September 12, 2004
by Lynn Alley
The
Wine Spectator
Utah's Sundance Resort, which is owned by movie star Robert Redford and home to the Sundance Film Festival, has launched its own wine label and is showcasing the winemakers in a dinner series as part of its new "Celebration of Wine as Art" program.
Just as the film festival highlights the independent voice of the filmmaker, the wine program celebrates the independent voice of the winemaker.
So far, the Sundance label encompasses four wines made by four different producers: a Chardonnay from Sonoma County winemaker Susie Selby, a Merlot from Judd's Hill Winery in Napa Valley, a Willamette Valley Pinot Noir from Benton-Lane Winery in Oregon and a Syrah from winemaker Laely Heron of San Francisco-based Heron Wines.
Each winemaker was chosen for a different reason but all of them have either interesting stories, enthusiasm for the creative process or beliefs about wine and life that resonate with the values espoused by Sundance. Benton-Lane, for example, was chosen for its commitment to sustainable farming and its "salmon safe" designation in an area where many waterways are threatened. Heron, who has traveled extensively and lived in many areas of the world, was chosen for her unconventional, nomadic lifestyle and independent spirit.
Production is small, ranging from about 100 cases to 400 cases for each wine, and the wines are priced at $35 a bottle. Currently, the Sundance wines can only be purchased by the glass or bottle in the resort's two restaurants, the Foundry Grill and the Tree Room, or in its Park City, Utah, restaurant, Zoom. Lodging guests can also purchase bottles and cases at the resort's general store or deli.
The resort's first winemaker dinner, featuring Laely Heron and Phoenix-based restaurateur Mark Tarbell as guest chef, was held in early September in the Tree Room. Visiting winemakers stay at the resort for several days before and after the dinner in order to interact with guests and answer questions.
Two more dinners are scheduled through May, and the resort plans to continue the program in the future, with new vintages from its current winemaker partners, new wines from other producers and more winemaker dinners.
"This is an evolving and ongoing process," said Cecilia Shan, manager of Sundance's wine programming, "and we anticipate the winemakers will change over the years from time to time."