Cotes du Rhone, the second largest Appellation d’Origine Controlee (AOC) wine region in France, has announced its sponsorship of “The Wine Makers,” a new reality series from PBS. The series is slated to debut in early 2009.
“The Wine Makers” auditioned more than 500 candidates from across America to select 12 men and women who will compete for the chance to create and launch their own wine label.
The cast will experience all of the challenging facets and components of the winemaking profession, from viticulture and enology to sales and marketing.
Season one’s winning winemaker will be awarded a trip for two to the stunning Rhone Valley in France.
“The Wine Makers” takes place in Paso Robles, part of California’s Central Coast winegrowing region, where many of the local wines are considered the avant garde of Rhone-style wines in the U.S., and reflect similar blends of Grenache and Syrah grapes seen in the Rhone.
Cotes du Rhone aims to educate viewers about the region in France and reinforce the approachable taste profile of wines from the area in a juxtaposition of the “new world” with the “old world.” The sponsorship includes a number of promotional events across key markets in the U.S. where Cotes du Rhone wines will be showcased.
