Lloyd Cellars & Prescription Vineyards Q1 2022 Market Support Report!

Hemispheres In-Flight Ad
Prescription Vineyards sponsored three major events at South Beach Wine & Food Festival to reach consumers and trade in February

Lloyd Cellars and Prescription Vineyards are honored to work with so many great partners across the United States, from our distributors to event producers and through traditional, digital, and social media channels. In 2021, we launched our first national ad campaigns with Wine Spectator, Hemispheres (United Airlines magazine), The Tasting Panel, The Somm Journal, Austin Monthly, Creative Loafing Tampa Bay, iHeartRadio Central Florida, and San Antonio Current. 2022 will see our commitment to market support expand, with advertising and in-market visits that will include 30+ events in 17 cities.


National Advertising Campaigns

Our national ads are strategically placed to time with in-market events to drive awareness and visitation to our tasting positions. The February issue of Hemispheres focused on select Q1 and Q2 events.

Outreach to the On- & Off-Premise Trade

Combined with our traditional print campaign partners, we execute robust digital advertising and promotions with our media partners. To drive trade awareness, our partnerships with The Tasting Panel, The Somm Journal, and Wine Spectator, we utilize dedicated emails, newsletter features, and geo-targeting to create awareness and pull for our distributor partners.


The Drop on ApexDrop!

In addition to ApexDrop’s robust content generation and product sampling, each campaign with the 50 Instagram Influencers averages a following of more than 750,000 followers. Over our last nine campaigns, with more scheduled for 2022, our total reach has surpassed 6 million with our Engagements reaching more than 180,000. We invite you to visit our Instagram accounts with Tags to see the quality and diversity of our content and, of course, follow us!

Lloyd Cellars Instagram | Prescription Instagram

Consumer Egagement & Market Tracking with Vivino

Our Vivino end-of-February 2022 dashboard shows a 69% surge in scans following the South Beach Wine & Food Festival with the Geodata showing Miami as a center of the action.

Vivino allows millions of consumers to instantly search for ratings and reviews. Its scan technology pulls up any bottle in its app so buyers can receive all the wine facts. From the winery perspective, the platform enables us to market to people scanning bottles of wines in our category, track consumer opinion of our wines through scores and review, while also providing geographical intel. Matching geographical scan numbers to in-market events helps us measure effectiveness. Our average rating for both Lloyd Cellars and Prescription Vineyards is 4.28 out of 5.


Recent The Tasting Panel & The Somm Journal Scores for Our New Releases

>>> Down the Aisle

Prescription Cellars 2019 Chardonnay, Clarksburg ($20)

Enhanced by notes of chervil, oregano, and chamomile, a luscious lemon meringue eeks out at mid-palate. Crushed stone, white pepper and vibrant minerality – plus that spark of acidity – is just the right Rx for its great food-pairing abilities. 92

>>> Publisher’s Picks

Lloyd Cellars 2020 Chardonnay, Carneros ($40)

Creamy notes of toasted vanilla, with a surge of cookie dough, ripe melon, kiwi, and peanut brittle. The wine caresses with a sumptuous touch. 94

>>> Down the Aisle

Prescription Cellars 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley, Sonoma County ($30)

Grainy tannins fulfill a mission to coat the teeth with blueberry compote. The gushing, dynamo of a wine features plump plums, powdered cocoa, and blooming lavender. This Prescription is really an over-the-counter cure for disbelievers of Alexander Valley’s side effect of textural lushness. Winemaker Rob Lloyd over-delivers on some amazing medicine for the soul. 93

>>> Publisher’s Picks Section

Lloyd Cellars by Robert Lloyd 2019 Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills, Santa Barbara County ($50) 

Its carmine hue is deep and inviting, and scents of heather and a woodsy forest are sensual. Full and generous with a lather of huckleberry and dark chocolate coffee bean. Layers of tilled soil and dried flowers keep it exciting and complex. The brown-sugared cinnamon finish goes deep on the finish. 94


We Invite Our Partners to Follow the Action on Facebook & Instagram!

Facebook.com/LloydCellars | Facebook.com/PrescriptionVineyards
Instagram.com/PrescriptionVineyards | Instagram.com/LloydCellars/

Lloyd Cellars & Prescription Launch ‘Back to Fine Dining’ Parallel Promotions in June

Carl Wockner Headlines Friday-Eve Live in Tampa
Lloyd Cellars & Prescription Vineyards Launch 'Back to Fine Dining'  Parallel Promotions in June 2021

Lloyd Cellars Partners with Former Food Network Executive Rob Bleifer for Instagram Influencer Awareness Campaign, Recipe Blog Series

Prescription Vineyards Sponsors Tampa Bay Restaurant Week June 17 – 27, Launching New Wine & Music Showcase Event ‘Friday-Eve Live’ on Opening Night at Epicurean

(June 2nd, 2021, Napa Valley, CA) – Lloyd Cellars and Prescription Vineyards are returning to in-market work after fourteen months of sheltering in place. Lloyd Cellars, founded in 2008 by Rob and Bonnie Lloyd, felt that an important mission when getting back to market work is to bring awareness and support to restaurants as the nation begins to reopen.

“In our small way, we want to inspire people to get back to fine dining,” said winemaker Rob Lloyd. “If all the small, medium, and large wineries made this a priority, the wine industry could have a positive impact on a segment of our business that was the hardest hit.”

Lloyd Cellars has partnered with former Food Network Executive Chef Robert Bleifer to create delicious content for its June’ Back to Fine Dining’ Instagram Influencer campaign with Social Media agency, ApexDrop. In his 24-years at Food Network, Chef Bleifer was responsible for everything from managing the kitchen of 18 food stylists and recipe developers to coordinating with production teams, chefs and hosts, guest chefs, and much more. He was also an on-air presence, judging numerous Food Network Challenges, catering the three Food Network Wedding specials, and many other ‘cameo’ appearances. He’s now in the development stage of several new projects, including a book. Chef Bleifer can be followed on Instagram: @chef_robear.

In 2015, Rob and Bonnie founded their second label, Prescription Vineyards. Primarily focused on retail, Prescription Vineyards is presenting the opportunity for restaurants to feature its Clarksburg Chardonnay and Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon on wine-by-the-glass menus. “We saw Tampa Bay Restaurant Week as a way present our wine-by-the-glass program in a high-profile way,” said Director of Sales, Greg Moore, “while also supporting and bringing awareness to restaurants and getting people back to the table. We’re excited to be the first exclusive wine sponsor in the 15-years that Creative Loafing Tampa has produced the event.”

As part of the in-market efforts, Prescription Vineyards is also launching a new consumer event, ‘Friday-Eve Live.’ Playing off the pop-culture phenomenon of people jump-starting their weekend by calling Thursday nights’ Friday Eve’, the event is part wine tasting, part musical showcase. ‘Friday-Eve Live’ will launch on the opening night of Tampa Bay Restaurant Week on Thursday, June 17th, in partnership with Creative Loafing Tampa and iHeartRadio/Central Florida, and hosted by Epicurean and Élevage SoHo Kitchen & Bar in Tampa, Florida. Tickets are $25 advance, $35 at door if available.

“iHeartMedia is excited to be a part of and attend ‘Friday-Eve Live’ on June 17 at Epicurean,” said April Easterly, Promotions Director at Rumba 106.5 and US 103.5. “As the kick-off to Tampa Bay

Restaurant Week, our very own Tampa Talents can’t wait to experience the great food and sips from the Bay. Katie Sommers on middays with 93.3 FLZ, and Ian Beckles, who is on evenings as Co-Host of Beckles and Recher on 95.3 WDAE, will be attending.”

Musical guest Carl Wockner was named the first and only Australian artist to win Top Honors at the International Acoustic Music Award’s 2015 (USA). He also scored in the top of the AAA category for the release of his album Crayon Days with producer Michael Flanders in Nashville, Tennessee. He was recently awarded “Musician of the Year 20/21” by Western Australia Prestige Awards. “Bonnie and I love music,” said Rob Lloyd, “and helping artists get back to work just feels right.”

A portion of Tampa Bay Restaurant Week proceeds benefit Feeding Tampa Bay!

Lloyd Cellars & Prescription Vineyards Q2 Market Support!

Prescription Vineyards is returning to in-market programming as the exclusive wine sponsor for Tampa Bay Restaurant Week happening June 17th - 27th, 2021. Here, in our Lloyd Cellars Market Update, we always share recent scores and links to promotional assets such as Shelf-Talkers, Line Cards, Data Sheets, and Bottle Shots.

Prescription Vineyards is returning to in-market programming as the exclusive wine sponsor for Tampa Bay Restaurant Week happening June 17th – 27th, 2021. A portion of the proceeds benefits Feeding Tampa Bay!

In our Lloyd Cellars Market Update, we always share recent scores and links to promotional assets such as Shelf-Talkers, Line Cards, Data Sheets, and Bottle Shots.

~ Please read on for more marketing activities and links to our recent blog features! ~

Lloyd Cellars Collateral | Prescription Collateral

Greg Moore, Director of Sales | Greg@LloydCellars.com | (415) 385-9658

Joel Quigley, Director of Marketing Communications | Joel@LloydCellars.com | (707) 495-0831


Chef Bleifer Partners with Lloyd Cellars

As part of our June 2021 celebration of getting back to fine dining (yes!), we’re excited to announce our partnership with Chef Robert Bleifer, who most recently served as Executive Chef and Vice President of Culinary Production for Food Network.

Chef Rob was responsible for everything from managing the kitchen of 18 Food Stylists and Recipe Developers to coordinating with Production teams, Chefs/Hosts, Guest Chefs, and much more. He was also an on-air presence, judging numerous Food Network Challenges, catering the 3 Food Network Wedding specials, and many other “cameo” appearances.

We invite you to follow Chef Rob = @chef_robear!


Sip Sip Hooray Podcast Interview with Winemaker Rob Lloyd is Live!

As we shared in our Q1 report for 2021, we have a series of virtual events scheduled throughout the year. Our Sip Sip Hooray Podcast with Award-Winning Media Hosts Mary Babbit and Mary Orlin, all integrated with our ongoing Instagram Influencer campaigns with ApexDrop, has posted for April. Check out the podcast featuring our very own Winemaker Rob Lloyd, who’ve they’ve dubbed the Chardonnay King!

Stay tuned for June when Chef Rob shares his recipe pairings with Lloyd Cellars wines and into the future as he announces exciting new projects from the culinary mind of Chef Robert Bleifer!

The Chardonnay King: Rob Lloyd, Lloyd Cellars – Ep. 27


The Drop on ApexDrop!

In addition to ApexDrop’s robust content generation and product sampling, each campaign with the 50 Instagram Influencers has had a total following of more than 750,000 followers. Over our last three campaigns, our total reach has surpassed 1.5 million with our Engagements reaching more than 60,000. We invite you to visit our Instagram accounts with Tags to see the quality and diversity of our content and, of course, follow us!

Lloyd Cellars Instagram | Prescription Instagram

Recent Scores & Reviews

Lloyd Cellars and Prescription Vineyards Recent Scores from Tasting Panel Publisher Meridith May

LLOYD CELLARS 2019 CHARDONNAY SCORES 94 POINTS – MAKES CHEERS MAG’S TOP 50

TASTING PANEL MAG SCORES LLOYD CELLARS 2019 CHARDONNAY 94.5 POINTS

2018 CLARKSBURG CHARDONNAY SCORES 92 POINTS FROM TASTING PANEL

CELEBRATING 91 POINT PINOT NOIR SCORE FROM WINE ENTHUSIAST W/NEW BLUMER RECIPE!

2017 STA. RITA HILLS PINOT NOIR SCORES 94 POINTS WITH TASTING PANEL MAGAZINE

PRESCRIPTION CHARDONNAY SCORES GOLD – 91 POINTS AT SUNSET MAG INT’L COMPETITION!

WILFRED WONG SCORES PRESCRIPTION 2018 ALEXANDER VALLEY CAB 91 POINTS!

TASTING PANEL MAG SCORES PRESCRIPTION 2018 ALEXANDER VALLEY CAB 92 POINTS

Lloyd Cellars Blog Features | Prescription Blog Features

The Somm Journal & Nat Geo Webinars

The launch of the highly anticipated New Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia by National Geographic Books is the catalyst for the innovative approach and synergies among industry leaders in their categories. The SOMM Journal — in association with National Geographic and SommCon — invites you to participate in these complimentary, one-of-a-kind wine-tasting webinar series entitled Geographical Digest.

May 11th 2021 @ 9:00am PT
National Geographic “Pinot Noir: Aspects from Delicacy to Durability Webinar, moderated by Master of Wine Andrea Robinson, in association with the Somm Foundation
Winemaker Rob Lloyd to Speak to Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir

July 29th 2021 @ Time TBA
Buyer’s Forum: In association with the Somm Foundation, Prescription Vineyards tastes along with 40 qualified wine buyers featuring the upcoming release of our 2019 Clarksburg Chardonnay
Winemaker Rob Lloyd & Director of Sales Greg Moore Lead Our Discussion

September 14th 2021 @ 9:00am PT
National Geographic “Balancing Act: Chardonnay at its Best’ Webinar
in association with the Somm Foundation

Winemaker Rob Lloyd to Speak to Carneros Chardonnay

Note: These webinars are part of a year-long marketing campaign that includes advertising, editorial, and social media


Follow the Action on Facebook!

Facebook.com/LloydCellars | Facebook.com/PrescriptionVineyards

Tasting Panel 94.5 Score for Lloyd Cellars 2019 Carneros Chardonnay!

Lloyd Cellars 2019 Carneros Chardonnay 94.5 Points

Lloyd Cellars 2019 Carneros Chardonnay
Lush notes of lemon cream pie add to the silky mouthfeel of this superlative white. A hint of sage, cinnamon, and jasmine make it exotic. Texturally generous with spiced sandalwood and voluptuous notes of chamomile and honey.
~ Meridith May, Publisher

Shop Now >>>

‘Beat the Heat’ to Save on Spring & Summer Shipping

'Beat the Heat' to Save on Spring and Summer Shipping

As the longer days of spring and summer approach, we begin to dream of outdoor gatherings with family, firing up the grill, and sipping our favorite wines on the patio.

Of course, with the change of seasons comes the heat. We share a reminder to order your wines now to avoid summer ‘heat holds’ and overnight shipping costs. The difference between Ground vs. Overnight shipping can mean several hundred dollars.

You can save even more by joining our Lloyd Cellars Membership.

As a Club Member, you’ll enjoy a 10% discount on your favorite wines for a commitment of 2 cases (24, 750ml bottles) purchased per year.

And you choose your wines!

>>> CLICK HERE to learn more and become a member <<<

Cheers to Spring & Summer Sipping!

To see all of Lloyd Cellars’ news features and recipes, Click Here.

To see all of Prescription Vineyards’ news and features, Click Here.

Get the Latest on Lloyd Cellars & Prescription Vineyards Market Support!

Lloyd Cellars Market Update

Lloyd Cellars and Prescription Vineyards have an exciting year planned for 2021. Here in our Market Update, we share recent scores and links to promotional assets such as Shelf-Talkers, Line Cards, Data Sheets and Bottle Shots.

Lloyd Cellars Collateral | Prescription Collateral

Additionally, we have a series of virtual events scheduled, including Webinars with National Geographic and The Somm Journal, an upcoming Sip Sip Hooray Podcast with Award-Winning Media Hosts Mary Babbit and Mary Orlin, all integrated with our ongoing Instagram Influencer campaigns with ApexDrop. These Instagram Influencer campaigns also feature our pop-culture partnerships with top chefs and musical artists.

Though in-market event planning is still fluid due to Covid, we are putting down markers and making appropriate plans to support our distributor and on- and off-premise partners. Please read on the for more details and links to our recent blog features!

Greg Moore, Director of Sales | Greg@LloydCellars.com | (415) 385-9658

Joel Quigley, Director of Marketing Communications | Joel@LloydCellars.com | (707) 495-0831


Recent Scores & Reviews

Lloyd Cellars 94 Point Scores

LLOYD CELLARS 2019 CHARDONNAY SCORES 94 POINTS – MAKES CHEERS MAG’S TOP 50

CELEBRATING 91 POINT PINOT NOIR SCORE FROM WINE ENTHUSIAST W/NEW BLUMER RECIPE!

2017 STA. RITA HILLS PINOT NOIR SCORES 94 POINTS WITH TASTING PANEL MAGAZINE

PRESCRIPTION CHARDONNAY SCORES GOLD – 91 POINTS AT SUNSET MAG INT’L COMPETITION!

WILFRED WONG SCORES PRESCRIPTION 2018 ALEXANDER VALLEY CAB 91 POINTS!


Lloyd Cellars Blog Features | Prescription Blog Features


The Somm Journal & National Geographic Webinars

The launch of the highly anticipated New Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia by National Geographic Books is the catalyst for the innovative approach and synergies among industry leaders in their categories. The SOMM Journal — in association with National Geographic and SommCon — invites you to participate in these complimentary, one-of-a-kind wine-tasting webinar series entitled Geographical Digest.

May 11th 2021 @ 9:00am PT
National Geographic “Pinot Noir: Aspects from Delicacy to Durability Webinar, moderated by Master of Wine Andrea Robinson, in association with the Somm Foundation
Winemaker Rob Lloyd to Speak to Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir

July 29th 2021 @ Time TBA
Buyer’s Forum: In association with the Somm Foundation, Prescription Vineyards tastes along with 40 qualified wine buyers featuring the upcoming release of our 2019 Clarksburg Chardonnay
Winemaker Rob Lloyd & Director of Sales Greg Moore Lead Our Discussion

September 14th 2021 @ 9:00am PT
National Geographic “Balancing Act: Chardonnay at its Best’ Webinar
in association with the Somm Foundation

Winemaker Rob Lloyd to Speak to Carneros Chardonnay

Note: These webinars are part of a year-long marketing campaign that includes advertising, editorial and social media


ApexDrop Instagram Influencer Campaigns

ApexDrop is a marketing firm that manages a network of thousands of Instagram Influencers. We produced three campaigns from October 2020 to February 2021, including our holiday campaign in partnership with Celebrity Chef, Author, and Artist Bob Blumer, to celebrate the holidays and his new cookbook Flavorbomb. Blumer has had three shows on the Food Network, has penned many award-winning cookbooks, and holds 8 Guinness World Book of Records.

We have scheduled three campaigns for 2021 running March through August. With each effort, we engage with 50 hand-selected Instagram Influencers. We set the theme, hashtags, and photo wish list. All User-Generated Content, including comments/reviews and photos, becomes the property of Lloyd Cellars for promotion through our Social Media Networks and beyond.

In addition to the robust content generation and product sampling, each campaign with the 50 Instagram Influencers has had a total following of more than 750,000 followers. Over our last three campaigns, our total reach has surpassed 1.5 million with our Engagements reaching more than 60,000. We invite you to visit our Instagram accounts with Tags to see the quality and diversity of our content and, of course, follow us!

Lloyd Cellars Instagram | Prescription Instagram

We Duck for Lloyd Cellars Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir!

Gastronaut Bob Blumer's Liberty Duck Breast
Jim Reichardt and daughter Jennifer of Sonoma County Poultry. Click the FeedPeopleDuck.com logo above to see a list of featured restaurants! (photo: radiomisfits.com)

In the fifth and final installment of our Blumer Recipe Series, we champion small ranchers like our friends at Liberty Duck

Throughout the United States, there are local ranchers and farmers whose specialty is raising ethically produced foods. Many of these folks had created such a demand for their quality products that they only had enough to sell exclusively to restaurants. Then the pandemic hit, and again the word for 2020 pivot became a necessity with these producers having to open up direct-to-consumer channels immediately. Not an easy task.

A great example of this is the San Francisco Bay Area’s Sonoma County Poultry, producers of Liberty Duck, some of the finest duck raised in the nation. Sonoma County Poultry was founded in 1992 by Jim Reichardt, a fourth-generation duck farmer, in response to chefs’ demands for a larger, meatier, more flavorful duck. Their Liberty Ducks are a strain of Pekin Duck that was developed in Denmark and is suited to a slower, less stressful style of rearing. Of note, the Reichardt family has been raising ducks since the early 1900s in the Bay Area.

Currently, in addition to supplying the finer Bay Area Restaurants with their fresh duck needs, Sonoma County Poultry ships Liberty Ducks directly to restaurants and individuals across the United States. In the western United States, shipping is accomplished economically by using Golden State Overnight. Further east, they use UPS Next Day Air Saver or Two Day Air service (source: libertyducks.com).

We have been extreme fans of Liberty Duck for decades, and can certainly remember the days when we could only taste it at our favorite Bay Area restaurants – direct ordering was about impossible. In celebration of Gastronaut and Author Bob Blumer’s new cookbook, Flavorbomb, he has paired his Pan-seared Liberty Duck Breast recipe below with our Lloyd Cellars 2017 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir.

We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention that Jim Reichardt’s daughter, Jennifer Reichardt, has become an integral partner in Sonoma County Poultry over the years. She is also an accomplished winemaker and launched her own label in 2016, Raft Wines. She produces classic varietals such as Syrah, Grenache, and Sangiovese, yet more rare varieties for Califonia such as Primitivo and Grenache Blanc!

Check out Eatwild.com to find quality regional products throughout the United States and Canada!

Gastronaut Bob Blumer's Liberty Duck Breast

Pan-Seared Liberty Duck Breast

Duck has the texture of a fine cut of steak, but a flavor that is deeper and far more distinctive. That’s why it’s a perennial favorite of French chefs. Cooking a whole duck can be an unwieldy experience because of the thick layer of fat that insulates it. Fortunately for those of us whose kitchens don’t come equipped with six-burner stoves and an army of sous chefs, duck breasts deliver all the flavor without the fuss.
~ Pair with Lloyd Cellars 2017 Sta. Rita Hills Pinto Noir
Cook Time 20 days
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 2 People

Ingredients
  

  • 2 6 – 8-ounce Liberty boneless duck breasts
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper divided
  • 2 shallots diced finely
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 4 tablespoons black currant jam ideally unsweetened, black cherry, or similar preserve
  • 2 tablespoons Crème de Cassis

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F and set out a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil
  • Use a paper towel to pat dry duck. Using a sharp knife, score four ¼-inch-deep cuts across the duck skin at a 45-degree angle. Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper over the meat side of each duck breast.
  • Heat a heavy pan over high heat. When pan is hot, add duck breasts to the dry pan, skin side down, and cook for approximately 5 minutes, or until skin is brown and crispy. Flip and cook for 2 more minutes.
  • Remove pan from heat, reserve the drippings in pan, and transfer duck breasts, skin side up, to cookie sheet. Bake on the top rack of the oven for about 7 minutes for medium rare, or to your desired degree of doneness.
  • While duck is roasting, carefully discard all but two tablespoons of duck drippings from the pan. Return pan to medium heat and add shallot. Stir occasionally for 3 minutes, or until shallot begins to turn golden. Remove from heat, Add vinegar to the pan and stir with a wooden spoon to loosen up the browned bits left by the duck. Add jam, Cassis, and remaining teaspoon of black pepper. Return to heat and stir occasionally for 3 minutes. Reserve.
  • Remove duck from the oven, cover with aluminum foil, and let rest, for 5 minutes. Slice each breast at a 45-degree angle into ¼-inch-thick strips (properly cooked duck should resemble medium-rare steak). Arrange in a fanlike pattern on a warmed plate and spoon cassis compote overtop. Serve immediately.

Notes

Advance Work
Duck and sauce can be prepared an hour in advance. In this case, duck should be slightly undercooked and left uncut. Reheat in a 425°F oven for 3 – 4 minutes just before slicing and serving. Sauce should be rewarmed just before serving.
Liquidity
Lloyd Cellars 2017 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir
Keyword Bob Blumer, Liberty Duck, Lloyd Cellars, Pinot Noir

We’re Celebrating 91 Point Pinot Noir Score from Wine Enthusiast w/New Blumer Recipe!

Gastronaut Bob Blumer’s Cream of Nostalgia Soup with Bacon & Grilled Cheese

Our recent 91 Point score from Wine Enthusiast for our 2017 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir truly warms our hearts during these chilly days. So it feels appropriate to celebrate the news with a heart-warming recipe from gastronaut and author Bob Blumer – the third installment of our blog series, as we raise a toast to his new cookbook, Flavorbomb!

Pinot gets 91 Points from Wine Enthusiast

Read installment one. Read installment two.

Pinot Noir is a classic holiday meal pairing as it’s so versatile the many holiday dishes that can land on one table. We also have a lot of nostalgic memories of sipping our Pinot Noir with family and friends during the holidays. This is why we thought a classic recipe like Blumer’s Cream of Nostalgia Soup with Bacon & Grilled Cheese was the perfect pairing to celebrate with.

CLICK HERE to order our 2017 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir or gift our Flavorbomb Your Holidays Collection!
Gastronaut Bob Blumer’s Cream of Nostalgia Soup with Bacon & Grilled Cheese

Cream of Nostalgia Soup with Bacon & Grilled Cheese

Gastronaut Bob Blumer
Few things in life that can compete with the nostalgia of cream of tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. But if anything can, it’s this deeply satisfying, modern-day version. Add a grilled cheese sandwich with a complex, aromatic cheese and an extra crispy crust, and you will be flooded with memories of your youth—as channeled through the sophisticated tastes of your adult life. Cream of nostalgia soup with bacon
~ Pair with Lloyd Cellars 2017 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir
Prep Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Servings 6 People

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Head garlic
  • 12 Strips best-available bacon about ½ pound
  • 2 tablespoons Butter
  • 1 Small yellow onion diced
  • ½ Fennel bulb cored and chopped, or 3 celery stalks
  • 1 Carrot chopped
  • 3 tablespoons Flour
  • 1 – 28 ounce Can tomatoes whole or chopped
  • 5 cups Best-available chicken stock
  • 1 Bouquet garnis with 6 sprigs fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dried thyme and 2 bay leaves, broken.
  • 2 teaspoons Harissa
  • Salt and pepper
  • ¼ – ½ cup Heavy cream optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat toaster oven or oven to 400°F.
  • Slice the pointy top off garlic to expose each of the cloves. Set on a piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil and wrap in the foil. Roast until cloves are lightly browned and tender, about 50 minutes. Reserve.
  • In a large pot, cook bacon until crispy. Remove bacon and all but roughly 1 tablespoon bacon fat. Reserve bacon.
  • To the pot, over medium-high heat, add butter, onion, fennel and carrot. Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until vegetables start to brown. Add flour and stir constantly for 1 minute, allowing the flour to brown slightly (this thickens the soup in the same way that a roux is used to thicken gumbo). Add tomatoes along with all the juices, stock, 10 strips of bacon, and bouquet garnis.
    Simmer for 30 minutes.
    Let soup cool, remove bouquet garnis and squeeze out remaining juices back into the pot. Squeeze roasted garlic cloves directly into the pot and add harissa.
    Purée soup in a blender until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. The soup is plenty rich and creamy as is, but if you really want to go for the gusto, finish with cream or drizzle a bit over top before serving.
    Serve in warmed soup bowls. Crumble remaining bacon over top.
    For the grilled cheese sandwich (per sandwich)
    2 slices sourdough loaf
    2 slices cave-aged Gruyere cheese, or any Gruyere, or emmental
    2 tablespoons mayonnaise
    Make a cheese sandwich, then spread the outside of each side with mayonnaise. Grill in a panini makeror a frying pan until well-browned and crispy.
Keyword Bacon, Bob Blumer, Grilled Cheese, Lloyd Cellars, Pinot Noir, Soup

Flavorbomb Your Holidays with Our Exclusive Gift Collection with Celeb Chef Bob Blumer!

Flavorbomb Your Holidays Collection
Our Flavorbomb Holiday Collection includes four wines with Blumer's new cookbook.
Our Flavorbomb Holiday Collection includes four wines with Blumer’s new cookbook. Read on…

From our family to yours, we hope you remain safe and healthy. Certainly, the holidays will be like nothing any of us have experienced before. During shelter-in-place, we’ve found ourselves cooking as a family more than ever. This is why we share a holiday gift collection that includes each of our four wines and the new cookbook, Flavorbomb by Gastronaut and Author Bob Blumer.

Blumer is also an eight-time Guinness World Record holder, creator and host of the television series Surreal Gourmet and Glutton for Punishment, and a producer and host of World’s Weirdest Restaurants. If you’re like us and not dining out like you used to, then this is the cookbook for you. It’s loaded with insider tips and recipes to achieve the widely addictive flavors served up by your favorite chefs and restaurants!

CLICK HERE to Order Your Flavorbomb Holiday Collection!

  • 1 bottle – 2018 Prescription Chardonnay, Clarksburg
  • 1 bottle – 2018 Prescription Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley (Inaugural release!)
  • 1 bottle – 2019 Lloyd Cellars Chardonnay, Carneros
  • 1 bottle – 2017 Lloyd Cellars Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills
  • 1 book – FlavorBomb by Bob Blumer

Exclusive Gift Package: $170 with shipping included!

(WINE CLUB MEMBER DISCOUNTS APPLY / CANNOT BE COMBINED WITH OTHER OFFERS)
Holiday shipping deadlines. NOTE: Due to Covid, UPS has no guarantees this year, so order early!
Shipping SelectionChristmas DeadlineNew Year’s Eve Deadline
GroundDecember 16December 21
2-Day AirDecember 20December 23
Next Day AirDecember 21December 28

Or Visit Our Online Store to Stock Up on Your Favorite Wines for the Holidays!

LLOYD CELLARS & PRESCRIPTION STRIKE GOLD AT SUNSET INTERNATIONAL WINE COMPETITION

Lloyd Cellars Scores Double Gold 97 Points

LLOYD CELLARS AND PRESCRIPTION VINEYARDS ARE HONORED TO ANNOUNCE OUR ‘CHARDONNAY-POWERED’ SCORES FROM THE SUNSET INTERNATIONAL WINE COMPETITION!

Sunset is the leading media source of the Western lifestyle. Its International Wine Competition makes its winning wines part of the most influential wine program in the country. The competition’s judges are some of the most experienced wine professionals in the West, including many Master Sommeliers and Masters of Wine.


Lloyd Cellars 2018 Carneros Chardonnay Scores Double Gold – 97 Points

Lloyd Cellars 2018 Carneros Chardonnay 100% Chardonnay is sourced predominately from Sangiacomo Vineyards’ Kiser, Home and Green Acre Blocks with a small amount of fruit from the Truchard Vineyard. The wine is barrel fermented and aged for ten months in American oak, and left on the lees right until bottling. > DOUBLE GOLD 97 POINTS!


Prescription Vineyards 2018 Clarksburg Chardonnay Scores Gold – 91 Points

Prescription Vineyards 2018 Clarksburg Chardonnay is 100% Chardonnay sourced from James Reamer in Clarksburg, CA. The wine shows lively aromatics of high-toned citrus, lemon peel, tropical fruits and fresh cream lead into a refreshing and mouthwatering palate. Flavors of guava, papaya, key lime and crème brulée flow throughout a long, smooth, mineral-laced finish. > GOLD 91 POINTS!