CO-FOUNDERS OF FORMER ROSÉ TODAY ANNOUNCE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THEIR NEW BRAND: EXPERIENCE ROSÉ

March 24, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Craig Palmer and Allen Habel, co-founders of the former Rosé Today, are pleased to announce the launch of their new Experience Rosé brand, which aims to celebrate all things rosé. The new brand will host an array of events in 2018, all honoring the lauded “pink drink,” with the Experience Rosé: The 2018 Competition kicking things off in the Spring. Focusing exclusively on domestic and international rosé wines and directed by globally-renowned wine expert and educator Debra Del Fiorentino, the competition will take place on Wednesday, April 18 at Soda Rock Winery in Healdsburg. The Experience Rosé brand will offer a collection of curated consumer events beyond the competition as well, including The Great Rosé Pairing for Summer, to be held on Saturday, June 16, at The CIA at Copia in Napa, and The Great Rosé Pairing for Thanksgiving, which will take place Friday, October 19, at Jaxon Keys Winery and Distillery in Hopland.

“Experience Rosé is all about providing extraordinary experiences for everyone who revels in our passion for rosé and its infinite possibilities all year-long – foodie to newbie, winemaker to chef,” says Palmer. “Our dedication to excellence begins with the Competition, and continues with the two consumer events we’ll be hosting in June and October.”

Celebrating a wide range of rosé winemaking styles and taking place on Wed, Apr 18 at Soda Rock Winery in Healdsburg, Experience Rose: The 2018 Competition will showcase the best of the best from both domestic and international producers in dry, sparkling and sweet categories.

Esteemed Wine Competition Director Debra Del Fiorentino has recruited a top tier panel of esteemed judges for the competition including: Dan Berger, Jacques Brix, Bernadette Byrne, Traci Dutton, Renata Franzia, Barry Herbst, Erik Miller, David Sandri, Chris Sawyer and Cathy Vicini.

The new competition will offer several incentives to entrants: 1) Gold-and-above winning wines will be featured at an exclusive Experience Rosé Media Day**, to be held at Soda Rock Winery the day after the competition, on Thu, Apr 19; 2) The judge’s tasting notes will be shared with all gold-and-above winning wines post-competition; and 3) Winning wines will be invited to pour at the two Great Rose Pairing consumer events in June and October.

“We’re excited to introduce these new elements around the Wine Competition,” states Del Fiorentino. “Our goal is to create an event that is beneficial to both our wine competition entrants and the attendees to the two consumer events, as we want everyone to have the best experience possible.”

Experience Rosé: The 2018 Competition is currently accepting entries. Winemakers can register by visiting www.enofileonline.com. The deadline for registration is Monday, April 16, 2018.

** At the Media Day on Thursday, April 19, results from the competition will be announced and the opportunity to taste wines that score gold-and-above will be extended to select media and wine industry VIPs.

The Brand will also introduce two new wine events to the general public. On Saturday, June 16, 2018, Experience Rosé will debut The Great Rosé Pairing for Summer, to be held at The CIA at Copia in Napa. Event-goers will have the opportunity to sip winning wines paired with gourmet bites inspired by cuisine from the four major rosé producing regions (France, Italy, Spain and the United States/California). The bites will be prepared by teams of CIA students directed by Lars Kronmark, Professor of Culinary Arts at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in Napa Valley. This curated event will also include special arts programming and Experience Rosé Talks – an educational series featuring presentations, panel discussions and pairings.

Ticket costs for The Great Rosé Pairing for Summer:

VIP Patio: $125 in advance; $130 at the door
Regular admission: $85 in advance; $90 at the door
Designated driver: $40 in advance; $45 at the door

On Friday, October 19, Jaxon Keys Winery and Distillery in Hopland (Mendocino County) will host The Great Rosé Pairing for Thanksgiving. Nicholas Petti, Culinary Arts Instructor at Mendocino College, along with his talented students, will create a selection of seasonally-inspired bites to showcase perfect rosé pairings for holiday dinners and celebrations. This event will showcase rosés produced by producers in the Hopland and Redwood Valley regions of inland Mendocino County.

Ticket costs for The Great Rosé Pairing for Thanksgiving:

Regular admission: $95 in advance; $105 at the door

Tickets for both The Great Rosé Pairing for Summer and The Great Rosé Pairing for Thanksgiving can be purchased by visiting: www.experiencerose.com.

About Experience Rosé
“Because every day pairs better with rosé” is our theme. With the burgeoning passion for the colorful array of rose’ wines, Experience Rose’ showcases excellence in international winemaking, connecting wine lovers with singular adventures and curated resources that are spirited, expansive and revelatory. For more information on Experience Rosé please visit, www.experiencerose.com.

Like Experience Rosé on Facebook: http://fb.me/experiencerosewine
Follow Experience Rosé on Twitter: https://twitter.com/experience_rose

About Soda Rock Winery
Nestled in Sonoma County’s scenic Alexander Valley, Soda Rock Winery offers visitors the opportunity to enjoy an eclectic mix of wine-country experiences. Sip a delicious array of wines with a focus on Bordeaux varietals. View the splendid surroundings and appreciate the historical buildings that have been beautifully restored using green building and recycling practices. Soda Rock is the original site of the Alexander Valley general store and post office, and was once the central hub of activity for the valley. Historic records provide evidence of the first bonded winery on this property in 1880. With a large line-up of Cabernet Sauvignons and Bordeaux varietals, Soda Rock wines are big & bold, just like its historic past.

About The CIA at Copia
The Culinary Institute of America’s newest location in downtown Napa, the CIA at Copia, offers food and wine experiences to the public, including hands-on cooking and beverage classes, culinary demonstrations, shopping, dining, community events, private events, and more. It is the first public-facing facility for the college.

About Jaxon Keys Winery & Distillery
Jaxon Keys, a 1250-acre estate winery, continues a historic legacy in Mendocino County with their long-term commitment to fine wine and brandy. Formerly Jepson Winery, the estate’s new name, Jaxon Keys, is a tribute to family ancestors Jack Wilson and Cecil Keys—honoring the past and heralding a new era. They offer many varietals grown on their ranch for tasting at their 1880’s Farmhouse Tasting Room. Enjoy a leisurely wine tasting at the antique bar, spend some time out on the covered veranda, drink in the views, the flavors and the old-fashioned hospitality served up Mendocino style. Jaxon Keys makes a wine for every taste — Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, white & red blends, Grenache, Zinfandel, Primitivo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petite Sirah, a port-style wine and Alambic pot-still brandy.

Vintage Eve 10/2014 Sonoma Part One: First Time at Ramey and Mazzocco

February 20, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

I haven’t been to Sonoma in over five years. It’s a large wine area to cover and this time I focused on Healdsburg wineries that had created a buzz: Ramey Wine Cellars, Mazzocco Sonoma Vineyards and Winery, Seghesio Family Vineyards, and Mauritson Family Winery. (2018 update: Part Two, on Seghesio Family Vineyards and Mauritson Family Winery, will run in my column on next Tuesday 2/27/18.)

Ramey Wine Cellars

http://www.rameywine.com

David Ramey, winemaker and proprietor, shoveled his first grapes in 1978, after attending UC Santa Cruz and then later to Davis for a masters in enology. Ramey’s first harvests were in Sonoma in ‘78 and France in ‘79 at Jean-Pierre Moueix. (Petrus was one the wineries also managed by Moueix.) Ramey came back in ‘80 and then spent the next 22 years at Simi, Matanzas Creek, Château Petrus again, Chalk Hill, Dominus and Rudd.

In ‘96 Ramey had the opportunity to make his own wine, a Chardonnay from Hyde Vineyard. Once his wife agreed, he made 260 cases in his first vintage. Today Ramey has released the 2011 from the exact same vineyard. Ramey Wine Cellars makes 40,000 cases, in what Ramey calls a “large small winery.” Co-owned with his wife, Ramey has no partners or investors.

Ramey told us that he purchased a vineyard with an old “Hop Kiln” on the property. He plans on converting the hop kiln into a tasting room and building caves for a winery. The property sits along the Russian River and is called Westside Farms. It has 42 acres planted to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. He is working on the permitting process now and would like to complete the project by 2017.

In 1987 at Matanzas Creek Winery, Ramey was one of the first winemakers in California to whole cluster press Chardonnay grapes, and he is considered a legend in the industry. His Chardonnays are made in a French Burgundian style and flavor, and he goes for more “lift” with California ripening grapes. None of the wines are filtered; they are fined using traditional French methods.

Communications Director Alexandra O’Gorman led us through a tasting of four whites and four reds.

(Aroma and flavor notes separated by 😉

2012 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay (2012 – 2014 all drought years*)

The only one that was cloudy, definitely due to being unfiltered; oak, butter, crisp apple; tart apples, white pepper, nice bite with a long acidic finish. Like a Sauvignon Blanc with some oak notes.

2012 Russian River Valley Chardonnay

Lemon lime, grapefruit, vanilla; toasted oak, same fruit, not as acidic a finish, more balanced.

2011 Ritchie Vineyard Chardonnay

Pear, cinnamon, creamy; tart, acidic, oak more prominent on palate, nice balanced finish.

2011 Hyde Vineyard Chardonnay

Rose gardens, butterscotch, medium toasted oak; more oak, moist yet dry, tart Granny Smith apples.

2012 Sonoma Coast Syrah (Make 2 different Syrahs per year)

Pungent plums, juicy blackberry and black cherry, spice rack, mulled wine notes; beautiful, stemmy, lots of black pepper and dried dark fruit. ‘

2012 Claret

Bright red to blue fruits, black pepper, smoke; Exceptional blend of fruit from all over Napa Valley, dry, cigar, dark chocolate. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot. ‘

2012 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Ramey makes four different Cabernet Sauvignon based wines per year.)

Balanced fruit and spice on the nose, including cherry, menthol; great dark drying fruit, not too peppery, ready to drink.

2011 Annum Cabernet Sauvignon (25% Cabernet Franc)

Velvety rose, plum, cigar box; deep and dark fruit, not too much pepper, lovely balance.

*As far as any issues caused by the drought, in 2014 Ramey received 20% more fruit than anticipated.

Mazzocco Sonoma

http://www.mazzocco.com

Touring the outdoor winery with our charming winemaker, Antoine Favero, proved to be a hoot! Favero’s wit and charm got me past any fear of climbing stair after to stair to get a view of sweet bubbling fermenting grape juice, the local Sonoma airport and piles of reusable grape compost. We also tasted sun-sweetened Cabernet grapes in their clusters fresh from harvest!

Most of the harvested grapes are only fermented via natural yeast according to Favero. The winery was built in the ‘80s and is one of the rare ones that is all outdoors. The barrel room didn’t have any electric cooling units; instead the unique ceiling was built to bring in the cool air, and, as an added gift, it was beautiful to look up at.

After my travel pal Claudia Sheridan practiced the art of “punch down” we returned to the tasting room to sample a few award winning wines (see tasting notes below) and later, enjoy a picnic lunch with Favero.

Best of Class and Double Gold medals

2012 Stuhlmuller Reserve Chardonnay

Oak, cream and butter aroma notes followed by tart lemon lime and creamy finish.

2012 Zinfandel, Briar

Red cherries, mint; spicy, light tannins, long finish.

2012 Zinfandel, Sullivan

More mature darker fruit, bursting cherries, dusty plums, charred oak; pungent dark fruit, greet-me-in-the-face spice and pepper.

2012 Zinfandel, Pony Reserve

Red, blue and black fruit, black pepper, dark dry chocolate; blue fruit, chocolate again.

2012 Zinfandel, Maple Reserve

Milk chocolate, cracked green pepper, spicy; Nice balance of fruit and spice, drink now with or without food, just go for it.

2012 Zinfandel, Smith Orchard Reserve

Perfumy nose, flower garden, dark fruit, cracked black pepper; intense, spicy, very good.

2012 Antoine Philippe Reserve (Zinfandel blend)

The most balanced nose with notes of dust, crushed spices, good and fruity; milk to dark chocolate, incredible balance, smooth – shoot me that is good. (Favero sent us home with a bottle and an ice chest; this bottle, opened and in the car most of the time, lasted three days and could’ve gone longer.)

Facebook album link: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10204030874999605.1073741881.1455706632&type=1&l=ef858e481a

Vintage Eve 9/2014: Planning For Healdsburg and Napa

February 13, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

I’ll be heading out to Healdsburg for the first time since 2008 soon, and in planning the trip I looked for wineries that friends had recommended and/or I liked their wines already – but have never visited before. I don’t post when I’m actually away, so this article is a precursor to the fun I will be having…later…and then I will do a post-trip story.

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Photo: Seguin Moreau Napa Cooperage Facebook page.

Day One would start with a sit-down tasting at Ramey Wine Cellars in Healdsburg. In perusing their Facebook page I learned that they harvested nearly 60 tons of Napa Cabernet in what might have been “possibly the most condensed harvest in many years…”

They also shared that their 2011 Pedregal Vineyard was given 92 points from Wine Spectator’s James Laube.

Not sure what we will be trying in the tasting room, but I see current wines include Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Claret, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Syrah. Sounds good to me.

Eight minutes down the road we will then be at Mazzocco Sonoma Vineyards and Winery where we will meet and lunch with winemaker Antoine Favero, and then enjoy a private barrel tasting. Their website shows four Wine Spectator award winners for their 2010 Zinfandels: 91 points for Maple, 91 points for Pony Reserve, 91 points for Sullivan and 90 points for Warm Springs.

According to their Facebook page the 2013 Sauvignon Blanc was chosen for the United States Diplomacy Center’s groundbreaking event. Looking forward to trying whatever is offered here.

Next we will venture to visit Seghesio Family Vineyards where we will be checking in at the bar and then meeting with Tony Sciullo, the VIP liaison. Their last Facebook update showed that harvest for them started in late August, “Pinot Grigio was the first to come in, with some Zinfandel from Cloverdale not far behind.”

I became a fan of Seghesio when one of their Zins made Wine Spectator’s wine of the year. Their 2011 Old Vine Zinfandel received 92 points…looking forward to sampling.

The last winery to see on our first day will be Mauritson Family Winery, five minutes away from Seghesio. The winemaker Clay Mauritson, or his wife Carrie, will be hosting our tour and tasting. They show three small children, “future winemakers”, with Clay in several photos of the winery on their Facebook page, I’m hoping we will get a sighting of these cuties!

The website of Mauritson label wines include Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Rose, Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Rockpile labels include lots of Zinfandels, Petite Sirah, Syrah, Malbec and Cabernet Franc. Can’t wait to review!

That will pretty much end our first day. If you have a reasonably priced suggestion for dinner let me know: Eve@EveWine101.com

Leaving Healdsburg, Day Two will begin at Rocca Family Vineyards in Napa Valley. You read about Rocca recently on Eve’s Wine 101 as they had obtained the title of “Napa Valley Organic Winery of The Year.” We will be meeting with Sales Director John Taylor for our tasting. There seems to be plenty of Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and red blends for us to try! And according to their Facebook page they are currently crushing Merlot.

From Rocca we will probably venture over to Dean and Deluca for lunch supplies and then make a dash for Darioush Winery on Silverado Trail. We have been scheduled for a “Tableside Portfolio Tasting” via concierge Jenna Kennedy.

The Darioush Facebook page reported that they were “safe and sound” after the recent earthquake. Their damage was minimal but they were without power and were closed for one day. Their website promised current releases of Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Viognier. Shiraz blend and a late harvest Semillon Sauvignon Blanc.

ZD Wines may be our last trip of this day unless we hit someone up near 4pm…if we have the energy. There are beautiful photos of grape clusters on their Facebook page, as well as a bottle of their 45^th anniversary Chardonnay. Besides maybe trying that one, we look forward to sipping their Reserve Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon…and more.

Bright and early on Day Three we have a special treat, a tour of the Seguin Moreau Napa Cooperage. There will be no swirling and tasting, but there will be aromas! Hoping to see some toasting, bending and whatever else they have in store for us. Earlier this month they showed a cool photo of a barrel being toasted on their Facebook page.

Alexander Valley Vineyards of Healdsburg, California Wins Top Honors

January 31, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

FORT WORTH, Texas (PRWEB) – The Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT®) is pleased to announce the winners in its 2018 International Award of Excellence in Sustainable Winegrowing competition. The platinum medal goes to Alexander Valley Vineyards (AVV) of Healdsburg, California, based on the winery’s on-going sustainable programs that address the three elements of sustainability: environmental, economic, social – and the Vineyard’s wine taste.

AVV is one of an elite group of wineries recognized as a Bay Area Green Business. They became a member of the California Sustainable Winegrowing Program in 2006 and achieved vineyard certification in 2014. AVV bottled their first wine produced from organic certified grapes in 2008, today the family organically farms over 30 acres and offers two wines from 100% California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) grapes. A second family vineyard will receive CCOF certification in June 2018. Other AVV sustainable initiatives include solar arrays that supply about half of the winery’s power; cover crop plantings to minimize pesticide use and control erosion; drip irrigation for precise water management; 25,000 square feet of underground, naturally cooled caves that reduce the winery’s carbon footprint; and installation of variable speed drives on all winery equipment to decrease energy waste.

The awarded wine was AVV’s, 2014 Organic Cabernet Sauvignon, Single Vineyard, using certified organic grapes.

“Alexander Valley Vineyards’ strong list of sustainable programs and care in winemaking produced an unbeatable application,” said Ed Schneider, BRIT’s president and director. “During the taste portion of the competition, our judges especially noted that the 100% organic varietal was perfectly balanced with fruit and spice to the taste and a testament to the Wetzel’s commitment to sustainable agriculture and family farming.”

AVV is a family-owned and operated winery located in the heart of Sonoma’s Alexander Valley, on the historic property originally settled in the 19th century by Cyrus Alexander, the valley’s namesake. Since 1975 the Wetzel Family has been producing an array of estate wines that reflect the unique character of the property.

“We are honored to receive the BRIT award and the recognition of the practices we have implemented over the decades,” says Harry Wetzel. “As a family run operation, we all believe that it is our responsibility to make this an even better place for future generations.”

Additional BRIT sustainable awards went to:

Gold medals

E. & J. Gallo Winery, Modesto, California. Submitted 2015 Louis Martini Cabernet Sauvignon. Gallo receives special recognition for its corporate-wide, multi-brand sustainability programs and for the organization’s industry leadership.
Bodega Catena Zapata, Mendoza, Argentina. Submitted 2014 Catena Malbec.

Silver medal

Franciscan Estates, St. Helena, California. Submitted 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon.

Bronze medal

Peach Creek Vineyards, College Station, Texas. Submitted Sassy Lassy, semi-sweet Texas table wine made with Noble grapes.

Competition for BRIT’s 2018 international award began May, 2017, when wineries submitted applications documenting their sustainable programs relating to environmental, economic, and social aspects of grape growing, and wine production along with their wine samples.

When submitting for the competition, wineries provide a self-assessment of their organization’s accomplishments in sustainable winegrowing, winemaking, and ecopreneural/social responsibility practices. They describe their organization’s conservation efforts in the field and in operations: how waste is avoided, how it is reclaimed, and how the winery extends conservation efforts to its customers and community. They also are required to submit a bottle of wine for a tasting by the judging committee.

Because the BRIT award is the only international award of its kind, it is of primary interest to wineries which care deeply about the environment and are taking a leading role in their community/region/country by implementing sustainable practices. Sustainable winegrowing programs are by nature, ongoing, so a key part of each program is its continual improvement process.

As a nonprofit, international plant research and knowledge sharing organization, BRIT offers this award to help raise interest and awareness of the value plants bring to our lives and the need for biodiversity.

Presentation of the platinum award to Alexander Valley Vineyards will be made in Fort Worth on Wednesday, April 11, 2018 during BRIT’s Vine to Table dinner and auction fundraising event.

BRIT’s 2019 sustainable winegrowing competition begins May 1, 2018, with the competition’s Call for Entries news release and the 2019 application is posted on the BRIT website, http://www.BRIT.org/wineaward. The submission deadline is September 1, 2018.

PERLIS PICKS: The Week That Wasn’t – Part Two

October 21, 2017 by Michael Perlis Leave a Comment

Karen’s knee injury meant that we had to head home. We did get to spend one night at one of our favorite hotels anywhere. Vintners Inn in Santa Rosa offers a great wine country experience with outstanding rooms, excellent dining and an on-site vineyard to stroll through. We had to skip the vineyard stroll and our dining was limited to the room-service burgers we ordered [which were excellent by the way]. Hotel staff was caring and accommodating; and we were very grateful under the circumstances to be able to switch from an upstairs room to a downstairs one with no trouble at all.

VINTNERS INN As we sadly had to hit the road the next morning, we were already planning our next, hopefully extended, stay.

This week, I want to share with you the places we had planned on visiting. We had done a lot of research and planning, so we know these places will be on our list for our next trip back up to Northern California.

In Santa Rosa, we were planning on spending a few days at Vintners Inn. While there, we had a few winery visits planned.

In the Dry Creek Valley, my favorite wines from Mauritson Wines are Clay Mauritson’s outstanding Zinfandels and Petite Sirahs. Bella Vineyards was on our list as well for its great Zins.

During our last trip to Sonoma County, we visited Jake Bilbro’s Limerick Lane winery. Jake has two brothers who also make wine. Sam Bilbro’s Idlewild specializes in Italian varietals while the winery that started it all in the Bilbro family, Marietta Cellars is now under the care of Scot Bilbro.

While in the area, we were looking forward to return dining experiences at Healdsburg SHED and Café Lucia.

Heading south to San Francisco, we had booked our stay at Hotel Diva, great looking hotel within walking distance to Chinatown and couple of restaurants we wanted to check out: La Marsa and Bota.

The last leg of our trip was going to be on the Monterey Peninsula. We were really looking forward to our stay at the Monterey Bay Inn.

White Monterey County is known for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, we had planned on visiting two wineries that did not fall into these categories.

Pierce Ranch Vineyards is known for Portuguese and Spanish varietals, along with Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel and Rhones.

In addition, we had not visited Boete Winery in many years and were really looking forward to their Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.

There are lots of great dining choices on the Peninsula. Fifi’s Bistro Café in Pacific Grove is an old favorite, Passionfish is legendary and we were excited to try a new find for us – Jeninni. Not to mention the grilled oysters at Monterey’s Fish House.

We’re looking forward to Karen healing from her injury and heading back up to really report on all of this for our Eve’s Wine 101 readers. At least this time we won’t have to do a lot of advance research.

Michael Perlis has been pursuing his passion for wine for more than 25 years. He has had the good fortune of having numerous mentors to show him the way, as well as a wonderful wife who encourages him and shares his interest. After a couple of decades of learning about wine, attending events, visiting wineries and vineyards, and tasting as much wine as he possibly could, he had the amazing luck to meet Eve Bushman. Now, as Contributing Editor for Eve’s Wine 101, he does his best to bring as much information as possible about wine to Eve’s Wine 101 faithful readers. Michael is also Vice President of Eve Bushman Consulting (fka Eve’s Wine 101 Consulting) http://evebushmanconsulting.com/ and President of MCP Financial. Michael can be contacted at michaelthezinfan@aol.com or michael@evebushmanconsulting.com

Trek Travel Unveils A Limited Availability SingleThread Farm California Weekend Bike Tour

August 14, 2017 by evebushman Leave a Comment

Madison, WI (PRWEB) – Trek Travel, a bicycle vacation leader, unveils a singular culinary and luxury travel experience in its limited availability SingleThread California Weekend Bike Tour taking place October 23-26.

The award-winning cycling tour outfitter explores California’s Sonoma and legendary Dry Creek Valley on the world’s best bikes while indulging in the Zen-inspired SingleThread.

The captivating farm-restaurant-inn is garnering worldwide acclaim for offering experiences based on “omotenashi,” the Japanese concept of hospitality whereby “guests are entertained wholeheartedly,”

“Every detail is meticulously considered at SingleThread,” says Trek Travel President, Tania Burke. “It’s five guestrooms are luxuriously timeless, dinner in its James Beard award-winning restaurant is flawless, and a tour of private farm is enchanting.”

All are part of the four-day, three night SingleThread California Weekend Bike Tour that begins and ends in Healdsburg, California.

Guests will cycle through the Alexander, Dry Creek and Russian River Valleys, passing Lake Sonoma and 1,400 year-old redwoods in Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve.

They’ll experience an elaborate 11-course, wine- or sake-paired tasting menu in the 2017 James Beard Award-winning dining room which The New York Times calls “serene” with “panache.” (The San Francisco Chronicle describes as a “flawless four star experience”).

A family-style, traditional Japanese donabe dinner in the SingleThread private study and private tour of a local farm, surrounded by Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, and Chardonnay vines, are additional trip highlights.

The limited availability of this four-day, three-night trip is offered from October 23 – 26, 2017. Priced from $4,799 per person, the trip begins and ends in Healdsburg, California. Guests stay at SingleThread. Rides from 11 to 40 miles with up to 2,400 of climbing. For further information contact Trek Travel at 1-866-464-8735 or visit trektravel.com.

About Trek Travel:

Based in Madison, Wisconsin, Trek Travel is an award-winning cycling vacation company offering cycling tours around the globe for cyclists of all abilities. Each vacation includes the use of the latest Trek bicycles like the Domane SL 7 or XM700+ electric assist, featuring Garmin GPS devices and Di2 electronic shifting; with an option to upgrade to the Emonda SLR, the lightest production road bike available; boutique accommodations; most meals; snacks and drinks for each day’s ride; daily route support; social hours; entrance fees to group events; transportation during the tour; complimentary Trek Travel merchandise, and more.

Trek Travel was formed in 2002 as the luxury bicycle touring arm of Trek Bicycles, one of the world’s largest bicycle manufacturers. Voted a 2016 Travel + Leisure World’s Best Tour Operator, they’re a team of globetrotters, world-travelers and dreamers who know how to inspire the memories guests have for the rest of their life. They find the best roads, hotels, towns, food, routes and attractions, and introduce them to people looking for adventure. All on bikes they’re guaranteed to love with unrivaled customer service at every step.

About SingleThread:

SingleThread is Farm-Restaurant-Inn located in Healdsburg, California. SingleThread Farm is situated on five acres between the Russian River and the historic San Lorenzo Ranch. The property consists of a greenhouse, shade structures, loamy fields, chicken coops, an heirloom fruit orchard, olive trees, bee hives, and a cattle paddock all surrounded by Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, and Chardonnay vines. The farm supplies vegetables, fruit, herbs, flowers, honey, eggs, and olive oil to our restaurant kitchen.

The dining room offers an eleven-course tasting menu customized to our guests’ dietary preferences and restrictions. Tucked away on the second floor, the inn has five thoughtfully appointed guestrooms featuring an assortment of well-curated amenities and includes a multi-course breakfast.

Vinome Launches First DNA-based Wine Experience

July 26, 2017 by evebushman Leave a Comment

HEALDSBURG, Calif. – Vinome isn’t your garden-variety curated wine service. Founded in 2015 by a team of genetic scientists and wine experts, the first DNA-based wine experience harnesses the longstanding science of taste to pair wine lovers and wine discoverers with boutique wine selections on a much deeper level. Using DNA. Vino + genome = Vinome.

Vinome Founders

“After years of analyzing DNA to develop medicines for cancer, we started thinking,” said Sara Riordan, Vinome co-founder, “if there’s a gene that tells you whether you like Brussels sprouts or not, and whether you like cilantro or not, why aren’t we using genetics to tell people whether they would favor a certain wine?”

Vinome does just that. The profoundly personalized wine experience analyzes the nuances of taste preferences, along with 10 genetic markers related to smell and taste to identify eight unique Vinome taste profiles. Customer results will reveal primary wine flavor affinities along with how likely they are to respond to flavors such as traces of leather, minerals, honeysuckle, and more. From the bright, crisp citrus flavors of Vibrant Grove to the rich and complex flavors of The Big Bold, customers can shop for hard-to-find bottles curated specifically for their Vinome in the online store, or join the quarterly wine club. Either way, Vinome delivers direct to their doorstep.

“To date, we have developed relationships with boutique wineries in California, Oregon and Washington,” said Shannon Kieran, also a Vinome co-founder. “These are wines that are routinely rated favorably by the industry, though they are not typically sold in grocery stores or wine outlets. They’re amazing wines.”

Vinome is one of the first companies to apply the science of taste and the vast body of genetic research to a new and broadly accessible experience –a groundbreaking connection between a person’s DNA and lifestyle.

Ronald Andrews, Vinome co-founder and CEO, has spent most of his career in the molecular diagnostics industry. “The rigor around the science has been strong and thorough, and we’re proud of the time we have spent to get it right,” he said.

The Vinome process is quick and easy. Customers sign up online, take a taste preference survey and in a few days will receive a saliva kit and instructions. A postage paid envelope is provided for sending the sample to the lab, and in just a few weeks, they will receive their Vinome and access to the online store and wine club.

For more information or to start your Vinome journey, visit Vinome.com. Or find us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube at @myvinome.

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About Vinome

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Charlie Palmer and Clay Mauritson Invite You to the 7th Annual Project Zin Event

July 16, 2017 by evebushman Leave a Comment

The renowned chef and award-winning winemaker collaborate once again to raise funds for the Down Syndrome Association of North Bay at Hotel Healdsburg and Dry Creek Kitchen.

photo courtesy Christa Weaving

Healdsburg, Calif – Chef Charlie Palmer and winemaker Clay Mauritson announce the Seventh Annual Project Zin event, taking place on Saturday, August 19, 2017 at Hotel Healdsburg. This preeminent wine event will gather some of the most sought after Zinfandels paired with food from Chef Palmer and top local Sonoma County chefs. All proceeds will benefit the Down Syndrome Association North Bay.

Project Zin lines up 21 of the most highly acclaimed Zinfandel wines from Northern California. The number 21 is significant: in most cases of Down Syndrome there is an extra copy of chromosome 21, which changes the body and brain’s normal development. Clay and Carrie Mauritson’s nine-year old son Brady was diagnosed with Downs Syndrome at the age of 2 ½, which led the Mauritson family to seek support from friends, family, and community organizations, including the Down Syndrome Association, North Bay (DSANB). In addition to DSANB, Clay solicited the aid of his close friend and winemaking partner, Chef Charlie Palmer, and Project Zin was born. In the six years since Project Zin’s inception, the Sonoma County winemaking and culinary community has come together to raise nearly $500,000 for DSANB, providing much needed funds for research and support for individuals and families affected by Down Syndrome. A letter from Clay and Carrie Mauritson highlighting their personal challenges with Down Syndrome and the subsequent support they received from the DSANB can be found here.

Now in its seventh year, Project Zin attracts some of the most highly recognized Zinfandel winemakers and chefs in Northern California, including such prolific wineries as Carlisle Winery & Vineyards, Robert Biale Vineyards and Limerick Lane Cellars, and acclaimed wine country restaurants Dry Creek Kitchen, Valette, and SingleThread Farm – Restaurant – Inn, and more. A full list of wineries and restaurants can be found here: http://projectzin.org/talent/.

Tickets and packages for Project Zin can be purchased online at http://projectzin.org/tickets/.

Tickets and package pricing are listed below. Please note all packages are sold out.

A la carte tickets

Includes admission to event, unlimited tasting of Zinfandels and culinary creations

$200 (excludes fees)

Project Zin Packages

All packages include two night accommodations for two in a luxurious Hotel Healdsburg or h2hotel room, complimentary breakfast and valet parking, welcome wine reception on Friday, August 18 at Hotel Healdsburg, Rockpile Vineyard Lunch, Tour & Tasting with Clay & Carrie Mauritson, and two tickets to Project Zin.

Perlis Picks: Mazzocco Sonoma

June 24, 2017 by Michael Perlis 1 Comment

When we last visited winemaker Antoine Favero at Mazzocco Sonoma, he made the gracious offer of taking us to visit a vineyard or two on our next visit.

Not one to forget that kind of opportunity, I checked with Antoine as we planned our upcoming Dry Creek Valley trip. I almost expected him to be too busy, as he is not only winemaker for Mazzocco but also for Jaxon Keys and Soda Rock, as well as sharing winemaking duties with Diane Wilson at deLorimier. But Antoine was true to his word and suggested an excursion to Rockpile.

Antoine Favero of Mazzocco Sonoma Winery at Rockpile Ranch

I’ve loved wines from the Rockpile AVA for some time and have always considered it a very special place, but have never visited, until now. I was surprised to learn that this area only obtained its official AVA status in 2002, as it seems like I’ve been drinking Rockpile wines for longer than that.

That being said, Karen and I hopped into the Wilson Artisan Wineries tour bus and, with Antoine at the wheel, we drove to the far western reaches of the Dry Creek Valley and into the Rockpile AVA.

Our first stop was Florence Ranch. Antoine, who gets grapes from this vineyard, explained that Jack Florence Sr. was one of the growers who helped to spearhead the recognition of the Rockpile AVA. The AVA is over 15,000 acres, but less than 200 are planted.

We then continued deep into the wilderness of Rockpile until we reached the Mazzocco Rockpile Ranch property, which is only 800 acres with 25 of them planted. Along the way, we marveled at how difficult it must be to just get the ripened grapes back to the winery, given the ruggedness of the terrain.

Finally arriving at Rockpile Ranch, Antoine needed to let us into the locked gateway to the property. When we got to the vineyard, it was easy to see why this vineyard was kept under lock and key. I love visiting vineyards – where the magic starts – but certain ones seem more magical that others. And this one definitely ranks very high on that list, capped off by Antoine opening a bottle of the 2014 Mazzocco Rockpile Zinfandel for us to enjoy at the vineyard from which it came. Perfection!

Alas, while we have the hard job of writing about wine, Antoine has the much harder job of actually making the stuff. And he had to get back to work! So, he drove us back to the winery and left us in the hands of the very capable, knowledgeable and hospitable Mazzocco tasting room staff.

Much like Mazzocco’s sister winery Wilson, there are so many great wines on the list to try, again mostly Zins, some Petites and a few others as well. My notes say that some of my favorites were…

2014 Zinfandel Maria

2014 Zinfandel Rockpile Reserve [of course!]

2013 Zinfandel Warm Springs Ranch

And, similar to Wilson Winery, Mazzocco has three wines in their premier collection, named after the vineyard manager, winemaker and proprietor, respectively. Truly outstanding special occasion wines that any Zin fan should seek out…

The Tres Amigos

2013 Zinfandel Juan Rodriguez Reserve

2013 Zinfandel Antoine Philippe Reserve

2013 Zinfandel Kenneth Carl Reserve

I can’t thank Antoine enough for taking the time to play tour guide for us. While that kind of experience might not happen often, anyone can [and should] visit Mazzocco and experience their wonderful wines. Definitely a must-visit for any wine lover, especially Zin fans.

Mazzocco Sonoma

1400 Lytton Springs Road

Healdsburg, CA 95448

See photos of our visit with Antoine and others from our trip here: Sonoma County Series.

Perlis Picks: Comstock Wines

June 10, 2017 by Michael Perlis Leave a Comment

While I’ve known of and appreciated the great wines of the Dry Creek Valley for many years, it has only been over the last few that I’ve given them the attention they deserve. It is hard to believe that it took me so long, given the quality of the wines, especially those Zinfandels!

But I do owe a debt of gratitude to Kelly Comstock Ferris, General Manager of Comstock Wines for opening my eyes a little wider to appreciate what I’d been missing.

In early 2014, we first met Kelly at an event in Beverly Hills called Sonoma In The City, a traveling roadshow showcasing the AVAs of Sonoma County. I had just gotten there and I recall expressing to Kelly something to the effect that I was concerned that the event was going to be primarily showcasing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, given their popularity. She quickly put my mind at ease by pouring me the first release from her family’s winery – a 2012 Zinfandel that was just outstanding.

Kelly, after years of experience in the hospitality industry, took on the General Manager role of Comstock Wines when her family decided to go beyond farming the grapes from the vineyard they had owned since 2002 and start making wine.

Later that same year, we had the opportunity to visit with Kelly at the family’s gorgeous new state of the art winery. Actually, we met in the construction trailer and had fun tasting through the wines and seeing the plans for the soon to be built winery and tasting room. We left, promising to be back when construction was complete.

Well, somehow we managed to wait two years for our next visit. Was the wait worth it? You betcha.

Let me start by saying that if you have an opportunity to stay a night or two at a winery’s guest house, you should definitely do so. There is no better way to totally immerse oneself in wine country. And, you’d be hard pressed to find a better one than The Residence at Comstock Wines. My wife Karen and I had the pleasure of staying there on our visit.

Just a short walk to the winery tasting room, The Residence provides complete luxury while at the same time is a totally immersive wine country experience, right in the middle of the vineyard property. With four master suites, the huge house also has a full kitchen as well as a living room and media room. In one direction, you can drive to the gourmet restaurants in Healdsburg in just a few minutes and in the other direction are all the wineries and vineyards of the Dry Creek Valley.

And speaking of wineries, the winery at Comstock is a beautiful state of the art building wherein winemaker Chris Russi uses his years of experience and knowledge of the various Sonoma County AVAs and their varietals to “create wines that speak to regional uniqueness.” The winery’s capacity far exceeds Comstock’s production, so they also provide custom crush services to other wineries. I found especially cool the ability to cordon off various sections of the winery to provide for the unique needs of client wineries. And the automated punch-down equipment was really fascinating to me.

All that being said, at the end of the day it is all about the wine, right? Wonderful as this property is, if the wine isn’t up to the same standards…well, it would be hard for me to write this article.

Fortunately, the wines do live up to expectations. Some of our favorites were…

2015 Sauvignon Blanc / Dry Creek Valley – acid on Sauvignon Blanc can sometimes be overwhelming. Not here. Nice tropical fruit flavors with just enough zing on the palate.

2013 Chardonnay / Sonoma Coast – a really clean refreshing Chard. Nice bright flavors.

2013 Zinfandel / Dry Creek Valley and 2012 Zinfandel / Dry Creek Valley – had these side-by-side. The 2012 was the first Comstock wine I had tasted a couple of years early and was drinking beautifully. The 2013, which after our visit won a well-deserved Gold Medal at the 2017 San Francisco Chronicle Competition, was drinking great as well, showing off that wonderful Dry Creek Valley fruit.

2013 Zinfandel / Old Vine / Dry Creek Valley and 2013 Zinfandel / Old Vine / Russian River Valley – another side-by side tasting, and a really interesting one. At first, the upfront fruit of the Dry Creek Valley bottling really got my attention. As I continued to taste each wine, the RRV Zin showed a little more complexity and rewarded a little extra attention. You wouldn’t go wrong with either of these.

2013 Zinfandel / Rockpile – there are a lot of great sites for growing Zinfandel, but I have to say that the Rockpile AVA has always held a special place in my heart [and on my palate]. No surprise here, just a beautiful, jammy, delicious wine.

I’d like to say a big thank you to Erin Bush [Residence Manager & Winery Concierge] and Tracy Bidia [Hospitality Director] as well as everyone else we encountered at Comstock for making our stay so enjoyable. Sadly, Kelly Comstock Ferris was out of town so we were not able to connect this time, so we are really looking forward to seeing her on our next visit to Comstock.

Comstock Wines

1290 Dry Creek Road
Healdsburg, CA 95448

See photos of our visit to Comstock Wines and others from our trip here: Sonoma County Series.