Category Archives: Event

Seminar Schedule for the Telluride Wine Festival!

I am busily crafting a list of stellar winery and sommelier guests to join the seminar offerings at this year’s Telluride Wine Festival, June 22-25Benovia Winery, Robert Biale Vineyards, Gloria Ferrar, Laurel Glen Vineyard, Montemaggiore, Rodney Strong are all on the list, and more coming. . .

(Photo courtesy of the Cycling Foodie blog.)
(Photo courtesy of the Cycling Foodie blog.)

There will be four one-hour special seminars, all scheduled for Friday and Saturday (details below): There are of course many more fabulous events to attend so take a moment to peruse the TWF full scheduleThen purchase your tickets HERE!

Perfectly Pinot: Friday June 23, 10:30-11:30
A unique opportunity to taste a collection of these sophisticated, limited-release wines crafted from world-class grapes grown in the prestigious regions of Russian River Valley, Santa Rita Hills, Anderson Valley, Willamette Valley, and other coastal regions of the West Coast.

Rhone If You Want To: Friday June 23, 2:30-3:30
Learn about the characteristics of the special grapes used to make a wide range of flavorful red and white still wines, dry pink wines, and complex blends that are great to pair with a wide range of cuisine all year long!

A Mixed Bag of “Mixed Blacks”: Preserving Rare Old Vine Wines Friday June 23, 4:30-5:30
Join us at this rare opportunity to taste and find out what proprietors of the Robert Biale Vineyard and other special producers from Napa Valley and Sonoma County are doing to preserve these old vines as you experience this magnificent series of limited release wines.

Inventing an Icon: The Art & Craft of Proprietary Red Blends Saturday June 24, 10:30-11:30
From elegant to powerful, the profiles of complex red wine blends made with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and other special grape varieties offer flavor profiles that set themselves apart from all the rest.

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Laird Family Estate – Wine Train Dinner! Saturday April 22nd

Ready to ride the rails? I will be there to enjoy this exquisite four-course gourmet dinner of seasonal offerings by Chef Donald Young.  The Laird Family Estate portfolio will be tasted and discussed with Consulting Winemaker Brian Mox.

This 3 hour adventure is on the all new Napa Valley Wine Train, for the Private Reserve Dinner Series, aboard the 36-seat restyled Pullman rail car.  Boarding for the special Laird Family Estate dinner will be on Saturday April 22 at 6:30 PM,  with the train departing the station at 7:00 PM.

Reserve your tickets now!

5 Flavor! Napa Valley Events You Don’t Want To Miss

I am reposting this informative article from Legendary Napa Valley to better reach your inboxes!

Flavor! Napa Valley, the food and wine festival benefiting the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), celebrates both Napa Valley and CIA graduate chefs and winemakers with five days of exclusive experiences that bring out the best flavors of the legendary Napa Valley. Come join us during these five wonderful days of wine classes, chef demos, elegant dinners and more.

Be sure these five Flavor! Napa Valley events are on your schedule:

  1. First Taste – A Downtown Socialpresented by the Downtown Napa Association, Wednesday March 22, 6 – 8:30 p.m.; price is $95 per person. Celebrate under the stars at the brand new CIA at Copia in downtown Napa, with more than 15 of Napa’s best restaurants and more than 40 Napa Valley wineries. The evening will also include live entertainment and the opportunity to bid on Magnum editions of rare wines during a silent auction.
  2. From Vineyard to Bottle – Exploring Napa Valley with Iconic Winemaker Heidi Barrett at the CIA at Copia, Thursday March 232:30 – 4 p.m.; $95 per person. Moderated by wine, food and television star Leslie Hartley-Sbrocco of KQED’s “Check, Please!”, this exclusive seminar and tasting is focused on Heidi’s secrets behind how she captures the deep and complex flavors of the fruit in the wines.
  3. Napa Valley Icons Dinner, Tuesday March 23, 6 – 10 p.m.; $295 per person. Guests will celebrate the food and wine icons of the Napa Valley at the Silverado Resort and Spa while honoring legendary winemaker Heidi Barrett. Participating chefs include Host Chef Jeffrey Jake from Silverado Resort and Spa; Matthew Accarrino from SPQR; Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski from State Bird Provisions and The Progress; Ken Frank from La Toque; Michael Schulson from Schulson Collective; and esteemed CIA graduate Waldy Malouf.
  4. Legendary Napa Valley, The Grand Tasting, VIP admission is Saturday March 25, 6 – 7 p.m. and tickets are $225 per person; general admission is at 7 p.m. and tickets are $175 per person.  The sixth annual Grand Tasting at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena allows guests to taste their way through the Napa Valley with a selection of sweet and savory bites from more than 25 Napa Valley restaurants, paired with wine from more than 80 Napa Valley wineries.
  5. Bubbles and BrunchSunday March 26, 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.; $135 per person. Flavor! Napa Valley concludes with a brunch at one of Napa Valley’s most renowned sparkling wine houses, Domaine Chandon. Guests will enjoy dishes from Host Chef Brian Whitmer from VINeleven, winner of Bravo’s Top Chef All-Stars and Owner, Trail Blais Inc., Richard Blais, and nationally acclaimed Vegas restaurateur Rick Moonen, RM Seafood. Brunch will be accompanied by a selection of Domaine Chandon’s still and sparkling wines.

The Blending Experience at Paraduxx: Friday March 24th

This is a special Terroir to Table event happening at Flavor! Napa Valley.  An enjoyable opportunity to be winemaker by making your own blend with the amazing Paraduxx Wine crew.  During this hands-on experience, you will be guided through a component tasting of the three core varietals that make up Paraduxx while enjoying seasonally paired bites from local chefs, Natalie and Jonathan Niksa, of La Saison, Napa Valley.

Get your tickets!
The Blending Experience
at Paraduxx

FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 2017 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM

 

It’s Back! Telluride Wine Festival 2017

Word is out, Telluride Wine Festival will be June 22-25 this year, so time to get your travels plans a’ brewing! I will be there again and setting up some seriously awesome seminars. Details coming soon, but for now wineries can get signed up online with the Grand Tasting at:  2017 TWF Winery Registration

Wineries can also contact me directly about seminars,  wine@sawyersomm.com: I look forward to finding a space for you to participate!  Meanwhile, I will continue to share festival updates.  And for more information about the Telluride, CO area check out this resource:  telluride.com

Cheers! Christopher

Reading Time: American Wino by Dan Dunn

At the ZAP Expo last weekend I ran into my friend Dan Dunn, author of the book American Wino: A Tale of Reds, Whites, and One Man’s Blues.  He inscribed my copy with “This doesn’t happen without you man!”  High praise.  Looking forward to the read.

Here is an informative Forbes review to warm up your mental palate for the excursion:  American Wine: A Fun New Wine Book Wine Snobs Will Hate

Dinner with legendary winemaker Heidi Barrett – March 23rd

Known for her love of Cabernet, Heidi Barrett will be honored at a special Winemaker Dinner next month for Flavor! Napa Valley.  Since the 1980s, she has created some of the Napa Valley’s most famous wines, including Screaming Eagle, Dalla Valle, Grace Family, Paradigm, and many others. She started La Sirena, in 1994, and began her collaboration brand, Barrett & Barrett, with her husband, Bo Barrett of Chateau Montelena, in 2010.

Icons Dinner honoring legendary winemaker Heidi Barrett
Thursday, March 23, 2017 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Don’t miss this opportunity to taste her amazing collection of Muscat, Grenache, Pirate’s Treasure and Cabernet Sauvignon paired with amazing dishes made by star chefs from across the nation; Host Chef Jeffrey Jake (Silverado Resort and Spa), Matthew Accarrino (SPQR), Stuart Brioza & Nicole Krasinski (State Bird Provisions and The Progress), Waldy Malouf (CIA), Ken Frank (La Toque) and Michael Schulson (Schulson Collective)

Limited seating – get tickets while they last!

Having cocktails with Sammy Hagar!

This week I attended the debut of Sammy Hagar’s new lounge The Passage Bar, next to his El Paseo restaurant in downtown Mill Valley.

Cocktails were on the menu where I was able to try the Santorita, Sammy’s new favorite made with his own Santo Mezquila.  Here is a short video of us and the preparation.

The first drink Sammy ever made was the Waborita, which featured his Cabo Wabo Tequila and originally developed at the old Avalon Bar in Mill Valley.

Here is The Passage Bar cocktail menu for your perusing pleasure!

Rhone & Relax in Sonoma! February 2nd

Join this Thirsty Thursday fundraiser at Suite D (21800 Schellville Road, Sonoma)!  An amazing opportunity to learn more about how you can get involved with Rhone Rangers as a winery or Rhone fan.

Rhone & Relax

February 2nd @6pm
Get tickets here!

MENU INCLUDES

Antipasti:
cheese, salumi & antipasti

Passed nibbles:
gougere blt, pancetta, oven-dried tomato, basil- mini burgers, brie, red onion confit-shrimp po’boy

Wood-fired Pizza:
Sonoma-goat cheese, leeks, scallions, bacon
Funghi-quattro formaggio, wild mushrooms, chili flakes,
roasted garlic

Gelato Cart
custom flavors & toppings