Mia Klein & Tina Mitchell – the two talented women winemakers at Palmaz Vineyards – will be joined by Remi Cohn of Cliff Lede Vineyards master somm Gillian Ballance of TWE Global as part will be in attendance!
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.
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.
Love the pure mountain fruit flavors of the Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon from Mt. Veeder, come hear Mariano Navarro from the winery talk about the wine.
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
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!
What are your plans the weekend of March 5 & 6? If you are lucky, the answer is Behind The Cellar Door to taste amazing Amador County wines with unique food pairings.
Let me share a special memory with you about Amador wines. Thirteen years ago my wife and I decided to elope and were married in the amazing Black Chasm Cavern, near the small town of Volcano. I had recently done a story on Renwood Winery, who generously shared a case of delicous Zinfandel for our small wedding party to enjoy that wonderful evening!
So here is my proposal! Share your Amador Wine Story in the comments below. . . my favorite post will win two free weekend passes which includes commemorative wine glasses to do some barrel tasting, with scrumptious eats at 43 family-owned Amador wineries, along with a cornucopia of themed tastings, seminars and demonstration! (Deadline to post is Feb 28th.)
If you don’t have something to share yet, perhaps you can create a memory at the weekend event. I look forward to hearing all your adventures! Purchase tickets HERE.
Every wine competition has its own unique shtick. Some are focused on specific varietals or regional specialties; while others are concentrated on wines from around the globe at different price points. For these reasons, it’s very rare to find a large-scale competition that is solely focused on high-end wines. An exception to this rule is the American Fine Wine Competition.
In mid-January, myself and twenty-three extremely qualified wine professionals from all areas of the wine and food industry were put through the test of judging 770 high-end wines at the 9th Annual AFWC held at the Chaplin School of Hospitality Management in the Wine Spectator Restaurant Lab at the Florida International University in Miami.
Co-founded by Shari Gherman and Monty & Sara Preiser in 2007, the AFWC has become one of the most influential wine events in the country over the past decade. The competition is followed by the annual Charity Wine Gala which takes place in April. There is also a series of Wine & Business After Hours events that raise money for a variety of non-profits and promote award-winning American wines throughout the year.
Since its inception, AFWC has raised more than a million dollars for local charities. The organization also works closely with the Dolphins Cancer Challenge, an organization founded by Michael Mandich, whose father Jim “Mad Dog” Mandich, a popular player for the Miami Dolphins and a beloved broadcaster, died of cancer in 2011.
Pink out! Kenwood-based Muscardini Cellars won the coveted Best of Class award for Dry Rose with this elegant wine made with fruit from Alpicella Vineyard in Sonoma Valley.
“We are also proud that most other competitions charge $25 – $75 for each bottle of wine entered, garnering big profits for the organizers. We charge nothing, and all profits realized go to charity. Few can make such a statement,” says Gherman, the president and co-founder of the organization.
In addition to myself and Dr. Barry Gump of FIU (who I annually judge with at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition), some of the other well know judges included Masters of Wine Dr. Liz Thach and Peg San Felippo; Master Sommelier Virginia Philips; internationally renown sommelier and wine educator Charlie Arturaola; Wine Director Kris Margerum from Auberge du Soleil in St. Helena; East Coast wine sales experts Veronica Litton and Scott Caruso; and Patrick Sullivan, editor of DINE Magazine.
In the end, the top awards for 2016 went out to a fabulous mixture of producers from northern California:
Best of Show Sparkling Wine (Tie): Signal Ridge, Anderson Valley ($25) and Breathless Blanc de Noirs, North Coast ($30) Best of Show White Wine: Rivino 2014 Pinot Blanc, Mendocino ($25) Best of Show Red Wine: Luna 2013 Canto Super Tuscan Style, Napa Valley
($70) Best of Show Sweet/Dessert Wine: Castello di Amorosa 2013 LH Gewurztraminer, Anderson Valley ($39 – 375ml) In addition to California, there other top wines entered in the competition from Virginia, Maryland, New York, Texas, Oregon and Washington State. The complete list of the Best of Class winners and all the medalists will be out next week on www.AmericanFineWineCompetition.org.
In the meantime, to get your taste buds primed for the great results from the AFWC, here are my notes on for some of my favorite gold and double gold medal wines that I tasted at the two days of judging in Miami. Enjoy! -CS
High-end Chardonnays
Miner Family 2012 Chardonnay, Wild Yeast, Napa Valley: Complex flavors of ripe pear, apple, citrus and creamy custard accented with notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin spice and roasted nuts. Elegant texture with plenty of depth, structure, and length, ($50). DOUBLE GOLD www.minerwines.com
Lobo Wines 2014 Chardonnay, Wulff Vineyards, Oak Knoll District, Napa Valley: Sultry combination of golden delicious apple, melon, white peach, coconut, lemon and grapefruit. Bright, expressive, lovable ($60). DOUBLE GOLD www.lobowines.com
Shadowbox 2013 Chardonnay, Forty-Sixth Leaf, Oak Knoll District, Napa Valley: Sweet fruit notes of ripe melon, apple, citrus, banana cream pie, chamomile and subtle spices lead to a lingering finish. Superb! ($60). DOUBLE GOLD www.shadowboxcellars.com
Fisher Vineyards 2012 Chardonnay, Mountain Estate, Sonoma County: Lovely aromas of spring flowers, honeysuckle, ripe melon, citrus, vanilla and toasty oak; elegant flavors of poached pear, Crenshaw melon, peach, mineral, and roasted almonds; smooth mouthfeel; and long finish. ($70). DOUBLE GOLD www.fishervineyards.com
Coastal Pinot Noirs
Castello di Amorosa 2014 Pinot Noir, Il Rubino, North Coast: Pretty nose and complex flavors of ripe blueberry, candied red fruits, earth and spice ($39). DOUBLE GOLD www.castellodiamorosa.com
Calstar Cellars 2012 Pinot Noir, Sangiacomo Vineyard, Sonoma Coast: Elegant and fruity, with notes of wild, berries, cherry cola, ripe plum, cinnamon, nutmeg, licorice and smoked meats; vibrant acidity, and a rewarding finish ($40). DOUBLE GOLD www.calstarcellars.com
The Lando 2013 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir was one of the big medal winners in the high-end category at the the AFWC 2016.
Lando Wines 2013 Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast: Sophisticated Pinot with concentrated flavors of blackberry, dark cherry, blueberry, mineral, and silky tannins. Dense, spicy and generous($42). GOLD www.landowines.com
MacPhail 2013 Pinot Noir, Sangiacomo Vineyard, Sonoma Coast:
Well-balanced wine with vibrant flavors of black raspberry, cherry, blackberry, and layers of spice ($49). GOLD www.macphailwine.com
Lichen Estate 2012 Pinot Noir, Estate Grown, Lichen Estate, Anderson Valley: Dark berries, raspberry, plum, mint, vanillin, and forest floor. Beautiful Burgundian-style wine with a rustic twist ($65). DOUBLE GOLD www.lichenestate.com
Donum 2013 Pinot Noir, Angel Camp Vineyard, Anderson Valley: Rich flavors of blackberry, blueberry, dark cherry, blood orange peel, wild herbs, and mineral. Gracious, complex and ageworthy ($72). DOUBLE GOLD www.thedonumestate.com
Alquimista Cellars 2014 Pinot Noir, Manchester Ridge, Mendocino Ridge: Wild strawberry, red cherry, clove, tangerine rind, and a linger finish ($75). DOUBLE GOLD www.alquimistacellars.com
Napa Valley Cabernets
Triumph Cellars 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley: Young, vibrant wine with layers of ripe raspberry, dark cherry, plum, cocoa, wild herbs, and a burst of bright acidity on the long, engaging finish ($40). DOUBLE GOLD www.calistogacellars.com
Triumph Cellars 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, Reserve, Napa Valley: Rich, lively and extremely balanced. Deep flavors of dark berries, cherry, cassis, vanilla, smooth texture, and toasty oak ($52). GOLD www.calistogacellars.com
Roberts & Rogers 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, Howell Mountain: Concentrated notes of black raspberry, blueberry, cassis, maple, black pepper and wild mountain herbs ($55). DOUBLE GOLD www.robertsandrogers.com
Lagniappe Peak 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, Pere, Napa Valley: Rich texture with dark berries, black currant, bittersweet chocolate, layers of spice, chewy tannins, and a persistent finish ($75). DOUBLE GOLD. www.lagniappepeakwines.com
Four of the fabulous Merlots entered into the AFWC 2016 by top Napa Valley producers.
Foodies unite! Need a good excuse to visit San Francisco in January? Then check out the magnificent list of culinary delights that will be featured as part of the annual SF Restaurant Week January 20-31th.
Find out more about participating restaurants that are serving 2 and 3 course lunch and dinner menus sampling from a selection of 25 different cuisines. Another special deal during SF Restaurant Week, when you eat at 4 or more participating restaurants, make a qualifying post on the Facebook event page, and you will be eligible to win 12 – $100 gift certificates to different restaurants in the City. RSVP on Facebook right now!
Your gastronomical endeavors benefit the 50 Fund charitable organization so go BIG!
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.
My love of music runs deep, back to the days, and further, when I was a college DJ and wrote album reviews for the University newspaper. Especially 80’s music. I would say it equals my love of wine, a most beautiful pairing!
For that reason I am very excited to share this news from my friend Darwin Meiners about one of his current projects, David J and The Gentleman Thieves, which of course includes the founding member of Bauhaus and Love & Rockets.
They are currently cutting their first single and video filming this month in LA with Linda Strawberry directing. It will be released on a split 7″ with Darwin’s new solo song ‘Horrible Cocoon’ on the b-side to be released on Starry Records.
I recommend catching an extraordinary live show of David J and The Gentleman Thieves. Unfortunately for me I will be leaving for Miami to judge in the American Fine Wine Competition (more on that later!) while the NorCal shows are happening but perhaps you can report back in my stead. I am eager to hear more!
JANUARY 14TH @ THE LOST CHURCH in SF: David J performs with Chris Vibberts & Darwin. Darwin will also open with a short, acoustic set. Advance Tix are recommended:TICKETS HERE!
JANUARY 15TH @ THE BIG EASY in PETALUMA: Dominic East (from Our Lady of the Highway) opens, David J plays second (with Chris and Darwin). Following, Darwin’s band performs, David will then join for a few Love & Rockets tunes! TICKETS HERE!
JANUARY 22ND @ LUNARIO DEL AUDITORIO NACIONAL in MEXICO CITY: David J and The Gentleman Thieves perform. TICKETS HERE!
FEBRUARY 19TH @ UCO in OKC: David and Darwin will be performing at the University in Oklahoma City. There may be a few surprises in store as they were invited by those Flaming Lip fellows! TICKETS HERE!
