Dry Creek Vineyard/ Don Wallace/Agave Mexican Cuisine

Recently Don Wallace and I met at agave In Healdsburg for some great food to pair with his wines. This is a feature with one of the great wines from Dry Creek vineyard! we will also feature the amazing family behind this great Mexican restaurant In healdsburg. Our wine? 2021 Heritage Vines Zinfandel. Winemaker Notes: To preserve the tradition and “heritage” of old Zinfandel vineyards, cuttings from a pre-Prohibition era vineyard were grafted onto phylloxera-resistant rootstock. Then, for several years we worked diligently to screen and propagate virus-free vines that would ultimately produce a crop. The 2021 Heritage Vines Zinfandel is delicious and wonderfully balanced. This vintage presents alluring aromatics of black cherry, boysenberry and plum with nuances of warm spices, mocha and white pepper. On the palate, brambly flavors of dark berries come forward. The wine is complex, with bright acidity complimented by deeper notes of cedar, fine leather and dark brown sugar. From start to finish, this remarkable wine offers refreshing acidity paired with excellent structure. At Agave Healdsburg, they draw from the artisanal customs and deepest cultures of Oaxaca. It’s more than just food and drinks; it’s a family tradition passed down through generations. Our Mole Negro, an exotic and incredibly fragrant creation made from over 20 secret ingredients, is a testament to this heritage. Executive Chef Octavio Diaz has mastered this recipe with the guidance and culinary expertise of his parents, ensuring the authenticity and depth of flavor in every bite. Mezcal, the smoky spirit of Oaxaca, is another thread woven into the fabric of our family history. Here at Agave Healdsburg, we craft a diverse range of premium cocktails that celebrate this ancestral beverage. Agriculture is a natural way of life for Don Wallace, the product of four generations of a hard-working California farming family. Don’s interest in machinery took him away from the farm for fifteen years while he pursued a career in international construction. While he was on a project in Sonoma County in 1980, Don met Dry Creek Vineyard founder David Stare’s daughter, Kim Stare, whom he married in 1982. With his father-in-law and wife in the wine business, Don’s next move was a stint among the vines at Murphy-Goode Estate Winery to “test drive” his new family’s industry. After one year, Don accepted his father-in-law’s offer to manage ranch operations at Dry Creek Vineyard in 1990. Don’s sphere of influence gradually grew to encompass every aspect of the business, including winery operations and sales, as well as vineyard development and acquisitions. Don took on the role of General Manager in 1999 and in April 2006, he was appointed President of Dry Creek Vineyard. In 2012, Don decided to take a well deserved sabbatical to pursue some outside interests as well as an extended list of honey do’s at home! We have two great features first with Don Wallace and I discussing our feature wine.Then on to our food and wine feature!Please Click on the 2 links below to listen to our audio features1 Cheers! Click here and join us as we enjoy great food and wine . Click here and join us as we enjoy great food and wine .

Daryl Groom/One of The Best Winemakers on The Planet/Zinfandel feature

Wehave another great audio feature for you all today!daryl Groom Will join me as we open his great Zinfandel.First we look at his website and fill you in on his great career in the winemaking industry. Daryl Groom has been involved in the wine industry in both the USA and Australia for more than 30 years. Currently he is engaged in a number of wine- related projects in both countries. He is the Owner/ Winemaker for Groom Wines in Australia, a very successful ultra premium brand focusing on Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc. His other great joy is his newest brand Colby Red Wine, a wine initiated and inspired by his son Colby Groom who underwent back to back open heart surgeries. Proceeds from this wine go to charities across the USA that promote heart health (www.colbyred.com). The Groom Family has raised over $900,000 for heart charities including the American Heart Association and The Children's Heart Foundation. Prior to his current ventures, Daryl was Senior Winemaker for Penfolds in Australia where he oversaw the making of Penfolds famed red wine, Grange. He was the Executive Winemaker for Peak Wines International that owned both Geyser Peak and Wildhorse Wineries (1990-2005) and then Senior VP of Operations and Winemaking for Beam Wine Estates (2006/2007). Daryl's passion for wine sees him judging at 8 international wine shows annually. He has also been a repeat guest on E television and also appeared on the NBC Today Show. He also partners and is Chief Judge at the North Coast Wine Challenge Wine Competetion and is partner with well known Chef Charlie Palmer in the prestigious and highly successful Charlie Palmers Pigs and Pinot. Pigs and Pinot is an annual 2 day event that raises over $150,000 for local and national charities. Zinfandel is a grape variety whose origins are believed to be from Europe, possibly Croatia, where it was traded to Italy and referred to as Primativo. Zinfandel’s success is primarily related to California where it has been grown for 150 years. It is produced by many wineries and receives cult status among wine lovers. Many believe this variety is to California what shiraz is to Australia. Zinfandel is a hearty variety. It produces its best wines in areas where the grapevine needs to work hard. Our Kalimna shiraz vineyard has just the micro-climate to experiment with this variety to endeavour to produce wines that match California’s best. It is no secret that the best California Zinfandels are from old vines, grown head-trained (aka bush vines). With this principle in mind we decided to plant and train our vines to this method. More time consuming, less yield but hopefully high quality. Our 8 acres of bush vines have been designated the “Bush Block”. This first release is a solid wine displaying very typical zinfandel hallmarks. Brick red in colour, a very spicy, raisiny aroma and a rich medium weighted palate with some apparent sweetness, although the wine is dry. This sweetness in taste comes from the higher alcohol and raisining of some of the grapes. This wine can be very much enjoyed with pasta or red meat, and will be fantastic with cheese to end a meal. Please join us by clicking on the link below,and enjoy our great audio feature with Daryl Groom1 Cheers! Click here and join us as we enjoy great wines and food.

Groom Wines.com/Daryl Groom/ Winemaker/Rock Star/Localwinemaker

We have a treat for you! I recently sat down with Daryl Groom,and opened three of his wines.Truly a Pleasure to talk with this world class winemaker. First we will look at his recent press and a little from his website)(groomwines.com) and on the wines to be featured. Prior to his current ventures, Daryl was Senior Winemaker for Penfolds in Australia where he oversaw the making of Penfolds famed red wine, Grange. He was the Executive Winemaker for Peak Wines International that owned both Geyser Peak and Wildhorse Wineries (1990-2005) and then Senior VP of Operations and Winemaking for Beam Wine Estates (2006/2007). Daryl's passion for wine sees him judging at 8 international wine shows annually. He has also been a repeat guest on E television and also appeared on the NBC Today Show. He also partners and is Chief Judge at the North Coast Wine Challenge Wine Competetion and is partner with well known Chef Charlie Palmer in the prestigious and highly successful Charlie Palmers Pigs and Pinot. Pigs and Pinot is an annual 2 day event that raises over $150,000 for local and national charities. We have three amazing wines starting with a beautiful Sav Blanc. Lenswood, in the Adelaide Hills appellation of South Australia, is where our Sauvignon Blanc is grown. It is a very cool climate with relatively high winter rainfall. Our Lenswood vineyard is dedicated to Sauvignon Blanc and is producing stunning Sauvignon Blanc grapes. Daryl says that the vineyard conditions are so perfect that all he has to do is harvest at the right moment and then get out of the way and not muck things up! What emerges from this clean, uncomplicated winemaking approach is a wine with brilliant acidity and flavors that balance citrus with floral. Brighter than California Sauvignon Blanc, and a little less pungent than New Zealand, this wine exemplifies the Adelaide Hills appellation as a world class Sauvignon Blanc producing region. Our wine is 100% Sauvignon Blanc fruit, 100% stainless steel fermented with no oak contact and 0% malolactic fermentation. Daryl’s aim is to get the incredible, intense fruit flavors from the vine into the glass. This wine showcases pure Sauvignon fruit at its very best. Links to vintage specific technical information for each vintage. This wine is all a Sav Blanc wants to be,purely perfect and in fact a food and wine pairing in your very near future. Our next wine has become an instant favorite of mine! The Barossa Valley is the source of our Shiraz. With it’s hot, dry conditions and fairly level valley floor and undulating hills, this appellation is generally recognized as the best red wine district in Australia. Our Kalimna property is located next door to the traditional Penfolds Grange “mother source” vineyard. The unforgiving soils of this area are well known to produce very low yields, loose clusters and extremely small berries. Classic, ultra premium Shiraz territory! Daryl looks for a little less wood in his Shiraz than is typical of Australian Shiraz. He wants a wine that is rich, but not overly jammy, tannic, or oaky in flavor so that it can show off the spicy, anise, berry flavors - true varietal characters in the grape. He is looking for a firm, fleshy structure and a fine texture. Daryl achieves his results by traditional and gentle winemaking methods: fermentation is small batches, punched down in open-top vessels; a skin maceration of only 6 days; minimal handling throughout and aging in American oak (half new, half 1 year old). Careful barrel selection increases the quality and consistency of our Shiraz. In the very near future we will discuss and feature his Zinfandel. for now please click on the links be low,and join me as we introduce you to one of the great winemakers of our current times... Cheers! Click here and join us as we enjoy great wines and food. Click here and join us as we enjoy great wines and food.

karamariewines.com/Ra Ra Wine Co./Kara Groom/Sonoma County Wine country Excursion

Today we will try three new wines from Ra Ra Wine Co. Healdsburg California is trulu a wine hub now,offering great wines from many different wine regions surounding this great little town. I met this amazing lady at Valette Healdsburg,and now will enjoy this great story and adventure with her great wines. We will look at the webiste,and tasting notes,but first,a little back ground. Kara Marie Wines began in 2018 with a passion for great wine made in a lively, fruit forward style. 100 cases of rosé later, and so began an unexpectedly epic journey! Trained and mentored (not to mention raised!) by a winemaker whose philosophy is to let the fruit do the talking, I’ve done exactly that…with my own spin of course! Fast forward to 2023, and I am proud to offer a full line up of wines I am passionate about making and drinking! Kara Marie Wines has now evolved into two brands, Ra Ra Wine Co. and Little Ra Ra Ferments. Both platforms allow me to craft limited production wines of excellent quality­ and top-notch drinkability. Kara Groom Six harvests across three continents and it was time to come home to Sonoma County. Now following my passion for food & wine (aka eating and drinking), I’m crafting beautiful wines and delicious dishes to accompany them." We have two great audio features and three wines. 1. 2023 DRY RIESLING 2.2023 MELON DE BOURGOGNE 3. 2023 ROSÉ OF GRENACHE Please go to Karamariewines.com to learn more! We will also get together with Kara and pair some great dishes from local chefs...in the very near future. So please clickon the links below,and join us as we discuss these great wines. Cheers! Click here and join us as we enjoy great wines and food.

Karamariewines.com/ Kara Groom/ Sonoma Wine Country Excursion/ Ra Ra Wine Co.

Today we will try three new wines from Ra Ra Wine Co. Healdsburg California is trulu a wine hub now,offering great wines from many different wine regions surounding this great little town. I met this amazing lady at Valette Healdsburg,and now will enjoy this great story and adventure with her great wines. We will look at the webiste,and tasting notes,but first,a little back ground. Kara Marie Wines began in 2018 with a passion for great wine made in a lively, fruit forward style. 100 cases of rosé later, and so began an unexpectedly epic journey! Trained and mentored (not to mention raised!) by a winemaker whose philosophy is to let the fruit do the talking, I’ve done exactly that…with my own spin of course! Fast forward to 2023, and I am proud to offer a full line up of wines I am passionate about making and drinking! Kara Marie Wines has now evolved into two brands, Ra Ra Wine Co. and Little Ra Ra Ferments. Both platforms allow me to craft limited production wines of excellent quality­ and top-notch drinkability. Kara Groom Six harvests across three continents and it was time to come home to Sonoma County. Now following my passion for food & wine (aka eating and drinking), I’m crafting beautiful wines and delicious dishes to accompany them." We have two great audio features and three wines. 1. 2023 DRY RIESLING 2.2023 MELON DE BOURGOGNE 3. 2023 ROSÉ OF GRENACHE Please go to Karamariewines.com to learn more! We will also get together with Kara and pair some great dishes from local chefs...in the very near future. So please clickon the links below,and join us as we discuss these great wines. Cheers! Click here and join us as we enjoy great food and wine .

Dry Creek Vineyard/Don Wallace/All I want for Christmas is my 3 front Zins From Dry Creek Vineyard

Yes it's that time of year!I love it! Today we have a great new feature with Don Wallace and plenty of single vineyard Zinfandels really and opened.First let's look at their website,and the tasting notes on our featured Zinfandels from Dry Creek Vineyard. 2020 Wallace Ranch Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley Winemaker Notes: Our Wallace Ranch Zinfandel is a shining example of the preservation of iconic old vine Zinfandel. This incredible vineyard is on the home property of Proprietors Kim and Don Wallace, and it was the first to be planted using the Heritage Clone in 1994. To develop this clone, we grafted budwood from a pre-Prohibition vineyard onto phylloxera-resistant rootstock in our estate Wallace Ranch vineyard, forever preserving the heritage of the old vines and crafting a "young vine" wine with "old vine" characteristics. Initially, the aromas express fruit-forward tones of black cherry, blackberry and raspberry. In the background, subtle notes of coriander, white pepper and cumin emerge after several minutes of airing. On the palate, flavors of cranberry and boysenberry pie mix with soft undertones of cardamom, nutmeg and mocha. The wine is supple with tremendous complexity and symmetry between fruit, alcohol, tannin and acid. yes I did say three.....our second wine today is 2020 Vogensen Ranch Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley Winemaker Notes: Rising more than 800 feet off the valley floor, Vogensen Ranch is located on the back of Bradford Mountain and is one of the more extreme growing sites in all of Dry Creek Valley. We have isolated a steeply sloped, well-draining area of the vineyard called “Barn Block” to create this bottling for our single vineyard series. The undulating nature of the terrain and east-facing sun exposure provide grapes that are beautifully ripened and lead to a wine that is silky, textured and well-balanced. Aromas of blueberry, blackberry and black cherry jump from the glass and intermix with spicy nuances of nutmeg, cinnamon and white pepper. Juicy, rich dark flavors of brambleberries and plum come forward, combined with deeper notes of black pepper and marzipan. The silky, seamless tannins flesh out the vibrant finish of black and white pepper, all framed by refreshing acidity and superb roundness. Tasting these wines reminds me ...I like to eat!!... Our third wine today is 2020 Farmhouse Vineyard Zinfandel Russian River Valley Winemaker Notes: This delicious bottling is the sixth vintage of Zinfandel produced from our Farmhouse Vineyard in the Russian River Valley. The vines in our Farmhouse Vineyard were among the first to be planted using the Heritage budwood concept to preserve the heritage of iconic old vine Zinfandel vineyards! Cuttings from a pre-Prohibition era vineyard were grafted onto phylloxera-resistant rootstock to create a “young vine” wine with “old vine” Zinfandel characteristics. Initially, the aromas show fruit-forward tones of black and red cherries, cranberry and blackberry. Subtle notes of mocha, rose and earthy nuances come forward after several minutes of airing. On the palate, flavors of plum and strawberry mix with soft undertones of coriander, toffee, toasty cedar and roasted almonds. The wine is supple with tremendous complexity and silky tannins. The finish is pure with a slight spiciness and refined elegance. The stage is set! Please click on the link,at the bottom of this feature.please enjoy this great new audio feature with Don Wallace.all music is my original music...performed by...Yours truly.Enjoy.Cheers! Click here and join us as we enjoy great food and wine .

Dry Creek Vineyard /Don Wallace/ Holiday Wines/2020 Spencer's Hill Petite Sirah/ANd The Historic Blocks Zinfandel

We have two perfect wines for your holiday feast!Are you ready. First the 2020 Spencer's Hill Petite Sirah Dry Creek Valley Winemaker Notes: The Petite Sirah varietal has traditionally played an important role in producing our world-class Zinfandel wines. In certain vintages, we decide to bottle a small amount of Petite Sirah to more fully express this incredible variety. From the first moments of airing, this Petite Sirah exudes aromas of blackberry and ripe plum with nuances of nutmeg, coriander and fine leather. The palate is defined by flavors of black cherry, white pepper. cinnamon and mocha. The tannins are firm, but well integrated with a long and lingering finish. Notes of pie crust and dried herbs emerge along a deep and rich mouthfeel filled with supple tannins and a smooth texture. This wine is a huge and beautiful wine,and moved straight to the top of my favorite wines! Until we opened the 2020 Historic Blocks Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley Winemaker Notes: Our Historic Blocks Zinfandel is a tribute to the legacy vineyards of Dry Creek Valley and our family winery’s enduring commitment to preserve the extraordinary heritage of Zinfandel. Located primarily along the eastern bench of the valley, specific blocks of old vine Zinfandel were selected as the backbone of this robust and luxurious wine. These century-old, gnarled vines are still tended to by hand, preserving this beloved tradition and living testament to the remarkable history of our home appellation. This vintage presents inviting aromatics of boysenberry, blackberry and plum with notes of orange peel, baking spice and toasty cedar. On the palate, layers of black cherry, cranberry and raspberry come forward with nuances of coriander, whit pepper, mocha and rose petal. The wine is full-bodied, with deep richness and impeccable balance. Its tannins are slightly firm and lend a plush mouthfeel. Both wines will be on the table for my next birthday the day after Christmas! Don wallace will tell us more about these wines,and we have agreat audio feature which you can access by clicking on the link below. Please join us!AND Happy holidays! Click here and join us as we enjoy great food and wine .