HELENA, California – St. Helena’s ACME Fine Wines, recently named one of Wine Enthusiast’s 50 Best Wine Retailersin America, announced that the boutique wine retailer will be open for private tastings. Proprietor Karen Williams and her sommelier team are looking forward to welcoming visitors and locals for the new in-person tastings, which are a terrific way for guests to expand their palate and wine knowledge, experience debut wines from superstar winemakers and learn first-hand the types of wines that ACME’s wine clubs offer.
Cult v. IPO Tasting
ACME is well known for helping to launch and promote micro-wineries and brands that achieve fame down the road. Internally dubbed “IPO” brands, these are debut projects carefully chosen by ACME’s dynamic team of sommeliers who are constantly scouting to bring the next big thing to their clients. This tasting features two cult wines (think brands like Harlan Estate, Screaming Eagle and Scarecrow) alongside two soon-to-be-discovered IPO wines.
$500 per person, 90 to 120 minutes, four wines, exclusively for groups of four people. The Cult v. IPO Tasting is inclusive of charcuterie and cheese platter to enjoy alongside.
Under the Radar Tasting
ACME has long been recognized as the source for what’s new and what’s next coming out of Napa, Sonoma and beyond. This tasting features the ACME team’s recent favorite finds, well before anyone else knows about them. Examples include 2018 Belong Wine Co. Mourvedre, El Dorado County; 2017 Hudson Vineyards “Phoenix” Red Blend, Carneros; 2017 Sanguis “The Optimist” Red Blend Santa Barbara and 2017 West Pole Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast.
Kahuna Tasting
Kahuna: the name says it all! The Kahuna Tasting focuses on luxury wines and features only the best of the best that the ACME team tastes. Examples include: 2017 Kongsgaard Syrah, Napa; 2011 Levy & McClellan “Et Al” Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley; 2014 Immortal Estate “Impassable Mountain” Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County and 2017 Behrens Family Winery “Parts Unknown” Red Wine, Howell Mountain.
$100 per person, 90 minutes, six to eight wines tasted
The Ultimate ACME Tasting
ACME’s Ultimate Extended Tasting Experience will showcase an array of bottles from all four ACME Wine Clubs: Under the Radar, Pulse, Zippo and Kahuna. Examples of wines featured in this tasting include 2019 Seabold “Adroît” Trousseau, San Benito; Benanti, 2017 Contrada Cavaliere, Etna Bianco, Sicily; 2017 Richard Peterson, Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands and 2017 Patria “Avoyelles” Red Blend, Oakville Ranch, Napa Valley.
$200 per person, 90-120 minutes, eight to ten wines. The Ultimate Tasting is inclusive of charcuterie and cheese platter to enjoy alongside.