Madrona Manor Gatsby Garden Party
Visiting fabulous Madrona Manor, Wine Country Inn & Restaurant, just one mile off the Healdsburg Plaza, feels like a step back into the days described by F. Scott Fitzgerald in his THE GREAT GATSBY; filmed years back with Robert Redford as Jay Gatsby, the Don Draper of his day, it is now coming again soon by Baz Luhrmann, starring Leonardo DiCaprio as the enigmatic self-made and self-destroyed man, in a large, bright “Moulin Rouge”/”Australia” style. Playing Daisy Buchanan is like playing Betty Draper…you just gotta look good…. I and my Plus One (daughter) are at the Madrona Manor Garden Party celebrating all things Gatsby. Food and drink are inspired by the novel (Mint Juleps and Gin Rickeys) and ditto...
Read MoreColagrossi Wines
Small, personal, careful, hand-crafted, food-friendly, exquisite wine production- in a Santa Rosa hip urban garagiste setting- Rhones and more; welcome to Colagrossi Wines! 650 delicious cases annually: Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Cabernet Franc & more. Salute! Craig Colagrossi I stop on in January on a cold, clear late afternoon, and Craig is working away at his labor of love, his wines. He is newly setting up for visitors in his shared digs in Santa Rosa. His enthusiasm is palpable and contagious, as he shows me different tanks and barrels, expertly and gracefully climbing up and over barrels to thieve me special tastes, ditto tank samples, describing intricately and passionately just how the fruit was sourced, how it was crushed, what sort of...
Read MorePartake by K-J
Partake by K-J is here! Let’s start with a wee bit of a dictionary visit- as do they, on the wall, where you enter: Definition of PARTAKE intransitive verb 1. to take part in or experience something along with others. 2. to have a portion (as of food or drink) 3. to possess or share a certain nature or attribute-as in: “The experience partakes of a mystical, special quality.” And so it does…. Click here for pronunciation and complete definitive stuff. The Approach. The Gallery. My Gallery: Visiting on a very hot, muggy, slightly overcast spring day, I am amazed at the cool, crisp, comfortable oasis of the interior space: Kendall-Jackson is all about taste – with the quality wines, sensory...
Read MoreSpring Skinny Healdsburg: K-J, Murphy-Goode, Stonestreet
Kendall-Jackson Healdsburg has moved just south of their former digs to 241 Healdsburg Avenue and is transformed into Partake by K-J. Blog to follow with my detail on Friday. So: whowhat will be moving into this now empty space? Drum roll please: Stonestreet will be moving into this space, targeting opening day near 1 July 2013. Stonestreet will be welcoming guests at both at the Estate and here in town. Moseying down the street, I turn west on Matheson to check in on Murphy-Goode. Amazingly hot day today- for April- and though the outdoor area looks inviting, with flowers and comfy furniture, tasters are inside with A/C, seated at spiffy tables, enjoying the brand-new Wine and Cheese Pairing- so new, even Wine Time TR does not know all...
Read MoreRedwood Empire Food Bank
Update: 5.14.13: Wine Road Continues to Give Back with a $28,000 Donation to Redwood Empire Food Bank Funds Generated Through Wine Road Annual Events and Designated Driver Program Healdsburg, CA (May 14, 2013) – Today the Wine Road, continuing its tradition of giving back to the community, will present a check for $28,000 to the Redwood Empire Food Bank. The presentation and photo opportunity takes place at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 14 at the Redwood Empire Food Bank, located at 3320 Industrial Drive in Santa Rosa. The funds are raised through a dollar donation from each ticket sold to the Wine Road’s annual Barrel Tasting and Winter WINEland events, as well as ongoing Ticket to the Wine Road sales. Additionally, 100-percent of the $5...
Read MoreMercury Wines
Mercury is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is commonly known as quicksilver and was formerly named hydrargyrum (from Greek “hydr-” water and “argyros” silver). Mercury Wines, Geyserville, CA, named for the mercury mines that once flourished in the eastern Alexander Valley, eloquently presents all aspects of the meaning of the word “mercury“, being able to be mercurial in vision to create, yet constant in quality presented, and able to employ Brad Beard’s expertise in alchemy to actually extract gold from vines into red and white wines. Ever present as amazing, warm host, artistic talents reflecting the vibe in lovely original artwork, is brother, Grady- check this out- the cutest gig...
Read MoreSanglier Cellars
For us it is simple. We choose exceptional vineyard sites, we farm them immaculately, and we craft the wines for the joy of the table. Cheers-Glenn and Melissa Alexander, Sanglier Cellars I am at the new Sanglier Cellars downtown Tasting Room on Plaza Street, just off of the Healdsburg Plaza. Sanglier, en francaise, pronunciation and translation: Sanglier (Sân glē ā) N. {French} Wild Boar- click here to hear a French person pronounce. It rhymes with “sommelier” which seems just right, as I view a delicious array of Rhone and other small production Sanglier wines, with a boar and tusk, tusque, label design, smartly displayed on the bright and airy bar in the newly renovated space, exterior concrete wall newly reborn with...
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