Simple Hedonisms

Archive for the ‘Events’ Category

William has invited me to keep you apprised of upcoming wine events for the North Coast with weekly posts here at Simple Hedonisms. Each article will cover roughly 2 weeks of events taking place in Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Napa and Sonoma counties. Every now and then, there’ll be a sneak preview of something farther out in time or distance.

All events listed below are in chronological order by region. Some events require advance reservations or ticketing, so it’s best to click through for any event you’d like to attend. The headline links for each event will take you to the calendar at NorCalWine.com where you’ll find further details on that event. And event organizers sometimes change details at the last minute, so it’s always a good idea to contact the host prior to showing up at their doorstep.

One-time, up-front disclaimer (in future articles, this will appear at the end): The events I’ll call attention to here are those that I’ve become aware of and which offer something beyond the standard winery tasting room experience. Neither I nor William are compensated by any of the event organizers in any way. The listings are for the benefit of the community. Enjoy!

Event organizers and publicists wishing to maximize the likelihood of their events being published here should post their events in the calendar at NorCalWine.com. Posting events there requires a one-time registration (easy, peasy), but is totally free of charge. And it only takes a couple of minutes. I’ll soon post a guide at NorCalWine.com with tips on how to make event posts as effective as possible.

Now that that’s out of the way… Wow! What a busy couple of weekends we’ve got coming up. If it weren’t for the Super Bowl this Sunday — an event against which few wineries are daring to compete —  I’d still be clacking away, adding festivities. Valentine’s Day has inspired a huge bouquet of events pairing wine and chocolate, wine and oysters, wine and flowers, wine and romance. I’ll take any of those over a Hallmark card. (Gentlemen, this is not a suggestion that you forgo a card this year. Bad idea!)

Have a great weekend and I hope to see you tomorrow afternoon at the Micro-Winery Collective Open House at the Inspiration Vineyards tasting room in Santa Rosa.

Lake County

Saturday, February 11

Wine & Chocolate . . . and More! at Mt. Konocti Winery — Lakeport: 12:00 – 4:00
There will be more than 30 wineries pouring premium Lake County wines paired with gourmet chocolates and savories by Master Sommelier Candidate and Masters of Wine Candidate Sommelier Stephanie Green.

Marin County

Tuesday, February 7

Happy Hour with Tudal Family Winery at Bacchus Venus — Sausalito: 6:00pm – 7:30pm
Taste through a flight of Tudal Wine’s for $10.

Mendocino County

Sunday, February 11

McFadden’s Second Saturday — Hopland: 10:00am - 5:00pm
Enjoy McFadden’s wines made from 100% organically-grown grapes and paired with a delicious food treat.

Wine & Chocolate Extravaganza at RWV Wineries — Redwood Valley: 11:00am – 5:00pm
One ticket gets you a glass for Wine Tasting and Chocolates at all 9 locations.

Cupid in the Caves at Saracina Vineyards, Hopland: 12:30pm – 4:00pm
Stop by the Saracina Tasting Bar for the romance-inducing foods of the gods: wine, oysters and chocolate!

Crab Feast in the Barrel Room at Jaxon Keys Winery — Hopland: 6:00pm – 10:00pm
A Valentines Weekend Crab Feast in the Jaxon Keys Barrel Room. They’ll start things off with Oysters three ways: Rockefeller, Florentine, and raw and then it’s all about the crab!

Napa Valley

Friday, February 3

Annual Open House at Charles Krug Winery — St. Helena: 10:30am - 4:30pm
The Peter Mondavi family welcomes you to their annual open house. Meet the family, taste new releases and enjoy live music.

Saturday, February 4

Annual Open House at Charles Krug Winery — St. Helena: 10:30am - 4:30pm
The Peter Mondavi family welcomes you to their annual open house. Meet the family, taste new releases and enjoy live music.

Winter Release Day at Silver Oak — Oakville: 9:00am - 4:00pm
Release celebration for the 2007 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and kicks off of festivities for Silver Oak’s 40th Anniversary.

Cabernet Release Event at Bennett Lane Winery — Calistoga: 11:00am - 5:00pm
Visit Bennett Lane Winery for the pre release of their 2009 Cabernet and Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.

Winter Tag-a-Long at Saddleback Cellars — Oakville: 11:00am – 5:00pm
It’s a great day to taste at Oakville wineries since most in the area celebrate the release of the 2007 vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon! At Saddleback, they’ll have an enhanced tasting day with food from Rebel-Dog and live music by the Wasted Rangers.

Cabernet Pre-Release Day at Cosentino Winery — Yountville: 12:00pm - 04:00pm
Get a sneak peak at the Cosentino Winery Reserve Cabernet and its library varietal, paired with chocolate.

Cabernet Pre-Release Day at Girard Winery — Yountville: 1:00pm - 5:00pm
A sneak peak at the inaugural release of the Girard Spring Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon.

Friday, February 10

Cupid’s Kitchen at Girard Winery — Yountville: 6:00pm - 9:00pm
Bubbles, the Oyster Girls from Tomales Bay, a sensuous chocolate fountain and exquisite cheeses.

Saturday, February 11

Valentine’s Oyster and Wine Pairing at Black Stallion Winery — Napa: 12:00pm – 4:00pm or until the oysters run out
Oysters by the pair, six-pack or dozen. And wine!

Goosecross Valentine’s Day Party at TopFlight — Napa: 2:00pm – 6:00pm
Enjoy an afternoon of wine, chocolate and romance.

San Valentino Dinner at Andretti Winery — Napa: 6:00pm – 10:30pm
Put on your best Upscale Wine Country attire and come celebrate amore and Valentine’s Day with Andretti Winery.

Sonoma County

Saturday, February 4

Crab Feed at Sbragia Family Vineyards — Geyserville: 5:00pm - 8:00pm
The Sbragia family invites you to join them for an evening of cracked crab and fabulous wine!

Winter Release Day at Silver Oak — Geyserville: 9:00am - 4:00pm
Release celebration for the 2007 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and kicks off of festivities for Silver Oak’s 40th Anniversary.

Syrah Saturday at Amista Vineyards – Healdsburg: 10:00am - 5:00pm
Enjoy Amista’s signature estate wines with gourmet food pairings from 11:00-4:30 on Saturday, February 4th.

Wine & Chocolate Fantasy at Rodney Strong Vineyards — Healdsburg: 10:00am - 5:00pm
The Rodney Strong barrel room is transformed into a beautiful series of halls and rooms, featuring wine and chocolate and chocolate and wine!

Micro-Winery Collective Open House at Inspiration — Santa Rosa: 11:00am - 5:00pm
These wineries don’t have public tasting rooms. This is a special opportunity for you to try and buy wines from seven uniquely different wineries, each with their own winemaker present to tell you their stories and introduce you to their wines.

Fundrasier for the Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue at Marimar Estate — Sebastopol: 6:00pm - 9:00pm
Tapas, wine, and an education booth run by Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue

Tuesday, February 7

Tasting Tuesdays at Willi’s Wine Bar — Santa Rosa: 4:00pm - 05:30pm
This week’s guest is Jesse Inman of August Briggs Wines.

Friday, February 10

Roche Winemaker Dinner at Sheraton Sonoma County — Petaluma: 6:30pm - 09:00pm
This “Pre-Spring Fling” Winemaker Dinner is open to the public, however, advanced reservations and RSVP are required.

Saturday, February 11

Reds & Romance Weekend at Dutton Goldfield — Sebastopol: 10:00am - 04:30pm
Featuring Dutton Goldfield Winery‘s luscious red wines, including single-vineyard Pinots from the amazing 2009 vintage. A special sweet treat awaits you as well.

Bring Your Sweetheart! at Deerfield Ranch Winery — Kenwood: 10:30am – 4:30pm
Deerfield Ranch Wines paired with Robert’s handcrafted chocolate truffles.

Culinary Romance: Valentine’s Weekend at Bella Vineyards — Healdsburg: 11:00am – 4:30pm
Bring your special valentine and bask in the elegant ambiance of our wine cave as you explore the culinary side of romance.

Sweet 116 at the Wineries of 116 — Sebastopol: 11:00am – 4:00pm
Enjoy decadent treats and delicious wines at six wineries along Highway 116 near Sebastopol.

Valentine Library Wine Flight at Skewis Wines — Healdsburg: 11:00am – 4:00pm
We have a special tasting planned for Valentine’s weekend; a single vineyard, vertical tasting from our private wine library.

Miette Pastries at J Vineyards — Healdsburg: 12:00pm – 4:00pm
Head over to J Vineyards and Winery and enjoy tasty treats prepared by Executive Chef Mark E. Caldwell from the Miette, San Francisco’s most charming pastry shop.

Tasting Room Grand Opening at Karah Estate/Windy Hill — Cotati: 12:00pm – 5:00pm
Come to the grand opening of the new Karah Estate tasting room and enjoy a free tasting, plus its panoramic view of the Petaluma Gap!

A Zin Affair to Remember at DeLoach Vineyards — Santa Rosa: 1:00pm – 4:00pm
Vertical Zinfandel tastings, gourmet chocolate, local artisan cheeses, live music and more!

Sunday, February 12

Reds & Romance Weekend at Dutton Goldfield — Sebastopol: 10:00am - 04:30pm
Featuring Dutton Goldfield Winery‘s luscious red wines, including single-vineyard Pinots from the amazing 2009 vintage. A special sweet treat awaits you as well.

Bring Your Sweetheart! at Deerfield Ranch Winery — Kenwood: 10:30am – 4:30pm
Deerfield Ranch Wines paired with Robert’s handcrafted chocolate truffles.

Culinary Romance: Valentine’s Weekend at Bella Vineyards — Healdsburg: 11:00am – 4:30pm
Bring your special valentine and bask in the elegant ambiance of our wine cave as you explore the culinary side of romance.

Valentine Library Wine Flight at Skewis Wines — Healdsburg: 11:00am – 4:00pm
We have a special tasting planned for Valentine’s weekend; a single vineyard, vertical tasting from our private wine library.

Love and Meritage Blending Party at Topel Tasting Room — Healdsburg: 1:00pm – 4:00pm
Topel winemaker Marcus Topel will pair up with KRSH Radio’s Ziggy Eschliman, best known as Ziggy – The Wine Gal, to guide friends (with or without benefits) and lovers through the wine blending process.

Wine Lover’s Event at Mounts Family Winery — Healdsburg: 1:00pm – 4:00pm
Indulge yourself with a wine, cheese & chocolate Pairing and try pre-release Petite Sirah, Malbec and Zinfandel. RSVP required.

Looking Forward

Don’t forget the 7th Annual Int’l Alsace Festival coming up on February 18 in Boonville. There will be an Int’l Alsace Varietals Festival Technical Conference a Grand Tasting and a Winemakers Dinner. I’ve attended this event before and really enjoyed it.

This article is by Fred Swan for Simple Hedonisms. Photograph ©Igor Prole, used under license. All rights reserved.

By Tracy Logan

February and Valentine’s Day are almost here and I note that there are a number of cool, romantic events at our Wine Road member wineries and lodging specials to celebrate the Most Romantic of All Months &  Holidays.  Book a trip here and your wintertime blues will disappear; with something fun to look forward to, the grey days will slip by…and if, perchance, you do not currently have a Romantic Someone, coming up here will introduce you to new opportunities, fun and people.  After all, Wine Road IS the most romantic place I know- roaring fireplaces, cozy nooks, brisk-snappy-breath-misting air, wine, great food, comfortable accommodations at lovely properties, friendly wineries, wine, world-class and Healdsburg-class restaurants, wine, scenic vineyards, open land and spaces, wine….and some cool specials and spiffy events!

The Rodney Strong Wine & Chocolate Fantasy 2012 comes your way 2.4.12:

The word fantasy describes best this event. If you love wine and/or chocolate your fantasy will come true! The barrel room is transformed into a beautiful series of halls and rooms, featuring wine and chocolate and chocolate and wine! Our three single vineyard cabernets will be featured and the live music and savory appetizers are sure to please. This is a “bucket list” event not to be missed.

The photos from past years depict a Bacchanalia for chocolate and wine lovers:

How’s about the Amphoradisiac Dinner at Amphora:

February 11, 2012: 5th Annual Amphoradisiac Valentine’s Dinner

Join Amphora Winery  for a romantic evening in the cellar as we enjoy a multi-course feast prepared by Chef Martin Courtman accompanied by gems from the Amphora wine library. White tablecloths, candlelight, roses…you get the idea!

 A Zin Affair To Remember at DeLoach

Six Romantic Wineries: Sweet 116

Or how about beings sweet (1) 16 all over again?

Or Geyser Peak’s romantic Crab Feast…..You will LOVE it; crabs fear it!

Or Corks at Russian River Vineyards Valentine Dinner….

And what says “romance” better than the Kendall-Jackson Gumbo Smack-down?

Skewis- always planning for romance:

We’re planning to offer a special tasting from our library over Valentine’s weekend, 11th and 12th. The flight will be $20, four wines, single vineyard Pinot Noir.

Valentine’s Weekend at Truett- Hurst:

1)  Release of the 2011 Zinfandel Rose!  2) Live music by Bobbie Jo Valentine, 3) Chocolate and Savory snacks paired with the wines

Topel’s Fourth Annual Love & Meritage Blending Party with Winemaker Marcus Topel, Ziggy the Wine Gal,  you and your sweetie for a true affair to remember…. 2.12.12, 1pm- reservations required.

Lodging

And now, perchance to dream…where are you going to stay? Romantic Specials!

Vintage Towers Valentine Special!

February 10 and 11 ONLY — Book any room and receive a free bouquet of fresh cut flowers for your sweetheart FREE! This promotion must be mentioned at time of booking to be valid.

And what about the romantic power of President’s Day?!  Hail to the Chief, Dawn Ranch:

Dawn Ranch President’s Day Weekend Special
Stay two nights and get the third night free! Poolside, Roadside, or Redwood cabins are $249 or upgrade to a Chalet with a sitting room & gas stove fireplace for $50. Package includes a $50 gift certificate for dinner at the Agriculture Bar & Kitchen as well as a $20 gift certificate to use for breakfast on Saturday & Sunday. Valid February 16-20, 2012

Romance your Valentine at the Jenner Inn
Stay at the Jenner Inn and enjoy all that west Sonoma County has to offer, walk on the beach with your loved one, relax in one of our rooms with a hot tub while you absorb the magnificent view of where the Russian River and Pacific Ocean meet. Have Champagne and a box of chocolate waiting in your room on arrival – $60 over room rate. This is good from Thursday February 9th through Monday February 21st

Camellia Inn- Chocolates and Romance!

The Camellia Inn Un-Valentines Day Package  - Celebrating Girlfriends for Valentines Day
Well, not all of us can have a special someone every Valentines Day. Why not get away to the Wine Country to celebrate with your other significant: your girlfriends. Package price includes two bottles of wine, microwave popcorn and hot chocolate, foot fizzers and bath melts, chocolates and movies and board games. This package is based on two to seven girlfriends. An accommodation at the Camellia Inn’s All Seasons Vacation Suites cottages for $309  per night – a savings of more than $100.

Chocolate Covered Valentines Getaway at the  Camellia Inn
A chocolate adventure at a great price from Sunday, Feb. 12 to Tuesday, Feb. 14. Chocolate afternoon treats, evening chocolate port,  gourmet chocolates, chocolate for breakfast (other things too), chocolate and  wine pairing adventure, self-guided chocolate shop tour, a romantic dinner for two with chocolate dessert,  chocolate soap, a gift each night including a bottle of  wine and three nights in a King room with fireplace and two-person whirlpool tub. $950 including taxes – Savings of more than  $150.

Here’s looking at you, kids.

TR

My Wine Time with TR blog.

My Twitter.

Once upon a time, Simple Hedonisms used to be a great resource for Wine Country events. Eventually, time demands diminished that, although it used to be one of the most actively read features, and I even invested some dollars in a fancy calendar app that never took. Fred Swan, of NorCal Wine, one of my favorite blogs, has been doing a great job on weekly and monthly events.

With two big life changes starting for me (will try and leak those out tomorrow) there is no hope of Simple Hedonisms resuming that task, nor compete with Fred. He has graciously agreed to guest post articles. I have also asked him in each to try to link back to other  interesting articles. Fred does the creative writing and wine journalism I had always aspired to but never had time, and that so few of the other bloggers and writers do. I can’t recommend his work to the wine enthusiast enough.

Please welcome Fred, and his contributions on his site, and excerpts here.

Eight Big Wine Events to Look for in Early 2012

(excerpted from 10 Big Wine Events to Look Forward to in Early 2012)

As many people are looking forward to a spending this weekend at home with family and friends, there aren’t a lot of wine events. So, with the New Year just around the corner, this week’s event article is focused on iconic events you can look forward to for the first four months of 2012.

These are the big ones. They are the multi-day events that wine lovers build their schedules around. Some sell out fast. Others offer early-bird discounts. Consider buying tickets now or as soon as they come available.

Bring Out the Barrel — Placerville: January 29 – 30, 2012
Enjoy barrel tasting of El Dorado wines and go on a winery scavenger hunt. Be the first to taste the upcoming wine releases.

International Alsace Varietals Festival — Boonville (Anderson Valley, Mendocino County): February 18, 2012
This annual festival celebrates Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Gewurtztraminer, Muscat and Riesling with three excellent events. a Technical Conference, a Grand Tasting and a Winemakers Dinner. Everybody knows how good Anderson Valley Pinot Noir is. Learn about the AVA’s other specialty.

Paso Robles Rhone Rangers — Paso Robles: February 19, 2012
The Paso Robles chapter of the Rhone Rangers invite you to a Seminar and Winemaker Lunch followed by a Grand Tasting and Silent Auction. This is a good opportunity to gain a good understanding of how different parts of the big Paso Robles AVA differ with respect to Rhone-variety wines.

Premiere Napa Valley — Napa Valley: February 23 – 25, 2012 *Trade only*
Napa Valley opens its door to the global wine trade in this annual event. There’s a three-vintage tasting of many Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot wines, tasting of special lots and then a big auction where those lots are sold. Many individuall wineries have associated events too.

Behind the Cellar Door — Plymouth: March 3 – 4, 2012
You tasted the El Dorado barrels. Now you’ve got to try those from Amador as its wineries open their doors for food, fun, music and tasting.

A Weekend Celebration of American Rhones — San Francisco: March 24 – 25, 2012
The annual Rhone Rangers tasting is always a really good event. It combines a big Grand Tasting (Sunday) with interesting seminars and a Winemaker Dinner/Live Auction. This year the seminars include a rare wines tasting, a pairing of Rhone wines and bacon, and a survey of Syrah from various American regions.

Hospice du Rhone — Paso Robles: Aprill 27 – 29, 2012
Hospice du Rhone is the biggest and best festival in the world devoted to Rhone-variety wines. There are 5 excellent seminars, a Tavel rosé lunch, an auction lunch (always big fun!) and two massive tastings. If you like Rhone-varietal wines — be they from France, Australia, California or Washington — HdR is the place to be.

Passport to Dry Creek Valley — Dry Creek Valley wineries: April 28 – 29, 2012
This event is perhaps the king of the regional passports. Two days and 50+ wineries in beautiful Dry Creek. This event always sells out fast. Order your tickets as soon as the online sales start at 10am on February 1 (seriously).

Related Articles:

Wine Events for the Weekend, January 27 – 29

Top Picks in 2009 Bordeaux from the Union des Grands Crus Tasting in San Francisco

My mantra that Wine Tasting events must evolve remains steadfast, as I have written numerous times.  (See Wine Tasting Events Must Evolve, Taste of Mendocino June 13th, A Fresh Unique Format.)

In the ongoing competition of events, organizations need to evolve what they offer consumers. Likewise, for small wineries to survive, they can not simply continue to pour dozens of bottles of wine at events, without some level of ROI, beyond brand recognition.

Thanks to the concept of custom crush, where winemaking facilities can be shared, the advent of virtual, microwineries continues to grow. Yet if these wineries don’t have normal hours, how does one get to taste, and purchase these handmade (often hand bottled, labelled) true artisan, very small lot wines?

The state of California does not make premise wine sales very easy, but the industry and technology continues to evolve to facilitate wine tasting combined with sales.

One of these events is occurring Feb 4th in Santa Rosa.

Micro-Winery Collective Open House at Inspiration Custom Crush

Many wineries now share their facilities with other small winemakers. This win win arrangement allows them to faster recoup their large capital investment, and simultaneously allows new, small wineries to get started without the capital investment up front, albeit at a higher production cost per bottle.

Inspiration Vineyards, itself a micro-winery producing ~1000 cases a year, is one of these facilities. Under its roof, Jon Philips has other wineries making wine. These small vintners have no tasting room, and sell by appointment only, and to restaurants.

Taste Small Lot Wines You Can’t Normally Try or Buy

Feb 4th, from 11 am to 5 pm, you will be able to try and buy these wineries.

• Colagrossi Wines
• Inspiration Vineyards A little Inspiration makes every day a celebration.
• Little Red Vineyard
• Premonition Cellars
• Simple Math Cellars …right place, right time…
• Two Shepherds Unique Rhone Wines that Express Their Sense of Place
• Wesley Ashley Wines Wine with a soul

Ticket Price Includes Wine Purchase Credits

The event features small bites to go along with the wines, and Ultra Crepes, one of my favorite food trucks will be on hand.

Tickets in advance are $20, but come with $10 credit towards wine purchase, and $5 towards food, reducing your cost for the event to a mere $5.

You may purchase tickets online at: http://inspirationvineyards.eventbrite.com/

Don’t miss the great opportunity to taste wines you can’t normally!

I can’t think of a better gift you can buy tonight or tomorrow to put in a stocking or under the tree: Seminar passes to two of my most beloved wine events of the year: Hospice du Rhone and the Rhone Rangers March Grand Weekend.

If you  have a loved one that lives in the Bay Area or Paso Robles, is already into wine, or keen to learn a lot more, these two weekend events, and their seminars, are an amazing experience.

Hospice du Rhone – 20 Year Anniversary. April 26-28

You will here me gush more as this event gets closer. Held every in Paso Robles, this event is a complete immersion of Rhone education of tastings, pairings, and seminars. This years event looks like it will trump all others. HdR is different from the Rhone Rangers event in a number of ways, one being its focus on International as well as domestic producers. Its a global event, literally.

The Seminars usually are not sold a la carte, and this is only the second year, and in limited quantities. Seminars so far are:

Seminar One: Why Spain (continues to) Rock!

Seminar Two: The Return of the Bionic Frog

• Christophe Baron of Cayuse will take us through his wines of Walla Walla, Washington.

Seminar Three: A Collective Quest

• Pierre Gaillard, Yves Cuilleron and Francois Villard take the stage to share their wines of Les Vins de Vienne

Seminar Four: Research, Revelations and the Art of Being Different

• Chester Osborn of d’Arenberg, Australia will take the guests on an in depth tasting and discussion of his wines and research.

These seminars are $155 a piece. Or show them you REALLY love them and but the whole weekend experience, seminars and tastings, for $795

Tickets and info are here.

The Rhone Rangers: A Weekend Celebration of American Rhones. March 24-25th

Each year Fans of American Rhone wines gather for the  Annual Rhone Rangers San Francisco Tasting.

This event has grown in scope and success and is the largest American Rhone wine event in the country. Over 2,000 consumers and members of the trade  attend for the opoortunity to taste over 500 of the best American Rhone wines from more than 100 Rhone Rangers member wineries.

While many think of the event as just the Ft Mason Grand tasting, its actually evolved into  two days with three seminars, a winemaker dinner, the Grand Tasting, and a live and silent auction. Tickets can be purchased a la carte, or for the best pricing use the weekend daytime events pass.

SEMINAR #1: RARE WINES, COME TASTE THE UNUSUAL, Saturday, March 24, 2012, $45/ticket

SEMINAR #2: WINE & SWINE, A PAIRING OF RHONE VARIETIES WITH BACON, Saturday, March 24, 2012 $65/ticket

SEMINAR #3: AMERICAN SYRAH FROM A VARIETY OF REGIONS, Sunday, March 25, 2012, 11 AM, Fort Mason $55/ticket 

Tickets information and purchase is here.

Happy Holidays and Rhone On!!

Related Articles:

Part 4 of “The 12 Days of Wine Christmas” A gadget for geeks and tasting rooms – Vinassure Wine Preservation System

Part 3 of the “12 Days of Wine Christmas” THE Instant, Perfect, Holiday Gift: Wine Road Winter Wineland Tickets

Part Two of the ’12 Days of Wine Christmas” – Cork Fabric Gifts

Part 1 of “The 12 Days of Wine Christmas” – Why not Wine? Some Gift Pack Suggestions

Also:

Rhone Rangers San Francisco Grand Tasting – A Complete Rhone Weekend, not just a Tasting. 

A Rhone Event Like No Other – Hospice du Rhone April 29-30 Paso Robles (OR – The French are Coming!)

Post By Tracy Logan

As my children have become adults, I have more-or-less stopped being the traditional Ms. Santa Claus, and even this morning, the eve of Christmas Eve, am still pondering just those perfect gifts for the special friends and loved ones in my life.  Amazon warned me two days back that it was pretty much ix-nay on timing for Christmas delivery unless I hurried it up.

So,  Holiday Procrastinators, appear to be thoughtful Plan-A- Headers by purchasing the perfect, instant gift, one that you can give and share with enthusiasm: tickets to our 20th Anniversary Winter Wineland.  Easy to purchase, instant in delivery, and you can go along, too. The proverbial “Gift that Keeps on Giving the Whole Year”- and no, I do not mean the Jelly of the Month Club, Randy Quaid.

A trip up to Wine Road for Winter Wineland continues Christmas and the Holidays right into January 2012!

Wrap it up, Wine Road!

Here’s looking at you, kids.

TR

Dane Cellars Santa in "Floods"

The Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Association “Wine Market – Holiday Edition” proved to be a great opportunity to taste from 27 wineries in one place, including small producers not open to the public. Here you could taste, then purchase unique wines at fantastic savings. Excellent food tastings, and food-wine pairing advice was available from local Sommeliers  – in Santa hats no less.  Last not least, you could speak with the winemakers … and see what characters they can be!

Santa in Floods? Bart Hansen, winemaker at Dane Cellars, says he spends most of the year in Bermuda shorts. When Sonoma temps hit 75’ F on December 2, he rolled out to the event in his special Santa Floods.  The Dane Cellars Clarksburg 2009 Chenin Blanc he poured is richer bodied than a Sauvignon Blanc, making it a was a good wine for a sunny winter day and a perfect match for the Truffle Mac ‘n Cheese served up by the girl and the fig.

Santa Sommeliers. What is a sommelier (so-mel-yay)? A “Somm,” or wine steward, is a trained and knowledgeable wine professional specializing in all aspects of wine service as well as wine and food matching.  Three certified Somms in Santa hats roamed the floor at the “Wine Market – Holiday Edition” event, helping guests with wine advice, pairing, and directing them to wine specials.

Eric Ross "Struttin' Red"

Cocky Wine: Eric Ross 2010 Struttin’ Red

Eric Luce, winemaker at label Eric Ross, invites you to taste his red blend of the year. 2010 is a unique blend of Tempranillo, Old Vine Zin and Petite Sirah. It screams out for a really good Cheeseburger. Failing to find any cheeseburgers, this wine was great with the Truffle Gateau chocolates featured at the Market.

Consumers have many benefits to gain from a single-location event like this. To name a few:

1. Access unique fine wines and local cuisine
2. Lower prices on quality wines
3. Remove the driving around from a wine-tasting outing – all the wines and food, all in one place
4. Access to *Santa Sommeliers* to advise on matching foods with the wines you like
5. Buy where you taste and take your wine home with you!

I had a conversation with Christopher Sawyer, Somm at Carneros Bistro in Sonoma. I asked Chris how one should go about pairing up wines with a meal. “First of all, the method should be reversed. Decide your menu, then match the wine to it.”  OK, I said, then to break the rules a bit, let’s say I’ve got a Zinfandel from Haywood Winery, which is pouring here today. Chris suggests, “This is a supple, medium body Zinfandel that gives you a lot of flexibility with the food pairing. Game. Duck. Spicy pork with compote on the side. Strip steak. And of course Ribs will go well with Zin.”

Christopher Sawyer "Santa Sommelier"

Wines of note:

Eric Ross 2010 Marsanne-Roussane. Your guests will appreciate when you serve this unique white. Winemaker Eric Luce blends two grapes from the famed SaraLee’s Vineyard in Russian River Valley to make a wine in the Rhone style that everyone’s talking about.  Full-bodied, food-ready, and a great under-$30 wine to diversify your palate.  It paired with the Truffle Mac ‘n Cheese and I would recommend it with any cheese.

Dane Cellars 2007 Jackknife Cabernet Sauvignon. When you are looking for full-flavored, medium-bodied Cab, the Jackknife is a great choice. From a vineyard high above Sonoma Valley, with volcanic soils and generous late afternoon sun, this wine explodes with fruit and complex flavors. Sommelier Sawyer says:  “With a medium-bodied cab like Dane Cellars’ Jackknife you have more flexibility in your menu – you can pair with red meat or you can go with a bigger fish such as sturgeon or tuna prepared with a soy sauce.”

Pip 2010 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay.  Undecided between oaked and unoaked? You can’t go wrong with this under $20 wine from Dunstan, from famed Durrell Vineyards blended with nearby grapes, then aged in 1/3 neutral oak and 2/3 stainless steel.  The resulting Chardonnay will please both the oaked and unoaked taste, as the neutral oak imparts lovely vanilla aromas and softness while the stainless steel defines the varietal character and imparts a crisp finish.  Another great match for the Truffle Mac ‘n Cheese.

Abigail Zimmerman of Annadel Estate Wines

Best new wine find: 

Annadel Estate 2008 Anni’s Blend is an instantly memorable red wine that’s also easy to pair with food.  I got rich fruit medleys and a velvety mouth feel from this blend of 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 10% Cab Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. For a Cab-Merlot blend like this, you could even serve it with a Mac & Cheese dish with toasted walnuts and mushrooms, according to Sommelier Sawyer.  The adjacent “Coppa & Apple Mostarda on Foccacia” from Estate went well.  Annadel Estate Winery is the effort of a family who are restoring an 1880’s vineyard estate in the region. Expect to hear more about their wines soon.

There were many more varietals and examples of great winemaking available for taste. I can’t cover them all here. See what you missed and check back soon for upcoming events at the Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Alliance website.

On my Christmas wishlist: http://www.platsdujour.net/

What better way to get into the Holiday Spirit than to spend the day being treated like royalty by 25 Wineries in Healdsburg.

Its the Second Annual Wine’d Up!

Wine club members at any one of the participating wineries get to be a Wine Club member of the others, that day only. What a great way to taste, discover, and buy wines, at a club price.

Become a fan of Wine’d Up on Facebook!

Follow the fun on Twitter by using, following Hashtag #winedup

Not a Wine Club Member? Enter to Be One for The Day

Well, first you could/should consider joining one. I am a big proponent of wine clubs, as I wrote in Wine Clubs – A Review of Different Types and Benefits.

Simple Hedonisms and Thumbprint Cellars will give four lucky couples tickets for the day. TWO ways to win. Enter BOTH ways, to double your chances.

(1) In comments, tell us which winery below you would pick to be a wine club member of and why. Or if you are a wine club member – why. You can gift your tickets if you win, as you obviously can already attend.

(2) Sign up for an email subscription, for Simple Hedonisms. Its fast, free, secure, and takes only a minute. In the top right, simply enter your email address, go to your Inbox and click confirm on the verification link, and you are entered. (Non verified subscriptions won’t be entered.)

Featured Winery Offers for Wine’d Up

When you check in and start, you will be given a card with detail from each winery. Below are highlights of some of the offers.

Davis Family Vineyards

• 20% off all wines
• In addition to the 6 wines that are part of the  tasting we will be pouring from large formats as well.
• Will be doing a cheese & truffle pairing with truffles from  Truffle Gateaux.
• We are also offering a gift with a 6 bottle + purchase.

Windsor Vineyards

• Foi Gras and Water Chestnut Stuffed Mushrooms with Blanc De Noir and Persimmon Drizzle Paired with the 2007 Windsor Blanc de Noirs Carneros
• Crab and Shrimp Crustini paired with 2010 Windsor Chardonnay Evelyn Parrish Vineyard
• Handmade Lamb Sausage with dried cranberries and pistachio nuts with whole grain mustard sauce paired with 2009 Windsor Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County
• We will be offering a selection of holiday gifts, stemware, wine accessories, clothing, wine and more:
• 30% family discount on all purchases for Wine Club Members
• 20% discount on wine purchases only for event participants
• Complimentary glass of bubbles when you refer a friend to the club

See Everyone Sunday,

Participating Wineries

Bluenose Wines
Davis Family Vineyards
Downtown Wine
Edmeades
Garagiste Healdsburg
Hart’s Desire
Hauck Cellars
Hawley
J Keverson
Kelley & Young
Kendall Jackson
La Crema
Longboard
Murphy Goode
Portalupi
Roadhouse
Sadler-Wells
Sapphire Hill
Selby
Shippey Vineyards
Toad Hollow
Topel
Willowbrook
Windsor Vineyards

One of my favorite things about the holiday season? All the wine events, specials, bundles and promotions. You need wine for your table, entertaining, and if you have lucky friends, for gifts.

Regular followers will recall my ongoing mantra about wine events needing to evolve.  I am sick of big wine walk around tastings with 500 wines to try,  and I am  getting over driving all over the place for bracelet events. Oddly, many wine regions DON”T do a walk around tasting (Dry Creek Valley did a great one once, and stopped.)

An ideal, interesting event: Gather wineries together in a modest size in one place, let me taste the wines AND if I like them, BUY them. Ideally, be able to take them home right away, but for some reason the ABC seems to think that is evil…even though I can go to Safeway and fill up my cart. Unless you have a special permit, or are on property like Ft Mason that is Federal, not State.

Introducing the Sonoma Valley Wine Market (And Save $10!)

At this unique venue, you’ll have unprecedented access to over 35 Sonoma Valley wineries all in one place. Gathered together are some of Sonoma Valley’s most celebrated wineries – many small production or closed to the public – for an opportunity taste and purchase new releases, special collections and hard-to-find vintages.

Enjoy special wine and holiday food pairings prepared by El Dorado Kitchen, ESTATE, Santé, the girl + the fig and Truffle Gateau while learning about holiday meal planning and pairing from sommeliers: Christopher Sawyer, Gillian Balance and James Dick.

Wine Country Photo Booths will be there to capture festive pictures owhile you enjoy the event. Plus, you can  have your wine purchases packed and shipped to your home by Premier Wine Shipping. Start your holiday celebrations in true Sonoma style at Sonoma Valley Wine Market!

Tickets are only $35 a piece, less than a day of Tasting Room Fees and lunch! Event is 12-4 this Saturday December 3rd at the Sonoma Veterans Memorial Hall.

Purchase tickets at: https://tickets.sonomavalleywine.com/mainstore.asp?vid=2

Use promo code LOCALS and save $10 off of the regular ticket price!

For those treasure seekers looking for something a bit more rare like large format bottles or hard to find verticals, go to the online auction at www.SonomaValleyWineMarket.BiddingForGood.com

Enter Two Different Way to Win Tickets

(1) Tell us your favorite participating winery, from below and why (or your favorite wine from them.) In comments below.

(2) Subscribe to Simple Hedonisms email updates. Emails are secure, never shared or spammed, and you only receive an email when we post a new article or review.

Look in  the top right hand corner to subscribe. You must complete  registration, which means clicking the link in the verification email. Its painless and takes less than two minutes!

Contest ends at 330 sharp Friday Dec 2nd! Watch for updates. If your name isn’t posted in comments on Simple Hedonisms, you didn’t win, but you can still use the discount code to save $10!

Simple Hedonisms will be there live covering, cheers!

Wineries Include

• Akóma Zoúme at Mountain Terraces Vineyard
• Annadel Estate Winery
• Beltane Ranch
• Bennett Valley Cellars
• BR Cohn Winery
• Canihan Family Wines
• Charles Creek Vineyards
• Chateau St. Jean Winery
• CLARBEC Wine
• Dane Cellars
• DUNSTAN Wines
• Eric K. James Vineyards
• Eric Ross Vineyards & Winery
• Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards
• Gundlach Bundschu Winery
• Hamel Family Wines
• Haywood Estate Winery
• Idell Family Vineyards
• Larson Family Winery
• Mulas Family Vineyards
• Muscardini Cellars
• R2 Wine Company
• Roessler Cellars
• Stone Edge Farm
• Three Sticks Wines
• Tin Barn Vineyards
• Westerhold Family Vineyards

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Wine Tasting Events Must Evolve

Taste of Mendocino June 13th, A Fresh Unique Format

I was hooked on Artisano when I attended the first event 2 years ago and look forward to the third. This year the event moves from Geyserville Inn (which I really liked) to the Vintners Inn, in Santa Rosa. (Which I can’t complain about, since its very close by!)

This events features small wine producers, whom at time of selection do not have a public tasting room, so this is a chance to taste wines you can’t just walk into anywhere. I have discovered great vintners like Skewis, Skipstone, and Duxoup in previous years. Faves like Cartograph and Stark are to be found this year.

Wineries:

Acorn, Capture, Cartograph, PreVail, De Novo, Skipstone, Stark, Reynoso and Pech Merle.

Restaurants:

Affronti, Dry Creek Kitchen, Diavola, Estate, Jackson’s, John Ash, Mugnaini Wood Fired Pizza, Petite Syrah, Spoonbar and Girl & The Fig.

PLUS: Achadinha Goat Cheese, Bellwether Farms, Bleating Heart Chesese, Dry Creek Peach and Produce, Delice de la Vallee, Jim town Store, Laura Chenel, Marin French Cheese, Redwood Hill, Salt Side Down Chocolates, Skipstone Ranch, Sonoma Chocolatiers and Terra Sonoma. Oh and Bear Republic offers up beer.

In addition to wine and food tastings, the Grand Tasting includes chef demonstrations by John Toulze of The Girl & the Fig, Brian Anderson from Bistro 29 and Shelly Kaldunski, author ofCupcakes, The Art of the Cookie; as well as a silent auction, raffle, several of the region’s premier artists, and live music courtesy of The Susan Comstock Swingtet. 

Tickets and Info

Artisano’s full weekend of activities includes a WINEMAKER DINNER on Friday evening at John Ash & Co. Restaurant (tickets no longer available), and a HARVEST DINNER on Saturday evening at John Ash & Co.

Tickets are available online for $65 in advance or $75 at the door, if they don’t sell out prior.

Tickets and information are available here: http://www.artisano.org/index.html

Simple Hedonisms will be there, hope to see you too!

The event is a benefit for Slow Food Sonoma County, with a portion of the revenue going to help School Garden Projects in Cloverdale, Geyserville, Healdsburg, Windsor and Santa Rosa.

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Artisano – Slow Food meets Wine Country