Able Social to Host Four-City French Wine Tour This Spring

This year Spring ushers in not only flowers and warm weather but a variety of opportunities for wine lovers across the US, both novices and aficionados alike, to indulge in two of France's most compelling wine making regions: the more popular Bordeaux region, best known for classic Cabernets & Merlots and the lesser known but burgeoning Corsica, the cliffside island nestled beneath Italy boasting a complex wine identify thanks to the island's varying terroir and climate.

Able Social, a NYC based marketing agency specializing in wine and hospitality, has organized a four-city tour with some of the best wine makers from these distinct regions kicking off with the second "Being #2" by Wines of Corsica" in San Francisco on April 18th and New York City on April 21st and 22nd, followed by the annual Le Grand Cercle des Vins de Bordeaux in Chicago on April 25th and New York City on April 27th.

"France has long been recognized and applauded for its extensive wine offerings but by organizing these intimate regionally focused events, we are able to educate the consumer on how diverse "French" wine can be," said Pierrick Bouquet, founder of Able Social. "From the crisp rose?s cultivated from the rocky soil of Corsica to the robust merlot grape treated to rich limestone and a steady annual climate, each bottle let alone each sip can offer wine enthusiasts a different experience than the last."

Being #2, By Wines of Corsica: 2016 marks the second year Wines of Corsica has organized an immersive event to showcase not only the grape varietals native of this mountainous region but also art inspired by the organic beauty of this Mediterranean island. In April two native Corsican artists will pair their work with countless Corsican wine varietals from 11

vineyards for an evening of true sensory indulgence. Pieces by objective photographer Jean-Joseph Renucci, who is known for comprising situational photographs featuring small figurines juxtaposed against everyday items from food to housewares, will line the walls while a video installation by Je?ro?me Jouve, will demonstrate how important the landscape of Corsica is to those winemakers that tend the soil.

Known to the French as "L'isle de Beauté," meaning the "Island of Beauty", Corsica, surrounded by crystal blue waters and teeming with white sandy beaches and rolling vineyards, has been producing wine for more than 2500 years but has been growing in popularity in the US lately. "Being #2" by Wines of Corsica arrives in San Francisco on April 18th at Alter Space (1158 Howard Street) from 6pm - 9pm and New York City on April 21st and 22nd, 6pm- 9pm both evenings, at Joseph Gross Gallery (548 W 28th Street). Tickets, which cost $45 for VIP and $35 for General Admission, featuring unlimited sampling from the 11 winemakers plus light bites from local purveyors, can be purchased here for NYC and here for San Francisco.

Le Grande Cercle des Vins de Bordeaux: Without ever having to book a plane ticket or pack a
passport, New Yorkers have been treated to exclusive tastings of some of the finest Bordeaux wines for the past four years, with 2016 marking the first time the Bordeaux winemakers will make a visit to the Windy City. Attendees will have a chance to pre-order cases of these critically acclaimed vintages to be shipped directly to them home. Now with almost 200 chateaux under Le Grand Cercle des Vins de Bordeaux, an organization featuring the most elite winemakers of the Bordeaux region, the mission has been set to enlighten wine drinkers from connoisseur to novice across the globe about the superb, top-of-the- range, reasonably priced wines teeming from this famous French wine region. As part of the 22 winery tasting event, which is also complemented by a variety of light bites and the opportunity to mix and mingle with the winemakers themselves, the 2015 vintage known as "en primeur" will make its barrel preview, harvested from a year where weather conditions were ideal, making expectations already high.

Le Grand Cercle will debut in Chicago on April 25th with an evening bubbling over with fine wine and treats from 6pm - 9pm at Chez (247 East Ontario Street). The wine makers will then travel to the Big Apple to resume the festivities at Pier A (22 Battery Place) on April 27th from 6pm - 9pm. Tickets are $55 for VIP and $45 for GA.