The rumblings are true. I will be revisiting my college days by spinning vinyl at Winery Sixteen 600 (589 1st St West in Sonoma) for Vinyl Sunday. Together we will be celebrating Grenachista in honor of International Grenache Day this Friday. Get your tickets while they are still available: pre-sale saves you 5 clams.
To review your Grenache knowledge, watch this video produced for that purpose a few years back. Enjoy & hope to see you there!
Maybe not the river you are thinking of, but distinctive to Sonoma County nonetheless! The Petaluma River Craft Beer Festival is coming, next Saturday September 17, from 1-5pm.
The festival will include 20 local breweries and some delicious bites. Add live music to the mix, including our favorite little western swing band Sugar Moon! Here is a preview. . .
Sorry if you missed this one, but put it on the calendar for next year! What beautiful, and yes BIG, food was on display at the
6th Annual National Heirloom Expo in Santa Rosa, Sept 6-8. What wine lover would not be impressed with the amazing assortment of vegetable varietals in an abundance of colors? Makes you wonder what to pair it with. . . and the tower of gourds is definitely a display to be witnessed first hand.
Great to see some local schools sharing their gardens projects, including some very interesting botany-based displays. There was also a mass pasta making seminar for kids with Chef Gino Campagna. And of course the educational speaker series was for the adults in the crowd, so hopefully you can join me at some of those in 2017!
I have been saving this! It was given to me by a wine colleague and waiting for just the right moment. That moment came this weekend at Flying Cloud Farm for my brother Ethan’s nuptials and celebration. It was an amazing event with lots of wine (of course) and the ritual Nigerian style sharing of the Kola Nut in honor of my new sister-in-law Amaka’s family heritage. So when the time to toast the newly betrothed couple came I whipped out the Rehoboam of delectable Gloria Ferrer Brut and proceeded to fill almost every glass at the reception!
Congratulations to Ethan & Amaka!
Here’s to many happy years together. With wine. XO from yer bro.
Take a peek at my article Underground Sips, published this June in Napa Sonoma Magazine. In it I lead you through five fabulous wine caves that you can make a part of you amazing Labor Day weekend plans in Sonoma Valley. (That is, after you endeavor the spectacular Sonoma Wine Country Weekend, where you will find moi and other select sommeliers.)
Cheers! Christopher
Talk about turning Wine into Water! This September, Vineyards to Villages will host the 2nd Annual V2V Wine Safari, giving people the opportunity to drink boutique Sonoma County wines while bringing clean water to children in Kenya.
The “safari” tours will have complimentary tastings at 11 wineries in northern Sonoma County from September 3-11. Intimate tastings of exceptional high-end wines, often hosted by the owners themselves, will allow for a truly unique wine country experience. Visit any or all of the wineries at your own pace any time throughout the week. Participating wineries donate 1/3 of the sales price of these wines to V2V throughout the event.
The particpating wineries include: Christopher Creek Winery, Deux Amis Winery, Fritz Underground Winery, Merriam Vineyards, Pedroncelli Winery, Portalupi Wine, Thumbprint Cellars, Trione Winery, Williamson Wines, the Windsor Tasting Lounge, and Viszlay Vineyards.
Tickets available HERE! $50 each (a $130 value),
and all ticket sales go directly to V2V.
Also, with the purchase of every ticket, you will be entered to win wine raffle prizes! If you visit every “animal” (winery) on the safari and show your complete safari pass on the Facebook page, you’ll get an additional 10 raffle tickets: Plus an extra raffle ticket with every purchase of V2V wine!
Welcome to Episode 2 of The Sawyer Somm Podcast! Tech expert Adolfo Foranda and I set this one up a little differently with three short sequential episodes for your viewing pleasure.
Watch and enjoy!
Pt 1: Aromatic White Wines for Summer
Pt 2: Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley in Oregon
Pt 3: Zinfandel & Beyond: Special Vineyard Designate from
Klinker Brick and More
Start getting ready for Labor Day Weekend! There will be 15 wine professionals, including myself, at Sonoma Wine Country Weekend this year: We will all amplify the experience for you, while we serve as guest all-star wine guides at key events throughout the three-day, charitable event.
See you there! Christopher
If you are interested in a whole animal fire roasting experience then set your sites for this event! 2016 Heritage Fire Napa, by Cochon555, will feature heritage and heirloom foods including dry-aged beef, whole pigs, lamb, goat, squab, rabbit, duck, fish, chicken, artisan cheeses, oysters, and heirloom vegetables. So set your sights on Charles Krug Winery in St. Helena next Sunday August 21st, and plan to please your palate!
I am getting excited for my first time at the Wine Bloggers Conference, this year in Lodi, CA from August 11-14. Hopefully much of it will be indoors as the Central Valley can get pretty toasty in the summer!
If you happen to attending as well, then make time on Friday evening for a Charles Communications event with me spinning vinyl on the Klinker Brick patio! RSVP to Greer Shull at rsvp(at)charlescomm.com or 415-701-WINE to save your space.
