Big Fat Wine

Official State Portal

Read the true story by George Taber

The French have a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ about their wine, and they are the first to let you know about it. And why shouldn’t they? So when American Steven Spurrier challenged France to a blind taste test, they were quick to accept. But the French didn’t know that Napa Valley is one of the best places in the world to grow wine grapes. So the stage was set, a face off between France and California.
A tasting panel of 8 French men and 1 French woman was assembled to judge the competition. Six California Cabernet Sauvignons were pitted against four of the top red wines from Bordeaux and six California Chardonnay competed against four highly regarded whites from Burgundy in the 1976 blind taste test.
As the tasting began, people who witnessed the competition realized that something unexpected was occuring as the judges couldn’t tell which wines were from California. One judge noted, “That is definitely California. It has no nose.” He was speaking of the 1973 Batard Montrachet, which at the time, was regarded as one of the finest wines in the world.
The end results was a “shot heard round the world.” The 1973 Stags Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon won the red category. The 1973 Chateau Montelena from Calistoga was voted the best white. A must read is “Judgement of Paris” by George Taber. I am in the middle of this book and the story is intriguing and factual for you history buffs.

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California has more than 107 AVA’s (American Viticultural Areas). An AVA, or American Vinticultural Area, is a specific grape – growing area within a state or a region recognized by and registered with the federal government. AVA designation began in the 1980′s and is a system styled after the European system (AOC).

*NOTE: If an AVA is listed on the label, at least 85% of the grapes must come from that region

Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are the most widely planted varietals. More than 2,600 wineries (check out our list) are bonded in the state, up over 200% from 1990. In 2007, over 192 million cases of California wine were sold. Land planted to grapes now tops 527,000 acres.

California Wine Facts at a Glance

Number of wineries in California
2,843
Number of winegrape growers in California
4,600
Varieties of winegrapes grown in California
More than 110
Counties in California where winegrapes are grown
48 out of 58
Number of jobs created by California wine
820,000 U.S. jobs, of which 330,000 are in California
Bottles produced with one ton of California winegrapes
Approx. 797 or 65 cases
Amount of winegrapes in one (750ml) bottle of wine
600-800 grapes or 2.8 lbs.
Bottles produced by one grapevine
Approx. 5
Percent of wine sold in U.S. purchased by women
55.4%
People who visit California wine regions every year
20.7 million

For current tourism and seasonal happenings, contact the below organizations;

 
Northern California

Central California

Southern

Central Valley

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We are adding a page for vineyards.   Here are the first few featured vineyard links.   Keep your eyes open for new pages being added all the time!

BellaGrace Vineyards
Website: www.bellagracevineyards.com

Chandler Reach Vineyards
Website: www.chandlerreach.com

Blenheim Vineyards
Website: www.blenheimvineyards.com

Fess Parker Vineyards
Website: www.fessparker.com

Beaux Frères Vineyard
Website: www.beauxfreres.com

Ciccone Vineyard and Winery
Website: www.cicconevineyards.com

Celebrities & Wine

Many “thank you’s” to all of your suggestions and comments! We’ve added more celebrities to our page and will continue to add more as we find more!

Celebs sure know what to do when they want to enjoy life!  Below is a partial listing of celebrities who own commercial wineries, wine brands or vineyards.

Boz Scaggs
American singer, songwriter and guitarist
Scaggs Vineyards
Oakville, California

(If you are a celebrity who owns a winery, wine brand or vineyard or you know of one that we missed, let us know and we will add you/them to the list)

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Official State Portal

Arizona is the 48th state and last of the contiguous states admitted to the Union, achieving statehood on February 14, 1912  Arizona is noted for its desert climate, exceptionally hot summers, and mild winters, however it also features pine forests and mountain ranges in the northern high country, with cooler weather than in the lower deserts.

Arizona has three major wine growing regions, all in the high desert. The first region is in southern Arizona in the Sonoita/Elgin area. The Willcox area in Cochise County was the second area to come on board. And now the Verde Valley is the third region for growing grapes. The elevation of these vineyards range between 3800 ft. to almost 6000 ft., allowing nice hot days and cool nights during the grape growing season. Another up-and-coming area up north is the Skull Valley area with three vineyards. You’ll also find grapes growing scattered around the state in other areas such as Tombstone, Benson, Payson and Portal. The state has one American Viticultural Area (AVA). The Sonoita AVA is located in southeast Arizona, south of the city of Tucson. The Sonoita area is a basin surrounded by three mountain ranges, the Huachuca Mountains, the Santa Rita Mountains, and the Whetstone Mountains.

My parents reside in Cornville. I (almost) faithfully phone my mom every Saturday. When I tire of the wet weather here in Seattle, I envy the Arizona sunshine. Of course mom gets up at 4am to work in the yard and is in by 10am because it is too hot to be outdoors. Her husband Karl is making some wonderful creations from clay and is getting tons of recognition from the art community. Check out a few pieces of his artwork which is also available for purchase at the Oak Creek Vineyard & Winery;

Wine in the Desert? Several varieties of wine grapes  do very well in Arizona, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Sangiovese. Vineyards were first planted in Arizona in the 17th century by Franciscan missionaries. Today there are thirteen active wineries in the state, with over 650 acres of grapes being grown for the purpose of wine production.

Places to visit!

Alcantara Vineyards
Phone: (928) 649-8463
www.alcantaravineyard.com

Arizona Stronghold Vineyards
Phone: (928) 639-3004
www.arizonastrongholdvineyards.com

Caduceus Cellars
Phone: (928) 639-9463
www.caduceus.org

Callaghan Vineyards
Phone: (520) 455-5322
www.callaghanvineyards.com

Dos Cabezas WineWorks
Phone: (520) 455-5141
www.doscabezaswinery.com

Javelina Leap Vineyard & Winery
Phone: (928) 649-2681
www.javelinaleapwinery.com

Oak Creek Vineyards & Winery
Phone: (928) 649-0290
www.oakcreekvineyards.net

Page Springs Cellars
Phone: (928) 639-3004
www.pagespringcellars.com

Sonoita Vineyards
Phone: (520) 455-5893
www.sonoitavineyards.com

Visit these great tour offerings to help make your Arizona Wine experience both entertaining and informative;

The Verde Valley Wine Trail connects the dots between 4 wineries: Alcantara Vineyards, Page Springs Cellars, Oak Creek Vineyards, & Javelina Leap Vineyards, and 4 tasting rooms: Caduceus Cellars, Jerome Winery, Arizona Stronghold Vineyards, and Pillsbury Wine Company.

Arizona Vines and Wines features a variety of tours suited to the enjoyment of Arizona wines. Take a look at these creative maps for planning your tour(s). NORTHERN ARIZONA WINE TOUR – SONOITA/ELGIN WINE TOUR -  SOUTHEASTERN ARIZONA WINE TOUR

Including a  picnic lunch, you are guided through tastings at four wineries.
Arizona Grape Escapes

Arizona Horseback Experience
Phone: (520) 455-5696
www.horsebackexperience.com

Sedona Adventure Tours
Phone: (877) 673-3661
www.sedonaadventuretours.com

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Celebs sure know what to do when they want to enjoy life!  Below is a partial listing of celebrities who own commercial wineries, wine brands or vineyards.

(If you are a celebrity who owns a winery, wine brand or vineyard or you know of one that we missed, let us know and we will add you/them to the list)

Vince Neil
Lead singer Motley Crue
Vince Vineyards (article)Vince Neil Official Site
Sonoma County, California

Francis Ford Coppola
American film director, producer and screenwriter
Rubicon Estate Winery
Napa Valley, California

Fess Parker
American film and television actor /featured in the movie Sideways
Fess Parker Winery
Santa Ynez Valley, California

Tommy Smothers
American comedian, composer and musician
Remick Ridge Vineyards
Sonoma County, California

Sam Neill
New Zealand actor
Two Paddocks
Central Otago, New Zealand

Gerard Depardieu
French actor and winemaker
Chateau de Tigne
Anjou, Loire Valley, France

Mario Andretti
Italian-American world champion racing driver
Andretti Winery
Napa Valley, California

Greg Norman
Australian professional golfer and entrepreneur /Collaboration with Beringer Blass
Greg Norman Estates
South Australia and California

Peggy Fleming
American figure skater who won an Olympic gold medal in 1968 / Founded with her husband, Greg Jenkins
Fleming Jenkins Vineyards and Winery
Santa Cruz Mountains, California

Ernie Els
South African professional golfer / Collaboration with Engelbrecht Els Vineyard
Ernie Els Wines
Stellenbosch, South Africa

Savanna Samson
American pornographic actress / Her first wine Sogno Uno is a red blend consisting mainly of the obscure Italian grape variety Cesanese
Savanna Samson Wines
Tuscany and Lazio, Italy

Jeff Gordon
American race car driver / Collaboration with August Briggs Wines
Jeff Gordon Wines
Napa Valley, California

Raymond Burr
Established by the late actor in 1986. Currently run by his partner.
Raymond Burr Vineyards
Dry Creek Valley, California

Bruce Cohn
Cohn was manager of The Doobie Brothers
B.R. Cohn Winery
Sonoma County, California

John Lasseter
American animator, director and the chief creative officer at Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios.
Lasseter Family Winery
Sonoma County, California

Diane Marie Disney
Owns winery with husband, former professional football player Ron W. Miller
Silverado Vineyards Winery
Napa Valley, California

Carmen Policy
Attorney and American football executive
Casa Piena
Yountville, California

Tom Seaver
Major League Baseball pitcher
GTS Vineyards
Napa Valley, California

Dan Aykroyd
Also produces a Sonoma County, California, series of wines
Dan Aykroyd Wines
Ontario, Canada

Mick Hucknall
Lead singer of the British band Simply Red / Collaboration with Italian winemaker Salvo Foti
Il Cantante
Sicily, Italy

Olivia Newton-John
Founded in 1983 with business partner Pat Farrar
Koala Blue Wines
South Australia

Cliff Richard
Indian-born English singer, musician, performer and actor / Collaboration with Quinta do Miradouro
Adega do Cantor
Algarve, Portugal

Mike Weir
Canadian professional golfer
Mike Weir Wine
Niagara Peninsula, Canada

Madonna
Collaboration with her father Silvio “Tony” Ciccone
Ciccone Vineyard and Winery
Leelanau Peninsula, Michigan

Wayne Gretzky
Collaboration with Creekside Estates
No. 99 Estates Winery
Niagara Peninsula, Canada

Alex Spanos
Real estate developer and self-made billionaire who owns the San Diego Chargers. Also owns Bell Wine Cellars in Yountville
SpanosBerberian Winery
Napa Valley, California

Dick Vermeil
Collaboration with OnThEdge Winery
Vermeil Wines
Napa Valley, California

Kevin Buckler
American racecar driver and entrepreuener
Adobe Road Wines
Sonoma County, California

Arnold Palmer
Collaboration with Luna Vineyards
Arnold Palmer Wines
California

Mick Fleetwood
Collaboration with Langtry Estate and Vineyards
Mick Fleetwood Private Cellar
Lake County, California

Jonathan Cain
American musician, most known for his keyboards and songwriting roles in the rock band, Journey
delaCain Vineyards
Sonoma County, California

Kyle MacLachlan
Collaboration with Washington winemaker Eric Dunham
Pursued by Bear Wine
Columbia Valley, Washington

Drew Bledsoe
Collaboration with Washington winemaker Chris Figgins of Leonetti Cellars
Double Back Wine
Walla Walla Valley, Washington

Maynard James Keenan
Lead singer of the multi-platinum rock bands Tool and A Perfect Circle / Also owns Merkin Vineyards in Arizona
Caduceus Cellars
Arizona

Richard Childress
NASCAR driver and the owner of Richard Childress Racing (RCR) in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series
Childress Vineyards
North Carolina

Dave Matthews
Blenheim Vineyards
Charlottesville, Virginia

Jason Priestley
The British Columbia born actor is a co-owner in the estate
Black Hills Estate Winery
Okanagan, British Columbia

Antonio Banderas
Anta Banderas
Ribera del Duero, Spain

Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Co-owns winery with brother in law. To avoid a conflict of interest with his wine rating publication The Wine Advocate, Parker delegates the task of rating Oregon wines to another associate.
Beaux Freres Vineyards & Winery
Willamette Valley, Oregon

Dave Del Dotto
Former real estate investor who sold a course he called the “Cash Flow System” through infomercials / In 2007, experimented with fermenting wine in amphorae
Del Dotto Vineyards
Napa Valley, California

Mike Ditka
Collaboration with the Mendocino Wine Company
Mike Ditka Wines
Mendocino County, California

Sting
Sting and Trudie have just bottled their first vintage of wine (though it needs to age for three years before it will be released). Il Palagio’s vineyards.
Il Palagio’s vineyards
Figline Valdarno, Italy

Bob Dylan
Teamed up with Antonio Terni (a life-long Dylan fan) in La Marche, Italy, to produce the Planet Waves (the title of Dylan’s 1974 album) signature label.
Fattoria Le Terrazze
Numana, Italy

Dan Marino
Vintage 13 Marino Estates
California

Charles Woodson
American football cornerback for the Green Bay Packers. / Under NFL regulations, Woodson is currently prohibited from endorsing his own wines publicly until he retires.
TwentyFour Wines
Napa Valley, California

Cathy Schembechler
Named after her late husband, former University of Michigan Football coach Bo Schembechler
Bo Schembechler Wines
California

David Ginola
French international football player who has also worked as an actor and model
Coste Brulade
Côtes de Provence, France

Michael Seresin
New Zealand cinematographer
Seresin Estate
Marlborough New Zealand

Jarno Trulli
Italian Formula One racing driver
Podere Castorani
Abruzzo, Italy

Valeri Bure
Professional ice hockey right winger from Russia. He played ten seasons in the National Hockey League / In partnership with his wife – actress Candace Cameron.
Chateau Boswell Winery
Napa Valley, California

Günther Jauch
Prestigious vineyard from at least the 16th century, listed cultural heritage site, since 1805 owned by Jauch’s ancestors. Jauch, one of the most popular Germans, is owner in the seventh generation.
Weingut von Othegraven
Mosel (wine region), Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany

Frank Sinatra
American singer and actor
Sinatra Family Estates
Napa Valley, California

(If you are a celebrity who owns a winery, wine brand or vineyard or you know of one that we missed, let us know).

We look forward to building this list as celebs enter the lifestyle.

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The members concerts at Chateau Ste. Michelle are one of the highlights of our year.  Because we have duel memberships we get 4 tickets every year and usually attend both events.  This year they set the members events to fall over one weekend.  Woodinville is only about an hour away from home but since we had events both Saturday and Sunday we  booked a room so that we didn’t have to drive home in between (also so we can write about the Willows Lodge in Woodinville, but that’s another blog).

Our two oldest daughters meet us at the winery every year(they are both members too).  After Joel’s surgery Friday I wasn’t sure that we were going to make it, but Joel refused to be kept away.  Spending time with the family is our top priority so we packed up the car and and headed out.  Our timing was perfect.  We arrived, parked and made our way to the line just as the girls walked by.  It couldn’t have been better choreographed if we had planned it ahead of time.

We were also meeting friends and they had gotten in just ahead of us and were setting up our spot just to the left of the stage.   Over the next five minutes we had blankets down, cooler and picnic basket set, plates out and headed up to get our glasses.  The lines for tasting weren’t too bad this year so we had our first tastes quickly.  Over the next two hours we tasted, we talked, we laughed and we enjoyed the perfect day.

Joel bought a couple of bottles of the 2006 Columbia Valley Tempestade – Limited Release  for the concert.

2006 Columbia Valley Tempestade – Limited Release WINEMAKER NOTES
“This is the second Tempestade Red Wine from Chateau Ste. Michelle. Sourced from Portuguese varietals in our Cold  Creek vineyard, this earthy wine delivers pronounced aromas of chocolate, coffee and spice. On the palate, the Tempestade is dense and full, with a rich, layered finish. It is a very bold wine not for the timid.”

And what a bold wine it was.  There were six wines to taste but this was our favorite.  Me, flavors of chocolate and coffee?  You can’t go wrong with that.

The Girls liked the 2009 Columbia Valley Gewürztraminer.

2009 Columbia Valley Gewürztraminer TASTING NOTES
“A fan favorite, this Gewürztraminer is such an enjoyable wine with exuberant fruit and clove spice. This is a lush style of Gewürztraminer with a lot of floral character, yet it still maintains the grape’s natural crisp character. A touch of Muscat offers citrus notes and a deeper spice character. Try this wine with Thai food or any cuisine with a little “bite” to it.” -Bob Bertheau, Winemaker

Natalie MacMaster came on stage and the place lit up.  Ms. MacMaster is entertaining, and plays the hell out of that fiddle. The crowd wanted good music to go with the wonderful day and they weren’t disappointed.  There is something so right about a summer evening, great wine and fiddle music, it just feels natural.

I didn’t know much about Ms. MacMaster before the concert (it never matters who is playing, we always have fun) but I will certainly pick up a couple of CD’s for in-car enjoyment.

We had a wonderful time at this event and this is only the beginning of one fabulous weekend.

As Always,
Love, Laugh, Learn… LIVE!

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See, everything goes with wine.  We love Fathers Day around here.  The kids fix breakfast in bed for Joel and present him with tokens of their affection and sappy cards.  Then we get to think of all the chores that they (or we) have avoided in the past few months and guilt them into action; “Dad is going to (fill in blank with procrastinated chore) and it’s Fathers Day.” Of course the kids jump into action to keep him from doing anything.  If the sun shines then it will be a weekend filled with yard work.  If the sun doesn’t shine then it’s a weekend of setting up the new office and cleaning out the family room and garage.  Muwahahahaha {insert evil laugh}

For Fathers Day dinner, I think it’s time to break the barbecue and the credit cards out of mothballs and spring for a couple of really good steaks.  This calls for the Moda’ from Talamonti Vineyard Italy.  I spoke about this wine about a week ago from a tasting at WineStyles in Federal way.  I think I mentioned that I thought the smoky taste will go perfect with rare barbecued beef.  I’ll let you know how it goes.

As Always,

Love, Laugh, Learn… LIVE!

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What a wonderful day.  I slept in, the sun was shining, coffee was ready when I woke up and we had 2 tastings scheduled, heaven.

We picked up 4 bottles from Chateau Ste. Michelle and hung out to taste but we didn’t go over to the retail side because there was a concert today, which I would have known if I had checked our events page, and it was crowded.  I would have loved to go to the concert but we didn’t buy tickets in time and the show sold out.  If anyone went to Crosby Stills and Nash tonight let me know how the show was.

When we left the winery we needed a bite to eat so we hit Barbecue Pete’s in Kent on our way home.  The special today was baby back ribs.  I love food you can eat with your hands.  They were cooked to perfection, the meat fell off the bone,  great flavor, great sauce.  Look for them every year at the Puyallup Fair, in Puyallup Washington  or at their Kent Washington location.

Of course, I got barbecue sauce on my shirt so we had to stop by home to change.  Then it was off to WineStyles in Federal Way for the members pick up and tasting.   The event started at 5:00, we arrived about 5:25 and the back area was already full.  As with most wine events the people were wonderful and we were able to squeeze in.  We tasted several selections and were treated to a glass of 2006 Goose Ridge Vineyards Vireo (Thanks Scott, our treat next time).  I loved the earthy nose and flavor, we bought a bottle to enjoy later.

The day lived up to its promise,  it makes me excited about what tomorrow will bring.

As always,

Love, Laugh, Learn… LIVE!