Simple Hedonisms

Archive for the ‘Events’ Category

by Katherine Parker

I attended PINK OUT! SF this week, an event eagerly anticipated and long-awaited by me.  PINK OUT! is an annual wine tasting and food-pairing celebration focused entirely on Rosé wines. It’s hosted by Chef Robert Lam at the San Francisco waterfront location of his Butterfly Restaurant. PINK OUT! SF, in its 8^th year, is organized by the Rosé Avengers and Producers (RAP).

Getting Sassy at Pink Out! SF

Rosé came onto my radar when I moved to Sonoma in 2009 and started classes in the wine studies program at Santa Rosa JC. Instructors like Bob Frazer, Ray Johnson and others opened my palate to a broad spectrum of wine varietals and winemaking styles I had never considered drinking. Rosé was one of those.

Living on the border of Carneros, Sonoma Valley and Sonoma Coast, I was soon smitten. My piece “Romance with Rosé,” became one of Simple Hedonisms’ most popular.  When I found out there would be a tasting of 30+ Rosé wines in one place, I was excited.  The wines, the Butterfly waterfront venue and food, and the sassy spirit of PINK OUT! SF lived up to my expectations and more.

The Wines

Rosé is so versatile. Think of the many ways you can use and enjoy it: As a low(er) alcohol wine for a business or vacation lunch (Envolve or Korbin Kameron); as a mouth-cleansing refresher with spicy Asian or BBQ food (Lasseter Family); as an appetite-stimulant with a plate of fabulous cheeses (Dunstan or Kokomo); as a celebration wine, when you want a Pink Champagne with (Gloria Ferrer) or without the bubbles (Chateau D’Esclans) as an aperitif for a festive occasion. Also, a very good Rosé can be had for a great price. Of 40 or so wines, most are priced under $25 with several good value Rosés at $14-18. These were just a few faces of Rosé at PINK OUT! SF.

Roses of all shapes and colors

I found Rosés of all origins, varietals and colors at PINK OUT! SF: France, Spain and Australia; Sonoma and Napa; Yolo and Lake county grapes are represented. There are Rosés made from Grenache, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Tempranillo, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Syrah, Sangiovese, Vermentino, Zinfandel … to name a few. And at least one (MidSummer Cellars) co-fermented with Viognier (Like!).

The Colors

Straw. Pale Gold. Silver. Platinum. Peach. Salmon. Pink-Pink.Foamy Pink. Licorice Red Candy. Clear Ruby. Hot-Pink! Deep-Pink. Take your pick of pink.

As a whole I found the wines well made. I had a few favorites, which are influenced by my personal preferences (running to dry, low-alcohol Rosé, particularly of Pinot Noir, a varietal I favor).

Top Picks

Top Pick: Kokomo 2011 Grenache Rose

Kokomo Grenache Rosé 2011. Grapes from Pauline’s Vineyard in Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma CA. This wine is elegant in every dimension: Crystal clear pale platinum in color, dry berry bramble nose, round and mouth-filling on the palette. Drinks well by itself and would pair excellently with an aged Spanish Manchego cheese, shellfish or naturally seasoned grilled pork. It was the perfect accompaniment to Chef Lam’s spicy paella. 13% Alcohol, $22.

Dunstan Rosé, 2011. Signature salmon color, light fragrant nose, dry and cleansing on the palette. Balanced and satisfying. From Sonoma’s famed Durrell Vineyard Pinot Noir grapes.

VML 2011, Rosé of Pinot Noir. Winemaker Virginia (Ginny) Lambrix (Truett-Hurst and VML labels) made this lovely Rosé of Pinot, which retails for $19.

Many other wines here were also worthy of mention:

Chateau D’Esclans, Whispering Angel Rosé 2011, and Rosé 2011 from Cotes de Provence, France.  Whispering Angel seems to create a category all it’s own. Made from a blend of 7 varietals  – predominantly Grenache and Rolle – it is silvery pink in color, soft and round, and so light it seems to evaporate pleasantly in the mouth.  Almost like champagne without the bubbles.  14% alcohol, $19. I liked the Rosé 2011 for its direct and structured approach – Grenache and Rolle with 20% oak. 14% alcohol, $35.

Gloria Ferrer was memorable for sparklers. They I tasted a couple of interesting and well-priced Spanish pink wines, Segura Viudas NV Brut Rosé ($8) and Freixenet NV Rosado Brut ($13).  These were great paired with the oyster appetizers.

DEFINE Wines 2011 Syrah/Grenache Rosé. A new entrant with a finely-tuned, bold and fruity 13.5% alcohol Rosé. $38.

Carneros Wine Co., 2011 Fleur de California Rosé of Pinot Noir. Made from grapes from Carneros and Suisun Valley, this is a straightforward refreshing Rosé. Perfect for lunch at 12.5% alcohol and $14 retail.

Butterfly Restaurant

Chef Lam put together a menu of spicy paella, grilled-cheese burgers and salad that paired so well with the Rosé tasting it was a hard act to follow. Then it was followed by platters of cheeses with cornbread triangles that made me realize how much the cheese and the Rosé wanted to be together.  The waterfront location is ideal with its floor to ceiling windows and open kitchen. I will be back soon to discover the menu and waterfront vistas.

Pink Out! SF Crew

The Bling

At the same time my interest in Rosé developed, Rosé winemaking styles have been rapidly evolving from a “what shall we do with the leftovers?” into an art and craft of Rosé. This event expresses the accessibility, diversity and enthusiasm of today’s Rosé. It’s on my calendar for next year on the second Tuesday of May. That should give me enough time to shop for something pink and sassy to wear in 2013.

Related Articles

A Call For Rosé – May Panel Review (Drink Pink!)

Tasting Notes: Envolve Winery 2011 Rosé, Sonoma Mountain

A post by Tracy Logan, Wine Road.

@ Rafanelli- by Marta Hayden. Particularly popular BT spot.

I hit the Wine Road with Chicago journalist Jerry Nunn for a whirlwind day- do not attempt!  Remember, Jerry and I are professionals!  (I have always wanted to say that….)

Jerry and Tracy at Bella Villa Messina by Jerry Messina

I pick Jerry up at his lodging, the lovely Bella Villa Messina, and off we go!

First stop: Dave Coffaro Winery- Dave & Pat: experienced and knowledgeable King & Queen of  Barrel Tasting:

Jerry Nunn, left, and Dave Coffaro Himself….

The Coffaro BT Setup – The Big Picture. Lots to sample- great Futures opportunities!

The Specific, Little Picture.

Next stop, Pedroncelli Winery , where we meet up with Ed and Julie Pedroncelli St. John- along Wine Road, it is all about owners, winemakers, proprietors- THE folks here for you, the visitor:

Winter vines….

Pedroncelli TR.

Jerry Nunn, left, and Julie Pedroncelli St. John.

I learned @ the Barrel, that Julie and Ed are Underdog Experts, entertaining us mightily, though Jerry was too young to remember….Polly Purebred rules with Julie- she thought it would be an excellent Little Sister Name….

Voiced by Wally Cox.

From left, Underdog, Polly Purebred and Jerry Nunn in the Barrel Room at Pedroncelli.

Romantic Pedroncelli: When you have their wines with your dinner, the bottle will be empty before you know it….

Next stop, downtown Geyserville:

Route 128 and Lorna Opatz:

Route 128 sparkling in the winter sun!

Jerry and Lorna!

Off down Geyserville Avenue south to The Meeker Winery where we are greeted by Charlie Meeker:

Charlie Meeker and Jerry….

Heading now to Mercury Wines ….

Grady and Brad Beard- Mercury Wines!

Next up, W2 Williamson Wines:

Jerry Nunn at the TR Bar at W2

Those wacky Williamsons- ALWAYS pairing their delicious wines with food!

Now it is time to drive out 128 over to Jimtown for lunch with Carrie Brown:

Carrie Brown and Jerry Nunn.

What a great lunch….I LOVE the Olive and Brie on the sourdough….

Next, Starlite Vineyards all set for BT with their amazing viognier and zinfandel, and statue by Peter Crompton:

Wow- right there in the vineyards….

Starlite TR.

We drive through the Alexander Valley, through Chalk Hill and over to the RRV to Joseph Swan and Rod Berglund, another Wine Road King of BT:

Designs by Lynn Swan Berglund….a Queen of BT.

Jerry and Rod.

Volunteer womanning the barrels at Joseph Swan.

Rod is always ready to offer up visuals to explain exactly what is going on with the wines- here a soil display, totally geeky, totally endearing- Jerry and I learned a great deal….

Rod and Lynn are ready for BT: give us a place to BE THE SPITTING IMAGE!

Jerry and Rod- BT!!

Wow- lots of professional ground covered!  We head back to Healdsburg and Bella Villa Messina- Jerry had an incredibly early flight out of SFO- so, off we go to dinner early at Scopa:

Amazing; completely delicious with wonderful ambiance!

Scopa- exquisite food, wine, service, atmosphere: amazingly delicious!

Lots of ground covered- great Friday #1 #WRBT 34th Annual- where were you in ’78?   (Please excuse, Francis Ford Coppola and  George Lucas- where were you in ’62?)

Here’s looking at you, kids.

TR

Here are some amazing non-winter blossom shots I took today:

Ornamental Cherry tree on Matheson Street in Hburg- ready to pop since last Sunday!

The hounds of spring are definitely on winter’s traces- but let it pass, let it pass.

What event is like Christmas,  a Birthday, and New Years all combined into one weekend?  For this Crazy about Rhône wines publication – it’s Hospice du Rhone, the largest international celebration of Rhône wines. Hospice du Rhône (aka “HdR”), held every spring in Paso Robles, is extra special this year as it celebrates its 20^th anniversary.

What is so Unique about Hospice du Rhône?

There is a palpable energy about this event that is undeniable and infectious. Perhaps it’s the gathering of hundreds of people who trek from all over the US & Europe to spend 2.5 days in reverent, yet celebratory, homage to Rhône variety wines.

I am invited to numerous wine events every year but no gathering of wine aficionados that I have attended includes participants who exhibit the level of passion and devotion that characterize HdR attendees.

Who Attends HdR? Would I Be Out of Place?

There is no doubt that it is a more serious type of wine enthusiast who plunks down $800 (if buying the whole experience) and journeys to Paso Robles, a great Rhône wine destination itself. Paso is 3-4 hours drive from both LA and San Francisco. (While many will make the drive, the nearby San Luis Obispo airport has surprisingly good connections.)

People at HdR sense their mutual love of all things Rhône and are generally quite friendly. Each year I meet friends new and old from all walks of wine life. Participants range from normal passionate wine lovers, here to enrich their knowledge, perhaps new but passionate about Rhones; to winery personnel who are there to enjoy and learn; to wine writers and bloggers, who make an annual trek to “ Rhône Mecca.”

The seminars & tastings at HdR are designed so that no matter how new to Rhônes you are, or experienced you may be, you will learn something that will broaden your horizons and your palate at each session.

In addition, you can rub elbows with winemakers; restaurateur and Rhône devotée Sondra Bernstein of the girl & the fig; Rhone writer, guru & publisher Patrick Comiskey of Wine & Spirits; event founder and US Rhône winemaking pioneer, John Alban; and many more. At each seminar, tasting, lunch, dinner, etc. – you never know with whom you will taste next too. But take notes and Google their names later, for odds are, you regularly will be next to someone remarkable and not even be aware!

Courtesy of HdR Website

You need only one thing to attend HdR (besides your credit card) – a desire to learn more about the 22 grapes that make up Rhône wines.  Your experience there will span many styles, and countries.

Unique International Flair

The HdR team does an excellent job making sure that there are Rhône wines from all over the US represented, and not just wines from Paso Robles (the local Rhône epi-center). What’s extra special to me, particularly after my January trip to the Rhône Valley of France, are the many international wineries that attend.There is a large contingent from of Frenchies, wineries from Spain, Australia and more  are represented.

If the price to attend HdR seems a bit high, consider the cost of the many weeks and plane tickets it would take you to traverse the globe & visit all of these producers on your own!

Build Your Weekend Experience – A La Carte or The Whole Immersion

One of the nice things about HdR is that you can break up the weekend and purchase, on an a la carte  basis, tickets to the tastings and seminars. For example, if you can’t get away for Friday, you can purchase tickets to just the Saturday events, or you can opt to purchase tickets to individual seminars or a tasting.

Talking to the HdR team, it appears that tickets are selling very fast.  While HdR tickets always go fast, this year they are likely to sell out even earlier due to the 20^th Anniversary. Indeed tickets for the Thursday night special CdP event (which replaces the usual bowling gala), sold out almost immediately (I even missed out on those!).  Rooms in Paso, and the remaining tickets to this event, will be drying up shortly.  Don’t be one of the many people  each year who procrastinate, and then sadly are turned away.  Indeed, tickets this year are in such high demand, that I was not able to procure a pair of Saturday tasting passes to give away as I have done in past years.

This Years Agenda & Seminars

It’s hard to say which I like better, the seminars or the tastings. Last year it was difficult not to fall in love with the warm, humble French from the Roussillon.   However, the Saturday tasting featuring food pairings and chef demos was also not to be missed.

Friday, April 27, 2012

Seminar One: Why Spain (continues to) Rock!

Presenters: European Cellars | Eric Solomon Selection Portfolio Producers: Exciting viticultural and winemaking practices have been taking place in the Priorat and beyond. European Cellars | Eric Solomon Selection will bring some returning and new producers from their portfolio to feature in this seminar. Take a look (and taste) at why Spain continues to ROCK! The panel will star Rhône variety  practitioners from Spain.
Seminar Two: The Return of the Bionic Frog

Presenter: Christophe Baron of Cayuse, Walla Walla, Washington: Christophe Baron from Cayuse Vineyardsin Walla Walla, Washington will update you on his efforts since his first appearance on the Hospice du Rhône scene in 2000. Since 1997, Cayuse Vineyards has been farmed organically. Cayuse wines are created with minimal intervention, to protect the minerality, other aromas and flavors the vineyards give to the wines. The wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Other Events:

• 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. – Rosé Lunch with dishes created by Chef John Toulze of the girl & the fig

• 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. – BIG Rhône Rendezvous featuring BIG bottles and the cuisine of Blackberry Farm.NEW! This is a walk around tasting of large format bottles from over 100 Producers. Twenty years calls for a BIG Rhône Rendezvous don’t you think. Producers from far and wide will be pouring BIG bottles at this BIG, lively affair. Many have dusted off wines from their cellar and others have created something unique to celebrate this momentous occasion. To complement this BIG evening of BIG bottles highly-acclaimed chefs hailing from esteemed Blackberry Farm in Walland, Tennessee will be serving up a taste of the South in a BIG way. Tables flowing with charcuterie and cheese will span the Tasting Pavilion throughout the entire evening. An hour into the tasting, Blackberry Farm will unveil food stations billowing with robust and scrumptious bites.

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Courtesy of HdR Website

Seminar Three: A Collective Quest

Presenters: Yves Cuilleron, François Villard and Pierre Gaillard of Les Vins de Vienne, Chavanay, France: Three vintners, three approaches to winemaking and growing. Les Vins de Vienne have succeeded in producing an alchemy that combines three sensibilities into a high-performance team spirit. This collective commitment to the production of quality wines is brought about by each individual experience. The wines and philosophies of these three long time amigos of Hospice du Rhône will be explored.

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

Presenter: Chester Osborn of d’Arenberg, McLaren Vale, South Australia: Numerous studies, both geologic and sub-regional have taken place since Chester’s last presentation in 1999. The ever dynamic Chester Osborn of d’Arenberg will be detailing these studies and will explain and show you how this information has impacted his viticulture and winemaking practices.

Other Events

• 12:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. – Lunch and Live Auction with Chef Rick Manson of the Far West Tavern
• 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. – Grand Tasting
• 7:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. – Farewell BBQ featuring Chef Maegen Loring of The Neon Carrot

Resources

The HdR Website is a wealth of information:

• 2012 Attending Rhône Wine Producers and Importers
• Food Purveyors
• Event Guide
• A Must Have – the iRhone iPhone app
• Rhone Resources

The Rhone Countdown Continues

Over the next four weeks, I will be continuing my Rhone Countdown I started in xxx with more stories and Rhone reviews. Stay tuned for regular articles and reviews.

I’d love some reader input – is there anything in particular that you’d like to see as part of that countdown article-, education-, or review-wise? Another live tasting like I did for Rhone Rangers? Let me know…

Related Articles

Wine of the Week: Baxter Winery 2006 Carignan – And the Rhone Countdown Begins

Part 5 of “The 12 Days of Wine Christmas” Wine Seminar Last Minute Stocking Stuffers for Wine Event Lovers & Rhone Hounds

Tasting Notes: Wesley Ashley Wines 2009 Intelligent Design Cuvée – And Why Rhone Blends Rock

Rhône Rosé Panel: Quivira, Mounts, and Skinner Vineyards

Wine of the Week, Winery of the Month – Tablas Creek 2010 Patelin de Tablas Blanc

Can’t make it to Paso Robles for Hospice du Rhone? Attend Virtually-Details Inside

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

Anderson Valley Winegrowers to Host 15th Annual Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Festival

March 26, 2012, Philo, Calif. – Tickets are now on sale for the 15^th annual Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Festival, to be held May 18-20, 2012. The event, which is put on by The Anderson Valley Winegrowers Association (AVWA), will feature a grand tasting that highlights 40 producers pouring just one single variety from one appellation (Anderson Valley Pinot Noir and Pinot Noir rosés).

The Pinot Noir Festival weekend kicks off on Friday, May 18 with a day-long technical conference aimed at members of the trade and avid Pinot consumers. Conference topics include wastewater management, a Boonville vs. “deep end” Pinot tasting moderated by Michael Mina Group Wine Director Rajat Parr, a Cerise Vineyard focus tasting, and more.

The technical conference will be followed by a casual, outdoor barbecue at Husch Vineyards, with pulled pork sandwiches and other BBQ delicacies, a live band, and plenty of Pinot Noir.

After a press tasting on Saturday morning, the grand tasting at Goldeneye Winery in Philo will showcase Anderson Valley Pinot with a latin beat. Pinots will be paired with classic Mexican dishes like fig mole chicken and a group of local women will be making fresh salsas and homemade tortillas during the event. There will also be live music and a silent auction to benefit the Anderson Valley Health Center and Hendy Woods State Park.

Participating wineries at the grand tasting include: Balo Vineyards, Baxter Winery, Black Kite Cellars, Breggo Cellars, Brutocao Cellars, Champ de Reves, Claudia Springs Winery, Copain Wines, Couloir Wines, Drew Family Wines, Elke Vineyards, Esterlina Vineyards, Expression Wine, Foursight Wines, Frati Horn, Fulcrum Wines, Goldeneye Winery, Greenwood Ridge Vineyards, Handley Cellars, Harmonique Wines, Husch Vineyards, Knez Winery, Lazy Creek Vineyards, Littorai, Londer Vineyards, LuLa Cellars, MacPhail Family Wines, Maggy Hawk Vineyard, Navarro Vineyards, Phillips Hill Estates, Philo Ridge Vineyards, Roederer Estate, Roessler Cellars, Scharffenberger Cellars, Standish Wine Co., Toulouse Vineyards, Twomey Cellars, Waits-Mast and Zina Hyde Cunningham.

On Saturday evening, May 19, local wineries will host four winemaker dinners in Anderson Valley and on the Mendocino Coast. This year’s dinners include: Roederer, Goldeneye and Fulcrum at Roederer Estate; Baxter and Navarro Vineyards at The Philo Apple Farm; Scharffenberger Cellars, Phillips Hill Estate and Waits-Mast at Scharffenberger; and Esterlina, Greenwood Ridge and Champ de Reves at the MacCallum House in Mendocino.

The weekend will conclude on Sunday, May 20 with open houses at Anderson Valley wineries, featuring special tastings, educational talks, music and food (a list of winery open houses can be found at www.avwines.com).

Tickets for the 15^th annual Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Festival can be purchased at www.avwines.com.

For additional information about the event, please visit the AVWA Web site at www.avwines.com or contact us at (707) 895-WINE or info@avwines.com.

About the Anderson Valley Winegrowers Association:

The Anderson Valley Winegrowers Association operates with the goal of supporting the region’s grape growers and wineries, as well as promoting the region’s wines. In addition to acting as a resource for its members, the association aims to better its community by donating funds every year to local nonprofit organizations. To-date, more than $220,000 – raised at the association’s events – has been given to local charities. For more information about the association, or for a list of association members, please visit http://www.avwines.com/.

Contact:

Kristy Charles,President, AVWA,  (707) 321-4024  kristy@foursightwines.com

OR

Janis MacDonald, AVWA, (707) 895-9463,  janis@avwines.com

Related Articles

Highlights and Top Picks of the Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Festival

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Tasting Notes – 2009 Freestone Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast, Estate

Wine Review – Von Holt 2009 Pinot Noir – Russian River Valley (and a special reader gift)

Unless you have been asleep for the last month, or not reading my blog posts (how dare you!) you should be aware I have been counting down to two upcoming amazing Rhone weekends. (Ok last weekend my new day job had me buried, and no weekly review.)

March is the Rhone Rangers weekend in San Francisco and April is the international Hospice du Rhône .

Read on, and enter to win tickets to next Sunday’s March 25th Grand Tasting. (Ends Monday!)

Why Rhones? Palate Enlightenment

I am asked frequently why I am so passionate about the Rhône wine category. For many, I think Rhone wines were the ‘epiphany’ wine – the one that made you go “AHA”  – THIS is what wine is about.

I am not alone, if you attend Rhône focused tastings & events I find attendees to be more passionate than any other category.

Many of us got here in a traditional path – we drank big New World Cabernet and Bordeaux varieties to start. Maybe we stumbled or were lead into white wines. With luck many of us found Pinot Noir, before over ripening, doctoring became rampant (and now thankfully is quickly retreating.) At some point we discovered a well made Grenache, Roussanne, Mourvedre, cool climate Syrah, or a great blend, that sung in harmony.

Rhône  wines offer something for every palate, and have a wide range of diversity.

• For the newer wine drinker, perhaps seeking to branch out from Cabernet, a warmer climate Syrah can be a pleasant change, shares some characteristics, but offers a different flavor profile.
• A Pinot Noir drinker, eager to find more wines that express themselves and aren’t buried in new oak may find a modest Grenache or Mourvedre, and fall in love.
• For those who love whites, or who seek something interesting in a white, or even just want to learn to like whites: Rhone white wines can offer incredible density, complexity, acidity. Much to love. Indeed I have converted many a “I don’t drink white wine” naysayers with Rhone white wines.

Many Rhône producers, like legend and trailblazer Tablas Creek,  follow the European philosophy that Rhone wines shine most as a blend. Rhone wines have more diversity across the varietals and give winemakers a huge flavor portfolio to work with, and thus consumers a myriad of combinations and flavor profiles. In Rhone wines, often the Sum of the Whole, is greater than the sum of the parts.

No matter how we got here, everyone has a story they love to share, and the journey of palate evolution never ends. Many, including winemakers will find the style of one variety, say Syrah, that they drank 5 years ago, is very different than what they prefer now. We have a wealth of winemaking styles, climates, terroir, and even grape clonal (genetic) differences that makes Rhone tasting a never ending exploration.

I Drank ALL the Kool-Aid!

One of these days I might write an article on my full story, but lets just say I am “all in.”

• Eighteen months ago I joined the Rhone Rangers marketing committee as Media, and Social Media Marketing lead
• Last Summer I was voted onto the Board of Directors, as Media representative
• Last fall my partner & I launched a new Rhône label & micro-winery Two Shepherds. We don’t talk about our brand here, but its done very well thanks to supporters, and great accounts like the the girl & the fig, Spoonbar, K&L, Bottle Barn,  Toast Wine bar, who have just about cleaned out our 2010 white releases, and now tapping into our newly released 2010 reds. I make wines in an old world, nuanced style, as I have been writing about, and put my money (literally all of it) where my mouth was. Sometimes I wish we sold less so I could drink it!
• Over Winter I assumed the role of the President & Leader of the newly reformed North Coast Chapter. I am determined, with our members, to brand our area as a great place to Rhône . Look at our 4 page map and see how many producers we have.
• Did I mention I have a full time demanding day job to pay for all this?

My only regret this year is that instead of roaming around as media (which I still do at many events, Simple Hedonisms is at an all time high of readers) I will be pouring our wine at the Saturday seminar #1, and the Sunday tasting. Not that I don’t love to share and pour our wine, but the Rhoneophile in me will be chomping at the bit to taste. Last year I could have used two days, not 4 hours.

Come see us, we will be easy to find, next to our beloved restaurant partner the girl & the fig. Our 2011 Whites are doing well, especially our flagship Grenache Blanc, and will be released soon. Mention this article for a sneak preview of a 2011 sample.

March 24-25th: A Weekend Celebration of American Rhones

The Rhone Rangers is America’s leading non-profit, educational organization dedicated to promoting American Rhone varietal wines. Nothing at all wrong with imported Rhones, I certainly by and drink my share, and a part of my heart will never leave the Rhone Valley – but the 140 members of the Rhone Rangers produce a wide array of great, diverse wines.

To pour a wine at a Rhone Ranger event, it must consist of at least 75% of one or more of the 22 Rhone varieties, designated here.  How many can you name? (In fairness, we don’t even yet grow all 22 here in the US. )

This weekend event is a wealth of tastings and Rhone immersion.

1. Seminars

Saturday has two great seminars:

• Rare Wines; Taste the Unusual. 12pm, Firehouse. From Picpoul to Counoise and beyond, come and meet the rarest Rhones and find out what makes them so unusual.

• Wine & Swine, A pairing of American Rhones with Bacon. 2pm, Firehouse. Some say everything tastes better with bacon, we say how about bacon with your wine! This seminar will demonstrate the bacon-friendly aspects of your favorite Rhone varieties.

Sunday has one:

• A Celebration of Syrah from Diverse Regions. 11am, Golden Gate Room. Rhone Rangers producers are pushing the envelope on syrah in a variety of ways. Come and taste the most widely grown Rhone variety from points north and south and east and west.

Rhone Rangers seminars are a value, at $45-$65 compared to many events.  The seminars are moderated by Rhone enthusiasts and popular wine writers Jon Bonne’ of the SF Chronicle and Patrick Comiskey of Wine & Spirits. These esteemed gentleman will lead you through the tasting with input and comments from each of the wine makers. An inexpensive, unparallelled tasting & educational opportunity, for only 40 people per session Saturday, and 70 total on Sunday. These will sell out, don’t wait.  To see who is in each seminar, and buy tickets, see here: http://www.rhonerangers.org/calendar/sf_grand_tasting.php

2. Saturday Night Winemakers Tasting, Dinner, Auction

Saturday night, at the newly opened Ft Mason General’s Residence, 17 winemakers will pour for you at a walk around tasting, then pour, sip and eat with you at dinner.  Your meal is prepared by none other than the renowned girl & the fig.

This event also sells out every year, don’t wait. http://www.rhonerangers.org/calendar/sf_grand_tasting.php

3. Sunday Afternoon Grand Tasting

The most popular event & culmination of the weekend: 110+ wineries from all over the US, many whom are small, hard to find will pour for you. Food purveyors and food trucks will also be on hand. Grab the program, make a plan, and taste your way through your favorite varietals, or learn & taste about some new ones.

NEW – Buy Wine and Take it Home! For the very first time, attendees can buy wine right at the table, pay for it and take it home. Since many of these wineries are small, and may not have local distribution, this is a perfect time to grab that gem you liked and take it home. Over 60 wineries will be selling wine, and will be specially marked in the program, as well as the flag at their table. To make it even easier, you may check your purchases at one of two holding points, so that you can continue to taste unencumbered. For those of you who attended Taste of Mendocino, this was a great experience.

Share & Enter To Win a Pair of Tickets – Ends Monday

To win, simply post below in comments one of the following:

(1) Tell us what Red or White Rhone variety (grape) you are most interested in learning about, and why, in a brief sentence or two.

OR

(2) Tell Us Your Favorite Producer or Wine, from the List of those Participating

Correct answers will be pooled and drawn by random number generator Monday night! If you don’t win, grab a ticket, at $45

Follow On Twitter

You can follow the event’s fun live on Twitter, simply follow or search for hashtag #RRSF – cheers!

Related Articles

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Wine of the Week: Baxter Winery 2006 Carignan – And the Rhone Countdown Begins

Tasting Notes: Wesley Ashley Wines 2009 Intelligent Design Cuvée – And Why Rhone Blends Rock

Wine of The Week: David Girard 2009 Mourvèdre – A Pinot Lovers Mourvèdre

Why Rhone Wines & Wine Review: Wesley Ashley Wines – Intelligent Design Cuvee – #WBW71

Rhône

Yes, Barrel Tasting is all about futures, but many wineries are offering sales on finished wines as well. Take this list with you and stock up!

Russian River Valley

D’Argenzio

• 20% off mixed cases. 30% for wine club.

Desmond Wines

• Wine: Estate Russian River Valley Pinot Noir,  3 pack Vertical, 2007, 2008, 2009 (2007 Library)
• Retail Price: $121.00
• Special Pricing: $89.00

Foppiano

Not “participating” the second weekend but will be pouring barrel samples in our tasting room.

• Wine: Foppiano Vineyards 2010 Sauvignon Blanc Russian River Valley
• Retail Price: $18
• Bottle and/or Case Promotion discount: 30% off during Barrel Tasting Weekends: $12.60 per bottle or $151.20 per case

Kendall-Jackson Wine Center

• Wine: 2007 Jackson Hills Cabernet Sauvignon, Knights Valley and 2006 Highland Estates Trace Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon, Knights Valley
• Retail Price: $40 and $70
• Bottle and/or Case Promotion discount: Single bottle 20% off (25% Wine Club) Case Sales 30% off, 35% wine club

Sheldon Winery

• 15% Off any purchase of 4 bottles or more. (An additional 5% off for Sippy Wine Club Members)
• 25% Off a 4-pack of the 2003 Sheldon Tawny Port (Still in barrel, we will bottle/label/wax dip for you to take with you). One time offer, only two barrels made. The Future is now!!

Windsor Oaks Vineyards & Winery

Futures made easy!  Mix & match any of our 6 futures – 6+ bottles.   25% off. Plus, buy any futures and get 25% off any current release wines.

• Wine: Reserve Chardonnay 3 vintage 2007-2009 Vertical Box Set with Lobster Bisque Recipe.
• Retail: $125
• Special: $89   Only 60 sets available.  This wine & food pairing is featured in our Reserve room all weekend.

•  2009 “Vin Gris” Rose of Pinot Noir
• Retail price $19
• Case Special $175 (25% discount), Half Case $99 (15% discount)

•  2007 Reserve Chardonnay
•  Retail price $35
•  Case Special $275 (35% discount),  Half Case $150 (29% discount)

Hop Kiln

• Proprietary blend Big Red for $150 a case. White wine blend Thousand Flowers for $120. per case. 40% savings on both!

Alexander Valley

J. Rickards

• Wine: 2008 Zinfandel, Ancestor Selections
• Retail Price: $22
• Discount: 30% off (40% off for our Wine Club), no minimum

•  Wine: 2010 Kizmet, White Bordeaux Blend
• Retail Price: $18
• Discount: 30% off (40% off for our Wine Club), no minimum

Sausal Winery

• Wine: 2008 Private Reserve Zinfandel, 100% Estate Zinfandel from 95 year-old vines
• Retail Price: $24.00/$288.00
• Promotion:  25% OFF full case purchases only

Also

• Bottle Discounts on all wines:  2-5 bottles are 10% OFF, 6-11 bottles are 15% OFF
• Case Discounts:  Full or mixed 20% OFF

White Oak

• Wine: 2006 Napa Valley Merlot and 2006 Napa Valley Syrah (91 points Wine Enthusiast) – OK to mix & match!
• Retail Price: $26/bottle or $312/case
• Bottle and/or Case Promotion discount:

• NON WINE CLUB PRICING:
• 1 bottle – $16.00 (your savings – $8.00!)
• 6 botttles – $60.00 (your savings – $84.00!)
• 1 case – $99.00 (your savings – ($189!)

•  Wine Club Pricing– Join for FREE @ www.whiteoakwinery.com
• 1 bottle – $10 ( your savings – $16.00!)
• 6 bottles – $48.00 (your savings – $108!)
• 12 bottles = $72.00 (your savings – $240!)

Dry Creek Valley

Amista Vineyards

• Wine: 2005 Estate Syrah, Morningsong Vineyards
• Retail Price: $30.00
• Bottle and/or Case Promotion discount: Single bottle $5 off, Case Sales 30% off, 50% cases for Wine Club members

Armida

• Wine: 2010 PoiZin
• Retail Price: $300/case
• Case promotion: $198/case

F. TELDESCHI WINERY

• 2000 PETITE SIRAH, ESTATE, RETAIL PRICE $36.00,   BOTTLE PRICE $13.89
• 2001 TERRANOVA, ESTATE,  RETAIL PRICE $30.00,  BOTTLE PRICE $13.89
• 2008 CHARDONNAY, CALIFORNIA, RETAIL PRICE $24.00,  BOTTLE PRICE $13.89

Hawkes Winery

• Wine: 2010 Red Winery Vineyard Cabernet, 2010 Stone Vineyard Cabernet, & 2010 Pyramid Vineyard Cabernet
• Retail Price: $70
• Bottle and/or Case Promotion discount: 20% discount for non-wine club members (50% discount for wine club members) with 4-bottle minimum purchase, 12-bottle maximum purchase

Manzanita Creek Winery

• Wine: 2010 Foothill Vineyard Chardonnay
• Retail Price: $22.00
• Bottle and/or Case Promotion discount: Single bottle 25% off (30% Wine Club)

•  Wine: 2007 Alfonso Old Vine Zinfandel, Russian River Valley
• Retail Price: $28.00
• Promotion: Single bottle 50% off (55% Wine Club)

• Wine: 2008 Melange, Red Table Blend (Merlot, Zinfandel & Syrah)
• Retail Price: $33.00
• Promotion: Single bottle 50% off (55% Wine Club)

Have a GREAT Weekend. Be safe, spit or dump, support your local producer with purchases, and if on Twitter, use Hashtag #WRBT when you Tweet & Check in on Foursquare.

Cheers!

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Guest post: Two More Routes for the Barrel Tasting, plus North Coast Events for March 9 – 15

Thoughts from Wine Road Barrel Tasting Weekend One. Share Your Thoughts & Win Tickets to Weekend Two.

Wine Road Barrel Tasting – The Premier Wine Buying Event of The Season. Learn, Share and Win Tickets! (4 winners!)

Barrel Tasting Insights – What am I Tasting & Do I Get Splinters? What should I buy?

My thoughts on Wine Road Barrel Tasting. Tell us yours and win tickets.

Observations of Wine Road Barrel Tasting Week One; Suggestions & Ticket Contest for Week Two

We’ve got another big barrel tasting weekend ahead of us. I’ll be able to participate this time and I’m really looking forward to it.

If you haven’t decided which wineries you’ll go to yet, here are a couple of theme-based itineraries.

The Sonoma Advocate Tour

Antonio Galloni recently published his Sonoma Report for Wine Advocate. He focused heavily on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from producers that don’t happen to be part of the Wine Road Barrel Tasting, such as Paul Hobbs, Kistler and Hirsch. However, six wineries awarded 90+ points are pouring.

Of course, Galloni rated bottled wine. Get a leg up on him by evaluating barrel samples from these wineries yourself. (And don’t forget to give their neighbors a little love too.)

• Freestone in Occidental
• Siduri in Santa Rosa
• Red Car in Sebastopol
• La Crema in Windsor
• Kendall-Jackson in downtown Healdsburg (that’s where they are pouring high-end Cabernet)
• Stonestreet in Alexander Valley

Events

Lake County

Gregory Graham Winemaker Dinner at the Tallman Hotel — Upper Lake: Saturday, March 10, 6:30pm – 11:00pm
Owner and Winemaker Greg Graham and Marianne Graham will be there to introduce the wines and pairings.

Mendocino County

McFadden’s Second Saturday — Hopland: Saturday March 10, 10:00am – 5:00pm
Enjoy 100% organically grown grape wines paired with a delicious food treat.

Napa Valley

Calistoga Spring Jazz Festival — downtown Calistoga: Saturday, March 10, noon – 6:00pm
Live jazz music, wine and food right downtown in Calistoga.

Merryvale Pinot & Pizza Barrel Tasting — St. Helena: Saturday, March 10, 1:00pm – 4:00pm
An afternoon of wine, food and entertainment featuring current releases, library wines and Tra Vigne pizza.

Sonoma

Music at Vino di Amore Tasting Lounge — Cloverdale: Friday, March 9, 7:00pm – 9:30pm
Bill Vestal plays Americana music.

A Taste of West Sonoma County at Dutton-Goldfield Winery — Sebastopol: Saturday & Sunday, March 10 – 11, 10:am – 4:30pm
A rare tasting of their single-vineyard wines from the Green Valley of Russian River Valley appellation.

34th Annual Wine Road Barrel Tasting — Northern Sonoma: Saturday & Sunday, March 10 – 11, 11:00am – 4:00pm
Your chance to sample wines from the barrel, talk to winemakers and explore the beautiful Alexander, Dry Creek and Russian River Valleys.

Clash of the Sommeliers at Farmhouse Restaurant — Forestville: Monday, March 12, 5:30pm – 9:30pm
Three sommeliers pairing wines side-by-side for a four course, seasonal menu.

Songwriters In Sonoma at Meadowcroft Wines — Sonoma: Thursday, March 15, 7:00pm – 9:15pm
Dustin Heald, Rich Little and Fred McCarty

This article is by Fred Swan of NorCalWine.com for SimpleHedonisms.com. Copyright 2012 Fred Swan.

Last Friday-Sunday was the first of two weekends of Wine Road Barrel tasting, the 34th anniversary of this event.  Last week’s article “Wine Road Barrel Tasting – The Premier Wine Buying Event of The Season. Learn, Share and Win Tickets! (4 winners!)” was a huge hit, propelling the blog to it’s highest readership ever, just shy of 10,000 unique readers and 300,000 hits for the month. The first two days it garnered 38,000 hits. (Spoiler – we’ll be giving away 4 more pairs of tickets, so make sure you read to the end! )

I took a slightly more controversial approach than I normally do with the “stop the whining” and instead of garnering negative complaints as I was fearful of, we had dozens of exuberant responses.

The local Press overall did a positive job as well with several good articles:

The one true Wine Writer the PD has, Virginie Boone, did a nice article with “Barrel Tasting weekends are here” and there was a nice follow on piece  “Learning about wine, one barrel at a time” by Mary Callahan.

Unfortunately that didn’t stop the PD Blog from writing in the same vein as last year with its “Frat Party” post with this weeks “Peculiar wine glasses at barrel tasting?“  (EDIT and a second article in the same vein on Tuesday “Revelers add sour taste to Wine Barrel weekend.”)

I will leave my comments at the post – but this is sensationalism writing looking for views, not investigative journalism, and its time to step up, or drop the topic.  Looks like at least one other blog agreed. Millennials: The Next Generation.

Come Back Thursday For A Special Article

Of course all wineries offer special discounts for barrel futures, but many also have finished wine sales as well. Come back Friday for a list sorted by Russian River,  Dry Creek, and Alexander Valley. (Wineries, read your Monday memo. Still have some spots.)

My Experiences

Unfortunately with my new job, and a side ‘project’ I could only attend one day this year, unlike all 6 last year. I had my friend Andrew Healy, the Wine Marketing and Social Media of Guru of Napa in tow, so I stuck mostly to wineries I knew, unlike my normal mix of experimentation. There were so many more wineries I wish I could have visited!

First stop was neighbor Robert Rue, who produces Russian River Sauvigon Blanc and Zin. Oddly, there were almost no barrel or tank samples of whites, something I’d recommend wineries consider more,  especially since whites are so close to being bottled, if they haven’t already.  Robert Rue was the only winery we visited that did.  I am generally not a Zin guy, but like cool climate Russian River Zin. Their new 2011 Sauvignon Blanc was stunning – a great change from the overdone New Zealand, grassy, cat-pee style. The secret in part is the “Musque” clone of Sauv Blanc, which is catching on as consumers get fatigued with the overwhelming amount of traditional Sauvignon Blanc. The wine is bright, with great fruit and minerality, more French Sancerre style. I will be buying this weekly I can see. Watch for a review soon, and grab some futures this weekend!

Next we headed north to Dry Creek – I wanted to get in and out before Saturday afternoon traffic went crazy. I am a regular at Quivira, and was seeking there futures of Mourvedre, which I buy every year if offered. Wine club members get 40% off, better than industry, its a great deal on what I think is the best Mourvedre in Sonoma County. Granted, sadly choices are also few, but as someone who tastes/buys Rhones from all over, its one of my favorites. Quivira also released their new 2011 Rose’, which generally doesn’t last long.

We headed across the street to one of my long time favorites the Mounts. I hope to do a full story on them soon – watching them progress over the years has been a delight. Mounts continues to expand their Rhone portfolio, and lean towards more minimal winemaking techniques. They had 4 red wine barrel samples, all native yeast fermented, my favorite being the Grenache, and to my surprise the Malbec. I say to my surprise mostly because I have fallen out of love with most Malbecs as they are generally now made New World – big, extracted and oaky. This barrel sample was all about the grape itself.

Traffic was starting to pick up, so we headed back to Russian River, as was the plan.

Two quick stops: Joseph Swan (loved the 2011 Carignane( Cotes du Something) and Woodenhead, then onto Benovia. Benovia only featured one barrel sample, but had the widest pouring of finished wines, of which I am becoming quite a fan. We tasted through 2 Chardonnay’s, 4 Pinots, of which the Anderson Valley was my favorite, a Grenache, and  my favorite of the day a Rose’ of Pinot Noir. At $18 a bottle, another recommended buy.

We squeaked into Krutz & Sheldon right in time. Patrick Krutz was tasting his new Ceja Chardonnay and his usual (incredible) Napa Stagecoach syrah. Sheldon was pouring their new Ceja grenache. All excellent wines from two great vintners, who were also pouring their current releases.

I didn’t take the SLR out that day, but here are a handful of pictures & recommendations you can see here.

Overall Summary

Most Wineries I spoke to (some on Sunday) reported Friday as the best day for serious buyers and tasting. Most reported a good Saturday, although almost every Russian River winery I spoke to reported the same, it got slow around 130 Saturday afternoon. Not sure if people were headed North, but for those wishing to avoid crowds, I stick to my recommendation of go to less trafficked places Saturday afternoon if you want a better tasting experience.

This event attracts 18-20,000 people from 47 states, many on wine buying missions. I witnessed no drunkenness, bad behavior, or any of the sensationalism frat party attitude the aforementioned article was digging for. I am sure out of 120+ wineries and 18k people, a few examples exist. The law of large numbers will give you that, especially if you target feedback from a busy winery like Armida that is known for its younger crowd drawing. I witness far worse at any bar on a Saturday night. Lets focus on the 99.95% positive – shall we?

Wishes for 2012

I thought winery hospitality was outstanding. I’d like to see two things: more white wine samples. And more food trucks like the Rossa Pizza oven at Carol Shelton.

Barrel Tasting isn’t about food, and the wineries shouldn’t provide food, BUT  I’d love to see more of them partner up with a food truck and offer food for sale. I’d happily pay to eat, not have to lose an hour in a restaurant. If I was an food truck entrepreneur, I’d park one right at the entry to Dry Creek, if allowed. Wineries – if you do offer a food truck next year, and are allowed, put it in your writeup, you increase the chances I’ll be by! (On that note, wineries who put in the program that they were tasting ‘futures’ with no specifics, you were skipped. Please tell us what you are offering, there are many choices besides you.)

Lastly, I applaud the increase in ticket prices. At the door, the most expensive option, a 3 day ticket is still only $40. This is a wine buying event, and I feel this helps weed out the partiers. Any slight decrease in attendance is made up by the higher price – and most wineries will tell you – there is a saturation point ratio of bodies to sales – sometimes smaller groups

OK – Time to Win!

Winning is very easy – simply in comments below tell us:

(1) Did you attend Barrel Tasting weekend one? What was your favorite and/or what did you buy.

or

(2) If you didn’t go Weekend one – what winery would you most like to visit and why?

We draw 4 pairs of tickets Thursday night – good luck!

Related Articles

Wine Road Barrel Tasting – The Premier Wine Buying Event of The Season. Learn, Share and Win Tickets! (4 winners!)

Barrel Tasting Insights – What am I Tasting & Do I Get Splinters? What should I buy?

My thoughts on Wine Road Barrel Tasting. Tell us yours and win tickets.

Observations of Wine Road Barrel Tasting Week One; Suggestions & Ticket Contest for Week Two

 Guest Post by Fred Swan

This weekend’s events look a little sparse on the surface. But one little line item portends barrels of adventure. Hundreds of barrels. Full of wine. The 34th Annual Wine Road Barrel Tasting in Northern Sonoma.

There have already been excellent articles on this site about the barrel tasting. I don’t want to repeat what has been said. But, the list of more than 120+ wineries makes it hard to know where to start. So, I’ll offer a couple of itineraries for you to consider:

(Editorial note by William, for those of you who listened to me on KRSO tonight and are looking for the Tips & Ticket Contest, see Monday’s Post Here:  Wine Road Barrel Tasting – The Premier Wine Buying Event of The Season. Learn, Share and Win Tickets! (4 winners!) )

Route 1: Get it While You Can — Wineries Open This Weekend Only

Saturday, focus on wineries west of Hwy 101. I might start at Moshin. Their Sauvignon Blanc will ease you into tasting. Follow it up with vineyard-designate Pinot Noir and Zinfandel.

Next, head up Westside Road to De La Montanya. They have five different wines for you to sample, starting with Pinot Noir and closing with a late harvest Sauvignon Blanc. The dessert wine will lead nicely into lunch. You did pack a lunch, right?

Head north on Westside Drive as it turns into West Dry Creek. Pull in at Quivira. Eat your lunch near their biodynamic gardens. Then enjoy their Mourvedre and Petite Sirah.

From Quivra continue on to A. Rafanelli Winery which will be pouring 2010 Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon. Their wines are always very good. And they age well.

On the second day do an eastern route. Rodney Strong will have a tasty assortment. Chalk Hill Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir and Dry Creek Zinfandel.

From there, go to Stryker Sonoma. See how the Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from their estate differs from the Dry Creek wines you tried on Saturday. The’ll also pour Merlot.

Stay on the Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon path by going to Trentadue. They’ll let you try their reserve, the La Storia Cabernet Sauvignon. The La Storia Zinfandel and La Storia Cuvee 32 blend will also be available.

For a taste of a completely different Cabernet Sauvignon AVA, head back across Hwy 101 to Ridge Vineyards. They’ve got a barrel of 2011 Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon from the Santa Cruz Mountains. (Ridge is open the 2nd weekend too, but why wait?)

Route 2: Que Syrah — There’s more to Sonoma than Chard, Zin, Pinot and Cab

Formulate an itinerary from among these excellent Syrah producers:

Joseph Swan (Forestville) will be pouring not one but three vineyard-designate Syrah. Give them a try and see how the terroir of the different vineyards shows through in the wines. The winery will also have Zin, Tannat and more.

Vintoteca in Santa Rosa will be featuring six different wineries. Among the wines will be Olson Ogden’s Dry Creek Syrah. Before you dive into that though, try the Pinot Noirs from Bjornstadt and Baker Lane.

Krutz Family Cellars (Santa Rosa) Cabernet Sauvignon from the Stagecoach Vineyards of Napa Valley was one of Wine Enthusiast’s Top 100 Wines for 2011. They’re opening a barrel of Syrah from that same vineyard, which excels with that variety.

Lauterbach Cellars (Windsor) has acclaimed Syrah fruit, but makes wine in tiny quantities. This is your chance to try some. They’ll have the 2009 Syrah, but will start you off with Pinot Noir and their Syrah Rosé.

Red Car (Sebastopol) is un-bunging their Estate Syrah. But first, enjoy Heaven & Earth and their estate Pinot Noir.

Dutton Estate Winery will be pouring My Father’s Syrah. …I didn’t even know my dad had Syrah! I’m sure it will be good though. They’ve also got Pinot and Chardonnay on tap wine thief.

Events

Lake County

Six Sigma Ranch Pro & Amateur Pruning Competition —Lower Lake: March 3, 10:00am – noon
Learn pruning from the pros and try your hand at it, too!

Napa Valley

Cab Release Weekend at Velo Vino — St. Helena: March 3 – 4, 11:00am – 6:00pm
A special Vertical tasting of our 2006, 2007 and 2008 kit’s killer cab.

Charles Krug Winery Celebrates Charles Krug’s 187th Birthday — St. Helena: March 3, 6:00pm – 9:30pm
Imagine the light the birthday candles will put out! There’ll be appetizers and three-course wine dinner.

Sonoma County

34th Annual Wine Road Barrel Tasting – Northern Sonoma: March 2 – 4, 11:00am – 4:00pm
144 wineries open their doors this weekend, many will be offering futures. Advance ticket sales are over, but you can buy tickets at the door.

Inspiration Vineyards Winemaker Dinner — Santa Rosa: March 2, 6:30pm – 9:30pm
There are still a few seats available for this dinner and the menu looks great!

Music at Vino di Amore Tasting Lounge — Cloverdale: March 2, 7:00pm – 9:30pm
Unwind after work, or barrel tasting, to rock and reggae played by Oscar Caleron.

Hanzell Vineyards Winemaker Dinner at Santé — Sonoma: March 8, 6:30pm
Join Hanzell winemaker Michael McNeill for a delicious four-course dinner paired with past and current vintages of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

A Quick Plug:

The Wine Advocate will soon be releasing Antonio Galloni’s report on Sonoma County Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. You can learn more about him and what he looks for wines by reading my in-depth interview with him. It’s being published in daily doses this week at NorCalWine.com.

Enjoy your weekend!

The weekly review of Rhone wines as we count down to the the March 24-25  Rhone Rangers “Weekend Celebration of American Rhones” and the April 26-28th  20th anniversary of Hospice du Rhone, “the World’s Largest International Celebration of Rhone Variety Wines” in Paso Robles, continues.

David Girard Vineyards – El Dorado

This week I am sharing a gem wine, and winery in El Dorado, a region that is an emerging powerhouse of Rhone wines in Northern California: David Girard Vineyards.

I met owner David Girard, and winemaker Mari Wells Coyle just over a year ago when I visited. Mari was nice enough on a day off to come spend some quality time and geek out with me. I was won over by her wines and her warm personality.

Vineyard manager Ron Mansfield, whom I have also had the fortune to meet this year, is a quiet genius in Rhone vineyard management and wine growing. I am delighted to source grapes from him in 2011 for my own project.  (See A new Mother Lode: vintners rediscover Sierra foothills by Jon Bonne’.)

Wine Review: 2009 Mourvèdre, El Dorado, Estate Vineyard

Mourvèdre is one of my favorite red wines. It can be hard to find as a single varietal, and even harder to find well made. Some Northern California vintners want to treat it like Cabernet and over oak it. This red Rhone grape has much to express if left alone from the clutches of New World Cabernet makers.

Mourvèdre is often known for its meatiness, slightly gamey profile, with notes of smoked meat & bacon. This Mourvedre is a bit of a departure from that, and a bit unlike most Mourvèdre I have had before. It also stood out in the 2011 Rhone Rangers ‘Mourvèdre On The Move’ seminar. It’s lighter, feminine, and more seductive than most you will come across – reminiscent of Pinot Noir in many ways.

To The Eye: A clear medium red, you can actually see through.

On The Nose: A floral nose of violets leap out of the glass, along with hints of spice, red berry, and tea.

In The Mouth: A wonderful combination of red fruits: Strawberry, pomegranate, cherry notes, with a hint of black tea. The wine dances across the palate and delivers completely front, mid and finish. The acidity is mouth watering, the finish lingering and pleasant. It’s silky and seductive in the mouth.

This wine may surprise you slightly if looking for “classic” Mourvèdre (whatever that might mean to you), although some of those undertones exist. All I know is I want more for my cellar.

Recommendation: Highly recommend. Consume now or cellar for 3-4 years. 92 Points.

Buy online $34

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