain Man, directed/produced by Arun Bhattarai. (North American Premiere)
Jurors’ statement: “The beautifully crafted, observational Mountain Man impressed the jury with its intimate and almost fable-like story of a glaciologist in Bhutan who regularly leaves his family behind to trek into the country’s sacred mountains to measure the rapidly melting glaciers. With a subtle approach, and an inter-generational lens to this one family’s tale, the jury noted how filmmaker Arun Bhattarai thoughtfully brings the audience a story about climate change and our global interconnectedness to this urgent issue.”
The 2023 winning Short film qualifies for consideration in the Documentary Short Subject category of the annual Academy Awards® without the standard theatrical run (provided the film otherwise complies with the Academy rules).
Special Mention: When a Rocket Sits on the Launch Pad,directed by Bohao Liu, produced by Bohao Liu and Gene Gallerano. (NYC Premiere)
Jurors’ statement: “Exquisitely shot and artistically styled, When A Rocket Sits On The Launch Pad earned the judges’ admiration for its insightful depiction of the hurdles and challenges that Chinese culture places in front of a typical teenage girl.”
Mountain Man screens online as part of the Shorts: Our Climate/Our Crisis program; When a Rocket Sits on the Launch Pad screens online as part of the Shorts: Changing Tides program; both are available through November 26.
Jurors: Aurora Brachman (director/cinematographer), Nick Canfield (filmmaker), Debra McClutchy (filmmaker and archival producer).
Short List: Shorts:DOC NYC’s Short List for Shorts highlights 15 documentary shorts that the festival’s programming team considers the year’s leading awards contenders.
Directing Award: Ayenda, directed by Marie Margolius, produced by Marie Margolius and Connor Schell.
Jurors’ statement: “Thrilling but never sensationalized, Ayenda traces the story of the members of a girls soccer team who flee their home country of Afghanistan—and the Taliban—to continue their pursuit of the sport. The judges praised the filmmaking as elegantly observed and empathetic, commending director Marie Margolius for the intimacy achieved in her interviews, as well as their cinematic execution. The danger feels imminent, and the action unspools humanely, a credit to both the artistry and directive of Margolius and her team in crafting an honest testament to the girls’ bravery.”
Available online in the Shortlist Shorts: New Beginnings program, through November 26.
Jurors: Mark Becker (director, story consultant and editor), Katja Esson (filmmaker), Tyler Walk (editor).
DOC NYC U Competition. DOC NYC U features ten short documentaries from students across the five boroughs. Restyled as a competition for the first time this year, this year’s program featured finalists from Brooklyn College, Columbia University, Hunter College, The New School, New York Film Academy, Pratt Institute, and the School of Visual Arts.
This year’s inaugural competition was adjudicated by veteran documentary and TV series director and producer R.J. Cutler, founder of This Machine.
DOC NYC U Award: I Told You So, directed by Malak AlSayyad and Amaan Stewart, produced by Malak AlSayyad, Amaan Stewart, and Loren Townsley. (Columbia University)
R.J. Cutler’s statement on the selection of I Told You So for the DOC NYC U Award: “For its deep empathy, its boldly personal yet universal honesty, and its unleashing of the power of cinema verite storytelling.”
Available online in the Shorts: DOC NYC U – Portraits program, through November 26.
Special Mention: It Smells Like Springtime, directed/produced by Mackie Mallison. (Pratt Institute)
R.J. Cutler’s statement on the special mention for It Smells Like Springtime: “For its poetic cinematic power, as well as its stunning use of visual and aural landscapes.”
Available online in the Shorts: DOC NYC U – Rebirth program, through November 26.
Subject Matter:DOC NYC partnered with Subject Matter to present a $20,000 grant from Subject Matter to 36 Seconds: Portrait of a Hate Crime, directed by Tarek Albaba, to support the film’s audience outreach and impact efforts, along with a corresponding grant of $20,000 to Our Three Winners, a nonprofit organization that is addressing the topics featured in the film. DOC NYC audience members joined Subject Matter in supporting Our Three Winners with over $4,000 in donations at the world premiere of the film.
#MyJustice: DOC NYC partnered with Odyssey Impact® to present the #MyJustice Film Award to Breaking Silence, directed by Amy Bench and Annie Silverstein, and produced by Amy Bench and Monique Walton. The award comes with a $10,000 cash prize and an Odyssey Impact National Social Impact Campaign, and is made possible with generous support from Paramount/Content for Change Academy.
Odyssey Impact® Statement: “For a female-directed, short documentary giving viewers, by way of a healed relationship between a deaf father and hearing daughter, a unique insight into the incarcerated deaf community and an inspiring father’s quest to help others and reunite his family. The film reverberates with kindness and compassion that drive towards advocacy for the communication challenges faced by prisoners with hearing disabilities, gives hopeful opportunities for prison reform and healing for families and people carrying unresolved trauma. Breaking Silence’s urgent and uplifting delivery earned it top prize this year for a stand out social justice film with a clear call to action to inspire change.
“Breaking Silence” is available online in the Shorts: Inside and Out program, through November 26.
Closing Night (South to Black Power) screening: $30 General Public/$25 IFC Center Members
Other festival films: $20 General Admission/$18 Seniors & Children/$16 IFC Center Members, unless otherwise noted.
All screenings in theShort List: Features, Short List: Shorts, and DOC NYC U sections, as well as all Monday-Friday screenings starting before 5:00pm: $13 General Admission/$10 IFC Center members
Online screenings: $13 General Public/$9 IFC Center Members
Passes and Ticket Packs: Online Film Pass $250 Grants access to all the films screening on the festival’s virtual platform, November 8-26.
Online Shorts Pass $49 Grants access to all short films screening on the festival’s virtual platform, November 8-26. On sale November 1.
Five-Ticket Package for Online Screenings $50 Ten-Ticket Package for Online Screenings $90 A package of 5 or 10 online tickets at a special discount price.
DOC NYC PRO Day Pass$125 Grants access to a single DOC NYC PRO day-long programming track, plus complimentary access, space permitting, to the Festival Lounge for that day, including the day’s Breakfast and Happy Hour.
SPONSORS
The festival is made possible by:
Leading Media Partners: New York Magazine; The WNET Group
Major Sponsors: A&E IndieFilms; HBO Documentary Films; Netflix
Supporting Sponsors: National Geographic Documentary Films
Signature Sponsors: 11th Hour Racing; Bloomberg Philanthropies; Consulate General of Canada in New York; Frankfurt Kurnit; Hulu; NBC News Studios; National Geographic; NYC Mayor’s Office of Media & Entertainment; Participant
Signature Media Partners: The New Republic; WNYC
Event Sponsors: Amazon MGM Studios; Cowan, DeBaets, Abrahams & Sheppard LLP; 30 for 30 / ESPN Films; Fox Rothschild LLP; Impact Partners; JustFilms | Ford Foundation; Kickstarter PBC; MTV Documentary Films; Odyssey Impact®; Portrait Creative Network;Prestige Custom Awards;Reavis Page Jump LLP; Screen Nova Scotia; Subject Matter; SVA – MFA Social Documentary Film; Telefilm Canada; Village East by Angelika; Wheelhouse Creative
Friends of the Festival: Agile Ticketing; CineSend; DCTV; Fever Content; Posteritati; Ptex; Shiftboard
DOC NYC is produced and presented by IFC Center, a division of AMC Networks.
NYC Foodies Head to Colorado: Winemaker Ben Parsons from The Ordinary Fellow reveals wine, food and nature
Ben Parsons, Winemaker and Owner of The Ordinary Fellow in Palisade, Colorado
Today’s conversation has been edited for length and clarity. For the full, un-edited conversation, visit our YouTube channel here.
Joe Winger:
Just to touch on background a little bit, you were the winemaker and founder of a very successful urban winery, the Infinite Monkey Theorem.
Then you chose to move on to where you are now at The Ordinary Fellow.
What was that transition like for you?
Ben Parsons:
The Infinite Monkey Theorem was really about disrupting the wine industry and trying to make wine fun and relevant and accessible.
We were the first ones in the U.S. to put wine in the can. We started kegging in 2008.
It was really about creating these urban winery spaces, just a tap room for a craft brewery in a city where everyone could come down and enjoy.
After 11 years of taking that to a 100,000 case production distributed in 42 states, there was a really good opportunity for me to get back to what I wanted to do, which is being in a vineyard.
Even though that might sound like a cliche, there is something quite romantic about farming and being surrounded by nature and really trying to make the very best wine you can from Colorado fruit that you grow and putting it in a bottle versus buying someone else’s wine and putting it in a can, they’re like two very different things.
I had an opportunity to take over a vineyard in southwest Colorado down in the Four Corners just outside of Cortez, where the Four Corners meet.
It was in disrepair and hadn’t been pruned in four years. So I got back in there and now it’s looking really good.
So that’s taken 4 years. Yeah it’s relatively small. It’s 13 acres of Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon.
Sits at 6,000 feet elevation. So very high for a commercial vineyard. And it’s beautiful.
It sits on a national monument called the Yucca House, which is an un-excavated ancestral Pueblan ruin from between the 10th and 12th century.
Starts at Mesa Verde, which most people are familiar with for the ancestral cliff dwellings from the Pueblans down there. It’s just a beautiful location.
Yeah, two very different things, but kind of coming full circle almost as to what I got me into the industry in the beginning, back in the late 90s.
And now back there, but doing it on my own.
Palisade Colorado Winemaker Ben Parsons takes a Vineyard Tour
Joe Winger:
Your famous quote in the wine world: “I miss being in the vineyard”
So for our audience, who’s going to go to wine country this weekend or this summer, when they take a vineyard tour, what should they be looking at?
Ben Parsons:
As to how wine gets from a vineyard and a grape to a bottle. Most people think it just ends up on a grocery store shelf and that is not the case.
It’s really the idea that you could grow something from rootstock, farm it, suffer the vagaries of agricultural production, deal with all of those challenges, do it in a sustainable way.
Ben Parsons, Winemaker and Owner of The Ordinary Fellow in Palisade, Colorado
Determine when you’re going to pick that fruit. Take it into the winery. Ferment it. Turn it into wine. Age it in a barrel. Bottle it. Decide on the branding. Decide on the naming. Come up with a label design.
Take it to all of those small awesome restaurants that everyone wants to hang out at because they’re making great food and getting good press.
You see my wine or I see my wine on someone else’s table, drinking it and to think where that came from.
And how many times those grapes got moved from a to b and then back, from b to c and then c to d whether it be like shoveling grapes with a pitchfork for a destemmer.
Or shoveling fermented grapes into a press with a Home Depot bucket.
Or picking that case up and taking it from here to here, that got handled so many times, so much went into that, that I think there’s a huge disconnect amongst most consumers.
Palisade Colorado Winemaker Ben Parsons on the Area’s Natural Beauty
Joe Winger:
You chose to be in Palisade, Colorado making your wine.
Tell us a little bit about the region and why someone should come visit you in Colorado?
Ben Parsons:
Palisade is beautiful. It’s on the Western slope of Colorado. It’s about a 4 hour drive West of Denver over the mountains.
About 4 1/2 hours East of Salt Lake City.
It’s an American Viticultural Area designate called the Grand Valley and it’s pretty stunning.
You come through this Canyon called the Back Canyon on the North side, you have these book cliff mountains that rise above you on the South side, you have the Colorado River, and it’s a very niche microclimate. It’s definitely an agricultural community.
What a lot of people don’t realize, because they just drive straight past on I-70 is it’s proximity to all things good, outdoorsy.
Within 28 minutes I could be at a local ski resort called Powderhorn. It got 32 feet of snow last year
I’m an hour and a half from Aspen.
I’m an hour and 20 minutes from Moab.
I’m a 10 minute drive from Fruita, which has the best mountain biking in the world.
It’s all old Indian territory. There’s wild mustangs up on the book cliffs.
It’s known for its fruit. It’s actually known for its peaches, believe it or not. Some of the best peaches grown anywhere in the United States. Arguably the best.
But it’s a very small microclimate.
Palisade is around 4,500 feet elevation. There’s about 26 wineries you can tour and visit. Take a few days, spend a weekend.
There’s some good local restaurants, growing their own produce and making real good farm to table food.
Grand Junction is a city that in the last 5 years has really exploded.
And Grand Junction is 10 minutes from Palisade. It went through a series of boom and busts during the oil shale boom business back in the day, but now it’s strongly focused on tourism.
Lots of people are leaving the front range of Denver, Colorado Springs and moving to the Western slope for a kind of quality of life.
Also we have a lot of California transplants because it is cheaper to live. You are outdoors all the time. You can travel long distances very quickly. I put 42,000 miles on my car this year delivering wine all over the state of Colorado.
I feel like the state and this particular area has a lot going for it. Definitely more than enough to fill a long weekend or a week’s trip.
Taking a trip to Moab, it’s really pretty. It’s one of the reasons I moved here.
I’d been in the city for a long time. I grew up just South of London in England, but I lived in London for some time and I loved it when I was young. I love Denver as well.
When I started the Infinite Monkey Theorem, that was really when a lot of people were moving to Denver and it was becoming something substantial.
It was one of the fastest growing cities in the country at that time.
I feel like we were a big part of pushing that growth and in tandem with the other food and beverage scene, like craft breweries and good restaurants.
Joe Winger:
You’ve mentioned different restaurants and food and dinner. Our audience primarily are foodies.We’re in Colorado for a wine weekend, we come to the Ordinary Fellow for a wine tasting.
Can you suggest a few places and different cuisines that are a must visit within 20-30 minutes of you?
Ben Parsons:
In Palisade there’s a good restaurant called Pesh. One of the former line cooks at a linear in Chicago started it with his wife, maybe 5-6 years ago. It’s excellent.
In Grand Junction, where most people stay there’s a few good restaurants started by this guy, Josh Nirenberg, who has been nominated for James Beard award several times for best chef and has one called Bin 707, Then he just opened a third called Jojo’s. He also has a kind of trendy taco spot called Taco Party, which is a fun name.
If you like craft cocktails, there’s a new place that opened called Melrose Spirit Company. Guy opened it in a hotel that was recently renovated. Really cute, really excellent cocktails.
Joe Winger:
Let’s get into the wine geek stuff now and talk about your vineyards. You have Colorado Box Bar, Hawks Nest.
So let’s talk through terroir, soil type, elevation.
Ben Parsons:
So Box Bar, It’s in Cortez, sits around between 6,000 feet elevation.
It’s on this weatheral loam that has some clay in it, which has these water retention properties. It is essentially a desert. So you do have to drip irrigate, there’s less than 7 inches of precipitation a year.
So very little rainfall which is good in some ways in that there is very little disease pressure.
You’re not having to spray. There’s no necessity to spray for powdery mildew or anything down at our vineyards.
It’s essentially farmed very minimalistically.
Lagging very sustainably, which I know people appreciate.
Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay. We’re just planting some Chenin Blanc and some Charbonneau, which is an italian red varietal as well.
Hawk’s Nest is not my own property, but I work with a grower called Guy Drew who planted four different kinds of Pinot Noir and two different kinds of Chardonnay there.
That vineyard is at 6, 800 feet and that is the highest commercial vineyard in North America.
Similar soil properties as the Box Bar. Making some really good Pinot Noir.
I think what’s interesting about Colorado is we have a very short growing season, 155 – 165 days. Napa has 240 days. That’s frost free days.
So the thing is that we have such high sunlight exposure because of the elevation and the ultraviolet light that we have the same number of degree days as Napa Valley. So we can ripen like Cabernet Sauvignon, but we’re ripening it in a shorter period of time. That’s fairly unique.
The Ordinary Fellow is really focusing on traditional French varietals from Chenin Blanc Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah.
Most recently we took over a vineyard in Utah so I’m actually farming a vineyard about 1 ½ hour drive from Moab called Montezuma Canyon Ranch.
That’s this ancient sandstone with a little bit of clay in there that was planted in 2007. 12 acres of Chenin Blanc, Merlot, Riesling Chardonnay. We made an awesome Utah Rosé vineyard last harvest 2023, which we just released.
You don’t see that many wines from Utah so that’s why I’m excited about it.
I think there’s only 6 wineries in Utah and I’m not sure that many of them get their fruit from Utah.
Joe Winger:
You mentioned that you have one of the highest peak elevation commercial vineyards in North America.
What are the benefits and the disadvantages to such a high elevation?
Ben Parsons:
If you think about spending any time on a mountain, it can be really warm, but as soon as the sun goes down, it gets very cold.
So having high elevation vineyards, even though you might be in a quite a hot growing region as soon as the sun goes down, the temperature does drop.
You have a large diurnal temperature shift.
So in Cortez, in the growth, during the growing season or during ripening, say late September, mid September, late September. We could be 85 to 90 in the day, but 45 to 50 at night, which is a really big temperature swing.
It basically means that the vine has a kind of chance to just shut down and rest.
From an enology perspective, you can retain more natural acidity in the fruit because it’s not being metabolized by having a lot of sunlight constantly and higher temperature. So we don’t have to make any artificial acid additions or anything like that you may have to do in more established wine regions in the United States.
Our wines all have really great balance to them and really good acidity. None of them are overdone. They’re not big, jammy, overly alcoholic.
They’re all well balanced between acids, tannin, alcohol, sugar, but they’re all bone dry.
There is no fermentable sugar in any of them, which leads to palate weight and mouthfeel, but but they’re not sweet per se.
Even my Riesling is bone dry.
Joe Winger:
During the Infinite Monkey Theorem days you led the canned wines movement.
How does it feel seeing it become so incredibly popular and any big lessons you learned from that experience?
Ben Parsons:
I genuinely believe that [we led with canned wines]. In 2009 we entered into a R and D project with Ball Corporation, the largest supply of aluminum cans in the world.
To figure out how to can wine and everyone thought it was stupid and everyone just turned their noses up at it and thought that RTD wine and RTD drinks were stupid.
It’s a tough question because I think that canned wine is good because of its use application, primarily. Where you can take it and where you can drink it.
Now, very rarely do I see people putting the best wine they’ve ever made in a can. So I think it’s all about where you want to drink it, who you want to drink it with. There’s definitely this kind of utility aspect to it.
Also price point wise, you don’t see that many canned wine, four packs above $16,
I would say so. Yeah, price wise, it’s fairly economical from a sustainability perspective. It makes a lot of sense.
But from an absolute quality perspective, you’re probably still going to be buying bottled wine over canned wine.
It’s all about where you’re going to consume it.
Sometimes when I see it I think about when you start any category, there’s always those people that are out there doing it way before anyone else is doing it. It’s those people that usually don’t reap the benefits of it because they put all of the effort into it.
I look at LinkedIn occasionally and I’m just baffled by people that think that it’s a new thing. It just blows my mind.
Joe Winger:
You have an excellent sparkling wine and you’ve mentioned England’s excitement about the sparkling.
Why is England falling in love with sparkling wine? And why should all of us be falling in love with sparkling wine?
Ben Parsons:
Historically, England has consumed a lot of sparkling wine.
But in terms of actually growing grapes and making their own sparkling wine, that’s happened in the last 20 years.
That’s one of those unfortunate advantages of global warming in a kind of isolated geographical area that previously, you wouldn’t have been able to ripen Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier.
It would have been a challenge making really good sparkling wine in Kent and Sussex and Southeast England where a lot of it is made.
But with a few degrees temperature rise, that’s now possible. And it’s the same chalk escarpment as champagne. They’re very close to each other.
They’re just separated by 24 miles of the English Channel, right?
So they’re actually geographically very close to each other a little further than 24 miles, but climatically very similar.
So actually, a lot of French champagne houses have bought up land in Kent and Sussex over the last 20 years and have been planting that, and now some of the bubbles are coming out.
Joe Winger:
When I have an opportunity to speak with an Oregon winemaker, we often talk about the challenges based on their region. Do you feel like you are also in a region [Colorado] that’s more problematic?
Can you share a lesson you’ve learned from solving some of those problems?
Ben Parsons:
The whole industry because of the shortness of the growing season, it’s always on a knife edge because you can have late spring frosts that can come through a bud break and just wipe you out.
But you can also have these freak-like early winter freezes in October where there’s there’s still fruit hanging or maybe it’s just come off and it goes from 70 degrees in the day to 8 degrees suddenly, and the sap still flowing in the vines and then all of the vines, the trunks split, the cordon split.
That’s what happened in Palisade maybe 3 or 4 years ago now.
Then in Cortez where Box Bar is, last year we had a hailstorm come through just after the bud break. So our Chardonnay was out and got wiped out. Then the secondary buds pushed and we went from a crop of 36 tons to 10 tons overnight.
That’s just agriculture anywhere. Unfortunately that’s just one of the risks.
Joe Winger:
Let’s talk about wine. Their flavor profiles. The different bottles you offer.
When we come visit your tasting room in Palisade, Colorado any hints about what they should be excited to taste?
Ben Parsons:
Blanc de Noir
Yeah the sparkling wine, that’s Blanc de Noir, so that’s 100% Pinot Noir. That’s about as geeky as it gets, because that’s single vineyard, single grower, single clone of Pinot Noir. only 8 months in barrel. The base wine was barrel aged for about 6 months, and then it was entourage, lying on its utilise in a bottle for six months.
Then it’s put on a riddling rack and hand riddled one bottle at a time. Then disgorged by hand, just take the top off, put your thumb over the top of it so nothing comes out and then no dosage.
So again, just super geeky, like really bone dry, like really crisp, great acid. So that is that wine is super hands on.
It’s delicious. It still gets those more developed, brioche-y notes. Texturally it’s very pleasing on the palate. I think we make really good method champignons, bottle fermented sparkling wine.
Chardonnay
A lot of people these days think it’s trendy to not like chardonnay, because they heard somewhere about that, but there are actually some really good Chardonnays out there, which aren’t all aged in new French oak and haven’t all gone through like a creamy buttery secondary fermentation. And I think mine is one of them. It was aged in 8 year old barrels. So there’s really no influence on it at all.
It’s all hand harvested or whole cluster pressed. I think that wine has a really pretty texture, like this palette coating texture but it has really good acidity and it smells like a ripe peach or a dried apricot. It’s really pretty.
Pinot Noir
Our red pinot noir. Again that spent just 9 months in neutral barrels so I think there was a trend like 20 years ago to put everything in a brand new barrel and every winemakers thought it was cool, but you know in the last 5 – 6 years, I think that has changed
Winemakers are really trying to let the soil and let their vineyards speak for themselves.
Minimal kind of intervention to a certain extent. It is the trend.
Our Pinot Noir has done really well. It’s on the much lighter side. I would say it’s more like a German style Pinot Noir, like lighter with really good acidity, firm tannin. Beautiful aroma.
I think all of our wines are just very well balanced. Very food friendly, very clean. They’re not funky. I’m very proud of that.
Joe Winger:
I’m assuming balance and the clean is a style choice by you?
Ben Parsons:
Balance is easy because it’s done in the vineyard because of the elevation and the retention of acidity. It’s just about when you pick it. So you’re tasting [the grapes] for flavor and like phenolic ripeness and the seeds being brown, et cetera, but you’re also testing a few for your pH, your titratable acidity and your sugar levels. Then you make an informed decision as to when you’re picking it.
The cleanliness part of it really just comes down to the fact that I feel like winemakers, even though this doesn’t sound very romantic, you’re almost just like an insurance manager in that you don’t want to mess it up.
So you make informed decisions, preemptively. You top your barrels, like every 2-3 weeks, you do things to make sure the wine, does not end up flawed through a secondary characteristic developing.
Sometimes that’s a flavor enhancer and sometimes that’s good, but when it’s overdone… I believe there are a lot of wines that they get away with it these days. To me it’s just bad winemaking.
I’m definitely kind of a minimal interventionist
Joe Winger:
I always feel like white wine doesn’t get enough love and respect. People love talking about the complexities of reds. You make a phenomenal Riesling.
Ben Parsons:
Interestingly I really don’t drink red wine anymore. Occasionally I’ll drink some Pinot Noir, but I much prefer drinking white wines. I think a lot of people in the industry crave acidity, and yeah, my reasoning is a good example.
The general consumer in the U. S. still thinks that all raisins are sweet. I think that’s just a common misconception, that’s purely a stylistic choice from the winemaker, and my choice is to allow the yeast to ferment all of the sugar until there is no residual sugar.
To have a wine with high natural acidity that pairs well with food. That’s my choice as a winemaker. Those are the wines that I enjoy most that kind of just leave your palate just like this rasping acidity. Take the enamel off your teeth, and but have beautiful aroma.
Our Riesling is starting to show some characteristics from being in the bottle for 18 months. Where it gets those kind of, it’s tough to say about making it sound bad, but those more kerosene-y , kind of petroleum, kind of eraser like notes, which are very typical of Riesling, intertwined with really nice citrus and green apple.
Yeah, and like really just good structure. That benefits from growing at elevation here for sure.
Joe Winger:
Petit Verdot is probably lesser known, less popular, but it deserves all the love anyway.
Ben Parsons:
Petit Verdot, interesting, like one of the six red Bordeaux grape varieties. Bordeaux is maritime climate. It’s much cooler than Colorado.
It doesn’t really get the chance to ripen as well as it does here. So when it can ripen, it doesn’t just need to get blended into Cabernet Sauvignon or something to just give it more tannin and more structure.
Here it can stand alone as a single varietal.
The greenness is gone. The tannin is not like just rip your face off tannin. It’s well developed. Like silky, velvety, firm, but not like really dry and like Petit Verdot can be. Aromatics are very lifted on it, and it’s not a massive red wine by any means.
That’s grown at a vineyard about half an hour from Box Bar called Canyon of the Ancients and that vineyard was planted in 2006.
Unfortunately we only made about 99 cases of that wine. It’s fun to introduce people to wines that they probably haven’t heard of, but wines that that can stand up to any good red wines that you may have heard of.
Palisade Colorado Winemaker Ben Parsons reveals his Favorite Food
Joe Winger:
Do you identify yourself as a foodie? Can you pick 1-2 of your bottles and your favorite dish for dinner tonight?
Ben Parsons:
Yeah I would definitely pair my Riesling with a Thai curry or even a panang curry. I think it does really well with oriental food that has some level of heat to it. But also I think it does really well with a charcuterie plate, some almonds and some cheese. I think you can’t go wrong with that.
Then my Petit Verdot, for example I think there is more tannin in there. For those of us that like the light grilling you couldn’t go wrong with serving that with a ribeye. It’s delicious. Or if you’re cooking a little heartier food in the winter, maybe a lasagna. Something that can really work with that tannin.
I think my wines do well with a lot of different food just because of the balance that they have, they’re not going to overpower the food and vice versa, which is what it’s all about.
But I also enjoy them, just having a glass on its own, to be honest. When I get home from work, sometimes I love that.
Joe Winger:
I’m watching your Instagram videos quite a bit, and it seems like you’re having a lot of fun sharing knowledge, showing your vineyard, showing what it’s like day to day.
Ben Parsons:
The one time that I do enjoy social media is when you’re in the vineyard or you’re doing something that seems that other people might never have seen before.
I’m in awe of where I am because I feel like it comes across in those videos. It’s pretty down here today, and those are beautiful vineyard sites.
Or if you’re filtering a wine or racking a wine or, trying or shoveling grapes.
Just the imagery comes across and really shows how much work is involved in it. I always struggle when it’s like go take a photo of a bottle of wine in front of a restaurant. I don’t know how you make that look cool.
