John Hart pouring wine at Family Wineries

What do surfboards, oysters and Spanish flags have in common? They could have all been found in Dry Creek Valley over the weekend of April 24–25th during Passport weekend. Dry Creek rolled out the red carpet again for this year’s Passport weekend. Over two days, nearly 40 wineries open their doors to a countless number of thirsty patrons anxiously awaiting a sip of wine and a delectable food pairing.

The quality of entertainment, amenities and just plain ‘ole fun was over the top. Here is a few snippets from the event:

Surfboards and Snowcones at Michel-Schlumberger Winery

One of the best shows of the day came from the Michel-Schlumberger winery. I love the surfboards that lined the pond in the central courtyard. To further round out the Mexican / Southern California theme (at least that is what I’m calling it), the Carlos Herrera Band played a beautiful latin-style of music. You can hear the music at the bottom of this post.

One of the great parts of Passport weekend is that you’re able to explore new wineries that you had either overlooked or either just haven’t gotten around to coming back to in a while. I’d been to Michel-Schlumberger about a few years ago, but just haven’t make it back since, and so I was excited to try their wines.

Michel-Schlumberger is the only winery in the valley that grows Pinot Noir within the AVA. I was shocked to hear that such a tepid grape can survive the triple digit heat that Dry Creek throws at it. However it does and what resulted was a ripe cherry component mixed with a little bit of pepper (I think there’s osmosis going on with all of the Zins that surround it). But none-the-less it was a very well balanced Pinot Noir.

But the pièce de résistance came with the snow cones topped with either Pinot Blanc or Syrah. On a day where the mercury was pushing past 80, a snow cone was a welcomed sight. To top it off with wine was magnificent. The Syrah tasted splendid on the snow cone and I had the pleasure of listening to the band play all the while soaking up the warm sun and relaxing on the veranda of Michel-Schlumberger

Zinfari at Bella

Bella took thirsty patrons on a zinfari. The winery transformed their wine cave into an African safari, complete with monkeys (not real ones) hanging off of light fixtures. The staff was dressed in safari gear; white shirts and full brimmed hat. An African ban played out on the main lawn while patrons consumed lamb kabobs and sipped rose.

The food & overall entertainment

Everywhere you turned was a food waiting to be sampled. Aside from drinking your way through the wine country, you could now eat your way through as well. Gourmet food pairings abound at nearly every turn. Many wineries had multiple selections for each of their wines—a mini multi-course amuse-boush food pairing if you will.

Jubilation was in the air in Dry Creek. Smiles were abundant and the sun was out in full force. All of the wineries put on a star-studded event. While I do spend quite a bit of time in Dry Creek, this weekend was exceptional. It was quite comical watching cars and limos invent parking spots along the side of the road to get to a few wineries with smaller parking lots. I can’t wait to do it again next year.

Cheers,
Haydn

Here are a few more pictures from the day along with a video of the Carlos Herrera at Michel-Schlumberger winery over passport weekend in Dry Creek.

Barrel tasting with winemaker Kerry Damskey at Dutcher Crossing Winery.

Wine tasting at Kokomo Winery

What could be better than sipping some of the finest wine currently being produced? Have it set in a room full of 150,000 orchids! On February 26th, the Pacific Orchid Exposition held it’s annual Gala with live music, orchids and wine tasting. The room was magnificant with every single imaginable color and style and orchid could come in. And interwoven between the flowers were 22 wineries, some award winners from the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. Here are just a few of the wines that I found noteworthy.

Best of Show– Montemaggiore

The Syrah & and the Cabernet Sauvignon from Montemaggiore were the overall winners. Young currently, they are going to be blossoming in the coming years. The Cab was the breadwinner of the night. Closing your eyes, you could easily picture ripe blueberries swirled together with a chocolate mocha—just on the nose. Yum. The wines were spectacularly clean, with a good amount of tannins, are sure to calm down in a matter of years.

Coolest label and coolest wine–
Steele Wine Blue Franc Lemberger 2008

This wine clearly had the lightest taste of all of the reds and yet had the biggest back story. The Blue Franc is actually made from BlauFrankisch grapes, which literally means “blue grape from France.” The winery’s owner discovered the grape while traveling through Austria. In America, you’re best bet is to find it in the Columbia Valley, where the latitude is close to what Austria’s is.

This wine is going to be awesome in the summer time. It’s light, very light on the palate. But excellently executed in a way that is still very balanced. There is a fair amount of fruit in this wine; think boysenberry & cherry pie, topped with a little spice. You can drink this wine at normal room temperature, but chill it about 10 more degrees and you’ll be in for a treat. Joy Merrilees, winemaker, concurred and added that it would be perfect for a backyard barbecue. She also added that this wine would be perfect for Thanksgiving dinner.

At $12.50 a bottle, it ‘s a great light drinking red wine. The Blue Franc is on the same wavelength as Peju’s Provence, another red wine that can be served cold.

Best Chardonnay of the night– Perry Creek Winery

Located in the Sierra Foothills you’ll find a Chardonnay that has decided to take a soak in Austrian Oak barrels, a completely different departure than other Chards. I was taken aback when I assumed, when asking the oak style, it would either be French or American. The wine has about 66% ML, giving it a light & creamy oak texture. It’s more on the citrus side with hints of green apples. Simply, wow. I wasn’t expecting to find such a fine balance of cream / butter and apples in a Chardonnay. The finish is perfect, with the wine lingering for a good few minutes. Take time to savor this Chardonnay.

Honorable mention– Rockwall Winery

Like father like daughter. Winemaker  Shauna Rosenblum, has a great winery on her hands. Her wines are clean, balanced and focused. Her Zin from Sonoma County is comprised of deep berries mixed in with a hint of violet. Simply well-made wines.

If you had a hankering for Zinfandel, ZAP’s annual Grand Tasting would have definitely quenched your thirst. Held in two halls at the Fort Mason center in San Francisco, Zinfandel producing wineries lined the room, eager to pour their precious Zin to the next willing wine taster. Here are a few of the wineries I found especially appealing.

Best of Class:

Bedrock Wine Company
Morgan Twain-Peterson is one of the hottest winemakers at this time. His knowledge is clearly evident in his two wines showcased: the 2009 Stellwagen Vineyard and the 2009 Dolinsek Ranch (along the 2008 Heirloom at the Flights! showcase). At a case production of under 200, these micro-produced wines were some of the strongest Zin’s found.

Dasche Cellars
The best description I had for this winery was “calm”. All of their wines flowed easily over the palate and left with a considerable length. Elegant Zinfandels.

Wineries to Watch For:

Brazen Cellars
One of the stronger wines to come out of Lodi, Brazen rounds out their portfolio with a strong Zin from Dry Creek. With price points of $17, they are wonderful.

Klinker Brick
Another strong winery out of Lodi. The “Old Ghost” Zinfandel is still one of the best wines from that region.

Starlite Vineyards
A little gem that is peeking it’s head out from the Alexander Valley. In an area that is known for their Cabs, this Zin shines. Their Zin also was partially aged in Hungarian Oak, giving it beautiful hints of white pepper, a bit of spice and a few berries on the nose. Along with the Zin characteristics, there were even bits of cocoa and plums.

If you were at the Grand Tasting at ZAP, I’d love to hear what you’re favorites were. Feel free to comment here or e-mail me at haydn@beyondnapavalley.com.

Cheers,
Haydn

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Haydn Adams is the author of the book, Wineries Beyond Napa Valley: Dry Creek and Alexander Valley, an insider’s tasting guide to the hidden gems region. He also contributes to the Beyond Napa Valley Wine Blog, writes for vinvillage.com, and can be found roaming the hills of Sonoma County (and at times, Napa Valley) looking for the next hidden gems. You can contact him at haydn@beyondnapavalley.com.

I generally feel that when you go wine tasting, it’s a good idea to either start your wine tasting with Sparkling Wine (Champagne) or finish your day with the bubbly. I headed the later of those two at Domaine Carneros last week. Domaine Carneros is located right off of Highway 12/121 on your way home from both Sonoma and Napa (depending on where you’re coming from). It’s also a great place to end up due to it’s closing hours of 6:00 in the evening.

The holidays are sparkling at Domain Carneros (no pun intended). A beautiful Christmas tree stands fully decorated in the corner of the main sitting area. The fresh smell of pine drifts through the room tingling the senses of Sparkling Wine aficionados. Around the room, gold trimmings and wreaths adorn other walls and hallways. With the fire on and the weather dancing near freezing, there was no other place I wanted to be that evening then sitting with a good friend and drinking Sparkling Wine.

The atmosphere at Domaine Carneros is relaxing. My tasting partner and I shared two flights that included 6 different Sparkling Wines and two Pinot Noirs from the Carneros region. The staff was extremely friendly and very attentive with whatever request we asked. While the staff continually asked and inquired about how we were doing, the lingering time we had to simply discuss the finer points of the wine all the while gazing endlessly into the fireplace seemed to be hours. The mood of the room was joyful and jubilant (how can it not be with the bubbly flowing around like water?).

There is something Norman Rockwellian about walking in from the cold, crisp evening air, taking your scarf and jacket off and sitting next to a fireplace all the while sipping an amazing flight of Sparkling Wine. And Domaine Carneros further captured that feeling by beautifully adorning their tasting room with the holiday smells and sights.

The next time you’re in the area, stop in to Domaine Carneros, if only to take in the sights and ambiance of their facility. The aromas of the season are sure to envelop your senses which are surely completed with one of their many Sparkling Wines and Pinot Noirs.

Cheers,
Haydn

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Haydn Adams is the author of the book, Wineries Beyond Napa Valley: Dry Creek and Alexander Valley, an insider’s tasting guide to the hidden gems region. He also contributes to the Beyond Napa Valley Wine Blog, writes for vinvillage.com, and can be found roaming the hills of Sonoma County looking for the next hidden gems. You can contact him at haydn@beyondnapavalley.com

The Rio Wine Cellar
Hours: Mon – Thur 4pm – 10pm;
Fri & Sat 3pm – 11pm; Sunday 3pm – 10pm
Cost: $$ – $$$ (expect to pay between $20 and $70)
Haydn gives it: 4 1/2 stars out of five

There are a lot of things Vegas is known for— gambling, anything remotely sinful (including the design of the carpets in the casinos), and of course, drinking. Yet, when it comes to wine, the high end wines seem to start with the word Sutter and end with Home.

Years ago I did a frantic search for a decent bottle of wine in Vegas where the costs of the bottle didn’t result in me taking out a second mortgage. A good search online yielded the Wine Cellar at the Rio. With a $10 million wine portfolio, I was excited, but nervous on their prices and overall selection. With $10 mil, one could easily buy up all the Bordeauxs in the World and forget about the common man who can only afford a regular cab. Thankfully the Wine Cellar is anything but.

With bottle in hand (have wine, will travel), I wrangled in a few friends to split the cherished liquid plus a bottle we’d buy there. If you buy a bottle at the Rio, they’ll waive the corkage on the one you brought—cool. In a land of incredulous markups, free corkage is heavenly.

Once I arrived, the next goal was to find a wine my party, where one primarily drinks white and the other is a red fan, would like. Thankfully, the entire bottle selection available for purchase is easily displayed around the entire cellar. So off I went, like a kid in an over-21 candy store to find a bottle that was priced somewhat decently (yes, they still do Vegas markups).

We passed many gorgeous bottles, including a Rothchild that was apparently owned by Thomas Jefferson worth $200k along with a couple double magnums of Tattinger and few other overpriced Bordeauxs.

Knowing what their tastes were, I selected the Cabernet Sauvignon by Benzigner. The price was adaquete and the clean taste in their wines, I feel, would appeal to the white wine friend. My suspicion was right that she was not a tannin friend, to which the sustainable growing mixed with light tannins fit her perfectly.

The waitress opened both of our bottles, brought out wine glasses, water glasses and a handful of bread slices, and we kicked back on the big leather chairs in the cellar. In one word—wonderful. The Rio would make any Steve Spurrier smile with the proper storage, stemware and prompt attention.

In a world where Tequila flows like Niagra falls and beers are revered in the same way Elvis is, it is great to know the wine snob / critic isn’t left having to decide between Beringer White Zin and Sutter Home White Zin.

The one caveat to this place is that it is literally below the casino floor in the Rio. There are no signs pointing to it’s location and half the staff has no idea of it’s exact location (though they can easily point you to the Chippendales). But with a little sleuthing, you’ll find a beautiful gem located in a sea of sand that only pretends to only sparkle. While I can’t say I’m excited to come back to Vegas any time soon, I can say that if I do have to make the trek out to Sin City, I know that I can unwind with a glass of premium wine that doesn’t start with the word white and end with the word Zinfandel.

Cheers,
Haydn

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Haydn Adams is the author of the book, Wineries Beyond Napa Valley: Dry Creek and Alexander Valley, an insider’s tasting guide to the hidden gems region. He also contributes to the Beyond Napa Valley Wine Blog, writes for vinvillage.com, and can be found roaming the hills of Sonoma County looking for the next hidden gems. You can contact him at haydn@beyondnapavalley.com

Disclaimer: Yes, I am using the word Champagne in place of Sparkling Wine in this article. I’m not snubbing my nose to the French, in fact I prefer starting with French Champagne. However, when tasting in most parts of the country, you’ll be drinking Sparkling Wine (with one of the exceptions being Korbel), which is in essence the same, minus the naming rules. Much like Kleenex and Xerox are half-generic terms (their lawyers would like to think otherwise), such is the case with Champagne in this article. If you do have any peeves with my usage, please feel free to e-mail me at haydn@beyondnapavalley.com. Thank you, Haydn.

If you’ve read any of my privous articles along with my Do’s and Don’t when wine tasting, you’ve probably noticed that I’ve told you what not to do before you start wine tasting more times than what to do. Well, I’m trying to tip the scales back—here’s a new one.

Reason #1: Everyone likes Champagne

Let’s face it, wine tasting is romantic. It’s an affordable luxury. When one mentions wine tasting, you can’t help but conjure up images of a Chateau of France or a villa in Tuscany. And who hasn’t turned down a glass of the bubbles when celebrating some special occasion; whether it be an engagement or the adoption of a pet rock. The look of the flutes with the small (hopefully small) bubbles running up the sides along with the crispness of the cool liquid can easily make a bad day turn great. I’ve yet to finish a glass of Champagne and frown.

Reason #2: It cleanses the palate

Aside from the feeling it brings you, Champagne cleanses the palate and gets those taste buds in order. Have you ever noticed that the first wine seems to be the strongest? By the time you’ve had your fifteenth glass, assuming you’ve been spitting on and off, wines start to run together. While one might think water would neutralize the palate, it is more of a dilution tool than a strengthener (though a great resource to help reduce the eventual hangover).

Recently I had the pleasure to taste 8 exquisite wines with Joel Peterson of Ravenswood. Immediately following introducing himself and a bit of a chit chat, he proceeded to order a bottle of the bubbly. He was quick to add that the Diet Coke I was drinking was not that great for wine tasting, as he mentioned the extra sugar didn’t do wonders for the taste buds. I agreed, but added that the Diet Coke did have something the Champagne didn’t—caffeine. I tried to keep the flute filled throughout the tasting so I could go back and forth and clear my palate, to help myself distinguish between the Zins.

Reason #3: Relaxation

I’ve never seen someone rush through a glass of Champagne. Even when I’m in a hurry to get in and out of a winery, the bubbly just seems to slow life down. I was recently at J Winery, with a little bit of time to kill up in the wine country before meeting a colleague, and decided to go through the tasting menu. However, instead of rushing through the list of five or six wines, I simply sipped their Cuvée 20, and, after realizing I had spent a bit longer than I was originally anticipated on one wine, let the person pouring know that I was done and I had to get going.

The wineries pouring Champagne are out in most wine tasting regions. For Carneros, there is Gloria Ferrer. If you are in the Russian River or Dry Creek, there is J Vineyards or Iron Horse (or if you must, Korbel). And For Napa, there is Chandon and Mumm to name a few. Even in Temmecula, there are a few wineries producing Champagne.

If you are planning a wine tasting outing, spend a little time locating the wineries that are producing the bubbly. It will be a great start to your wine tasting day and is sure to put a smile on your face faster than you can say Sparkling Wine.

Cheers,
Haydn

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Haydn Adams is the author of the book, Wineries Beyond Napa Valley: Dry Creek and Alexander Valley, an insider’s tasting guide to the hidden gems region. He also contributes to the Beyond Napa Valley Wine Blog, writes for vinvillage.com, and can be found roaming the hills of Sonoma County looking for the next hidden gems. You can contact him at haydn@beyondnapavalley.com