Category Archives: Tasting

North Coast Wine & Food Festival on June 10th

I participated as a judge back in April, now here is your opportunity to taste the best wines from the North Coast American Viticulture Areas (AVA).  These are wines that achieve both a Gold Medal status and 90+ points in The Press Democrat North Coast Wine Competition.  The North Coast AVA consists of wines made from grapes grown in Napa, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Solano and Sonoma counties. The winning wines are selected by prestigious judges in a blind taste test.  Mark your calendar for June 10th and get your North Coast Wine & Food Festival tickets soon!

Tastings to come at Telluride Wine Festival 2017

As I prepare another amazing experience for wineries and guests at the upcoming Telluride Wine Festival on June 22-25, thought I would share some pictures from last summer, with more to come.

Also, a reminder for wineries, this Friday April 15th is the deadline for early-bird pricing to register for our Grand Tasting event.  REGISTER HERE or please send me an email if you have any questions. Cheers! Christopher

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Hosting a seminar at the Telluride Wine Festival 2016.
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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.

Irish Day Parade on March 18th in Murphys, CA!

We certainly wish we could take Twisted Oak Winery up on their invitation to the Irish Day Parade happening Saturday March 18th! My family and I stumbled upon it a few years back and were pleasantly surprised by a little parade with lots of venders, including many wineries to tempt the palate.  Totally worth the trek from where ever.

On the way there, up Ebbetts Pass (aka Hwy 4), you will breeze through the quaint town of Vallecito.  That is where you can turn off to visit the friendly folks at Twisted Oak Winery and find out more about their upcoming Twisted Folk Concert Series. The dates are set for  May 13th, June 24th, August 12th.

Let them know Chris sent you!

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

Take a trek Behind The Cellar Door: March 4-5

Seriously!  This is an opportunity to go taste some of those foothill wines I keep telling you about.  In fact, I have 2 FREE DAY PASSES to this one, Behind the Cellar Door, for the first person to write a note to wine@sawyersomm.com with their mailing address.  What you get in return is a weekend of touring the lovely Amador County wineries, towns and landscape. The caveat?   I just ask you to report back here for all of SawyerSomm with your favorite wines from the tour.  Believe me, you will thank me for this!

For those that aren’t quick enough on the draw, you can still
purchase tickets HERE until Feb 28th.  Have fun everyone!

Live Thurs Feb 16th on KGO! SFWC Public Tasting on Feb 18th.

The final round of our my team’s flights of high-end Viognier.

I will miss the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition Public Tasting this year, but instead I get to share my thoughts about the exciting results from a wine judge’s perspective ahead of time on KGO! Catch me tonight, February 16th, from 8:45 to 9pm with Pat Thurston.

The SFWC Public Tasting will be Saturday, February 18th at Festival Pavilion, Fort Mason Center, San Francisco from 1:30-5pm.
Get your tickets HERE!

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!