Another GLORIOUS holiday event at Gloria Ferrer this week. Winemaker Kyle Altomare and I discuss Pour+Explore Sparkling Extravaganza on Thursday December 11th, a tasting of 25 different Sonoma County Vintners producers!
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Enjoying beautiful bubbles and talking about the exciting early holiday Pour & Explore Sparkling Wine tasting extravaganza happening on Thursday, Dec 11th at Gloria Ferrer Vineyards with my dear friend Sharon Cohn of Breathless Wines, who will be pouring their amazing gems alongside 24 other Sonoma County Vintners at this amazing event!
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Celebrate a year of Pour+Explore, with our first replay, Sparkling Wine tasting at Gloria Ferrer. The perfect way to embrace holiday festivities, featuring sparkling wines from 20+ wineries, by participating Sonoma County Vintners. Including a walk-around tasting of a curated selection of wines from each vintner: Savor appetizers from the Gloria Ferrer culinary team, with a beautifully arranged cheese and charcuterie station featuring a variety of artisanal cheeses, cured meats, and flavorful Spanish tapas.
TICKETS are $75.00 per person, plus tax and service fee. All attendees must be at least 21 years of age. We hope to see you there – Cheers! Chris
Featured POUR + EXPLORE Wineries
Annadel Estate Winery, Balletto Vineyards, Banshee, Breathless, Bricoleur, Chateau St. Jean, Freeman Vineyard & Winery, Furthermore, Gloria Ferrer, Iron Horse, Laurel Glen Vineyard, Longboard Vineyards, Merriam, Naidu Wines, Patz & Hall, Pellegrini-Olivet Lane, Schug Estate Winery, Sosie Wines & more!
Getting ready for the exciting Sonoma County Wine Celebration weekend and annual auction that raises critical funds that help the local charities, with my great pals Prema Kerollis of Three Sticks and Melanie Schaffer of Gloria Ferrer!!!
For more information about the festivities or how you can proxy bid on the amazing auction lots available, visit the Sonoma County Vintners site. See you there!
The AFWC’s THE Rosé Competition 2025, which benefits multiple charities, is thrilled to announce the outcome of its twelfth annual event, hosted along with The Fort Lauderdale Women’s Club in South Florida on Saturday, May 31st, 2025. It was a special year welcoming Chris Sawyer to the team, and adding new categories due to the abundance of entries. (Scroll down for full results!)
Outstanding Winners in THE Rosé Competition
The prestigious organization, The American Fine Wine Competition, which encompasses both THE Rosé Competition and The Invitational (held in January), has crowned the 2019 Gloria Ferrer Cuvee Rosé, Methode Champenois, as the Best of Show Sparkling ($94). Located in Carneros (Sonoma), California, the wine is described by the judges as complex and elegant, with aromas of cranberries, strawberry, and rhubarb pie; apples, cherries and some spice. It’s beautifully balanced and just delicious!
In the Dry Rosé category, the prestigious Best of Show title was bestowed upon V. Sattui Rosato di Pinot Noir, priced at $37. Last year V. Sattui earned Best of Show for their Sparkling Rose! This winery is worth paying attention to! The judges were captivated by their juicy watermelon flavors and vibrant strawberries; and a sophisticated profile that culminates in a long, gratifying finish.
Moving to the Off Dry Rosé category, the highest accolade was secured by one of Sonoma’s most beautiful wineries, Deerfield Ranch. Their Checkerbloom Rosé, made from organic Syrah grapes, at $28 impressed the judges! They were enchanted by the lusciousness and vibrant flavors. A slightly sweet wine that should be enjoyed year-round.
A new category was introduced by Chris Sawyer this year called “Super Blend”, the blend of the winner was Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Petite Sirah, Black Muscat, Carignan and Syrah. The winner was Banshee with 97 points. Banshee is located in Sonoma and produces this magnificent wine plus multiple other varietals.
Congratulations to these exceptional Rosé wines and all the winners!
Final-Flights-Results-THE-Rose-2025.xlsx-Sheet1-1
This year, the event “Fifty Shades of Pink” followed THE Rosé Competition 2025 and was held on June 1st, also at the Ft. Lauderdale Women’s Club. Attended by more than 150 guests, it proved to be a huge success for the charities as well as for the wineries. The event benefited both the Ft. Lauderdale Women’s Club and the Joel Feigenheimer Endowment Fund. It featured scores of magnificent award-winning Rosé wines plus fine red and white wines from AFWC’s The Invitational. Since its inception, AFWC has donated more than $1,250,000 to charity.
Join Gravenstein Grill for the final wine festival of the year: the Sparkling Wine Spectacular! As we jump into the holiday seasons, we will be showcasing the best wines to celebrate with – and of course that means bubbles!
Come taste 15+ sparkling wines from producers including Domaine Carneros, Gloria Ferrer, Ironhorse, Flaunt, Breathless, De La Montoya, Scharffenberger, Olivet Lane, Emeritus Vineyards & MORE!
As the weather is changing, we’ll be moving the event indoors (with some outdoor space weather permitting.) There will be hors d’oeuvres by Chefs Simontacchi & Colunga, and jazz guitar by Jay Messer. Don’t miss this end of the year extravaganza as we round the corner into winter!
Tickets are $45 pre-order, $55 at the door.
Sonoma International Film Festival and our jury of tasting experts, led by noted sommelier Christopher Sawyer, toast the winners and thank all that participated. Watch the Wine Awards announcement on the SIFF Vimeo Channel and check out the details below!
As springtime quickly arrives we have a great way to enjoy the approaching change in seasons. Come to Gravenstein Grill, at 8050 Bodega Ave in Sebastopol, to try a different winery every week, in the Bartlett Bar from 5:30-7pm! Wine Wednesday is an excellent opportunity to enjoy a complementary tasting with a local wine producer.
Start your explorations on the last week of February with a triple winery feature from our next guest!
-Maritana Vineyards
-Terminim Wines
-Secret Door Winery
March 4: Trecini Winery
March 11: Emeritus Vineyards
March 18 rescheduled: Copain Wines now June 10
March 25 rescheduled: Acorn Winery now June 17
April 1 : CancelledCelebration postponed until Gravenstein Grill reopens!
Special Sparkling Celebration! with Paula Kornell Sparkling Wine & Gloria Ferrer
CHEERS! Christopher
It is the final stretch, next weekend we depart toward our embarkment in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The Celebrity Edge, with Costco Travel, sets sail towards the Eastern Caribbean on Sunday December 15th into an amazing row of islands with three spectacular stops: Puerto Rico, Tortola and St. Maarten.
I will be hosting a Pinot Noir reception, two seminars and a specialized luncheon. For those fortunate enough to be joining me, or just PN curious, then take a gander at the delicious Pinot Noir selection and education to be gained on the journey!
Pinot in Paradise Reception: To start the cruise off in style, the opening night reception will allow me to meet the guests. I will greet them with wine and give a short overview of the Passion For Pinot Wine Cruise events taking place over the next few days.
Featuring: Cline Cellars, Gloria Ferrer Vineyards, Olivet Lane & Rodney Strong!
Pinot Noir Seminar #1: From Genus to Genius
On route to the Caribbean, I will cover the history of this noble grape in Burgundy and the Old World; the genetic offspring of the varietal (Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Meunier); and the emergence of this beloved grape and delicious new styles of sophisticated wines that have become the calling cards for the cool-climate regions of Sonoma County and other special winegrowing regions on the West Coast over the past 50 years.
Featuring: Bacigalupi Vineyards, Breathless Wines, Rodney Strong & Roessler Wine Cellars!
Pinot Noir Seminar #2: Going Coastal
This special seminar will focus on a special series of cool-climate appellations, the term terroir, and the unique styles of world-class Pinot Noirs being made in the top regions of Northern California. A rare opportunity to taste and discuss the unique characteristics of each of these wines and how they represent the wonderful growing conditions in every sip.
Featuring: Davis Bynum Winery, Gloria Ferrer Vineyards, Thirty-Seven & Zina Hyde Cunningham Winery!
Pinot in Paradise Luncheon
This extravagant luncheon focuses on top producers, revered vineyard sites, delicious flavor profiles of wines, and the history of the Russian River Valley appellation in Sonoma County. I pair each wine with delicious dishes making the experience that much more memorable!
Featuring: Balletto Vineyards, Davis Bynum & Scherrer Winery!
Embarking on my amazing Pinot adventure, try these wines at home to create your own! Cheers, Chris
Looking forward to the amazing views inTortola BVI; Bacigalupi & Rodney Strong are both featured in my Genus to Genius seminar!
Come together on Sunday, December 2nd from 5:30-7:30pm, at our 3rd-annual Pairings event. Taste the fruits of Sonoma winemakers and chefs, see the art on view in the museum, and listen to live readings by our featured “Flight of Poets:” Julia Bouwsma, Joseph Rios, Sam Sax, and Melissa Stein. I will be the featured Sommelier along with MCs with poets Tess Taylor and Hollie Hardy.
Featured wineries include Gloria Ferrer, Stone Edge Farm, Eco Terreno Wines, Dane Cellars, Once & Future, Garnet Wines, Belden Barns, and Winery Sixteen 600.
Featured Chefs include John McReynolds, EDGE at Stone Edge Farm, Sondra Bernstein & John Toulze, girl & the fig, Kyle Kuklewski, Ramekins, Ari Weiswasser, Glen Ellen Star, Sheana Davis, The Epicurean Connection and special visiting chef from Mei Prefecture, Japan, Takahisa Shirakawa, courtesy of Sonoma Cultural Exchange.
Poets (clockwise from top left): Joseph Rios, Melissa Stein, Sam Sax, Julia Bouwsma
