Wine Road Podcast: Debbie Osborn, Wine Road Event Manager

Episode 218: Debbie Osborn, Event Manager, Wine Road

Wine Road Podcast: 45th Annual 2023 Barrel Tasting Weekend

 

Episode 169 | Barrel Tasting Weekend the 45^th Year!

We sip on some Korbel Sparkling wine and Beth gives us the top ten reasons you need to attend the 45^th Annual Barrel Tasting event. Marcy shares a new book called Wine Style.

Wine of The Day: Korbel Natural Sparkling Wine

Wine Book of the Day: Wine Book of the Day: Wine Style— Discover the Wines You Will Love Through 50 Simple Recipes by Kate Leahy

Podcast Sponsor: Ron Rubin Winery

Small is Beautiful - Sonoma Underground a Tasting Sized Right

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you know that i’m quite choosy when it comes to events and I’m done with big walk around tastings. (No more Fort Mason!) Small and focused is where it’s at for me. A new tasting event -Sonoma Underground is a perfect example of Small is Beautiful.

Last month I attended the inaugural Sonoma Underground event, the brainchild of Laura Perret Fontana and Elizabeth Schneider, that is dedicated to the proposition that the small guys often get overlooked and lost in the crowded wine space. Fontana and Schneider’s criteria were producers making great wine fewer than 10,000 cases. (Although the majority pouring was well under that.) Oh and the other main criteria --“Nice people only! They couldn’t be a**holes.” I was told.  Ah, yes! That always helps.

As I strolled around the room...ahem...squeezed around the room, I noticed (with few exceptions) the actual owners/wine makers were pouring. That’s the bonus of a small event—the chance to connect with the winemaker.

While I was well acquainted with the majority of the producers Inman, Acorn, Crux, Kieran Robinson Wines, Keller Estate, Larsen Projekt, Longboard, and Robert Young Estate whom I wrote about here for Sonoma Discoveries—there were several I’d never tried before.

One of which was the Keller Estate Brut Rosé Bubbles! Whoa! What a beauty. And the Keller Estate 2014 Precioso Chardonnay was one of the most lush, elegant and delicious examples of the grape I’ve experienced.

Kathleen Inman’s Whole Buncha Bubbles and Endless Crush Rosé of Pinot Noir were also causing a stir among attendees at her table along with her standout portfolio of Pinots.

Those unfamiliar with Larsen Projekt Rosé of Grenache should rectify that as soon as possible. The wine, a lovely intentional rosé, has a tart fruit melody and a baseline of minerality that is like a foxtrot across the palate. Fill your dance card with it soon!

One of the new to me producers was Camlow Cellars –Oh my, what a discovery! Their 2014 Magna Porcum Pinot Noir Estate Green Valley Russian River Valley was simply wonderful. This has everything you hope for in a pinot noir and more. It’s vibrant and deep with an abundance of dark fruit and a dash of white pepper. Delicious now, with gentle tannins that suggest it will most likely be scrumptious in the long run as well.

My love at first sip white wine of the day was the 2015 Peterson Triple V White Blend Dry Creek Valley Estate consisting of Vermentino, Vernaccia, and Verdelho—a trio of varieties from the Mediterranean. The Peterson V3 was a revelation of flavor –an aromatic tone poem with great balance. Veni Vidi Vici—I came, I tasted, and my taste buds were conquered. Also very much enjoyed the Peterson Cabernet Sauvignon and GSM. Oh yeah, and the Syrah too.

Props to Laura Fontana and Laura Schneider digging deep to bring together small producers that are making great wine with integrity and spirit. It was a fun, engaged, and happening crowd (although I think I may have been the only one spitting). As the day wore on I noticed many people signing up for wine club memberships – always a great indicator of good wine.

If Sonoma Underground comes to your neck of the woods, here is some advice:
Buy the ticket. Take the ride.

Sonoma Underground is excellent for both the wine curious and the wine serious. Don’t miss it.

NOTE: My ticket for this event was complimentary. 

Resources:

Underground Wine Events - Sonoma Underground

Camlow Cellars

Inman Family Wines

Keller Estate

Peterson Winery

The Larsen Projekt

7% Solution -- 100% Later

One of the best tasting events, in my opinion, is coming up again this week-- The 7% Solution.

The 7% Solution tasting is dedicated to lesser know wines made in California from just 7% of the acreage planted, as opposed to the other 93% of vineyards that are planted with mainstream varieties.

This is my kind of tasting: small, obscure, and focused. Sort of how I might describe myself.

Anyway, last year I attended the tasting at Bergamot Alley, but never got to write up my post as other obligations (read: paying gigs) got in the way of blog time. So here are my impressions of 7% Solution, 100% after the fact.

17 Winemakers poured last year. I can barely decipher my notes as my handwriting has gone on a bender of late, but my sense memory is still intact and I have not forgotten the following wines.

Faves ( in alpha order):
Arnot-Roberts --Yowza! The 2102 Rosé, Clear Lake, Touriga Nacional and Tinta Cao -- Dry and light as parchment with an honest and unpretentious flavor of strawberry and spice.

Forlon Hope -- Loved Everything! These wines are major characters-- vibrant and fresh much like winemaker Matthew Rorick.  The 2012 “Trou Grit” Trousseau Gris, Susina Valley practically bounced in the glass. 2011 “Que Saudade” Verdelho-- alive with minerality and crisp citrus notes that make you wanna cry.

Massican -- 2012 Annia-- 46% Ribolla Gialla, 36% Tocai Friulano, 18% Chardonnay, Napa Valley-- I arrived at the table to get the last taste of the last bottle and it was good to the last drop indeed.

Stark -- Buy. Drink. Repeat. I’m already a huge fan of Christian Stark and his 2011 Grenache Blanc, Sarloos Vineyard, Santa Ynez and 2011 Viognier, Daiano Vineyard Sierra Foothills. These two lovely wines are approachable but never predictable.

Two Shepherds -- 2011 Grenache Blanc, Sarloos Vineyard, Santa Ynez  has achieved a cult following and for a good reason. Crisp, light, and balanced with a lingering thought provoking finish. The primary thought being --“I need more of this, now!"

Wind Gap -- 2006 Nebbiolo, Paso Robles -- I love Nebbiolo and this California grown classic is reminiscent of it’s Italian roots with dark intense fruit and a touch of briny sea air.

Head Scratchers:
Dirty & Rowdy - I was excited to try Hardy’s wine and I must admit I was expecting a lot from this label based on the buzz alone. But unfortunately by the time I was able to get to their table the wine temperatures were not ideal. The Semillon was flat and hot and chalky. The Mourvedre was very restrained and subtle, too subtle for my palate. Dang!

But that was all last year-- back to the future now-- if you can nab a ticket to the 2014 7% Solution Tasting, do it. I wholeheartedly encourage you to go to either the SF or Healdsburg tasting-- see details below.

Side note: Loved the little tasting guide notebook they provided last year with room for notes and nifty pocket to hold business cards.

EVENT DETAILS:

SAN FRANCISCO / THURSDAY, MAY 8, 2014 / 5pm-8pm

FOLSOM ST. FOUNDRY, 1425 Folsom Street, San Francisco

folsomstreetfoundry.com / 415-795-3644

HEALDSBURG / SATURDAY, MAY 10, 2014 / 1pm-4pm

BERGAMOT ALLEY, 328A Healdsburg Avenue

bergamotalley.com / 707-433-8720

Giddy Yap with the Rhone Rangers

Spring brings one of the most anticipated events of the year to wine lovers when the Rhône Rangers ride into town March 22 and 23 for the 16th annual Celebration of American Rhônes in Fort Mason, San Francisco. The Rhône Rangers are winemakers dedicated to producing bottles from the 22 grape varieties made famous in the Rhône Valley in France. The event celebrates the full array of wines from Syrah, Viognier, Mourvèdre, Grenache and Roussanne as well as lesser-know grapes like Cinsault, Counoise, Picpoul and the wily Carignan.

READ MORE HERE...

Photos courtesy of The Rhone Rangers

What's Your Rhône Name?

Like the swallows returning to San Juan Capistrano or the annual mating of the wildebeests in Africa, certain events indicate a particular time of year. In the wine world, especially in the Rhône world, it’s a sure sign that Spring is near when you hear the thundering herd of Rhône Rangers ride into town for the Annual Rhône Rangers event held at Fort Mason in San Francisco.

The 15th Annual Rhône Rangers will be held March 24-25, 2012. I went to the event last year and can tell you first hand it’s something you don’t want to miss. The wines are fantastic and the winemakers are real mavericks. Rhône’s and the people who make Rhône wines tend to follow the beat of a slightly different drummer. My kind of peeps!

Three seminars and a winemaker dinner will be held on Saturday and The Grand Tasting on Sunday. This year one of the seminars involves bacon! And the Grand tasting will have over 500 wines! I know you want to go to that—and you could for free— This is what you have to do:

Tell me what your Rhône Name is. Don’t know what it is? Here’s how to find out-- It's kind of like that game where you invent your porn star name, um, I mean stage name, by combining the name of a childhood pet and the name of the street you lived on as a kid. So for example my stage name would be Fluffy Lakeview.

But to find your Rhône Name do the following:
(Name of Favorite Childhood Pet)  + (Favorite Rhône Variety) = Rhône Name

So for example my Rhône Name could be-- Fluffy Viognier or Jake Carignane

And here are the never before revealed Rhône Ranger Names for the winemakers who will be pouring Grenache Blanc, Picpoul Blanc, Carignane, Cinsault, Counoise and Mondeuse Noir in the Rare Wines seminar Saturday, March 24, 2012.

Tablas Creek – 2010 Picpoul Blanc – Jason Haas  (Binky Picpoul)
Two Shepherds – 2010 Grenache Blanc – William Allen  (Flash Grenache)
Holly’s Hill – 2010 Counoise – Josh Bendick  (Spanky Counoise)
Lagier Meredith – 2009 Mondeuse Noire – Carole Meredith  (Muffin Mondeuse Noire)
Ridge – 2009 Carignane – David Gates   (Astro Carignane)
Clos Saron – 2010 Cinsault — Gideon Beinstock  (Buster Cinsault)

So what’s your Rhône Name?

Leave it in the comments section below and then tweet your Rhone name to me at @marcygordon and @RhoneRangers and tag it with #RRSF. You could win a pair of tickets to the Grand Tasting in San Francisco on March 25th. Enter Now! Contest closes March 7th.

Here is a list of Rhône grapes to get you started.

Details and ticket information available here:

Website: http://www.rhonerangers.org/
Ticket sales: http://rhonerangers2012.eventbrite.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/RhoneRangers
Twitter: @RhoneRangers Hashtag #RRSF

Grenache Day at the Allen Party Farm

I have been critical in the past of all these random Wine days like Chardonnay Day and Champagne Day and Cabernet Day. I fully expect to see 2% Milk Day at some point. We might as well just call them all Marketing Day, but they have some merit and I think the best events are ones like #PinotSmackDown where wine is tasted in person with the winemakers. Of course not everyone can organize or attend that type of tasting, but they are in my opinion a far more qualified way to promote a varietal.

Once again William Allen pressed the Greenhouse into service for an outstanding group of wines including Grenache and Grenache blends from Baiocchi, Quivira, Wind Gap, Mounts Family Winery, Sheldon, Stage Left Cellars, R2 Wine Company, Thumbprint, and Ridge Vineyards.

 I'm already a fan of most all of the wines, especially Mounts and Ridge, and I'm a member of the Quivira wine club. But there were several "new to me" wines including Baiocchi, Sheldon and Stage Left Cellars.

I was very taken with the Baiocchi Entre Nous 2009 a blend of 90% Grenache and 10% Syrah. This wine had a deep floral nose with a gorgeous earthy flavor, nice tannins and a lovely lingering finish.

I also really liked the Stage Left Cellars 2006 Grenache with 8% Mourvedre --a funky meaty blend of flavor with a nose that kept evolving each time I tried it.

From Grenache Day to Birthday

After the Grenache Day tasting it was time for the Main Event: William Allen's Birthday Bash, and it would not be his birthday unless the Fire Department was put on alert. Mr. Allen's affinity for all things wine and pyromania make for interesting events. Events that people talk about for days and weeks and months after they get released from the hospital.

Although there were no fire dancers this year, there was a bon fire large enough to cause locals to wonder if Burning Man had been extended and the Handcar Regatta was encamped on his back forty --the back 40 feet, not acres, as the Allen Party Farm is a marvel of compactness.

The resident sheep Rowdy and Hardy* did a little horn gnashing and a bromance love dance, but that was the extend of the provocative entertainment for the evening. The rest of it was good wine, good food, and great friends.  (*not sure if those were the exact names of the Allen Party Farm sheep but if not they should be renamed immediately)

Wines of Croatia Tasting: The Recap!

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.



As mentioned previously in this preview post, it was Cliff Rames of Wines of Croatia (@winesof croatia) who dropped the pebble in the lake triggering my connection with Frank Dietrich @bluedanubewine of Blue Danube Wines. A date was set, bloggers were invited, a hashtag chosen, wines were selected and it all came together beautifully on August 28th.

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.

"Zivili" or also spelled "Zivijele" is a Croatian toast that means "to life!" So I would like to shout a hearty "Zivili" to Frank Dietrich, Cliff Rames, Andreja at the Croatian Tourist Board for supplying the maps and excellent background materials, Michelle Buster for sourcing the Paski Sir, also special thanks to KORTA KATARINA for the samples (check them out on twitter @kortakatarina) and of course to all the wine bloggers who came to the event and made it so much fun --@amybcleary @brandyea @winebratsf @SonomaWilliam @aburich @VitaeVino @SLHousman @JamesTheWineGuy @RJonWine @20dollarwine @slowgrapes @BrixChick_Liza @norcalwine & @Brixchik_xan

Zivili! -- Thanks so much. Perhaps next time we should have a game of pin the tail on the Donkey Dingac!

Links to other posts from the event. (more to be added as they become available)

Amy Cleary--WineBookGirl
Richard Jennings -- Post on CellarTracker

Links to all previous Croatia Posts:

• The Wines of Croatia : A Preview Tasting
• Croatian Wines Making Waves
• Country of Good Vines: Countdown to Wines of Croatia
• I Can Almost Taste It! Croatian Wine is Near

Recap: Taste Of Mendocino

When is the last time you attended a wine tasting where you could actually buy the wine you liked on the spot, attend a farmers market at the same time, and watch circus acrobatics? My guess is never. But I did all that and more at the extrodinary Taste of Mendocino event at Fort Mason in San Francisco yesterday.

My palate was expanded, my imagination captured, my wallet was opened, and my mind was blown. Mendocino... who knew? Well I do now.

In addition to all the wine to taste, there was live music, flying acts by the Flynn Creek Circus, beer from Mendocino brewers, art, and a mini farmers market featuring chocloates, handmade soaps, sea salt and exotic seaweed too.

I plan to visit Mendocino wine land in person soon and make a full report on my findings. So stay tuned.