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.