Posts Tagged ‘pinot noir’
A Perfect Sunday in Healdsburg: Oct 21st Pinot on The River
October 16th, 2012 | 
Author: This Sunday, October 21st is the annual Pinot on the River. This wonderful, Pinot Noir filled day, returns again to the Square on Downtown Healdsburg. The weather is forecasted for a balmy 72 degrees and sunny, promising to be a great day.
Sunday’s Pinot Noir Grand Tasting, with over 100 wineries plus guest Artisan Food Vendors all on the downtown Healdsburg Plaza Square, is a Sonoma County wine weekend, and Pinot Noir experience, you won’t want to miss.
Go VIP
For the Pinot-phile seeking the ultimate day of
Pinot Noir immersion, with a VIP Ticket. VIP Guests have the opportunity to attend the special Pre-Tasting Seminar exploring Pinot 
Noirs from Littorai, presented by Ted Lemon.
This seminar, beginning at 9 AM and moderated by Gregory S. Walter, editor and publisher of the PinotReport newsletter, is available to VIP ticket holders only.
Following the seminar, VIP ticket holders can enter the Grand Tasting ahead of the general public, and enjoy the VIP lounge.
Tickets for the VIP Experience are $150, regular attendee ticket is $75. Factor in the price of high quality Pinot Noir, the costs of tasting fees, the close proximity of 100 Pinot producers, and the food experience that accompanies, and $75 is a a value any wine lover will quickly realize.
If Pinot Noir is one of your favorite varietal wines, this is simply a can not skip event. VIP & Seminar spots are very limited, if you are interested, I’d suggest you buy them ASAP. Tickets: http://www.pinotfestival.com/registration.html
Simple Hedonisms will be onsite tasting & tweeting live at #POTR !
IPNC Weekend & Walkabout Tasting – Burgundy Comes to You In Oregon
This will be my third year attending the International Pinot Noir Celebration in McMinnville Oregon, as media. Each July, I await this event as eagerly as I do my Rhone nirvana,
Hospice du Rhone. In fact, with the sadly muddled announced changed to HdR this could become my #1 annual wine immersion event. Not a small statement, considering the many I attend.
While its true Rhone wines are deep in my blood, Pinot was my first girl and will always be dear to me, in the never ending journey of exploring this complex, elusive, high maintenance, highly rewarding varietal.
Pick Your Experience: Full Weekend or Afternoon Walkabout
Option A: The Full Monty of Pinot Noir
You have several choices of participating in IPNC. There is no doubt the ultimate Pinot Noir experience is the full weekend package. Two days and nights of seminars, tours, classes, tastings, food and more.
If Friday and Saturday aren’t enough Pinot Noir for you, you can even start Thursday night. The Anne Amie Counter Culture event is fabulous, and highly recommended, have been twice. I look forward with great anticipation this year to kicking off IPNC by dining with the Momtazi family for an extraordinary night at Maysara Winery.
It’s a minor miracle full passes are still available, two weeks out. For a Pinot lover, of any experience level, the $975 pass is a worthy investment.
The 2012 IPNC Full Weekend Ticket includes:
• 2 Grand Outdoor Tastings
• Numerous Weekend Seminars
• Friday Night Grand Dinner and Saturday Night Salmon Bake
• A Vineyard Tour & Winery Lunch
• An afternoon University of Pinot Course
• An Array of Wine Related Activities and Small Format Tastings
• Friday and Saturday Breakfast on the Patio
• Sunday Sparkling Brunch Finale
• Opportunity to Celebrate with over 70 International Pinot Noir Winemakers and 50 Northwest Chefs
If the seems pricey, consider this: if you were going to take a wine focused vacation, or even just factored in costs of this wealth of Pinot Noir tastings, many of which you couldn’t find, especially those from France, all the food, seminars and more (the Saturday
night salmon bake, which sold out a la carte, was $150 alone. ), suddenly $975 is a reasonable food and wine vacation.
You’ll also meet winemakers from France, and taste wines, that would cost you many more thousands of dollars to fly over and visit, IF you could get an appointment to taste. Hotels, rental cars, braving the French highway, language barriers. Or you can experience all of this in the tranquil, hospitable, Willamette Valley.
There are also many priceless factors, like the camaraderie and new friends you make, and rubbing elbows with winemakers of world renown.
Option B: The Perfect Sunday Afternoon
Still, if the $975 price tag, or the two day Friday and Saturday commitment is too much for you, consider the Sunday afternoon Walkabout Tasting.
The next best thing, and by no means a huge compromise if you just can’t swing the full commitment, is the Sunday afternoon walk around tasting. You’ll still meet the winemakers, try wines you’ll never be able to try, all gathered together in a captive, gorgeous environment.
Held in the beautiful Oak Grove at Linfield College in McMinnville, Oregon, this annual outdoor tasting showcases Pinot noirs from over 70 wineries worldwide. Guests are provided a Riedel Oregon Pinot noir glass at the start of the afternoon and are set free to sip and sample throughout the Oak Grove.
To maximize interaction with winemakers, the tasting is split into two sessions. Approximately 35 Featured Winemakers will pour for
each session with a break in the middle for winemaker introductions. In addition to extraordinary winemakers, top-notch Northwest chefs will prepare divine dishes to accompany an unparalleled array of international Pinot noir.
Take advantage of this unique opportunity to meet some of the world’s finest Pinot noir winemakers at Oregon’s largest outdoor wine tasting.
Unparalled Organization
I have attended hundreds of wine events, and I have organized and hosted wine tastings, its not a walk in the park to execute flawlessly on. With 26 years to practice, the IPNC team
has this down to an art form, that no event can match. You need only show up and enjoy, the logistics are flawless, the setting perfect, the people friendly, and the wines and service impeccable.
Put It On “The List”
If you love wine, especially Pinot Noir, this is a ‘bucket list’ event. I’d suggest you move it high up in priority on that list.
Cheers, hope to see you there. Follow the fun on Twitter with hashtag #IPNC !
Tasting Notes: 2010 Dutton-Goldfield Pinot Noir Azaya Ranch, Marin County
Dutton-Goldfield continues to climb
as a personal local favorite – not just for Pinot Noir, their specialty, but other interesting small lot wines as well. Tonight we taste anoth
er small lot, well made Pinot from Dutton-Goldfield.
Despite its youthful age, its showing wonderfully already, although I think a few more bottles to lay down for a few years are in order.
I always wonder why we don’t see more wine grown in Marin County (perhaps save the price of land) and this wine serves to ponder it again.
Tasting Notes: 2010 Dutton-Goldfield Pinot Noir Azaya Ranch, Marin County
- To The Eye:A slightly darker ruby red, although clearly still Pinot by its color.
- On The Nose: Strawberries leap out of the glass, with undertones of spice and bramble.
- In The Mouth: Bright cranberry, cherry notes with lively acidity dance on the tongue. If you are looking for a Pinot fruit bomb, move on.
(Or buy a bottle, drink it and evolve your palate.) There is plenty of fruit, but it’s vibrant and fresh not big and jammy, with a lingering finish.
I enjoyed it more after being open for 15-30 minutes. Decanting not required, but allows it to show even better.
Recommendation: 91 points. Buy. Drink and enjoy now. Or buy 3-6 bottles and try them over time. The acidity will preserve the fresh vibrant fruit for years.
Unlike those hot jammy fruit bombs in your
cellar.
$58 at the winery. Media Sample
Wine Geek Info:
- ph: 3.60
- TA: .62
- Alcohol: 13.8%
- Cases Made: 190
- Barrel Program: 11 Months in French oak, 50% new
Do not Miss Russian River Valley Passport to Pinot June 9-10. Details AND a Ticket Contest!
While its safe to say I yet to visit
a wine region I haven’t liked, few have captured my heart and changed my life as much as Russian River Valley. Yes, I am all about the Rhones, but as I have said many times, Pinot Noir was ‘my first girl.’ My path
to moving to wine country, that changed my life, started in Russian River Valley, where I now reside with my own small vineyard. (Sorry, not Pinot Noir, Grenache.)
This Saturday and Sunday you have a chance to experience what put RRV on the global wine map – Pinot Noir. 
The Russian River Winegrowers, of which I am a proud associate member, is holding “Passport to Pinot,” a don’t miss weekend Pinot experience.
What Is Passport to Pinot?
As one might guess Pinot is the center star of the show, but its more than that. Each winery will pull out the stops to showcase it with things like:
• Barrel tastings – get a
glimpse of the 2011 vintage of Pinot Noir before it’s bottled
• Futures purchases – secure your supply of the wines you love in barrel
• Library wines – discover the beauty of Pinot as it ages
• Vertical tastings – compare the past, present and futurye of a specific vineyard
• Amazing food pairings – with all the delicious local foods here in Russian River Valley, wine and food are a match made in heaven
• Artist demonstrations – from painters to potters to jewelers and beyond
• Vineyard tours – get out in the vines and learn why we say great wine starts with the grapes
• Entertainment – relax with a glass of wine while checking out fantastic local musicians
• And more!
For a list of participating RRV wineries, and their special offer, click here.
Tickets are $65 for both days, or $40 for Sunday, and are available here. https://ssl.sonic.net/rrvw/web/passport2pinot_order_2012_cc.shtml
If you read the food, entertainment, and special purchase discount offers, $40-$65 is a steal!
Quick, Enter and Win a Pair of Weekend Passes – Expires in 48 hours!
One lucky couple will get a full weekend pass. In comments below simply tell us.
If you one participating winery (or pick several) do you want to visit, and why.
A winner will be randomly drawn and announced.
I will be wandering around wineries on Sunday, say hi if you see me – cheers!
Wine Of The Week: 2010 Dutton-Goldfield Pinot Noir Dutton Ranch, Russian River Valley
Ahh Pinot Noir. I have been writing and focused heavily on Rhones for many weeks now with my Rhone Rangers and Hospice du Rhone countdown.buy cialis tadalafil online
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But man can not live by Rhone alone (my friend, Rhone icon Randall Grahm told me this!) so last night it was time to go back to ‘my first girl’ and share notes on a winery I have enjoyed for years, but is one of those I somehow just never reviewed before.
If you haven’t been to Dutton-Goldfield’s ‘new’ (its not that new anymore it opened April 2010) they no longer share with Balletto but have a gorgeous tasting room of their own. Venture over to Sebastopol some time for a quality tasting experience.
Dutton-Goldfield is renowned for their Russian River Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, but they have several other small lot releases up their sleeve, including Syrah, Zin, and a Pinot Blanc I can’t wait to taste and share shortly.
Wine Review: 2010
Dutton-Goldfield Pinot Noir Dutton Ranch, Russian River Valley (Sonoma County)
I couldn’t be more pleased by the slow return to “balance” in Sonoma County wines, and no varietal do I appreciate this more in than Pinot Noir. Elegant, soft, sultry, spicy as she should be, not dark, tannic and flabby. Not that any Dutton-Goldfield Pinot Noir, during the duration I have been exposed to their wines, ever went down that route, and thus why I have been a fan.
To quote D-G on this vintage, as I think it shows prominently in the tasting:
2010 is a favorite vintage for the masochistic DG winemaker—cold, then wet, then HOT, then cold. Patience, a great grower, and attention paid off. In the end, we harvested a crop of extremely low yield (production of this wine is down from even the sparse 2009 vintage), tiny berry, high acid, low sugar and wonderfully ripe, concentrated and tasty pinot. Though alcohol is low and acid is solid, the phenolic ripeness and bright juicy fruit just sings in this vintage.
To The Eye: Deep crimson , ruby color. Slightly darker color belies the flavor profile.
On The Nose: The wine is incredibly expressive; blueberry and blackberry, combined with hint of lingering spice, leap out of the glass like a bowl of berry cobbler.
In the Mouth: Pleasantly (and a bit to my surprise), the wine is more restrained that the aroma profile
might lead you to anticipate, I was fearing overly expressive fruit. This Pinot Noir changes wonderfully as you taste it. The initial front palate is soft and pleasing black fruit, mid palate, tart cranberry expresses itself and shows the acidity more, with a spice note at finish that lingers pleasantly on the tongue.
Recommendation: Buy and Drink or Hold. This excellent Pinot Noir is modestly priced at $38.
This wine drinks wonderfully now, but should age well, and gain complexity with bottle time. I’d recommend buying several bottles; some to consume, some to hold to observe it over time. You won’t go wrong either way. Media Sample.
Wine Geek Info:
- APPELLATION: Russian River Valley
- VINEYARDS: Maurice Galante, Emerald Ridge, Silva, Morelli Lane, Freestone Hill
- ALCOHOL: 13.5%
- TITRATABLE ACIDITY: 0.58 gm/100 ml
- PH: 3.62
- WINEMAKING: Open top fermentation, cold soak, punch down.
- BARREL AGING: 10 months in French oak (40% new barrels)
- WINEMAKER: Dan Goldfield
- CASES PRODUCED: 2,598
Related Articles:
Highlights and Top Picks of the Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Festival
#PinotSmackdown Greenhouse Tasting Winners – Baxter Winery! (Grenache up next!)
Countdown To The 20th Anniversary of Hospice du Rhône #HdR2012
Anderson Valley Winegrowers to Host 15th Annual Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Festival
Anderson Valley Winegrowers to Host 15th Annual Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Festival
March 26, 2012, Philo, Calif. – Tickets are now on sale for the 15th 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 15th 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
#PinotSmackdown Greenhouse Tasting Winners – Baxter Winery! (Grenache up next!)
Tasting Notes – 2009 Freestone Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast, Estate
Wine Review – Von Holt 2009 Pinot Noir – Russian River Valley (and a special reader gift)
Two More Routes for the Barrel Tasting, plus North Coast Events for March 9 – 15
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 So
noma 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
limos or buses. (Every winery not
allowing groups is identified on the Wine Road’s list of participating wineries.)
- Bella Vineyards in Healdsburg
- Claypool Cellars in Sebastopol
- Freestone in Occidental
- Fritz in Cloverdale
- Joseph Swan in Forestville
- La Crema in Windsor
- Red Car in Sebastopol
- Sausal in Alexander Valley
- Stonestreet in Alexander Valley
- Vinoteca (6 wineries in one location) in Santa Rosa
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.
Posted in Events | 
Tags: alexander valley, Barrel Tasting, chardonnay, dry creek valley, Events, Healdsburg, pinot noir, russian river valley, sonoma county, wine tasting | 
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Events for This Weekend and Two Routes for the Wine Road Barrel Tasting
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. canadian viagra
tle=”The 34th Annual Wine Road Barrel Tasting in Northern Sonoma” href=”http://www.wineroad.com/events/barrel_tasting/3#tabs-5″ target=”_blank”>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!
Posted in Education, Events, Pinot Noir, Rhone wines, Wine Road |
Tags: alexander valley, Barrel Tasting, chardonnay, dry creek valley, Events, Healdsburg, pinot noir, Rhone Wine, russian river valley, Santa Rosa, sauvignon blanc, sonoma, sonoma county, syrah, Wine Road, Zinfandel |
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