Time to start planning that summer trip! Join me at the 35th Annual Telluride Wine Festival, June 23-26. I will be organizing and hosting some of the seminars that you can attend! There will be many other events to enjoy as well.
Meanwhile check out the site for details,
updates coming soon!
Cheers! Christopher
Too late to buy tickets online, but sales at the door are worth the trip to Hospice du Rhône in Paso Robles, CA! Be sure to check the website for more information. And play “Where’s Chris?” you can find me roaming about.
Hospice du Rhône is located on the Central Coast of California, operates to improve the business conditions of the grape growers and wine producers of Rhône variety wines and grapes throughout the world.
We just visited the amazing Western Railway Museum, located along the Highway 12 corridor, for a family train ride and exploration of some historic rail cars. Just wanted to share with you an opportunity to ride The Comet for wine tasting, appetizers and door prizes, on the next three Saturday’s in April 9, 16 & 23.
This fundraiser will benefit the museum, which is non-profit, and the Solano Midnight Sun Breast Cancer Foundation.
Secure your TICKETS, yesterday’s train apparently sold out!
If you cannot make this event, there are others to look for throughout the year. Or you can just swing over for a weekend family adventure instead!
A special invitation for you to join Michael Muscardini and myself, for an intimate evening of food & wine on Thursday, April 7th, 6 to 9pm.
I will lead guests through a tasting of Michael Muscardini’s library reserve wines, each carefully paired with culinary creations from Chef Adolfo Veronese from Aventine, Glen Ellen.
Flavor! Napa Valley is happening now! Just another awesome learning opportunity for your curious palate:
Forward Thinking, the Young Stars of Napa Valley
The Rudd Center at The Culinary Institute of
America Greystone, St. Helena
Saturday, March 19 / 10:00pm – 11:30pm
Get your tickets!
Meet the next generation of talented winemakers in Napa Valley.
Find out the new wine trends they are applying to their family vineyards, discover the intriguing grape varietals they are working with, and taste the signature styles of wines which set them apart from the rest! Moderated by Ian White, Wine Director for San Francisco Magazine/Modern Luxury.
Your stellar list of young panelists includes:
Alan Viader, Viader Vineyards & Winery
Alycia Mondavi, Aloft Wine
Judd Finkelstein, Judd’s Hill
Alex Llamas, Llamas Family Winery
Joe Harden, Robert Mondavi Winery
Patrick Foley, Foley Johnson Winery
Also, today is the LAST DAY to get tickets for these fabulous Friday classes:
Pinot Paradise
Aromatic White Wines for Spring
The Preservation Society
Cheers! Christopher
International Women’s Day couldn’t be better with this star line up of talented females in the wine industry! I will be moderating this exciting panel for the upcoming Flavor! Napa Valley.
High Elevation Wines Part 1: Eastside
The Rudd Center at
The Culinary Institute of America Greystone, St. Helena
Saturday, March 19 / 10:00 – 11:30am
Get your tickets!
This will be a detailed exploration of complex wines made with grapes grown on high elevation sites in the rugged eastern hills of the Napa Valley. We will be joined by Remi Cohen, President, Poetry Wines/Cliff Lede Vineyards: Stags Leap District, Glenn Salva, Antica Napa Valley, Atlas Peak, Gillian Balance, Beringer/Treasury Wine Estates, Howell Mountain, Tina Mitchell, Palmaz Vineyards, Coombsville and Mia Klein, Cimarosso, Howell Mountain.
Hope you can join us!
Christopher
Another delicious Flavor! Napa Valley opportunity to join co-moderator Traci Dutton, Manager, Public Wine and Beverage Studies, The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, and myself for this fabulous panel!
Bubbly Sensations: Exploring the Top
Sparkling Wines of Napa Valley
The Meritage Resort and Spa
875 Bordeaux Way Napa, CA 94558
Sunday, March 20 / 9:30am – 11:00am
Get your tickets!
Start your Sunday off in style by tasting through the top sparkling wines of Napa Valley with us. Find out where the grapes are grown and how the winemakers create levels of flavor and complexity that make their sparkling gems so special.
Bubbles and knowledge in every sip! With extra special guests Eileen Crane, Winemaker at Domaine Carneros, Tom Tiburzi, Winemaker, for Domaine Chandon, Ludovic Dervin, Winemaker at Mumm Napa and Hugh Davies, Proprietor of Schramsberg Vineyards.
Pop on over!
Christopher
As excitement grows for the upcoming Flavor! Napa Valley, I want to take time to invite you to this special class I will be moderating:
High Elevation Wines Part 2: Westside on Saturday March 19th.
Join me and an amazing list of participants (see below!) to explore flavorful selections of wines made with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and other special varietals used to create limited release wines and proprietary blends from hidden sites on the Mayacamas Range overlooking Napa Valley.
High Elevation Wines Part 2: Westside
The Rudd Center at The Culinary Institute
of America Greystone, St. Helena
Saturday, March 19 / 3:00pm – 4:30pm
Get your tickets!
Participants include: Hugh Davies, Proprietor, J Davies/Schramsberg, Diamond Mountain Christopher Howell, Winegrower/GM, Cain Winery & Vineyard, Spring Mountain Stuart Smith, Winemaker, Smith Madrone Vineyards & Winery, Spring Mountain Mariano Navarro, Viticulturalist, Mt. Brave/Lokoya Wines, Mt Veeder Jay Turnipseed, Mount Veeder Winery, Mt. Veeder
Hope to see you there!
Christopher
I will be there with my buddy the Nerd Stalker, celebrating the ZAP 25-year anniversary! Join us for this amazing tasting opportunity: The Zinfandel Experience starts this week on February 25 so keep an eye out for my social media posts though Sunday.
Amador County Zinfandel’s? You bet! Seek them out at ZAP & tell me what 
you think to win passes for Behind the Cellar Door on March 5&6 —Entry info posted at SawyerSomm.com.
Pack your bags, and book a flight for the 5th annual Oregon Chardonnay Celebration! This year there will be 48 Chardonnay producers featured this coming Saturday, February 27th at the Allison Inn & Spa in Newberg, Oregon.
I have yet to attend this event but have enjoyed my affiliation with the Chardonnay group through other OR ventures. This year, the tasting explores the role of the winemaker in presenting the character of this elegant white grape.
Elaine Brown guides through a focused tasting of five winemakers’ interpretation of Durant Vineyard’s 2014 Chardonnay. A Grand Tasting of over 40 of Oregon’s top Chardonnay producers will follow, accompanied by small bites from Sunny Jin, executive chef at Jory at The Allison Inn & Spa. Purchase tickets HERE!
