Simple Hedonisms

Posts Tagged ‘wine tasting’

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!

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/

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

 Related Articles

Wine Tasting Events Must Evolve

Taste of Mendocino June 13th, A Fresh Unique Format

I have been writing and vocalizing regularly these last few months that Wine Tasting events are going through an evolution. With more and more wineries and associations holding events, organizers are seeking ways to stand out and be unique. This is especially true for the ‘walk around’ tasting format where many producers are under one roof pouring for consumers walking around, such as the many Fort Mason events.

The Evolution of Wine Tasting Events

As someone who attends and covers a wide range of events, both as media and consumer, and who organizes many as well, I feel there are two themes that must emerge:

Smaller, more focused tastings:

The lines of people 4 deep waving their glasses like baby birds demanding food begats little in my opinion. As a consumer (or worse, Media) it means that there is no chance for meaningful dialog with the producer. (Unless you are one of the mannerless that hog the table irregardless.)

As a producer, you may think its great to pour for this many people, but you aren’t leaving an impression with many, but simply doling out ‘juice’.  More is not always better, there needs to be a balance. Being able to successfully target enthusiastic, interested consumers, eager to learn and experience,  instead of just party goers, is a key part of success as well.

A chance to buy, right away, a wine the consumer likes:

Evolutions in handheld and mobile Point of Sale systems (POS) are enabling this, and doing well at events like the San Francisco Vintners Market, the upcoming Taste of Mendocino and more. Many wineries are very small, have limited production and sales distribution. Paying for shipping is a proven barrier to consumer sales. If I loved a taste of something I tried, especially from a remote winery, why NOT buy it then and there. Its only logical.

As a new Board member of the Rhone Rangers, I keenly set my sights on this enabler. The usual challenge and expense of ABC licenses add expense & paperwork, but this evolution is coming, and is beneficial to the local artisan and the economy.

Many consumers are not aware, but these events are expensive, especially for a small winery. They carry the cost of table fees, travel, lodging, and the many bottles of wine they pour. If a winery can sell enough wine to cover their costs, that makes the ROI much more palatable, instead of trying to justify only the ‘soft’ benefits of pouring my wine to new consumers. If they can actually make some money – bingo! After all, winemaking isn’t a non profit venture, although it can sometime feels like it!

Voila – The Vinify Wine Collective Tasting

This Saturday, Vinify Wine Services, a custom crush facility located in Santa Rosa that houses boutique winemakers  from Sonoma County is offering a unique event. Their member wineries, who produce wines from highly acclaimed vineyards all over the North Coast , representing over 12 varietals and 40+ finished wines, will be holding a special tasting, that exemplifies what I just discussed.

These are small, artisan producers, many of whom have no tasting room and limited distribution. At this event, not only can you taste their wines, but you can walk out the door (after you pay) with your favorites.  Some of these are culty producers with waiting lists, others are new emerging stars.

$25 lets you experience these wines, and take home a Riedel Burgundy glass. A variety of cheese & other nibbles will also be available. I attended this event last year, and was impressed, look forward this tasting with great anticipation. Click here for more information, and tickets. Space is limited.  See you there!

Producers Include:

• Baker Lane
• Bjornstad Cellars
• Lattanzio Winery
• Sojourn Cellars
• Westerhold Family Vineyards
• Calluna Vineyard
• Jemrose Vineyard
• Barbed Oak Vineyards
• Argot Wines
• Desmond Wines
• Frostwatch Vineyard and Winery
• Olson Ogden Wines
• Gracianna Winery
• Vaughn Duffy Wines
• Audelssa Estate Winery
• Wren Hop Vineyards & Winery
• Super Sonoman Wines
• Kanzler Vineyards

Related articles:

Mendocino Wine Region – My Growing Love Affair & Weekend Tour; Taste of Mendocino June 13th, A Fresh Unique Format

You’ve seen the classy black and red Riedel cartons at kitchenware retail. They have an elite aura and great appeal as gifts. But do you know the story behind them? The Riedel name and family has been synonymous with glassware for over 250 years and 11 generations.  But it wasn’t until the 1960’s that the company began to focus in earnest on fine wine glasses.  A handmade Sommeliers series was launched in 1973, introducing for the first time a revolutionary concept: that glass size and shape directly affects the wine inside.

The current generation, Georg Riedel, took the idea further by developing “varietal-specific” glasses to enhance individual wine varietals. Today, Riedels’ Vinum glasses are machine-made, making varietal-specific tasting more affordable and accessible to wine lovers everywhere.

Riedel Tasting @Trione Vineyards & Winery

I participated in a Riedel seminar recently at Trione Winery in Geyserville, CA.  Trione produces fine wines from the Alexander Valley and Russian River Valley of northern Sonoma county. The Trione portfolio is perfect for the Riedel tasting experience. Each of vintner Scot Covingtons’ wines is true to it’s varietal character while showing consistent quality and structure. Scot makes a Trione Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet, matching the 4-glass Vinum set.

Tasting Presentation

Each place at the tasting table was set with 4 wine glasses, a water glass and a plastic “Joker” glass.  The 4 glasses comprise Riedel’s Vinum set:

• Bordeaux/Cabernet
• Burgundy/Pinot Noir
• Sauvignon Blanc/Dessert Wine
• Montrachet/Chardonnay

Through a series of tasting wines matched and mis-matched to their glasses, and in plastic (ick), the group of tasters became converts to the science of varietal glassware.

Wine Delivery System

Riedel speaks of a glass as a complete wine delivery system. The Chardonnay glass delivered the pure fruit, refreshing acidity, light oak, and warm finish of the Trione Russian River Valley Chardonnay.  The wide rim and deep bowl harmonizes these four strong characteristics into a balanced whole, with no one overpowering the others.  As a test, we poured some Chardonnay from its glass into a narrow Sauvignon Blanc glass.  The oak had no room to breathe, and the taste was completely off. Same wine, completely different taste experience. And of course, when we poured Chardonnay into the Joker glass, there was virtually no aroma, and no sense of oak in the mouth.

We went through a similar ritual with the Trione Sauvignon Blanc. The Riedel glass delivered crisp fruit and yeast directly to the taste receptors from a narrow rim, narrower bowl, tall-stemmed glass (keeping the heat of the hand away from the wine).  In contrast, the Pinot Noir glass has a wide bowl with a narrower rim, bringing the fruit quickly to the top, as in “fruit forward”.  Pinot Noir in the Sauvignon Blanc glass was a real disaster. The narrow delivery system passed the wine straight through to the back of the palette where the bitter receptors are. Hard to believe it was the same wine.

We also had a lesson in decanting and cleaning of wine glasses.  Riedel recommends using no soap, rinsing wine glasses in very hot water and drying with a non-linty towel (microfiber works well). Towels can be boiled in hot water or washed without detergent to keep fragrances away from contact with the porous glass.

Find yourself a Riedel Seminar

Varietal glassware completely changed my tasting experience and awareness. I highly recommend the Riedel Seminar, and it’s also a great way to start your collection of varietal glasses. Each Riedel tasting includes the 4-glass Vinum set. To find a Riedel seminar near you, do a google search.

Better yet, come to Barrel Tasting Weekend on Sonoma’s Wine Road. Trione Winery and over 100 other wineries open their cellars and barrels for 2 weekends in March. The March 5^th Barrel Tasting weekend pass is available with a Riedel seminar (and glasses). Tickets here.

Riedel URL

Facebook

RiedelUSA on Twitter

As contributing editor Katherine Parker wrote earlier this week in her article on  Wine Goings-on in and around town of Sonoma August 7-8th, Simple Hedonisms has teamed up with the ten artisanal wineries of the Eighth Street Enclave to offer two different drawings for free tickets.

This one-day event will feature both current and new releases as well as library offerings,  barrel tastings, and food pairings. Tickets  include all food and wine plus a souvenir wine glass.  Even if you don’t win, for $30 its a heck of a value for a day out – try and have a quality date with food and wine for less than that!

1. Trivia Contest

Enter to Win a pair of tickets ($6o value) by responding in comments below to these three simple questions, which you can find by clicking on the wineries on from the main web page for Eighth Street Wineries.

1. Whats the website price for the Ty Caton 2008 The Ridge George’s Malbec?
2. What wine release from Tin Barn just won Double Gold medals at the 2010 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition 2010?
3. Name either of the two two less common white wine Rhone releases from Parmalee Hill, named after Daughters. (White Rhone wines rock, branch out!)

Submissions will not be published until after the contest winner is picked so that people can’t see each others answers. All information is secure and never shared.

A drawing at 1pm Friday August 6th will be held.

2. Second Chance to Win: Drawing from Simple Hedonisms Email Subscribers

One drawing at random for a ticket will be awarded to validated email subscribers. Not an email subsriber? Register in the top right; your email is secure, never shared per our privacy policy. You will receive a brief one sentence email summary when new blog posts come out – a great way to stay in touch with events, news, wine reviews, and tips.

This drawing will also be at 1pm this Friday.

Enjoy and Remember:

Winners and Attendees: enjoy the event and remember the four mantras of Simple Hedonisms for Wine Events:

1. Drink/taste responsibly: Ten wineries pouring 3-4 wines adds up to a lot. Consider paying that unemployed summer teen a few dollars to drive you around!
2. Dump/Spit: If you are serious about wine tasting to experience and compare wines; consider learning to use a spit cup, as industry people do, or dump regularly wine you don’t wish to consume. If you had four 1 oz tastes at two wineries, that’s already two full glasses. Its scientifically proven that your sensory analysis is  impaired; you have gone from tasting to drinking. (Which if following rule 1 is fine, have fun.)
3. Its a Business, Not a Charity: These are small wineries who stay in business by selling their product, not large corporations. Think $30 covers their costs for an event like this? Not even close. Try a wine you like, purchase a bottle to take home. Many of these wines will only be available at the winery anyway.
4. Bring a Cooler: In summer months, load up a cooler in the car with a few beverages and a place to store your purchases, even at a event like this where all wineries are close. Heat is like kryptonite to wine.

Sonoma Valley and surrounds are characterized by family-owned wineries large and small. Here are a few weekend events offering a chance to taste artisan and estate wines of some of Sonoma’s family vintners. You’ll find the winemakers on hand to answer your questions too. (Check Simple Hedonisms for tips on how to plan for a day of wine-tasting.)

8^th Street Wineries Open House

August 7 – 11:00am-4:00pm. On Saturday August 7 you can taste wines from 10 artisan wineries matched with top-notch food pairings, converse with the winemakers, even meet the winery dogs – all in one warehouse complex in Sonoma. Over the past year, Sonoma’s 8^th Street Wineries collective has grown from 8 to 10 wineries, representing at least 15 different varietals – most of them Sonoma-grown. The wineries are independently owned, most wines are limited production, and many of them are unavailable to taste – other than a at few exclusive restaurants. This bi-annual open house is a chance to experience hard-to-find wines and the unique personality of each winery warehouse. You’ll find the winemaking philosophy of each producer reflected in their workspace.

Chef John McReynolds

Doors open at 11:00am when you pick up your “Passport” and enjoy some tasting at renowned MacRostie Winery.  After visiting MacRostie, cross the street to visit 9 more wineries. Get your Passport stamped at each winery, and submit it for the wine raffle when you leave. Three names will be selected to receive 3 half-case selections from the 8^th Street Wineries.

Rosso Pizzeria will bring their wood-fired pizza oven for pairings at  Tin Barn and Kamen Estate. Sage Fine Foods of nearby Cornerstone Sonoma, and John McReynolds — chef and olive oil meister at new 8^thStreet winery Stone Edge Farms — are among the other purveyors. Each warehouse sets up their own food station, so expect some yummy surprises.

Eighth Street Wineries is an informal collective comprised of [winery/winemaker]:

• Anaba Wines /Jennifer Marion
• Enkidu Wines / Phil Staehl
• Kamen Estate Wines / Mark Herold, Katy Wilson
• MacRostie Winery and Vineyards / Steve MacRostie
• Parmelee-Hill Wines and Vineyards / Steve Hill
• Stone Edge Farms / Jeff Baker
• Talisman Wines / Scott Rich
• Three Sticks Winery / DonVan Staaveren
• Tin Barn Vineyards / Michael Lancaster
• Ty Caton Vineyards / Ty Caton

Open Warehouses at 8th Street Wineries

Many awards and accolades are attributed to this collective of wineries. For instance, Tin Barn was awarded 5 medals at this years’ San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, including a Double Gold for their 2007 Zinfandel from Russian River Valley. In recent news, new member Kamen Estate was cited in a New York Times article on California Syrah.

Current releases, new releases, library wines and barrel tastings are offered. The price of $30 per person ($20 for wine club members of any 8^th Street winery) includes tastings, pairings, and a souvenir wine glass. Parking is free and once parked, you can walk from winery to winery. Each winery will also have special discounts running this day. The most recent open house in February drew over 700 guests. I was there and can’t wait to return. The quality of the wines, enhanced by foods and conversations with the winemaking families make this a memorable experience. Come early for best selection and savory food pairings. Purchase advance tickets here.

Tip: Check back with Simple Hedonisms on Tuesday August 3rd for a contest to win free tickets!

Muscardini Cellars 5^th Annual Barrel Tasting

August 7th and 8th, 12:00-5:00pm. This year’s Barrel Tasting will be held at the Muscardini Estate ~ Monte Terra, where guests can enjoy an afternoon in the courtyard, by the koi pond and under the oaks. Tickets are a steal at $20 – including a tour of the Estate Sangiovese vineyard, live music, delectable food and wine pairings, and special wine discounts. 2009 futures from the barrel as well as current releases will be tasted. Buy tickets here.

GunBun Summer Film Festival

August 7 at 7:00pm. Saturday is Movie Night at Sonoma’s Gundlach Bundschu Estate Winery. This evening features the 1996 film Swingers. Gun Bun’s annual night under the stars features a high-energy local band at 7pm, followed by the movie at dusk. Bring a picnic and a blanket and enjoy an evening under the stars. Wines available for purchase. $10/pp advance tickets to film; $15/pp tickets at door. Buy tickets here.

Screening of Smokestack Lightening, a Day in the Life of Barbecue with Lolis Eric Eliez

Lolis Eric Eliez and Sheana Davis

August 8^th, 6:00-10:00pm. Sonoma’s own Epicurean Connection hosts an evening of food, wine, dancing to live music that is sure to be PRIMAL! Lolis Eric Elie, a New Orleans based writer and filmmaker and recognized expert on New Orleans food and culture, is the author of Smokestack Lightening: Adventures in the Heart of Barbecue Country and co-producer of the documentary based upon the book. Elie most recently joined the staff of the HBO series Treme. He also produced and wrote the PBS documentary Faubourg Treme.

Memphis Minnies, The Epicurean Connection & Wild Thyme Catering and Events will cook a Barbecue dinner. Highway 12 Winery and Vineyards & Spann Vineyards will pour their wines, and beer will be available from Moonlight Brewing Company & Uncommon Brewers. Local group The Hellhounds will play for dinner and dancing. The event will be held at Wild Thyme. Cost is $45 per person, and includes screening, dinner and dancing. Tickets are available at The Epicurean Connection, Wild Thyme & Readers’ Books in Sonoma. For more information, call 707-935-7960 or sheana@vom.com. Proceeds from this event benefit Southern Foodways Alliance.

2010 Wine Road Barrel Tasting: Article 3 of 4

It’s almost here! The first weekend of Wine Road Barrel Tasting. Yes its TWO weekends: if you live in the Bay area and love wine, plan for both weekends, at only $30 a weekend, it’s the best bargain in town! (Personally I think the price is too low, but that’s me.)

What exactly is barrel tasting?

Won’t licking barrels give me splinters?

In all seriousness, consumers can benefit in understanding the underlying premise that shapes this 32 year old Wine Road event.

(For additional insight, you may also want to reference more recent article My thoughts on Wine Road Barrel Tasting. )

What Barrel Tasting Is:

The premise of barrel tasting was to let consumers have a sneak preview to an early wine still in production, and in some cases (not all) also buy ‘Futures’ or advance sales of the future release, at a discount, or in cases of allocation, ahead of release. This is a win-win; the consumer can save substantial money on varietals or brands they buy regularly. The winery gets cash earlier in the process. Cash flow has always been key to winery operations, and certainly is as important as ever in today’s financial climate.

What Barrel Tasting Isn’t:

What it isn’t meant to be: a drunk-fest. This event obtained a bit of a reputation for being a party festival (in part to the low ticket cost); which is a shame, given its deep tradition and intent. I implore consumers to have fun, behave respectably. All in all the number of incidents are few, but it only takes one to sour everyone’s experience. This isn’t charity folks – many of the Wine Road wineries are small business, family owned, working long hours as artisans to make  a living. They are here to pour for you and to ultimately sell some wine.  Stick to Happy Hour for drinking specials and parties.  Wineries shouldn’t hesitate to promptly deal with inappropriate behavior. FYI it’s a criminal offense, that can cause them to be shut down, to serve someone who is visibly impaired. There are a few extra California Highway Patrol on duty that day for the added safety of all, for those rare outbreaks of rash behavior.

Ok, What exactly am I Tasting?

Barrel samples are unfinished wine tastes, that’s why its coming from the barrel. I have heard complaints of  ‘Its not good wine’ or ‘I don’t care for the taste.’ Look at what I just wrote – it’s unfinished. It may be nearly ready for bottling and taste familiar, it could be another year+ in barrel still.  I do encourage everyone who is learning about wine (you never stop learning by the way) to try a few,  experience it, and gain an appreciation for wine as it evolves and changes. Some wineries even do interesting things, like Kendall Jackson is, to sample the same pre-release of wine, in different barrel toasts, for comparison.  Ask the winemaker questions; don’t worry about if it may seem basic – most wine makers love to share knowledge on wine making.

I think a few samples suffices for many; don’t hesitate to skip varietals (wine types) you don’t like, dump, or spit. You aren’t offending the wine maker, if anything he knows you are more serious taster then.  So then why would I be going to wineries if I don’t try the barrel samples?

It’s ok to skip a barrel sample at some stops; all wineries are still pouring something else, and many offer food pairings and other fun activities.

‘Other’ Tips

Of course there is my usual diatribe on using a Spit Cup; both encouraging wineries to hand out, and people to use. After two winery stops, your palette is now influenced by alcohol and you are drinking, not tasting. At least dump wines you don’t like; wineries aren’t offended.

You can also consider driver services like WeDriveU, where bonded drivers drive you in your car. Similar local services can be seen posted on Craigslist (check references). For that matter, press your unemployed 18-24 year old into driving you around for a reasonable hourly rate, and buy them a $10 Wine Road DD bracelet.

Buying Futures

Not all wineries participating in Barrel Tasting sell futures. There is additional work, tracking involved that some opt not to due. The reputed Wine Road King of Futures is David Coffaro Winery. If you are interested in futures, you should plan a stop here and check out the “Crazy Coffaro Futures Program.”

If you are new or hesitant on buying futures, start with wine producers whose wines you have drunk regularly, and know it appeals to your palette.  (In which case you should consider the wine club anyway.) You may also be offered to compare the current release with the barrel sample – this is a another great way to buy samples, if a winery or winemaker is new to you.

Feel free to ask the wine maker questions: has the wine changed much in where the fruit came from? Russian River zin is very different than Dry Creek. Did the vineyard source change, even in the same appellation? Have you made any substantial changes to the wine production methods; barrel program, yeast, cold soak etc etc.

Ok, decided you like the wine, want to save some money, and stock up. (Usually a minimum purchase is required.) Now what? The winery will collect the money for the purchase, and record your name, contact information, and give you a receipt. Wineries keep good records, but as a precaution, SAVE it. If you use a online or smart phone calendar for reminders, put a reminder appointment now to prompt you for the expected pick up month, so you have peace of mind you won’t forget. The winery is of course going to contact you, but this way you are double covered.

When its ready for release, pick it up, crack open a bottle to celebrate the money you saved, and the support you gave to your favorite winery – win win!

Come back tomorrow for a special article on selected Wineries offering special incentives on sales of existing inventory (aka bottled wine.) Take advantage of special pricing and stock up now too!

Cheers!

It’s almost here! You can feel the excitement in the Social Networking circles of Facebook and Twitter, amongst the wine people. Tickets have been flying off the shelf, Beth Costa, Executive Director of the Wine Road reports.

In case you just emerged from a Rip Van Winkle like sleep, we are talking about this weekend’s wrist-banded tasting event, the Winter Wineland. Over 120 wineries, some only open for events and appointments, are offering special wine and food pairings, and a variety of entertainment, and wine specials. Online ticket sales are now closed, but you can purchase them at the door of any winery: At the door prices will be $50 Weekend, $40 Sunday Only, $10 for Designated Drivers.

Ok, 120+ wineries, 5 hours each day. HOW does one pick where to go? Some turn this into a marathon event to see how many they can fit in one day; others like to visit their favorites, and others  like to try all new places. My personal preference is to fit 5-7 in a full day, with a mix of old and new. (Article 4 will be my iten.)

The Wine Road web site has some GREAT tools and tips to help you. Stop looking at Twitter and read carefully:

1. The full list of wineries and their offers.

NOT all wineries participate. In yesterday’s recommended stops, why didn’t I recommend say Iron Horse, or A. Rafanelli? Both great Wine Road wineries, but not participating in this particular event. Click HERE to open the 11 page PDF of the participating wineries and their offers. Read through these and look for things new, or interesting. The Wine Road has some new members as written in my first article, so check some of those out perhaps.

2. Use the Wine Road’s great Sorting guide.

The Wine Road web site has one of the best navigation tools for its members I have seen. If you click HERE you can use the drop down menus at the top to search by Wine Type, Region, or Amenities. One of my favorite things to do is to search for wineries, under amenities, that are open by appointment only and fit in a few of those. (Acorn, Siduri, Windsor would be good examples.) Make sure you reference the list you printed out in step one to see if they are participating! On a hunt for a new Pinot or Cab? Sort by varietal.

3. Plot them on the Wine Road’s great Maps

Ok, so you have marked off a bunch of stuff. Lets start to plot them on a map. If you are one of those marathon tasters, you don’t want stop one to be deep in Forestville, and stop two to be at the top of Geyserville. You can start first HERE at the main map page. This is an interactive map for each of the regions, and a special section for Healdsburg. Click on one of these and you enter into a detailed map for that appellation. This map is great because all of the member wineries are on it, and you can click on a winery, to launch to their own website.

During this stage of final planning, this is one of those times I actually (rare) prefer paper. If you don’t have one of their maps (get the new one, lots of new members!) you can look HERE online at the large overview map and save it as a PDF,  which is what I’d recommend.

4. Support Members Old and New

There is often a buzz to try all the new wineries and members. I’d like to also recognize, and ask you support member wineries who have been supporting Wineland for over 18 years. Their ongoing support has been the backbone that helps everyone, and consumers and new wineries benefit from their foundation.

• Pedroncelli
• Foppiano
• Geyser Peak
• Martinelli
• Field Stone
• Alexander Valley Vineyards
• Sausal
• Preston

Other Tips in General

I have a number of suggestions from the Wine and Food Affair event article.  All of these are still relevant – rather than repeat them all, take a quick read.  The Wine Road Wine 101 section has lots of great educational reading, including a section on Wine tasting, all relevant, helpful info.

Other suggestions:

Crowds:

One of the common complaints of people who avoid multi-winery events, is wineries become too packed and you can’t experience it fully.

Its true, you likely aren’t going to get to engage the winemaker in a 30 minute passionate discussion of toasting techniques for barrels, this isn’t the time to wine geek if its busy. But generally the first hour or so is slow, then picks up, so start promptly at 11 at one that most interests you. Visit some off the beaten path. If you don’t like crowds, don’t hit the  denser concentrations of wineries, like Healdsburg, at the Peak of the day.

Drink Responsibly

Learning to use a spit cup that I carry around was one of the biggest improvements in my wine tasting experience. If you are serious about wine tasting and education, learn it. (I just don’t personally care for spitting into a bucket, especially at a busy event.) Its also ok, and recommended, to dump your taste if you don’t want to finish it. After the equivalant of less than 2 glasses of wine, 4-8 tastes, your palette and sensory evaluation abilities are diminished, at this point you are drinking, not tasting. And thats ok if thats what you want, and you have a driver. Just be cognizant. wrist banded events are meant to be fun, but not wild parties.

Move Over

Space at the tasting bar, isn’t your personal manifest destiny. Share the space. Stand in columns, hug your loved one, maximize space so all can get their pour. Groups sprawled all over the bar like they own it are a big pet peeve.

Stock Up

This is a great chance to stock up on wines not sold retail, as well as take advantage  of special offers many will have. If you really like something, buy it! Wineries aren’t charities, and these events cost them. Its also a great way to re-live the experience later when you open the bottle.

Hope you found these tips useful – cheers!

I hope everyone’s new decade is off to a good start, and less frenzied than mine!

This week’s question of the week is:

If you were steering a visitor during the Winter Wineland coming up in a few weeks, what wineries would you urge them to visit?

This is a great question, one that I will answer in a few different posts. But first, for the uninitiated, what is the Winter Wineland?

This is an annual event, hosted by the Wine Road, Northern Sonoma County. I have long sung the praises of this marketing organization, which represents 150+ wineries, in the appellations (wine regions) of Russian River, Alexander Valley, Green Valley, and Dry Creek Valley.  I will write a follow-on article with tips to maximize enjoyment of this event, for now I refer to my posting on the last event, Wine And Food Affair, which still apply.

With over 120 wineries participating, there are any number of ways to decide where to go; by geography, by wine type, by food offerings, by wineries not open to public normal, by your normal favorites.Are you going for 1 day, or both? Generally, 4-5 in a day is about what you can expect to experience and enjoy, unless you are jamming through, spitting, and hitting denser clusters of wineries. Wine and wine country is to be enjoyed, and leisurely, go for quality of experience, not quantity.

As a rule of thumb, the first day of an event is ‘usually’ the busiest, and the mid afternoon on times are the craziest. Plan your stops accordingly, and make popular places your first, and lesser known ones perhaps later. Some wineries and their experience will resonate with you and make you sing like a bird, others may not make you all warm and fuzzy. I think  it’s a good idea to save a winery you know will be a good experience to finish on, to end your day on a high note.

I highly recommend you print out and read the detailed (11 page) list of participating Wineries, and what they are offering.  Live music, food pairings, library wines: each winery has unique offers.

This years Winter Wineland has a record number of participants (kudos to the wineries for solidarity.) I think it always good to visit some of the new participants to encourage them, especially if they are new to you. But don’t forget your favorites and the steadfast regular attendees.

I certainly have my own favorites wineries: for this posting I am going to highlight some of the new member wineries, many I have not yet explored. In a subsequent post, I will write about some of my favorites, and my planned itinerary. (Day 2 is mapped out, Day 1 still in progress.)

• D’Argenzio – this new member winery, is in Santa Rosa, and is an Italian family offer Italian varietals not commonly produced in this area, including Sangiovese, Muscato Canelli and Rossat, being tasted at a special event this Saturday. They also source and crush traditional Sonoma varietla like Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Chardonnay, etc.
• Robert Rue – new member winery, in Fulton. A family of Growers now also turned small wine producer -  Currently offering a 2005 and 2006 Russian River Zin. < 800 cases, old Vine Zins. Be among the first to visit Bob and Carlene Rue’s “just opened” Tasting Room. Taste award-winning Zinfandels paired with Mushroom Soup prepared by winery chef Kathy Bradley, and hand-made truffles by Gandolf’s Fine Chocolates.
• Souverain – new member winery. Their gorgeous Cloverdale property is offering historic Asti Tours at 11:30 am,
  1:00 pm and 2:30 pm
• New Members Hart’s Desire, J. Keverson, and the Hudson Street Wineries, visit 8+ wineries all side by side, right off downtown Healdsburg. Hart’s is offering a Mediterranean Lamb Stew that will pair wonderfully with their Red wine selections. (good Pinot!) (Make sure you go around and see Holdredge too. ) J. Keverson is offering a Chipotle-Squash Soup with Fresh
  Rosemary and Toasted Pumpkin 2006 Hales Zinfandel.
• Freestone Vineyards – a little off the beaten track, this new member and newer winery has a comfortable home like tasting room, and makes great Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Lounge around the fire, and enjoy!

Haven’t bought your tickets yet! $40 for two days of wine tasting and food pairings! Advance ticket sales end Jan 11th, and prices go up to $50 for the weekend, so get them soon.

Thanks for reading, and feel free to post any questions or comments. If you enjoy Simple Hedonisms, sign up for (secure, private) email notifications of new posts, in the top right, so you never miss a post!