The arrival of April and the spring season calls for the great outdoors! Spend your weekend soaking in the sunshine and good vibes at one of these local events.

NAPA COUNTY

SARAFORNIA: ENGAGE

April 4th – April 7th
Various Locations | Calistoga, CA

Truly a fusion of style, taste, authenticity and entertainment, Sarafornia: ENGAGE Calistoga is a celebration unlike any other in the Napa Valley. Known for its bohemian vibe and genuine charm, Calistoga is the perfect place to make exploring and experiencing art approachable and fun. As the official kick off event for Arts in April, from April 4-7, connoisseurs of all tastes are invited to indulge their senses and ENGAGE their minds during this free, 4-day community event.

FOOD TRUCK FRIDAY AT VISTA COLLINA RESORT

Friday, April 5th, 4PM – 7PM
Vista Collina Resort | 850 Bordeaux Way, Napa, CA

Welcome the weekend with fabulous food truck fare, cocktail specials and live music on the Village Lawn at Vista Collina Resort. The Village Truck rolls up to the pop-up bar each Friday from 4PM – 6PM offering Chef Vincent Lesage’s signature bites such as Fried Chicken + Waffles, Brisket Nachos and Kimchi Tacos. While you’re there, stop by the Foley Food & Wine Society Tasting Room and grab a glass of your favorite Foley Family wine!

SONOMA WINE COUNTRY

ROTH ESTATE ADULTS AT PLAY

Friday, April 5th, 5PM – 7PM
Roth Estate | 10309 Chalk Hill Road, Healdsburg, CA

Adults at Play is back! Join Roth Estate as they kick off their popular event series this Friday. We can’t think of a better way to start a weekend than with tasty bites, delicious Roth wines, great tunes from Spike’s Awesome Hotcakes, and fun outdoor games. The event is complimentary to attend and is one you won’t want to miss.

SONOMA COAST KITE MONTH

April 5th – April 7th
Sonoma Coast & Sonoma Coast Visitor Center | 913 Highway 1, Bodega Bay, CA

April marks the time of year that Bodega Bay locals say their little town turns into “Blowdega Bay” – and hence, the perfect time for Sonoma Coast Kite Month! Bring your kids or rekindle with your inner child and take advantage of a month of kite activities, specials, and the opportunity to play with fellow kite enthusiasts. Don’t have a kite? No worries – there are two local stores almost completely dedicated to kites. Stop by the Sonoma Coast Visitor Center to pick up your brochure with kite specials and event a special Instagram challenge!

BATTLE OF THE BREWS

Saturday, April 6th, 1PM – 8PM
Sonoma County Fairgrounds | 1350 Bennett Vally Rd, Santa Rosa, CA

Battle of the Brews celebrates all things craft beer at the biggest beer event Sonoma County has ever seen! With over 100 beer and food vendors, the event includes Craft Cup – Sonoma County’s largest craft brew competition – along with live music, dancing, and more.

CALIFORNIA’S CENTRAL COAST WINE COUNTRY

LINCOURT VINEYARDS APPRECIATION PARTY

Saturday, April 6th, 2PM – 5PM
Lincourt Vineyards | 1711 Alamo Pintado Rd, Solvang, CA

Lincourt wants to show their appreciation to their guests by hosting an afternoon at the vineyard! Enjoy a delightful spring day in Solvang with live music, Lincourt wines, and springtime-themed small bites. They’ll have barrels to taste, lawn games to play, prizes to win, and lots of Lincourt love to show! Tickets are $15 for Lincourt wine club members and their guests; $25 for general admission.

Throughout the year, we ask winemakers to explain what’s happening behind the scenes each month of the vintner’s calendar as part of our The Vintner’s Calendar series.

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APRIL – TOPPING UP

Sebastiani Winery in Sonoma, California has historic wood carvings on display on their property, including an intricate depiction of the winemaking calendar. Each month is represented separately with a special part of the process a winery participates in to yield great wine. For April, the calendar highlights the process of “topping up.”

Topping up is the process of adding more volume to a batch of wine as to fill any void space that may exist in the wine’s container while it is in bulk. Because oak barrels are porous, wine evaporates; this evaporation is also called the “angel share,” and leaves room in the barrel.

“We want to frequently top-up each barrel because we want minimal oxygen contact with the wine,” explains winemaker Alicia Sylvester. “If there is headspace in the barrel then the oxygen filling that headspace can age the wine at a quicker rate or cause the wine to spoil, turning into vinegar.”

Alicia, who served as Assistant Winemaker at Lancaster Estate before recently being promoted to Winemaker at Merus, mentions that the process can differ from winery to winery. Lancaster Estate, for example, gently stirs the wine in a tactic known as bâtonnage that agitates the lees.

“This method of suir lees again with bâtonnage is the natural way to enhance body and mouthfeel of a wine,” says Alicia. “We hand top all of our barrels to ensure it is treated gently and not pupped though an air pump.”

While topping off may be featured during the month of April on Sebastiani’s winemaking calendar, the process is not soley for this time of year – many winemakers will check their barrels and top off anywhere from every couple of days to every few weeks. Environmental factors such as temperature, relative humidity, the movement of air in the barrel room, and integrity of the barrel will determine how much evaporation happens (and how quickly).

Wine Spectator’s Dr. Vinifera reports that up to 5% of a wine’s production can disappear into the air. “That can add up to a lot of potential sales that the angels enjoy.”

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Catch up on the other installments of “The Vintner’s Calendar” here. 

In honor of Women’s History Month, we’re recognizing several of the women leading the Foley Family Wines organization.  

Megan Prentice currently serves as Assistant Winemaker at the historic Sebastiani Vineyards in Sonoma, California. Read more about Megan, her experience, and how her team takes great care to continue the legacy that Sebastiani holds in wine country.

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Q: WHAT DREW YOU TO THE WINEMAKING PROFESSION?

I was going to college at Sonoma State when I took a lab job in a local winery for harvest. I instantly loved it. I enjoyed the crazy hours, the constant action and most importantly the teamwork.  A few months later I was transferring to Fresno State to make winemaking my career. 

Q: WHAT LED YOU TO YOUR CURRENT ROLE AS WINEMAKER AT SEBASTIANI?

I started as a lab tech at Sebastiani in 2010.  I immediately enjoyed the energy and fast pace of a larger winery. I moved up to Enologist a year later under Mark Lyon. After that, I worked under Leslie Renaud at Roth Estate and learned another perspective. When there was a chance to return to Sebastiani as assistant winemaker I jumped at the chance. This really gave me an opportunity to bring what I learned back to where I started.

Q: SEBASTIANI HAS A LOT OF HISTORY, ESPECIALLY IN SONOMA COUNTY. HOW DO YOU STAY TRUE TO ITS ROOTS WHILE CONTINUING TO EVOLVE?

We’re very lucky at Sebastiani to have a history that goes back to 1904. When visiting the property, you can still see parts of the original winery and we have some of the redwood tanks in our tasting room, which were used up until the 1950s.

Back in the day we were selling our first wine, a Zinfandel, door-to-door by a horse-drawn wagon – obviously, a lot has changed since then! But overall, our goal remains the same: continue to be a part of the Sonoma Valley community and strive to make wines that highlight this premiere growing region. 

One of those wines is our Cherryblock Vineyard Cabernet. This vineyard was planted in 1962 and every year produces some our best fruit.  One of my favorite things to do is to walk through that vineyard during different times of the year. 

Q: WHAT IS YOUR TYPICAL DAY LIKE AS A SEBASTIANI WINEMAKER? 

There really are no typical days! That being said, we do have standard seasons. Fall is all about harvest so we will be monitoring vineyards, processing grapes, and monitoring fermentations. Winter will be more about barreling down and evaluating blends, and finally spring and summer our focus is on bottling. 

Q: ANY COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT YOUR ROLE?

That I spend all day outside in a vineyard! While I do get to do that occasionally, you are most likely to find me sitting at a desk behind a computer. It is not as glamorous as people think.

Q: DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE SEBASTIANI WINE CURRENTLY? 

My current favorite is the 2016 Sonoma Valley Barbera. It’s drinking incredibly well right now; the ripe plum flavors and baking spice aromas are perfect for pairing with winter comfort foods! 

Q: WHAT’S A VARIETAL YOU THINK IS UNDERRATED?

Chardonnay! Chardonnay really has a bad reputation for being basic, but nothing could be further from the truth. Chardonnay can be made in so many different styles and it’s an amazingly food friendly wine; there is one out there for everyone. 

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Want to see the end result of Megan and her team’s work? Shop all Sebastiani wines, available now in the Foley Food & Wine Society Wine Shop. 

After a long winter, we’re excited to welcome spring’s first vegetables to our plates. On your next visit to the produce aisle, be sure to pick up one of these seasonal favorites – and give the recipes a try! 

ASPARAGUS

For farmers and produce lovers, asparagus is synonymous with springtime. Once you get your hands on asparagus, we recommend experimenting to find your favorite way to enjoy – whether it be roasting in the oven, charring on the grill, or cooking it on the stovetop, it inevitably will be delicious. If you want to try something more adventurous, try our Grilled Green & White Asparagus with Old Fashioned Aioli recipe that happens to pair perfectly with Sauvignon Blanc.

ARTICHOKE

If you’re unfamiliar with artichokes, we understand that they can be a little intimidating – but that shouldn’t stop you from trying! While they do require a little bit of prep work, it is always worth the effort and we’re confident you’ll be an artichoke aficionado in no time. The earthy vegetable is popular in dips, but we prefer to keep things simple – give this Baked Artichoke recipe a try for a great introduction to it using only a few ingredients. 

BEETS

In addition to being a hearty and delicious root vegetables, beets are enjoying their moment in the spotlight, being recognized for their endless health benefits and extremely nutrient-dense nature. This vegetable can be cooked or eaten raw, making it versatile and easy to incorporate into many dishes. Foley Food & Wine Society’s Chef Shane McAnelly loves this simple yet decadent Dungeness Crab & Beet Salad for a quick side that doesn’t skimp out on flavor. Paired with a bottle of Sebastiani Sauvignon Blanc, you won’t look at beets the same way again.

SPINACH

Is there really any more versatile of a vegetable that spinach? Get ready to incorporate this leafy green into everything from fresh salads to savory side dishes this spring. Loaded with nutrients in a low-calorie package, you can even incorporate spinach into some of the most indulgent dishes – we love it on top of pizza, in a classic dip, or in pasta.

PEAS

Spring brings us a variety of peas, including snow, sugar snap, and garden peas. Even if peas aren’t your go-to vegetable, we recommend grabbing a few different varieties while they’re in season and giving them a try! Sugar snap are great raw for a easy, crunchy snack, and snow peas are a great addition to a stir fry dish – this Gingered Stir-Fry with Shrimp and Snow Peas recipe from Food & Wine has an almost perfect 5-star rating with close to 3,000 reviews.

The green beer will be flowing in Wine Country this weekend as the region joins in celebrating St. Patrick’s Day on March 17th. Party like a local – or the Irish –  at one of these great celebrations happening across the coast.

HEALDSBURG ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE

Healdsburg, California’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade is one of the town’s most popular annual events, drawing hundreds of participants, volunteers, and spectators before the sun even rises. Join in the fun as parade-goers dressed in festive attire trot through downtown in what’s been called the “biggest shortest parade in the world.” Don’t miss the other activities happening afterwards, including after-parade breakfasts, annual spring sidewalk sale, kids fun run, and Celtic concert. 

ST. PATRICK’S DAY CELEBRATION AT THE FOUR GRACES

The New York Times has called Oregon “the single most exciting winemaking area in the United States,” and there is no better time to visit than now! The Four Graces sits nestled in the Red Hills of Dundee in Oregon’s famed Willamette Valley. For St. Patrick’s Day, the winery is hosting a celebration from 1PM – 4PM that features a special themed bite alongside their daily wine flight. 

ST. PADDY’S DAY DASH THROUGH WALLA WALLA

Grab your friends and your running shoes! Walla Walla’s St. Paddy’s Day Dash features both 5K and 10K distances – perfect for a fun, short run or a race against the clock. Afterwards, grab a green beer at a local pub or a glass of wine at one of Walla Walla’s many wineries (we may be biased, but we think Three Rivers is a must-visit!). 

ST. PATIKI PARTY AT CALWISE SPIRITS

If neither beer nor wine suit your fancy, there are always the spirits! Calwise Spirits takes a funky twist on the Irish holiday with their St. Patiki Party in Paso Robles, featuring tiki cocktails, delicious food, and live music by The Bogeys. No tickets or RSVP needed – just show up in your best green attire and get ready for a festive evening! 

TRADITIONAL IRISH TASTING MENU + PAIRINGS

The Village at Vista Collina Resort is home to nine tasting rooms (including one from Foley Food & Wine Society!), an upscale artisan market, and expansive 16,000 square foot lawn – making it the perfect place to celebrate an epic holiday like St. Patrick’s Day. In honor of the holiday, The Village Food & Wine Center is hosting a three-course cooking demonstration from Chef Mackenzie Rupp that features some iconic Irish classics such as soda bread, Guinness-braised beef stew, and more. Plus – it wouldn’t be St. Paddy’s Day without beer! Three beer pairings will complete the meal and have you feeling oh so lucky. 

In honor of Women’s History Month, we’re recognizing several of the women leading the Foley Family Wines organization.  

To kick things off, we sat down with Alicia Sylvester, Assistant Winemaker at Lancaster Estate to hear more about her experience and what led her to her current role. 

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Q: WHAT DREW YOU TO THE WINEMAKING PROFESSION? 

I grew up surrounded by agriculture and hard work in the Central Valley; my father farms almonds and we also had a 20-acre Zinfandel vineyard. When I started university at Cal Poly, I knew I wanted to do something in the agriculture industry but wasn’t exactly sure what direction. After taking a few wine classes I was hooked and decided this was the industry I was meant to be in. From then on out, I spent my studies in school focused on wine business while my summers were full of viticulture and enology internships.

In 2011 I had my first cellar internship – from there, winemaking stole my heart and I’ve never looked back! 

Q: HOW DID ALL OF YOUR EXPERIENCES HELP YOU IN YOUR CURRENT ROLE AT LANCASTER?

After my first harvest, I hopped arond the globe chasing the northern and southern hemisphere harvests. Working harvests in five different countries not only opened my eyes to how wine is made differently all around the world but also humbled me as a person – winemaking is not as glamourous as people think in general, but wineries around the world also don’t have as many safety regulations as we do in the US and it sadly feels like there is a lower value of life. 

While I traveled, I made it a priority to taste and tour at as many wineries as possible; tasting wines we could never get in California has made me a better and more valuable winemaker. I also look back at a lot of the experiences I’ve had, both domestic and international, to help guide my problem-solving here at Lancaster.

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“Wine is art, wine is agriculture, wine is business, wine is science, wine is love, wine is life.”

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Q: WHAT DOES YOUR TYPICAL DAY LOOK LIKE AS A WINEMAKER AT LANCASTER? HOW DOES IT VARY BY SEASON? 

I get this question all the time: “but what do you do, like every day?” But the reality is that the days change dramatically day-to-day; some days we’re in the cellar all day, racking barrels, blending, and (most of all) cleaning. Other days, I’ll be in the lab running analysis, making trial blends, composing work orders, and insuring our wine tracking system is up to date. You may also find me and David in the warehouse moving cases around for wholesale and tasting room orders. On top of all of that, I’m also the site safety and sustainability manager so a large portion of a few of my months is dedicated to our annual audits.

Once harvest approaches, everything changes. Mine usually start out sampling in the vineyard and then I’ll process samples, run analysis, and consult on picking decisions for the upcoming days. We still spend a lot of time in the cellar helping with processing, pumpovers – and more cleaning! – until the day is complete.

Q: THAT’S A LOT OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS THROUGHOUT A DAY! WHAT’S A COMMON MISCONCEPTION ABOUT YOUR ROLE? 

Exactly – no job is too small, and that’s probably the biggest misconception. Just because we’re winemakers doesn’t mean you won’t find us cleaning drains and taking out the compost. We’re a two-person winemaking/production team here at Lancaster, so we really must do it all; the winery is ours to take care of in all aspects. 

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“Winemaking isn’t just caring for the wine; it’s about the little details. One of my favorite quotes is ‘working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress; working hard for something we love is called passion.’”

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Q: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT WORKING AT LANCASTER ESTATE?

We have our own slice of heaven here – the first couple hours at the winery are my favorite because there’s a wonderful calmness and peace. I also love being able to see my work pay off directly through our wine club members and guests who come out to taste.

Q: DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE OF THE WINES THAT LANCASTER CURRENTLY HAS AVAILABLE? 

I’m loving the 2013 Cabernet – but I’m also a sucker for our newly-released 2016 Sophia’s Hillside Cuvée. The 2013 melts in your mouth and is drinking so nicely right now with whatever you prefer to pair with it – for me, it’s a steak dinner! The 2016 Cuvée has my heart and soul in it because anything from 2015 vintage I’ve had my hands on. Its more rustic notes excite my palate and I find myself continuously exploring the wine.

Q: WHICH WINE VARIETAL DO YOU THINK IS UNDERRATED?

Right now, I’m rooting for Merlot. It’s been kicked to the curb since the movie Sideways. Visiting France’s right bank confirmed Merlot had been a diamond in the rough for my palate.  Lancaster always has all five Bordeaux varietals in our Cabernet but I am hoping we’ll do a small production 2018 100% Merlot; we barrel-fermented some and it’s tasting promising. We’ll see! 

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Want to see the end result of Alicia and her team’s work? Shop all Lancaster Estate wines, available now in the Foley Food & Wine Society Wine Shop. 

Throughout the year, we ask winemakers to explain what’s happening behind the scenes each month of the vintner’s calendar as part of our The Vintner’s Calendar series.

MARCH – PLOUGHING

The historic wood carvings at Sebastiani Winery in Sonoma, California display 12 months of winemaking, with each month depicting a special part of the process a winery participates in to yield great wine. Ploughing, which provides nutrients to feed the vine through aeration, is the highlight of the carvings for the month of March.

The process of ploughing has evolved over the years and has been used throughout most of recorded history. Although initially human-powered, the process became considerably more efficient as working animals such as horses were utilized to draw the ploughs. Today, tractors do most of the heavy lifting.

Ploughs cut the soil and loosen it, turning over the upper layer and bringing fresh nutrients to the surface while burying weeds and the remains of previous crops, allowing them to break down.

Ploughing isn’t the only option to get this done, though. “At Lancaster Estate, we don’t use the method of ploughing on our hillsides,” says Alicia Sylvester, Assistant Winemaker at Lancaster Estate. “We find that this can cause excessive erosion. Instead, we use a sustainable method with the use of cover crops.”

Often seen growing between the vines, cover crops are the “weeds” that grow during the vine’s dormant months. At Lancaster, the cover crops are seeded with soybeans, fava beans, and native grasses. Their cover crops are planted when the vineyard is established or replanted, re-seeding itself each season.

Alicia explains that cover crops also provide the soil with fertilizer in the form of nitrogen that needs to be replenished from the previous growing season. An additional benefit of cover crops is that they assist with soil water holding capacity, meaning during the rainy season the cover crop’s roots create channels allowing water absorption into the soil, as opposed to having the rain water running down the hill. This can help reduce the amount of water applied irrigation during the growing and ripening seasons, saving water and promoting sustainablity.

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Want to see the end result of Alicia and her team’s work? Shop all Lancaster Estate wines, available now in the Foley Food & Wine Society Wine Shop.

California’s wine country is vast – whether you find yourself in the iconic Napa Valley or down on the Central Coast, there’s always something great to do. Take a look at some of the events we have our eyes on for this weekend.

NAPA COUNTY

DO NAPA CULINARY CRAWL

Thursday, February 21st, 5PM – 8PM
Various Locations | Napa, CA

We know that technically Thursday isn’t part of the weekend, but this event is a great excuse to kick it off early. If you’ve been looking for an opportunity to explore some of Downtown Napa’s best culinary destinations, there’s no better way than by joining in on the Do Napa Culinary Crawl. Walk, taste, and sip your way through three different destinations, led by a knowledgable guide who will ensure your experience is a great one. Advance tickets are $40 each, which includes specially-prepared bites at each stop paired with exclusive drink specials.

NAPA CRAFT BEER & SPIRITS FESTIVAL

Saturday, February 23rd, 2PM – 4:30PM
Blue Note Napa | 1030 Main Street, Napa, CA

If you need a break from wine, you’re in luck: the Napa Craft Beer & Spirits Festival is in town, ready to wet your whistle with 35+ breweries, distillers, and cideries. This one-day event will offer ticket holders an opportunity to sample this season’s newest craft beers, ciders, and spirits along with great food, live music, and fun games. Both general admission and various levels of VIP tickets are available for purchase online.

SONOMA WINE COUNTRY

CHINESE NEW YEAR CELEBRATION

Saturday, February 23rd, 5PM
Santa Rosa Veterans Memorial Building | 1351 Maple Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA

Celebrate the Lunar New Year with traditional lion dancing, a parade featuring a 250-foot dragon, and traditional holiday food. Fun for the whole family! Tickets are $25 for adults and $10 for children and include a buffet dinner.

MURDER MYSTERY DINNER THEATER

Saturday, February 23rd, 7PM
Charlie’s Restaurant | 1320 19th Hole Drive, Windsor, CA

Get a Clue Productions presents “The Spy Who Killed Me.” Join Secret Agent Evelyn Wagner as he dodges deadly assassins, out-wits dangerous spies, and tries to find “The Item.” Solve the Crime while you dine! Feast on an amazing three course dinner at your own private table while trying to figure out who killed who and how! Prizes awarded to the top three tables.

FEBREWARY – SANTA ROSA BEER PASSPORT

February 1st – February 28th
Various Locations | Santa Rosa, CA

While the FeBREWary celebration may have started in the beginning of the month, it’s definitely not too late to join in on the fun! Santa Rosa breweries and Visit Santa Rosa have collaborated to create the Santa Rosa Beer Passport, your guide to explore the world class craft beer scene in Santa Rosa. Pick up your passport and take it with you to each of the participating breweries for a stamp; receive at least nine to receive a prize! Even better, you’ll get a chance to experience local beers from Henhouse Brewing Company, Third Street Aleworks, Shady Oak Barrel House, and more.

CALIFORNIA’S CENTRAL COAST WINE COUNTRY

SANTA CRUZ CLAM CHOWDER COOK-OFF

February 23rd – February 24th
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk | Santa Cruz, CA

Attention chowder lovers! Taste the best at the 38th Annual Clam Chowder Cook-Off, held on Santa Cruz’s famed beach boardwalk. Sample chowder from amateur chefs on Saturday, followed by professional chefs on Sunday. Both days feature Boston and Manhattan Clam Chowder, and you can help pick a winner each day. Tasting kit proceeds benefit Santa Cruz Parks & Recreation.

The fourth-annual Cult Cab Classic returns to Chalk Hill Estate on Saturday, February 23rd, drawing Cabernet lovers from near and far who’d like to put their taste buds to the test.

Guests will sit down for a guided blind comparative tasting with a superstar Sommelier panel, going through five cult wines and identifying their favorites without knowing anything about the label on the bottle beyond the fact that they’re all California Cabernets.

“Blind tasting is a great exercise to free your mind of any preconceived notions of quality,” notes Kenny Koda, Sommelier and Senior Hospitality Manager for several of Foley Family Wines’ Napa properties. “It is very easy to let the perception or reputation cloud your judgement when you know the producer, region, variety, and vintage. If you don’t know any of this, you free your mind to decide if you like it or not and why.”

With just over 100 seats available, the event sells out annually and often attracts repeat attendees that are eager to see which Foley Family wines place the highest. “We created this event to showcase Foley Cabernets; our wines stand next to some of the most beloved Cabs in Napa and Sonoma County,” says Breanna Taylor, Senior Special Event Manager for Foley Family Wines. 

The Cult Cab Classic is the perfect event for those who prefer Cabernet but want to fine-tune their tastes and identify wine characteristics that they like/dislike. Many attendees are often surprised that they find a producer or vintage that they prefer more than their existing “go-to” favorites. 

“Some of our longest standing Lancaster Estate wine club members will swear they guessed which wine was from Lancaster and to see their shock when they realize it was something different is awesome to watch,” says Taylor. 

Thinking about attending this year’s event? Koda offers one piece of advice: “have fun.”

“Because this is a single blind [knowing some information: that all wines are Cab-based and from California], it’s fun to really dive into the differences between the wines and figuring out how to verbalize it,” explains Koda.

“This is an engaging and fun event,” says Taylor. “I love watching how the guests engage with one another during the blind tasting, trying to guess what it is. There are always some surprises on which wines end up placing the highest!”

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Interested in attending this year’s Cult Cab Classic? Limited seats are still available. 

Roth Estate Winery has been dedicated to crafting bold expressions of luxury Bordeaux varietals from Sonoma County’s best AVAs – and their commitment has paid off as they received three new acclaims for some of their recently released wines.

Learn more about these recent award-winners and add them to your wine collection today.

2016 CABERNET SAUVIGNON, ALEXANDER VALLEY 

Double Gold, San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition 2019

The SF Chronicle Wine Competition is the largest wine competition of American wines in the world, boasting over 60 professional judges representing various North American wine regions, evaluating almost 7,000 wines from over 1,100 wineries. Even with an incredible amount of competition, the 2016 Roth Cabernet Sauvignon stood out amongst the others and took home Double Gold along with high praise from judges. The Roth Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is made from select vineyard sites within the southernmost hillsides of the Alexander Valley and is a true reflection of Roth’s passion for the noble Cabernet grape. The 2016 vintage is bold, full-bodied, and rich. Dark in color, it displays mighty aromas of black cherry, cassis, wet stone, and sweet oak. Rich and layered flavors of red currant, blackberry, dark chocolate and vanilla complement the firm tannins, gaining power as the wine moves across the palate. Structured, and powerful, this Cabernet lingers on the finish.

2016 PINOT NOIR, SONOMA COAST

90 Points, Wine Spectator

Wine Spectator, known for being one of the leading publications in the industry, was impressed with the 2016 Roth Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast and awarded it 90 points in their January 2019 edition. Bold and complex in character, this Pinot Noir is indeed a direct expression of its Sonoma Coast origins and maintains the relationship between terroir, rootstock, clone, and vineyard. Here’s what the reviewer at Wine Spectator had to say: 

“Rich, featuring an enveloping spiciness to the dried cherry, berry and forest floor flavors. The creamy finish offers light smoky and peppery accents. Drink now through 2022. 4,000 cases made.—K.M.”

2016 HERITAGE RED, SONOMA COUNTY

Double Gold, San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition 2019

The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon wasn’t the only Roth Estate wine to turn heads at the SF Chronicle Wine Competition this year. The 2016 Roth Heritage Red, which is a bold blend of some of the winery’s favorite regions throughout the southeastern parts of Sonoma County, “celebrates the perseverant and relentless spirit of our forefathers” and is noted as a tribute to the winery’s proud heritage, commemorating the many bold journeys that shaped our great country. The 2016 vintage is deep ruby in color and offers luscious aromas of boysenberry, cocoa dust and a hint of black pepper. On the palate, bold tannins are balanced by decadent flavors of blackberry, blueberry and white chocolate with hints of vanilla and toasted oak.

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BOLD. UNAPOLOGETIC. Roth Estate is a bold expression of luxury Bordeaux varietals from Sonoma County’s best AVA’s. The winery was founded to honor the bold character and relentless spirit that brought the founder’s family to America. In 2001, Roth started producing Cabernet Sauvignon blends from exceptional hillside locations in the famed Alexander Valley and soon established a cult following to warrant its own winery, caves and tasting room in Healdsburg. Today, Roth has grown to be recognized for its history of high acclaim and strong commitment to producing bold, powerful Bordeaux wines with the truest and best expression of the land.

Ready to add Roth Estate wines to your cellar? Shop all offerings on the Foley Food & Wine Society Wine Shop.

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FEBRUARY – RACKING

Racking is the process of removing the wine from barrel into tank. This allows for natural clarification (lees stay at bottom of barrel and are removed) and for blending of barrels, which creates uniformity within a lot. Uniform additions can also be made at this time, for example, adding SO2 to prevent oxidation.

For Lancaster Estate, we have two types of racking that takes place in February.  We rack our previous vintage (ie. 2017) and try to finalize that vintage’s blends. We also perform the initial rackings to any current vintage (ie. 2018) lots that have completed their secondary fermentation, malo-lactic fermentation (MLF). Lancaster Estate doesn’t use a commercial ML strain our MLF’s are much slower to finish.  

Lancaster also uses a slightly oxidative racking process during the early stages of the wine’s life which we call a “dirty splash rack.” This process includes the wine’s lees (dead/residual yeast and other particles that settle to the bottom of the barrel) with the racking, then the wine is passed through a screen and sump as it makes its way to the tank.  This process helps soften & integrate our large tannins and blow off any reductive notes that developed during MLF.

The Racking wand has a sight glass where you can see the wine as it exits the barrel. You can easily see when the wine becomes cloudy (you are incorporating lees) with the use of a flashlight. There is a foot at the bottom of the wand that is adjustable. This allows us to either keep the lees (dirty rack) or discard them (clean rack).

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Want to see the end result of Alicia and her team’s work? Shop all Lancaster Estate wines, available now in the Foley Food & Wine Society Wine Shop. 

There is possibly no other place in the United States that exudes romance like California’s wine country. If you find yourself in the area – especially around Valentine’s Day – celebrate accordingly with your loved one by planning one of these romantic excursions that are sure to impress.

HOT AIR BALLOON RIDE OVER NAPA

Often considered a “nature walk in the sky,” there is arguably no better view of Napa Valley than from above. Consider boarding a private balloon basket for two just after dawn and floating across the lush, rolling hills of the valley as the California sunshine makes its grand entrance. Balloons Above the Valley offers packages that includes round-trip transportation, champagne brunch, photos, and more to make it an experience you won’t forget.

ROMANCE PACKAGE AT LUX LOS OLIVOS INN

Forbes has recognized Los Olivos as a perfect romantic getaway destination amongst the towns in Santa Barbara Wine Country, particularly for the small-town feel, 30+ tasting rooms, and access to fun things to do. If you’re looking for a romantic weekend getaway, they recommend booking a room at Fess Parker Wine Country Inn & Spa – while it looks quaint, the inside is luxurious and fit for any special occasion. Book their Romance Package to receive sparkling wine, chocolate covered strawberries, and a dozen roses upon arrival.

WINE TASTING BY THE FIREPLACE

Foley Sonoma is already known for its beautiful panoramic views and cozy-yet-modern indoor tasting room. As the weather cools down, they light their fireplace to bring some added warmth – and the romantic ambiance doesn’t hurt, either. “It’s great to be protected from the elements outside, yet still feel amongst your surroundings with the views,” says Foley Sonoma Hospitality Manager Rebekah Nelson. “It’s my favorite place to be.”

THREE-COURSE DINNER AT FIRESTONE VINEYARD

Take the guessing work out of wine and food pairings for Valentine’s Day dinner – Firestone Vineyard will do the heavy lifting for you, pairing their incredible Bordeaux varietal wines with a three-course dinner prepared by Foley Food & Wine Society Chef Brian Mazzoli for their 2019 Valentine’s Day Dinner event. The French-inspired meal will be enjoyed in Firestone’s iconic Barrel Cellar, setting the mood for what’s sure to be an unforgettable evening with your loved one.

TAKE A SCENIC DRIVE TO THE COAST

Romantic moments don’t have to cost a fortune. Hop in the car and take a cruise to the coast from Sonoma, weaving your way through the inviting little towns like Occidental and Guerneville as you work your way to the Pacific Ocean. Non-stop views of the lush greenery will come your way as you go up and down the hills, and a grand finale of the ocean view will give you a new appreciation for Northern California and the proximity to such great wonders.

TAPAS AT A CANDLE-LIT SPANISH RESTAURANT

ZuZu is a beloved Spanish-inspired restaurant and tapas bar in Napa’s historic Old Town, drawing scores of visitors who want to experience their warm Mediterranean decor and renowned small plates. Inside, a dark ambiance is illuminated by candles, providing the perfect setting for you and your sweetheart to share a variety of small plates and a bottle off their eclectic wine list.