Often times, people have the assumption that larger is better; whether it’s in wine, packages of snacks at Costco, or houses with more bedrooms than people in the town where I went to boarding school, the message is bigger is better.  Even in wine, the message can be bigger is better; while not referring to size, it often shows up in large production labels, that assume that releasing 10,000 cases means they are successful.  It also shows up stylistically, when wines become Fraken-fied, with additives and strange concoctions of science much more than art.

My choice, therefore, is to spend as much money as I can on supporting smaller, local producers who not only need to cash more, but have more creativity and stylistic control than – dare I say it – that label with the Kangaroo on it down the street.

Luckily for me, I was invited to the Micro Winery Open House at Inspiration Custom Crush in Santa Rosa recently.  Here, several smaller wineries - including Inspiration, were pouring their wares.  I have a few highlights from the event and a shamless plug for a fellow blogger turned winemaker who is doing some great things with Rhone varitals.

First up, Wesley Ashley Wines‘ Intelligent Design Cuvee Blanc is a Rhône style

blend of  Vioginer, Roussanne, and Grenache Blanc from Santa Barbara.  The Viognier adds a nice aromatic note, while the Roussanne gives a crisp acidity that would be perfect for a summer sipper.  We all know by now, that I love a good Grenache Blanc, and the 20% addition to this blend rounds out the white and gives it a solid body.  This is no wimpy wine!  Classic flavors of nectarine and apricot show up under the floral notes of the viognier.

Also from Wesley Ashely, the 2009 Intellivent Design Cuvee is another classic Rhône blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Petite Sirah.  The Grenache, which is 75% of the blend, shows off its strawberry spice, with the Syrah adding some great backbone.

YOu can find Wesley Ashely Wines at the winery by appointment, The Wine Mine in Oakland, and several restaurants around the bay area.

This is a winery to watch!

Keeping on the Rhône theme, next up we meet the Two Shepherds.  William Allen, a fellow wine blogger over at Simple Hedonisms, and partner Michelle Berger launched Two Shepherds wine to focus on Rhône style wines from California with distinction.

So far so good I’d say!  It takes extreme talent and guts to start a winery, particularly if you’re day job is in sales, as William’s is.  Having known him for a few years now, I have seen first hand the sheer tenacity that it takes to launch a brand, learn about the chemistry of winemaking, the ins and outs of running a business and also trying to pay the bills.  Kudos to a successful launch!

I was one of the lucky few to taste the delicious Grenache Blanc, which is sadly sold out now – but it was a great example of a Rhône white, that balances out acidity with the creamy subtle sweetness.  Some GBs can be either too acidic (I’ve had a few from Spain) or too full bodied which implies sweetness.  The Two Shepherds balances those two, with a nice minerality, white peach, lemon lime flavors, followed by a flinty finish.  I am eagerly waiting for more of this to be bottled so I can nab some for the cellar!

Also from Two Shepherds, the MRV is a classic white Rhône blend, comprised of Marsanne, Roussanne, and Viognier.  I enjoyed a bottle of this last night with Butternut squash Lasagna, and the creamy body of the MR balanced the sweetness of the Butternet perfectly.  The Addition of the viogner adds a touch of honeysuckle.

There are two red offerings from Two Shepherds, the GSM, and the SM (Syrah/Mourvedre).  The GSM blend is a bit different than your average southern Rhone, or for that matter, Paso Robles Rhone blend, as the Grenache in this blend adds acidity and flavors to develop that are unique to the area.  The lighter style blends perfectly with the fuller bodied Syrah and Mourvedre, to create a masterpiece of bright red berry, spice box, and a lingering flavor that I personally can only describe as Grenache.

This wine isn’t technically released, but it will be soon and I suggest buying a bottle and letting it sleep for a bit.  If not, give it some air before you sip and swirl.

The Syrah/Mourvedre blend uses the same Syrah from Russian River, and is blended equally with Mourvedre.  The SM is slightly fuller bodied than the GSM, as you don’t have the higher acid in the Grenache to lighten the load.  It is also delicious and would be fantastic with roast chicken, a burger, or cassoulet.

You can find Two Shepherds wines at the winery by appointment, and via mail order, but also at K&L Wine Merchants, Wicked Wines in HBG, and several restaurants in the Bay Area including The Girl & Fig, Spoonbar, and Toast Wine Lounge.  Click here for details.

The moral of this story?  Seek out those small producers.  They work in small lots, and can be more creative than people making large amounts of wine.  Have fun discovering them.  The custom crush / coop tasting room is more and more popular, as it allows smaller brands to showcase their wines while sharing costs for capital expenditures.

Now, I don’t harbor any fantasies of being able to be a chemist and make my own wine, but it sure is fun to live vicariously!  I’ve picked up some of the pieces of the puzzle on the way, and while I don’t think I could go it on my own, I do lust after a barrel or two of Pinot Noir in my future.

Some of my other favorite coop tasting rooms:

• Winery Collective – San Francisco
• The Wine Yard – Santa Rosa
• The urban wineries of Coffey Lane (that’s my own name) – The NPA, Carol Shelton, Vinify Winery Collective & Custom Crush, Inspiration Custom Crush, all located in the same complex as the micro wineries featured in this post.

Explore your town!  There are Urban wineries in San Francisco such as Dogpatch Wineworks and Bluxome Street.  Oakland and Alameda have an urban explosion.

Support your local winemaker!  You won’t be sorry!

Vertical:  To be upright.

Wine does a lot of things to people.  It evokes joy, it livens your tastebuds, it might even make you melancholy.  It can also make you a little Sideways.  When last we saw erstwhile Miles and sidekick Jack in the novel Sideways (and the subsequent movie which while it’s one of my favorite wine movies ever, is not exactly true to the book…ok most movies aren’t but still.  If you haven’t read the book READ THE BOOK!)  Jack was married (perhaps ill advisedly) and Miles was reconnecting with The One – Maya.

Now, several years have passed, and Vertical explores Miles’ life after Santa Barbara.  If you remember Sideways, you know that Miles has a troubled relationship with his mother.  Now aging and unwell, Miles has the unwelcome task of caring for her, and helping her move to another state so she can spend her final days with her estranged sister.

Miles has tried and failed, and tried again, quit drinking, and is attempting to ride out the success of his now published novel, without much luck.  The demands of his publishes and commitments for press engagements are pushing him in  to a hole as deep as the one he was in when the book wasn’t publishable at all.

Bring in Jack, who’s philandering ways and hard drinking habits have now landed him in hot water woith his now ex-wife.

Both a buddy road trip story and a bittersweet look at the life of two middle aged best friends, Vertical explores the relationships of two friends, for good or bad, as they muddle through the difficulties of every day life, love, alcohol abuse and aging parents.

Vertical is tragically sad in places, and hilariously funny in others, in a way sideways was not.  I find it much more real, honest, and open in looking at the realities of life.

I can’t recommend this follow up enough, particularly if you read the book Sideways, and didn’t just watch the movie.  Vertical follow it up with the realities of fame, the perils of life, and how you balance the two.

I’m thrilled to announce that Rex will be speaking in person at the 10th Annual Pinot Summit on February 25th in San Francisco.  After hosting a #winechat twitter session a few weeks ago, I find him engaging, self deprecating, humorous and absolutely delightful.  You can follow him on Twitter as well.

I hope you can join us for this one of a kind event!  Tickets are $130 for a full day of Pinot tasting, educational seminars, and the Grand Awards.  Alternatively, you can opt for the Grand Awards tasting only.

I am trying to do more book reviews now.  I read like someone from Freaks & Geeks, and occasionally I get press copies for review.  This one however, I bought for myself.

Happy reading!

 
Long the source of confusion, Petite Sirah is such a misunderstood grape.  Dark and brooking, dark and delicious.  Yum is what I say!

The love child of Peloursin, a very old, and pretty much dead French varietal, and Syrah, that charming, eclectic Rhône grape, Durif became known as Petite Sirah because of it’s boyish good looks.  Well ok not exactly, but it does sort of look like baby Syrah grapes.

Don’t know much about Petite Sirah?  Lucky for us, Petite Sirah I Love You (PS I Love You) is here to help!  If you’re located in the greater Bay Area or can be here on Friday, February 17th, Dark & Delicious, the annual food and wine pairing focusing on Petite Sirah will take place at Rockwall Winery in Alameda.

Don’t know much about Petite Sirah?  Want to learn more?  Check out the amazing wineries pouring at this event:

Pouring side by side with these wineries, there is also a list of over 35 food purveyors making tidbits to specifically match Petite Sirah’s unique flavor

What others have said about Dark & Delicious:

This is a not to miss event!  Tickets are on sale NOW for $63.  But you, my fabulous readers, have a chance to win a pair!  Just tell me why you love Petite Sirah in the comments below (and for additioanlly entries, don’t forget to use the RaffleCopter Form).  What makes you crave the dark & delcious grape?

See you there!  Happy drinking.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

An on the same day as NZ Wine Day, if you’re in the Santa Rosa area, make sure you stop by the Open House for a new Micro Winery co-op tasting room.  The industrial complex at Coffey Lane currently houses several wineries, and has become a go to destination for urban wine tasting in the North Bay.

Inspiration Vineyards has long been a friend and personal favorite of this blogger, and now, they are located in their own custom crush and tasting room space at 3360 Coffey Lane, Suite E, in Santa Rosa,  Six small wineries will be featured here, and having tasted two of them before, you won’t be sorry.

These wineries don’t have public tasting rooms, so this is a unique opportunity to to TRY & BUY wines from seven uniquely different wineries, each with their own winemaker present to tell you their stories and introduce you to their wines. Experience the small lot, artisinal wines from:

• Colagrossi Wines - offering a white Rhone blend
• Inspiration Vineyards where A little Inspiration makes every day a celebration.
• Little Red Vineyard featuring a REDiculous blend of Cab Sauv and Syrah.
• Premonition Cellars - pinot noir, need I say more?
• Simple Math Cellars - Pi, MC2, 1+2 – it all adds up!
• Two Shepherds - Unique Rhone Wines that Express Their Sense of Place
• Wesley Ashley Wines - Wine with a soul

If you buy your tickets now, they include $15 Wine & Food Credit!  That means you’re really only paying $5 to attend this fun tasting.  Upon check-in at the door, you’ll receive $10 back in wine bucks, redeemable on the day of the event at ALL seven wineries.  Additionally, by registering in advance on Eventbrite, you’ll receive another $5 back in wine & food bucks that you can redeem for either wine or food from Ultra Crepes.

I am a huge man of the micro winery movement, and I hope you will join us for this event.  While you’re in the area, stop by The NPA or head over a few blocks to the Wine Yard!

Advance Tickets are available HERE.  Get them while they last!

Attracts me like, no other lady!

True story.  I am slightly addicted to Rhone wines, particularly Rhone reds.  I’ve been on a Monastrell/Mouvedre/Mataro kick lately, but my first love really is Grenache.  Of the 22 Rhone varietals, these are my go to babies.  Luckily for me, I’ve been having fantastic luck lately at Whole Foods (not to mention The Spanish Table) at finding some great wine at even better prices.

But really, this post is about the mother of all Rhone gatherings:  Hospices du Rhône .  The annual Rhône celebration in Paso Robles will be celebrating her 20th anniversary next year!

April 26th through 28th, Rhône lovers and producers from all over the world will converge on the Paso Robles Fairgrounds.  Over the last 20 years, HdR has hosted diverse personalities, from Charles Smith (aka AC/DC with Grower Bubbles) to Australian producers, to heritage growers from Châteauneuf-du-Pape

This year, HdR is pleased to announce that there will be an exclusive  Conversations with Châteauneuf-du-Pape event, led by author Harry Karis, vigneron Philippe Cambie and Sommelier Kelly McAuliffe.  After the seminar, which is sure to sell out well in advance, dinner will be served at Bisto Laurentin.  These limited tickets are available a la carte at www.hospicedurhone.org.  Sadly the dinner is sold out at this time.

This year, the seminars will focus on highlighting the last 20 years of Hospice-Du-Châteauneuf producers who have been center stage.  I am especially looking forward to Why Spain (continues to) Rock – which will focus on what is happening today in Priorat and beyond.

Another fantastic seminar will highlight Walla Walla once again, with The Return of the Bionic Frog (say wha?), where Christophe Baron of Cayuse will make his debut at HdR.

On Saturday, France will be showcased with A Collective Quest, highlighting Les Vins de Vienne.

Finally, the seminars round out the day with Research, Revelations and the Art of Being Different.  Here, Chester Osbourn of Australia’s d’Arenderg will explore how recent studies in geology and sub regions have changed his winemaking and growing practices since his last HdR appearance in 1999.

Phew!  But that’s not all kids.  Like a Ginsu knife commercial, the weekend is jam packed with more tastings.

The Rhône Rendezvous is back, where over 100 producers from near and far will share their Rhône wines from large-format bottles. To complement this BIG evening of BIG bottles highly-acclaimed chefs from Blackberry Farm in Tennessee will serve up a taste of the South in a BIG way.

But before that you need sustinance, right?   If you’re not entirely dead by this point, don’t forget to participate in the Rosé Lunch, which is always a treat.  This year, our friends from The Girl & Fig will fill us up with deliciousness once again!  Remember the pot de creme from years past? Um yeah.  MORE PLEASE!  I had to taste all three flavors, and I almost left with some in my purse.  The rosés for this delecitble feast will be provided by the attending producers, which is a departure (and a welcome one for variety’s sake).

If you are sufficiently recovered from Friday and still have steam after the final two seminars, the Saturday Grand Tasting will feature over 130 winemakers pouring tastes from around the globe. It has been said that to duplicate this tasting, one would need a passport, many weeks off work and thousands of airline miles to taste the variety of wines showcased at the Grand Tasting.  Many producers who poured at the Rhône Rendezvous will also pour here but they will be featuring different wines.

On Saturday, the Live Auction wil lleave you tingling as lots of sought after wine are hard won and wine washes down the lunch provided by Guadalupe.

If you’re still upright at the end of the day, the Farewell BBQ promises a lot of beer, dancing, and casino action to wrap up your weekend.

After that, you can explore the other wines that Paso has to offer on Sunday!  Or if you’re like me, sleep in, eat a lot of carbs (and bacon naturally) and then head back home with a belly full of delish Rhône and a weekend of memories.

A full weekend pass (highly recomended) is $795 but now is the time to save up!  It’s so worth it.  You can also opt to purchase events a la carte, but by the time you add up a couple of seminars ($155 each) and tasting events ($100-125 each), lunch and dinner, you might as well get the pass.

Hope to see you there!  This year promises to be bigger and better, so if you do only one Rhône event, do this one! 

It’s that time of the year again!  Yep, Holiday in Carneros is this weekend, when 20 wineries throw thier doors open and celebrate the season with wine and food pairings!

Featured wineries this weekend include:

• Tin Barn
• Adastra,
• Anaba Wines
• Bonneau Wines
• Ceja Vineyards
• Cline Cellars
• Enkidu Wine
• Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards
•  Homewood Winery
• Jacuzzi Family Vineyards
• Keating Wines
• Larson Family Winery
• McKenzie-Mueller Vineyards & Winery
• Meadowcroft Wines
• Parmelee-Hill Wines & Vineyards
• Robledo Family Winery
• Schug Carneros Estate
• Talisman Wines
• Tin Barn Vineyards
• Ty Caton Vineyards

Tickets are $39 for the weekend, and include a souvineer glass.  You can purchase them in advance HERE or on the spot.  Proceeds from this event benefit scholarships for both Santa Rosa Jr. College, as well as Napa Valley College.

This year, there is a special additoin to this event.  Tin Barn Vineyards, which is located in the Eighth Street East wine garage district, will be hosting an art exhibition to benefit a local veteran’s recovery program.

Thanks Any / Way: A Photographic Exploration of Gratitude will be on display during the Holiday in Carneros weekend, Saturday and Sunday, November 19th & 20th from 10am – 4pm.  On Saturday, a Thanksgiving Feast will be served as you gaze at 25 images from both professional and emerging photogrphaers.  Proceeds from art sales will go to The Pathway HOme, a local facility that assits veterans with Post Tramatic Stress Syndrome.

There is also a section of the exhibit featuring work by the veterans who have been helped by The Pathway Home, which offers therapeutic photography as a part of it’s treatment program.

 Can’t make it to the event?  Don’t worry!  The images will be on display and up for auction at Bidding for Good, as well as on and on display at Tin Barn Vineyards during tasting room hours  through the end of the year.  

It’s that time of year again!  BBQs, corn on the cop, and, suddenly – the summer is over and it’s Labor Day.  Boo!  Except that every year, Labor Day signals the Wine Country Weekend extravaganza in Sonoma County!

This event is a local tradition, and many a la carte items sell out early.  Foodies who love wine will have even happier taste buds as more than 200 Sonoma County wineries, grape growers and chefs are preparing for the three-day festival.

From Friday, September 2nd through Sunday, September 4th, wineries all over Sonoma County will participate, culminating in the annual Taste of Sonoma on Saturday, and the Sonoma Valley Harvest Wine Auction on Sunday. For me, as an observer, and never an attendee, the highlight of this weekend is the Taste of Sonoma County at MacMurray Ranch.  This property sits smack dab in the middle of Russian River Valley, and is known for it’s Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Gris.  And yes, Father really did know best when Fred MacMurray bought this property as an escape from Hollywood to raise his young family in 1941.  The property itself has been farmed since the 1850s and is steeped in local history.

Some other highlights of the Sonoma Wine Country Weekend lunches, dinner parties and BBQs include:

• Arrowood Vineyards & Winery Dinner Party – Dine poolside to live acoustic guitar at the Arrowood Estate Guest House with Winemaker Heidi von der Mehden while experiencing a harvest sunset. Arrowood’s philosophy of producing classic varietal wines with grapes grown exclusively in Sonoma County will be featured while library wines and rare vintages from the cellar are poured. A five-course dinner will be prepared by one of Sonoma’s favorites: the girl + the fig restaurant.
• DaVero Farms & Winery Dinner Party – Guests will enjoy the bounty of DaVero’s certified Biodynamic farm with Owners Ridgely Evers and Colleen McGlynn who will tour and taste with wine and olive oil while introducing the fascinating practice of Biodynamic farming. Chef Christopher Greenwald, a renowned Sonoma County rising star, will build a meal from the abundance of DaVero and neighboring farms.
• Hidden Ridge Lunch –An unforgettable picnic in a breathtaking high-altitude vineyard with Proprietors Lynn Hofacket and Casidy Ward awaits guests. Designed to thrill the adventurous explorer, this experience begins with a four wheel-drive tour of the mountaintop vineyard – a place so steep, so well developed so interesting that it has been described as “really that amazing.” Chef Duskie Estes of Zazu lends her formidable culinary talents to create a seasonally inspired meal perfect for the Hidden Ridge Vineyard wines.
• Keller Estate Dinner Party – The remarkable summertime scenery of Keller Estate’s vineyards and olive groves will set the tone at this dinner hosted by Keller Estate Winemaker Jacqueline Yoakum and Chef Joey Ray. Keller Estate is a true Estate: from vine to bottle everything is done on the property – and the result is a lineup of wines that are deeply expressive of their individual terrior.
• Little Vineyards Family Winery BBQ – Little Vineyards Family Winery promises a fun, sunny Sunday barbecue at their Glen Ellen winery. Little Vineyards’ rare and small lot wines will take center stage, pairing perfectly with a variety of grilled treats, while the winery’s beautiful property provides an inspiring backdrop for a relaxed afternoon of simple pleasures.
• Stone Edge Farm Lunch – Known for dedication to sustainable farming, Stone Edge Farm produces both the outstanding wines and the heirloom vegetables and olive oils that will be featured at this al fresco meal. Winemaker Jeff Baker will pair wines with each course created by Winery Chef John McReynolds for an unparalleled experience of field-to-table dining. Hors d’oeuvres in the vineyard will lead to a shady meal overlooking the bountiful gardens and vineyards.

With more than 170 wineries pouring thousands of wines, and over 60 local chefs whipping up divine pairings, Taste of Sonoma at MacMurray Ranch delivers a once-in-a-lifetime experience for oenophiles and foodies alike. Informative and entertaining wine seminars, lively cooking demonstrations, get-your-boots-dirty vineyard tours and so much more make for an enchanting afternoon enjoying the best of Sonoma County living.

The event tickets are pricy at $150, but well worth it to have a one stop shop.  But wait!  Visa Signature will offer cardholder $55 off ($95 Taste of Sonoma Tickets).  Highlights of this day include Sommelier Star Tours – where you can taste a region, pair some food, or meander a varietal.  There are several to choose from so check them out here.

Not to be outdone, the winery lunchyes that start on Friday promise to be amazing.  I will be stuck at a user conference, but you can choose to attend a lunch with your favorite winery and winemaker among the Sonoma countryside.

$85 for lunch, wine and some great times is a steal!  (Some winery locations are sold out)

There are also some fantastic winemaker dinner lined up!  $160 gets you an evening with wine, food, and local winemaking stars.  (Some winery locations are sold out)

Sonoma Wine Country Weekend benefits local charities that benefit children, students, farm workers  and people in need, so you can once again – drink for charity!

I hope I”ll see you there!

Ahh Lake County.  Home of Indian Casinos and the Konacti Harbor Resort, where you can see the best of 70s and 80s has been bands.  Ok just kidding.  Not really.  But really.

Did you know that Lake County is also home to dozens of wineries?  Some of the areas oldest wineries include the Langtree Estate Winery (formerly Guenoc), which sits on the grounds where Lily Langtree, minor British royalty and silent film star, once lived.

For over a hundred years, visitors would escape the city life and crawl over Howell Mountain to get to the Guenoc Valley, gateway to Lake County.  Lake County is so named for the largest freshwater lake in California (Lake Tahoe is the largest that shares area with Nevada), which is believed to be one of the oldest lakes in North America.  Clear Lake used to be even larger than it is now, once joined with the smaller Blue Lake, and has only one outlet – Cache Creek.  The Volcanic soil deposit from nearby Mt Konacti creates a perfect climate for wines.

The Lake County Winery Association is happy to show off some of these wines by bringing them to San Francisco (yay!) on August 20th, with a tasting event of some of the local wares.  Wines With Altitude will showcase how Lake County, it’s own AVA and vasty different from neighboring Napa Valley, has a uniuqe terroir and flavor.

**News Flash** I have discount tickets for you!  Use code “winebratsf” at checkout, and save 50%! TICKETS HERE

This event will feature some of Lake County’s best, and is being hosted at Winery SF – a new venue on Treasure Island where some of my favorite local, VERY local, wines are made (VIE and Sol Rouge).  Featured wineries will include Beaver Creek Winery, Cache Creek Winery, Gregory Graham Wines, Langtry Estate & Vineyards, Rosa d’Oro Winery, Shannon Ridge Winery, Shed Horn Cellars, Six Sigma Ranch & Winery, Sol Rouge, Steele Wines, and Vigilance Winery.

Tickets for the tasting on Treasure Island are $35 if you buy them now – $50 after August 4th.  You can also get a VIP ticket which includes a special tasting, logo class, and olive oil tasting.

A few weeks later, the Lake County Wine Auction will take place on September 17th in Nice.  No, we’re not going to France.  Nice is really very…nice!  About 2.5 hours north of San Francisco, Nice is the center of Lake Country wine industry.  This auction celebrates the bounty of Laek County, and tickets are $75 ($150 for a Reserve ticket with food & wine tasting, as well as dinner & dancing).

Over 3.0 wineries will be offering samples of 100 different wines, and 25 chefs will show off the bounty of Lake County at Ceago Vineyards, Jim Fetzer’s biodynamic showpiece.

The Live Auction is the gem of this event.  Lots of  getaways, fine art, winery tours and tastings to reserved wines and winemaker dinners will be offered, and there will certainly be some great deals!

And once again, all proceeds go to local charities, so you really are eating and rinking for charity.  HOw can you resist/

Hope to see you out and about enjoying the tastes of Lake County!