Covey Run Highlights the “Endless Possibilities” of Semillon Ice Wine with Exciting Recipe Contest


WOODINVILLE, WA., June 13, 2006 – Covey Run, the award-winning Washington State winery, announces the “Semillon Ice Wine…Endless Possibilities” recipe contest. Open to anyone with a flair for innovation, the contest invites participants to create a proprietary dessert or beverage recipe utilizing Covey Run Reserve Semillon Ice Wine. Contestants may submit as many unique beverage or dessert recipes as desired, as long as each recipe contains at least 1 oz. of Covey Run Reserve Semillon Ice Wine.

Eleven First Prize winners will win a $250 gift certificate to Riedel or Spiegelau Glass and will be eligible for the Grand Prize. One of the 11 First Prize winners will be awarded the Grand Prize, a trip for two to the 11th Annual Epcot International Food & Wine Festival in Orlando, Florida, taking place September 29 – November 12, 2006. The Grand Prize package includes airfare, accommodations for two for 5 days and 4 nights and theme-park admission. The winning recipe will also be featured on the Covey Run web site with a professional photo of the drink or dessert.

Ice Wine is the rarest of sweet wines. To make ice wine, the grapes have to freeze on the vine and be picked and pressed frozen. In eastern Washington, this requires a Canadian arctic air mass and temperatures of 19 degrees Fahrenheit or below. In the hopes of producing its award-winning Ice Wine, each year Covey Run’s winemaker Kerry Norton leaves some Semillon grapes hanging past harvest.

The reward for this gamble is a luxurious wine that shows intense aromas of pineapple, citrus and vanilla that are balanced by a bracing acidity. The Covey Run Reserve Semillon Ice Wine has a long, lingering finish and is perfect as an aperitif or paired with sweet desserts.

“The unique characteristics of this wine and its stunning flavor profile led us to consider its versatility as an ingredient in cocktails or even desserts,” said Covey Run brand manager Irene Castillero. “The success of our version of the classic martini, what we are calling the ‘Ice-tini,’ inspired us to create a contest where participants could explore the myriad ways Covey Run Semillon Ice Wine can be enjoyed.”

The Covey Run “Semillon Ice Wine…Endless Possibilities” recipe contest runs from May 15 to July 14, 2006. Recipe submissions must be postmarked by July 14, 2006, and received by July 21, 2006. Winners will be announced the week of August 14, 2006. Submissions should include a menu description, along with a list of ingredients and preparation instructions. Recipes cannot be a variation of the Covey Run “Ice-tini” recipe which is equal parts Covey Run Reserve Semillon Ice Wine and vodka.

Submissions should be sent to the Semillon Ice Wine…Endless Possibilities Review Panel, c/o Laura Shear, Balzac Communications & Marketing, 1200 Jefferson St., Napa, CA 94559. For complete contest details and official rules, please visit www.coveyrun.com.

Covey Run’s Reserve wines are an expression of winemaker Kerry Norton’s passion for Washington State’s best-loved wines—Chardonnay, Merlot and Ice Wine. Handcrafted from the best of the best grapes from top vineyard sites in Washington’s famed Columbia and Yakima valleys, these limited production wines are rich and elegant with great intensity of flavor. Covey Run Reserve Semillon Ice Wine, Chardonnay and Merlot have a suggested retail price of $21.99.

Covey Run is made by Centerra Wine Company, the popular-priced and premium wine producer of Constellation Wines U.S., which is part of Constellation Wines, the world’s largest wine business, an operating division of Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE: STZ and STZ.B) ("CBI"). Constellation Wines U.S. encompasses four of CBI's U.S. wine businesses: Icon Estates, Centerra Wine Company, Pacific Wine Partners, and North Lake Wines. Leading brands include Alice White, Arbor Mist, Cook’s, Inglenook, Ravenswood Winery, Robert Mondavi Private Selection, Talus Collection, Turner Road, Vendange, and Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi.

 

For further information, Please contact:
Alicia Laury @ 415-912-3701 or alicia.laury@cwine.com