Join Adobe Road Winery at Bull & Bear at Waldorf Astoria Orlando, for a one-of-a-kind dinner and wine pairing as only Adobe Road Winery can bring, at 6:30pm on Monday March 12.

On hand will be Kevin Buckler, Adobe Road Winery / TRG team owner and Le Mans and Daytona winning racecar driver.

Experience the award-winning Bull & Bear restaurant, serving a culinary journey of epic proportions. The restaurant, named Best Fine Dining by Orlando Home & Leisure, offers a menu of trend-setting fare.

During this special dinner there will be ample opportunity to speak personally with Kevin regarding his incredible racing stories and the challenges involved in owning one of the top professional sports car team teams and an award-winning boutique winery.

This is an opportunity for an amazing evening not to be missed! Cost for the night is $150 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Cost includes 7 courses paired with the latest award-winning wines from Adobe Road.

To make reservations, please call (407) 597-5409 or contact us by email at: alexandria.herndon@hilton.com.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Wine Pairing and Dinner Menu

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~Amuse Bouche~

Foie Gras Flan Topped with Parmesan Foam

Wine: 2009 Dry Creek Sauvignon Blanc

~1st Course~

Brentwood Farms Corn Soup – Brilliant Savarin and Pain Perdu Terrine – Spicy Pop Corn

Wine: 2007 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

~2nd Course~

Wood Crusted Langostine - Braised Chipolini Onion – Sun Artichoke in a Lobster Bouillon

Wine: 2008 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay

~3rd Course~

Foie Gras Torchon – Rainier Cherries Pure – Saint Germain Gelèe – Marcona Almond Powder

Wine: 2009 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

~4th Course~

Escargot and Gnocchi – Black Fermented Garlic – Shimeji Mushroom

Wine: 2007 Dry Creek Syrah

~Cheese Course~

Bijou and Mesclun Salad

Wine: Redline Zin/Cab/Syrah Blend

~6th Course~

Briquette of Aged Midwestern Sirloin, Potato Pave, Petite Vegetables, Perigourdine

Wine: 2007 Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

~7th Course~

The Lemon

The quaint tasting room is located on the West side of the plaza right in the middle of the block. We were greeted by the very friendly tasting room manager and welcomed in to the room like we were family.

They taste 4 wines for $5 and also have a higher-end flight for $10. A real bargain given the quality of the wine.

I very much enjoyed their Mendocino Grenache which had an awesome retail price of $15.

All the wines were good to very good and are made just over the hill in Petaluma from vineyards throughout Sonoma County and beyond. I also found out that the owner is an avid race car driver and owner of a very successful racing teams in NASCAR and the Rolex Sportscar Series – good stuff!

And in true Sonoma fashion turns out my father-in-law sees the tasting room manager often on the ‘bike path’ walking her dogs. Ahh, small town living. Everyone knows everyone. Maybe not completely true, but it happens a lot.

I would definitely recommend a stop in to the Adobe Road tasting room on the plaza. The wine is great, the atmosphere is inviting and the staff is friendly, knowledgeable and fun. Not to mention the room is open until 7 and you can purchase a bottle and hang out on their back patio. It’s a fantastic Sonoma experience.

Cheers!

With more than 55,000 acres now under cultivation in the county, Sonoma’s wine industry is so revered it’s generated upwards of 13 sub-appellations – all highly coveted for their unique terroirs and contributions to building fine wine brands — and it commands impressive prices for the fermented juice of the vines.

In but two short hours this coming Thursday, we’ll sample from three of the best. Here are their stories:

From their own websites: Roessler Cellars began in 2000 when long-time restaurateur Roger Roessler and experienced winemaker Richard Roessler merged talents to produce their first vintage of Pinot Noir. Inspired by a winemaking friend to “buy a few grapes” and “make a little wine,” the brothers sourced Sonoma grapes from the celebrated grape-growers, the Sangiacomo family. Over the years, they added new vineyards to their portfolio and grew from 225 cases of the original Sangiacomo fruit, to over 7,000 cases of 17 single-vineyard and appellation designated Pinots and 4 single-vineyard Chardonnays. The simple idea to “buy a few grapes” and “make a little wine” snowballed into the creation of a truly diverse and quality-focused enterprise.

The map of Roessler Cellars’ select growers stretches from the Santa Rita Hills of Santa Barbara to northern Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Though our label’s wide assortment of vineyards reflects our passion and commitment to the Pinot and Chardonnay varietals, our company was born out of a gamble.

Having spent over 40 years in the restaurant business, Roger Roessler had a natural attraction to winemaking. His restaurants’ wine lists resembled this interest, increasingly emphasizing high-end, single-vineyard Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. In 1993, his newest location, the Swiss Hotel, was situated in the heart of wine country on the Sonoma plaza. While managing the restaurant, the local Pinot fruit and scenery captivated him, so much so that Roger made Sonoma his permanent home.

Richard Roessler’s business career was in Southern California, but he frequently made trips to Sonoma after his brother’s move to wine country. The culmination of Richard’s regular visits occurred in 1999, when his brother suggested crafting premium wine under the Roessler Cellars label. Richard shortly followed Roger to Sonoma and the work of creating fine wines began.

After their first vintage, Roessler Cellars quickly evolved into one of the premier producers of handcrafted Pinot Noirs in the U.S., sourcing fruit from many of the finest coastal vineyards on the continent. The gamble of relocating and investing in premium grapes was not a timid wager. However, the result of the work, patience and investment has been the cultivation of a library of first-rate Pinots and Chardonnays. The story of their beginning is similar to the story of their outlook toward the future. They have invested heavily in a variety of high-quality grapes to create the best wines possible. But more than anything, they hope your enjoyment of their wine exceeds the pleasure they had creating them!

2008 Griffin’s Lair Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir ($46) – Griffin’s Lair is located in the Sonoma Coast appellation, a few miles north of San Pablo Bay in the Lakeville area. Concentrated and complex, this wine is a blend of Pommard, Swan and Dijon 115 clones, and is a great expression of the unique character of the vineyard.  Complex and dark, our Griffin’s Lair Pinot Noir shows off the classic character of this Sonoma Coast vineyard. The aromatic profile is full of dark, foresty scents and a meaty, savory character with just enough eucalyptus, fennel, and mint to add lift. Bright fruit on the palate joins the darker tones from the nose, providing a broad mouthfeel that stretches through a lingering finish of currant, earth tones, and leather. 269 cases.

2008 Gap’s Crown Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir ($46) – Gap’s Crown sits high up on the slopes of the Petaluma Gap, where cool ocean breezes blow inland from the Pacific to create a terrific climate for growing Pinot Noir. Roessler harvests a classic combination of clones from different sections of the vineyard, with the fruit character of Dijon 667 and the structure and depth of Dijon 115 coming together in a complex expression of the site.

Starting out with low, creamy tones and woody, dusty notes, our 2008 Gap’s Crown Pinot Noir opens into a dense, rich nose full of berry-fruit. Deep, dark flavors mingle with a brightening streak of black cherry and raspberry as subtle hints of violets and bay laurel build towards a finish laced with picholine olives. The wine continues to open up over a few days, maintaining its richness and depth with balanced fruit. 248 cases.

2008 Shea Williamette Valley  Pinot Noir  ($50) – Originally planted in 1989, the Shea Vineyard holds 135 acres of some of the finest Pinot Noir in Oregon. Dick and Dierdre Shea farm the vineyard with an eye toward sustainability and take great care in providing remarkable fruit that is a pleasure to vinify. At 400-600 elevation in the heard of the Yamhill-Carlton district, the vineyard boasts sedimentary soils, sloping terrain, and a variety of clones, all contributing to the final complexity and nuance of this wine.

A layered perfume of red raspberry, violet and rosemary leads to an interweave of ripe red fruit, earth, mineral, and spice.  The generous mid-palate surges within a balanced frame, transcending to a long finish of vanilla and black cherry. 143 cases.

Great interview with Roger Roessler on YouTube.

Review here and here.

P.S. The Tasting Room was built in the 1920s by the Sebastianis.

Renowned sports car racer and entrepreneur Kevin Buckler and his wife, Debra, own adobe Road Winery. Adobe Road Winery produces award winning Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Grenache, Meritage, Petite Sirah, Pinot Noir, Rosé, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Zinfandel and Dessert Wines exclusively from Sonoma and Napa County sources. The tasting room is located in Sonoma, California.

In 1992 Kevin founded The Racer’s Group (TRG) and grew it into an internationally prominent manufacturer and distributor of performance Porsche parts, while simultaneously building a career as a successful endurance sports car racer and team owner. Kevin’s accomplishments as a driver include class wins at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona (2002) and the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans (2002), an overall win at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona (2003), and the title of Porsche World Cup Champion in 2002. As a team owner, Kevin has directed the growth of The Racer’s Group into an internationally acclaimed racing team.

With friends, the Bucklers started making “garage wine” which, after prodding from enthusiastic friends, started commercially bottling under the Adobe Road label in 1999. Through Kevin’s good connections, he has acquired grapes from some very prestigious vineyards, which he handcrafts into extremely limited-production wines. The awards that followed inspired the all out effort to make Adobe Road Winey the premier small lot winery of Sonoma County. With the goal of producing exceptional wines by handcrafting small lots of red and white varietals exclusively from Sonoma and Napa Counties, the Bucklers have dedicated themselves to seeing their vision through to reality, and the results are paying off.

2006 Cabernet Franc Knights Valley Bavarian Lion Vineyard ($40) – The Knights Valley has always produced a classic, velvety varietaly correct Cabernet Franc and this was achieved again for this vintage. True to form, this well-balanced wine is loaded with earth tones and bright cranberry on the nose. The cigar box base with nutmeg tendencies will echo on the palate. 275 cases.

Complex and inviting, with a generous mix of ripe plum, black cherry and berry fruit that’s supple, balanced, deep and persistent, picking up a nice black licorice note. There’s wonderful persistence on the finish, with firm, integrated tannins. 
- Jim Laube, Wine Spectator, 10-7-09; Wine Spectator – 91

Video here on their website, and a review here.

The Hawkes family has been growing grapes in the Alexander Valley for more than 30 years. Today they own and farm three vineyards, all planted on sparsely soiled hillsides, and all yielding small amounts of highly intense fruit. When launching the Hawkes label, their aim was to translate their extraordinary standards for the quality of the grapes into extraordinary wines.

Their newest vineyard, planted on Chalk Hill Road in 1996, is named the Pyramid for the extremely sharp, often terraced hills on which it grows. The entire Pyramid Ranch is nearly 120 acres, only 18 acres of which are planted, all in Cabernet Sauvignon. By having chosen and developed this ranch for the sole purpose of producing Cabernet Sauvignon, and by limiting cultivation to such a small area, not only are they able to guarantee ideal conditions for farming, but are also able to leave the vast majority of the ranch as wild land.

The Home Ranch Vineyard, which is bordered to the north by a forest of Douglas Fir and oak, and to the south by a tributary of the Russian River, is planted in Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay.

The Home Ranch itself takes the shape of a small valley, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot planted in the thin chalky soils of its surrounding hills and Chardonnay growing in the slightly richer soils of the foothills below. As a result of this layout, the Cabernet and Merlot receive the benefit of greater exposure to the elements and exceptional drainage, while the Chardonnay often spends much of the day shrouded in the fog flowing off the Pacific Ocean and through the Russian River Valley.

The Home Ranch Vineyard’s unique geography, together with minimal irrigation and a program of aggressive thinning in the Spring, ends with the red grapes in loose clusters of thick-skinned, densely flavored berries. This is particularly true of the Cabernet Sauvignon, where the upper hills often yield less than two tons to the acre.

In 2002, when they decided to launch their own label, they asked Herman Froeb, an old family friend who has been making wine from our grapes since the early 1980s, to be their winemaker. He accepted. Herman’s intimate familiarity with our farming philosophy and the character of our grapes produce wines that show a knowledge and respect for the particulars of each vineyard and variety. Each year they choose a small percentage of the grapes they grow for their own wine. They preserve the quality of this fine fruit by harvesting it when it is ripe, not over-ripe, and by giving it the oak aging it demands to be its best, no more. Hawkes wine is made exclusively from fruit they grow, with both farmer and winemaker involved in every stage of the wine’s evolution, from the vine, to the barrel, to the bottle.

2006 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($40) – Estate grown and produced in the Alexander Valley. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged in barrel for 20 months, 40 percent new French oak. A blend of fruit from two hillside vineyards: 40 percent from our Pyramid vineyard, 30 percent from our Stone Vineyard and 30 percent from our Red Winery Road Vineyard. Black Cherry. Plum. Currant. Elegant. Balanced. 800 cases. 14.1% ABV, bottled June 2008.

The Red Winery Road Vineyard, 22 acres in all, is planted in Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. It is a long, narrow rectangle, running from the floor of the Alexander Valley, up to the base of the Mayacamas Mountains. The Hawkes Family have been working this farm for more than 30 years now, searching for root stocks to match the field’s unusually varied soils. That they chose the Red Winery Road Vineyard for the source of their inaugural vintage is a testament to the fine results of this long effort.

2006 Hawkes Pyramid Cabernet Sauvignon ($60) – Volcanic soils. Dark Fruits. Showy. Huge. Estate grown and bottled in the Alexander Valley. 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged in barrel for 30 months, 50 percent new French oak. From the best of fruit on our rugged Pyramid Vineyard, located in the hills between Chalk Hill and Knights Valley. Just 150 cases produced. 30 Cases available.

2003 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Library Wine ($40) – Leather and spice aromas give way to blackberry flavors, along with balanced tannins and acidity.  The fruit is ripe enough for instant gratification, but the wine’s structure makes it suitable for aging.  Yum.

Learn more from this YouTube video on Hawkes.

Reviews of their tasting room here and here. (Click logo above to visit Hawkes’ website.)

Still haven’t registered for this fabulous event? Register Now!

Sonoma AVA

The Napa/Sonoma WWS chapter is kicking off its first annual Appellation Series by celebrating the wines of the Sonoma AVA.

What is an “AVA”? An American Viticultural Area is a designated wine grape-growing region in the United States that is distinguishable by geographic features, and has its boundaries defined by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), United States Department of the Treasury.

Why group wines by AVA? There are many answers, but let’s start with the fact that traditionally, in old world wine-growing countries, such as France, Italy and Spain, the finest wines came to be known from the locations in which the grapes were grown. Knowing that the wine you are about to consume is from Sonoma provides greater confidence in the bottle’s contents than a wine from, say, Timbuktu!

On June 9^th, we will be tasting wines from three of Sonoma’s finest wineries with tasting rooms on the historic Sonoma Plaza. We’ll have more in a future post about wine history and current production in Sonoma County, but for now, here is more on the three wineries (cribbed somewhat liberally from their own websites, linked below):

Roessler’s Estate Vineyard is located 4 miles from the Pacific Ocean in the northernmost area of Sonoma County and was planted in the early summer of 2003. Founder Roger Roessler is joined by his brother, Richard Roessler, and renowned winemaker Wells Guthrie in developing some of the region’s finest vintages.

Roessler Cellars has made it a mission to make the finest single vineyard and appellation Chardonnay and Pinot Noir since 2000. They produce the highest-quality single-vineyard and appellation designated wines from the best wine growing regions in the United States. Their growers cultivate the grapes according to their strict farming criterion, and they carefully craft their wine to represent the best and breadth of America’s wine country.

Roessler primarily focuses on single-vineyard Pinot Noir, but have also added small lots of premium Chardonnay, which they feel are in keeping with their Burgundian roots. By searching out grapes from the premier grape growers in areas best suited to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, they are able to show unique and distinctive character arising from these specific sites. Working with the growers to maintain quality is paramount to ensuring the highest-quality fruit, and they tirelessly pursue precision in their production facility and in the vineyards.

Great interview with Roger Roessler on YouTube.

Review here and here.

P.S. The Tasting Room was built in the 1920s by the Sebastianis.

Adobe Road Winery produces award winning small lot Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Grenache, Meritage, Petite Sirah, Pinot Noir, Rosé, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Zinfandel and Dessert Wines exclusively from Sonoma County vineyards.

Owners Kevin and Debra Buckler have a driving passion for wine. (He is a professional racecar driver and team owner.) They opened the Adobe Road Winery in southern Sonoma County to create wines that capture the essence of the vineyard. “We work hard to make sure each bottle of Adobe Road wine is handcrafted to showcase the best of each individual vineyard in each appellation we make wine from,” says Kevin. “We choose the best parts of Sonoma and Napa Valley for our elite Cabernet Sauvignons, Dry Creek for our hedonistically rich Syrah and Sauvignon Blanc, the Russian River and Petaluma Gap for our ethereal Pinot Noirs and lavishly flavored yet sleek Chardonnay.”

It is this passion to be the best and share his wines with the rest of the world that drives Kevin. With his wine team, he spends countless hours in the vineyard and the winery to perfect the flavor of each wine so they reflect the unique terroir and the passionate grower who farms the land. It is this attention to detail that brings out the personality and character of the wines and has garnered so many awards at major competitions around the country.

A new boutique wine facility was created in 2008 to make wines in small lots with uncompromising control. There isn’t always a need for speed. The winery is specifically designed to allow Kevin and his world-class winemaking team to spend time with each lot. Carefully monitoring each barrel, taking the time to make the right decisions, time to fully understand and manage the variables that go into crafting the perfect wines. You take one look at the winery—with its pristine state-of-the-art winemaking equipment and shiny, spotless floors—and you know there is a desire to make the best.

Video here on their website, and a review here.

P.S. Kevin’s racing company is an internationally prominent manufacturer and distributor of performance Porsche parts!

The Hawkes family has been growing grapes in the Alexander Valley for more than 30 years. They own and farm three vineyards, all planted on sparsely soiled hillsides, and all yielding small amounts of highly intense fruit. When they launched the Hawkes label, they aimed to translate their extraordinary standards for the quality of their grapes into extraordinary wines.

Hawkes’ Alexander Valley wine is made exclusively from fruit they grow, with both farmer and winemaker involved in every stage of the wine’s evolution, from the vine, to the barrel, to the bottle. 

Growing100% varietal grapes for over forty years, and bottling under the Hawkes private label since 2002, father-and-son winemakers Stephen and Jake Hawkes produce handcrafted wines from their family-owned vineyards in the Alexander Valley. Visitors can taste Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay indoors or on the patio. The winery’s vintages are sold from the tasting room or online only.

Learn more from this YouTube video on Hawkes.

Reviews of their tasting room here and here. (Click logo above to visit Hawkes’ website.)

Still haven’t registered for this fabulous event? Register Now!

320 art lovers turned out Saturday’s night at the Petaluma Arts Center  for  ”Arts d’Light,” the Petaluma Arts Council’s inaugural celebration of local creative artists.  Vicky Kumpfer, PAC executive director, called the event  a “huge success” and hopes to turn it into an annual event.

Light was the operative theme both inside and outside the arts center.  For the past week, in anticipation of the party, the council’s exterior has been illuminated on the Lakeville Highway side with a dazzling computerized light installation created by Petaluma lighting wizard Chad Dunbar.   Inside the center, the galleries which are currently

The Railway’s Depot’s main gallery space was tranformed into a buffet and wine tasting area for about 300 Petaluman’s who turned out to support the Petaluma Arts Council

exhibiting stone sculptures by Edwin Hamilton and drawings by Chester Arnold, were adorned with 89 additional artworks created and donated by local artists especially for an “Objects d’Light” silent auction to benefit the Arts Council.

Also screening on the main gallery’s back wall was an urban scape created especially for the event by Nicholas van Kridjt which consisted of film footage shot entirely from his car window on a drive from San

The art works of Edwin Hamilton and Chester Arnold currently on exhibit took on “Arts d’Light’s” thematic lighting as the gallery was transformed into a dramatically glowing dance floor later in the evening.

Francisco to the Petaluma Arts Center.   Van Kridjt’s luminous oak tree, projected on another gallery wall, provided the perfect backdrop for many of the evening’s  photographs.

In addition to fine art, Petaluma catering wizard Tracy Gentry and her team of volunteers coordinated a virtual feast of local gourmet foods, desserts and premium wines donated by over 60 local businesses, galleries and wineries.  Some of the more well-known sponsors included Carter’s Classic Catering, Jerome’s Bar-B-Que, Lala’s Creamery, Viva Cocolat, Petaluma Coffee and Tea and numerous local wineries including Adobe Road Winery, Azari Vineyards, Hanzell Vineyards, Jacuzzi Family Vineyards, Imagery Winery, Kendall-Jackson Winery, Pflender Vineyards, Singer Cellars, Sonoma Valley Portworks and Petaluma’s Lagunitas Brewing Company.

Michael Garlington’s fabulous photo installation “In the Eye of Michael Garlington” allowed to look into Garlinton’s third eye and see a reflection of their own eye…the crowd favorite

Local musicians serenaded guests.  Los Gu’achis, featuring Steve Della Maggiori, Barbara Arhon and Argus Courier editor Chris Samson played the music of Mexico as the party began.  Bruce Kurnow strolled the galleries playing blues/roots tunes on his harmonica.  Later in the evening, jazz pianist Bob Johns played keyboard with Steve Della Maggiori on bass as people enjoyed port, coffee, a delectible self-serve belgian chocolate fondue fountain and homemade ice cream.

While people partied indoors, Clifford Hill a member of the Santa Rosa kinetic artist collective Krank, Boom, Clank offered complimentary rides around Petaluma on his amazing

Clifford Hill offered guests rides around town on his whimsical kinetic Hennepin Crawler. Image by Scott Hess.

Hennepin Crawler to those nimble and sober enough to climb aboard the foot-powered contraption.  While most of the partygoers adorned themselves glowing baubles,  Theresa Hughes, Clifford’s wife and owner of Atelier Therese in Santa Rosa, was enchanting in a period costume she created that was clearly meant to recall the pre-electrical era.

The evening’s silent auction was a huge success with many pepole participating.  The highest bid offered was for Sean Paul Lorentz’s sculpture “Betty’s Ornament” which raised $555 for the Petaluma Arts Council.

After the auction winners were announced, DJ LaShonda ushered in the Afterglow Dance Party and the lights were turned down for dancing.    “We are so proud that so many people came out to the celebration and are expressing what an asset the center is to our commnity,” said Vicky Kumpfer.  “Light is essential and a universal and we couldn’t be more d’lighted with the turnout.”

Artist Mark Grieve’s “The Light that Came Out of the Closet,” a marijuana growing set-up that points to the hypocrisy of the liberal pot culture and reflects an important environmental issue—indoor cannabis production leaves a very nasty carbon footprint.

David Nunes-Childs and his mother Petlauma artist Cecilia Nunes whose paintings are currently at the Tea Room Cafe

Petaluma artist Alison Marks, Arts Council co-founder and current board member

Karen Petersen, President PAC Board of Directors, and Petaluma photographer Scott Hess who contributed photos to the Silent Art Auction

Vicky Kumpfer, Executive Director, Petaluma Arts Council, beaming in a black lace dress with its own voltage

Gina Benedetti-Petnik with a third eyeful after peeping into Michael Garlington’s installation and seeing her own eye.

Petaluma Arts Council’s Jonna Ramey took a break from shooting party pics to say she was “d’ lighted with d’ turnout”

Designer Theresa Hughes of Atelier Therese in Santa Rosa was resplendent in period costume

Nick Van Kridjt, Tammara Norman and Edwin Hamilton. Edwin’s stone works are on display at the Petaluma Arts Council through July 4, 2010.

Persian film buffs and winemakers Pari and Kamal Azari of Azari Vineyards served a d’lightful Shiraz

(foreground) Petaluma’s Barry Singer of Barry Singer Gallery and Singer Cellars proudly poured his vin Franc and other specialties. (background) Winemaker Michael NcNeill of Hanzell Vineyards in Sonoma offered strong competition.

Karen Petersen, ARThound (Geneva Anderson), Cecelia Nunes and David Nunes-Childs against Nicholas Van Kridjt’s stunning Oak Tree

Mario Bosanac of Lala’s Creamery serving cones that many partiers dipped in Viva Cocolat’s streaming chocolate fondue

Will Mendoza, owner of Lala’s Creamery of Petaluma, could barely keep up with the demand for his homemade cones

Jazz Pianist Bob Johns and bass Steve Della Maggiori played as guests enjoyed fondue and ice cream

Taking place in conjunction with the Jimmie Johnson Foundation 100 – a NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race – Phoenix International Raceway’s “Night of Champions” will raise funds and awareness for the Arizona State University College of Nursing & Healthcare Innovation. The event will take place from 6-10 p.m., running throughout the Jimmie Johnson Foundation 100, and will also include a wine tasting created by NASCAR team owner and owner/founder of Adobe Road Winery, Kevin Buckler.

Tickets for Phoenix International Raceway’s “Night of Champions” are currently available for $300 per person, and guests will enjoy fine food and drink, an exclusive silent and live auction, and the opportunity to interact with the popular and entertaining sports personalities, all while contributing to the advancement of nursing and healthcare research at one of Arizona’s leading educational institutions.

Presenting sponsorships for the event are also available. Sponsorship packages include inclusion on all event materials and an array of exclusive experiences throughout the NASCAR event weekend at PIR.

Those interested in attending the “Night of Champions” are encouraged to contact Stacy Kutz at (623) 463-5632 or skutz@phoenixinternationalraceway.com. Those interested in sponsorship opportunities may contact Jonathan Stone at (623) 463-5672 or jstone@phoenixinternationalraceway.com.

Tickets for the April 10 SUBWAY Fresh Fit 600™ – with prices as low as $25 – and all other events throughout the first NASCAR event weekend of 2010 at Phoenix International Raceway are still available at www.phoenixraceway.com or by calling 1-866-408-RACE (7223).

In a future article, I’ll talk about that path to the hard stuff, to Cabernet Sauvignon, but today is all about White Zinfandel.

Zinfandel is a red grape and is used to make the red wine Zinfandel. Squeezing almost any red grape, including the Zinfandel grape produces a clear juice. It is by putting the skins back in contact with the juice during fermentation, sometimes aided by punching the skins down into the juice or pumping the juice over the skins, that the color from the skins is imparted to the juice. This is, in short, how red wine becomes red.

Although there is some evidence that Zinfandel may have been made into a White Zinfandel as early as 1869 in Lodi, CA; Sutter Home Winery in the  Napa Valley is generally credited with making the White Zinfandel you are familiar with in the 1970′s, quite by accident.

Sutter Home had already been making a clear juice white wine from Zinfandel grapes, fermented to dryness in the early 1970′s, which tasted nothing like what you are familiar with today, but was called white Zinfandel.

Alcohol occurs during the fermentation of grape juice into wine when yeasts consume and convert sugar into carbon dioxide and alcohol.

In 1975, Sutter Home has some Zinfandel juice experience a stuck fermentation, where the yeast just stopped consuming sugar. The result was considered to be defective, sweeter and lower in alcohol than desired. The odd wine was put aside for possible blending into other wines later. Before blending, a winemaker tasted the sweet, lower alcohol, pink wine and liked the taste. Thus was born the White Zinfandel everyone is familiar with today.

Sutter Home Winery is the creator of White Zinfandel…by accident.

Now wineries can stop the fermentation cold, literally; freezing the outside of the tank can stop the fermentation process inside the tank. White Zinfandels can be made with very high sugar and low alcohol or very low sugar and high alcohol, or any point in between.

I drink Zinfandel, the original red wine. I do not drink White Zinfandel with much frequency. The reason I drink Zinfandel instead of White Zinfandel is a matter of preference. I prefer all dry red wines to all sweet white and rosé wines. But I do drink sweet white, rosé and White Zinfandel on occasion – often because they are the perfect wine for a pairing.

I found a video with a wine knowledgeable gal spouting some of the most foolishly snobby declarations; she actually spent time to create a video dedicated to putting down White Zinfandel and people who enjoy White Zinfandel. I am saddened to say that she is not alone in her superior attitude. I have written before of my disappointment with the job the wine industry does marketing its product and with the wine writers writing for each other, out snobbing each other, instead of writing for regular folks – there are in fact some very good, unpretentious wine writers out there, but too few make it to print in my opinion.

Snobby wine gal video: http://www.ehow.com/video_2290320_why-avoid-drinking-white-zinfandel.html

Sutter Home claims that 1 in every 10 wine bottles opened in America, a full 10%, is White Zinfandel. Many of the most expensive Champagnes in France are a rosé bubbly. I find the wine snob attitude, a tendency to look down on “lDanesser” wines and the people who enjoy them, is usually from people who think they know wine – but don’t.

People new to wine appreciate the accessibility of White Zinfandel, it is easily enjoyed. People who have been around the industry a long time appreciate that many people would not come to wine at all if it weren’t for White Zinfandel; and take away 1 in 10 wine bottles being opened in America, and you’ll see layoffs in the industry.

It is only the pseudo connoisseur that rushes to judge an entire segment of wine “inferior”. Typical of those who do not have true knowledge or ability, they put something down thinking it builds them up. Neither new to wine, or genuinely wine knowledgeable, these people are asses, plain and simple. Let them sit at home alone fondling their Dana Estates’ 2007 Lotus Vineyard Cab in the dark.

Show me a party with White Zinfandel and I’ll show you a party with some fun people, a party likely to be more animated than a serious consideration of flights from top producers of Pinot Noir. I’m not knocking Pinot Noir, I dearly love it; I’m just saying White Zinfandel is fun. and fun is often too lacking in wine.

White Zinfandel, like any other wine, changes winery to winery, appellation to appellation, and vintage to vintage. Winemaking choices play an even greater role in creating variation between labels. The color varies from a pale golden blush to an orange sunset, from a salmon color, to pink and even a darker purpley pink. White Zinfandel is most often sweet, but again there is variety, with bottles ranging from rather dry to very sweet.

When I worked for Windsor Vineyards, our winemaker Carol Shelton made a White Zinfandel out of 100% Zinfandel grapes, even though she could used just 75% Zinfandel and blended in a much less expensive grape, and still, by law, called it a White Zinfandel. DeLoach Vineyards also made a 100% Zinfandel White Zinfandel at the time. For some wineries, making a quality wine is more important than making an inexpensive wine. Carol Shelton is America’s most awarded winemaker and has been named Winemaker ofthe year on more than one occasion. Carol, who made great white Zinfandel, and an exciting Provence styled rosé, is the epitome of class.

I always enjoyed a crushed strawberries over ice quality when tasting Carol Shelton made Windsor Vineyards White Zinfandel. Other notes you may find when sipping a White Zinfandel include raspberry, cherry, blackberry, and citrus. Lighter in style, this wine pairs well with many of the lighter dishes of summer.

White Zinfandel is the name of one rose or blush wine made from Zinfandel grapes, but the same process of creating a white or rosé wine from red wine grapes can be used to create White Merlot, White Cabernet, White Pinot Noir, or any other white red wine varietal wine.

Put simply, White Zinfandel (and other rosé or blush wine made from red wine grapes) is often the perfect summer sipper, whether at a picnic, a party, or at the table.

Last year, a friend wanted to come out to Sonoma County and spend a week tasting wines together. She does not drink dry red wines and would not have enjoyed a vacation built around tasting Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel. She does not drink white wines, so Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc was out. She does enjoy the occasional glass of Beringer White Zinfandel, so I built a vacation throughout the north coast around tasting award winning blush and rosé wines.

White Zinfandel presents many different flavors because there are so many different ways to make a White Zinfandel; blending choices, sweetness levels, and more make for an infinite number of different White Zinfandels. I could suggest pairings, White Zinfandel with Hawaiian pizza, White Zinfandel with pork salad; but the best thing to pair White Zinfandel with is some unpretentious friends.

I would rather drink White Zinfandel from a jelly jar with fun friends with class, than the Lotus Vineyard Cabernet from Riedel stemware with an ass. Just sayin’.

I have not tasted a White Zinfandel, or other blush wine, in too long. In place of personal recommendations, here is a list, by no means complete, of award winning north coast White Zinfandel and other blush or rosé wines:

Adobe Road Winery – www.adoberoadwines.com -2008 Rose, Sonoma Valley $18

Alexander Valley Vineyards – www.avvwine.com - 2008 Rosé of Sangiovese, Wetzel Family Series, Alexander Valley $12.

Balletto Vineyards – www.ballettovineyards.com - 2008 Rosé of Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley $16.

Barefoot Cellars – www.barefootwines.com - NV White Zinfandel, California $7

Beringer – www.beringer.com -  2008 White Zinfandel,California Collection, California $6

Black Stallion Winery – www.blackstallionwinery.com - 2008 Rose, Napa Valley $22

Bonny Doon Vineyard – www.bonnydoonvineyard.com - 2008 Vin Gris de Cigare, California $15.

Bonterra Vineyards – www.bonterra.com - 2008 Rosé, Organic Grapes, Mendocino County $14.

Buena Vista Carneros – www.buenavistacarneros.com - 2008 Rosé of Syrah, Carneros $25.

Charles Creek Vineyard – www.charlescreek.com - 2008 Rose, Napa Valley $16

Dacalier Wine Co. – www.dacalier.com - 2008 Grenache/Carignan, Premier Rose, Lake County $16

Fichtenberg Vineyards – www.fichtenbergvineyards.com - 2008 Pinot Noir Saignee, Carneros $18

Fleur de California – www.fleurdecalifornia.com - 2008 Pinot Noir Rosé, Vin Gris of Pinot Noir, North Coast $13

Folie a Deux – www.folieadeux.com- 2008 Menage a Trois Rose California $12

Forest Glen Winery – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronco_Wine_Company -2007 Shiraz Rose, Magenta Rose, California $9; 2008 White Merlot, Forest Fire, California $9

Gregory Graham – www.ggwines.com - 2008 Estate Rose, Crimson Hill, Red Hills, Lake County $12

D.H. Gustafson Family Vineyards – www.gfvineyard.com - 2008 Rosé of Syrah, Dry Creek Mountain Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley $20

Heitz Wine Cellars – www.heitzcellar.com - 2008 Rosé, Grignolino, Napa Valley $19

Kelley & Young Wines – www.kelleyyoungwines.com - 2008 Kathleen Rose, Alexander Valley, Robert Young Vineyard $24

Kendall-Jackson Winery – www.kj.com - 2008 Malbec Rose, Grand Reserve, Napa Valley $18

Kenwood Vineyards -  www.kenwoodvineyards.com - 2008 Pinot Noir Rose, Russian River Valley $14

McDowell Valley Vineyards – www.mcdowellsyrah.com - 2008 Grenache Rose, McDowell Valley $15

Navarro Vineyards – www.navarrovineyards.com - 2008 Rose, Mendocino County $15

Pedoncelli Winery – www.pedroncelli.com - 2008 Dry Rose of Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley $10

Round Hill – www.roundhillwines.com - 2008 White Zinfandel, California $5

Rutherford Hill – www.rutherfordhill.com - 2008 Rose, Napa Valley $20

V. Sattui Winery – www.vsattui.com - 2008 Rosato, North Coast $16; 2008 Gamay Rouge, California $18

Shannon Ridge Winery – www.shannonridge.com - 2008 Wrangler Rose, Ranch Collection, Lake County $16

Sol Rouge – www.solrouge.com - 2008 Rose, Lake County $18

Sutter Home Winery – www.sutterhome.com - 2007 White Zinfandel, The Original, California $4; 2008 White Zinfandel, The Original, California $4; 2008 White Merlot, California $5

Titus Lombardi – www.titusvineyrds.com - 2008 Rose of Syrah, Mendocino $13

Toad Hollow Vineyards – www.toadhollow.com - 2008 Pinot Rose, Eye of the Toad, Sonoma Coast $9

Valley of the Moon Winery – www.valleyofthemoonwinery.com - 2007 Rosato di Sangiovese, Sonoma County $14; 2008 Rosato di Sangiovese, Sonoma County $14

Waterstone Winery – www.waterstonewines.com - 2008 Rose of Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley $12