Wine

Vine Cliff Winery
7400 Silverado Trail, Napa, CA 94558 707.944.1364
Open daily 10am - 4pm, by appt only

Vine Cliff Winery, located in the Oakville appellation of the Napa Valley, has announced a new program to allow consumers to tour the winery and taste their wines with winemaker Jim Kress.

"We are very pleased that our guests will have this opportunity," said Rob Sweeney, Vine Cliff's Proprietor and General Manager.  "Jim is a great guy, and what could be better than tasting our wines with one of the key people responsible for making them?"

Kress joined Vine Cliff prior to the 2011 harvest. He  has 16 vintages under his belt having worked previously at St. Clement Vineyards and Domaine Chandon. After graduating from the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University, Jim's passion for food and wine eventually led him to the Master of Science program in Viticulture and Enology at University of California, Davis.

"I am excited to have the chance to share our passion with Vine Cliff's guests ," Kress said.  "We'll check out the production area, kick some dirt in the vineyards, then relax in the caves and try some wines. It should be a lot of fun!"  

The tours and tastings are being offered every Friday at 3 pm and last about 90 minutes. A maximum of 12 guests per week may participate and the cost is $25 per guest. Prior appointments are required, and may be made by calling 707-944-1364. Children and pets are not permitted.

Founded in 1871 and owned and operated by the Sweeney family since 1985, Vine Cliff Winery focuses on producing Cabernet Sauvignon from their estate vineyard in Oakville and Chardonnay from their vineyard in the Los Carneros District.

Just in time for Earth Day, the Livermore Valley Winegrowers Association celebrated the opening of the Drought Resistant Garden Trail with a sign installation and toast at Rodrigue Molyneaux Winery on April 12. Developed in cooperation with the Alameda County Master Gardeners, the initial phase of the new trail includes the first of many local winery and event center gardens to feature native, drought resistant plantings. Trail maps will soon be available at www.LVwine.org and at each of the following garden trail locations in Livermore Valley:

Cedar Mountain Winery (7000 Tesla Road): A wide perennial garden flanks both sides of the barrel room. The garden is filled with roses; especially captivating is the climbing rose Altissimo. Hardy penstemon and sages also fill the beds.

Concannon Vineyard (4590 Tesla Road): Playful topiary is the obvious theme of these gardens, where even mature Fruitless Mulberry trees are trained into arches and orbs. Drought resistant New Zealand flaxes, purple hopseed and daylilies are scattered among the olive trees. Concannon was one of the first wineries in Livermore Valley to use roses as detectors of molds and mildew in the vineyard.

Las Positas Vineyards (1828 Wetmore Road): Many drought resistant grasses, including California fescue and Mexican feather grass are planted in this extensive landscape that also features Teucrium chamaedrtys (germander).

Submitted by Chateau Montelena

Now that we've officially kicked off the beginning of a new season here at Chateau Montelena, it's time for spring renewal and getting a fresh start in the New Year. For some, that may mean starting a new garden, taking up a new hobby or working on some spring cleaning. For us, spring means enjoying longer days, ample amounts of sunshine and the start of a new growing season in our vineyard.  

We're also looking forward to sharing our three new releases wines: our 2008 Montelena Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and 2009 Montelena Estate Zinfandel are now available for your sipping pleasure. Aside from being great pairings with spring and summer dining experiences - either along with a park picnic or out on the patio under the stars on a warm evening - they're also three fantastic reasons to make more room in your wine cellar. At the end of a long day, there's nothing better than grabbing a great bottle of wine to hang out on your home patio with your favorite people and savor a glass of wine as you unwind on a warm and clear night. The season of "patio wine" is upon us.

With three new Montelena wines to choose from, we're certain that there's an option for every palate and every occasion - from a special, celebratory dinner with our 2008 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon to a family barbeque with our 2009 Estate Zinfandel and even a mid-week repose to savor a special meal alongside our 2009 Napa Valley Cabernet just-because-its-Wednesday-and-you-need-a-break.  

So whatever your wine preference may be, we hope that you take some time to enjoy the new season, relax on the patio outside and delight in a glass (or two!) of your favorite Montelena wine. And next time you're in Calistoga, stop by the Chateau to taste them all, pick your favorite and stock up - we have a long and glorious spring and summer ahead of us.

by Courtney Cochran

Sustainable businesses famously have an eye to the future as well as current projects. As awareness about the need to conserve for tomorrow's generations grows, so does the number of wineries in our backyard converting to eco-oriented wine-growing - and a sustainable future for us all.  Below are some of the Sonoma wineries featuring green practices ranging from responsible vineyard management to economically friendly processes in the winery.

Benziger Family Winery
Sustainability is built into the mission at this green winemaking leader, which famously focuses on "family, great wine and healthy vineyards." Now three generations in, the Benziger clan - more than a dozen are actively involved in the winery - ensures their entire roster of vineyards is certified sustainable, organic or Biodynamic© via green metrics and a rigorous annual audit. Visitors will see the 'whole farm' ethos at work by way of the farm animals at the welcoming Glen Ellen property (hello, sheep cam!), and can look forward to quality that shows through in the glass:  a diverse lineup spanning Sauvignon Blanc to Syrah is well-received by critics.      

*Visit: 1883 London Ranch Road, Glen Ellen, CA 95442; Call (707) 935-3000; Tasting Offer
**Event: Celebrate Earth Day

Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards
Nestled into the hills of cool, bucolic Carneros, Gloria Ferrer is in a prime spot for making world-class sparkling wines.  What's perhaps less apparent is this picturesque winery's commitment to sustainable agriculture, something its owners pursue through innovative approaches to everything from soil biodiversity programs to integrated pest management, water management and energy conservation.  Because sustainability also has an eye to the health of people - not just plants - Gloria Ferrer's sustainability efforts support an arts program for local bereaved children, facilitating a focus on renewal of life through creativity.  Ferrer's high marks for hospitality and stellar pours are just icing on the sustainable cake, as it were.

*Visit: 23555 Arnold Drive Sonoma, CA 95476; Call: (707) 996-7256; Tasting Offer

There's no need to rush through tastings or cram all your wine tasting into a 10am - 5pm time frame. More and more wineries are starting to offer evening tasting room hours and it's just what the doctor ordered!

Tamber Bey
Arrived early for dinner reservations? Checked in to your hotel from an evening flight and would like to unwind before heading to bed? Tamber Bey's tasting room in downtown St. Helena is the perfect place to relax with a glass of wine. Not only do they offer their full flight of tastings until 8pm daily, they are one of the few tasting rooms that have a license to serve wine by the glass. With dimmed lighting, and soft jazz notes floating in the air, and of course, amazing wines, you'll wonder why you didn't discover this gem earlier!

The Space
Tamber Bey's tasting room reflects the equestrian influence of their namesake (Tamber Bey combines the names of the first Arabian horses that Tamber Bey owner Barry Waitte owned and raced -- Tamborina and Bayamo affectionately known as Tamber and Bey.).

There are several different areas to taste within the Tamber Bey tasting room - a different space to fit your mood. Slide up to the tasting bar finished in copper or lounge on one of the leather couches. On a warm summer day, sit bistro style at the small tables outside or taste in the private tasting room with at a striking 100 year-old barn-wood table. Whatever you fancy and wherever you are comfortable, the tasting room staff is there to accommodate.