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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 [email protected] 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 [email protected]

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

“The California Wife” by Kristen Harnisch

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California Wife

Kristen Harnisch’s sequel to “The Vintner’s Daughter”

“The California Wife” by Kristen Harnisch

This is a chance to win a signed copy of “The California Wife,” generously donated by the Author.

We’ve anxiously awaited the release of this wonderful sequel to our favorite wine-themed novel, “The Vintner’s Daughter,” by author Kristen Harnisch. “The Vintner’s Daughter” begins in the Loire Valley in 1895 and follows the plight of Sara Thibault as she helps her father work their small vineyard, hoping to become a winemaker herself. After her father dies in an accident, Sara and her sister Lydia are involved in a violent tragedy and forced to leave France for New York. Life in New York is very difficult, another tragedy occurs, and Sara eventually makes her way to California, hoping to fulfill her dream of becoming a winemaker.  Sara ends up working for vineyard owner Philippe Lemieux, also from the Loire Valley. Sara and Philippe work well together and fall in love, but revelations about Sara’s past are more than Philippe can endure. Sara sadly leaves California and returns to her family home in Loire.

“The California Wife” picks up where “The Vintner’s Daughter” ended, with Philippe following Sara to the Loire and professing his love for her.  Following their marriage, they work endlessly trying to tend the small vineyard in Loire and Philippe’s Eagle Run vineyard in the Napa Valley.  Against Philippe’s wishes, headstrong Sara gets involved in the Suffragette movement in California. There are many twists and turns in this delightful book, and we just hope that this ambitious couple will be able to withstand the daily pressures of life and a series of devastating events, including the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake.

How to win a copy of “The California Wife” by Kristen Harnisch

To enter the contest for the signed copy of “The California Wife,” simply tell us in the comment section below what your favorite California wine region is and why.  We’ll put your name in a hat (yes, we will!) and let you know whose name is chosen.  The contest will run through Friday, May 13, 2016

You can also order “The California Wife“directly from Amazon.

Robert Mondavi and Presqu’ile Winery summer concerts

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Robert Mondavi Winery summer concerts

Robert Mondavi Winery Celebrates its 50th Anniversary

Summer Concerts in Wine Country – Robert Mondavi and Presqu’ile Winery

Robert Mondavi Summer Concert Series

Robert Mondavi Winery has confirmed that indie rock group American Authors, Grammy Award-winning group Blues Traveler, singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson and American rock band O.A.R. will hit the stage this summer for its popular 2016 Summer Concert Series. Tickets are on sale now for the series of wine, food and music events that are the highlight of summer in the Napa Valley.

This year’s concert series takes place during a notably momentous year for Robert Mondavi Winery as it celebrates its 50th Anniversary milestone. The 2016 concert schedule has the Brooklyn-based American Authors opening the series on July 2, the blues, soul, psychedelic-rock band Blues Traveler performing on July 9, with Ingrid Michaelson bringing her indie-pop songs to the stage on July 23. Known for their vibrant stage presence, O.A.R. will close the series on July 30 with a bang.

In addition to the musical performances, food trucks and local restaurants will make their way to the winery to add to the lively atmosphere of each concert. Participating food vendors include: Ring of Fire, Villa Corona, Cousins Lobster, Dabba, Marks the Spot and Bruschetteria. The vendor lineup will vary slightly from concert to concert.

Over the last 47 years, more than $2 million has been raised to support a number of Napa Valley-based charitable organizations as a result of the Robert Mondavi Winery Summer Concert Series. Proceeds from ticket sales this year will directly benefit Napa Valley music programs to carry on this tradition.

Robert Mondavi Winery 2016 Summer Concert Series Tickets Now On Sale
Musical acts include American Authors, Blues Traveler, Ingrid Michaelson and O.A.R.

Presqu’ile Winery Summer Concert Series Presents: The Molly Ringwald Project

Presqu’ile Winery in Santa Maria is pleased to welcome The Molly Ringwald Project to the Presqu’ile Amphitheater on Saturday, May 7th. The Central Coast’s premier party band, The Molly Ringwald Project channels the best of the ’80s, vividly bringing the decade of angular haircuts and Hammer pants back to life (Molly Ringwald herself, not included). Bring your dancing shoes, and get ready to rock out in the Presqu’ile Amphitheater, Santa Maria’s place to be this summer! Regionally inspired, seasonal food will be available from BBQ in the Stix and Crush Catering. While Presqu’ile has abundant seating in its beautiful amphitheater, please feel free to bring your own chairs, blankets, etc. Presqu’ile Winery has a full summer concert series. Upcoming shows include:

  • June 25th – Reverend Tall Tree with Tepusquet Tornadoes
  • July 23rd – Unfinished Business
  • August 6th – The Ruben Lee Dalton Band
  • September 3rd – The Molly Ringwald Project
  • September 17th – Grammy-Winning SURPRISE GUEST

Complete ticket and concert information

Summer Wine Country Events Taking Shape

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Wente concert series

The concert scene at Wente Vineyards in the Livermore Valley

Summer wine country events taking shape

We will be posting these wine country events as we receive them. Here are three to consider for your wine country planning.

Wente Vineyards 2016 Concerts

The Concerts at Wente Vineyards is proud to continue its tradition of summer concerts with an incredible line-up of acts for the 2016 season – marking 30 years of entertainment at Wente Vineyards!

As Northern California’s most unique concert experience, Wente Vineyards will host a summer of top name headliners in its beautiful vineyard setting. Every performance presents a memorable evening of entertainment and superb dining with a selection of different ticketing options. The Concerts at Wente Vineyards is thrilled to announce its partial line-up for 2016 (3 additional acts will be added and confirmed in the next week or so):

  • Tuesday, June 28th – CHICAGO
  • Thursday, July 7th – DIANA ROSS
  • Tuesday, July 19th – PHILLIP PHILLIPS & MATT NATHANSON
  • Thursday, July 28th – BOZ SCAGGS & THE ROBERT CRAY BAND
  • Wednesday, August 10th – HUEY LEWIS AND THE NEWS
  • Tuesday, August 16th – LYNYRD SKYNYRD
  • Tuesday, September 13th – CHRIS ISAAK

***Full lineup will be available Friday, April 8th. Visit www.wentevineyards.com.

Club Entertainment Pre-Sale begins on Wednesday, May 4th, at 10am. Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Wednesday, May 11th, 2016 at 10am. For tickets: Ticketmaster.com or Ticketmaster 1-800-745-3000.

Lake Chelan Wine Valley

Spring Barrel Tasting will be held on May 21 and 22. This annual event offers visitors the chance to taste and learn how the use of oak plays a significant role in wine making. Guests will explore the use of different oak treatments and their impact on the taste, color, tannin and texture of the wine. Guests can visit winery cellar rooms for exclusive tastings with local winemakers and purchase upcoming vintages of some of their favorite wines. For more information about Spring Barrel Tasting, visit http://www.lakechelanwinevalley.com/events/spring-barrel-tasting.

Bottle Rock Napa Valley

Saturday and Sunday tickets are sold out, but some tickets remain for Friday May 27. See Bottle Rock

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

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