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Wine Country News 2018

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anderson valley mendocino county

Beautiful Anderson Valley in Mendocino County

Wine Country News – Winter

Please see the attached press release below for Lodi’s Wine and Chocolate Weekend on February 10 and 11, 2018. The weekend is the perfect opportunity to sip a diverse selection of handcrafted Lodi wines and sample delicious sweet and savory chocolate bites while visiting more than 50 Lodi appellation wineries. For more information visit www.lodiwineandchocolate.com. Please email me to request any media tickets.

Lodi Wine & Chocolate Weekend – 2/10 and 2/11

The Lodi Wine & Chocolate Weekend is a significant event in Lodi, celebrating its 21st year. Lodi is one of wine country’s best-kept secrets. Most folks think Lodi as producing only bulk wines. Think again; Lodi wines are on the upswing. Here is a link to complete details on the  Wine & Chocolate Weekend. The weekend is the perfect opportunity to sample a diverse selection of quality Lodi wines and delicious chocolate bites while visiting more than 50 Lodi appellation wineries.

WINE ENTHUSIAST 10 Best Wine Getaways 2018

Among the 10 Best Wine Getaways 2018 are San Luis Obispo and, surprisingly, the Grand Valley, Colorado. San Luis Obispo is an old favorite of ours for exploring wineries, vineyards and food. We have not been to the Grand Valley, but it looks very promising. It is now on our must-visit list. See the Wine Enthusiast wine destinations for 2018.

Blendtarian Movement

What’s this? Mushrooms are healthy food, plus mushrooms add Umami to the mix. The Blendtarian Movement uses mushrooms blended with other ingredients. Try chopped mushrooms mixed with ground beef to make a better and healthier hamburger. Here are two links to the Blendtarian Movement.

Now does this alter your wine choices? I think red wine is best, and a medium-to-heavy bodied earthy wine is perfect. What do you think?

Zinfandel Experience January 18 to 20

The Zinfandel Experience is a wine and food extravaganza. It is one of the most popular wine tastings in California. For over 20 years, Zinfandel fans have flocked to this event in San Francisco. For complete details and to purchase tickets: https://zinfandelexperience.com.

Gary Farrell Winery

Congratulations to the Gary Farrell Winery. The winery has donated $30,000 to the Wine Country Fires Relief Program. The Gary Farrell Winery is the producer of exquisite Pinot Noir wines.

Sullivan Vineyards

The Sullivan Vineyards in Rutherford in the Napa Valley has been acquired by VITE. VITE is a private investment group with a focus on the fine wine industry. The historic Sullivan Vineyards encompasses 26 acres, and the acquisition also includes the winery. The vineyards are mostly Cabernet Sauvignon.

Catch Napa Valley Harvest 2017

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harvest cabernet

On York Lane in St. Helena, harvesting Cabernet Sauvignon

Get ready to catch the Napa Valley Harvest 2017

The Napa Valley harvest 2017 is underway, and now is the time for every wine country buff to plan to watch all the activities that take place during the harvest. The Napa Valley is one of the best spots for viewing the “crush” because of the number of vineyards and wineries in such a concentrated area. If you spend a few days in the Napa Valley from mid-September through October, you are likely to see all the harvest activities: the grape picking, the sorting, the crushing and fermentation. It is the Napa Valley at its best for the tourist. Start making your plans now to watch the most exciting show in the world of wine.

The Napa Valley harvest 2017 has already started as of late July with Mumm Napa picking Pinot Noir grapes for its sparkling wine. White wine grapes are next to be harvested. The last grapes are usually Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, either in late September or in October. The weather plays a big part. Cool weather delays the harvest, hot weather the opposite.

Napa Valley Harvest 2017 Travel Tips

We have some tips for getting the most out of harvest in the Napa Valley. One of the most educational activities you can do is to take a tour. Check the Napa Valley Vintners Website to search for wineries that have complete winery tours.

If you want to watch the actual harvesting of the grapes, you’ll need to get up just before sunrise. Picking of the grapes is done early before the heat of the day. Drive the Valley and look for signs of the harvest. Look for several cars parked on the side of the road, half-ton bins ready to be filled, or small harvest baskets at the ready, as well as tractor trucks. More than likely harvest will be taking place in deep in the vineyards. Bring your camera or smartphone and walk into the vineyards; when you spot the workers, ask the foreman if it is okay to take pictures.

During the day, stop in at any tasting room and ask about the crush activities. The staff usually knows what harvest activities are taking place at their winery and what is in store for the following couple of days. Our strategy is to stop at a winery, initially bypass the tasting room and walk to the where the crush facilities are located to see what activities are taking place. No one really seems to care that you are there as long as you stand back far enough not to get in the way. Everyone is working so intensely that you will hardly be noticed.

This is a favorite time for tourists, so plan ahead. If you want to spend any length of time, be sure to book your accommodations early. But often, just going up for the day will be fun enough. Enjoy and don’t forget to pack that camera.

Check our Napa Valley Wine Country Planning Guide for complete details on where to stay, dine, and other fun activities.

Trending Now – Book Clubs are Meeting in Wine Country

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Mills Book Club meets annually at a winery

Mills Book Club meets annually at a winery

Book Clubs are Meeting in Wine Country

The Mills Book Club was established in 1989 by Librarian Kris, long before book clubs were as popular as they are now. Today, book clubs are flourishing among friends and neighbors all over the world. Perhaps it was the Mills Book Club that set the trend for book club proliferation! The Mills Book Club is setting another trend these days, holding a book club meeting in wine country. The Mills Book Club has been doing this for the past six years.

It began in 2012 when Mills Book Club member Pat thought it would be fun to hold a book club meeting at her summer getaway home in Healdsburg, CA. The book club enjoyed the event so much that they decided to make this an annual affair and host the meeting at a winery. It seems that to sip wine and discuss books in the peace of wine country brings much joy to the book club. The club picks small wineries, preferably family-owned, and ones where the winemaker or winery owner has time to meet with the book club.

The Mills Book Club wineries

The Battaglini Winery is a terrific winery stop in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County. Owner and winemaker Joe Battaglini gave us a walking tour and showed us 135-year-old Zinfandel and Petite Sirah vines. His small but quaint tasting room is filled with memorabilia and good cheer.  While we were busy tasting, a couple visiting from Florida came into the tasting room. Upon leaving, the woman said “This is so much fun. Yesterday we were in Napa at a snobby tasting room where the winery was selling $100 Cabernet. Who needs a hundred-dollar bottle of wine?” Certainly not the Mills Book Club members!

Joe Battaglini with Mills Book Club member Mike in the vineyards

Joe Battaglini with Mills Book Club member Mike in the vineyards

The Mills Book Club meets once a month, and members are mostly retired teachers from Mills High School in Millbrae.  A few still teach there and a few others are close friends who wanted to be part of the book club environment. In case you are wondering what the Mills Book Club reads, the following is a list of recent books they have read.

Latest Choice:

Recent favorites:

Vinexpo Bordeaux 2017 to Feature Spanish Wines

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The great City Center of Bordeaux

From the Vinexpo – A Taste of Spain

NEW YORK – Jan. 5, 2017 – Vinexpo, the leading international exhibition for wine and spirits professionals, has partnered with Wine Spectator to bring an exciting new food and wine event – “A Taste of Spain” – to Bordeaux, France during Vinexpo Bordeaux 2017. The exclusive party will take place at the Palais de la Bourse in Bordeaux’s historic city center on Monday, June 19, from 8 to 11 p.m.

“A Taste of Spain is shaping up to be one of the most provocative and essential events of Vinexpo Bordeaux 2017,” said Vinexpo CEO Guillaume Deglise. “We’re proud to work with Wine Spectator to attract such a prestigious line-up of bodegas to the exhibition. Their presence will add a new dimension to Vinexpo parties and will offer great opportunities to international buyers throughout the show. The tasting itself will be a must for any Vinexpo attendee.”

A Taste of Spain will shine a spotlight on the great wines of Spain, Vinexpo Bordeaux’s “Country of Honor” in 2017. More than 100 Spanish bodegas have been hand-selected by Wine Spectator to present their wines. These will be paired with food prepared by 10 of Spain’s most celebrated chefs, selected by culinary co-chairs Ferran Adrià and José Andrés.

“Wine Spectator is pleased to partner with Vinexpo to showcase the wines of Spain, 2017’s Country of Honor,” said Marvin R. Shanken, editor and publisher of Wine Spectator. “We believe A Taste of Spain will be a benchmark for the country’s wine industry. Featuring an unprecedented gathering of top producers and key chefs, this event will present the richness and diversity of Europe’s most dynamic culture of wine and gastronomy.”

“As Wine Spectator’s lead taster on the wines of Spain for more than 20 years, I have tracked the country’s dynamic evolution, in quality, style and diversity,” added the magazine’s executive editor, Thomas Matthews. “The wineries participating in A Taste of Spain have been selected by Wine Spectator to showcase the industry’s quality, diversity and history. In my opinion, no other wine region in the world has achieved such an impressive balance of tradition and modernity, revaluing ancient terroirs, exploring indigenous grapes, and using modern techniques to make exciting and distinctive wines.”

Wine Country Michelin Restaurants 2017

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Bouchon - another Thomas Keller restaurant

Bouchon – another Thomas Keller restaurant

Wine Country Michelin Restaurants 2017

Michelin has awarded its 2017 stars for several restaurants in wine country.  A Michelin Star is the most prestigious and sought-after restaurant award among restaurateurs. These are the 2017 Wine Country Michelin Restaurants:

Three-Star Wine Country Michelin Restaurants

  • The French Laundry – Yountville
  • The Restaurant at Meadowood – St. Helena

One-Star Wine Country Michelin Restaurants

  • Auberge du Soleil – Rutherford
  • Bouchon – Yountville
  • Farmhouse Inn & Restaurant – Forestville in Sonoma County
  • La Toque – Napa
  • Madrona Manor – Healdsburg
  • Solbar – Calistoga
  • Terra – St. Helena
  • Terrapin Creek – Bodega Bay – Sonoma County (some distance from the Sonoma West wine country)

Wine Country Michelin Bib Gourmand Restaurants 2017

bravas-tapas-restaurants
Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurants are dining spots Michelin has rated an excellent value. It is possible at these restaurants to be served two courses and a glass of wine or dessert for $40 or less before tax and tip. If you like excellent dining and good prices, take note of these restaurants in wine country.

Michelin Bib Gourmand Restaurants

  • Backyard – Forestville in Sonoma County
  • Bistro Jeanty – Yountville
  • Bistro 29 – Santa Rosa
  • Bravas – Healdsburg
  • Chalkboard – Healdsburg
  • Cook – St. Helena
  • Diavola – Geyserville in Sonoma County
  • Farmstead – St. Helena
  • Glen Ellen Star – Glen Ellen in Sonoma
  • Grace’s Table – Napa
  • Monti’s Rotisserie – Santa Rosa
  • Oenotri – Napa
  • Ramen Gaijin – Sebastopol in Sonoma County
  • Redd Wood – Yountville
  • Risibisi – Petaluma in Sonoma County
  • Scopa – Healdsburg
  • Shed Cafe – Healdsburg
  • Two Birds/One Stone – St. Helena

Bits and Pieces of Napa Valley News

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harvest cabernet

On York Lane in St. Helena, harvesting Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2016 Harvest

The harvest of the king of grapes, Cabernet Sauvignon, is well underway in the Napa Valley, with most of the wineries expecting a fantastic harvest. In the Napa Valley Register we find this information. Andy Beckstoffer of Beckstoffer Vineyards, who is one of the largest wine growers in the valley, said this season’s batch should have enhanced flavors and less alcohol content. “Harvest started at a normal time, but the cooler days at the beginning allowed for greater flavor development without much sugar accumulation,” he said. That is terrific news after a disappointing 2015 harvest where the yields were short of average.

Napa Film Festival

Napa film festival information

The complete lineup for the Napa Film Festival, November 9th to the 13th, is set. Time to plan now for one of Napa Valley’s great events. 120 films, 300 filmmakers, 150 wineries and 50 chefs will be entertaining visitors throughout the festival. For complete information on tickets and events, please see this link. http://napavalleyfilmfest.org.

Copia becomes CIA

copia

This is very good news for the city of Napa. It should bring in more tourists to the city. Copia opened in 2001 as the Napa Valley’s Center for Wine, Food and the Arts. Copia never attracted enough visitors to make a go of it, and it closed in 2008. The Culinary Institute of America announced that the downtown Napa building will become a sister campus to its CIA at Greystone in St. Helena. It will include a vegetable garden, a restaurant, kitchens, cooking classes, and much more. The CIA plans to open the new campus in October of this year. Please see: https://www.ciachef.edu/cia-at-copia-release/ for additional information.

New photography exhibit at Mumm Napa

Mumm Art Gallery

Mumm Gallery

News from Mumm Napa: The work of Wayne Levin, known for his otherworldly black-and-white photographs captured in the depths of the ocean, will be on display this Fall at Mumm Napa winery in Rutherford. An opening reception will take place on October 15 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at the winery’s Fine Art Photography Gallery.

The exhibit, titled “Through a Liquid Mirror,” features a collection of 38 underwater photographs by Levin, who has been capturing images of land and ocean since the early 1970s. “When I descend beneath the surface, I feel like I am Alice passing through the looking glass into a totally different world,” says Levin. “I am in a world with different rules, different truths.” Many of Levin’s photographs capture the waters surrounding his adopted home of Hawaii. Beneath the surface he finds a world that is both astonishingly graceful and strangely disorienting—a “liminal zone” where human and aquatic life collide.

A reception, featuring a selection of Mumm Napa’s sparkling wines, will be held Saturday, October 15 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Wayne Levin will be in attendance. The event is open to the public and there is no charge to view “Through a Liquid Mirror,” though guests are required to RSVP. In order to confirm attendance please call 1-800-686-6272 or email mumm_club@mummnapa.com. Visitor center and fine art photography gallery hours are 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily. Mumm Napa is located at 8445 Silverado Trail, Rutherford, CA 94573. All photography in the exhibit is represented by Smith Andersen North.

A Perfect Score – A perfect book for a wine afficionado

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perfect-score-book

A Perfect Score

A Perfect Score
The Art, Soul, and Business of a 21st-Century Winery

By Craig and Kathryn Hall

On a recent visit to Hall Winery, Joe and I were very impressed with all the art work inside the buildings and outside in the gardens, as well. We had long admired the giant stainless steel Bunny which looks striking when driving along Hwy. 29. At Easter time, the Bunny was cleverly holding a basket of flowers. We found out when reading the book that the Bunny is named Bunny Foo Foo, and is representative of the many rabbits that hop through the vineyards. Kathryn had fond memories of singing about Little Bunny Foo Foo in her parent’s vineyards in Mendocino County.

easter time in the Napa Valley

The Hall Winery with a special Easter basket

“The Perfect Score” is the story of the vast love between Kathryn and Craig and their passion for continually striving to make the best wines possible from the best vineyards on their property. Like many other winery owners, they believe that great grapes will produce great wines if handled expertly by carefully chosen winemakers and staff.

Craig and Kathryn met in 1991. Kathryn was running for Mayor of Dallas and called on Craig’s expertise as Chairman and founder of Hall Financial Group in Dallas. They immediately felt a connection to each other, and when Kathryn lost her bid for Mayor, she decided to show Craig her family’s vineyards in Mendocino County. Craig discovered how much happier Kathryn was walking through vineyards than practicing law.

Before meeting Craig, Kathryn had gotten married, had two children and divorced. She visited her parents once a month to help with the family vineyards. Following the death of her parents, Kathryn and her her siblings eventually split up the estate. Kathryn, with Craig’s urging, decided to look for vineyard property in the Napa Valley they both loved. Their plan was temporarily Interrupted when Kathryn was summoned by the White House to become the Ambassador to Austria.

“The Perfect Score” is a fascinating look at the Halls’ journey from planting small vineyards to the huge success of their current Hall Wines and Walt Wines. You’ll get a bird’s eye view of how much planning went into producing a wine that won a 100-point score from wine critic Robert Parker. You’ll also see how completely the Halls enmeshed themselves into the fantastic wine community of Napa County and the charitable work they do to give back to the community.

tasting room guide

The Hall St. Helena tasting room

A Perfect Score can is available on Amazon. Here is a link to Amazon and the book: A Perfect Score: The Art, Soul, and Business of a 21st-Century Winery

Robert Mondavi 50th Anniversary Celebration! You are invited

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Robert Mondavi Winery summer concerts

Robert Mondavi Winery Celebrates its 50th Anniversary

Robert Mondavi – Big celebration plans for July 16th for the 50th Anniversary

Back in 1996, when the Robert Mondavi Winery opened our adventures to the wine country, there were only a handful of wineries to visit and very few travelers to wine country. Looking back at my wine notes from 1969, they showed that I’d purchased six bottles of the 1966 Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon. Get this, the price for each bottle, $3.50! I am guessing that, in those years before designated-vineyard wines were in vogue, the grapes came from the famous To Kalon vineyards. Since our first visit to Robert Mondavi, this winery has held a special place in our memory bank of the early years of the Napa Valley. It was Robert Mondavi’s influence that brought wine, food and fame to the Napa Valley.

The Robert Mondavi 50th Anniversary celebration activities are in full swing, so mark your calendars for a big celebration at the Robert Mondavi Winery on July 16th. The public is invited. The event begins at noon and will include live music, in-depth wine seminars and tastings, cooking demonstrations with top local chefs, a photo booth, horse-and-buggy rides through the historic To Kalon Vineyard and more. The July 16th celebration will commemorate this significant milestone at the winery where it all began 50 years ago.

In the reception room, guests will be greeted by a spectacular, multi-tiered 50th anniversary “wine cake,” featuring bottles from each vintage starting with 1966. Guests over 21 will receive a keepsake glass bearing the Robert Mondavi Winery logo, as well as three complimentary wine pours. Additional wines will be available for purchase. There will also be three complimentary wine demonstrations throughout the day, led by Masters of Wine (MW) Mark de Vere and Peter Marks, hosted in the winery’s To Kalon Cellar. The seminars are limited to 50 guests each (age 21 and over) and attendance is first-come, first-served. The event will also feature cooking demonstrations, highlighting the work of four renowned local chefs who will each create a dish inspired by one of Robert Mondavi’s wines. Guest chefs include Cindy Pawlcyn, Bob Hurley, Victor Scargle and Giovanni Guerrera. The free demonstrations will accommodate 50 people each and are first-come, first-served.

Food vendors will be on site, offering a variety of delicious selections for purchase. Ring of Fire, Villa Corona, Marks the Spot, Cousins Lobster, Ben & Jerry’s, The Vintage Sweet Shoppe and Annie the Baker are among those set to attend. Entertainment highlights include an art demonstration by local art teacher and Robert Mondavi wine educator Channing Rudd, as well as a number of live musical performances. Music will begin at noon with Ballet Folklorico el Valle St. Helena, followed by River School World Percussion, Shelby Lanterman and Full Chizel.

There is no entry fee for this open to-the-public event, and all ages are welcome. Admission is on a first-come, first-served basis until the event reaches capacity. Carpooling is encouraged, as there is limited parking available at the winery.  Check the Robert Mondavi Website for complete details at www.robertmondaviwinery.com/50.

More information on Robert Mondavi

Quivira Farm-to-Table Dinner Series for 2016

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quivira-vines

Quivira Introduces New Farm-to-Table Dinner Series for 2016

Introducing a new Quivira Farm-to-Table Dinner Series for this summer. The Farm-to-Table Dinners showcase talent from some of the Bay Area’s top chefs and the winery’s own bounty of Biodynamic and organic foods. Beginning in July, Quivira will partner with four chefs on a series of multi-course menus using only ingredients and wines grown on the Quivira Vineyards Biodynamic gardens in Dry Creek Valley.

The Lineup of Chefs for Quivira Food and Wine

  • The Farm-to-Table Dinner Series will kick off on July 23 with a menu crafted by chef de cuisine Anthony Jimenez of The Table, one of San Jose’s premier restaurants. The Table is renowned for contemporary American cuisine and driven by a passion for genuine hospitality, recognizing that many of life’s best memories are created around a table.
  • On August 13, Quivira will present a Mexican regionally-inspired meal prepared by executive chef Sophina Uong of Oakland’s Calavera. Chef Uong will make Oaxacan-focused fare inspired by the region’s ingredients, artists and craftspeople.
  • The August 27 event will showcase cuisine from Madera, the acclaimed restaurant at Menlo Park’s luxurious Rosewood Sand Hill Resort. Madera’s chef pays homage to the Bay Area’s history and culinary traditions, creating fresh and cohesive dishes inspired by the region’s bounty.
  • The final event takes place on September 18, featuring cuisine prepared by the executive chef and owner of San Francisco’s AQ, Mark Liberman. AQ is known for its innovative use of locally-sourced produce, meats, fish and dairy prepared with classical French techniques.

Each menu in the Farm-to-Table Dinner Series will be carefully paired with a selection of Quivira’s finest wines. Guests will have the pleasure of enjoying their meal on the estate where the ingredients were grown and harvested. The events will all be held at Quivira Vineyards beginning at 6:00 p.m. The cost is $145, all-inclusive, and early reserved tickets will be available for $130. To purchase tickets call (707) 431-8333 or email customer-relations@quivirawine.com.

Quivira Vineyards is located at 4900 West Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg, CA 95448. The telephone is (707) 431-8333. Additional information is available at www.quivirawine.com.

Biodynamic vineyards at Quivira

Biodynamic vineyards at Quivira

Additional information on the Dry Creek Valley

Wine Country Restaurants on Michael Bauer’s 100 Top 100 Restaurants

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Each year at this time, the San Francisco Chronicle and its food editor Michael Bauer announce “The Top 100 Restaurants.” These are restaurants that are in San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area, including the wine country regions of the Napa Valley and Sonoma County. Michael Bauer and his staff dine at a restaurant three times before it is evaluated and reviewed. For the wine country traveler to the Napa Valley and Sonoma wine regions, this Top 100 Restaurant Guide is one excellent method of choosing restaurants with great wine and food. Sixteen wine country restaurants in the Napa Valley and Sonoma are on the 2016 list.

Bravas de tapas

Bravas in Healdsburg, tapas extraordinaire

Healdsburg

  • Bravas Bar de Tapas
  • Madrona Manor
  • Shed Cafe

Sonoma

  • Oso

Napa

  • Bistro Don Giovanni
  • Ninebark
  • Oenotri

Yountville

Ciccio in Yountville

Ciccio Pizza in Yountville

  • Ad Hoc
  • Bottega
  • Ciccio
  • French Laundry
  • Redd
  • Redd Wood

St Helena

  • Press
  • The Restaurant at Meadowood
  • Terra

Helpful Wine Country Traveler Inforamtion

CALIFORNIA WINE COUNTRY REGIONS:

Carneros • Livermore • Lodi • Mendocino • Monterey • Napa Valley • Paso Robles • Santa Barbara County • Santa Cruz Mts. • Sierra Foothills • Russian River • Sonoma Valley