Category Archives: Sommelier

Food, Sommelier, Tasting, Wine

On The Wine Road: Breakfast with the Winemakers!

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The next two weekends On The Wine Road will be Barrel Tasting, and four opportunities for you to have breakfast with local winemakers! Join me or another knowledgeable host for a full breakfast along with time for Q&A with the winemakers. Bring your questions—learn more about winemaking, what to be aware of when tasting barrel samples, and what to look for when making buying decisions when purchasing futures.

Breakfast with the Winemakers

March 5 – Sbragia Family Vineyards
CHRISTOPHER SAWYER
Katarina Bond, West Wines
Paul Brasset, Bluenose Wines
Ed Sbragia, Sbragia Family Wines

March 5 – Inspiration Vineyards
ZIGGY THE WINE GAL
Jon Philips , Inspiration Vineyards
Stew Lauterbach, Lauterbach Cellars
Wendy Morrow – Tara Bella Winery

March 12 – J. Rickards Winery
CHRISTOPHER SAWYER
Jim Rickards, J. Rickards Winery
Ed Sbragia, Sbragia Vineyards
Gio Martorana, Martorana Family Winery
Joe or Dom Foppoli, Christopher Creek Winery

March 12 – Siduri Wines
MARCY GORDON
Adam Lee, Siduri
Randy Pitts, Harvest Moon
Tim Borges, Portalupi
Rod Berglund, Joseph Swan

Breakfast tickets also include your weekend Barrel Tasting pass. Seating is limited for each breakfast, so don’t delay in purchasing your tickets!

Find Sawyer! At the 40th Anniversary of The Wine Road in Sonoma County, one of these wine fans of world-class wines could be you!
Find Sawyer! At the 40th Anniversary of The Wine Road in Sonoma County, one of these wine fans of world-class wines could be you!
Appellation, Event, Food, Sommelier, Sports, Tasting, Wine

Celebrating Sonoma County wines at Super Bowl City!

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Smiles everyone smiles, welcome to ‪Super Bowl 50‬! Great fun stopping by the ‪Taste of Sonoma‬ Lounge in ‪Super Bowl City‬ in SF this weekend. Even better seeing enthusiastic football fans from across the nation lovin’ the wines from ‪Sonoma County‬!

Make sure to visit Ferry Building Wine Merchant & Wine Bar, Hogsland Oyster Co, Cowgirl Creamery Cheese Shop, Slanted Door, and the other amazing food and wine purveyors inside the Ferry Bldg this week too!
Make sure to visit Ferry Building Wine Merchant & Wine Bar, Hogsland Oyster Co, Cowgirl Creamery Cheese Shop, Slanted Door, and the other amazing food and wine purveyors inside the Ferry Bldg this week too!

Here are some photos to pique your curiousity:  Later this week, catch me at Market One restaurant on Feb 5 & 6 as a featured pre-game sommelier!

My kind of trophy! Festive SB50 photo taken by Carolyn Stark of Sonoma County Vintners.
My kind of trophy! Festive SB50 photo taken by Carolyn Stark of Sonoma County Vintners.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fabulous lineup of wines from Sonoma County producers Lambert Bridge Winery, Sehesio Family Vineyards and Parmeson Wines.
Fabulous lineup of wines from Sonoma County producers Lambert Bridge Winery, Sehesio Family Vineyards and Parmeson Wines.

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The Taste of Sonoma Lounge at Super Bowl City in San Francisco
The Taste of Sonoma Lounge at Super Bowl City in San Francisco

 

 

 

 

 

 

Selfie Delux with great friends from Sonoma County Vintners, Sonoma County Tourism, and a happy photo bomber in the background! — with Carolyn Stark, Capo Creek Winery, Ken Fischang, #designatedphotobomber and Marta Hayden at SB50 Super Bowl City.
Selfie Delux with great friends from Sonoma County Vintners, Sonoma County Tourism, and a happy photo bomber in the background! — with Carolyn Stark, Capo Creek Winery, Ken Fischang, #designatedphotobomber and Marta Hayden at SB50 Super Bowl City.
Festivals, Food, Sommelier, Tasting, Wine

Start getting ready for Flavor! Napa Valley

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The countdown to ‪Flavor! Napa Valley‬ is on! I am the wine director for this year’s festivities March 16-20: Organizing tastings, food pairings and seminars has given me some things to get excited about, hopefully you can join in the fun as well. For more info, visit FlavorNapaValley.com.

flavor1Here are a few photos from the exciting Preview Party in SF, featuring a great mixture of media and team members from ‪American Express‬, ‪CIA Greystone‬, ‪Celebrity Cruise‬, ‪‎Visit Napa Valley‬, ‪DPEM‬, ‪‎AF&Co‬ and me, who brought a tasty array of sips provided by four special wineries that will be involved in the culinary festival along with other members of the ‪Napa Valley Vintners‬.

Fabulous wines I brought to the event provided by Grgich Hills Estate, Trefethen Family Vineyards, Bouchaine Vineyards & Stags Leap Winery. Look for these wineries and other top producers at the events, March 16-20!
Fabulous wines I brought to the event provided by Grgich Hills Estate, Trefethen Family Vineyards, Bouchaine Vineyards & Stags Leap Winery. Look for these wineries and other top producers at the events, March 16-20!
As Wine Director for Flavor Napa Valley, a few words from me, about the irresistible wine offerings that will be happening at the upcoming Wine Seminars, Wine Tours, Terroir to Table events, and unforgettable dinners in the making.
As Wine Director for Flavor Napa Valley, a few words from me, about the irresistible wine offerings that will be happening at the upcoming Wine Seminars, Wine Tours, Terroir to Table events, and unforgettable dinners in the making.
Competition, Event, Festivals, Judging, Sommelier, Tasting, Travels

The SawyerSomm.com 2016 Calendar is UP!

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My resolution for 2016, to share a calendar of my upcoming adventures that may be investigated by my readers: This is a way for you to anticipate upcoming events that might be of interest, and maybe even join in the fun!

The Calendar Page is here on my site, among the tabs at the top right, and will be updated periodically as new plans are made, so hope to be seeing you in this exciting new year.

Cheers!  Christopher

Ready for action at MacMurry Ranch for Taste of Sonoma, a few years back.
Ready for action at MacMurry Ranch for Taste of Sonoma, a few years back.
Event, Holidays, Sommelier, Wine

PinotFest 2015 at Farallon Restaurant, SF

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Short notice for a great event!

pinotfest15PinotFest 2015 is happening on Saturday November 21st, 3-6pm at the Farallon Restaurant in SF (450 Post Street, 4th Floor). Get tickets HERE.

A great opportunity to find exciting new Pinot Noirs to serve with festive cuisine or give as presents during the holidays. Join me and an all-star lineup of winemakers, sommeliers, and wine pros for this extensive tasting from 60 of Oregon and California’s best Pinot Noir producers. Featuring sumptuous hors d’oeuvres to complement the wines and an opportunity to meet the winemakers.

Fabulous wines on site will include Alma Rosa, Archery Summit, Au Bon Climat, Bonaccorsi, Byron, Calera, Charles Heintz, Chehalem, Cobb, Costa de Oro, Domaine de la Côte, Domaine Drouhin, Drake, En Route, Ernest, Etude, Failla, Fiddlehead, Flowers, Foxen, Freeman, Gloria Ferrer, Greenwood Ridge, Handley, Hartford Family, Hendry, Hitching Post, Joseph Phelps, Keller Estate, Kendric, Kosta Browne, LaRue, Littorai, Lutum, Lynmar, Marimar Estate, Melville, Merry Edwards, Morgan, Patz & Hall, Paul Hobbs, Paul Lato, Peay, Radio Coteau, Reuling, Saintsbury, Siduri, Sinor-LaVallee, Soliste, Soter, Talisman, Talley, Tendril, Testarossa, Thomas Fogarty, Twomey, Wayfarer, Whitcraft, WillaKenzie, Williams Selyem

Event, Festivals, Film, Sommelier, Wine

The final additions to The Perfect Case & opening of NVFF, November 11-15

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In America, celluloid dreams are to Hollywood what prolific Cabernet Sauvignons are to Napa Valley. And to celebrate all pairings of wines with film, I include 3 last bottles to The Perfect Case, to coincide with the beginning of Napa Valley Film Festival on Wednesday November 11th. Either way, on big or small screen, enjoy the combinations!

Classics with Cabernet Sauvignon

Raymond 2012 Sommelier Selection Cabernet Sauvignon ($18)
Crafted by a special team of sommeliers from across the United States, this magnificent mixture of grapes from special North Coast vineyards creates lingering notes of ripe red fruits, raspberry, red currant, black fig, cocoa, espresso and elegant tannins.
Film pairing: Great sommelier wine to serve with Goldeneye or other classic James Bond films as hip red alternative to martinis shaken not stirred.

pianoFreemark Abbey 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon ($44): Visceral cabernet with pleasurable flavor of wild berries, plums, cherries melded with secondary notes vanilla, cedar box and pastoral spice.
Film pairing: Like the vivid scenery in The Piano, the precious joys of this fine cabernet are slowly revealed inside the glass.

Grgich Hills 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon ($65): Rich wine with elegant notes of blackberry, blueberry, cassis, and silky texture.
Film pairing: Rebel Without a Cause starring James Dean and Natalie Wood. The core fruit in this wine came from vines planted in Yountville the same decade the film was released and maverick winemaker Mike Grgich arrived in Napa Valley from Croatia.

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Event, Festivals, Film, Sommelier, Wine

3 more bottles for The Perfect Case, to accompany Dramas

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In continuation of building The Perfect Case to pair with wines, I next take on the category of Drama. In deeper films, match the engaging characters with the grape varieties used in special proprietary blends.

Dramas with Proprietary Reds

Wolf Family Vineyards 2012 Phaedrus Cabernet Sauvignon ($45)
Made with smaller portions of malbec and petit verdot, this robust red wine is layered with notes of black cherry, wild berries, chocolate and allspice.
Film pairing: With American Beauty, the complex characteristics of this cabernet blend balance masterfully with the portrait of a dysfunctional suburban family.

birdmanFavia 2011 Cerro Sur Red Wine ($145)
With a dark purple hue, this magnificent blend of cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon offers lofty aroma of leather, lavender and tobacco leading to concentrated flavors of blueberry, wild berries, fresh sage and a long dry finish.
Film pairing: High energy. Intensity. Birdman: Or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance.

Modus Operandi 2012 Vicarious Red Wine ($45)
Classy Napa Valley blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, petite verdot, petite sirah and syrah with generous flavors of ripe cherry, wild berries and ground black pepper.
Film pairing: With powerful, rustic and savory notes, think red meat on the grill and Daniel Day Lewis in There Will Be Blood.


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Festivals, Film, Sommelier, Wine

The Perfect Case: 12 Wines with Films continues

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The first 3 wines of The Perfect Case were paired previously on SawyerSomm.com with Comedies. Here is the next set of 3 wines, to accompany stimulating films focused on captivating characters, vivid scenery and romance in the making, try these spicy syrahs with a touch of finesse!

 

Romance with Syrah

 

Caldwell 2014 Syrah Rosé, Estate Grown ($30): Refreshing Provence-style rosé with alluring aromas of dried rose petals leading to vibrant flavors of red berries, red currant, watermelon, cinnamon, and a dry finish.
Film pairing: The wild flavors of this dry rosé match gracefully with the fusion of romance and nature in The Lobster staring Colin Firth and Rachel Weisz. (Weisz will be honored at the NVFF 2015).

wingsdesireEleven Eleven 2012 Estate Syrah, Oak Knoll Vineyard, Napa Valley ($55): Full-bodied wine with lavish notes of dark plum, cherry, black raspberry, mineral and fresh herbs.
Film pairing: Enjoy afterlife with seductive flavors and the original Wings of Desire.

Hess Collection 2012 Small Block Syrah ($36): Although most of the Small Block wines come from the Hess Estate, the Syrah fruit bursting with notes of brambly berries, blueberry, cedar and clove came from the Stagecoach Vineyard across the valley.
Film pairing: In The Holiday starring Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law and Jack Black, the romantic notion of sharing sites (and lovers) is alive and thriving.


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