For the 2015 Wine & Food Affair I needed a diverse offering of wine with a little food focus, as a group I was with desired to welcome their daughter into wine country on her 21st birthday week. Our 1st stop is one of my favorite dog friendly stops in Sonoma County, Topel Winery. I happened to pick up their annual dog calendar that benefits local charities for animals because family & friends almost expect them from me for Christmas by now. The lovely Donnis Topel was on hand to dish up some family recipe goodness for their wine pairing that was perfect for a fall day & a recipe I may be duplicating before year end for sure. The hearty white bean soup with their Palindrome Vineyard, Syrah was like fall comfort food for the soul.

My next favorite stop on our itinerary was a place I can’t stay away from, Holdredge Winery. This girl loves her Pinot, so I added this one to the list & actually stopped into visit both days of the event. Naturally, to buy wine & dine on another comfort food classic, bacon mac & cheese. My pick of the day, hands down, was the 2013 Bucher Vineyard, Pinot Noir with its rose petals & light berry beauty I couldn’t unbury my face from the glass. May I have another, kind sir (in my best British accent)? Not to mention, John Holdredge is a very entertaining gentleman.

The day also found fun pairings, such as, Gustafson Family Vineyard 2013 Estate Riesling with curried chicken tartlets. Merriam Vineyards Cabernet Franc paired with a chocolate pork stew with aerated yam, made by one of my favorite local chefs, Josh Silver of Jackson’s Bar and Oven. Chalk Hill Estate Vineyards & Winery paired their 2013 Estate Chardonnay with a savory flan with fresh herbs that was light & fluffy like a quiche. A delicate, almost poetic pairing.

The 1st day ended with a visit to Stehlmuller Vineyards to enjoy the view, the wine & one of the best duck bites I’ve had in a while. The 2012 Estate Zinfandel was married to a peppered duck breast with blackberry jam that complimented each other wonderfully. The pepper brought out the spice while the jam brought out the luscious fruit. On a day that you are enjoying a glass of wine solo, this was the moment reminding you why food & wine pairing is a great art of the senses.

Day 2 was launched with a revisit to Holdredge Winery to buy some more wine. The group headed to Mazzocco Sonoma Winery as it has been a wine club of theirs for a long time. They paired their 2013 Maria Zinfandel with a hearty duck & pork cassoulet. I was quite enraptured by all the rose blooms that greeted us.

My treasured find of the weekend was full of gorgeous wine country views, my food & wine pick of the entire weekend with a little sprinkle of rain for the thirsty ground. Cast Wines paired their Blanc de Noir sparkling with the most beautiful bite of spicy shrimp on smashed avocado with tobiko caviar & watermelon radish. That seems like a mouthful to read, but it was quite easily the best bite, as well as, the prettiest bite.

After discovering that view I wanted to share another favorite view with my group so we headed to Sbragia Family Vineyards. The views are always lovely & the deck is spacious enough to enjoy with a group. The pairing of their 2012 Andolsen Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon with Julia’s Chicken Cacciatore was Italian comfort food, like grandma used to make.

We had to bid ado to part of the group & spent the last few hours strolling through Healdsburg Square before heading our separate ways. This was one of the best years for the food portion of this event as chefs truly made the pairings a thing of artistic beauty with the wines. Well done!

Until next year,

Cheers!

Ruby red grapefruit bursts forth than gives way to red berry hints.

Berry glimpses around the corner of grapefruits hems begging for a little more,but as an elder she chided no.

Wisdom knows this balance is perfection and though nice on a warm day she is enjoyable on a cool evening.

International casual!

Cheers!

Whether it’s the sassy mouth feel from the hint of brandy added in the dosage or the bubbly warmth on a brisk evening, this sparkling wine is perfection in the years cool points.

This is over-sized sweater in stilettos on a chaise lounge in front of a crackling fireplace sexy!

Sparkling wine is the convergence of sunshine & starlight in every glass.

Cheers!

With this exciting Wine Road event creeping up in a few days I thought it would only be kind to shed light on some things that are not allowed & some things that we can all do to make this event fun for everyone. It’s not always about you…or me (I may have made a few mistakes early on).

Ladies & gents, this is not the day to adorn yourself with the extra strong perfumes & colognes. Wine tasting is largely based in the perfect moment the aroma hits your nose before you sip. With that being said, a whiff of what may be lovely to one person just may not be so enjoyable to another. It would be a disservice for a fragrant individual to judge a wine based on what they spritzed upon themselves in the morning or what their neighbor dabbed on earlier. Think light, natural, or no added scents so that you can indulge in the aromas of the day. The food & wine scents should be in abundance in order to keep your nose happy.

This event has many wineries involved so if you’re in a large group please be mindful of the wineries that indicate no groups of 8 or more (or limos). The wineries may not have the staff to cover so many people at once. Ideally the staff should be able to educate those with a thirst for knowledge & also provide great service while executing sales needs. If they are spread too thin be patient & polite. Ultimately there will be crowds, but following the rules should help things run smoother for all involved. Full buses of 24 passengers or more are simply not allowed & could be turned away. Save that large party for a planned intimate outing with a few wineries. That would be a much more pleasurable time for your group anyway…that VIP vibe party.

Bar crowding…hmmm. This is a great time to remember to be courteous to yourself & others. If you are involved in a great conversation & learning, feel free to just slightly move over. However, if you just want to get a splash in your glass to discuss with friends, this would be a great time to step aside to find an area to visit. Be mindful of the tasting order so when you return for another taste you can assist with what you are on.

Those wrist bands you get at check in…don’t lose them as you’ll need to where it both days. If you are the lucky designated driver enjoy the amazing food available & hopefully wineries will have other libations for you to enjoy. If your party likes a wine it may be perfect to purchase & bring home for you to enjoy later. Please be a safe driver for your party & others on the road by not drinking if you are the designated driver! Thank you for all you do!!!

This is not a pet friendly or a kid friendly event. Think of it as an adult play day. What a great time to learn more about wineries without the worry of policing your children or pets! Maybe set up a great play date for the kiddos for a few hours or let the teens hang with their friends for a few hours. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, so with that said the pets will also be excited to see you after a day away.

The event starts at 11, but should promptly end at 4pm. Needless to say, post 4 pm wine pours are probably not going to happen. After a full day of tasting this is a great time to make any last minute purchases to add to your collection. What a great time for some holiday shopping too! Enjoy a great weekend of food & wine paired for your enjoyment.

Cheers!

Rich aromas of sugar laden raisins or robustly ripe prunes.

Luscious mouth feel without being syrupy.

Velveteen royalty.

Flavors of svelte dark fruit with toying hints of cherry amongst fig & prunes.

As a girl that styles more savory than sweet, I was unsure of this glass.

I was pleased to find that it is a linger in front of a fireplace sipper.

Enjoy!