Tablas Creek Vineyard:  We are a joint venture between the Perrin Family from Château de Beaucastel and the Châteauneuf-du-Pape in the Southern Rhone Valley and the Haas family. Robert Haas founded a company called Vineyard Brands back in the early 1970’s and he and Vineyard Brands have been an importer of Beaucastel and their family of wines for the last forty five years or so.

SWFW&FF:  Where does the name of the winery come from?

Tablas Creek Vineyard:  It comes from Tablas Creek that runs through our property here in West Paso Robles.

SWFW&FF:  What do you feel sets you apart from other wineries or your wine apart from other wines?

Tablas Creek Vineyard:  Well when we first started back in 1989 they weren’t too many Rhone driven projects in California and we went about it in a very unique fashion for California. We wanted to find the best place to start this project and we decided on the west part of Paso Robles because it had a lot of limestone soil, somewhat what you find in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape. And it has a climate and a environment that’s very conducive for growing Rhone varietals. So we purchased a hundred and twenty acres. It was just old pastureland with a bunch of cattle on it. We began importing our vine cuttings from Beaucastel at that point. And we introduced a few Rhone varieties to California and we brought them over. We basically focused on, for red, Mourvedre, Syrah, Grenache and a grape called Counoise and for whites we focused on Roussanne, Marsanne, Grenache Blanc, Viognier and a grape called Picpoul Blanc. We have been producing estate grown, organically farmed Rhone variety blends since 1997.

SWFW&FF:  With those different varietals that you just mentioned very different grapes is there anything that runs through them that they have in common as a result of what you do?

Tablas Creek Vineyard:  They complement each other really, really well. You know in California and I guess domestically people have become very knowledgeable of single varietal wines, but in France its really kind of the rare growing area that focuses kind of explicitly on single varietals. You more often find blends throughout most parts of France and in the Rhone Valley, in the Châteauneuf in particular, they are permitted to grow thirteen specific varieties and each variety kind of brings different elements to the table to make really complete elegant and approachable wines.

SWFW&FF:  We have mentioned France almost as much as California… where do you fall on the old world/new world continuum?

Tablas Creek Vineyard:  I think we are fairly unique. We have a very kind of old world approach to what we do, but we also very much embrace the fact that we are in California in Paso Robles where you get a very distinct kind of new world brightness and sweetness of fruit character to the wines.

SWFW&FF:  Is there a flagship varietal or flagship bottle?

Tablas Creek Vineyard:  Our Esprit de Beaucastel wines are our flagship wines and the red Esprit de Beaucastel Rouge is focused primarily on Mourvedre, and our Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc is focused primarily on a grape called Roussanne. In the Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Beaucastel has always been quite unique and they are focused on those two particular varietals as well. For lovers of the Châteauneuf, you know the dominant red grape in the wines over there is Grenache, and Beaucastel has always been unique in their focus on Mourvedre. And probably the single largest champion of the Roussanne variety internationally for the last sixty-five, seventy years or so for whites.

SWFW&FF:  Tell me about some of the team that makes this possible?

Tablas Creek Vineyard:  Well our general manager is Jason Haas and he is the son of Bob Haas and he has been out here at Tablas Creek since 2002 and he runs day to day operations. Our head winemaker is a gentleman named Neil Collins and he has been our head winemaker since we started producing wines back in 1997 and he actually spent a whole year over at Beaucastel before kind of taking the reins here at Tablas Creek. One of the great things that we have got going for us is the winemaker and people that have been in place for fifteen plus years here at Tablas Creek that have become very familiar with the wines, the vineyards and really what this vineyard and location can do for wines.

SWFW&FF:  You mentioned organics, a lot of people don’t think about how much farming and agriculture is involved in producing wine. To complicate that with limits of not using harmful pesticides must make it even more of challenge?

Tablas Creek Vineyard:  It is, you kind of nailed it. No matter what approach you take, Mother Nature wins out with what she brings you each year. But the Perrin family over at Beaucastel has been farming organically since the late 1940s and it was something that Neil and the Haas family wanted to put in place here when the started planting Tablas Creek back in the mid 1990’s. For us, it’s just how we do things. We hear from other people around us that farm more conventionally, they have a lot of the similar issues that we do. We have some experience with it and we know what we are able to do and we keep our fingers crossed for some good luck as far as weather goes. About two and half years ago we began farming about 30 acres biodynamically, so we have done a little more than dip a toe in that arena and we are going to continue to expand that program as well.

SWFW&FF:  A terroir question for you: could you make the wines that you are making anywhere else in the world or is it your part of the world that makes them possible?

Tablas Creek Vineyard:  I believe that we are making the wines that we are making because of where we are in the world. Terroir is elusive to try and find an exact definition, but we try our hardest to make the wines that we feel best express what this particular vineyard can do. A lot of it has to do with the wine making philosophy that we have and the winemakers hand. But our philosophy is to do our best to kind of nurture the wines we think this place can produce really, really well.

SWFW&FF:  Any wine trends or changes in the industry that you are excited about in the coming months or years?

Tablas Creek Vineyard:  I am excited that our category, Rhone style blends, domestically produced, has grown considerably. I feel like when I first started hitting the road for Tablas back in 2005, there was some recognition, but it’s been a kind of educational process over the last seven or eight years. I sincerely do feel that it’s more accepted and more respected and growing in terms of popularity category  that you are starting to see around the country.

SWFW&FF:  If a consumer were to leave an event like the Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest having learned only one thing about Tablas Creek what would you want that to be?

Tablas Creek Vineyard:  I think that would be that our wines deserve a place on their table just as much as some of the more “California Wines” that they have been familiar with for fifteen, twenty years at this point. And that Paso Robles in the Central Coast of California is also a wonderful world class wine producing region that also deserves a visit on their trips to California.

Wine Fest event on Feb. 25

Fort Myers, Fla. – January 10, 2012) – Butterflies and a bright purple kitten are featured in this year’s signature painting created by Olivia Ramsey of Fort Myers for the 2012 Northern Trust Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest. The painting will be auctioned at the Wine Fest Grand Tasting and Auction on February 25.

Olivia “Liv” is 7 years old and an oncology patient at The Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida. Now in the second grade, she was diagnosed with leukemia in December of 2010. According to her mom, Michelle, she is now in the maintenance phase of her 2.5-year treatment program. “Her first 6 months of treatment were the hardest, but she always handled everything with a smile. If you met her, you wouldn’t know she was battling cancer except for having shorter hair!”

The Ramseys considered moving north, to a cancer treatment center, before meeting Dr. Emad Salman of The Children’s Hospital. “We didn’t know what we had in our own back yard,” Michelle said. “The facility is phenomenal. The nurses, the physicians, they are so knowledgeable and they treat you so well. They’ve made us feel comfortable the whole way through and it’s scary ride.”

The doctors and nurses at The Children’s Hospital have become heroes to Liv. “They’ve done so much for me and they’ve helped me a lot. I don’t have to worry. I know that I’m going to be fine,” she said.

Olivia is giving back something of her own as well. She has founded Olivia’s Wagon of Wonder. Throughout the year, she will be giving other pediatric oncology patients all sorts of arts and craft items that have been donated to the Wagon. When Olivia spent time in the hospital she passed the time with doing many art projects and she said wants to help other children do the same thing.

Liv’s original watercolor and acrylic painting will be auctioned off at the Wine Fest’s grand tasting on Feb. 25. Wine Fest Chairman Dr. Steve Machiz says the children’s artwork is typically one of the highest-bid lots.

The Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest is a signature event of the SWFL Children’s Charities, Inc., a 501c3 non-profit organization that provides funding to local charities serving local children. It begins the evening of Feb. 24, with Chef Vintner dinners in private homes around Southwest Florida for invited guests donating $1,000 to $1,500 per seat. Each dinner will showcase wines by featured vintners and culinary offerings from Southwest Florida’s finest chefs.

Then on Feb. 25, the chefs, vintners, dinner guests and others come together again, at the Miromar Lakes Beach & Golf Club for the Grand Tasting and Auction. Participating chefs prepare their favorite signature dishes to accompany the wine tastings.

The Auction features exceptional packages of special and unique wines, exclusive trips, amazing dining experiences and more. All proceeds from the auction and event ticket sales will benefit three causes benefiting children’s health care in our area: The Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida, Edison State College’s Pediatric Nursing Program and an endowment to Florida Gulf Coast University to establish a pre-med student scholarship.

Last year’s event netted $1.6 million resulting in a $1,250,000 donation to The Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida and $100,000 to both Edison State College and Florida Gulf Coast University for their respective pediatric nursing and pre-medical education programs.

To view a video about Olivia and an interview with her mother Michelle, or for more information about the Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest or ticket sales, visit www.swflwinefest.org or call 239-278-3900.

(Fort Myers, Fla. – January 6, 2012) – Butterflies and a bright purple kitten are featured in this year’s signature painting created by Olivia Ramsey of Fort Myers for the 2012 Wine & Food Fest. The painting will be auctioned at the Wine Fest Grand Tasting and Auction on February 25.

Olivia “Liv” is 7 years old and an oncology patient at The Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida. Now in the second grade, she was diagnosed with leukemia in December of 2010. According to her mom, Michelle, she is now in the maintenance phase of her 2.5-year treatment program. “Her first 6 months of treatment were the hardest, but she always handled everything with a smile. If you met her, you wouldn’t know she was battling cancer except for having shorter hair!”

The Ramseys considered moving north, to a cancer treatment center, before meeting Dr. Emad Salman of The Children’s Hospital. “We didn’t know what we had in our own back yard,” Michelle said. “The facility is phenomenal. The nurses, the physicians, they are so knowledgeable and they treat you so well. They’ve made us feel comfortable the whole way through and it’s scary ride.”

The doctors and nurses at The Children’s Hospital have become heroes to Liv. “They’ve done so much for me and they’ve helped me a lot. I don’t have to worry. I know that I’m going to be fine,” she said.

Olivia is giving back something of her own as well. She has founded Olivia’s Wagon of Wonder.  Throughout the year, she will be giving other pediatric oncology patients all sorts of arts and craft items that have been donated to the Wagon.  When Olivia spent time in the hospital she passed the time with doing many art projects and she said wants to help other children do the same thing.

Liv’s original watercolor and acrylic painting will be auctioned off at the Wine Fest’s grand tasting on Feb. 25. Wine Fest Chairman Dr. Steve Machiz says the children’s artwork is typically one of the highest-bid lots.

The Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest is a signature event of the SWFL Children’s Charities, Inc., a 501c3 non-profit organization that provides funding to local charities serving local children. It begins the evening of Feb. 24, with Chef Vintner dinners in  private homes around Southwest Florida for invited guests donating $1,000 to $1,500 per seat. Each dinner will showcase wines by featured vintners and culinary offerings from Southwest Florida’s finest chefs.

Then on Feb. 25, the chefs, vintners, dinner guests and others come together again, at the Miromar Lakes Beach & Golf Club for the Grand Tasting and Auction. Participating chefs prepare their favorite signature dishes to accompany the wine tastings.

The Auction features exceptional packages of special and unique wines, exclusive trips, amazing dining experiences and more. All proceeds from the auction and event ticket sales will benefit three causes benefiting children’s health care in our area: The Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida, Edison State College’s Pediatric Nursing Program and an endowment to Florida Gulf Coast University to establish a pre-med student scholarship.

Last year’s event netted $1.6 million resulting in a $1,250,000 donation to The Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida and $100,000 to both Edison State College and Florida Gulf Coast University for their respective pediatric nursing and pre-medical education programs.

To view a video about Olivia and an interview with her mother Michelle, or for more information about the Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest or ticket sales, visit www.swflwinefest.org or call 239-278-3900.

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Their initials precede their answers.  To view the video of the interview, please visit our “wines” page at http://www.swflwinefest.org/wines/

What sets Benovia apart from other wineries?
JA
Well, I’d like to say, one our general manager and winemaker, Mike Sullivan.  It goes without saying he is an excellent at what he does and much fun to work with.  In addition his knowledge is so vast and he explains it in understandable terms that everybody wants to sit and learn from Mike.  Because he knows the vineyard side as well as he does the winemaking side and that is not a universal talent among winemakers.  And then our commitment to finding the best sites.  All three soils are so much different it brings the different aspects of the Chilean climate to bear to give the palette to the winemaker to do his magic.

What is unique about your location in the Russian River Valley?
MS
You know sites tend to express different characteristics.  Some sites in cooler areas retain higher a natural acidity and they tend to not be as rich and layered… they tend to a bit more of a vibrancy and about precision.  So in terms of whether, as a winery, it’s a style we shift from new to old world, I would say that we embrace sites that have a tendency  to be more old world in character or more new world in character. You know, we could make other great pinot noirs in other places in the world but they wouldn’t be specific to the Russian River Valley.  There’s something that’s special about Sonoma County and the Russian River Valley that you can taste in our wines.  There’s something that’s authentic, something that’s really powerful that really comes from that site.  We could not duplicate that elsewhere.

 So what would I taste in your Pinot Noir?
MS
Well, in pinot noir it depends on the site, the soil and aspect but in Russian River Valley, you would taste a lot of mixed red fruit, mixed berries.  You could taste some black fruits like black berry and boysenberry, and spice.  You’d be able to get this kind of melange of baking spices.  Lots of nutmeg, cinnamon and allspice.  and then some other characteristics like cola or maybe even some earthy characteristics like minerality or even loamy kind of characteristics.

 What makes your Zinfandel special?
JA
I think, again, its older vines.  They’re planted right at the same time as the pinot noir up in the Cohn vineyard and the soil is quite a bit different up there.  And it brings, I believe, more minerality into the wine. Its not as peppery and spices as some others but it has, to my palette, a silky quality.

Tell us about your different styles of Chardonnay.
MD
I think in California you have had more of a history of style of making wines that are what many believe to be “over-oaked”.  If you taste the Burgandy wines they are much crisper, fresher… more minerality.  While there is oak there it’s just not over-oaked, I guess is how I would put it.  We don’t do that.  Mike makes different styles of Chardonnay.  He has some that might express oak a little bit  more forthright, sort of your California style though definitely not in the over-oaked category.  And then he also makes some that are very very light, very lemony, ah crispier, would be my description, that are just fantastic.

MS
Because we are in the Russian River Valley, because of the climate there, we are able to make Chardonnays that hold their acidity, that have a little more edge to them, that pair well with food and they are great matches through the course of a meal.

 What is your favorite food and wine pairing?
JA
The wonderful thing about the portfolio that we’ve been able to develop is really having wines that could handle almost anything that you get in a restaurant.   We have, of course the zin, which can handle more heavy beef and chocolate, of course.  Zin and chocolate.  If you’ve never done it… Zin and chocolate is one of my favorites.  But on the Pinot Noir side, it’s the Cohn vineyards with salmon.

MS
One that’s a little cliché, but duck.  You know, seared duck breast or maybe duck leg confit with Pinot Noir.  French green lentils, duck confit Pinot Noir.  Any Pinot Noir in our portfolio is a great match.  You know, a nice hearty winter dish… pairing off earthy, rich flavors of one another is a lot of fun.

MD
I love pairing the Char, the Sonoma Coast or La Pommeraiewith any good fish.  

What do you want people to remember about Benovia?
MD
Well, I’d most like them to remember that we are supporting this event and the Children’s Hospital and the other sponsors because of what they do. It’s really not about us, it’s about them. And I must say this community is fabulous for what they do for the children.  And we’re so impressed with the commitment of the community on behalf of what you do.  So that’s why we’re here and that’s what I hope people remember.

The evening will begin with a reception at 6:15 p.m. hosted by the wine and food trustees. At 7 p.m., Angelina’s, Southwest Florida’s premier Italian dining experience, will serve a four-course dinner featuring a menu planned to complement exclusive Benovia vintages.

“We are thrilled that this is the third year Angelina’s has been the signature vintner sponsor of the festival,” said Dr. Steve Machiz, chairman of the Southwest Florida Wine & Food Festival’s organizing charity, SWFL Children’s Charities Inc. “The signature vintner dinner is the perfect way to inspire everyone to get involved in next year’s festival.”

The cost of the dinner is $109 (plus tax and gratuity) per person and reservations are required by calling 239-277-3269.

Owned by the husband and wife team of Joe Anderson and Mary Dewane and their partner, Winemaker Mike Sullivan, Benovia Winery handcrafts fine Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays and Zinfandels using grapes grown in three unique vineyards located in California’s Russian River Valley AVA and Sonoma County AVA.  Since its establishment in 2005, Benovia  Winery has been earning high praise from both wine enthusiasts and publications. Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast , Ken’s Wine Guide, and International Wine Cellar all rate Benovia’s  wines among the best that California has to offer.

The Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest is a signature event of the SWFL Children’s Charities, Inc., a 501c3 non-profit organization that provides funding to local charities serving local children. One of Southwest Florida’s most successful fundraising events, it raised more than $1.2 million in 2011. For more information, visit www.swflwinefest.org or call 239-278-3900.

Conveniently situated in Bonita Springs, Angelina’s Ristorante, the 210-seat award-winning restaurant, serves classic Italian cuisine and features a 30-foot wine tower with more than 3,500 bottles of domestic and international wine. Committed to excellence, the restaurant is ideal for a romantic meal for three or a private party for 50. Two private meeting rooms are equipped to handle audiovisual presentations with state-of-the-art technology and customized menus are available for every event.

Angelina’s Ristorante is located at 24041 South Tamiami Trail, one mile south of Coconut Point. For more information, call 239-390-3187 or visit www.angelinasofbonitasprings.com.

(Fort Myers, Fla. – September 13, 2011)

Owned by the husband and wife team of Joe Anderson and Mary Dewane and their partner, Winemaker Mike Sullivan, Benovia Winery handcrafts fine Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays and Zinfandels using grapes grown in three unique vineyards located in California’s Russian River Valley AVA and Sonoma County AVA.  Since its establishment in 2005, Benovia  Winery has been earning high praise from both wine enthusiasts and publications. Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast , Ken’s Wine Guide, and International Wine Cellar all rate Benovia’s  wines among the best that California has to offer.

“In terms of wine making, Benovia Winery is much like children we strive to help through the Wine & Food Fest,” says Dr. Steve Machiz, chairman of the Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest’s sponsoring organization, SWFL Children’s Charities, Inc. “Young and filled with incredible promise. Coupled with the quality and variety of the wines that Benovia Winery brings to our event, this promises to be an extraordinary event. ”

As signature vintner, Benovia wines will be featured at the festival’s Grand Tasting and Auction on Feb. 25, 2012. They will also be featured at one of the festival’s private chef vintner dinners on Feb. 24, 2012.

The owners of Benovia Winery embrace the concept of sustainable farming at all of their vineyards, and take it a step further at the historic Cohn Vineyard, which is farmed organically. By using sustainable farming practices, Benovia Winery is expressing responsibility to its neighbors, as well as future generations.

About the Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest

The Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest is a signature event of the SWFL Children’s Charities, Inc., a 501c3 non-profit organization that provides funding to local charities serving local children. One of Southwest Florida’s most successful fundraising events, it raised more than $1.2 million in 2011. For more information, visit www.swflwinefest.org or call 239-278-3900.

(Fort Myers, FL – August 17, 2011)

Since its inception in 2009, the Wine Fest has raised nearly $3.5 million net for Southwest Florida Children’s Charities’ primary beneficiary The Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida, Edison State College’s pediatric nursing program and Florida Gulf Coast University’s endowed scholarship for pre-medical students pursuing study in pediatrics.

The Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest is a two-day event that begins with chef/vintner dinners in private homes throughout Southwest Florida and concludes with a Grand Tasting and Auction the following day. The Grand Tasting features gastronomic delights from more than a dozen of the region’s finest chefs along with signature wines from California, Oregon and other popular wine regions.

In announcing the sponsorship, Fort Myers Northern Trust President, Sandy Robinson said, “We are committed to improving the quality of life here in Lee County through our support of organizations and events including Southwest Florida Children’s Charities and The Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest.”

In addition to Northern Trust, the Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest is sponsored by Miromar Lakes, Lee Memorial Health System, Saks Fifth Avenue, Grandeur Magazine and the News-Press Media Group, Gulfshore Life Magazine and Gulfshore Business Magazine as well as several private donors.

“The Wine & Food Fest has been successful because it combines wonderful food and fine wine

with an exciting fundraising event that helps our community,” said Steve  Machiz, M.D., founding chairman of the Wine & Food Fest. “Each year the event raises the bar with the wine offerings, food pairings and auction packages.”

For more information The Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest, please go to www.SWFLWineFest.org, or call 239-278-3900.

WHAT:

9 Chef Vintner Dinners, 13 Wine Fest trustees, 9 Wineries, 3 wine distributors, 9 dinner chefs, 12 Chef stations at the Grand Tasting, 31 Live auction lots  (all detailed on www.swflwinefest.org)

Expect 400+ guests on Saturday at Grand Tasting

WHEN:  Feb. 25 and Feb. 26, 2011

WHERE: Chef Vintner Dinners will be held Friday, Feb. 25 at locations from Fort Myers, Bonita,

Miromar Lakes to Naples

Grand Tasting and Auction will be held Saturday, Feb. 26 at Miromar Lakes Beach Clubhouse, 10160 Miromar Lakes Blvd., E, Miromar Lakes, FL 33913

WHY:    To raise financial support for The Children’s Hospital of SWF, secondary beneficiaries include Edison State College pediatric nursing program and FGCU’s endowment for pre-medical studies for students interested in pediatric medicine.

The Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest is a signature event of the SWFL Children’s Charities, Inc., a 501c3 non-profit organization that provides funding to local charities serving local children. For more information, visit www.swflwinefest.org or call 239-278-3900.

Okay, so we’ve done all the planning we can do, we’ve held all the meetings we could possibly sit through and it’s almost time to throw the switch.  The 2011 Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest is upon us.  And this is my last blog for a while.

 My wife Debi reminded me this afternoon that the event is next weekend.  Huh?  I thought  it was still weeks away.  But if it’s just eight days from the time I write this, that explains a lot.

 It explains why there are uncountable bottles of wine in one of my unused offices, and why so many cases of incredible wines that I don’t own (pity) are strewn about the floor of my wine cellar at home.  It explains this stack of lists and notes and Excel spread sheets that have been building up, like dust bunnies in a dark corner, all over every visible space on my desk.

 But now, looking back on all the work that’s been done by so many wonderful, dedicated people, including our Foundation Trustees, dinner hosts, volunteers, vintners, local distributors, and the incredible people at Miromar Lakes, it’s difficult not to feel an enormous sense of satisfaction, even before the event takes flight.

 We’ve assembled many of the finest chefs in the area to strut their stuff at our host dinners, and to provide delicious nibbles at the Saturday Grand Tasting.  We’ve collected a range of wines from all over the world for you to sample, including one of my favorites, Craggy Range Le Sol Syrah from New Zealand.

(Sidebar..about a month ago, we were at Craggy Range in Hawke’s Bay, just outside the lovely village of Havelock North.  And guess what.  There really is a craggy range, right alongside the vineyard.  Here’s a photo.)

The Craggy Range Vineyard, New Zealand

Of course, we all have to put on an extra burst of speed as we round the clubhouse turn and race down the homestretch toward the finish line.  Now, it’s finalizing the table setups for the Grand Tasting and Auction, sorting out all these thousands of bottles of wines for the (amazing) auction lots, Grand Tasting, and host tables, nailing down the duties of our volunteers, putting lanyards on the credential cards we’ll all be wearing around our necks, moving furniture…you get the idea.
 

But it’s all worth it, and then some.  The minor benefit is that we’re going to have a great party in a gorgeous place with fabulous wines and generous people.  The major benefit is the tiny lives we’ll save through the contributions of all who attend.

 Is that a worthwhile way to spend a Saturday afternoon, or what?

Not the folks from Patz and Hall.  When we visited Donald on January 15, we discovered his tasting room (or “salon,” as they like to call it…and for good reason) tucked away in a corporate office park about two miles south of the town of Napa.

The Patz & Hall tasting salon

When we finally found it, after a not very diligent search, Heather Patz opened the door for us a few minutes before their official hour of 10AM.  The first question I had to ask was, “Why in the world would you put a tasting room in the middle of an office park?”

I didn’t have to wait long for an answer.  Promptly at ten, the doors opened and people started peeking in.  Groups of twos, fours, and sixes, one after the other.  We met with Donald (and shared a bottle of one of his winery’s excellent Pinot Noirs) in a conference room in the office part of the facility.  An hour later, when we left, the place was crawling with people who purposely went out of their way to find this hidden jewel of a tasting room.

Their efforts were rewarded, because Donald, Heather, and their two partners craft a selection of incredible Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs from some of the most outstanding vineyards in the area, including Pisoni and Hyde.

With Donald Patz

At this writing, we’re not sure which of the Patz and Hall treasures will be poured at the grand tasting, but having sampled just about all of them that morning, I promise you’re in for a delightful day.