YUM-Check out this delicious Easter menu at Gravenstein Grill! Brunch will be served on both patios and in the dining room, from 10am to 2:30pm on Sunday April 21st, featuring Chef Simontacchi’s new 2019 Spring Brunch Menu!
Reservations highly suggested. Call (707) 634-6142, or visit our website at www.gravensteingrill.com to reserve.
Easter+2019
This just in from the Petaluma Gap! Continuing a tradition started at last year’s Sonoma County Barrel Auction, a men’s and a women’s winemaker teams from the Petaluma Gap American Viticultural Area (AVA) will compete to create the most coveted and unique lot of Petaluma Gap Pinot Noir that expresses the distinct terroir of Sonoma County’s newest AVA.
Dueling Winemakers
Erica Stancliff & Tom Gendall
go on KSRO’s Vintners Vibe, April 11
Representing the women are Erica Stancliff (Trombetta Family Wines), Kerith Overstreet (Bruliam Wines) and Ana Keller 
(Keller Estate) with a ten-case auction lot called “Aura,” named after the Goddess of the Wind. The men’s lot, called “Zephyros,” the name of the God of the West Wind, is a collaboration from Tom Gendall (Cline Family Cellars), Evan Pontoriero (Fogline Vineyards), Justin Seidenfeld (Rodney Strong) and Shane Finley (Thirty-Seven Wines).
The women’s team outperformed the men at last year’s auction with their lot selling for $14,000 while the men’s lot raised $9,000, but the men have declared themselves ready for a rematch. “I will let the wine speak for itself,” says Gendall confidently. “The wines were all stunning and the final blend really shone through as the best expression from all four sites. Beautiful, delicate aromatics with bright red fruits, great structure and mouth-watering acidity on a very long finish with well-integrated spice and savoriness. It really is a once-in-a-lifetime wine, and we are very excited to show it off.”
Hear what Erica Stancliff has to say about the women’s blend and the distinct vineyards it’s sourced from when she and Tom Gendall meet on KSRO’s Vintners Vibe talk show on Thursday, April 11 at 4:30 PM, 1350 AM | 103.5 FM radio. Six individual wineries are also offering up “Never Before, Never Again” Pinot Noir wines from the Petaluma Gap including Cline Family Cellars, Guarachi Family Wines, Fulcrum Wines, Keller Estate, Schermeister Winery and Sojourn Cellars. Interested trade buyers can taste all the wines at a preview event at Grand Cru Custom Crush on May 2.
The Fifth Annual Sonoma County Barrel Auction, presented by Sonoma County Vintners, will auction off to trade buyers more than eighty lots of “Never Before, Never Again” wines from diverse Sonoma County regions on May 3, 2019 at MacMurray Estate Vineyards.
Join us for the first event of Gravenstein Grill‘s second annual Summer Wine Series for a taste of the AMAZING new Rosé releases by Sonoma County wineries!
On April 18th, from 5:30-7:30, enjoy sips and appetizers with these participating wineries; Radio-Coteau, Kokomo Winery, Papapietro Perry Winery, Balletto Vineyards & Winery, Talisman Wines (Official Fan Page), Claypool Cellars, ACORN Winery, Rodney Strong Vineyards, Jigar Wines, The Larsen Projekt, Muscardini Cellars, Halleck Vineyard, RED CAR WINE and many more stylish producers of dry pink wines!
All for $25: Get your TICKETS!
There will also be live music in outdoor on our Grove Patio, so come ready to eat, drink, mingle and have a great time in West Sonoma Wine Country!
The Annual El Dorado Winery Association’s Passport Weekends includes two added adventures in taste, the Winemaker Galas! Each of the Galas take place on the Passport weekend’s preceding Friday evenings, April 5th and 12th at Mercedes-Benz of El Dorado Hills from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Experience the great wine and food from this region in an intimate setting: Guests will rub-shoulders with the winemakers themselves from C.G. Di Arie Vineyard & Winery, Mediterranean Vineyards, Bumgarner Winery, Fenton Herriott Vineyards and many more of the region’s winemakers will be on hand as well pouring specially selected, rare and reserve wines from their cellars that are not generally available for the public.
Delicious food to pair from top regional restaurants presenting hors d’ oeuvres to pair with the evening’s selection of wines. Placerville’s Farm Table, and Heyday Café, plus El Dorado Hill’s C Knight’s Steakhouse, Milestone, and the new, Osteria Moto, to drop a few names.
A silent auction of limited hand-picked offerings and live music will cap the evening off. Tickets are $85 per person for either of the two Friday events. Purchase them HERE!!!
That’s right! I won Best Sommelier for the 6th year running, but now add Best Wine List to that. Have you tried out my award winning wine list at Gravenstein Grill yet? Time to check it out and get some delicious food by the fabulous Chef Bob Simontacchi to pair!
THANK YOU for all your votes and support! Hope to be seeing more of you at Gravenstein Grill soon.
Cheers! Christopher
Hot off a delectable Fire & Vine evening: A personal food and wine experience featuring Sonoma county locals Chef Pat Langst and myself, Sommelier Christopher Sawyer!
Host either one of Chef Pat’s specially crafted dinners or a “Wine & Cooking Boot Camp” to prep it yourself! Either partnered perfectly with wines selected by your favorite Sommelier to accentuate the dining experience! Perhaps these recent photos will entice you to schedule your event?
Please inquire through wine@sawyersomm.com for more details.
Locally sourced ingredients.
Vegetarian and Gluten-Free options.
Some special diets can be accommodated.
Many people enjoy their vino without knowing where or whom has contributed to their treasured tasting. Well I think it is appropriate to point out some stellar wines to try during African American History Month both for educational and pleasurable purposes! Please peruse this informative article that shares 31 Black Owned Wine Businesses to get started before February ends!
In the article you will find featured, as well as pictured above, Winemaker/Proprietor Mac McDonald of Sonoma County-based Vision Cellars (center). With us is star sommelier Tonya Pitts of One Market restaurant in San Francisco (left), along with myself and fellow judges at the Annual KRSH FM Thanksgiving Wine Picks team last fall.
Also included in the article is Brown Estate, their fabulous Zinfandel is made with fruit from the family’s high-elevation vineyard in the Vaca Mountains above Napa Valley.: Here is a special selfie with Coral Brown (bottom right), before our special Napa Valley Zinfandel Advocates & Producers seminar at the CIA at COPIA.
The top right photo features Football legend Charles Woodson, who launched his Napa-based Charles Woodson Wines with business partner Rick Ruiz in 2001.
Cheers! Christopher
Join me at Gravenstein Grill for a very special evening featuring special guest Ross Halleck of Halleck Vineyard!
Chef Simontacchi has created a dish to go alongside some of Halleck Vineyard‘s finest wines – including the #1 Pinot Noir in the US from the 2019 SF Chronicle Wine Competition.
Check out the five course wine-paired menu below and call 707-634-6142 to make your reservations!
3.2.19 Halleck - 1 page
Happy New Year, just getting back after a family loss and a slew of travel, including Miami, the Capital city and the lovely Sierra Foothills!
But next week I will be local and working my palate at the EAST MEETS WEST Wine Challenge: Two competitions in one and open to all domestic and internationally produced wines according to regional designations.
