2001 Blend 541

What’s in Store for CORE

The first release under the CORE label is 2001 Blend 541, of which, 250 cases were made.  Immediately following, our 2002 Mourvèdre Rosé at only 23 cases.  Dave vows never to make just one barrel of Rosé again!  What was he thinking?

2001 Vintage – “It all started with a single wine………”

Blend 541 (Mourvèdre, Syrah, Grenache)  - A blend of 50% Mourvèdre,  40% Syrah and 10% Grenache, approximately 10 old and lonely French barrels were given back their life for this debut vintage.  A multi-layered mix that features a wide spectrum of fruit flavors.  Dark plummy gingerbread notes lay right on top of the more delicate strawberry, raspberry and cocoa with a peppery mid-palate and textured finish.

In the Corey test kitchen and at a few restaurants, we thought this wine went well with Pepper Crusted Ahi Tuna, Stuffed Pork Chops and almost anything that once donned feathers.

2002 Vintage – 3 Mourvedre blends  & 140 cases of 2003 Mourvedre Rose

1.) "Blend 352"

A blend made in similar style of 2001 "Blend 541" ( 30% Mourvèdre, 50%Grenache, 20% Syrah). 420 cases.

2.) “Hard Core”

A new, more powerful blend with hefty reds and a smaller production. (Mourvedre, Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon). 120 cases.

3.) "Elevation Sensation" - An exquisite blend of Mourvedre and Grenache with only 96 cases made.

4.) Mourvèdre Rosé – Don’t be fooled by the color, this Mourvèdre Rosé is no sipping wine!  Serve with appetizers or a first course liked grilled shrimp and vegetables or a crisp salad.  Also great with sushi. 140 cases.

CORE wines will continue to grow slowly each vintage to finally achieve a maximum level of approximately 2500 cases.   We have no desire to become a large winery, we are dedicated to the idea that the two of us will always be at the center of CORE.

The Story of Corey

We are a team of two that thrive in the mission of creating every piece of CORE from the inside out.  For us, the decision to create our own wine was a natural step…one step further into the wine industry.   Our combined experience of 18 years in the world of wine often made us look around and ask ourselves…”why not?”  In some form or another we’d had experience in areas of viticulture, grapegrowing, winemaking, soils, pest management, marketing, sales, public relations, retail, tasting room and we have definitely cracked open our share of wine bottles.

Dave Corey is the owner of Vital Vines, a viticultural company that provides technical support for vineyard property owners, vineyard managers and winemaking personnel in the promotion of sustainable agriculture.  He has worked or is currently working with clients that include Laetitia, Barnwood, Beckman, Melville, Stolpman, Gainey, Zaca Mesa, Sea Smoke, Le Bon Climat, Sine Qua Non, Rideau, Carhartt, Rusack, Westerly, Fiddlestix, Vogelzang, Andrew Murray, Evergreen, Arita Hills and Royal Oaks.

With a major commitment and a second mortgage, Dave cut down on some of his vineyard consulting work to focus on winemaking for CORE, the hands-on management of Alta Mesa Vineyard and facilitating the wine sales.

Dave’s educational background includes a bachelor’s degree in Biology from San Jose State University and a master’s degree in Entomology and Plant Physiology from Kansas State University, which was completed in 1995.   Prior to entering the wine industry in 1996 , Dave worked in Salinas and the Central Valley in agricultural fields including cole crops, cotton, almonds, citrus, walnuts, kiwi, table grapes and stone fruit.  His first position in the wine industry was as a Pest Control Advisor with Cambria Winery and Vineyards and later at Kendall-Jackson Vineyards of Santa Barbara County.

Becky Corey began her interest in the wine industry while still attending high school in Temecula, California.  She worked in the Culinary Department at Callaway Winery in addition to regular events for a local caterer specializing in winery functions.  Next, she traveled to Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo for a B.S. in Agricultural Business and a concentration in Marketing.  Working for a small local restaurant, multiple catering companies, and a retail wine shop during college were valuable connections to the enjoyment of food and wine.

She was one of the first students to participate in the Cal Poly Wine Marketing Certificate program.  This exposure to Central Coast wineries eventually landed her a job at Byron Winery in the Santa Maria Valley where she worked for nine years in multiple areas.  After leaving Byron in May 2002, Becky accepted a position at Laetitia Vineyard & Winery in Arroyo Grande as Director of Public Relations for the next 1 1/2 years.  Currently in 2004, her focus is teaming up with Dave to share in the CORE responsibilities of their business, primarily in sales and promotion.  She is enjoying her new position and has even been named "employee of the month" several times.  Her major contribution to CORE has been in the label design, including the use of her original artwork. 

Phone/Fax 805.938.7567 www.corewine.com

P.O. Box 5997   Santa Maria, CA 93456