This is the fourth year of A Menu For Hope, the grassroots charity event for wine and food bloggers, started by Pim ( of the Chez Pim Blog) in response to the horrible Tsunamis of 2004. Last year's event raised more than $60,000 for the UN's World Food Programme, which set the stage for this year's remarkable event. Because of our success last year, the World Food Programme essentially told us to figure out what we wanted, and they'd make it happen.Pim sat down with them and arranged the perfect donation scheme. 100% of the donations go directly to the people in need. We get to choose exactly where every cent goes, and we get to talk to the people it goes to. In fact, Pim has already been in contact with some of the families that will get our aid money. She sent them some disposable cameras and asked them to take pictures of their lives. The results are quite extraordinary, both for their immediacy, but also some of the images are quite beautiful in their own right.
So we're feeding some very needy farmers in Lesotho. And how are we doing it? By holding a virtual-global charity raffle, with prizes donated from bloggers all around the world.
HOW IT WORKS: The campaign is essentially a big raffle for prizes. You look through the prizes, figure out which one(s) you want to try to win, and then you buy "virtual raffle tickets" -- one for each $10 of donation you make to our cause on the special web site set up for that purpose.
When you make your donation, you simply specify the prize number(s) (each prize should have one) and the "number of tickets" your donation is buying. Donate thirty bucks, get three tickets, and use them for one prize, or for three. Just be specific in your request.
Here's the site to enter / donate.
THE PRIZES: So first of all, remember that these are just the wine blog prizes. There are many other prizes awaiting you over on Chez Pim’s site. Go check them out too. But not before taking a look at Alder Yarrow's Vinography and all the generous and creative donations from wine bloggers far and wide:
All of the wine donations are listed on the Vinography site
Specific instructions for entering the raffle can be found at the bottom of this post.
If you are interested, this is the On The Wine Trail in Italy item:
WB06 - 6 bottle lot of Italian wines -$295 value.
Principiano Barolo "Boscareto" 2000
Tenute le Querce Aglianico del Vulture "Il Viola" 2000
Gravner Bianco "Breg" 2000
Soletta Cannonau di Sardegna "Firmadu" 2003
Soletta Cannonau di Sardegna "Firmadu" 2003
Maculan Cru "Fratta" 2003
Castello di Bossi Chianti Classico Riserva "Berardo" 2000
Principiano Barolo "Boscareto" 2000
$50.00 SRP
92 WS
“The last 15 years have seen a real revolution in the way wine is made. Back then there were just two or three wineries in Monforte d`Alba and today there are about 20, “Ferdinando says. “I don’t think the Langhe will change much more. We are at the right dimension and the right concentration of vineyards.” Ferdinando Principiano, who refurbished the winery 10 years ago with new equipment, is responsible for vinification and aging with consulting enologist Giuseppe Caviola. Fifty-year-old Nebbiolo vines are planted in the Boscareto vineyard in Serralunga d`Alba and 70 year- old Barbera vines are located in the Pian Romualdo vineyard of Monforte d`Alba called Le Coste. making two Barolos (Barolo Boscareto and Barolo Le Coste) They produce only 35,000 bottles per year.
Tenute le Querce Aglianico del Vulture "Il Viola" 2000
$20.00 SRP
Aglianico vines near Barile that grow straddling the caldera of the volcano Vulture produce striking reds with spice, unique licorice and dark cherry casts and an unfeigned sense of rusticity. Craftsmanship by the Pietrafesa family is sparing no expense in the field work, the winery, or in the bottle results.
Il Viola shows the purity cast with a small amount of wood. New wave wines of old world reality.
Gravner Bianco "Breg" 2000
$90.00 SRP
3 Glasses Gambero Rosso
Josko Gravner was for many years on the cutting edge of white wine production. He was one of the first to introduce new oak barriques in this region. Since then, however, the relentless passion for perfection through experimentation changed his whole philosophy, and his wine-making methods have changed greatly. Over the past decade he sold off all of his high-tech equipment to other wineries and began making wine the old-fashioned way. Indeed, Gravner started studying and reverted to ancient Roman texts for inspiration to fulfill his very unique vision of what wine should express.
Breg, a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling Italico, Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio. The grapes come from his 18 hectares of vineyards. The terroir there is unique, and a number of vineyards are terraced. Gravner works organically and goes for maximum ripeness and concentration in the vineyards. The crops are very low and the vines (some up to 80 years old) are planted up to 10,000 per hectare. This gives the fruit a wonderful concentration and expression of terroir. “I am convinced that wine is a product of Nature, not of Man, whose role therefore is to accompany its maturation process while avoiding any artificial intervention”, says Gravner.
Soletta Cannonau di Sardegna "Firmadu" 2003
$20.00 SRP
This excellent wine comes from the Estate vineyard “Firmadu” and is made from the Cannonau grape
varietal which is the Sardinian version of Spain’s Granacha. The Firmadu vineyard is located in the mountains of Corona Majore, S’ Erenazu and Su Frigadore at 400 meters above sea level in sandy-calcareous soil with East-Southwestern exposure to the sun. The vines are 30-40 years old.
This varietal takes on styles of its own here in the potent reds under the Cannonau di Sardegna DOC. It is aged for a total of two years, part of which is in barrels and then six additional months in the bottles. The wine has an intense ruby color with granite reflections. The bouquet is very intense and persistent, herbaceous and delicate. It has a typical scent of dried fruits, walnut hull and prunes. Dry & Full-Bodied. Number of Cases Produced: 2,500 per year
Maculan Cru "Fratta" 2003
$80.00 SRP
91 Wine Spectator
94 Wine Enthusiast - Editor's Choice
“Seductive, succulent and hedonistic. This 77% Cabernet Sauvignon and 23% Merlot blend is incredibly forthcoming and ready to drink immediately thanks to its rich toasted notes, chocolate fudge, blackberry, leather, tobacco, menthol and herbal aromas. There’s a ton of vanilla and sweet spice on the velvety finish and melted chocolate on the close.”
Castello di Bossi Chianti Classico Riserva "Berardo" 2000
$35.00 SRP
4 Stars Decanter
"A gorgeous wine."
90 Wine Advocate
"...richly fruity and spicy on the nose, fuller and deeper on the palate, rounder and more polished in its tannins, and very persistent on the finish."
The Bossi Castle is located in the town of Castelnuovo Berardenga, the southernmost appellation of Chianti Classico, amidst evergreen woods and long rows of vines. With a history dating back to the 9th century A.D., the estate embraces modern technology, while at the same time respecting the traditional character of the lands of Chianti. This balance has been a key part of Marco Bacci’s vision as he has brought Castello di Bossi to the highest ranks in the realm of international wine.
HOW TO ENTER:
If you're interested in buying into the raffle, here's what you need to do:
1. Choose a prize or prizes of your choice from our Menu for Hope at http://www.chezpim.com/blogs/2007/12/menu-for-hope-4.html
2. Go to the donation site at http://www.firstgiving.com/menuforhope4 and make a donation. Each $10 will give you one raffle ticket toward a prize of your choice.
3.Please specify which prize or prizes you'd like in the 'Personal Message' section in the donation form when confirming your donation. The prize code for the 6 bottle lot of Italian Wine is WB06. Do tell us how many tickets per prize, and please use the prize code -for example, a donation of $50 can be 2 tickets for WB02 and 3 for WB06.Example:
4. If your company matches your charity donation, please remember to check the box and fill in the information so we could claim the corporate match.
5. Please also check the box to allow us to see your email address so that we could contact you in case you win. Your email address will not be shared with anyone.
6. Check back on Chez Pim on January 9 when we announce the result of the raffle. (The drawing will be done electronically. Derrick at Obsession with Food is responsible for the application that will do the job.)
Thanks for your participation, and good luck in the raffle!