WALT | BACA WINES ANNOUNCE OPENING OF NEW, MODERN TASTING ROOM IN HEALDSBURG, CA

October 23, 2019 by evebushman

HEALDSBURG, CA – WALT Wines and BACA Wines, two leading luxury wine brands owned by Craig and Kathryn Walt Hall, have opened a new tasting room and vineyard in Healdsburg, CA. BACA Wines, led by Director Jennifer Brown, is a modern Zinfandel brand that celebrates adventure and pays tribute to the classic California grape. WALT Wines, led by General Manager Jeff Zappelli, is a luxury Pinot Noir and Chardonnay brand that celebrates Pinot grown along 1,000 miles of the Pacific Coast. Located at the crossroads of Russian River Valley (known for Pinot Noir) and Dry Creek Valley (known for Zinfandel), this new location will serve as the perfect home for WALT | BACA Tasting Room & Vineyard in Healdsburg, CA. It marks the third tasting room location for WALT and will serve as the premier tasting room for BACA’s luxury Zinfandels.

“We are so thrilled that BACA now has a home where Zinfandel lovers can come and experience our wines. We are so proud of this tasting room and all of the love that has gone into it,” says BACA Director Jennifer Brown. “BACA is all about adventure, and that can be experienced throughout our tasting room with games, our wines’ playful names or a walk through the expansive vineyards. Healdsburg is a special place – we could not be happier to call it home.”

The 1,800 square foot indoor tasting room space features a custom designed bar by artist Maggie Michael, which is inspired by the panoramic views of the vineyard that can be seen from the bar. The space also displays a 10-foot tall painting titled “Angel Falls” by Pat Steir and a custom wall mural by Rita MacDonald titled “Torque”. After experiencing the captivating artwork in the tasting room, guests can step outside for a breathtaking vineyard view of the 22-acre property which is primarily comprised of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

“It’s a perfect location. For BACA it’s an exciting debut in Healdsburg and WALT gains a unique view and new way to share 1,000 Miles of Pinot Noir. We are calling all Pinot Noir and Zinfandel fans to join these new and fun experiences!” says General Manager Jeff Zappelli. “We’re really thrilled and hope everyone will visit and try for themselves.”

• WALT TASTING, $25pp
Guests will explore five current releases including single vineyard Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines spanning 1,000 Miles of Pinot, a concept designed to educate Pinot fans with vineyard sourcing and terroir.

BACA TASTING, $25pp
Guests can enjoy the five current release small production BACA Zinfandels in the artisan tasting room or on the terrace overlooking the vineyards. Book HERE.
CROSSROADS TASTING, $35pp
Guests will have access to taste through all three HALL Family Wine brands including BACA Zinfandel, WALT Pinot Noir and HALL Cabernet Sauvignon in a tasting that highlights current releases for each varietal and background about the Hall family. Book HERE.
BACA SENSORY EXPERIENCE, $50pp
Test your tasting skills with an interactive game that allows guests to guess and identify tasting notes in a flight of BACA Wines with their wine educator. This tasting consists of five BACA Wines and savory bites. Book HERE.
ROOT 101, $60pp
Root 101 is the signature food and wine pairing experience at WALT. This seated tasting includes six single vineyard Pinots paired with seasonal, locally sourced, farm-to-table bites. The experience aims to educate guests by exploring one’s palate as it relates to flavor profiles. Reservations are required. Book HERE.

WALT | BACA Tasting Room & Vineyard Healdsburg is home to a number of prominent, modern art pieces, such as:
- “Angel Falls”: Pat Steir
- “ Anchoring Skies”: Maggie Michael
- “Torque”: Rita MacDonald
- Art Curator: Virginia Shore – Shore Art Advisory
  WALT | BACA Tasting Room & Vineyard is located at 779 Westside Road, Healdsburg, CA 95448 and is open daily from 11AM- 5PM. Reservations for all tastings are encouraged, but walk-ins for the BACA, WALT, and Crossroads Tastings are welcome. For more information, please visit www.waltwines.com and www.bacawines.com, follow on social @waltwines and @bacawines, or by calling 707-721-8625.

WALT: 1,000 Miles of Pinot

WALT specializes in premier Pinot Noir and Chardonnay sourced from the most coveted vineyards along the Pacific Coast, spanning 1,000 miles from the Willamette Valley to the Sta. Rita Hills in Santa Barbara County. Led by Winemaker Megan Gunderson Paredes, WALT represents wines of a place – these special sites where thoughtful viticulture enables winemakers to create expressive wines that reflect the signature personality of each site. WALT farms three estate vineyards and partners with meticulous growers who aspire to share standards of quality. Owned by Craig and Kathryn Walt Hall, WALT honors Kathryn’s parents, Bob and Dolores Walt, who were grape growers in Mendocino County since 1972 and nurtured Kathryn’s passion for vineyards and wine. Guests can visit WALT at three tasting room locations including at the Sonoma Plaza located in Sonoma, CA, Healdsburg, CA and in the Oxbow district located in downtown Napa, CA. All three Tasting Rooms are open to the public. For more information, please visit www.waltwines.com or call (707) 933-4440. @waltwines #1000milesofpinot.

BACA: Life’s An Adventure. Here’s To Those Who Drink It Up

BACA produces California Zinfandel sourced from some of the state’s most notable vineyards located in Russian River Valley, Rockpile, Howell Mountain, and Paso Robles. Led by Winemaker Alison Frichtl Hollister and Director Jennifer Brown, the BACA wine portfolio includes five wines focused on complex, high quality Zinfandel wines named Cat’s Cradle, Tug O’ War, I Spy, Marbles and Double Dutch as well as a Rose of Zinfandel, Ring Around the Rose. BACA is part of the HALL Family Wine brands. For more information, please visit www.bacawines.com or by calling (707) 721-8625. @bacawines #forthezin.

NorCal’s Oakville Grocery Enhanced with New Features + Expanded Food & Wine Offerings

September 18, 2019 by evebushman

OAKVILLE, Calif. – Oakville Grocery, the general store that has been a gathering place for locals and tourists for nearly 140 years, has been enhanced since joining the Boisset Collection in January. Visitors to both Oakville and Healdsburg will now find an emphasis on local sustainable, organic and Biodynamic food offerings as well as an expanded wine selection that includes exclusive, highly allocated wines by the taste, glass or bottle. These new items, as well as the grocery’s signature favorites, can now be enjoyed on renovated patios during extended summer hours.

Photo credit: Scott Chebegia.

“We are so excited to bring new life into community landmarks in Napa Valley and Sonoma County,” said Jean-Charles Boisset, proprietor of Boisset Collection. “Oakville Grocery is a phenomenal destination where guests can spend a relaxing afternoon trying a selection of amazing wines; fresh, healthy and local cuisine; and fabulous craft beers!”

The historical legacy of the Oakville destination has been made more prominent through extensive signage throughout the property that tell the story of its founding role in Napa Valley. In addition, the property next door — 1881 Napa Wine History Museum & Tasting Salon — features tastings of wines from 13 sub-appellations of Napa Valley as well as an archive of wine relics open for complimentary visitation and has published its own history of the region.

A unique feature of both Oakville Grocery locations is that guests can taste some of the most sought-after wines from rotating producers that have included Opus One, Screaming Eagle and Kosta Browne by purchasing cards and using them in Napa Technology dispensers.

“Normally wine lovers have to wait on allocation lists for years to purchase these bottles,” said Ed Maass, Oakville Grocery Wine Program Manager. “We are thrilled that we can make these beautiful wines more accessible and offer them by the taste and glass at Oakville Grocery, and through our Oakville Wine Society.”

Throughout each store, the wine selections have been significantly expanded and diversified as well as organized by appellation. In the Oakville location guests can discover wines from nearly 300 Napa Valley vintners and in Healdsburg they can browse through an equally large selection of Sonoma County producers. The flagship location in Napa Valley also has two new spaces dedicated to wine: a “cave” where guests can sample the highest-end wines from the Napa Tech machines as well as a wine vault that guests can enter and make selections from, as if they’re perusing their own wine cellar at home. A wine vault is also planned for the Healdsburg location, which has a revamped and upgraded main floor wine section.

The robust and diverse wine offerings are now available through a unique wine club. The Oakville Grocery Wine Society offers wine enthusiasts the opportunity to continue their journey through the wine country of Napa Valley through quarterly shipments of wines, many of which are small lot and hard to find. Society members receive access to private tasting experiences as well as a 10% discount on reorders and store purchases. The society has four different levels: Embarcadero, with a three-bottle allocation averaging $225; Expedition, with a three-bottle allocation averaging $450; Quicksilver, with a 3- or 6-bottle allocation averaging $1,050 or $2,100; and Savant, which offers the selections of the most exclusive and hard-to-procure wines, and is available exclusively by invitation for the most discerning collectors.

As a community fixture in the hearts of Napa Valley and Healdsburg, Boisset welcomes chefs, friends, neighbors and visitors to come in to shop. Oakville Grocery is also committed to its community and invites artisans and purveyors to bring in their products for consideration for sale. A steadfast practitioner of Biodynamic and organic farming, through the new food selection at the groceries, Boisset is spreading its mission for people to “take a stand for the future of food” and carefully consider what they are putting in their bodies. As part of this ideal Boisset has improved and expanded the line of Oakville Grocery-branded proprietary offerings — such as vinegar, olive oil, preserves, tapenade, mustards, charcuterie and beer — while at the same time ensuring they derived from more local sources.

“Our motto is ‘Eat Local, Drink Local, Picnic Local.’ We want to sell products that are made as close to Oakville Grocery as possible,” said Oakville Grocery General Manager Barry Dinsmore, referencing both the Oakville and Healdsburg locations of the store. He estimated that 70% of products in the stores hail from California, with another 20% from the U.S. and the remaining 10% international.

One of the new food providers Oakville Grocery has partnered with is Ohm Coffee Roasters. The Napa Valley-based company led by former sommelier and wine marketing professional Derek Bromley is the exclusive coffee provider for both the Oakville and Healdsburg locations. The Oakville location now has a coffee machine from La Marzocco, the benchmark Italian brand, as a central feature of the upgraded coffee program.

In addition to new foods and wines, the Oakville location has a renovated patio with new furniture and umbrellas to better enable guests to take in views of some of Napa Valley’s most notable landmarks—the Mayacamas Mountains and the landmark To Kalon vineyard to the west and the valley’s highest point, Mt. St. Helena, to the north. Guests can soak up the atmosphere while enjoying sandwiches and salads from the deli cases inside; delicious pizza, burgers and sandwiches made in the wood-fired outdoor oven; or locally raised roasted chickens from the rotisserie, along with wine selected from the grocery or the new, adjacent 1881 Napa tasting room. The Healdsburg patio, which has 40 seats and is one of the only outdoor eating spaces near the Healdsburg Plaza, will also soon have an updated look.

1881 Napa derives its name from the history of Oakville Grocery, which was founded in 1874 as a general store by P.B. O’Neil and then transitioned into a community hub in 1881 under the auspices of Jim and Jennie McQuaid.

“None of us own 1881 Napa or Oakville Grocery. We are just guests in their history. These places will outlive us,” said Boisset.

More Information
In Oakville, Oakville Grocery is located at 7856 St. Helena Highway. Oakville Grocery is open from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday through September. The phone number is 707.944.8802, and the catering team can be contacted by emailing cateringnv@oakvillegrocery.com.

In Healdsburg, Oakville Grocery is located at 124 Matheson Street and is open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday through September. The phone number is 707.433.3200, and the catering team can be contacted by emailing cateringhb@oakvillegrocery.com

About Boisset Collection
Boisset is a family-owned collection of historic and unique wineries and lifestyle destinations led by Jean-Charles Boisset and bound together by a common vision: authentic, terroir-driven wines in harmony with their history, their future and the land and people essential to their existence. With more than 25 historical and prestigious still and sparkling wineries in the world’s preeminent terroirs, including Burgundy, Beaujolais, Jura, the Rhône Valley, the south of France, and California’s Russian River Valley and the Napa Valley. Its California wineries include DeLoach Vineyards, Raymond Vineyards, Buena Vista Winery and JCB by Jean-Charles Boisset; its French properties feature Domaine de la Vougeraie, Jean-Claude Boisset, Bouchard Aîné et Fils, J. Moreau et Fils, Louis Bouillot, Henrie Maire, Fortant and Bonpas. Each house retains its unique history, identity and style, and all are united in the pursuit of fine wines expressive of their terroir. Wine is at the center of Boisset’s mission, and is complemented by spirits, beer, cider, gourmet foods and luxury goods, both of its own design and from partnerships with historic companies such as Baccarat, Lalique, St. Louis, Riedel, Christofle, and Bernardaud. To learn more about the Boisset Collection, please visit www.boissetcollection.com.

Charlie Palmer and Clay Mauritson Take On Down Syndrome with their 9th Annual Project Zin

July 28, 2019 by evebushman

Healdsburg, Calif.–Chef Charlie Palmer and winemaker Clay Mauritson announce the ninth annual Project Zin event, taking place Friday, August 16-Saturday, August 17 at Hotel Healdsburg. This do-good wine weekend offers a series of dining and educational events hosted by Chef Palmer, Clay Mauritson and some of the industry’s most elite winemakers. Saturday evening’s preeminent wine event, Project Zin gathers some of the most sought after Zinfandels and Sonoma County chefs with all proceeds benefiting the Down Syndrome Association North Bay. Hotel packages and a la carte tickets are now on sale.

Saturday evening’s Project Zin event 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 ten-year old son Brady was diagnosed with Down 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 years since Project Zin’s inception, the Sonoma County winemaking and culinary community has come together to raise over $750,000 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.

Chef & Winemaker Talent

Now in its ninth year, the local and global winemaker and chef community comes out in droves to support a fellow winemaking family, as well as DSANB, including such prolific wineries as Robert Biale Vineyards, Carlisle Winery & Vineyards Ridge Vineyards, Williams Selyem, Seghesio Family Vineyards, 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/.

Events

Limited availability, for package guests only.

Rockpile Vineyard Lunch with Clay Mauritson (Mauritson Winery), Ian Blackburn (Beekeeper Cellars) and Andy Robinson (Seghesio Family Vineyards).

Guests will be picked up from Hotel Healdsburg and will wind their way to the top of the historic Rockpile Ridge Vineyard. Enjoy the breathtaking views from the heart of the vineyard while sipping a glass of Rosé with Clay, Ian and Andy. The afternoon will feature lunch served alongside a vertical of Rockpile Zinfandels. Your afternoon will conclude with a stop at Mauritson Winery where guests can enjoy coffee and a tour of the production facility. This is a truly fantastic experience to spend an afternoon filled with spectacular wine, delicious food and great company.

Saturday, August 17 | 11 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. | Rockpile Ridge Vineyard

Limerick Lane Vineyard Lunch with Jake Bilbro (Limerick Lane), Mike Officer (Carlisle Winery) and Chris Cottrell (Bedrock Wine Company)).

Guests will be escorted from Hotel Healdsburg to Limerick Lane located in the far northeastern corner of the Russian River, just south of Healdsburg. Enjoy the breathtaking views from the heart of the vineyard while sipping a glass of Rosé with Jake, Mike and Chris. The afternoon will feature lunch served alongside a vertical of Rockpile Zinfandels. Your afternoon will end with a stop at Mauritson Winery where guests can enjoy coffee and a tour of the production facility.

Saturday, August 17 | 11 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. | Limerick Lane Vineyard

Project Zin

Saturday evening’s Project Zin event is our preeminent food and wine event where guests will sample 21 of the most sought-after Zinfandels paired with tastings from Chef Palmer, Dry Creek Kitchen as well as top Sonoma County chefs.

The evening includes an inspiring Live Auction with Daryl Groom and Silent Auction where guests will have the chance to obtain rare, once-in-a-lifetime wine, food lots and travel packages. All proceeds go to Down Syndrome Association North Bay.

Saturday, August 17 | 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. | Hotel Healdsburg | $200 per person

Tickets & Hotel Packages
Tickets and hotel packages go on sale on June 12 at 11 am PST and can be purchased online at http://projectzin.org/tickets/. Tickets and package pricing are listed below.

A la carte tickets

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

$200 (excludes taxes/fees)

Purchase ticket >

Rockpile Vineyard Lunch: $150

Limerick Lane Vineyard Lunch: $150

Project Zin Packages

All packages include two-night accommodations for two in a luxurious Hotel Healdsburg, h2hotel or Harmon Guest House room, daily gourmet breakfast and valet parking, VIP check-in to all events, welcome wine reception with Clay & Carrie Mauritson on Friday, August 16 at Hotel Healdsburg, two tickets to Saturday Vineyard Lunch of Choice, and two tickets to Project Zin.

Project Zin Hotel Healdsburg Package

Two-night accommodations for two in a Hotel Healdsburg Premier King Room

Package Price: $2,388.83 (15 packages available)

Project Zin H2hotel Package

Two-night accommodations for two in a h2hotel Eco-King Room

Package Price: $2,156.83 (5 packages available)

Project Zin Harmon Guest House Package

Two-night accommodations for two in a Harmon Guest House King Room

Package Price: $2,156.83 (5 packages available)

Winners of 2019 Experience Rosé Competition Announced + The Great Rosé Pairing for Summer on June 22

June 8, 2019 by evebushman

Photo: Experience Rose Facebook page

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Debra Del Fiorentino, Founder of Wine Competitions Management & Productions, in conjunction with Craig Palmer and Allen Habel, co-founders of Experience Rosé (formerly Rosé Today), are pleased to announce the results from Experience Rosé: The 2019 Competition, held at Soda Rock Winery in Healdsburg, California on Wednesday, May 1. Directed by globally-renowned wine expert and educator Del Fiorentino, Experience Rosé: The 2019 Competition drew just under 400 entries of domestic and international rosé wines, making it the largest wine competition dedicated to Rosé in the Unites States. The public’s first opportunity to sample some of these award-winning wines in one festival-setting will be on Saturday, June 22, at The Great Rosé Infusion of Summer event, to be held at Soda Rock Winery.

“Our judging is committed to the highest standards of competition,” explains Debra Del Fiorentino, who attracts a world-class panel of judges for the Competition. “The Experience Rosé judging seeks the very best in dry, a little sweet and sparkling styles that pair quality winemaking with the passion for rosé and its infinite possibilities.”

Experience Rosé is one of only a handful of U.S. competitions exclusively focused on identifying excellence in rosé wine, domestic and international, all styles. Due to the increased number of this year’s entries, the competition is now considered the largest rosé competition being held in the U.S. “This put a real feather in our cap,” states Del Fiorentino. “The art of creating great Rosé wines has fast-tracked within the industry as illustrated with more than 27% more entries than last year. We couldn’t be more delighted.”

The esteemed panel of judges awarded five Best of Show awards, nine Best of Class designations, 22 double gold and 61 gold medals.

Top honors and Best of Show went to the Balletto Vineyards 2018 Rosé of Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, estate grown, bottled and produced. Described as a domestic dry rosé with tasting notes of cantaloupe, sun warmed strawberries, raspberries and rose petals, the wine garnered 94 points.

Other Best of Class winners include:

· Best of Show and Best of Class Domestic Dry: Balletto Vineyards, Rosé of Pinot Noir 2018
· Best of Class and Double Gold
o Domestic Sparkling: J Vineyards Brut Rosé
o Domestic Sweet: Jolee Wines, Rosé Jolee
o International Dry: Le Grand Courtage, Trés Chic Rosé
o International Sparkling: Risata Wines, Sparkling Rosé
· Best of Class and Double Gold
o Soda Rock Winery Rosé
o Hungry Hawk Vineyards Rosé
o Le Grand Noir Rosé
o Balverne, Rosé of Pinot Noir Reserve
· Best Domestic Cider, Gold: Urban Tree Rosé

Results were announced at an intimate gathering held at Soda Rock Winery on Thursday, May 2, following the judging. About 10 wineries, all Competition gold-and-above medal winners, poured and convened with a select group of industry influencers, media, and event sponsors and producers.

To view a complete list of 2019 winners, visit https://www.winecompetitions.com/experiencerose or http://rosewinetoday.com/2019-competition/.

Gold-and-above winners in the competition are invited to showcase their wines in The Great Rosé Infusion of Summer, to be held Saturday, June 16 at Soda Rock Winery in Healdsburg.

The Soda Rock event begins at 11 a.m. with an extraordinary Experience exclusively for VIP guests, titled “Rosé Without Cliché.” Thomas DeBiase (Idlewild Wines) will host a panel of distinctive winemakers pouring signature rosés that forever assert the commanding authenticity and captivating individuality rose’ can bring. Winemakers pouring and presenting their wines include Jeff Runquist (Jeff Runquist Wines, Amador), Antoine Favero (Wilson Artisan Wines, Sonoma and Mendocino), and Rick Moshin (Moshin Vineyards, Sonoma).

During the public event, from noon to 4 p.m., guests can expect to taste more than two dozen different rosés, in spaciously set-out themed tasting areas on the picturesque and historic grounds of Soda Rock Winery. Tasting areas are designed to illustrate how readily rosé pairs with so many different cuisines, and guest chefs will be on hand presenting delicious bites. French-trained chef Marc-Henri Jean-Baptiste (Mason Porcella) will serve elegant charcuterie offerings; Melissa Yanc, Healdsburg’s wildly acclaimed artisan baker, brings a tantalizing array of her mouth-watering artisan breads from her Quail and Condor; and Brian Bank will be showcasing his popular new BBQ hot spot in Fairfax, Way Station. By popular demand, Steel Jam has been invited back to fill the event with the exuberance of steel drum.

“There is a burgeoning appetite for all things rosé,” states Experience Rosé Founder and Co-Producer Craig Palmer. “Our goal is to showcase excellence, and the Competition sets that standard. This year we evaluated not only the best in rosé wines, but in rosé-infused spirits, beers and ciders. This is a first-of-its-kind idea for a public event.”

Early bird tickets are available now at experiencerose.com. VIP: $125; General Admission: $85; Designated Driver: $45. Tickets for The Great Rosé Pairing for Summer can be purchased by visiting www.experiencerose.com. For information about other Experience Rosé event, please visit www.experiencerose.com. Like Experience Rosé on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/experiencerosewine/.

Experience Rosé is proud to thank its Presenting Sponsor, Bank of Marin, and Hosting Sponsors: Soda Rock Winery, Jeff Runquist Wines, Spirited, and Wine Competitions Management.

About Wine Competitions Management & Production (WCPM) and Libations Logistics
Based in Santa Rosa, Calif., WCM&P is an independently owned and operated adult beverage competition company with a uniquely designed portfolio to appeal to a niche market based on its regional or otherwise defined style of judging. Its wine competitions include the prestigious world-renowned Sunset International Wine Competition, The Press Democrat North Coast Wine Challenge, Harvest Challenge, West Coast Wine Competition, International Eastern Wine Competition, East Meets West, International Women’s Wine Competition, and the Craft Distillers Spirits Competition. It also operates the Mendocino Cider Competition and manages Dan Berger’s International Wine Competition. See website at www.winecompetitions.com.

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 and bold, just like its historic past.

San Francisco Stars in 2019 Michelin Guide

January 3, 2019 by evebushman

SAN FRANCISCO (PRWEB) – The 2019 Michelin Guide for the San Francisco Bay Area confirms the city as the fine dining capital in the United States. The eight three-star restaurants total more than any other American city (including New York). San Francisco and the region has a total of 80 stars among the 58 venues listed in the 2019 Michelin Guide. The area’s Bib Gourmands, “restaurants that offer high-quality food at pocket-friendly prices,” increased by one this year to 68.

Two restaurants were given three-star rankings for the first time: Atelier Crenn (San Francisco) and Single Thread (Healdsburg). They join Benu, Quince and Saison in San Francisco and The French Laundry (Yountville), Manresa (Los Gatos), The Restaurant at Meadowood (St. Helena) in locations surrounding the city.

Dominique Crenn at Atelier Crenn is now the first female chef in the U.S. to achieve three Michelin stars. Her newer restaurant, Bar Crenn, also received its first Michelin star and was named one of the best new restaurants in the U.S. by Esquire Magazine (see below). The San Francisco Travel Association features Crenn in a video about what makes San Francisco a districting dining destination, available at http://www.sftravel.com/article/5-places-chef-dominique-crenn-loves-within-walking-distance-atelier-crenn.

“I am so proud of San Francisco’s incredible culinary scene. Best new restaurant in the U.S.: check. More Michelin three-star restaurants than anywhere else in the Americas: check. First female chef in the U.S. to achieve three Michelin stars: check. And it’s only just the beginning,” said Joe D’Alessandro, president and CEO of the San Francisco Travel Association.

San Francisco is also home to the least expensive Michelin-starred restaurant in the U.S. – the vegetable-centric Al’s Place, where an individual meal costs about $18 USD. Other affordable restaurants with stars in the region include Kin Khao, Commonwealth, State Bird Provisions and Terrapin Creek.

San Francisco also took the top spot on Esquire’s list of “Best New Restaurants in America.” Angler, on the Embarcadero, was named #1 and described as “an Avalon of pleasure and ease.” Other San Franciscans on the list: Bar Crenn (#12) and Che Fico (#17).

San Francisco Travel offers extensive information about San Francisco as a dining destination at http://www.sftravel.com/explore/dining.

The San Francisco Travel Association is the official destination marketing organization for the City and County of San Francisco. For information on reservations, activities and more, visit http://www.sftravel.com, read The San Francisco Traveler or call 415-391-2000.

San Francisco Travel operates Visitor Information Centers at Hallidie Plaza, 900 Market St. at the corner of Powell and Market streets, and at Macy’s Union Square. San Francisco Travel is also a partner at the California Welcome Center at PIER 39.

For more about San Francisco, follow http://www.facebook.com/onlyinSF, http://www.instagram.com/onlyinsf and https://twitter.com/onlyinsf.

American Express® is the official Card partner of the San Francisco Travel Association.

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) offers non-stop flights to more than 50 international cities on 44 international carriers. The Bay Area’s largest airport connects non-stop with 85 cities in the U.S. on 12 domestic airlines. SFO offers upgraded free Wi-Fi with no advertising. For up-to-the-minute departure and arrival information, airport maps and details on shopping, dining, cultural exhibitions, ground transportation and more, visit http://www.flysfo.com. Follow SFO on http://www.twitter.com/flysfo and http://www.facebook.com/flysfo.

Perlis Picks: Mauritson

December 22, 2018 by Michael Perlis

“Sense of place” is often bandied about in conversations about wine. Wines should not only be delicious but they should reflect their terroir – where they are from and the conditions unique to the vintage. The Rockpile AVA in Sonoma County is one of our favorite sources of wines that epitomize where they are from. Located at the far western end of the Dry Creek Valley, for me the wines (especially Zinfandels) from this area make me think of a combination of the power of Paso Robles with the complexity of the Russian River Valley.

So, when Clay Mauritson, in response to my inquiry about Karen and me visiting with him at his namesake winery during harvest, suggested that we spend the morning out in Rockpile to get grape samples, that sounded pretty exciting to us.

Mauritson is not too far from the entry to the Dry Creek Valley just west of Healdsburg. We met Clay there at 8 AM and headed west to Rockpile. Along the way Clay told us about some of the area’s history and the impact that Clay’s family has had on it.

Clay’s family emigrated from Sweden. Clay told us that “they settled in the Rockpile area of Dry Creek Valley and began growing grapes immediately, circa 1868. In 1884 my great, great, great, grandfather attempted to export wine back to his homeland of Sweden.” The homestead and ranch had grown to about 4,000 acres until 1968 when the Army Corps of Engineers acquired 3,300 acres of the land owned by the Mauritson family by virtue of eminent domain due to the perceived need to build a dam, thereby creating Lake Sonoma. Clay said, “When we lost the Rockpile property, my grandparents purchased the ranch in Alexander Valley where they continued growing grapes. The Rockpile property was used for livestock: sheep and cattle, but we did not resume growing grapes there until 1998.” But it wasn’t until Clay returned from college and worked in the winemaking industry in the area that he made the decision that the Mauritson name should actually be on wine bottle labels as the winery. The Mauritson winery was officially born with the release of its first vintage in 1998. The modern winery and tasting room was opened in 2004.

It didn’t take long for Clay to revisit the Rockpile area and realize its potential for making great wine. The Mauritson Rockpile Zinfandels are some of my all-time favorites. Rockpile was granted official AVA status in 2002, due primarily to the efforts of Clay’s dad Thom along with Rod Park and Jack Florence Sr.

Clay also discussed how happy he was with the current 2018 harvest. The growing season had been virtually perfect. Sometimes near the end of the growing season, the threat of impending heat spikes or rain could impact when the grapes are picked. Not this year. The grapes only needed to be picked when they were ready to be picked. Clay said that they test the grapes early and often at Mauritson, so they can plan the optimal picking window. He explained you can do a lot of things at the winery but you “can’t change the flavors” – those happen in the vineyard.

Walking the vineyards with Clay as he pulled samples to take back to the winery for testing, I felt a new appreciation for an AVA that has always been at the top of my list of favorites. And since I wanted to play “winery helper” and carry the buckets that Clay was filling, I also felt a greater appreciation for the hard work that happens in the vineyard, especially those steep ones in Rockpile. I am sure that Clay would have finished sooner without me, but my excuse is that I am 63 and out of shape while Clay is 20+ years younger and still looks like he did in his football playing days at Oregon.

We spent a couple of hours in the vineyards and I admittedly weenied out and let Clay walk at least one of them alone. But now it was time to head back to the winery and taste some wine.

While when I think of Mauritson I automatically think of Zinfandel, I soon found out those aren’t the only varietals that Clay is making, and making well, I might add.

We tasted through several wines:

2017 Mauritson Sauvignon Blanc, Dry Creek Valley – I really liked the richness of this wine.

2017 Mauritson Chardonnay, Alexander Valley

2016 Charlie Clay Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley – Clay makes this with/for renowned Chef Charlie Palmer; the only wine he makes with purchased grapes.

2015 Mauritson Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley – Excellent in its own right, this was a great lead-in for the Rockpile wines…

2016 Rockpile Zinfandel, Rockpile Ridge Vineyard

2016 Rockpile Zinfandel, Cemetery Vineyard

2016 Rockpile Zinfandel, Pritchett Peaks Vineyard

All three of these wines were excellent representations of what Rockpile is known for.

We also tasted three more wines from Rockpile:

2016 Rockpile “Madrone Spring” blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Syrah

2015 Rockpile “Buck Pasture” blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc.

2015 Rockpile Cabernet Sauvignon, Rockpile Ridge Vineyard

All of these showcased the intensity of the Rockpile fruit.

Whew. Clay makes a lot of wines and we didn’t even taste all of them. But, as an added bonus we got to taste one of the wines from Clay’s single soil Cabernet series, which focuses on producing Cab from four distinct soil types. We had the 2014 Clough and it was outstanding.

Something else to consider: Annually in August, Clay Mauritson and Chef Charlie Palmer co-host the Project Zin event in Healdsburg. This is a gathering of winemakers and chefs to benefit Down Syndrome Association North Bay. The winery lineup is Zinfandel heaven and August now looks like a pretty good time to visit the area.

You’ll find that several wineries make wine from Rockpile grapes – some even own vineyards in Rockpile and other just purchase grapes from the area – and you’d be hard pressed to find wine from this AVA that you won’t like. But I heartily recommend that you at least start your enjoyment of Rockpile wines with the family that had so much to do with putting Rockpile on the map in the first place – Mauritson.

Mauritson

2859 Dry Creek Road
Healdsburg, CA 95448

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.

Perlis Picks: Idlewild

December 8, 2018 by Michael Perlis

It is hard to talk about wine in Sonoma County without the name Bilbro coming up.

I’ve written more than once about Jake Bilbro and the outstanding wines that he is making at Limerick Lane.

Did you know that two other Bilbro brothers also make wine? One of them is Scot, who is carrying on the tradition of father Chris at Marietta Cellars [more on him in a future article].

And then there is Sam. Sam actually hadn’t planned on making wine. He essentially grew up at Marietta Cellars but the thought of making what Sonoma County is known for like the Rhones and Zins that Marietta Cellars and Limerick Lane make or the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay which also tend to dominate the region apparently didn’t appeal to him. He had planned to do something else with his life.

Yet, we found ourselves in an industrial center north of Healdsburg in Geyserville, trying to track Sam down and find out what had changed. We circled around the center for a while, seeing other winemakers doing their thing, but couldn’t find Sam. I finally gave in to my natural disinclination to ask for directions and called him. He promptly flagged us down from the very back of the center where he shares space with a few other small wineries.

It was the middle of harvest and the winery was busy with workers as well as incoming grapes. We didn’t want to be in the way or take up too much of Sam’s time [we had actually pulled him away from his lunch] but we did chat for a little while about what he was doing.

The big question, of course, was what made him decide to go into winemaking after having decided that he wasn’t going to? The answer was Nebbiolo. One day, tasting an authentic version of this wine, Sam’s passion for Italian varietals was triggered, specifically those from Piedmont, and from that day forward he knew he wanted to make them. So Idlewild was born.

Piedmontese grapes such as Arneis and Cortese – for white wines—and Dolcetto, Barbera and Nebbiolo for reds are sourced from Mendocino County and turned into wine at that Geyserville industrial park. Until recently they could only be obtained via the winery’s mailing list or at a few restaurants. That’s changed though as Sam recently opened a tasting room for Idlewild just off the Healdsburg town square.

We knew that Sam needed to get back to work and we wanted to taste the wine and not only those just-picked Barbera grapes, delicious as they were. So we left Sam to his duties and headed down to that new tasting room.

Idlewild makes three “entry level” [for lack of a better term] blends: The Bee (white), The Flower (rose) and The Bird (red), as well as single-varietal bottlings of Arneis, Nebbiolo, Barbera, Cortese and Dolcetto. In the tasting room we got to taste the latest releases of the single-varietals as well as the rose. [Please note that we’ve tasted prior vintages of the white blend as well as we had purchased some as part of Idlewild’s fundraising efforts relating to the 2017 fires – all three Bilbro wineries participated in these efforts.]

I really like wines that are delicious and fun to drink [Who doesn’t, right? Duh.] I also really like wines that get your attention and require some contemplation. These wines do both, which doesn’t always happen. All of these wines are very tasty, well made wines with complex attributes. My two favorites were the Cortese and the Barbera. The Cortese is Sam’s version of an Orange wine [i.e. fermented on the skins]. I am a fan of Orange wines but I’ve found that some of them taste like, well, a mistake. Not this wine. It has just enough added complexity from the skin contact to make it an all-around winner. And the Barbera is just a great mouthful of berries and figs.

This is a great winery to check out, especially if you are interested in experiencing some out-of-the-ordinary California wines. Or, if you just like really good ones.

Idlewild Wines
132 Plaza St
Healdsburg, CA 95448

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

March 24, 2018 by evebushman

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

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

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.