Join me for our inaugural wine dinner at Gravenstein Grill featuring Balletto Vineyards & Winery. I am hosting the event with winemaker Anthony Beckman, pairing Balleto wines with an incredible menu by Bob Simontacchi, sure to entice and delight any palate!
Seating is limited so call 707-634-6142 or email brandon@gravensteingrill.com now, to guarantee your spot!
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!
With the onset of spring weather (mostly!) the palate begins to savor the delicacies of the season. Lovely ingredients tantalize our thoughts until we can just get a few tastes to carry on until they meet again! For instance this recipe for Garlic Prawns with Warm Cucumber and Ginger Salad shared by the Wine Institute of California: Easy to make for a light weekend meal.
Then there are the easy-to-make wine paired treats like this Spinach and Strawberry Salad with Toasted Walnuts and Balsamic Vinaigrette that is best served with Kunde Family Winery Chardonnay, Wildwood Vineyard.
Or if you don’t feel like making anything, just go try this decadent Vegan White Bean & Vegetable Puree with Sebastopol Mushrooms and Pesto being served at the Gravenstein Grill: Simply pair it with Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards Blanc de Noirs from my specialty wine list.
Enjoy! Christopher
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.
Yes, I am so very grateful to win Best Sommelier in Sonoma County for the fourth year in a row! I am truly honored at your support and appreciation. Thank you to the Bohemian Magazine for offering this platform for the public to share their opinions. Cheers! Christopher
The final tally is upon us. Just a reminder if you have not already mailed or dropped off your ballot that Tuesday November 8th is the final day cast your vote! Your voice matters.
After you participate in the general election, use that momentum to participate in the Bohemian Best of Sonoma 2017! Please consider voting for me as Best Sommelier for Sonoma County?
Just type in Christopher Sawyer!
Many thanks for your support!
Bottled poetry indeed! Join me for a talented selection of wine and poets at Flight of Poets. Curated by Hollie Hardy and Tess Taylor, I will be pairing delicious wines with the work of six talented poets; Tony Barnstone, Cassandra Dallett, Natalie Diaz, Adam Fitzgerald, Brynn Saito, Robin Beth Schaer; Carefully selected to illuminate their work.
Admission includes wine flight of six tastes. Get your tickets!
Take a peek at my article Underground Sips, published this June in Napa Sonoma Magazine. In it I lead you through five fabulous wine caves that you can make a part of you amazing Labor Day weekend plans in Sonoma Valley. (That is, after you endeavor the spectacular Sonoma Wine Country Weekend, where you will find moi and other select sommeliers.)
Cheers! Christopher
Start getting ready for Labor Day Weekend! There will be 15 wine professionals, including myself, at Sonoma Wine Country Weekend this year: We will all amplify the experience for you, while we serve as guest all-star wine guides at key events throughout the three-day, charitable event.
See you there! Christopher
In the mix of organizing wine seminars, shipments and special guests for the Telluride Wine Festival, I also made time to record this podcast interview with Susan Viebock at Telluride Inside & Out. Keep an eye on my social media for interesting wines, guests and activities this week at the festival!
For more about TWF and the Somm go to
Somm Of It All, Christopher Sawyer!
(Much gratitude to Adolfo & Daedalus for their technical assistance!)
