Monthly Archives: March 2016

Fourth Round of Winery Themes for 2016 Passport

March 29th, 2016

We’re almost there! We’ve got another round of Passport themes that include some of our most popular stops  in central Dry Creek Valley.

Download your map of this year’s participating wineries here!

Michel-Schlumberger

Gold in the Hollywood Hills

She grew up with the children of the stars in the Hollywood Hills, on the Boulevard. Her parents threw big parties. Everyone was there. They hung out with with folks like Dennis Hopper and Bob Seger and Sonny and Cher.

Stroll along the Sunset Strip and meet your favorite “stars”.  Feast on our chef’s award-winning food while enjoying a selection of our star-studded wines right in the heart of Tinseltown.

Mounts Family Winery

Let us take you on a journey through Mounts history.  We will be featuring the best purveyors and products from Sonoma County paired with our estate wines.  Each pairing will take you on a flight from our past into present day.  It is important for us to share with you our passion for winemaking, the respect for our heritage, and the love we have for Dry Creek Valley.  Live music, amazing food and a unique and memorable experience!

Quivira Vineyards & Winery

Inspired by our Biodynamic wines and garden, Quivira Vineyards brings a bit of Provence to the Dry Creek Valley.  Try your favorite Quivira Rhône wines paired with food inspired from Southern France. Leisurely stroll through our artisanal market sampling Quivira estate grown products then bask in the beauty of our gardens and vineyards.  Quivira Vineyards – Intentional Wines, Naturally.

A. Rafanelli Winery

Take an early spring picnic with the Rafanelli Family into the countryside of Umbria.  Here you can “Pic Nic a Trevi” where  the olive and olive growing traditions are celebrated in this hillside town.  Delight in this spring time festival that fuses the flavors of olives and herbs with local foods.   Enjoy Italian inspired dishes prepared with our own olive oils and deliciously paired with our new wines.

Ridge Vineyards – Lytton Springs

Join us for another amazing Passport to Dry Creek Valley celebration.  We’ll be featuring a selection of our legendary single-vineyard Zinfandels paired with delicious culinary creations from chef Jesse McQuarrie.  Special Passport Weekend-only discounts will also be available.  Looking forward to seeing you here at Ridge!

Mazzocco Sonoma

Mazzocco Sonoma Winery is bringing Spanish flare to Dry Creek Valley! Join us as we make the sights, sounds and smells of Spain come alive.  Gather around giant paella pans prepared by the famous Gerard’s Paella, while sipping on award winning wines. Stay for an authentic live flamenco show and taste a sneak peak of our 2015 vintage from barrel!

Dry Creek Vineyard

Chart your course and join the celebration at Dry Creek Vineyard.  There will be delicious fish n’ chips, salty shanties by The Seadogs and a stem to stern selection of fabulous wines!  Whether it’s Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Zinfandel or Cabernet you desire, we will help you navigate your way through an incredible tasting experience.  Become a DCV deck hand and join the crew at Dry Creek Vineyard.

Mauritson Family Vineyards

Winemaker Clay Mauritson’s superb Dry Creek Valley and Rockpile Zinfandels + chef Charlie Palmer’s sublime cuisine = a weekend of perfect wine and food pairings. Plus, don’t miss the highly anticipated release of our 2014 Charlie Clay Pinot Noir. Want signed bottles? Clay and Charlie will be happy to oblige.

Photo Source – CHARLIE PALMER INDUCTED INTO AAC CULINARY HALL OF FAME – CELEBRATED CHEF. Web. 25 Mar. 2016.

Amista Vineyards

You’re invited to a Flamenco Fiesta!  Let us transport you to sunny Spain where we’ll raise a glass of our estate grown sparkling wine in celebration of friendship.  Chef John Franchetti will be firing up our pizza oven and creating Spanish Tapas that pair beautifully with our Dry Creek Valley wines.  Your friends at Amista can’t wait to see you!  Amista ~ making friends

Next post we reveal: Lambert Bridge Winery, Wilson Winery, Comstock Wines, West Wines, DaVero Farms & winery, Geyser Peak, Armida Winery & De La Montanya Winery!

Any of the above themes seem spark a “don’t miss” in your book? Add them to your virtual planner where you can map out your entire Passport adventure in one place. You can find our virtual itinerary planner here.

To read more about Passport to Dry Creek Valley visit our events page!

There are still a few Prelude to Passport lunches and dinners left – don’t miss this exclusive opportunity to meet your favorite winemakers over a great meal! Learn more here.

Be sure to buy your tickets soon so you don’t miss out on this amazing event! Click here for tickets.

In the Vineyard with Rich Mounts

March 29th, 2016

In Mid-March, the rain subsided for a week in our idyllic Dry Creek Valley. We were able to venture out into the vineyards for a chat with, 2^nd generation winegrower, Rich Mounts. His vineyards surround Mounts Family Vineyards with 140 acres of Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and many specialty Rhone varietals for Mounts’ Verah label.

So what happens in our Dry Creek vineyards in mid-March? A lot more than you think! Here’s what Rich Mounts has been working on.

Pruning
Pruning is a honed and coveted technique among wine growers. There are some who’d debate the “correct” technique for hours and hours. Over the winter vines sprout long vines out that won’t produce high (or any) amounts of wine if left unkempt.

An older technique that Rich goes by, is you prune by the size of the wood. If it’s smaller than a pencil, you’d only leave one spur, smaller than your finger, two, and smaller than thumb, three. But the general rule now is to leave two. Depending on the anticipated weather for the year, you can tailor the sugar content in your grapes at this point. Less spurs, results in higher-sugar wine, but if it’s a hot year and you expect major growth, you can allow for more spurs on your vine.

For the timing of pruning, it’s safe to say that the last vines you prune, will be the later to the harvest party. So many early harvest varietals are pruned first, Sauvignon Blanc, for example and last to prune are Cabernet Sauvignon which tend to come later in the season.

The majority of Rich’s 140 acres of vineyards are pruned. But due to the recent rain, there’s been a slight delay in completion.

Staking & Trellising

For the younger vines, it’s important to go through and prevent leaning of canes which could result in snapping of the vines. After everything has been pruned, Rich and his workers go through and point out weaker canes that need support. It’s time to train these vines how they should grow, and in this case, grower knows best!

Bud Break
Happening all over Dry Creek right now is Bud Break! An exciting time as these little bundles turn into the fruit that creates your favorite wines. Each bud contains all of the ingredients in tiny forms — shoots, leaves, and berries, yet to be grapes.  These buds were carefully left in place by pruners, typically two buds on each spur as explained above. Bud break usually happens around April/May, but due to warmer weather in the county, has started as early as March as you can see in these photos.

Fingers crossed an early frost shatters these delicate little wine producers.

Cover Crops

In late winter, early spring you’re sure to notice the amazing cover crops adding lush greenery and color to our Dry Creek Valley. But did you know this is a vital part to ensure that our vineyards’ soil contain the perfect nutrients to produce quality wine?

Many vineyards plant bright yellow mustard.  But Mounts is partial to legumes! Rich plants a combination of bell beans, peas, and vetches. Not only do these crops release nitrogen into the soil but they also create great organic material that turns to into basically humus. This improves the structure of the soil. At this time in March you’ll slowly start to see less cover crops as growers and workers are working them down back into the soil as soon as the earth is dry.

That’s a brief summary of where our Dry Creek Valley vineyards are now. A big thanks to grower, Rich Mounts, for such a detailed tour of his vineyards and taking time out of his morning. Be sure to check out Mounts Family Winery on your next trip out to Dry Creek Valley for a gorgeous view, delicious wines and authentic Dry Creek Valley history.

Grower Speak Defined:

Canes: Canes are the one- or two-year-old branches of the grape plant. They grow as shoots off the main trunk. Vine growers train them to grow horizontally along wire trellises. It is from buds on these canes that the leaves and fruit of the grapevine grow.

Cordons: “arms”, of the grapevine extend from the trunk and are the part where additional arms and eventually leaves and grape clusters extend. The cordons are usually trained along wires as part of a trellis system

Humus: dark, organic material that forms in soil when plant matter decays.

Spur: Spurs are little arms that grow from the cordons. From the spurs grow one-year-old wood, which produces the leaves and grapes.

Third Round of Winery Themes for Passport 2016

March 22nd, 2016

We’re half-way there with this round of themes! This week we’re featuring Peterson Winery, Amphora Winery, Collier Falls, Kokomo Winery, Papapietro Perry, Kachina Vineyards, Rued Winery & F. Teldeschi Winery.

Download our 2016 map here! Then head over to our Interactive Itinerary Planner to begin planning your Passport Weekend.

We’d like to start this round of themes with a very special theme from Peterson Winery.

Peterson Winery  

Please plan on joining us for Passport.  In addition to enjoying our top releases from our select and soulful Dry Creek and Bradford Mountain Estate Vineyards with local Mexican cuisine you can support a great cause.  Peterson Winery is hosting a fund raiser for the Cal Fire firefighters and their families directly impacted by the Valley Fire in Lake County last September.  We will have a silent auction, as well as a Cal Fire commemorative Zinfandel bottling, with all proceeds going to this worthy cause.  Firefighters and equipment from Cal Fire and the local fire departments, including Geyserville Fire, will be on hand to educate as well as to share their experiences with attendees.

In recognition of this great cause, the Winegrowers of Dry Creek Valley have donated 2 Passport tickets for our 2017 event.  You’ll be able to bid on these tickets and many more amazing items this year at Peterson Winery. Please make this a MUST stop on your itinerary as it is sure to be an amazing time for an even more remarkable cause.

Amphora Winery

Winemaker Rick Hutchinson chose the name Amphora to reflect his passion for the art of pottery, and the ancient history of the art of winemaking. Visit us see our prized Tuscan amphorae, and a display of Rick’s hand-burnished and pit-fired amphora art pieces, crafted with the same intensity and focus as his wines. For Passport, we’ll be pairing a selection of those luscious wines with the creative cuisine of Ariel.

Collier Falls Vineyards at Family Wineries Dry Creek

Join us for our Four Course Mediterranean Wine & Food Pairing. Zinfandel with Canneli Bean and Rocket Salad (Vegan) – Primitivo with Pasta with Sweet Italian Sausage, Artichokes, Roasted Garlic and Tomatos – Petite Sirah with Rustic Italian Braised Short Ribs – Cabernet Sauvignon with Blackberry Gelato and Collier Falls Raspberry Chocolate Sauce.

Kokomo Winery

Join us in our cellar for some Midwest fun with a California twist!  Here at Kokomo we’ll be kicking comfort food up a notch and pairing it with some blue grass music.  Enjoy our limited production, estate grown wines paired with gourmet savories specifically prepared to highlight our reserve wines.  So swing on by for our best vineyard designates and some Midwest hospitality!

Papapietro Perry Winery     

Join us as we celebrate all things New Orleans and Jazz Fest, our Passport tradition for many years. You’ll be greeted with traditional beads; munch on authentic New Orleans fare; dance to the fabulous Bluestate Band and taste through a selection of our highly acclaimed Pinot Noirs and Zins. Laissez les bon temps roulez!

Kachina Vineyards

Calling all foodies! We are serving up grilled cheesy goodness-Raclette and other specialty cheeses! Blissful days spent creating and perfecting THE best grilled cheesy goodness that pairs with our Bubbly and Cabernet! Unveiling our new Charbono release as well! No foodie experience is complete without dessert! Decadent dark chocolate port-infused truffles paired with out Zinfandel Port. A sweet ending to a foodie experience!

Rued Winery             

Step back in time and experience Dry Creek Valley as it once was. The Rued Family invites you to join them in celebrating the rich agricultural history forged by the early settlers. Stroll through our country store, step up to the bar and sip our handcrafted wines, chow down at the cookhouse, tap your toes at the hoedown and enjoy our famous ice cream treats.

F. Teldeschi Winery

Huge Wine Sale. Live music. Lots of tri-tip, sausage, focaccia and chocolate. Rock & Roll with the Fargo Bros. Taste a vertical of our Terranova, Petite Sirah. Taste Zinfandel and Terraluna. Available to purchase, library verticals of Terranova, Petite Sirah and Zinfandel. Large and small format bottles also.

Next post we reveal: Michel-Schlumberer, Mounts Family Winery, Quivira Vineyards & Winery, A. Rafanelli Winery, Ridge Vineyards – Lytton Springs, Mazzocco Sonoma, Dry Creek Vineyard, Mauritson Family Winery and Amista Vineyards.

Any of the above themes seem spark a “don’t miss” in your book? Add them to your virtual planner where you can map out your entire Passport adventure in one place. You can find our virtual itinerary planner here.

To read more about Passport to Dry Creek Valley visit our events page!

There are still a few Prelude to Passport lunches and dinners left – don’t miss this exclusive opportunity to meet your favorite winemakers over a great meal! Learn more here.

Be sure to buy your tickets soon so you don’t miss out on this amazing event! Click here for tickets.

Second Round of Winery Themes for Passport 2016

March 15th, 2016

Time for a second round of winery themes for this year’s Passport to Dry Creek Valley.

We’re working our way up North with our friends at Pedroncelli Winery, Talty Winery, Zichichi Family Vineyard, Chateau Diana, Truett Hurst Winery, Gopfrich Winery, Forchini Vineyards & Winery and Martorana Family Winery.

Download our Passport Map and when you’re ready check out our Itinerary Planner to start scheduling your Passport Extravaganza!

Pedroncelli Winery

Pedroncelli is Bistro 1220 this year. Chef Brian Anderson, Bistro 29, will be creating Brittany-inspired fare to complement our wines. Bistro 29 hearkens to the Finistére, Department 29 in France, and is translated as Land’s End. Pedroncelli hails from the eastern-most area Department 1927 (our founding year). A perfect pairing. Featuring our favorite wines where you’ll enjoy a feast for all five senses!

Talty Winery

Calling all Zin fanatics! This is your opportunity to taste rich elegantly styled zinfandels. You will experience single vineyard designate wines, grown and produced by owner/winemaker me… Michael Talty. My focus is to truly represent the characteristics of each vineyard, recognize their unique qualities and reap the benefits. As a small, family operation I have the freedom to craft wines I love to drink and feel you will too. Come for a taste, have a bite, listen to music and join me for a glass of Zinlicious Talty. See you there!

Zichichi Family Vineyards

Welcome to Zichichi Family Vineyard! We are barrel tasting our luscious 2015 Zinfandels and Petite Sirah. These delicious wines are being paired with the incredible cuisine from Chef Dino Bugica of Diavola Pizzeria & Salumeria. Savor your experience while enjoying the beautiful views from our deck overlooking the valley. We are offering special savings exclusively for Passport attendees this weekend.

Chateau Diana

Flower Power! Chateau Diana is going back to the 60’s!

Dust off your bell bottoms, break out your Fringe, head bands and grab your love beads! Dancing, munchies, photo booth and rainbow wine slushies! We will be groovin’ with our exclusive 707 Estate Zinfandel, Estate Petite Sirah, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and don’t forget our sweet whites!

Truett Hurst Winery

Celebrate Passport Weekend on the bank of Dry Creek with the friendliest hosts in the Valley.  Enjoy the cool blues groove of Brother Cat.  Savor the locally sourced, explosive flavors of the Spanish/Caribbean fusion food created by F.A. Ninos, the Godfather of Sauce.  Our new wine releases are the best yet, barrels will be open for sampling the future and we will have some special case specials.

Göpfrich Winery

Visit Göpfrich Winery! This is one of the few times in the year that we are actually open to the public. We will be pouring our Dry Creek Valley Estate wines which are only available at the winery since there is no outside distribution of our wines. Enjoy the relaxing ambiance of a small family winery. Why not visit a little piece of Germany this weekend!

Forchini Vineyards & Winery

Nothing is better than an Italian experience!  Your travel destination is Italy–welcome to “Under the Forchini Sun!”  In our garden enjoy stunning views and Italian melodies while sipping Papa Nonno, our Tuscan Red.  Chef Muir will serve Cannelloni stuffed with spinach and meat topped with two sauces.  End your Tuscan visit munching glazed chocolate bites, delicious with our Zinfandel and Cabernet.  Special Passport pricing.  Benevenuti a Forchini!

Martorana Family Winery

Our family has enjoyed the beauty of Dry Creek Valley and growing grapes since the 1980’s; producing our first vintage in 2005.  In 2007, we built our environmentally friendly underground winery.  Our commitment to nature extends to our farming practices and we are CCOF certified.  We produce 2000 cases from our Estate Vineyards; Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Rose, Zinfandel, Merlot, Petite Sirah and Cabernet Sauvignon.  Besides excellent wines and EVOO, we promise you warm hospitality.  Play a game of Bocce, or take a walk along beautiful Dry Creek; we look forward to meeting you.

Next post we reveal: A special theme from Peterson Winery, Amphora Winery, Collier Falls, Kokomo Winery, Papapietro Perry Winery, Kachina Vineyards, Rued Winery and Teldeschi Winery.

Any of the above themes seem spark a “don’t miss” in your book? Add them to your virtual planner where you can map out your entire Passport adventure in one place. You can find our virtual itinerary planner here.

To read more about Passport to Dry Creek Valley visit our events page!

There are still a few Prelude to Passport lunches and dinners left – don’t miss this exclusive opportunity to meet your favorite winemakers over a great meal! Learn more here.

Be sure to buy your tickets soon so you don’t miss out on this amazing event! Sunday-only tickets are almost sold-out. Click here to purchase tickets.

First Round of Winery Themes for Passport 2016

March 8th, 2016

Passport to Dry Creek Valley – First Themes Revealed!

It’s Passport Season and about time to start revealing our wineries’ themes for this year’s event.

This year we’re starting in the most northern part of Dry Creek Valley and working our way down south. To download your map of this year’s participating wineries, click here!

Gustafson Family Vineyard

Go the extra mile to experience Gustafson Family Vineyards, set in the beautiful rolling hills above Lake Sonoma. Meet the Owner and Winemaker while enjoying our all-Estate wines, including Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Rosé, and Zinfandel. Enjoy five exquisite food pairings by Baci Restaurant, and visit the cellar for barrel tasting of our Estate Petite Sirah. Escape the busy valley and discover Sonoma’s best kept secret. This location opens early on Passport weekend (at 10:30a) to accommodate the extra distance.

Fritz Underground Winery

Ye outlanders are in for a treat.  Follow the bagpipes to the highlands of Dry Creek Valley and Fritz Underground Winery. Hidden away in the hillside of our 112 acre estate is our unique subterranean facility. Join the lads and lassies of the winery clad in their finest tartan as you feast on potato cakes with smoked salmon and herbed creme  fraiche with our Estate Sauvignon Blanc and a hearty beef stew with our  bonnie Estate Zinfandel. Aye. Ye Ken ye don’t want to miss it.

Sbragia Family Vineyards    

Ed Sbragia has always had one foot in Sonoma and one in Napa. After 32 years of making wine in Napa Valley, he returned home to Healdsburg to start a small family-owned winery located at the northern end of Dry Creek Valley with breathtaking 10 mile valley views. Ed makes limited, individual lots of wine from his favorite Sonoma and Napa vineyards. Join us down at the Sbragia Farm and celebrate Dry Creek Valley’s farming heritage with local farm to table cuisine, country western music, dancing and games!

Cast Wines

Take in stunning views from our outdoor tasting terrace at one of Dry Creek’s newest wineries. Taste wines hand crafted by Mike Gulyash. We will be pouring our signature Sauvignon Blanc and Estate Grey Palm Zinfandel, followed by our robust 2013 Watson Vineyard Old Vine Zinfandel. Pause for a moment in our relaxing setting, an oasis from the hustle and bustle of the day.

Ferrari-Carano Vineyards and Winery

Located at the north end of Dry Creek Valley, Ferrari-Carano is sure to be one of your favorite stops during Passport weekend! Wind your way through the cellars tasting our delicious wines paired with dishes especially chosen by Rhonda Carano. Visit the Wine Shop in the beautiful Italianate Villa Fiore, and stroll our breathtaking gardens with waterfalls, bridges and thousands of brilliant flowers.

Dutcher Crossing Winery

Schedule a stop at Dutcher Crossing Winery in your Passport itinerary! Don’t miss out on our award-winning wines thoughtfully paired with savory small bites to astound your palate. Experience the perfect blend of gorgeous wine country views and warm hospitality as you mingle with our Winemakers’ while tasting through our future offerings.

Trattore Farms (NEW)

Take in the beautiful panoramic views overlooking Dry Creek Valley at our newly opened winery and hospitality center. Relax on our outdoor patio while enjoying some popcorn and a variety of wood fired pizzas featuring our prestigious olive oils. Sip on our award winning Rhone style wines as well as our Zinfandel and Petite Sirah blends and take advantage of our special offers exclusively offered for Passport.

David Coffaro Vineyard & Winery

Batter Up! Step up to the plate & help us knock it out of the park at our annual Wine & Food Festival, baseball style! Leading Off: Our brand-new creation, 2015 “Italiano”, a combination of five Italian grape varieties. On Deck: Premier Italian-themed stadium cuisine. In the Hole: A few other of our hearty, full-bodied reds. Come join in the fun – don’t be “caught looking.”

Next post we reveal: Pedroncelli Winery, Talty Winery, Zichichi Family Vineyard, Chateau Diana, Truett Hurst Winery, Gopfrich Winery, Forchini Vineyards & Winery and Martorana Family Winery.

Any of the above themes seem spark a “don’t miss” in your book? Add them to your virtual planner where you can map out your entire Passport adventure in one place. You can find our virtual itinerary planner here.

To read more about Passport to Dry Creek Valley visit our events page!

There are still a few Prelude to Passport lunches and dinners left – don’t miss this exclusive opportunity to meet your favorite winemakers over a great meal! Learn more here.

Be sure to buy your tickets soon so you don’t miss out on this amazing event! Click here for tickets.