I came across a new interview on Arizona Republic with Maynard today, where he talks about his experiences in Arizona and Winemaking. Nothing particularly new, but an interesting read none the less:
Touring plans will have to be scheduled around his other big commitment, though: He can’t very well tour during harvest.
“Pretty much from August to November,” Keenan says, “I’m in the winery.”
In other Maynard news, check out him here shopping for an outfit for the Puscifer Tour:
Those of you who pre-ordered the Chupacabra 2006 via Sip & Listen should check your emails, as this wine is now available for order. You only have a week to redeem your code before the wine goes on sale to the public, presuming there is any leftover.
Word is that more wine, this time from Arizona Stronghold will be available mid-2012!
Matt Irwin & Trent Allen, a couple of entrepreneurial Aussies have managed to secure the right to distribute Maynard’s wines into Australia. This makes us the first country outside of the USA to have official distribution for these products. It’s not a release of the entire range however, the first shipment will be the Chupacabra 2006, and I’d expect if this sells well then future wines will also become available.
From the press release:
sip & listen…
Sitting around the dinner table after a couple of days skiing in the Canadian Rockies, childhood mates Matt Irwin & Trent Allen cracked open a bottle of Chupacabra while listening to Tool’s Salival, and wondered why this amazing wine was not available back home. With backgrounds in the wine business & music industry, they have secured exclusive rights to import Maynard’s wines to Australia.The wine…
The first shipment is a limited amount of Merkin Vineyards Chupacabra 2006. This will be the first time any of Maynard’s wines will be available outside of North America. It is also the only time we will see Merkin Vineyards, as Maynard and Eric have decided to limit distribution of the Merkin/Caduceus lines and focus on Arizona Stronghold Vineyards. 2012 will see the first ASV wines hit Australia, but we will have to wait and see how much sip & listen can secure for the people down under.The Chupacabra is coming…
Merkin Vineyards Chupacabra is a shape-shifter, evolving vintage after vintage. The 2006 is a blend of traditionally French grapes that have found a home in the Californian landscape. From the Tasting Notes "Bold and mysterious, the wine shows both a light and a dark side. From black fruit, tobacco and forest aromas to flavours of kiwi, grapefruit and nettle on the lighter end, this smoky and complex red is enticing from the first sip."Reserve a bottle…
Word is spreading quickly and Matt & Trent are receiving daily requests to reserve bottles for people. Merkin Vineyards Chupacabra 2006 will retail in Australia for $34.99 per bottle or 3 for $100 (inc. GST, postage not included). If you are interested in buying a bottle (or 3!), email your name and order to sipandlisten@hotmail.com. If you are after a case, please email for a price. You do not have to pay until the wine is released in a few weeks time. You will receive a reservation number which puts you in a draw for an Arizona Stronghold merch pack (inc. Chupacabra Australian Release Bottle no. 353)!
You can also follow their progress on Facebook and Twitter.
Not sure how many bottles these guys are importing, so it’s probably worth getting your order in quickly!
Alex emailed me a link this morning to a new interview with Maynard by Dana from Wine Spectator. Don’t go expecting Tool, APC and Pucsifer news and you won’t come away disappointed…
Part 2 of the Wine Week interview with Maynard is now available on Youtube:
An interesting interview for wine fans, Maynard talks about obviously the wine, how it effects touring, and also that he has no plans to export the wine to Australia (or presumably elsewhere).
Maynard tweeted this afternoon an interview that he recorded with the 1 Wine Dude. It’s reasonable long (over 40 minutes) but I’ve just listened to the whole thing, and it’s well worth checking out, as Maynard touches on a range of subjects, including how wine making works in with his various band commitments.
According to a couple of tweets on the caduceuscellars account, a few of their wines have picked up some awards:
Congratulations to Maynard, Eric and the whole Caduceus/Merkin team on their effort. Now how about getting some of that wine Down Under?
Interested in buying some wine? Then you can order it directly from Caduceus at http://vino.caduceus.org/.
Also, don’t forget the upcoming Wine Signing sessions.
In a recent email from the Puscifer mailing list, Maynard announced that the Tasting Room at Caduceus is now open:
“Another in an endless series of complex puzzle pieces has fallen into place. We are many years away from our goal, but the opening of this tasting room is a very, very important step towards achieving those goals. Thank you all for your steadfast support.” – Maynard James Keenan
Tasty!
Caduceus Cellars & Merkin Vineyards Tasting Room in Jerome, Ariz. is now open. In the heart of downtown Jerome, at 158 Main Street, the tasting room is open 365 days a year. Hours are Sunday – Thursday from 11 am to 6 pm, Friday & Saturday from 11 am to 8 pm.
If you’re in town, check it out!
Judi from Toolarmy pointed me to this short interview with Maynard by Evan Rytlewski from Express Milwaukee. Doesn’t really add much insight into Maynard or the wine, though he does make some suggestions on how to enjoy it properly.
A couple of little things today, Shinji from the French Tool website Salival has posted an interview he did with Buzz from the Melvins. Pictures from their recent show there can be found here.
Buzz!
Also, George emailed me a link to a Craigslist/Ebay auction for an autographed bottle of wine, singed by Maynard and Eric. According to the post Maynard rarely signs stuff. I guess he wasn’t aware of the dozen or so signing sessions Maynard is attending at the Whole Food Markets. Bidding starts at US$49.
Rare bottle of autographed wine
