Earlier this year I participated in a judging of over two thousand wines for the California State Fair! Here is the entire California Commercial Wine Competition Results for you to peruse. You also might make those plans to hit the big event starting this Friday July 14th in Sacramento. If not there are other more local fair opportunities to hit all summer long!
More appreciation goes out to those that made this event work for me and the wineries involved. Cannot overlook the amazing food, Sommelier experts Wayne and Nadia, plus my team of Deborah, Teale, Simone and even my son Rupert (who helped deliver ice & water at the Grand Tasting)! I could not have done it without them. Besides this view of the Sunday Brunch along the main street of Telluride, here are some more great pix to share from behind the scenes.
Left to Right: Selfie with my Somms, Wayne Belding & Nadia Pavlevska; A delicious salad from the Precious Bites picnic; Busy chefs prepare a gourmet meal
Clockwise: A cake by Fig & Bloom at the Grand Tasting; The gondola view from above Telluride; Special course from guest star chef Dean Max at The Calling dinner; With my team, Deborah and Teale, surrounded by oodles of wine talent!
Clockwise: Telluride main street; Delectible snacks at the Grand Tasting; The crowds gather around the Sommelier Selection table at the Grand Tasting
Have you been to one of these shows? The last few years my family and I have attended, first to see Chris Isaak, followed by B-52’s last year. It was super fun, plus you have the opportunity to catch Isaak again this year! Rodney Strong is a great outdoor setting with delicious wines to accompany your pleasure. Here are the details!
July 8th – Chris Isaak
July 23rd – Kenny Loggins
August 27th – Chris Botti
September 9th – Kool & The Gang
Get tickets while you can!
Cheers, Christopher
Buena Vista Winery will be transformed into a Roaring Twenties destination on Saturday, July 1, 2017 when the winery hosts the Great Gatsby Gala to benefit the Huntington’s Disease Society of America (HDSA).
With a goal to raise $100,000 to support the HDSA mission, the event will honor Jean-Charles Boisset, Proprietor of Boisset Collection, which owns Buena Vista Winery, and Dr. Laurice Yang, Clinical Assistant Professor at Stanford University in the Neurology & Neurological Sciences department. Join us in your Gatsby-themed attire to enjoy live entertainment, a delicious dinner and wine pairing, Buena Vista’s classically retro Bubble Lounge and a fantastic silent auction.
To make donations and purchase tickets please go to: pacificsouthwestreg.hdsa.org/
A cool event in a hot climate! At the Festival of Albariño in Paso Robles, you will get to interact with as many winemakers as possible from these low-production wineries on the Central Coast.
Three events at three different venues:
-The seminar at Derby Winery in historic downtown Paso Robles, moderated by Doug Wilder of Purely Domestic Wine Report
-Grand Tasting of over 25 different Albarinos at Broken Earth Winery.
-The dinner Friday night at Brecon is limited to only 46 people, with a few places still available. Pairings of Albariños with a gourmet menu.
Did you miss it? Well fret no more. Here are a few fun pics and link to further wrap up article at the Press Democrat:
Wine Country stars mix with fans at
North Coast Food & Wine Festival
It just must be the season for those lighter spring delights to make an appearance! June seems to be blooming with delicious Rosé opportunities to please the palate.
Thursday, June 1
FREE Rosé Tasting at Gravenstein Grill
Join ME for a fun and educational Rosé tasting on the Gravenstein Grill patio in Sebastopol (8050 Bodega Ave). No reservations required, but show up early to guarantee a spot!
Saturday, June 17
Rosé Today Presents: A Country Garden Party
Jaxon Keys Winery & Distillery will host pourings on the grand tasting court & in the meadows, talks from industry leaders, gourmet food pairings by the Culinary Institute of America, pétanque, badminton, dancing, and merriment!
This is a fun event for all ages! For those that missed the news, Sunset Magazine purchased Cornerstone in Sonoma, so we are lucky that they now use the gardens for their annual celebration. Lots of great activities including Wine & Spirits seminars, Iced Tea Sampling, Succulent Potting, Cocktail Garden, Music Stage as well as a great line-up of star chefs and talent; Chef Ryan Scott, Chef Perry Hoffman, Chef Ari Weiswasser, Tyler Malek, many of Sunset‘s own editors, and more!
Sunset Celebration Weekend @Cornerstone
May 20 & 21, 11am to 5pm
Purchase tickets HERE!
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 22-25. Benovia Winery, Robert Biale Vineyards, Gloria Ferrar, Laurel Glen Vineyard, Montemaggiore, Rodney Strong are all on the list, and more coming. . .
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 schedule. Then 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.
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.
