I am excited not only to share this piece I wrote, regarding delicious wine and Mexican food pairings for Cinco de Mayo festivities, but also to introduce you to BuyWine.com.
I have been writing in-depth appellation descriptors for the site over the last year in preparation for them to go LIVE!!! Take time to read my article and peruse the possibilities for your wine purchasing future. . .
Cheers!
Christopher
On April 14th & 15th I helped judge the North Coast Wine Challenge in Santa Rosa. The judging compares select California North Coast AVAs including Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Sonoma, and Marin and parts of Solano County. As recently announced the 2015 winner is. . .
ROCHE 2013 Carneros Chardonnay French Oak Reserve!
Congratulations to all the winners, search the List and follow-up with a summary in this Press Democrat article.
Now you have a chance to taste over 80 Gold Medal winners at the North Coast Wine Challenge Tasting hosted by the Press Democrat on Sunday May 17, 1-4pm, at The Barlow in Sebastopol. It will feature the highest scoring wines from the 2015 judging.
This year, the event will include Storytellers & Innovators. Guests will be able to hear from and meet pioneers of the past and today’s innovators to learn what’s new in winemaking in California’s North Coast. There will also be a pre-event seminar, 11:30 – 12:30 pm:
A Conversation with Gold Medal Wine Makers and Award-Winning Chefs
The Santa Barbara Vintners Spring Weekend and Festival is nearly here and tickets are almost sold out for the Friday night Vintage Party and Saturday morning wine seminar.
FRIDAY NIGHT VINTAGE PARTY
First join me at the Vintage Party, a traditional La Paulee style dinner hosted by the Santa Barbara Vintners and Mattei’s Tavern to welcome Spring Weekend visitors to Santa Barbara Wine Country on the evening before the Festival. In the La Paulee tradition, attendees will bring their favorite Vintage 2009 or older wine from Santa Barbara County or beyond to share.
THE SANTA BARBARA WINE SEMINAR
Next I will be moderating this engaging wine seminar on Saturday morning before the Festival at the Santa Ynez Valley Marriott. This year it will feature winemakers whose wine careers were influenced by their time working at Zaca Mesa. 
Join me at the 10th Annual VinOlivo, when more than 60 wineries and 20 top restaurateurs come together in a weekend long affair.
The event includes a Williams-Sonoma* and AUTEUR Wines Winemaker Dinner, the signature Sonoma Valley Grand Tasting event and “Ticket to Sonoma Valley”, which grants special access to over 40 Sonoma Valley wineries. Pass holders receive special offers, ranging from complimentary tastings and discounted wine pricing, to barrel tastings and winery tours.
If you cannot attend then at least check out the Online Auction which continues until March 17th!
*To read more about the newly returned Williams-Sonoma store to it’s original location on Broadway read my article in Napa Sonoma Magazine.
I am judging at a super fun event this Wednesday March 4th, at Sebastiani Vineyards. Pizza-My-Way is a pizza recipe contest open to the general public so join in the festivities and enjoy some innovative dishes. 
There is no cost to attend, however seating is limited so send an RSVP to Lorena if you plan to be there.
Don’t miss the Biodynamic Wine Grange Event at SHED in Healdsburg, next Sunday, March 1st. Admission is $20.
For more information about the event and interesting facts about Biodynamic wine production visit: Organic Wines Uncorked
Cheers! Christopher
Take a little time to stop by Sonoma Portworks in Petaluma: Every weekend in February is their special Port & Cookies Tasting from noon to 5pm.
The tantalizing treats are provided by another local company, Bad Girls Bakery, so join in for the complimentary port tasting and pairing. I plan to drop by next weekend, February 21 or 22, so let me know if I might see you there!
With the main snow season for 2015 still on hold, it’s time to look at the great wine tasting opportunities that are happening in Northern California.
San Francisco: Zinfandel Experience, January 29-31
Each year, fans of red wine from around the United States flock to San Francisco to participate in the annual event put on by the Zinfandel Advocates and Producers (a.k.a. ZAP), a non-profit organization devoted to preserving the history and pageantry of world class wines made with California’s “sweet-heart” grape. Highlights of this year’s three-day event include: Epicurian, a magnificent wine and food pairing event at the Golden Gate Club in the Presidio, on Thursday, January 29; Flights!, a thought-provoking tasting hosted by legendary winemaker Joel Peterson at the Four Seasons in San Francisco on Friday, January 30; and the annual Grand Tasting featuring over 500 wines being poured by the top California producers, a silent auction, and opportunities to learn about special wines from the important appellation where the cherished grape is grown at Sommelier & Winemakers Terroir Workshops on Saturday January 31, at the Presidio, Golden Gate Club & Film Centre. If you make it to the Grand Tasting, be sure to make time for my 2pm Workshop about Lake County & Mendocino AVA too! For ticket information to all these events, visit www.zinfandelexperience.com.
Anderson Valley, Mendocino: International Alsace Varietals Festival, February 7-8
If you like aromatic white wines with fragrant aromas and distinctive flavors, I would suggest you get in the car and head directly to Mendocino County for the 10th Annual Alsace festival in Anderson Valley, an event focused on rockstar wines made with Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Muscat grapes grown in the Alsace region of France, California, Oregon, Michigan, New York, and other special appellations around the globe.
On Saturday, February 7th, the festivities kick-off with two special events at the County Fairgrounds in downtown Boonville (14400 Highway 128). The first is the Educational Session, a fantastic interactive event from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm, which allows guests to listen to and interact with winemakers from around the world as they discuss the topics of grape growing, winemaking and food pairing specific to Alsace varietals.
The special 10-year anniversary Session will include a discussion on the Appellation of Crus in Alsace, complimented by a tasting of the 8 Grand Crus produced by Domaines Schlumberger. On the sommeliers side, I will be leading a special Pinot Blanc tasting focusing on wines from three wineries using grapes grown in the same vineyard (Schrader Ranch); fellow sommelier Christie Dufault, Instructor of Wine and Beverage Studies at the CIA Greystone, will do a presentation on how to pair food with Gewürztraminer; and the morning will be rounded out with a Cooking Demonstration done by talented Chef Francois de Melogue.
In the afternoon, the Grand Tasting will offer chances to taste over 100 Alsace Varietal wines made by producers from around the world, including local producers like Balo Vineyards, Brooks Wines, Claiborne & Churchill, Cutruzzola Vineyards, Elke Vineyards, FEL Wines, Foris Vineyards, Handley Cellars, Lula Cellars, Navarro Vineyards, Phillips Hill Winery, Philo Ridge Vineyards, Robert Sinskey Vineyards, Saintsbury and Tatomer Wines, as well as special selections from the New Zealand Winegrowers and Wines of Alsace. To complement the wines, fresh oysters, Tarte Flambée and Pork Belly dishes will be served on the food tables at the event.
In the evening, the activities will conclude with the Winemakers Dinner at Scharffenberger Cellars in Philo (8501 Highway 128). The dinner will feature fabulous dishes made by Chef Janelle Weaver (Owner/Chef at The Bewildered Pig, Executive Chef at Peter Michael Winery, and former Executive Chef for Kuleto Estate), which emphasize the unique flavors of the wine s and how well they work with the bounty of the local area.
The Educational Session is $45 per person, and the Grand Tasting is $65 per person, but if you want to attend both a combined ticket is only $100. The Winemakers Dinner is $130 per person. To learn more and buy tickets visit International Alsace Varietals Festival.
Lodi: Wine & Chocolates Weekend, February 7-8
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about aphrodisiac wine and food pairings. For many, an easy choice is chocolate. This is what the Lodi Winegrape Commission had in mind when they started the popular Wine & Chocolate Weekend eighteen years ago. And this year’s event is bigger than ever!
Taste handcrafted sweet and savory chocolate bites with rich, spicy and complex wines at over 50 wineries. At $55 in advance and $65 at the door, tickets include an event wine glass, a chocolate treat from sponsor BRIX Chocolates, wine tasting, and admission to all participating wineries. Designated drivers are free of charge. www.Lodiwine.com.
Other upcoming events:
SRJC Wine Classic: February 8th, 2-5pm
San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition Public Tasting: February 14th, 1:30-5pm
Santa Rosa Junior College will hold its first SRJC Wine Classic from 2–5 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 8, on campus at Bertolini Hall.
Join in on this opportunity to support your local community college students, as they organize and host a social gathering, featuring 25 Sonoma County wineries, pouring over 50 wines, live music, gourmet appetizer buffet, and a souvenir glass for each attendee. Read more about it at the North Bay Business Journal.
Tickets for the event are $55 per person for adults age 21 or over. All proceeds will go to fund SRJC Wine, Culinary Arts & Hospitality students and student scholarships. Purchase online at srjcwineclassic.com. For more information email srjcwineclassic@gmail.com.
It is that time of year again, the Zinfandel Experience in San Francisco happens January 29-31!
Not only will you get to taste a slew of amazing Zinfandel, but also the opportunity to learn about a collection of appellations through their Sommelier & Winemakers Terroir Workshops on Saturday January 31, at the Presidio, Golden Gate Club & Film Centre. Be sure to make time for my 2pm Workshop about Lake County & Mendocino AVA!
