So many wine festivals and grand tastings and so little time. What's a winelover to do?
Actually, I’ve begun to shy away from the gigantic ballroom or warehouse (think Fort Mason) tastings with hundreds upon hundreds of wines. I prefer the smaller, focused tastings such as the 7% Sloution event I wrote about here.
But even better than events that are small and focused, are those that are local. And for me, it does not get anymore local than West of West Wine Festival. The Festival will be held at the Barlow, the new epicenter of Local Wine, Art, & Food in Sebastopol, which I can walk to from my house. {Three cheers for wine festivals within walking distance of your home!}
Now in its second year, the West of West Wine Festival showcases wines from West Sonoma Coast vintners, wineries, and growers. This year the Saturday Seminars will cover wine and food pairings in The Evolution of California Cuisine & Wine and an exploration of wines made from the vines of the Heintz Vineyards by top producers including Banshee & Zepaltas, DuMol, Flowers, Freeman, Littorai, Williams Selyem, Ceritas, Radio Coteau, and Kesner Wines.
The Grand Tasting featuring over 40 producers will be held on Saturday from 3-6pm and again on Sunday from 1-4pm.
Event is next weekend August 1-3 -- so get tickets now if you want to attend. You can find more information and purchase tickets at link below.
Whenever I get an invitation to any event that is associated with Jean-Charles Boisset I drop everything, clear the calendar, and make sure I can attend. JCB events are never dull and always illuminating in ways one can't anticipate.
Just about six weeks ago I was invited to tour the grounds of the newly restored Buena Vista Winery in Sonoma and witness the first grapes placed into the new custom built wine tanks as part of the Grand Re-Opening Ceremony. I live tweeted the event and posted video and pictures, but for a full account afterwards it takes me some time to process it all and the writer in me needs to let it marinate, let the essence of the experience bubble up in to my conscious. Others have written more objective accounts of the day (see links below) —but if you want the magical mystery tour of my synapses read on—
Back To The Future
Upon arrival at the property we were greeted by the Count of Buena Vista himself –well actually it was an actor portraying Count Haraszthy— who was our escort on a journey back in time to the birth of California winemaking.
We strolled the grounds with the Count who led us past historical markers telling the story of the family and winery as we made our way towards the inner courtyard. Then Jean-Charles Boisset appeared and took us deeper into the property by way of the tasting room and museum, the courtyard vortex fountain, and of course the cellars themselves.
No stone has been left unturned, un-reinforced or unpolished--literally. It’s a restoration of the highest order. Only a Hollywood plastic surgeon could work more magic on the old façade and restore it to its full luster and glory. From replanting the historic crops and trees and a complete re-engineering of the landscaping, to the total rebuilding of the cellar and tasting room— Boisset is moving Buena Vista back to the future and into the forefront of California winemaking and wine tourism.
There was ribbon cutting and sabering and cellar anointing. There was “Some Like It Hot” playing on continuous loop in the cellar. There was Tokaji, birthday cake, proclamations, and more celebrating. And of course there was wine.
Behind the Scenes of a Mastermind
In front of the cellar sits a fountain with a natural vortex used to dynamise the water for biodynamic practices. As I stood by the pool watching the flowers swirl by, I realized the mighty vortex of JCB had drawn me in once again. The master of events and spectacle had pulled another fabulous rabbit of wonder from his imagination filled hat. As usual I was curious about the work behind-the-scenes. I would dearly love to be a fly on the wall during one of the Boisset marketing and event meetings –I can just imagine the conversations that may unfold--
“We shall hang an alligator from the sky to commemorate The Counts tragic but awe inspiring demise in the jaws of a gator. Then we will feast upon gator meat and look death in the eye! Yes --we must honor Count Haraszthy --he is a hero, a super star like our modern day sports figures. Let us make him a modern hero, in zee modern fashion. --We must have zee bobble head made in his image!”
Oh yes, The Count of Buena Vista bobble head. Such a thing exists. It’s sitting on my desk right now. Mine is imbued with mystical powers much like a Magic 8 ball and is able to answer Yes and No questions. I frequently consult it about the weather and fashion.
JCB is not selling mere wine, he is selling a sensate experience – a memorable affair that guests can savor long after the bottle has been opened—a memory that lingers in theater of the mind.
Dan Berger recently wrote a piece asking—“Is Jean-Charles Boisset the next Robert Mondavi?” I think in part he could be, but JCB is so utterly in tune to his own inner vision that whatever role he assumes will not be a replacement of Mondavi, but a completely unique interpretation and a legacy of his own devise.
Some Like It Boisset
While I watched the scenes of “Some Like It Hot” flicker on the cellar walls it occurred to me that JCB is so very much like the character Tony Curtis portrays on screen. He is the embodiment of the charm, the romance, the sophistication, and most of all the seduction. Some may not always understand his methods, but for visitors seeking an entertaining and educational wine experience—some will certainly like it Boisset.
I am looking forward to what Jean-Charles Boisset has to say about the state of wine tourism when he delivers the keynote at the 2nd Annual Wine Tourism Conference that will take place in just a few weeks in Santa Rosa. Wine tourism in all aspects is a great fascination of mine and I think his talk alone will be worth the price of admission.
Disclosure:
I am working on behalf of the Wine Tourism Conference to promote the event. But my opinions and utter fascination with JCB are entirely my own.
Details:
Buena Vista Winery is located at 18000 Old Winery Road in Sonoma. www.buenavistawinery.com.
As my series on Croatia begins, I think might as well start at the top. There were many extraordinary experiences in Croatia, but the visit to Bibich was what I was most excited about beforehand. I’d already been introduced to a few of their wines by Frank Dietrich of Blue Danbue Wines during the Wines of Croatia tasting I held at my house back in August and was really looking forward to tasting more of the Bibich wines in Croatia. One clarification to avoid confusion:– Babić is the grape name while Bibich is the winemaker.
Press trips by their nature are very jam packed and tightly scheduled, and there was much to see and do before Bibich time, including a walking tour of Šibenik, a exquisite seafood lunch at Konoba Dalmation (more about that to come) and a visit to Krka National Park to view the waterfalls. The only problem was I’d had little to no sleep the first two nights and now was running on fumes and sheer willpower to stand upright by our third very packed day. But I willed my self to carry-on and kept reminding my self, this was the day we would visit Bibich. By 5 pm my strength was waning but just seeing the sign for Bibich perked me up. We were greeted at the door and whisked inside the cozy space where Alen Bibić gave us the background on the 500 year history of the vines and winery and it’s operation.
Next we sat at a small table and the eight wine & seven course Dégustation began:
Pairing # 1 Bibich Brut Sparkling wine / Oysters 2 ways: Raw Oysters and Oysters with Lemon ice and Worchester Foam. I never even got to taste the lemon ice ones! My fellow (ravenous) writers jumped all over them before I got the chance.
Pairing # 2 Debit 2010 / Cucumber sorbet topped with trout caviar. Granita of smoked trout. The Debit was dry and lively with a mineral chalky quality and nose of flowers granite dust. The cucumber sorbet was an unexpected flavor sensation but it really made the Debit come alive.
Pairing # 3 R5 Riserva 2008 a blend of Debit, Pošip, Maraština, Pinot Grigio, and Chardonnay –all the flavors in harmony. Paired with Sea bass tartar w/ olive oil, pepper, chili, and an orange roof. Just as this dish was served my phone died and I frantically looked for an outlet to recharge. So no photo. Sorry! UPDATE: I recently discovered photos of the Sea Bass tartar with orange roof and several more of the other pairings on my digital camera click here to view them.
Pairing #4 Lučica 100% Debit / Scallops grilled with goat cheese & black sesame seeds. The Lučica is very special limited production wine from vines close to 50 years old. Lovely rich flavors 13% alc. I was very captivated by the Lučica-- To the Eye: Golden amber color. On the Nose: A rush of apple and apricot with a light honeysuckle and violet perfume. On the Palate: Bright and smooth. Flavors of granite/limestone and vanilla with a touch of caramel. In the Ear: A chorus of Angels!
Pairing #5 – Riserva R6 2008/ Cuttlefish pasta balsamic reduction and olive oil dust. The R6, a favorite of mine, is a blend of Plavic, Lasin and Babić with a floral rosy vanilla nose and full rich flavors. The pairing dish was a play on black and white, a deconstructed take on cuttlefish as a pasta with paski (cheese) cream, almonds, and a reduction of balsamic vinegar with olive oil dust. Deconstructed and delicious! This dish discombobulated me. I was no longer responsible for my actions. I was fully under the Bibich spell.
Pairing #6 – Wine 1- Sangreal Merlot 2007/ Lamb Filet with hazel nut, chili oil and Mediterranean spice “glass top” brittle / Wine 2- Bas de Bas 2007-- The luscious Sangreal Merlot is very limited production. I suggest you try to get some. The Bas de Bas was a Crno Syrah oakey notes on the nose and palate and a deep ruby color.
Pairing #7 Ambra / Baked Chocolate Mousse and Cream Catuluna. Ambra Debit 100% had awesome fig and apricot flavors.
I loved all the wines, but the Lučica was the one I was most enthralled with. One in our group (I’m looking at you KL) had the presence of mind to buy some Lučica. But I was so completely wrapped up in the reverie of the moment and in such a blissed out state I barely remember leaving under my own locomotion. I slept that night for the first time in two days and sweet dreams of Bibich danced in my head.
Above: Me flanked by the cherubic faced Sime (right) and the slightly Faustian Alen (left)
The cozy unpretentious setting belies the world-class wine and food at Bibich. If not for the goofy red and white checkered tablecloths, which gives the place a slightly tourist feel, one might mistake it for the weigh station to heaven--wine pairing heaven that is. Soon the world will know of Bibich, as Anthony Bourdain was scheduled to stop by the next day. But up until then it was ours alone.
Bibich is located outside of Sibenik in Skradin. Do what you must to get there. It’s well worth the effort.
What a day for Croatian Wine! I could never have predicted how a simple tweet would lead to one of the most fun, educational and incredibly delicious events I've ever had the pleasure of hosting.
Croatia has a wide range of grape growing areas but they are basically split into inland and coastal regions. Since the majority of the bloggers were unfamiliar with Croatian wines Frank decided to focus on the coastal region of Istria. And so for a few hours my deck in Sebastopol was transformed into an odd shaped yacht as we virtually cruised the Istrian peninsula and tasted wines from the countries many islands.
Frank proved to be a great guide on our journey as he led us through the tasting and provided extensive background information and details about the wines, winemakers and growing regions of Croatia.
Frank Dietrich leads the tasting
Early on the sun was bright and hot providing the perfect setting to taste the crisp and refreshing selection of whites:
CORONICA -- Malvasia--Istria 2009
KORTA KATARINA--Pošip--Island of Korčula 2008
KRAJANČIĆ--Pošip--Island of Korčula 2009
ENJINGI--Venje--Slavonia 2003
GRGIĆ-- Vina Pošip--Korčula Island 2009
A selection of the whites. The Grimalda was a special addition.
Previously I tried a different Enjingi Graševina, but this one was fuller bodied and more developed. All of the whites were outstanding, plus we tried a Rose from Korta Katarina that was a spicy delight. My favorite of the whites was the KRAJANČIĆ Pošip from the island of Korčula where apparently Marco Polo was born. Many of the wines we tasted were from Italian born winemakers and the connection to Italy is very strong historically as well. Below are some of my quick tweet impressions at the tasting.
My quick tweet notes on the whites
As the sun dipped westward and shade creeped overhead we turned our attention to the Reds which included the following:
TERZOLO--Teran--Istria 2008
BIBICH -- R6 Reserva -- Dalmatia 2008
MILOŠ--Stagnum Plavac Mali--Pelješac Peninsula 2005
KORTA KATARINA--Plavac Mali--Pelješac Peninsula 2006
SAINTS HILLS--Dingač Plavac Mali--Pelješac Peninsula 200
MARA POSTUP-- Plavac Mali--Pelješac Peninsula 2008
ZLATAN PLENKOVIĆ--Crljenak Kaštelanski--Island of Hvar, Makarska 2008
Selection of the Reds
I enjoyed the Bibich R6 Riserva, Korta Katarina Plavac Mali, and the Zlatan Plenkovic Crljenak Kaštelanski which is considerd to be the original Zinfandel. But the wine that most intrigued me was the MILOŠ--Stagnum Plavac Mali--Pelješac Peninsula 2005. This wine had a very deep purple color with the scent of rosebuds and a slight briny taste. Maybe that explains the claim that this wine pairs well with oysters. Oysters and red wine? I need to do some first hand research on that, but I have a feeling it could be true.
The Saints Hills Dingač Plavac Mali image seemed well crafted, maybe too crafted? I can just imagine the eye rolling and the "there-goes-the-neighboorhood" effect this could have on the wines of Croatia. But I think attention is good and if it gets the peeps drawn in then I think it bodes well for all the smaller producers and gives them a greater chance to be discovered by an enthusiastic audience that will want to travel the wine roads in Croatia.
Paski Sir upper right corner
In addition to the wines we had a special guest cheese-- The Paski Sir from the island of Pag pictured in upper right hand corner. Nutty and rich it was a great complement to the whites we tried and also a few of the reds. One of the bloggers, Anthony Burich who is actually Croatian, brought an unmarked bottle of Croatian olive oil too. I did not get the chance to serve it, but tasted it afterwards and was impressed by its distinct spicy and herbal notes. Very bright and delicious. Thanks Anthony!
A few of the "off list" selections Frank poured.
At the height of the event I took quick look at Tweet Reach which indicated that over 375 tweets had been sent with an exponential reach of over 100,000 impressions! The hashtag went on the generate more than 400 tweets and many impressions beyond that, as the metric was based on only the last 50 tweets at the time. But over all it was pretty impressive for a deck full of wine bloggers to create that much buzz for Croatian wines in one day. The RTs were fast and furious. Another cool way to view the tweets is through Revist a real–time visualization of twitter messages around a specific topic which shows a dynamic flow of the tweets and the connections as they happened. Check it out here.
The bivalve, the Mighty Mollusk, a briny kiss from the sea--no matter what you call them Oysters are truly gastronomic gifts and their pleasures are many. Writer M.F.K Fisher was so enchanted, she wrote a whole book about them called Consider the Oyster.
Everyone remembers their first time and if you are an oyster lover it most likely is a moment you will never forget. But not all love affairs start out blissfully. I took me many years to give the oyster a second chance. My first experience was not ideal, as it took pace in a divey Florida restaurant where I was a waitress on the weekends while in college. The main attraction was raw oysters but the oysters they served were not always the best specimens nature had to offer. Couple that with my "uniform" a T-shirt that read "I Eat it Raw"-- and you can begin to get the picture as to why my early oyster encounters were not ideal. I have since learned that oysters from warm waters and dive bars are best to be avoided and have instead developed an abiding love for bivalves from cold Pacific waters and especially for my local favorites from Tomalaes Bay.
I can’t wait to go. And you can go too for FREE! Vintage Wine Estates has provided me with two tickets to give away. Here's how to enter: Leave a comment below and tell me-- If you had an Oyster bar what slogan would you put on your T-Shirt?Leave your comment by July 13th. A random drawing will determine the winner who along with a guest will get to slurp and swirl the following pairings:
Pink & Sassy
Wine: 2007 Sonoma Coast Vineyards Blanc de Noirs Sea Fog Cuvee
Oyster: Golden Nugget Mignonette: Sassy Pink
Fresh Kiss
Wine: 2010 Windsor Sonoma Sauvignon Blanc Russian River Valley
Oyster: Miyagi Mignonette: Classic Rice Wine
Purely Naked
Wine: 2010 Sonoma Coast Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc Laguna Vista
Oyster: Golden Nugget Mignonette: Naked
Tropical Thrill
Wine: 2009 Windsor Sonoma Chardonnay Russian River Valley
Oyster: Golden Nugget Mignonette: Mango Chutney
Sweet Finale
Wine: 2009 Windsor Vineyards Muscat Canelli
Oyster: 2 Golden Nuggets Mignonette: Naked and Mango Chutney
All pairings will be complemented by baguettes and cheese, plus music by B Rooster Blues Duo.
When:
Saturday, July 16, 2011 from 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Where:
Vintage Wine Estates Tasting Room
308B Center St (on the Plaza)
Healdsburg, CA 95448
877.289.9463
