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We are proud of our wines, proud of the owner’s Cuban heritage, and want to share our wines, and our story with our current, and future clients.  This blog site will be used to keep all informed of events, and activities going on at Cubanisimo Vineyards, as well as keep you all aprised of product developments, and wine production.

Mauricio

Cubanisimo Vineyards will be participating in this wonderful wine event February 23, 24, and 25 in the sands of South Beach. We look forward to displaying our 2005 pinot noir, and our Rosado de Pinot noir, and getting to meet many of our loyal customers in South Florida.

The event was fantastic, it was well organized, and the setting was beautiful.  The wine, and food shows were outstanding.  The response we obtained from those who attended was exuberant, and Cubanisimo Vineyards is looking forward to increasing their presence in South Florida, and being at the festival next year. 

The Wine Compass ladies, Melanie Melan, and Nicoletta Roselli visited us at our booth, and started for us the festival with a great boost with their laughs, their positive comments, and their style. 

The Southern Wine and Spirits, and Transatlantic representatives were supportive, and enthusiastic.  We owe a lot to Jorge Picos, Ron Sedia, Manny de la Paz, Rafael de Zendegui, and the outstanding marketing, and sales staff who are becoming close friends of Cubanisimo. 

We visited clients while in Miami such as Grazianos Restaurant, Las Culebrinas, The Oceanaire Restaurant, and visited our old friend Philippe at Happy Times, and made new friends such as Jack from Leon’s Liquors, Vanessa from Lucky Liquors.  Time ran out as we wanted to enjoy Michael’s Kitchen in Hollywood, but this strong supporter of Cubanisimo will not be missed next time.

We relished chatting with Luis J. Crucet Jr. of Blu Moon, Deepak Daryanani, Tim Manuel of Crown Plaza, and with Fernando Ruiz, and Frank Fernandez, all these gents, and many others were supportive, and very complimentary.

We were really excited to see the members of the Amigos de Cubanisimo, our wine club, such as Joe Zambrana, and Dr. Jose L. Salgueiro, and the friends they brought on to visit, and enjoy our wines.

Finally, we have to mention the phenomenal help Cubanisimo Vineyards had from local family members like Frank Myers, Victor D. Collada, Mariela M. Collada, Rick Hevia, my son, Maurice Collada III. 

Debra Franzen, my partner, and I, want to thank all for a marvelous experience.

Mauricio

We have done tastings, and many shows, but our own wine tasting room is about to open.  The wine tasting room is entering its last phase of construction. and the area is being polished to start off looking fine, and showing our commitment to detail.  Still, there is the anxiety of the first opening of our doors to the public from our wine tasting room.  I am sure we will have some glitches, but we are looking forward to enhancing our relationship with our faithful clients, and providing a place folks can proudly come bring friends, and enjoy in a wonderful environment our wonderful wines, and perhaps get to know more about the Cuban culture.  See you all in April during the weekends, Friday through Sunday, 11am to 5pm, and know we will be open each weekend until Labor Day.  Check back with us to get the announcements of what we will have at Cubanisimo Vineyards estate, and wine tasting room during Memorial Day weekend.  Mauricio

Well the wine tasting room is up, and running, and the number of visitors is gradually increasing.  It is good that it is going at a slow pace so we can come up to speed without any fits, and starts.  We were thrilled that Jodie Ostrovsky brought in her delightful, charming, and very Cuban stepMom, Elena, and her equally charming Dad, Dr.Joseph Kurstin. 

We are all getting ready for the Memorial Day weekend when we will have from 11-to 5pm wonderful musical performances.  On Saturday, tango, and other Latin American sounds from Astanova with David Franzen, on Sunday Cuban salsa music from Juanito Maribona and Cana Son, and on Monday the Northwest Queen of the Cuban bolero sounds, Jessie Marquez.  Come join us to enjoy the exciting Latin/Cuban music, and, of course, the delightful Cubanisimo wines.  

$3.00 tastings,$8.oo tastings with souvenir glass, $5.00 tapas plate 

Well, we are beyond budding now, the early leaves are showing themselves, and another exciting growing season begins at Cubanisimo Vineyards.  We have all the well established pinot noir plants all pruned, and trained, and have added acreage in pinot gris, and a small lot in front of the wine tasting room to show visitors up close how this wonderful crop grows, and all the intricate aspects of the management of the vineyard.

Our 2006 pinot noir in the barrels is tasting elegantly well.  This will be an extraordinarily good vintage for us, and we are all quite excited.  The Rosado de pinot noir 2006 will be out in June, and it will be at least as wonderful as the 2005; we are barreling the Rosado for a short time in older barrels to add an element of complexity. 

We will keep you informed as the year evolves.

Mauricio

Thank you to all the Amigos de Cubanisimo who have visited during these last two days.  It has been phenomenally satisfying to see so many friends, and to make so many new friends, and to hear your wonderful compliments about our new wine tasting room, the music performances, and the wines.  Yes, even our tapas have received great reviews from you all.  David Franzen Duo’s music made for a deligthful afternoon on Saturday, and the high energy Cuban salsa music of Cana Son was outstanding. 

We love you all, and look forward to many years of being able to provide you our wonderful wines, and to share our wines with you in our new setting.  We look forward today to the beautiful Jessie Marquez, and the Mike Denny Group, and will have final comments of the overall weekend, but I wanted to share with all who follow us through this blog a bit of our exciting weekend.  Ciao.  Mauricio

The weekend was outstanding, the music was wonderful, the wine was as spectacular as it should be from Cubanisimo, the food was very good, a total success.  We had talked about our performers Saturday, and Sunday, and only spoke of positive expectations from Jessie Marquez, and her band.  They delivered a classy performance that was enjoyed by all.  Folks raved about Jessie Marquez, and her elegant presence, her voice, and the band was outstanding.  We hope to have these folks back, and will be working towards future performances.  Stay tuned!!!!

Resturants with Cubanisimo wines:  Michael’s Kitchen in Hollywood, Las Culebrinas (in Bird Rd, and the Grove), Texas de Brazil, Cielo Garden and Super Club, Vino Tecla Club, Alfaro’s in 8th St, Oceanaire Seafood Room, Biscotti’s Expreso Cafe in Jacksonville, Old Vine Merchants in Orlando

Establishments selling Cubanisimo wines: 

Navarro Discount 305-444-7530                               

Sosa Family Cigars 305-446-2606                              

Sun Liquor  305-442-0804

Cork and Bottle Fine Wines  305-271-1119

Chandi Liquors  305-358-5478

Crown Liquors  305-238-0560

Red Road Liquors  305-260-7787

Sky Lake Discount Liquors  305-948-9877

Leons Wine & Liquor Ctr  305-261-0221

West Kendall Liquors  305- 274-4547

In Portland our wines are sold onsite at:

Pambiche Restaurant in NE Glisan     Fruition Bistro in NW 23     Caprial’s Bistro in SE Milwakie     The Veritable Quandry in SW 1st St.

In Portland, the offsite sales stores (selling to the public) are:

 E&R Wine Shop in SW Portland     Winestock in Oregon City     Fred Meyer in Tualatin John’s Marketplace in Multnomah Village     Lamb’s Thriftway in West Portland         Portland Wine Merchants in NE Portland(Hawthorne District)     Blackbird Wine Shop on SE 44th Ave and Freemont     Burdigala Wine Shop in the Selwood District     E&R Wine Shop on Macadam     Vino Wine Shop

In Salem our wines are sold onsite at:

J James Restaurant     Bentley’s Restaurant     Blue Pepper     DaVinci’s Restaurant      Old European Inn Restaurant

Salem offsite sales stores are:

 West Salem Roth     Santiam Wines on Commercial    Fred Myers on South Commercial St

In Monmouth, we are now enjoying our relationship with Elaine Stuart who owns The Red Vase flowershop, and she sells our wines out of her new wine shop.

In Silverton,  we are being sold onsite, and to the public at the Silvergrille Restaurant

In Ashland, we are being sold at Allyson’s Kitchen    Chateaulin Restaurant/Wine Shop   Kobe Sushi Restaurant

 In Eugene, we are being sold at the Belami Restaurant, and at the Midtown Wine Shop