Page 14 - Sonoma County Gazette - January 2020

First Annual Healdsburg
Tastemaker Weekend Friday, January 24-Sunday, January 26
Uncover the flavors and experiences unique to Healdsburg
– from an authentic Italian wine cave dinner to a pastry making class at
a popular local bakery with a history reaching back almost a century. A portion of each ticket sale will go to the Healdsburg High School’s culinary program to support Healdsburg’s future Tastemakers.
Lambert Bridge Wine Blending and Lunch (Friday, January 24): Join Lambert Bridge Winery’s renowned winemaker, Jennifer Higgins,
for an intimate blending seminar handcrafting your very own Bordeaux masterpiece. Then foil, fill, cork and label your signature blend to take home and share with your friends and family. The seminar will be followed by a delicious light lunch in the Barrel Room. The event will take place on Friday, January 24 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Tickets are $150/person.
Costeaux French Bakery Pastry Class (Friday, January 24): Join Costeaux owner Will Seppi and head pastry chef Karah Williams for
an afternoon exploring Pâte à Choux, a classic light pastry dough that is versatile for savory and sweet treats alike. Attendees will be hosted at the venerable Costeaux French Bakery & Cafe in downtown Healdsburg for this hands-on experience. The bakery traces its roots back to 1923 originally starting as the French American Bakery. The event will take place on Friday, January 24 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tickets are $125/person.
High Tea at Jordan Vineyard and Winery (Friday, January 24): Relax by the fire in the chicest of formal dining rooms, where the British tradition of high tea makes its debut at Jordan. The recently remodeled Jordan Dining Room offers a warm and stately backdrop for wine tasting with an array of tea sandwiches and petit fours, and Jordan Executive Chef Todd Knoll’s beautiful foraged tea service. The event will take place on Friday, January 24 from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tickets are $110/person.
A. Rafanelli and Baci Wine Cave Dinner (Friday, January 24): Start off the evening with appetizers and library wines that fourth-generation winemaker Shelly Rafanelli Fehlman will be pulling from the cellar. Enjoy a three-course Italian dinner that Chef Shari Sarabi and his wife Lisbeth Holmefjord of Baci Cafe and Wine Bar have perfectly paired with the Rafanelli current releases. The event will take place on Friday, January 24 from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Tickets are $175/person.
Mateo’s South of the Border Class and Lunch (Saturday, January 25): Join Chef Mateo Granados as he heats it up in his Yucatan-inspired restaurant kitchen for a one-of-a-kind cooking class. Learn to make masa tortillas, followed by a lesson on slow-braised French Poulet and aromatic baked rice. Included is lunch and a seasonal margarita or non-alcoholic agua fresca. The event will take place on Saturday, January 25 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Tickets are $120/person.
Relish Wild Mushroom Foray and Lunch (Sunday, January 26): Learn the fundamentals of edible wild mushroom foraging and then, after working up an appetite from a tromp in the beautiful woods, gather back at the Relish Culinary Center for a cooking demonstration. Cook up any edibles found along the foraging trail with an amazing four-course mushroom lunch served with perfectly paired wines from Passalacqua Winery. Sunday, January 26, 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $154/person.
For tickets and more information: stayhealdsburg.com/events/2020/1/24/tastemaker-weekend
Woodenhead Pinot Noir “Wet Kiss” 2015, Russian River Valley.
The nose is herbaceous, with raspberry, red cherry and floral notes. The palate leads with earthy tones and bright raspberry crabapple. The most pronounced flavor is a tangy spiced cinnamon. This is a pinot noir that will pair well
with a duck confit and lentil salad, or a duck breast in orange sauce. The label happens to make it also a perfect pairing for your Valentine. If you’re not cooking for your Valentine, book that Sonoma County restaurant now! Enjoy this Pinot now through 2022. INFO: woodenheadwines.com
De Lorimier Winery Cabernet Sauvignon, Barrel Select,
Alexander Valley, 2016. Alexander Valley Cabernets tend to share a singular commonality: both the nose and palate are filled with minerality. Dark chocolate, sweet black cherry and black liquorice are on the nose of this cabernet, with the palate offering firm yet soft tannins of leather. Eucalyptus and licorice are also present in equal measure on the palate with leather tannins dominating the front of the palate. Pair this wine with red meats such as rack of lamb, prime rib and even wild game such as elk and venison. This wine is structured to age well through 2025. INFO: delorimierwinery.com
Wilson Cabernet Sauvignon, Dry Creek Valley, 2014. The nose starts with sweet berries both red and black, and there’s also milk chocolate and hints of smoked beef. Dusty tannins fill the palate evenly leading to flavors of mocha mint and licorice. A great pairing for venison or rack of lamb. This wine will also make a great pairing for a multitude of full-flavored cheeses such as Point Reyes blue cheese, washed rind cheeses like Cowgirl Creamery’s Red Hawk, or an aged raw cowsmilk cheese such as Valley Ford Estero Gold reserve. This wine will age through 2026. INFO: wilsonwinery.com
Honorable Mention: HLR Cabernet Sauvignon, Fountaingrove
District, 2014. Rarely have I reviewed a vintage twice, but after speaking to owner Steve Heller about the 2014 Cabernet, my curiosity was peaked. I
do have several bottles of this wine aging in my cellar and also held back
for my wine club. If you too have some of the 2014, it is absolutely drinking beautifully now. There is a nose of roast coffee, sweet berries, blackberry bramble and cardamom spice. The firm tannins change to soft velvet dark chocolate and dried cherries and raspberries. The alcohol comes in at 15.5 which is the highest of the wines tasted, but it is well balanced and likely why aging has helped this wine come into its own. Pair with grilled meats such
as filet mignon, hangar steak or a standing rib roast. This Cabernet will age a further 8 years through 2020 if properly cellared. INFO: hlrcellars.com.
Upcoming Events:
Winter Wineland, January 18-19, 2020, 11a-4p each day. It’s the 28th Winter Wineland. Taste current vintages, multiple varietals grown in
Sonoma County, and even try a few verticals. A great opportunity to meet winemakers, taste limited production wines, new releases or library wines. All participating wineries highlight a Vintage, Varietal or Vertical tasting for the weekend. INFO & Tickets: visit wineroad.com
Tickets Go On Sale January 21. It’s all about the WINE. Many wineries offer “futures” on their barrel samples. This is a chance to purchase wine now, often at a discount, then come back to the winery when the wine is bottled, typically 12-18 months from now. Many wines are so limited, buying futures is your only chance to purchase them. The ticket price includes the opportunity to sample wine from the barrel and in most cases also trying a limited number
of current release wines. This is not a food pairing event so not all wineries provide food during the event. INFO & Tickets: visit wineroad.com
43rd Annual Barrel Tasting March 6-8 & 13-15, 2020. 11a–4p each day.
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