2015 WINE EVENT CALENDAR BEGINS TO FILL UP ©

            Start saving the dates for all things wineish that may spark your interest as we move into the 2015 harvest year.
 

First up, a trio of announcements from the Paso Robles Wine Alliance, pasowine.com for more details and ticket info. Already available are tickets for BlendFest , taking place on February 21st & Zinposium on the weekend of March 20-21. Also, on December 15, tickets will go on sale for the 33rd version of Paso's Wine Festival, May 14-17.

BlendFest is a Saturday only event but offers two separate opportunities, held at the Cavalier Oceanfront Resort in San Simeon. Visitors to the area might want to combine this with a visit to the nearby, and always enjoyable, Hearst Castle. There are twenty five wineries, each offering three blended wines, at both the afternoon ($40) tasting from 1 to 3pm and the Sunset version ($65). The later tasting, from 4 to 6:30pm, includes apps and a band. PRWA has arranged discounted ticket prices when bundled with participating lodging options in Cambria and San Simeon. The package includes a bonus; a Paso Wine bottle holder is also part of the combo.

Zinposium is part of the annual Vintage Paso Zinfandel Weekend  and will be held in the Paso Robles Inn's ballroom. Six well known producers of Zin will have a winemakers panel at both seminars. The first will be true varietal 100% Zinfandels. That tasting will be from 5:30 to 7pm on Friday evening. The participating wines come from various vineyards located in some of the 11 new sub AVA areas. As of just a few weeks ago, these designations are legally allowed to mention these terroir based distinctions on the label if at least 75% of the grapes are from that area. On Saturday, Zinfandel blends will be the focus, from 10 to 11:30am. The weekend also includes 120 participating wineries, all doing various festive special events. An online brochure will be available on the pasowine.com site in the not too distant future. The PRWA also has a new app for iPhones (free @ iTunes) to help you navigate the area, including things like the locations of restaurants & lodging. Check it out: PasoWineApp, or see more on the Alliance web site home page.
          
            The Paso Robles chapter of Rhone Rangers (pasorhonerangers.com) will hold their 2015 Experience   at Broken Earth Winery on highway 46 E. Tickets for the event are available on line or by calling 800-213-6406. If you have questions, send an email to pasorobles@rhonerangers.org.

Held on Sunday, February 15, there are two levels of admission. There is a morning seminar session, moderated by Matt Kettmann, a respected local writer and wine critic. Several area winemakers will discuss the current state of the Rhone style scene along the Central Coast. Included in the ticket (220 seats only and $85) is a lunch with Ranger wines passed among the tables.

The meal will be prepared by local fave Chef Maegen Loring.  The morning session starts at 10:30 and runs through lunch to 1PM This ticket also admits you to the afternoon tasting, which along with a silent auction begins at 1:30. Approximately 45 wineries will offer 150 wines and the tasting only entry is $35. With only 400 tickets for sale, early purchase is mandatory as last year the full access pass sold out several weeks prior to the event, leaving a limited number of tasting only slots.

            The World of Pinot Noir (see prior post) reports that both weekend and single event passes for the event are selling quickly with limited numbers left. These are now available to the general public. If you are considering attendance, you may wish to act soon.

They have announced that Alexandrine Roy of Domaine Marc Roy will be the featured Burgundy producer at the Friday night cellar dinner.  My friend, from his Sardine Factory days (yes, I do remember the '70s), Fred Dame MS with the Court of Master Sommeliers will be there Saturday night pouring a selection of vintage Burgundy wines. Wines being served at these dinners are extensive and detailed on the worldofpinotnoir.com site. Tickets and more information is also available there. The event is held March 6-7 at the Bacara Resort & Spa in Santa Barbara.

THE RAMONES & SMALL LOT WINES - ALL GARAGISTES ©

From Microsoft to the Ford, many great things have started in a garage. Now it wine's turn. Starting with small batch wine makers in Bordeaux doing a barrel or two in an outbuilding, the Garagiste movement has exploded along the Central Coast. Around 100 winemakers, few with a full bore winery or tasting room and generally no visitation, have sprung up between Monterey and Santa Barbara.

Some are hobbyists but many are winemakers or consultants to full production wineries. They use custom crush facilities or rent/borrow space in bonded locations and rarely own vineyards, sourcing grapes from growers with whom they have developed relationships. They range from self taught to degrees from respected college programs in the field.

Hard to find, often unknown to most wine lovers, they must produce less than 1,500 cases per year (to qualify for the Garagiste organization) but most make far fewer. At the just held 4th Garagiste Festival in Paso Robles, a majority of the 70 or so labels made less than 500 cases and only 15 to 50 of any single bottling. The selections poured offered wines made from over 20 varieties, many blends and 200 plus wines there for tasting. Several wines coming from few available planted acres, such as Albarino and Tempranillo were available. As would be expected, there were lots of Rhone style efforts. Zinfandel, Cabernet and Pinot Noir were popular varieties but even those making Gewurzt and Riesling were found.

Information about the event, and others the group does in Santa Ynez and the LA area, is available at http://californiagaragistes.com and www.garagistefestival.com. You may want to put these events on you to-do list. You won't want to miss what ABC News calls the festival; one of the "Top Ten Incredible Epicurean Destinations In The World". Part of that attendees, and there were plenty of them at the Paso event, either know a lot about wine or are very interested in gaining that knowledge. And they tend to be a group who tastes smartly then head for a beer and a band. Another plus is that the winemakers and owners conduct the tastings. They also conduct educational seminars and, aside from the main tasting, side bar events over a four day period.

To quote from the Festival's promotional material: "The Festival fosters the free exchange of ideas, wine knowledge and enthusiasm that has made the Central Coast one of the friendliest, most successful and innovative wine-making regions in the world. The Festivals are dedicated to furthering the education of future winemakers and those training for employment within the wine industry.  Proceeds from the Festivals are donated to support the growth of the Cal Poly Wine and Viticulture Program".

Highly recommending the event. I found many excellent wines a few new friends last and the chance to renew old ones over the weekend. Note that attending may be the only way to obtain some of these wines. Most are only sold on line and have waiting lists. One winery I was especially curious about told me they release the wines on their web site on Monday morning and are sold out on Tuesday morning. No, I won't tell you which one!

But I will say congrats and keep up the good work to the founders, Stewart McLennan and Doug Minnick. For news about upcoming events, sign up for the newsletter on the above web site.

HARVEST WINE WEEKEND IN PASO & MORE WINE FUN ©

            October brings another vintage to a close and this year much of the harvest will actually be in (or already out of) fermenters by the time the Paso Robles  Harvest Wine Weekend takes place. It is one of my favorite local events and the finale of the big three run by the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance (PRWCA at pasowine.com). Wineries who are in the group have details in both a paper and online brochure. Likely many who are not affiliated, or are with the multiple smaller promotional sub-sets, will also take advantage of the traffic. I spend a lot of time looking at web sites dealing with wine and find the PRWCA to be a great source for locals and those coming to the area. It is easier to navigate, has more features and offers monthly updates of interest not seen in many others. Not just wine but food, lodging, interviews and input on "a perfect day" winery itinerary by people who have actually done them. If you aren't on their mailing list, you should be.

I know the grapes are coming off the vine in a hurry - one reason being why I'm having a hard time writing this. I live near a main artery for east side grapes being moved to crush pads. While trying out the new bike path (and new bike) on the smooth repaving of an intersecting road a few days ago, I tried to evade large grape haulers in a rush. No shoulder, except for the one I landed on. Nice road rash on a calf, my left hand doesn't like the keyboard. But, I did come to love the smell of scorching spandex in the morning! Ya' all ride safe out there.

I digress, but the reason I like this fest, taking place the weekend of Oct. 17-19, is there is not grand event.  Participating wineries set their own events and hours, special tastings abound, winery dinners, wine club events and music are common and you can set your own agenda. For all the details, go to the Paso Wine site above and click on events.

     While not taking place until March 6-7 of next year, the World of Pinot Noir  now has tickets available on line. Most importantly for fans of the event, the VIP passes, with many special features, are only available through the 12th of October. Individual event tickets will go on sale after that but full day passes are currently available. Details and the various ticket offerings are available at info@worldofpinotnoir.com. The event is at the Bacara Resort & Spa in Santa Barbara. The web site includes a link to room bookings at the resort.

     In cooperation with Vons's grocery stores and local providers of direct to table products, a multiple winemakers style dinner will be held, the second of this series, at Thomas Hill Organics in Paso Robles on October 23. A 6:30 PM reception will offer wines from J Dusi, Hope Family Wines, Justin & Wild Horse and a four course dinner (quail, venison, striped bass and dessert) will feature a paired wine from one of those wineries. Tickets ($90 inclusive) are available on line at http://thomashillorganics.brownpapertickets.com. The August version offered some great wines from Rhone style vendors and another quality menu, as did the Wine Fest dinner this year. It is a nice social gathering as the hosts from the wineries join in a family style service, providing lots of opportunity to meet and discuss among yourselves. The wine choices and menu details are available on the ticket site.

HARVEST FESTIVEOUS & MORE FOR THE REST OF US ©

            The Paso Robles Wine Alliance has rolled out the details for this year's Harvest Wine Weekend. The weather has been so dry and hot that some varieties of grapes are already being harvested and the entire crop may be in before the October 17-19 event weekend. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't celebrate and participate what looks to be a great vintage in both quality and quantity. Full details and a downloadable brochure of the activities taking place and nearly 150 area wineries are available at the PRWA website - www.pasowine.com.

I've mentioned the late September Sunset magazine's Savor the Central Coast (check it out at savorcentralcoast.com) in former postings. But this just in , the entertainment for the Saturday the 27th evening in Paso Robles, held at Vina Robles winery's Amphitheater is a home run. In addition to wines to taste and some excellent food you surf daddies and Gidgit girls can rock on to Beach Boy founders Brian Wilson and Al Jardine. Tickets are available on line, starting at $70.

Also coming up in September (13-14th) for music lovers is the annual Beaverstock gathering at Castoro Cellars, the home of "dam fine wine". Proceeds aid in benefitting the Templeton Education Foundation. If not familiar, the winery is located close to Paso Robles (actually in Templeton for you pickers of nit) on Hwy 46W at the Bethel Rd. intersection. A total of ten bands (5 per day) will be playing and includes Los Lobos and Allen Stone, there are lots of other things to do for the entire family. Kids under 10 are free and tickets are only $40 to $60 for adults. Details are found at the PRWA site above or at www.castorocellars.com.

NEW HAMPSHIRE - LIVE FREE & SIP ©

            Here's some news of the "Who'da Thunk It" variety. The Great Granite State of New Hampshire has a per capita annual wine consumption rate (2013 numbers) of 19.6 liters. The most of any in the US of A, excepting the District of Columbia. Though not actually a state, the leading rate of consumption in DC may explain some things. We in California, with over half of all the wineries in the country, are mere piker's by comparison. To pull our weight, denizens of the former Bear Republic need to add 5.7 liters annually to claim the #2 spot!

This is according to the American Wine Consumer Coalition's 2013 Report Card. That also notes wine production being at record levels and average bottle pricing up from $9 in 2012 to $10.85. Meaning I have no idea what kind of wine the masses are drinking but it sure didn't come from the Central Coast. I also doubt it represents what our Representatives are imbibing.

The report card score for New Hampshire was A+, which was awarded to only five other states. And of course the aforementioned District. The Coalition concluded there is no better state in which to swirl, sniff and sip, based on availability, price and liberal regulations. The last item including taking wine into restaurants, having it shipped to their door or buying it in grocery stores. That said, you may be surprised to know that New Hampshire is a state run liquor store location, one of only six beverage monopoly states left in the U.S. Those familiar with such states know it usually means limited selection, inconvenient locations and high taxation, near semi-prohibition in places like Utah until recently.

Of the A+ states in the report, only New Hampshire levies no tax on wine. Here in CA, the rate is only $ .20/gal while the District's rate is $1.61. An unusual case of paying their own higher taxes. But less than half that of the protection of home-made whiskey in Kentucky with its (highest in the nation) rate of $3.56 a gallon. The state run operation also markets extensively and allows sales outside of the locations it runs directly.

Thanks to Reid Wilson of the Washington Post for bringing some of this to my attention.

SUNSET UPDATES SAVOR THE CENTRAL COAST ©

                Though the annual "Savor the Central Coast" (sponsored by Sunset magazine) event isn't until September 25 - 28, I advise planning your attendance and getting tickets in hand. The very popular fall gathering typically sells out the variety of special offerings from Hearst Castle down the coast, some are already fully subscribed. The kickoff dinner dance has few remaining seats. It was recently announced that the entertainment will be the San Luis Jazz Band. As the sun sets, a tasting of winning wines from the magazine's International Wine Competition will be sampled on the plaza in front of the Casa Grande.

The dinner will feature the respected work of local caterer Meagen Loring. She is assisted by Chefs James Siao & Derek Simsik, both running restaurant operations for area Kimton Hotels. They are top toques at Finch & Fork at the Canary property in Santa Barbara and the new Goleta location, the Goodland's, Outpost respectively.

The Main Event, held over the weekend, is the main tasting opportunity but offers cooking demos and much more. This takes place at the Santa Margarita Ranch near San Luis Obispo. Tickets and details are at www.savorcentralcoast.com.

For those of you living in SLO County, Main Event ducats can be obtained, through August 31, at a 15% discount. At check out, enter LOCAL in the promo box to receive the special pricing. See you there.

ALSO ON THE AVA MAP - SANTA BARBARA COUNTY ©

            One of the panel presenters of the keynote session at the recent WiVi (see prior posts) event was John Kochis. Formerly a Gallo exec, he now runs Gemini Consulting with a focus on brand building for the wine industry. He has been involved with developing the idea of doing in Santa Barbara's AVA what was discussed in my prior posting regarding the effort to do so in Paso Robles.

The pie in Santa Barbara would sliced as shown below.

Santa Maria Valley, primarily Rhone and Burgundian style wines. 117K acres, 8 planted and 11 wineries with tasting rooms. Au Bon Climat, Foxen, Kenneth Volk, Cambria, Bien Nacido are familiar names of note that fall within that district.

Santa Ynez Valley, contains 182K acres with 3,900 under vines. The proposed subsets within that viticultural area would consist of - Santa Rita Hills, Burgundian style wines with  59 vineyards with 27 hundred acres planted. Sanford, Alma Rosa, Melville & Sea Smoke among the well known wineries and tasting rooms are common. Happy Canyon has an emphasis on Bordeaux style wines and 25,700  acres of which 360 are planted but has no tasting rooms. Ballard Canyon has a Rhone varietal focus with 561 acres in production but only one tasting room. However, some well know producers from here include Stolpman, Beckman, Jonata, Rusack & Larner. Los Olivos District (may be granted status this year) has by far the biggest concentration of tasting rooms (40+) and includes  22,800acres with 1,120 planted. Both Bordeaux and Rhone style varietals are grown here. You may be familiar with such examples as Gainey, Bridlewood, Sunstone, Brander & Buttonwood.

John pointed out that people don't know AVAs until they become a brand. The idea being to dance with the one you brung. Never forget the larger brand and market it on the label. This was the conjunctive labeling mentioned in my prior post. But, in order to do that, you must seek permission to include both the subset and the overall AVA on the label. A case in point is how Napa, which has many sub-AVAs, is the place that is known. So much so that it has replaced Bordeaux as the most recognized wine region, worldwide. Had they only used the sub-AVA, that may not have happened. The market is not as aware of Rutherford Bench as they are of Napa Valley. His council was to taste by AVA but note the mother ship, educate with a focus on the unique sense of place & why it is so. But don't forget to have a champion and that is the name the market knows.

RED CARPET PREMIER FOR PASO'S ELEVEN? WHO NEEDS CLOONEY? ©

            The Paso Robles AVA (American Viticultural Area) gained recognition thirty two years ago. Since then, additional areas were included in 1997 and 2009. It has been a region of great growth, now the third largest in terms of the number of wineries, and as a center for Rhone varietals, Zinfandel and Cabernet. It was named Wine Region of 2013 by Wine Enthusiast magazine. But, is it all really the same AVA or a series of subsets? It is, after all one of the largest AVAs in the country.

This discussion had been ongoing even before 2007, when conjunctive labeling was agreed to.  More on that concept in my next posting, about similar sub-AVA ideas in the Santa Barbara area. A great deal of time and effort was contributed by a small committee and supported by a representative board  group of 59 winemakers and growers. The group has defined eleven distinct terroir based areas within the north San Luis Obispo county that make up the Paso Robles AVA and submitted the proposal through government channels. The final hurdle seems to have been cleared and would result in allowing labels (when the wine meets the defining rules) to include  more distinct areas within the AVA. These proposed districts are as follows: San Miguel, Adelaida, PR Estrella, Geneseo, San Juan Creek, PR Willow Creek, Pomar, Creston, PR Canyon Ranch, Templeton Gap and Santa Margarita Ranch, including the 2009 addition to the overall AVA on the south. The York Mountain designation remains as a stand-alone AVA.  

The process requires public comment and 47 supportive responses were received prior to the January 21, 2014 closing date and a timeline for implementation has been approved. Considering that it took 18 months to prepare the 1,000 page submission document, this was good news indeed.

ARE BARRELS BECOMING AN ENDANGERED SPECIES? ©

            The consensus is a solid maybe! With French oak versions, prices have gone north of $1,000, a price point that American oak is approaching. Some winemakers have looked to Hungarian or other eastern European sources to save a bit but not everyone likes the effect. In a recent tasting focused on the effect of oak on flavors, given a sample from France and the other from the U.S., about 100 participants voted unanimously for French. Merci beaucoup!

A recent trend is less oak in the flavor profile, especially with Chardonnay. The neutral oak concept may really be a way of saying, "It's really just unoaked because the barrels have been used for three years, I need to store the wine in something and I can't afford new barrels." Of course, it is a non-issue for most of the wine made but does bear on many red wines.

The economics of this mean that if you get 23 cases of wine from a typical barrel, a $1,000 barrel ends up costing the winery about $ .90 per bottle. This assumes a three year use and a resell value of $250 after that use. An alternative is refurbishing the barrel, discussed further below. You can see how a Cabernet that is on the wood for two years and thus maybe only two cycles of use, and that you paid $1,200 for it, accelerates that cost. And eventually to you as a consumer.

The all in cost (closure, label, grapes etc.) of a bottle of wine is subject to about a 40% mark up at the retail level. So you pay about $1.25 for each barrel aged bottle. The combination of everything that goes into getting that bottle on your favorite local shelf makes it very difficult to keep the sales price under $12. As the cost of corks -along with some quality control issues - went up, more and more wineries sought cheaper alternate closures. At first it was the less expensive wine moving to screw caps, which had their own initial problems. The trend expanded to mid-price labels, especially those meant for quick consumption and little need for ageing into a better wine. Now you can select a screw capsule offering liners that allow various levels of oxygenation that mimics cork closures. Something similar is now going on with oak alternatives.

Starting out with value brands a few years back, it was sort of, "Can you believe they just threw a few bushels of oak chips into that big tank of Chardonnay?" It was, for the pinky-up segment of wine drinkers, an OMG moment. I mean, really, they do that? Yes, and it works. Which led to better mousetraps that are increasingly popular. So much so that a Master Cooper with whom I spoke at the recent WiVi (see prior posts) trade show has recently left a barrel making company to market barrel alternative products.

As I've mentioned in past pages, this should not be looked at as a form of getting away from proper wine making. It should be welcomed by the consumer, especially those who like to afford a decent bottle with dinner on a regular basis. It is just another way to get the desired effect at a lower cost. Which is not to say that traditional barrels will go the way of the Dodo bird. They will continue to be central for making fine, age worthy wines for years. But, if demand is less it means pricing may stabilize and we'll save some trees, both good results.

It is not uncommon for wineries to use barrel tasting, alluded to in the opening paragraph, to select which cooperage firm they buy from. Often, they use multiple sources to add variety to the wines in barrel and provides the winemaker with a true palate, in the wine sense, with which to blend the wine going to bottle. In reality, testing has shown that every barrel has its own variations. This comes from aging of the original wood, staves from different trees, no actual standard for levels of toast - different coopers define medium toast to their own, and widely differentiated specifications - and even how the belly of a barrel will take the toasting versus the stave ends. There is a built in range of flavor profile within each barrel.

Science and better testing methods now available allow used barrels to be reconfigured to provide nearly identical flavors to that of the original. Oak aging adds a lot of technically named compounds. Maybe you are a big fan of furfural and don't even know it? That's what we wine drinkers describe as butterscotch but the white coated wizards like those tricky ways of saying it. Remember your P Chem from high school? Then maybe you like the flavor imparted by 4-methyl-guaiacol (spicy/smoky components). Many tasters pick up vanilla as a typical indication of oak in Chardonnay. For some reason, the lab guys call that vanillin.

The cost to redo your old barrel, engineered to give the profile you like is about $250. A used French oak barrel at the price quoted above, is worth about that on the resale market. You, in effect, get your $1,000 barrel back for a net worth of half the price. But what if you are looking for an economical way to get into oak aging without barrels. One method is the use of kegs. Yes, similar to beer kegs in which oak staves can be placed. Some even have a paddle wheel inside, connected to an external crank that can be used to stir the wine (useful for sur lie) and the amount of oak can be varied. Gaining traction and using high grade staves available from major French cooperages, they make more effective use of oak trees and are easier to sanitize, with the added attraction of much lower water use.

Have used barrels that you are happy with? Pick your favorite oak flavors and toast, all in a tidy packet of oak spirals. This provides a lot of surface area for flavor extraction. Quite a step up from the bushels of chips. These and other products are finding favor with winemakers and should be embraced by wine buyers. More alternative concepts are likely to be increasingly available, and used, in the future. That said, there is little chance that many of your special occasion wines will not be sleeping in barrels for many years to come.

SURF'S UP - PARTY ON ©

                If you long for the days of Moondoggie or Frankie and Annette holding down a blanket on the beach, Wednesday, April 30 will be your place to start off a weekend of Wine, Waves & Beyond aka The 5th Annual Central Coast Longboard Surf Classic.

That night features "Missing"  with a look at surfing in some unique locations. The screen lights up at 6:30 at the Fremont in SLO. The evening of May 1 features a "Barrel to Barrel" wine tasting on the ocean lawn of The Cliffs Resort in Pismo Beach. Live music, 40 wineries, select beers and food goodies from local restaurants are included that evening, beginning at 5pm.

Saturday, the main attraction is a chef's Throw Down - Hops & Hogs. This is known as the Brew Master's Dinner and starts at 5pm at the Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort in Avila Beach. Gourmet chef's will prepare a fine dining experience, matched with offerings from several local breweries. Music will follow the sunset, the dinner and dancing under the stars is allowed.

The final day starts early (7am) at the Pismo Beach pier when longboards hit the water and the competition, with a variety of classifications, commences. This event offers cash prizes and one set matches surfing brewery folk on the frothing waves vs. winery types barreling in on the rollers. The 805 Classic is held in conjunction with this event, from noon to 5 near the Sea Venture Resort at the Addie St. parking lot. Music, beer, BBQ and general frivolity is part of this vintage VW car show.   

Full details and tickets can be found at www.WineWavesandBeyond.com or you can call for information, 805-556.3306 or email to Amanda@cliffsresort.com.

HOW MANY & WHERE ARE THEY? ©

          American wineries that is. Well, that depends (thank you Mr. Clinton) on what is really is, an actual winery or a virtual one. Yes, the virtual world has infiltrated even the crafting of fine wine. In fact, about 15% of the total wineries in the U.S. meet the definition, with 1,200 labels. The term is used for those wines produced in a facility that is legally bonded (a tax thing) under another winery name. This has become a growth industry, with large operations custom built simply to provide wine making space for virtual use. Primarily, the appeals to smaller producers for whom the huge capital needs of a full wine making facility don't make financial sense.

The answer to my question is, in terms of total wineries and where they are located is; just under 7,800 and everywhere. Yes - there are 7 in Alaska now. Talk about ice wine. Even Mississippi (state motto, "Thank God for Alabama") has one - 'Bama has 15, roll Tide!

Not surprisingly, California leads the pack with 47% of all the wineries in the nation and one quarter of those being virtual. Washington, with 690 wineries easily outpaces Oregon's 566, but 30% of the wines made in Oregon are made in someone else's bonded winery. That trend has not been so popular in Washington, where only 4% is made virtually. The number of total wineries drops quickly from there. The other 47 states are responsible for only 36% of the wine made in America. Two things to understand are that in many states wine often consists of non-grape fermented fruits or hybrid/native grapes not typically made in "Big Three" states. Also, the larger production in states with lots of wineries does not mean the grapes (or juice) is from there. In fact it can be from Australia or any other area when production requirements in high volume wine brands exceed available local tonnage.

New York is in fourth place but with nearly 250 fewer wineries than Oregon and another hundred down is Virginia with Texas close behind. Pennsylvania (175) leads a pack of those with 100 or more wineries, including states as diverse for wine grapes as Colorado and N Carolina. Thirty seven states have fewer than 100. Right in the middle of that pack are New Mexico and Idaho with 47 & 46 respectively. I mention them because they have been making some nice wines for quite a while and from traditional fine wine varietals.

Gruet in NM has made a value priced, traditional method sparkler and now offers Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Syrah and Pinot Noir still wine. They have also expanded the selection of bubbly to include limited releases and rose' styles. In Idaho, where wine making history goes back to 1864, the majority of the wineries are in the Snake River Valley AVA, close to the Oregon border. Founded in 1976, Ste. Chapelle is probably best known in the national market and helped put the state on the wine map. It has become the largest volume winery in the state, perhaps best known for fruit forward, soft styles of Riesling but also respected for Bordeaux varieties. The move to grapes from other crops on the property led the charge that established Idaho as a player among NW growing areas. Examples of a couple of the many and where they are.

WARBIRDS, WINGS & WHEELS RETURNS ©

                As a fast car fan and pilot, this annual event, now in year six, is one of my favorite local Paso Robles events. And, it's free. It is a great family event with easy access and plenty of parking at the Paso Robles Municipal airport. It is a gear head bring your own, a fly in event for military planes of yesteryear and offers the collectible cars of the Woodland Auto Display and the static display aircraft of the Estrella Warbird Museum. The date is Saturday, May 10, running from 10 AM to 4 PM.

If you have a car you'd like to display in the car show, a goody bag and other perks are provided with your entry. Details for showing or just going are found at ewarbirds.org. Or you can call Dan or Carol Verstuyft at 805-467-2640.

Bobby Unser, winner of three Indy 500s will be on hand - as will the car he drove to #3. There is a food court and the major sponsor is Firestone Walker Brewing Company. So, you've got their beer garden going for you too. Plan to attend and check the website for updates on fly-by aircraft as the event gets closer.

MORE ON UPCOMING EVENTS OF NOTE ©

            If you are up in the Bay Area April 6 and a fan of Rhone style wines, the Rhone Rangers are hosting their annual San Francisco area tasting from 3 to 6 PM. The location is in Richmond (East Bay) at the Craneway Pavilion at 1414 Harbor Way S. Over 100 producers will be pouring, with 25 of them being from my area, Paso Robles. If you have subscribed to the Paso Chapter web site, discount offers are available. There are two ticket levels, one at $120 that includes early entry into the Grand Tasting and two seminars, "Rise of the Rhone Garagiste" and "Grenache - The World's Largest Planted Rhone Variety". I'm thinking they mean acres not the size of fruit. But, it does grow pretty large clusters!

The tasting only ticket is $65, discount codes for those on the Paso web blast list are provided in the notice of the event. You might want to sign up and get all the latest news re: the Rangers.  A shuttle service from a convenient BART station is available as are tickets on the Red & White Fleet ferry and ample on-site parking is available. Details are on line at rhonerangers.org, where information on a winemakers dinner the evening prior to the Grand Tasting. Tickets are also available  via that site.

            Down Santa Barbara way April 10-13? That is (see santabarbaravintnersweekend.com) time for Spring Weekend. The Grand Tasting is at River View Park in Buellton on the afternoon of the 12th. Hikes - with wine, dinners and even a golf tourney are all part of the fun. Many wineries are doing special events and seminars and education offerings, a scavenger hunt, brunches and concerts are also part of the four days of the event. Details and ticket packages are on the web site above.

            Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance has announced an addition to the Wine Festival in May. Some well respected local restaurants will be adding Thursday evening (the 15th) winemaker dinners. Don't confuse this with dinners being held at many wineries in conjunction with the event. Details are to be available on April Fool's Day (today) but have not posted as of noon. I expect pricing, menus and participating restaurants to detailed on the pasowine.com site events link by tonight.

WIVI #2 GAINS TRACTION FOR THE LONG HAUL ©

         The second annual WIVI Central Coast Wine & Viticulture Symposium/Trade Show, held last week, set the stage for a third show. Tweaks from lessons learned from the inaugural event in 2013 made this year's format even better and resulted in approximately 40% more attendees at the Paso Robles Event Center. Spread out over more space, adding a new seminar category focused on marketing and the DTC segment, plus concentrating the trade show into a single day were all successful. There were enough "side shows" (including a very popular Wine and Beer Garden sponsored by RadiantFires.com), to help trade show attendance, providing breaks between vendor visits. Those included product demonstrations, a Winemaker Throwdown panel and the Central Coast Salary Survey. I spoke with many who returned from last year and those new to the event. All expressed a high level of satisfaction with the opportunity to talk to end-users about their products and, for second timers, the success of the new format.

Wine Business Monthly and Precision Ag Consulting, the hosts, were aided by dedicated staff, a large group of volunteers and many supportive sponsors. The major promotional organizations from all of the Central Coast wine growing regions and Independent Grape Growers of the Paso Robles area added support and wine for the event ending regional tasting. And, with the addition of a series of DTC/Marketing seminars, primarily moderated by Lesley Berglund - Chair of WISE Academy, the scope of educational opportunities was expanded into an additional and important part of the business.  Viticulture and enology are the other main areas of education focus, with multiple offerings each day and a concentration in each area of about seven hours of active class time. There was also a lunch hosted by Rabobank America with a keynote speaker that addressed the state of the world wine business.

Networking was another major feature, both at the trade show and with the well-attended launch party and closing regional tasting event. Future postings will  provide comments on those sessions I attended and my take-aways from keynote and other presentations on the state of the market. I would encourage those who want more inside information and the exchange of ideas with colleagues involved in the wine trade to register early for WiVi  #3 in 2015.

UPCOMING EVENTS FILL CENTRAL COAST CALENDAR ©

            The season is upon us and opportunities to eat, taste and be merry abound. Next up for Paso Robles is the weekend of May 15th and the annual Wine Festival, subject of a prior post.

            Monterey Wine Country will hold the 22nd version of the Winemaker's Celebration on May 3, on Delores St. in Carmel-By-The-Sea. Full details at www.montereywines.org.

            Food & Wine Magazine and Pebble Beach Company host a fabulous collection of wines, dinners, celeb chefs, golf, lodging, education and high end elbow rubbing, April 10 - 13. Various packages are available as well as ala carte' offerings, many of which are selling out quickly. For complete information, reservations for The Lodge or Spanish Bay or playing in the Chefs & Winemakers golf tourney see www.pbfw.com.

            The Central Coast Wine Classic will be held July 10 -13. Locals consider this one of the "big fun" wine weekends of the year and you should too. All you need to know is on the event site at www.centralcoastwineclassic.org, with ticketing and full schedule available.

            A fairly recent addition to groups dedicated to particular styles of wine or wineries in a certain area is the Cabernet and Bordeaux Collective (CABs). They are holding a CABs of Distinction Gala event, featuring 32 wineries that make wines of that description, April 25 - 26. On Friday, wineries will host various events during the day and dinners at wineries and in local Paso Robles restaurants that night.

The Gala on Saturday is at River Oaks Hot Springs in Paso, north of Hwy 46Woff Buena Vista Dr. Samples of wines from CAB affiliated producers will be served with charcuterie and artisanal cheeses. Complimentary lunches are provided by several of Paso's favorite chefs and more fun includes live music, chocolate tasting and a barrel-making demonstration.

Optional Luxury VIP ticket holders will start the day with an exclusive private vintner-hosted reception and lunch at Thomas Hill Organics in downtown Paso Robles at 11 a.m. After lunch, complimentary shuttle service is provided to the event site.  You will be first to arrive and taste through the Reserve wines of all participating producers. VIP guests enjoy private access to their own Lounge and continued access to the Gala from 2-5 p.m.

Premium-Reserve VIP tickets provide early entry to the Reserve Tasting and VIP Lounge access and full access to the Gala. More information and tickets for the event are available at www.PasoRoblesCab.com/events. CAB newsletter subscribers receive a 10% discount on all tickets for this event. The promotional code is: CLUBPRWCA.

            If you are a fan or Rhone varietals or enjoyed my prior piece on the Paso Robles Rhone Ranger chapter gathering last month should get on their email list, a link information about next year's program, which can be found at www.rhonerangers.org/about/pasorobles.php.

PRWCA GEARS UP FOR WINEFEST ©

                A reminder to those of you living in SLO county. March 15 is the last day to purchase advance event tickets at the locals pricing. This provides a $20 early bird savings for entry into the Grand Tasting.

Also available (tickets and details at www.pasowine.com) are "Can't Hardly Wait" passes with a $10 discount on all three levels of pricing for the packages offered. This also ends March 15. The RESERVE level ducat is $125, Premium entry for $75 and Festival tasting at $55

The Festival takes place Thursday through Sunday, May 15 - 18. It is the 32nd version of the annual event. If you are not familiar with it, the web site above contains not only the information on just the event but information on lodging, dining and winery visits available in the area. My review of last year's Wine Fest can be seen in the archives of this blog. The Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance folks who are behind getting this all together will also be adding an on-line brochure of what the 130 participating wineries will be offering throughout the weekend, including wine specials, live music, BBQs etc. If not live yet, check back in a few days.

Thursday evening kicks off with various winemaker hosted dining opportunities. Friday's the night for the RESERVE tasting. A selection of some 40 wineries will offer their choice of library wines, reserve level bottles, whites & roses and yet to be released wines. An auction featuring the opportunity to purchase some of these wines is also included, as is an early entry pass into the Grand Tasting. This is accompanied by gourmet bites from local chefs and features locally grown items.

The Grand Tasting is held in City Park on Saturday. Sixty wineries will be pouring, food vendors are on site and various seminars and special tastings take place. Sunday is open to explore on your own.

RANGERS ROAM AT BROKEN EARTH ©

            An annual gathering of the Rhone Rangers, hosted by the Paso Robles chapter, drew a sold out crowd Sunday, February 16, to a full day of events at Broken Earth Winery. I was surprised to find so many of the attendees had come from LA or the Bay area to make the day a focus of an extended Valentine's day weekend. And, to include education on the current state of Rhone varietals in winemaking along the Central Coast as part of that experience.

Bulldog nation was also well represented by members of CSU Fresno Viticulture Club, currently headed by Patrick Tachella. Apparently, they through one heck of an annual BBQ event later this year, to which I received multiple invites. I have the feeling wine may be involved as well.

The morning seminar session took a look at three white, one blush and five red wines, both single grape versions and blends. This represented many of the more well known of the twenty two types of grapes included in Rhone style wine; Syrah, Grenache, Petite Sirah, Viognier and Mourvedre but also varieties that are lesser known, with only a few acres currently in production, such as Picpoul Blanc, Counoise and Grenache Blanc.

Master Sommelier (and author) Evan Goldstein, acted as moderator for the panel of winemakers whose wines were represented in the two flights of recent releases, primarily from the 2012 vintage. He was also available during the afternoon tasting to those attending just that portion of the event. And to sign copies of his newest tome, Daring Pairings, exploring food and wine combinations outside the box. We first met in 1988 as invitees to the first Court of Master Sommeliers training held in America, in conjunction with the Monterey Wine Festival. Evan currently operates Full Circle Wine Solutions and is very involved in emerging wine markets and wine education.

Chef Jeffery Scott and his crew did a flawless job in both menu items and making the lunch buffet user friendly. Each table was joined by a winery representative who provided appropriate wines to pair with the menu and informational chat with those attending.

Nearly four dozen wineries and 200 wines were represented at the well attended afternoon tasting. Thirty eight silent auction packages were available for bids during the walk around and Vivant provided some excellent cheeses to match with the Rhone-ish flavors. No small feat to pull off, kudos to Jason Hass for his efforts to organize a multitude of details as well as Chris Cameron and Broken Earth Winery for providing the venue and logistics of doing so at a working facility.

Watch for information on plans for next year. The morning session has been an early sell-out for many years and tickets to the tasting only are limited to a manageable crowd size. As mentioned, the event draws far more than a local crowd, so I suggest getting your request in early for this popular and fun gathering.

WILD WINES INCLUDE ZIN AT VINTAGE PASO

            The Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance kicks off its annual event offerings with a weekend event, March 14-16. Keying on the 2013 designation by Wine Enthusiast magazine as the "Wine Region of the Year", this should be a crowd drawing kick off to the tasting and winery event fest season. Over 120 local producers will be taking part and offering a variety of special dining, entertainment and rolling out a new vintage in the bottle or still in the barrel.

Check out the full details, including an on line version of the brochure (www.pasowine.com) and use the handy tools to help you find lodging and plan your tour route. For your iPhone, you can download the PasoWineApp for even more suggestions, including local restaurants. For area residents, the print version of the brochure is available at most PRWCA member wineries. In either version, you will see all participating wineries and their specific plans for each day of the weekend event from Friday through Sunday.

If you are coming from out of town, or entertaining friends locally, there are a variety of transportation options from a hired driver for your own vehicle to vans or actual busses. It is never too early to make a reservation if some form of designated driver is in order.

PASO CHAPTER HOSTS RHONE RANGERS EVENT

            The Central Coast is a hot bed of wines made from the many varietals that are made into wines from France's Rhone River Valley. Paso Robles boasts the largest chapter of the Rhone Rangers organization with about four dozen members who will offer a day long combination of education, dining and tasting on Sunday, February 16. The site is Broken Earth winery on East Highway 46. Details are available on line (pasorobles.rhonerangers.com).

A seminar on Rhone Essentials will start the day at 10:30, tickets are $85 and include the education, lunch to follow and the main tasting event. Tasting only tickets are also available for $35 and can be purchased on line. The seminar/lunch is limited (200 tickets) and has consistently sold out well in advance. The seminar will show nine major wine types with wine makers from as many wineries presenting information on various varietal and blended wines from seven or more of the grape types grown in the Paso Robles area.

Lunch is catered by well respected "Chef Jeff" (Scott), a popular local vendor who does many winery dining events throughout the year. Winemakers, owners and managers will participate in passing around a variety of local Rhone style offerings to match with the food and dining with the attendees.

The main tasting, featuring approximately 150 wines, begins at 1:30 and is capped at 400 tickets, meaning 200 available after the seminar participants are included. If you like Rhone wines, that should be your call to immediate action! The tasting includes a silent auction and ends at 3:30. Rhone Rangers is a non-profit and the sales support their scholarship fund.

Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance Sets Fest Dates

Here are the dates to mark on your calendar for this year's schedule of Paso Robles Wine Country events:

Vintage Paso: Zinfandel and other Wild Wines, March 14 - 16
Enjoy a zinful weekend with activities including winemaker dinners, exclusive Zinfandel tastings, winery and vineyard tours and so much more!

Wine Festival, May 16 - 18
This marquee tasting event offers the opportunity to taste Paso Robles wine in the charming Downtown City Park, complemented by local epicurean delights.

Harvest Wine Weekend, October 17-19

Wineries celebrate the beginning of the new vintage by inviting you to their individual events that are as diverse as the wines themselves.