Highlights
Toast to International Ties: Freeman Wines Featured at State Department
On Thursday, April 11, 2024, we had the honor of presenting our wines during a luncheon at the State Department, hosted by Vice President Kamala Harris to celebrate the visit of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan. Esteemed attendees included Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.
Featured wines were the 2022 Ryo-Fu West Sonoma Coast Chardonnay and the 2021 Akiko's Cuvee West Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, both of which paired exquisitely with the seasonal menu, enhancing the culinary experience.
This prestigious event was not only a profound honor but also a testament to the deep cultural ties between the United States and Japan. We are grateful for the opportunity to contribute to such a significant occasion and look forward to fostering further connections through our shared appreciation for fine wine.
Historic Award for Akiko Freeman: The Green & White Medal for Agricultural Excellence
Akiko Freeman was recently honored with the Green & White Medal for Agricultural Excellence, becoming the first woman ever to receive this prestigious accolade. The ceremony, held at the Japanese Consul General’s residence in Los Angeles, recognized her for being the first Japanese winemaker with a wine served at the White House and her transformative approach to organic farming. Shinkichki Koyama, who presented the award, said of Akiko, “She worked very hard to achieve the best growing conditions on the property — irrigation, ensuring that the soil was well-drained and well-oxygenated — all with the long-term vision to produce better grapes under organic farming protocols.” Her efforts have significantly contributed to the agriculture sector, reinforcing Japan-USA relations. This milestone achievement underscores Akiko's pioneering role in the field.
We are honored that the White House featured our Ryo-fu Chardonnay at a recent State Dinner welcoming Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to the United States.
LE.PAN: The small Sonoma winery with Asian ambitions; “We don’t manipulate anything. We just try to grow the best fruit and bring out the best of it. That’s our philosophy.”
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People Magazine
The White House State Dinner Menu Is Making Us Very Hungry and Very Jealous
The new china has been selected and the menu is set for Tuesday night’s White House State Dinner. So it’s time to feast. President Obama and Michelle Obama are hosting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his wife, Akie Abe, for the dinner-to-remember on April 28. Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto is the guest chef for the evening, joining the culinary forces of White House executive chef Cris Comerford and executive pastry chef Susan Morrison to create a one-of-a-kind menu. “I am deeply honored to be the guest chef for tomorrow’s #StateDinner at the @whitehouse hosted by President @barackobama and First Lady @michelleobama in honor of Prime Minister Abe and Mrs. Abe of #Japan!” the Japanese chef posted to Instagram. The first course, Toro Tartare and Caesar Sashimi Salad (pictured below), is wrapped in clear acetate and tied with a Mizuhiki cord, Yahoo Food reports. The second course, Vegetable Consomme En Croute and Shikai Maki, is a tribute to FLOTUS’s kitchen garden. The main course is American Wagyu Beef Tenderloin with Spring Vegetables and Maui Onion Veal Jus. The showstopper of the evening is definitely dessert, which includes a blown sugar teapot decorated with edible cherry blossoms and surrounded by petit fours as well as cheesecake made of silken tofu and soy milk with Florida berries and White House honey. The dinner will include a sake toast and three American wines, all from California: the 2013 Ryo- fu Chardonnay from Freeman Vineyard & Winery, founded by Ken and Akiko Freeman in Sebastopol; the 2010 Joli Coeur Pinot Noir from Morlet Family Vineyards in St. Helena; and the 2007 Russian River Cuvee sparkling wine from Iron Horse Vineyards, also in Sebastopol. Cherry blossoms are the decor du jour for the dinner, with Washington’s signature flowers gracing everything from the red chopsticks to the table’s centerpieces. And that’s not all! The guests will be entertained by the stars of the film Jersey Boys. Sounds like quite the party. —Morgan Gibson, @morgangibson |
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Forbes
Seven Great California Pinot Noirs to Try This Year
2013 Freeman Akiko’s Cuvée Sonoma Coast—Think cool-climate winemaking elegance and you have the essence of the Freeman wines. Winemaker, Akiko Freeman, grew up in Japan and brings an innate sense of balance to her wine. The cuvée bottling, a blend of the winery’s best barrels each vintage is especially gorgeous with notes of black cherry, violets and earth. |
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i-winereview
International Wine Review BlogFreeman 2013 Chardonnay and Pinot Noir Releases from the Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast ...In sum, they are well-made and delicious drinking. The Pinot Noirs are fruit forward and ripe with dark lush red fruit flavors and earthy nuances. However, some of the wines would benefit from a tad more structure on the backend and finish. Our favorite in the red wine line up was the Pinot Noir Gloria Estate; it is elegant and refined and perfectly balanced with good acidity on the finish. The Chardonnay Ryo-fu with its fruitiness and restrained use of oak was also a winner... |
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Pinot File
2012 Akiko's Cuvee named to the "All American Team.""Best Akiko's Cuvee Ever - 95 Points 2014 California Pinot Noir First Team All-Americans December 2014
2012 Freeman Akiko’s Cuvée Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir |
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The Somm Journal
The 2012 Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast Featured in "California’s Côte d’Or"
Freeman Winery 2012 Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast ($45) Silky and smooth with fresh black cherry and spice; savory and lush with notes of earth and toasty oak. 92 |
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