Kickoff September in style by tasting the
newest wine releases at Vine & Barrel
Now that the 2007 grape harvest has officially begun and the holidays are right around the corner, Vine & Barrel Wine Shop will be highlighting the big, powerful and elegant styles of delicious Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines throughout the month of September.
Whether you are cooking dinner at home for friends and family or sharing a bottle during at festive tail-gate party, these expressive wines work wonders when paired with grilled or barbequed meats, hard cheeses, dark chocolate desserts and many other styles of delectable seasonal cuisine. With that in mind, come taste these unique flavor profiles at the First Annual Fall Cabernet Sauvignon Tasting Extravaganza at Vine & Barrel on Saturday, September 22 (see below)
Also, throughout the month of September, Vine and Barrel will be launching the first stage of our exiting new Wine Club program, featuring delicious wines from producers that belong to the Petaluma Gap Wine Association. These fantastic wines can be purchased in 2-packs, 3-packs, 4-packs and 6-packs. Pairing Indian Summer and memorable wines—a new Petaluma tradition!
Cheers,
Jason Jenkins
Christopher Sawyer
Simone Haslam
Proprietors of Vine & Barrel Wine Shop
Upcoming Events
Sept 15: Italian wines from the Old World and New World, 3-5 pm ($10)
Sept 22: First Annual Fall Cabernet Sauvignon Tasting Extravaganza, 3-6 pm ($15)
Sept 29: Dazzling delights at the Second Annual Taste of Petaluma, 1-4 pm (info below)
Grapes to Glass: Wine Education
Sept 12: Rhone Rangers Heirloom Tomato Dinner at the Lodge at Sonoma, 6:30 pm ($50/$70 with wine; see below)
Sept 19: Exploring the beauties of Petite Sirah, 6 pm at Vine & Barrel ($5 includes class & tasting)
Sept 26: No tasting this week. Sawyer will be judging the Sonoma County Harvest Fair Wine Competition.
Vine & Barrel debuts its new Wine Club by
honoring Petaluma Gap producers
In September, Vine & Barrel will be celebrating the release of our new Wine Club by honoring the fine producers of the Petaluma Gap Wine Association. Each wine club purchase can be custom fit to meet your personal taste preferences and the amount of money you would like to spend.
White wine lovers, for instance, can try the Fall Whites, a two-pack that includes a combination of the crisp Keller Estate 2005 Pinot Gris and the elegant Copeland Creek 2003 Chardonnay.
For red wine lovers, try the Bordeaux-style Medley, a taste-tempting two-pack featuring Kastania 2004 Meritage and Copland Creek 2003 Meritage.
For a mixture of styles, there's the Lovely Combo Blend, an elegant three-pack featuring the Keller Estate 2006 "Oro de Plata" Unoaked Chardonnay, Cline 2005 Cool-Climate Syrah and the newly released Ridgeway 2005 Pinot Noir.
Or if you are a happy victim of Pinot Noir madness like us, then try The Terroir Zone—a collectable four-pack featuring the Ridgeway 2005 Pinot Noir, a tremendous ageworthy wine made with grapes grown in the hills near D Street Extension; the highly acclaimed Clary Ranch 2004 Pinot Noir from Chileno Valley Road; the Keller Estate 2005 from the La Cruz Vineyard off Lakeville Road; and the hard to find Roessler 2004 Pinot Noir from the Griffin's Liar Vineyard also off Lakeville Road.
And for even more adventure, try the Petaluma Gap Six-Pack, a mixture of six spectacular wines designed to dazzle the palate of a wide range of wine aficionados.
Prices are based on the best retail cost per bottle plus tax. Drop in and find out more about this exciting new program!
Heirloom Tomato Dinner with local Rhone Ranger members and Sommelier Christopher Sawyer at Carneros Bistro
at The Lodge at Sonoma, September 12
On September 12, join friends from marvelous Sonoma Valley producers Arrowood, Castle, Cline Cellars, Landmark, Parmelee-Hill and Wellington Vineyards, sommelier Christopher Sawyer, and award-winning chef Janine Falvo at Carneros Bistro at The Lodge at Sonoma for a special seasonal dinner honoring the delicious flavor profiles of fresh Heirloom Tomatoes and how well they pair with delicious Rhone-style wines.
6:30 p.m., $50/ $70 with wine, excludes tax and gratuity. For more information, visit www.carnerosbistro.com/menusor simply call the restaurant at (707) 931-2042 to reserve your seats at this memorable event before they're gone!
Fall Spectacular with Italian wines from the
Old World and new World, September 15
What do all the following foods have in common? Heirloom tomatoes, artisan mozzarella and aged pecorino cheeses, fresh pesto, thin-crusted gourmet pizzas, Braised Lamb Shank, and freshly pressed olive oil.
Give up? Each of these fabulous fall treats pair incredibly well with fine Italian-style wines from the Old World and New World.
To learn more about these exciting styles of wines, visit Vine & Barrel on Saturday, September 15, to taste new releases from Vias Imports Ltd., Jim Moore of Uvaggio wines and other special guests. 3-5 pm, $10/person. Tickets may be purchased the day of the event.
First Annual Fall Cabernet Sauvignon
Tasting Extravaganza at Vine & Barrel, September 22
With the holidays just around the corner, it's time to refresh the memory of the fantastic flavor profiles and lingering delights that well-made Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines from Sonoma County, Napa Valley and beyond.
So to stay up to date with these wines, Vine & Barrel will be hosting an exclusive tasting on September 22, featuring tasty releases from Stags Leap Winery, Rombauer, Monticello Cellars, Pezzi-King, Holloway Wines, Bugay, Watkins Family and other special guests, as well as delicious seasonal cuisine prepared by chef Brian Otte.
3-6 pm, $15/person. Tickets may be purchased at Vine & Barrel. However space is limited, so get yours before it's too late! For more information, call us at (707) 765-1112 or email jason@vineandbarrel.com.
Dazzle your palate at the Second Annual
Taste of Petaluma, September 29th
Do you love fine wine and great restaurants? Then don't miss the Second Annual "Taste of Petaluma" where you'll sample everything that Petaluma's upscale culinary scene has to offer in one afternoon.
In addition to Vine & Barrel, this year's event will feature over 50 of Petaluma's finest restaurants, wineries, breweries and food purveyors to tempt you with their talents.
$35/person gets you 10 dine-around tickets, a map of sampling locations, a tote bag, and much more. Pre-tickets are available by calling Cinnabar Theater at (707) 763-8920 or by visiting Gallery One, Haus Fortuna or Pelican Art Gallery. For more information, visit www.tasteofpetaluma.org
Sonoma County Harvest Fair Gala Wine Tasting, September 29
Harvest Fair awards night at Grace Pavilion. Celebrate the rich agricultural heritage that has won this region and its wines worldwide acclaim.
This annual prelude to the Harvest Fair is the presentation of the 2007 Harvest Fair medals, top-honors awarded by a distinguished group of wine judges, including Vine & Barrel's sommelier Christopher Sawyer.
During the Gala, all 500+ will be paired with hors d'oeuvres inspired by the region's freshest seasonal ingredients. Tickets for Awards Night are $65 per person and are available for purchase at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds Administration Office or online, visit www.harvestfair.org.
More Indian Summer gossip...
Congratulations are definitely in order for a number of special friends of Vine & Barrel.
The first is Buena Vista Carneros, a wonderful local producer which is currently celebrating its 150-year anniversary as California's oldest commercial winery. When in Vine and Barrel Wine Shop, ask us about their dazzling new releases and look for Christopher and Jaosn's story on the winery in the Community section of the Argus-Courier on September 26th.
The second congrats goes to Rex Hardware, which officially re-opened its doors on the corner of 4 th and B on August 25. Welcome home to Jim and his staff. Glad to have you back!
And the third to the Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers for raising $1.2 million dollars for local charities over Labor Day Weekend during the Sonoma Valley Harvest Wine Auction. As they say in the famous region: "…Is that a Magnum in your holster, or are you just happy to be in Sonoma Valley?" For highlights of the three-day event or to find a schedule of other wine tasting events in the region, visit www.sonomavalleywine.com.
Cheers!