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 Legend Vineyard Exclusive Wines-LVE, in collaboration with iconic Napa Valley winery Raymond Vineyards received the first-ever Wine Star Award for Wine and Culture by Wine Enthusiast magazine at the Wine Star Awards Dinner held on Monday, January 25 in New York City.
The award was presented to him and Jean-Charles Boisset, owner of Raymond Vineyards, by Adam Strum, Founder-Chairman of Wine Enthusiast. The award recognizes Legend’s unique contribution to bringing music, culture and arts to the world of wine in creating LVE- a collection of limited-edition Napa Valley wines, crafted in collaboration with Jean-Charles Boisset and Winemaker of Raymond, Stephanie Putnam.
While receiving the Award, Legend said, “It is truly an honour to receive this award. LVE was a dream long in the making. I personally love wine and I know that my fans love to enjoy my music with wine. When I began to create the LVE Collection, I wanted something soulful, elegant, complex and seductive. It's so exciting for me to share with friends, family and fans the exceptional moment that connects music with the palate, where wine intersects with harmony to create the ultimate mood and moment of celebration.”
Talking of combining wine with music he added, “Together, wine and music, paired with loved ones, can transcend an ordinary moment to create a resplendent one. Our goal is that LVE Collection wines do just that. To be honoured with this Award for something that I really enjoyed creating is truly an honour.”
Legend delighted the guests attending the awards ceremony with a surprise appearance and live performance of his big hit song, “All of Me”.
Jean-Charles Boisset who also collaborated in the wine making, says “We are thrilled that the editors of Wine Enthusiast have recognized the overwhelming talent that John brings to the world of wine, and the incredible vision he had to bring wine, music and culture together to create the extraordinary LVE Collection of wines. John brings a new texture, fabric and emotion to the wine world, and a new harmony between the art of wine and music that deepens our appreciation of wine… and life!”
Raymond Winery is an iconic Napa Valley family-owned winery purchased in 2009 by Jean-Charles. As he informed delWine in an interview last October, ‘It was doing very well, with most of the production being high end wines from 350 Acres in Napa. It was one winery where we were lucky it had several vineyards. The Raymond family wanted to retire. I approached them for 5 years. I felt it had the potential to give even greater wines. So I got a two-women team of winemakers- Stephanie Putnam and Kathy George to turn it around after I bought it. We created blending rooms, theatres, and a great guest house.'
 LVE wines are a unique collection of rich, soulful and complex wines that embody romance, style, elegance and sophistication. The LVE collection features a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, with a suggested retail price of $85, and a Napa Valley Chardonnay, retailing for $45. LVE wines are available for purchase through LVEwines.com, and can be tasted and purchased at Raymond Vineyards in St. Helena, California. The wines will also be available in select fine wine retailers and in Fleming’s restaurants nationwide from February 1, 2016.
For more details, visit www.LVEwines.com or www.raymondvineyards.com. Tickets for his performance at the fundraising reception in Hancock Park are selling at $1,000 per person and above and up to $33,400 per couple.
delWine has always encouraged and promoted the concept of wine-loving celebrities from Bollywood and the sports and entertainment world promoting wine through their private labels and LVE is an excellent example. A start was made in India by the Vijay Amritraj Reserve Collection in collaboration with Grover Zampa Vineyards, in June 2014. More such collaborations are needed to promote wines, primarily through the wine drinking fan base of the celebrities but also through the special characteristics of each such wine according to the taste of the promoter who works closely with the producer and the winemaker.
It is doubtful whether the LVE would be available soon in India for the fans of John Legend. But you could pick up the bottles at the Raymond Winery or order online to be shipped within the US and then hand carried to India, according to the customs rules.
For an interview with Jean-Charles Boisset who is also fast becoming a legend, please visit Jean-Charles Boisset: The James C Bond ‘69 from Burgundy
Subhash Arora |