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Lake County Wines Reach New a Pinnacle

November 14, 2020 by evebushman

KELSEYVILLE, Calif., PRNewswire — Lake County received the highest rating ever achieved by a wine from its region – receiving a 96 point rating for the 2016 Sol Rouge Petite Sirah from Wine Enthusiast Magazine.

Lake County, a small wine growing region directly north of Napa, used to be part of Napa County and was said to have grown as many grapes as Napa in the 1900s. However, the 1920 Prohibition brought an end to Lake County wine production as vines were removed and planted with other crops.

Lake County’s re-emergence in the wine industry began in the 1960s and grew from less than 100 acres in 1965 to nearly 10,000 acres today. Although large premium Napa Valley grape growers like Beringer and Beckstoffer Vineyards established themselves in the county, few wineries included “Lake County” on their labels, as most wine was often blended into that of Napa Valley and Sonoma wines.

In 2007, a dozen wineries in Lake County including Sol Rouge Winery, established the Lake County Winery Association to promote awareness. At the time, Lake County wines were relatively unknown or reviewed by the top wine magazines with only a few wines receiving a 90+ point rating. Most of these wines were made by Napa winemakers like Thomas Rivers Brown, maker of the Schrader Cellars Double Diamond Cabernet Sauvignon from Beckstoffer’s Amber Knolls Vineyard.

Today, the Lake County Winery Association has over three dozen vintners like Shannon Ridge, Gregory Graham, Brassfield, Hawk & Horse, and Obsidian Ridge, who commonly make wines in the 90-95 point range.  “We’ve seen a trend in higher ratings from all of our Lake County wineries and this rating is just another example of how wineries are producing world-class wines from Lake County,” said Helena Walsh, Director of Lake County Winery Association.

The 2016 Sol Rouge Petite Sirah put Lake County in a completely different league, scoring a 96 point rating by one of the top wine review magazines – the highest in the county’s 50+ year history of winemaking. “I actually never checked on how rare that rating was. I tasted the Sol Rouge Petite Sirah blind of course, along with a few other Petites from Lake and two other appellations, so when I scored it I didn’t know the AVA. It’s a magnificent wine and a great example of how good the Lake County terroir can be,” said Jim Gordon, Contributing Editor, Wine Enthusiast Magazine.

“When we planted the Sol Rouge Vineyard, we sought to grow the best possible grapes to make the finest wine we could,” said Bryan Kane, Co-Owner & Winemaker of Sol Rouge Vineyard & Winery. “When we came to Lake County, the highest rating from one of the Big 3 (Spectator, Enthusiast & Parker) was 92 points. So far, we’ve earned 90–94 points on 44 of our 51 Lake County wines, with the majority scoring 92-94 points.” Bryan attributes the higher scores amongst Lake County wines both improved winemaking and the excellent growing conditions.

“Lake County produces some of the most distinct winegrapes in the world, and over the years, we’ve seen a steady increase in recognition of the region’s wines,” said Debra Sommerfield, President of the Lake County Winegrape Commission. “This impressive rating further substantiates Lake County’s position as a top-tier winegrowing region.”

With all the recent devastation to the Napa and Sonoma wine growing regions caused by the Glass and LNU Lightning Complex fires, wineries have been looking to Lake County for grapes. Jim Smith of Case by Case Wine Brokers states, “We have been challenged as of late with the soaring demand of winegrapes from Lake County. I believe the work is out on what winemakers can expect from our wine growing region.”

“We are honored and excited to have received such a high rating on our 2016 Petite Sirah and expect that Sol Rouge and others will continue to aspire to make highly rated world class wines,” stated Jill Brothers, Sol Rouge Co-Owner and Winegrower.

ABOUT SOL ROUGE

Sol Rouge is a family estate located in the Mayacamas Mountains at elevations averaging over 1800 feet. North of Napa in the foothills of a dormant volcano which formed the North Coast wine country in the Red Hills Appellation of Lake County, this land contains rich, red volcanic soil and, from this unique profile, Sol Rouge derived its name – translating to “Red Soil” in French. This 70 acre estate is planted with Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Cinsaut, Counoise, Zinfandel, Petite Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc in a “high vine density” configuration allowing each vine to focus on fewer clusters of fruit, leading to greater complexity. Nestled between Mt. Konocti and Benson Ridge, this aggressive sight is all hillside with slopes up to 60% and is said to be the most aggressive and tightly planted vineyard in the Red Hills, with nearly 6000 vines per hectare in some blocks. For more information, see http://www.solrouge.com

2016 Sol Rouge Petite Sirah Wine Enthusiast Magazine Review: https://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/sol-rouge-2016-petite-sirah-lake-county/

Filed Under: Guests Tagged With: ava, blend, blind tasting, Cabernet Franc, cabernet sauvignon, California, Cinsault, counoise, fruit, Grenache, label, lake county, Mourvedre, Napa, Petite Sirah, points, prohibition, robert parker, sirah, soil, Sonoma, terroir, vines, vineyards, vintners, wine enthusiast, wine growing, wine ratings, wine spectator, winegrape, winemaking, wineries, Zinfandel

Beckstoffer Vineyards Donates $100,000 for COVID-19 Relief

April 12, 2020 by evebushman

RUTHERFORD, Calif.,/PRNewswire/ — Andy Beckstoffer of Beckstoffer Vineyards today announced that the company will be donating $100,000 directly to individuals, not organizations, most in need in Napa, Mendocino and Lake Counties. Beckstoffer Vineyards will write more than 100 checks of $300 for each of the three counties totaling approximately $33,000 per county. The Chambers of Commerce of each county will be determining what individuals and families will receive the checks, which are primarily earmarked for hourly workers who have lost their jobs due to layoffs from COVID-19, including hotel housekeepers, dishwashers, waitstaff, busboys and more. The checks from Beckstoffer Vineyards will be issued directly to individuals, not to the Chambers of Commerce or other organizations. There will be no administrative costs or fees.

“We are fortunate that at Beckstoffer Vineyards, we haven’t laid off any staff as grape growing has been deemed an ‘essential business.’ However, with restaurant closures and reduced tourism, we recognize that many in the hospitality industry have been suddenly been laid off, meaning that many of the already lowest wage earners have now lost their income completely. Beckstoffer Vineyards has grown grapes in these three counties for the past 50 years, and we care about the people who live and work there. We are immediately providing help to the people who are most in need,” stated David Beckstoffer, COO, Beckstoffer Vineyards.

“In 2015, Beckstoffer Vineyards pledged $50,000 to the #LakeCountyRising fundraising campaign following the devastating Valley Fire. Our donation and those of other individuals and private companies eventually raised more than $1,000,000 for #LakeCountyRising. We care about the people who work in the counties where we farm and hope that our donation inspires other individuals and companies to donate additional much needed funds,” added Andy Beckstoffer.

ABOUT BECKSTOFFER VINEYARDS

Named “Napa’s most powerful grape grower” by both the Wall Street Journal and Wine Spectator, Beckstoffer Vineyards was founded in 1970. Beckstoffer Vineyards is firmly rooted in the soil of Northern California’s wine country, with Andy Beckstoffer playing an integral role in the evolution of the wine grape industry since 1970. Joined at the family-owned business by his son, David, in 1997, they share a common mission – to produce the highest quality grapes in Northern California that form the foundation for exceptional wines – and a combined passion for preservation of the land and viticulture expertise.
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Filed Under: Guests Tagged With: charity, lake county, mendocino, Napa, restaurant, vineyards

Second Annual ‘International Volcanic Wine Conference’ Coming to NYC in June

February 3, 2019 by evebushman

NEW YORK (PRWEB) – John Szabo, Master Sommelier and award-winning author and Volcanic Wines International (VWI) are proud to announce the 2nd annual ‘International Volcanic Wine Conference (IVWC), to be held in New York City on June 5, 2019. The event follows the highly successful inaugural conference, held in March of 2018, and Szabo’s acclaimed book on the subject, “Volcanic Wines: Salt, Grit and Power,” published in 2016.

The IVWC, in its second year, aims to continue its mission of establishing a volcanic wine movement, and to provide educational and promotional opportunities for volcanic wine producers internationally. The conference acts as a catalyst and facilitator to eventually bring together all of the world’s volcanic regions and wines, while incredibly diverse, represent a unique category of wines produced under some of the most extreme viticultural conditions on the planet. The annual conference also aims to help establish the ‘volcanic wine classification’ as a premium category of high quality, terroir-driven wines with a true sense of place.

“This year’s inaugural conference was wildly successful, exceeding all expectations,” says John Szabo. “Guests were able to taste quality wines from diverse volcanic soils and learn from leading winemakers and experts about the unique characteristics that make these wines special.”

A first of its kind, the 2018 conference brought together producers from all over the world, helping raise the profile of volcanic wines; exclusively for qualifying wine trade and media, 300 industry professionals attended the event. During the conference, guests were able to sample wines from over 50 wineries from 16 different volcanic wine regions and engage with some of the world’s leading volcanic wine experts.

“The Soave Consortium has always believed in the need of creating a specific category to identify volcanic wines and their unique characteristics,” says Sandro Gini, Soave Consortium President. “The event in New York in March 2018 brought us much satisfaction, especially by seeing a strong interest in these wines’ peculiarities by wine professionals and writers.”

Educational seminars included “Volcanic Italy… as seen through Aglianico and Garganega,” sponsored by LLS, a member of The Winebow Group, “Soave: A Never-ending Volcanic Wine Story,” sponsored by the Consorzio Tutela Vino Soave, “The Volcanic Wines of Santorini: 3700 years in the making,” organized by Wines from Santorini & Wines of Greece and “Extreme Cabernet from Lake County’s Extreme Volcanic Terroir,” sponsored by the Lake County Winegrape Commission & Lake County Winery Association. The seminars explored what differentiates volcanic wines in the world of wine, and what unites them. It also gave participants an unprecedented opportunity to taste a vast collection of volcanic wines under a single roof, with producers at hand to further explain their unique attributes.

“We were thrilled to support this unique opportunity to delve into a compelling and important topic that goes beyond any one specific region to foster a broader understanding of soil and geology, and its impact on winegrowing and winemaking,” said Ian Downey, Executive Vice President of Winebow Imports. “The high level of enthusiasm, questions, and dialogue surrounding the conference indicates that the discussion is far from over and we look forward to future initiatives.”

Producers from regions around the world such as Sicily, Soave, Campania, Santorini, Tokaj, Badacsony, Somló, Washington State and many more will be participating in the second annual conference. Winemakers, academics, and journalists will be presenting in-depth educational seminars during breakout tasting sessions on various aspects of volcanic wines.

“I am excited for what’s to come. Next year’s conference will give us the opportunity to present new volcanic regions and new research, and continue our mission to define and elevate the volcanic wine category in the eyes and palates, of industry professionals and wine lovers,” says Szabo.

Additional details regarding the conference, including confirmed participants and seminar schedules, will be announced in the following months.

For more information and latest updates, be sure to visit the Volcanic Wines International official website http://www.volcanicwinesinternational.com, as well as following the VWI’s Facebook (Volcanic Wines International) and Instagram (@volcanicwines_intl) pages.

About John Szabo
John Szabo is a Toronto-based author and wine critic, and in 2004 was the first Canadian to add the Master Sommelier credential to his name. He was named ‘Canada’s best-known sommelier’ in Meininger’s Wine Business International, and he is a partner and a wine critic for WineAlign.com and freelances widely. In addition to “Volcanic Wines, Salt, Grit and Power,” his book titles include “Pairing Food and Wine for Dummies” and “Sommelier Management.” John also works as a restaurant consultant and speaks and judges internationally when he’s not making a few dozen bottles of wine from his vineyard in Eger, Hungary.

About Volcanic Wines International (VWI)
The mission of Volcanic Wines International is to take the leading role in defining and establishing a Volcanic Wine Movement, and to provide educational and promotional opportunities for volcanic wine producers internationally. Volcanic Wines International also plans to establish the volcanic wine brand as a premium category of high quality wines with a true sense of place.

About Colangelo & Partners
Colangelo & Partners specializes in premium food, wine and spirits brands, and has long-established relationships with the key press that drive these business categories and help determine the industry leaders. Agency principals have years of experience in retail and distribution as well as communications, a rare combination that gives Colangelo & Partners invaluable insights into consumer purchasing behavior. The agency focuses on “closing the loop” between creative communications programs, distribution, promotion, publicity, and the consumer in order to maximize the efficiency of its communications programs and deliver measurable results. Founded in 2006, Colangelo & Partners was honored as one of the year’s top integrated communications firms at the 2013 Agency Elite Awards and for one of the best digital marketing campaigns at the 2014 Digital PR Awards.

Filed Under: Guests Tagged With: lake county, master sommelier, New York, palate, soil, terroir, viticulture, wine education, wine growing, Wine tasting, winemaker

North of the Gate Wine Competition Announces Award Winning Wines

May 30, 2018 by evebushman

PETALUMA, Calif. (PRWEB) – Of the 302 wines entered in the North of the Gate Wine Competition in Petaluma, California an unprecedented 294 were honored with awards. And yet despite the overall quality of the wines entered, this year’s esteemed judging panel of 12 had no trouble at all selecting just one overall winner. This year’s Best of Show was awarded to Lewis Grace’s 2015 Petite Sirah, which also won Best of Show Red, Best of Class, Best of El Dorado County, and a Double Gold award.

NGThe North of the Gate Wine Competition, produced by the Sonoma-Marin Fair held June 20-24, 2018, is known for attracting high end luxury wines. Competing wines come from grapes grown in the wonderful Sierra Foothills all across Northern California to the beautiful California Coast. We have the consistently best wine producing regions in the world. More and more varietals are being grown and this year the judges had a difficult time awarding the best wines since so many were exceptional.

Not only is the competition one of the oldest to include all of Northern California’s unique wine regions, but it also has one of the highest esteemed judging panels. This year four panels of professional wine judges met on April 26 to determine which would be worthy of their accolades.

The Best of Show White Wine was a racey 2017 Albarino from Imagery Estate Winery with bright acidity that enhances its peach and citrus flavors. It has won top awards at many wine competitions and should not be missed.

Rosé wines are making a come back and just in time for summer. This wine judging category has exploded and the Best of Show Rosé Wine was a beautifully colored 2017 Rosé of Pinot Noir made by Rodney Strong Vineyards. It is fresh and vibrant with aromas of strawberry and white peach as well as fresh acidity and a lasting juicy finish.

The Best of Show Red Wine also won the top award: Best of Show Wine, highlighting the incredible wine-making skills of two brothers: Trevor and Tyler Grace from the El Dorado region. Their 2015 Lewis Grace Petite Sirah steps out with an intense maroon color and an equally complex boysenberry and cedar nose. The friendly pomegranate opening and chocolate finish complement it’s characteristic peppery kick.

Winery owner Steve Grace received this highly coveted accolade humbly by sharing, “we are more than thrilled with the results. While it is a small competition compared to some, the judging panel is superb and it’s great to have exposure to that group.”

Case in point, last year Grace Patriot Wines received multiple awards including the Sweepstakes Award for their 2016 El Dorado Rosé of Pinot Noir.

Among the best by county this year were Brassfield Estate Winery 2016 Sauvignon Blanc for Best of Lake County, Handley Cellars 2015 Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir for Best of Mendocino County, My Italian Cousin 2015 Eugenio for Best of Napa County, Oak Farm Vineyards 2016 Tievoli for Best of San Joaquin County, Grindstone Wines 2017 Rosé of Syrah for Best of Colusa County, Lewis Grace 2017 Torrontes was Best for Sacramento County, and Schug Carneros Estate Winery 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon for Best of Sonoma County.

For a complete list of this year’s North of the Gate Wine Competition winners and more information on this year’s judging panel, please visit sonoma-marinfair.org.

Wine tasting of the top medal winners will be available during the Sonoma-Marin Fair in the beautifully landscaped Wine Garden. The best of the best will be poured on Saturday, June 23 during the fair’s annual Taste of the North Gate. Guests can mingle with wine makers, enjoy live music, and partake in a cheese and chocolate pairing. A separate ticket will be required and available for purchase at the gate the day of and in advance online.

The 2018 Sonoma-Marin Fair will be taking the summer fun “Beyond the Milky Way” from June 20-24, 2018. Enjoy 5 fun-filled days of FREE concerts, unlimited carnival rides, the World’s Ugliest Dog ® Contest, action-packed Pit Stop USA Sprint Car Racing, fun games & contests, delicious fair food, and more. For details, visit sonoma-marinfair.org or call (707) 283-3247. Be the first to know about all of the fun by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Plan for an out of this world experience!

Filed Under: Eve Bushman Tagged With: Albarino, award, California, Central Coast, el dorado, judge, lake county, Napa, petaluma gap, Petite Sirah, Pinot Noir, Rose, Sauvignon Blanc, sierra foothill, Sonoma, Syrah, vineyards, wine judge, winery

Wine and Livestock Make for a Perfect Pairing, by Barbara Barrielle

October 15, 2016 by evebushman

I first saw a video of how Shannon Ridge Wines raise sheep to sustainably manage their vineyards, rotating the sheep from vineyard to vineyard to control cover crop growth and naturally fertilize the land. I was intrigued.

Image from Facebook.

Image from Facebook.

Visiting the Lake County winery and meeting vintner/rancher Clay Shannon underscored the responsibility he feels to protect and maintain the historical vineyard hills of Shannon Ranch planted to Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Petite Sirah and Zinfandel.

On the main Shannon Ranch, where Eastern European immigrants planted grapes over 100 years ago, Clay was prepping for harvest so the sheep grazed on a recently picked vineyard a few miles away. The sheep love grapes, you see, so they can’t graze near ripe fruit because they’d simply eat the crop. But, bring them in while grapes are ripening and they’ll happily eat grape leaves and thin the canopy for better sun exposure.

Clay Shannon has trademarked his approach as the Ovis Cycle, The Ultimate Sustainable Farming System. After harvest, the sheep clean up the fallen grapes and other MOG (material other than grapes) and fertilize away as they roam, all naturally. They leave the vineyards spotless and the sheep are fat and woolly.

In winter, vines may be dormant but the sheep are lambing and kept warm and protected by the vigilant sheep dogs. In Spring, the wines are budding, the sheep are sheared and the lambs are weaning. They continue weeding and fertilizing. These sheep graze well, live freely, enjoy life and, eventually are consumed as the cycle of life completes.

Shannon Ranch is known for its spectacular naturally-raised lamb, which pairs beautifully with many of the Shannon Ridge wines like the ever popular and well-priced High Elevation Wrangler Red. Grown at 1200-1400 feet it is a staple on many restaurant lists. Also in the High Elevation Brand family is a Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Restaurants in the know serve the Shannon Ranch lamb right along with the wines for a perfect farm to table experience.

As Clay Shannon was discovering the ranch he now calls Shannon Ridge, he found a lot of history both in the winegrowing and in the ranch structures. He unearthed the old winery, complete with old crusher and press, an unknown and still-producing well, a skinning shack and a hand-built stone fence that runs for over a mile.

In the process of unveiling all the ranch’s secrets, Shannon’s greatest discovery was a century-old “Mother Vine” that is still strong today. The many offshoots of this old vine Carignane, probably brought from the old country, are the base of the oldest part of the dry-farmed ranch.

The old skinning shed is now preserved as the Buck Shack Bar for entertaining customers and trade. “Buck Shack” also happens to be the name of Shannon Ridge’s small batch red blend that reflects the finest fruit from Shannon Ranch.

Shannon Ridge farms over 991 planted acres Lake County AVA and the smaller Lake County AVAs of Red Hills, High Valley and Big Valley. Clay Shannon discovered early the beauty of Lake County wines and their potential quality and affordability and steadily acquired vineyards to become the prominent Lake County winery they are today.  Nationally distributed, all estate-grown and sustainably farmed by a true caretaker of the land, Shannon Ridge and its family of wines represent excellent value in the market today.

Filed Under: Eve Bushman Tagged With: ava, cabernet sauvignon, Chardonnay, crush, farming, fruit, grapes, harvest, lake county, Petite Sirah, pressing, restaurant, Sauvignon Blanc, sustainable, vines, vineyard, wine growing, winery, Zinfandel

Vintage Eve Circa 10/2011: Hawk and Horse Vineyards Twofer…and Then Some (02 Justin Isosceles and 08 Foxen Sea Smoke Vineyard Pinot Noir!)

May 24, 2016 by evebushman

Getting caught up on unsolicited (wines sent that I didn’t expect) and solicited (new friends that have the gift – of wine) produced this hodgepodge of tasting notes:

Eve on the wine down tv show

Hawk and Horse

http://www.hawkandhorsevineyards.com

2007 Red Hills

Lake County

Cabernet Sauvignon

14.1% alcohol

The color was a clear, beautiful ruby with slight tawny edge in one ounce tasting, purple in full glass. The nose ran from dust, white pepper, wet wood, cherry, dark plumy fruit, smoke, red licorice…very aromatic. The taste was of mellow tannins, bright mature fruit, and a little dry/dusty. And for the finish, the fruit pleasantly gave way to tannins, medium length, I’d say drink now, or wait and see if more complexity comes with age.

86 Eve pts.

##

2006 Red Hills

Lake County

“Latigo” Cabernet Sauvignon

“Dessert wine made from Cabernet Sauvignon wine grapes”

16.55% alcohol

A burst of deep chocolate, blackberry and white pepper on the nose was followed by a taste of vanilla and raisins, a viscous mouthfeel, very much like a Port, and a short, but not unpleasant, finish.

##

Justin and Foxen

http://www.justinwine.com

http://www.foxenvineyard.com

 Thanks to new wine friends Molly and Derek, and my husband for taking us all to Roy’s for dinner, we were the lucky recipients of two wines from the Molly-Derek collection. (Due to the lighting, and the distraction of the great meal and service, my notes are sans color notations – too dark – and a little frugal. But, rest assured, each was given its fair due of drinking.)

Justin 02 Isosceles

Paso Robles

93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4 % Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc, unfiltered.

Aromas of dark, mature cherry was followed in slow succession…wait for it…of blackberry, black plum, mushrooms, and wet oak with a slight bit of eucalyptus. The taste was slightly dry, an almost dusty mouthfeel and cigar smoke that made you think of the age on the wine. But that was quickly brought to perfect balance with the slightly-sweet plum, bringing a conclusion filled with juicy jamminess.

Molly had wanted the wine decanted, but it was too late as we were halfway through the bottle.

Then I remembered my Travel Vinturi in my purse, my favorite new gadget, and we tried the wine again. I then noted more mushroom, bell pepper, slightly drier, a little less fruit, more tannin, yet with nice black cherry noted by Molly. Drink now. 99 Frigging Eve pts.

##

08 Foxen Sea Smoke Vineyard Pinot Noir

Santa Rita Hills

Unfiltered.

Decanted 15-20 minutes. An aroma of deep fruit, mint, wet stone, anise, black pepper and black fruit followed by a taste of both the black fruit and black pepper pushing right up front, beautiful mouthfeel. Not a standard “bright cherry and stemmy” flavor that I usually note in Pinot Noirs, this Foxen was a bit of a surprise for me. And I was doubtful it was due to only 3 years in the Molly-Derek cellar… I’d say drink now, but save a bottle for next year, and the year after, and the year after that…

Filed Under: Eve Bushman Tagged With: alcohol, aroma, Cabernet Franc, cabernet sauvignon, chocolate, decant, dessert wine, fruit, lake county, Merlot, mouthfeel, nose, Port, red blend, tannins, tasting notes, Wine tasting

Perlis Picks: Family Winemakers of California – Again!

May 14, 2016 by evebushman

There are a few events that I try to go to every year. The annual Family Winemakers of California event is one of those. I’ve written extensively in the past about the important work this organization does for the wine industry as an advocate for wineries and ultimately benefiting the consumer. The organization has been a major player in obtaining rights for wineries to ship direct to consumer in the various states. Based in Sacramento [where the legal action takes place] FWC typically holds annual events in San Francisco and in Southern California.

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On March 20th, 2016, nearly 90 wineries gathered in the Wyland Center at Del Mar Fairgrounds to pour for appreciative members of the trade, media and public their latest releases and promote not only themselves but the work done by the organization.

As usual, it was impossible to make a huge dent in the number of wines being poured. My wife Karen and I did our best to sample as many wines as possible. Here were some of our favorites…

Cantara Cellars – based in Camarillo, I enjoyed Mike and Chris Brown’s Franknvine blend of Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Malbec.

Cass Vineyard & Winery – a Paso Robles favorite. And the ever entertaining co-owner Ted Plemons now has a wine named just for him.

Chacewater Wine & Olive Mill – rich powerful wines from Kelseyville in Lake County. My favorite was the Petite Sirah.

Collier Falls – owner Barry Collier was pouring a selection of his wines from Dry Creek Valley. Loved the Petite Sirah and the Primitivo [don’t call it Zinfandel!].

Field Stone Winery & Vineyard – excellent Fume Blanc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon from this Healdsburg winery. But the Petite Sirah was my favorite, from a vineyard planted in 1894!

Rickards Winery – from Cloverdale in the Alexander Valley. Favorites were Fume Blanc and Petite Sirah. We felt the Fume was the best white wine we had that day.

Manzoni Estate Vineyard – really liked the Syrah from this Soledad winery.

PasoPort Wine Company – not sure why I had never tasted wines from this Templeton winery. They make a great selection of wines and ports. Liked everything I tasted. Tied for find of the day for me with…

Pech Merle Winery – from Healdsburg, great Zinfandel.

Prizm Winery – same owners as D’Anbino Vineyard in Paso, creating “special, small-run wines.” Cabernet Sauvignon showed great fruit.

Before closing, here’s a suggestion for anyone attending an event at the Del Mar Fairgrounds…

Right across the street is the Hilton San Diego / Del Mar. Very nice, well maintained hotel, and they offer a free shuttle not only to events at the fairground but to anywhere within a five-mile radius. The hotel restaurant, coastalKitchen, serves great seasonal dishes from local farms – don’t let the casual appearance fool you, the food is world-class. And, if you happen to be hanging out there after the FWC event, chances are good you’ll run into a winemaker or two, such as Jon Larsen who shared his delicious Cabernet Sauvignon from Angwin Estate Vineyards with us.

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.

Filed Under: Michael Perlis Tagged With: Cabernet Franc, cabernet sauvignon, California, cellar, dry creek valley, family winemakers, fume blanc, Healdsburg, lake county, Malbec, Merlot, Paso Robles, Petite Sirah, Port, primitivo, san francisco, Syrah, vineyard, wineries, Zinfandel

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