09/28 DAVID HUNT, HUNT CELLARS, SAM LANDO, LANDO WINES, RAISE THE ROOF

DAVID HUNT – OWNER & WINEMAKER, HUNT CELLARS

Our Story
It started over 20 years ago as a fantasy: living on a lush beautiful vineyard, producing your own style of favorite premium varietal wines that are well received and appreciated by those who have discovered the wines and shared them amongst friends.

Now, drive along the scenic Highway 46 West, about three miles west of the 101 Fwy at Oakdale Road, you will find this dream has become reality for David Hunt, Winemaker and owner of Hunt Cellars, a winery committed to producing “Memorable Wines”. We believe that great wines leave indelible impressions when poured with wonderful meals and great friends and scintillating conversations. Hunt Cellars was founded on the philosophy of producing wines that you will look forward to simply sipping by a cozy fireplace or pairing with your favorite meals to enhance that special event or moment in time.

How It Began
When The Hunt Family decided to pursue their dream they were uncertain where they would choose to build their vineyard. The Hunts spent exhaustive days and weekends traveling to various premium wine regions from Oregon, Washington, and throughout the State of California. They finally narrowed their decision down to the Central coast to San Luis Obispo County. Paso Robles was selected because of its rich diversity in soils, superb growing climate and unique styles of wine making along with the spirit of graciousness and traditional American values.

Eventually after looking at numerous parcels of vineyard potential property, they settled on uniquely beautiful property containing over 550 acres on Highway 41 in Creston. This unique property met their criteria in topography, soil composition and unparralled beauty. Within the 550 acres there are four terrior’s with varying elevations containing soil composites that mirror the great wine regions of the world. They were convinced that they could grow wonderful exciting intense fruit here on this property.

Destiny Hunt
The Hunt Family decided to name their vineyard, “Destiny Vineyards,” in honor of their new baby girl they named Destiny who was born in 1996. Just ask Destiny who has the best wines today and she will certainly tell you.

Destiny Vineyard’s first planting consisted of: Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Syrah, Petite Syrah, Cab Franc, Viognier and Zinfandel. The Hunts decided to build a tasting room for their premium wines, which opened in October of 1999.

In 1997 they began producing their first releases of memorable wines… Experience has taught Hunts that in order to make great wines you must simply have the best fruit. At Hunt Cellars, we believe passion, hard work and never giving up until we have put together all the components and structure that will give our wine the varietal character, flavor and velvet finish that will become a trademark of our wines.

View of Destiny Vineyards
As you enter The Hunt Cellars Tasting room, the fun wine experience begins, as you are greeted with either live music or our white grand player piano, which can play any song. Stroll up to our Cabernet Bar, where our warm and friendly staff are eager to lead you through a light hearted and fun sampling of our wines. You may also choose to sip your wines on our spacious 1200 foot veranda, smoke your favorite cigar under our pavilion or simply stroll through our lush inviting landscaped lawns. We want you and your guest to simply have a wonderful time at Hunt Cellars and bring your friends and family back on your next visit to the Paso Robles Wine Country.

How Hunt Cellars Wines Differ from Others
There are many different wineries in the Paso Robles area; few compare to the quality of Hunt Cellars. Hunt uses only the best and rarest mountain grown fruit to produce the best harvest of grapes. Their vineyard’s location has been specifically chosen for its composition and diversity – every step of the production process is designed so Hunt Cellars produces the highest caliber of wine for you to enjoy.

HUNTCELLARS.COM


SAM LANDO - LANDO WINES – TALKS ABOUT AN UPCOMING FUNDRAISING EVENT THAT WILL SUPPORT THE LAKE COUNTY FIRE VICTIMS

RAISE THE ROOF - SONOMA WINE COUNTRY CARES 
Fundraising event to support the Lake County Fire victims

Saturday, October 3
4pm - 8pm
Sonoma Jet Center - 6000 Flightline Dr, Santa Rosa

Join us for a special evening of wine tasting presented by local vintners, succulent bites presented by local restaurants and chefs, and a special silent auction featuring one-of-a-kind wine lots and chef/restaurant experiences. Enjoy an evening with new and old friends while donating to this important cause.

Net proceeds of the ticket and silent auction proceeds from this event will be contributed to the Redwood Credit Union Lake County Fire Relief Fund.

Featured Chefs and Restaurants:
Valette Restaurant - Dustin Valette
Zazu Farm + Kitchen - Duskie Estes and John Stewart
Guy Fieri
The Battery - Nicolai Lipscomb
Costeaux French Bakery
El Sombrero
Rosso Pizzeria + Wine Bar
Catelli's Restaurant

Participating Wineries:
Arista Winery
Bruliam Wines
Bucher Winery
Colby Red
Davis Family Winery
Donelan Wines
Hirsch Vineyards
Holdredge Wines
Joseph Swan Vineyards
Kanzler Vineyards
Kistler Vineyards
Kokumi Winery
Lando Wines
Limerick Lane Cellars
Lombardi Wines
Mauritson Winery
Ramey Wine Cellars
Rochioli Winery
Smith-Story Wine Cellars
Williams Selyem

Participating Brewery/Beer Vendors
Bear Republic
Eagle Distributing

RAISETHEROOF2015.BROWNPAPERTICKETS.COM

ABOUT SAM AND LANDO WINES:
Sam Lando started his career working for some of the large global wine producers, and soon identified his true love of working with and enjoying Pinot Noir.

While his emphasis was sales and marketing, he realized early on the need to understand as much as possible about differing winemaking and viticulture techniques. After working with and becoming friends with some of the best new world wine producers, it was a natural evolution to begin hobby winemaking.

After working for five years with Kosta Browne Winery, he departed at the end of 2012. His work with dear friends was a deeply rewarding experience...personally and professionally. They worked (and played) so well together because of a love and passion for what they did. In addition to their shared affliction for Pinot, they enjoyed the company of great people and food.

In the middle of the 2012 vintage, Sam and his wife Jennifer decided to make the leap and takethe winemaking hobby to the next level. They borrowed against their savings and began building the foundation to develop a small Pinot Noir focused winery. The goal is to make intense, yet elegant and balanced wines from the Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast appellations. We push ourselves to make great wines that we enjoy drinking and take great pride in sharing with our dear friends.
Thanks for taking the time to learn about us and we hope to share our Pinot’s with you soon.

WWW.LANDOWINES.COM

09/21 MORGEN MCLAUGHLIN, SANTA BARBARA VINTNERS, CELEBRATION OF HARVEST WEEKEND

MORGEN MCLAUGHLIN - EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SANTA BARBARA VINTNERS - CELEBRATION OF HARVEST WEEKEND (OCTOBER 9-12)

VINTNERS  VISA
Santa Barbara  Wine Country October 9 - 12
The Vintners' Visa gives you one complimentary wine tasting at 12 different wineries throughout Santa Barbara County for $60.
(Only $50 when purchased with a Festival ticket!)
The Visa lasts for the entire Celebration of Harvest Weekend starting on Friday, October 9 until Monday, October 12.

HARVEST  FESTIVAL
Old Mission Santa Inés, Solvang  Saturday, October 10 1:00 - 4:00pm
The highlight of the Celebration of Harvest Weekend is the Festival... a Grand Tasting and Silent Auction on Saturday, October 10 at Old Mission Santa Inés. Taste wine from all 120+ winery members, enjoy food sampling from the area’s finest restaurants, caterers, and food purveyors, and listen to live music.

OTHER EVENTS
Santa Barbara Wine Country October 9 - 12
In addition to the Celebration of Harvest Festival Saturday afternoon, many wineries are also offering special events - winemaker dinners, barrel tastings, library sales. Get to know your favorite winery, visit vineyards and restaurants you've been wanting to check out, or learn what goes into making these fabulous Santa Barbara County wines!

WWW.SBCOUNTYWINES.COM
WWW.CELEBRATIONOFHARVEST.COM

09/14 AMANDA WITTSTROM HIGGINS, ANCIENT PEAKS WINERY, SUNSET SAVOR THE CENTRAL COAST, LARRY VAN AALST, THE SONOMA WINE REPORT

AMANDA WITTSTROM HIGGINS - VP OF OPERATIONS, ANCIENT PEAKS WINERY – SUNSET SAVOR THE CENTRAL COAST WINEMAKER DINNER

OUR STORY - Ancient Peaks Winery represents the shared vision of three longtime local winegrowing and ranching families—the Filipponis, Rossis and Wittstroms. Two generations are actively involved in the winery’s daily operations, all dedicated to producing extraordinary wines from Margarita Vineyard.

ORIGINS OF ANCIENT PEAKS  - Rob Rossi acquired Santa Margarita Ranch in 1999. His friends Doug Filipponi and Karl Wittstrom soon joined him as partners in the ownership of the ranch, which they had all regarded as a special property for many years. That same year, the Robert Mondavi family planted Margarita Vineyard on the ranch under a lease agreement (click here for more background on the Mondavi connection).  In 2005, the three families acquired ownership and control of Margarita Vineyard. The obvious potential of the vineyard ultimately inspired the three families to become vintners as well as winegrowers. They knew that they could cherry-pick their favorite blocks and make distinctive wines with a strong sense of place.   The name Ancient Peaks was chosen to honor the towering Santa Lucia Mountains that border Margarita Vineyard. These peaks define the land’s complex geology and regulate the vineyard’s climate, ultimately shaping the character of the wines.

A RICH VITICULTURAL HISTORY - Santa Margarita Ranch enjoys a long and illustrious cultural pedigree, beginning with the Chumash and Salinan Indians more than 10,000 years ago. In the 1770s, the ranch became part of Father Junipero Serra’s famed Mission trail Grapes were first planted at the ranch by Franciscan missionaries in 1780. Today, Santa Margarita Ranch remains one of California’s oldest continuously operated cattle ranches. We are proud to be stewards of the ranch’s winemaking tradition and its legacy of early California rancho hospitality.

SAVOR THE CENTRAL COAST WINEMAKER DINNER
Date: Fri, Sep 25, 2015
Time 5:30 PM to 9:00 PM
Venue: Paso Robles Inn

With its carefully-crafted plates that bring together the fresh ingredients of California’s Central Coast to the beautiful backdrops and landscapes of its grounds, the historic Paso Robles Inn welcomes diners to a four-course wine paired dinner with the award-winning Ancient Peaks winery. Open to only 40 guests, this experience is brought to the table by generations of farmers and purveyors whose produce is featured throughout the menu, creating dishes that are abundantly flavorful and naturally tender. Ancient Peaks estate Margarita Vineyard stands alone as the southernmost vineyard in the Paso Robles Region tucked beneath the peaks of the Santa Lucia Mountains. Join these proud stewards of their land as they share in their wines, building memories to take home for a lifetime. $125 per person

MORE INFO ON SAVOR THE CENTRAL COAST
All roads lead to SAVOR, September 24 - 27, 2015 during the sixth annual Volvo Presents Sunset SAVOR the Central Coast.

OPENING NIGHT - Volvo presents Sunset SAVOR The Central Coast, California’s premier food, wine, travel and lifestyle event, reveals details surrounding its all-new opening night experience, Strings at Sunset. This highly anticipated taste bud-tempting, gasp-worthy kickoff on Thursday, September 24 transforms the Vina Robles Amphitheatre like you’ve never seen it before.  Join us as the Amphitheatre morphs into a multi-sensory wonderland featuring theatrical performances from award-winning artists String Theory and DJ Violinist Spags, and all-inclusive food and wine tastings throughout the venue.  Over the course of the evening, you’ll have the opportunity to dine with celebrity chefs and culinary personalities from across the state

THE MAIN EVENT - The Main Event invites you to experience an epicurean and adventure playground where you can taste, sip, and indulge. The historic Santa Margarita Ranch hosts this two day extravaganza on September 26 and 27 showcases celebrity and master chefs, Sunset experts, brew masters, as well as local fishermen and artisanal food producers from throughout California.

THERE ARE ALSO ADVENTURE TOURS AND SPECIAL EVENTS & DINNERS THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND. GO TO WWW.SAVORCENTRALCOAST.COM FOR MORE INFO.

WWW.ANCIENTPEAKS.COM
SAVORCENTRALCOAST.COM


LARRY VAN AALST – HOST OF THE SONOMA WINE REPORT TALKS ABOUT THE SEASONS WINE TRENDS

LARRY HOSTS A WEEKLY PROGRAM ON CRN AND ALSO IS AN EXPERT ON WINE WHO IS SOUGHT AFTER FOR EVENTS, TASTES AND MAJOR SOMMELIER EVENTS IN THE SAN FRANCISCO AREA. HE COMMENTS ON THE INDUSTRY AND HIS THOUGHTS ABOUT WINE.

09/05 TASTE OF SONOMA, MACMURRAY ESTATE VINEYARDS, KATE MACMURRAY, MACMURRAY ESTATE VINEYARDS, GINA GALLO, GALLO FAMILY VINEYARDS, RACHEL VOORHEES, CHEF MATT LOWE, KENDALL JACKSON, KARISSA KRUSE, SONOMA COUNTY WINEGRAPE COMMISSION

LARRY AND NICOLE ARE BROADCASTING LIVE FROM TASTE OF SONOMA AT THE BEAUTIFUL MACMURRAY ESTATE VINEYARDS, HEALDSBURG

Immerse yourself in the food and wine culture of Sonoma County at Taste of Sonoma at MacMurray Estate Vineyards. Kate MacMurray invites you to enjoy an afternoon of strolling through the historic MacMurray Estate Vineyards property while sipping and savoring the very best of Sonoma County’s rich wines and delectable cuisine. With more than 200 wineries pouring thousands of wines, and over 60 local chefs whipping up divine pairings, Taste of Sonoma at MacMurray Estate Vineyards delivers a once-in-a-lifetime experience for oenophiles and foodies alike. Informative and entertaining wine seminars, lively cooking demonstrations and so much more make for an enchanting afternoon enjoying the best of Sonoma County living. Named one of the “10 Best Wine and Food Events in the United States” by Celebrated Living magazine, Taste of Sonoma is a coveted ticket — Get yours before they sell out!

SONOMAWINECOUNTRYWEEKEND.COM


KATE MACMURRAY - MACMURRAY ESTATE VINEYARDS

RUSSIAN RIVER HERITAGE
MacMurray Estate Vineyards is deeply rooted in Sonoma County. Our namesake vineyard, MacMurray Ranch, has been a farmstead since the 1850s, farmed by the Porter family until actor Fred MacMurray bought the ranch in 1941. Fred embraced the rancher’s lifestyle, raising prize-winning cattle and farming crops here for decades, while his children rode horses through the hills. Fred’s daughter—the actress, screenwriter and activist Kate MacMurray—retains an indelible tie to the estate, helping us share the heritage of our namesake vineyard, historic property and celebrated wine.

CALIFORNIA PINOT NOIR & ESTATE WINEGROWING
Transformed into a world-class vineyard in 1996, MacMurray Ranch quickly became one of the Russian River Valley’s most acclaimed Pinot Noir vineyards.  Today, MacMurray Estate Vineyards has grown to encompass estate vineyards throughout the Russian River Valley and the Central Coast, but we continue to honor our roots and the history of the MacMurray Ranch. The original buildings have been faithfully restored, and the 1,500-acre property is home to old-growth oaks, Redwood trees and indigenous wildlife. Winemaker Boyd Morrison and his team craft our collection of Pinot Noir wines, beginning with our home vineyard and extending to several estate vineyard sites throughout the Russian River Valley and the Central Coast.

WWW.MACMURRAYESTATEVINEYARDS.COM


GINA GALLO - SONOMA, GALLO FAMILY VINEYARDS

OUR FAMILY
Since brothers Ernest and Julio Gallo began to turn their dream into reality over 80 years ago, the roots of the Gallo family tree have extended deep into the Winery. Today their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren work in the Winery, carrying on the family tradition and values – a strong work ethic, a drive for perfection and a focus on quality.

The Gallo family still believes family ownership is the most effective way for the Winery to continue as a world leader in the wine industry.

Today, E. & J. Gallo Winery is the world's largest family-owned winery and the largest exporter of California wine.

PASSION FOR QUALITY
Since its inception, the hallmark of E. & J. Gallo Winery’s founders has been their unwavering commitment to quality. By taking the utmost care in each and every step of the grape growing and winemaking process, E. & J. Gallo Winery has consistently delivered outstanding wines for every occasion and price. The Winery continues to be at the forefront of the winemaking industry by researching and determining the very best regions to grow grapes, using the most effective techniques for grape growing, and lastly, employing the best ways to craft world-class wines.

BIO
Gina Gallo followed the footsteps of her grandfather Julio Gallo to find her calling as winemaker for Gallo Family Vineyards Sonoma Reserve. Today she creates award-winning wines from grapes grown by her brother Matt Gallo.

For Gina, a career in winemaking was inevitable. During high school she worked summers at E. & J. Gallo Winery, and after college she joined the company full time in the sales department.
She was drawn to the creative process of making wine, and years later she began studying at the acclaimed Viticulture and Enology program at the University of California, Davis. At the Winery, she apprenticed under 30-year veteran Marcello Monticelli.

Gina is immediate past president of the International Wine & Spirit competition.

GALLO.COM


RACHEL VOORHEES OF RODNEY STRONG – TALKING ABOUT THE SOMMELIER PROGRAM

Our story begins more than 50 years ago, when a celebrated American dancer named Rod Strong settled in Sonoma County to pursue a second lifelong creative passion: winemaking. Rodney Strong Vineyards was the 13th winery bonded in the newly discovered Sonoma County wine industry. A trio of winemaking paths crossed when Rick Sayre joined the team as Winemaker in 1979, and again when the Klein Family, 4th generation California farmers, purchased the winery in 1989 and initiated a renewed commitment of modern artisan winemaking. Through the years, Rodney Strong Vineyards has earned the reputation for critically acclaimed Single Vineyard and Reserve wines, stand out Estate releases and best-in-class Sonoma County varietal wines.

BIO
Rachel Voorhees is a Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers, where she graduated at the top of her class. Raised in the San Francisco Bay Area by Old World wine collectors, Rachel found a passion for wine and food early in life and credits her father for her palate and her mother for her culinary skills. Rachel studied at the International Culinary Center in 2012 where she continued to hone her wine pairing skills and wine knowledge. She was the food & wine writer for BevMo! and Wine.com before coming to Rodney Strong in December 2013. Rachel’s focus is to educate people about wine, Sonoma County and Rodney Strong Vineyards. She travels throughout the country entertaining key members of the trade, conducting classes and seminars and sharing the wonders of wine and food.

After receiving her B.A. in Communications and Psychology from Vanderbilt University, she continued her education at Notre Dame de Namur where she received her Masters of Education. She is currently studying for her Certified Wine Educator and Advanced Sommelier credentials. In her free time, Rachel loves spending time with her two children, creating unique food and wine pairings and gardening.

WWW.RODNEYSTRONG.COM


CHEF MATT LOWE FROM KENDALL JACKSON CULINARY TEAM TALK ABOUT PAIRING 

A FAMILY LEGACY
Being a family-owned winery absolutely affects our winemaking. It affords us the luxury to take the long view. We can take risks and grow our grapes in mountain and hillside vineyards- even though it is more difficult for both the farmer and the vine. But grapes grown on mountains have more character and more flavor—and that’s why we grow them there.

As a family-run business, we can put the long-term interests of future generations above short-term financial gains. Our success will be measured by generations of family, rather than by numbers on quarterly reports. We can't just be thinking about today, or tomorrow, or this quarter, or this year. We have to take the long view—100, 200 years—and think of future generations and the environment in which they'll live.

There are some special places where you just want to be, to live. And among those places are the coastal maritime, cool hills and mountains of the California coast. I’m at peace and spiritually satisfied when I'm in the mountains and hills and benches of California—the very places where the best grapes thrive. The land gives us what we need. It gives us our shelter, our food, our clean air—all of the things we need, except for one: family.

Taste is everything here at Kendall-Jackson. And we don't just mean the wines. The Kendall-Jackson Wine Center is a culinary destination for foodies and wine lovers from all over the country, and the creative force behind the Wine Center is our team of culinary adventurers: our chefs.

BIO
Matt has been a member of Kendall-Jackson’s culinary team for many years.  A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America Matthew has worked in the kitchen, gardens and cellars of Kendall-Jackson Wine Estates for nearly a decade. He brings to the table a wide variety of cooking experience from restaurants, healthcare, catering and corporate dining. Matthew specializes in vegetable dishes and the Kendall-Jackson culinary gardens offer an endless palette of seasonal produce and herbs to draw from.

WWW.KJ.COM


KARISSA KRUSE – PRESIDENT, SONOMA COUNTY WINEGRAPE COMMISSION - TALKING ABOUT SONOMA AND SUSTAINABILITY

The Sonoma County Winegrape Commission, also known as Sonoma County Winegrowers (SCW), was established in 2006 as a marketing and educational organization dedicated to the promotion and preservation of Sonoma County as one of the world’s premier grape growing regions. SCW has oversight by California Department of Food and Agriculture which supports producer regions.
With more than 1,800 growers, SCW’s goal is to increase awareness and recognition of the quality and diversity of Sonoma County’s grapes and wines through dynamic marketing and educational programs targeted to wine consumers around the world.

In January 2014, SCW committed to becoming the nation’s first 100% sustainable winegrowing region by 2019.

BIO
Karissa Kruse is President of the Sonoma County Winegrowers, a marketing and educational organization dedicated to the promotion and preservation of Sonoma County as one of the world’s premier grape growing regions. Karissa joined Sonoma County Winegrowers as Director of Marketing in September 2012 and was named President for the organization on May 1, 2013. Karissa earned a BS in Economics and an MBA in Marketing from Wharton School of Business at University of Pennsylvania. She has over 17 years of experience in various aspects of marketing, brand management, strategic planning and business development. Karissa has worked for companies such as General Mills, Universal Studios, Mattel and Dairy Management, where Karissa worked for seven years on behalf of dairy farmers nationally. She is a partner in a small winery, Argot Wines, and the owner of a 25 acre parcel in Bennett Valley, with five acres planted to grapes. Karissa is on the Advisory Committee for Wharton’s Initiative on Environmental Leadership and on the boards of the Sonoma County Tourism, Sonoma County Harvest Fair, Sonoma County Grape Growers Foundation, Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce, Santa Rosa Junior College Shone Farm Foundation, Ag Trust Committee and Viticulture Advisory Committee and a member of Leadership Santa Rosa Class 29.  Kruse was selected as a NBBJ Women in Business 2014 Honoree and 40 under Forty Award recipient in 2012.