Monthly Archives: March 2015

Passport Themes Revealed – Part 3

Passport Themes Revealed – Part 3

The 26th Annual Passport to Dry Creek Valley is less than one month away! Here are eight more winery themes to whet your appetite. Still need to buy tickets? Click here.

Göpfrich Winery

Visit Göpfrich! This is one of the few times in the year that the winery is open to the public. They will be pouring their Estate Dry Creek Valley wines. Enjoy the relaxing ambiance of a small family winery with some great food and excellent wines which are only available on site. It is all about the Caribbean around here this weekend! No buses please.

 

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Passport to Dry Creek Valley – Eight More Themes Revealed!

Passport to Dry Creek Valley – Eight More Themes Revealed!

The 26th Annual Passport to Dry Creek Valley is rapidly approaching! Join us April 25-26 for themed parties and fabulous wine tastings. As promised, we’re revealing our winery’s themes, eight at a time until the event.

Cast

Cast Wines
Take in stunning views, enjoy live music and tasty barbecue bites from Vintage Valley Catering, and sample Cast’s hand-crafted wine by winemaker Mike Gulyash. They will be pouring the new 2013 releases of Sauvignon Blanc and fruity Grey Palm Zinfandel, followed by the more robust 2012 Watson Vineyard Old Vine Zinfandel and luscious Grey Palm Petite Sirah.

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Spotlight on the First Ever Prelude to Passport

Spotlight on the First Ever Prelude to Passport

Passport to Dry Creek Valley reached a milestone last year as it celebrated its 25th anniversary. That’s why, heading into the 26th annual Passport, we felt it was time to expand our treasured sell-out weekend. This year we’re introducing Prelude to Passport, a selection of exclusive vineyard lunches and winemakers dinners you can enjoy on Friday, April 24th, before Passport begins. For tickets, click here.

Here are a few delicious options to choose from:

Lunches

collier falls

 

Collier Falls – Enjoy lunch with Barry and Josh Collier on the deck overlooking Dry Creek Valley and enjoy the Hillside Estate wines with a view.

 You’ll also learn about inter-planting Zinfandel and its Italian cousin, Primitivo. See a vineyard converted from head pruned to trellis canopy management. By the end of lunch, you’ll be a vineyard expert!

hawley collage

Hawley Winery

Join in a family-style lunch with the Hawleys! Tour their organic vineyard and garden while tasting Hawley’s current award-winning wines and vintage samples from the barrel. To find out more about Hawley Winery, check out our blog profile of them!

Dinners

FRITZHEADER

Fritz Cellars
 – Ever wanted to be a winemaker? Fritz Cellars gives you the chance for one special night! Join winemaker Brad Longton as he walks you through the intricacies of creating a perfect blend. You’ll taste, measure, blend, evaluate and blend again to create your perfect Pinot Noir. You’ll have an opportunity to order bottles of your own custom blend to commemorate your newfound blending prowess! Dinner paired with Fritz Pinot Noirs and our Fritz Dry Creek Estate wines will also be provided as you view their special 120 acre estate from their patio and newly remodeled tasting room.

Palindrome Vineyards – 
At this dinner, you’ll be welcomed into the growers’ home on Dry Creek Road to savor food created by the owners of Palindrome Vineyard, E.J. Neil & Judy Edmonds! Their fabulous cuisine will be paired with wines from Kokomo Winery. They’ll prepare a wine talk and answer all your questions.

west nobel collage

West Wines – 
Have you ever been to the Nobel Awards Banquet? Here is your chance. West Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve was selected, in a blind tasting as the first ever American wine to be served at the Nobel Banquet in 2010! In the home of West Wines’ owners, located in the upper vineyard with magnificent views of Dry Creek Valley, the three-course dinner served at the Nobel Prize Awards Banquet 2010 will be re-enacted by a master chef. West Wines is serving West Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve and other rarities from their wine cellar to enjoy with the original banquet menu.


Passport to Dry Creek Valley – Themes Revealed!

Passport to Dry Creek Valley – Themes Revealed! 

All throughout March and April, we’ll be unveiling some of this year’s wild winery themes for Passport to Dry Creek Valley! Here are the first eight themes.  Check back weekly for more theme announcements, eight at a time!

Amista Vineyards   

Amista’s Passport journey begins with their sparkling Blanc de Blanc. Celebrate joie de vivre as you wander their Streets of Provence with a classic bistro favorite: baguette with brie. Travel farther along to savor Roasted Lamb perfectly paired with ’09 Syrah. Turn the corner to discover the treasure of our Cabernet complemented by a delightful bite of caramelized Onion tart with gruyere. Bon voyage! (more…)


Cover Crops in Dry Creek Valley – Why We Plant Them

Cover Crops in Dry Creek Valley – Why We Plant Them

Kokomo Winery

You’ve probably noticed lovely the flowers, vegetables, and other plants growing amidst the vines in our Dry Creek Valley vineyards in late Winter and Spring. As pretty as they are, crops like this are not planted for vanity’s sake; cover crops are planted as a tool to help winegrowers manage their soil throughout the year. Dry Creek Valley winegrowers are committed to sustainability, and planting the right cover crops has myriad benefits to the land and the wines themselves. Below are a few of the reasons we plant cover crops.

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