02/09 BOB TILLMAN, ALTA COLINA, ADELAIDA DISTRICT AVA, EMMA SWAIN, ST. SUPERY

BOB TILLMAN - OWNER/WINEMAKER, ALTA COLINA – NEW ADELAIDA DISTRICT AVA        

HISTORY
Since the 1970’s, Bob Tillman has looked for the site where he could plant a world-class vineyard. He didn’t find that property until the Tillman family moved to the Central Coast of California and tasted the wines coming out of Paso Robles. Finally, he and his wife Lynn knew they were in the place where they could produce the kind of wines they love to drink.

In 2003, after an extensive search for the ideal location, Bob found the beautiful hilltop property on Adelaida Road in Paso Robles that would become Alta Colina Vineyard. Nestled high in the rugged coast range mountains, Alta Colina Vineyard’s natural beauty soothes the spirit with its 360 degree vistas and calming seclusion.

To achieve great wines from this spectacular site, Bob assembled a world-class team: John Crossland, Dean Harrell, and Steve Vierra from Vineyard Professional Services planned, planted, and farmed the vineyard; Scott Hawley consulted on the winemaking and the crucial decision on when to harvest; and Bob makes his wines in space leased from Alex and Monica Villicana. Collectively, this expert group has over 100 vintages under its belt!

Finding the incredible site and assembling the expert team were only the first steps in preparing the property for planting. First, the narrow track up the mountain had to be expanded to a workable agricultural road—a non-trivial task given the very steep terrain. A high volume water well was drilled at the bottom of the mountain and piping installed to carry water over 500 feet up the hill where a reservoir holds the vital irrigation supply. Then the soils were ripped to allow free vine rooting, the drip irrigation system constructed, and finally the trellis was put in place.

After more than a year of site preparation, the first vine was planted on April 23, 2005 by Ann Walsh, Lynn’s mother. That vine was Petite Sirah in vineyard block 7—now named Ann’s Block to commemorate the event. By the end of May, 40,773 vines were planted, consuming 31.1 acres broken into 15 blocks. Four Rhône red wine varietals and 4 white Rhône varietals are planted. Most are sourced from a French government nursery (the so-called ENTAV selections) with 1 block coming from John Alban’s vineyard in the Edna Valley, located in Southern San Luis Obispo County.

The first three growing seasons were dedicated to vine development. The focus was on developing robust plants with extensive root systems while carefully pruning to shape the above-ground canopy for optimal fruit production. In 2007 the vineyard produced Alta Colina’s first crop—tiny by commercial standards, but adequate to give the first taste of what is to come. As we had hoped, the wines are excellent—the future looks very bright for Alta Colina Vineyard & Winery.

ABOUT BOB:
Bob Tillman is the man behind Alta Colina. After 35 years in the high-tech business world, Bob launched Alta Colina in 2003. From the beginning, the enterprise was dedicated to nurturing world-class wines from a magical site tucked into the Coast Range west of Paso Robles. But it’s really more than creating world-class wines—Bob also pulled together a group of top-notch people that have formed an exceptional team with collective experience stretching over 3 generations. It’s not just the vineyard site that is magical at Alta Colina.

Lynn Tillman is the one-woman support staff for the vineyard and winery operations — and she supervises Justin, the harvest intern.

WWW.ALTACOLINAWINE.COM


EMMA SWAIN – CEO, ST. SUPERY – NEW VEGGIES & VINO PAIRING

St. Supéry Estate Vineyards & Winery is the largest family owned, sustainably farmed and estate produced winery in Napa Valley. Our land and our winery are certified Napa Green.

ABOUT EMMA:
Emma Swain is the CEO of St Supéry Estate Vineyards & Winery. She received her Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and Managerial Economics from the University of California, Davis and is a Certified Public Accountant. Emma has worked in the wine industry for more than 20 years. She began her career with Niebaum-Coppola Winery and served as the Chief Operating Officer at Sebastiani Vineyards prior to joining St. Supéry Estate. Emma currently serves as a board member for the Napa Valley Vintners, as well as serving on multiple sub-committees. Emma also volunteers locally with a number of environmental, educational and health-based charities. She is an avid runner and has several half marathons under her belt of accomplishments.

ABOUT VEGGIES & VINO PAIRING:

• Available to all winery visitors by appointment, $40/guest
•  Call 707.963.4507 or visit www.stsupery.com to reserve the experience
• Features four of our Napa Valley estate wines and four vegetarian small bites
• Each pairing features seasonal produce from our Culinary Garden and Dollarhide Ranch
•  Changes regularly based on what’s coming out of the gardens
• Pairings are developed by our Sommelier and Guest Experience Manager, F. Scott Tracy
•  Current pairings include:
• 2012 Napa Valley Estate Virtú (Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc blend) and bruschetta with kale and hummus
• 010 Dollarhide Estate Vineyard Malbec and beet, turnip and potato salad
• 2012 Napa Valley Estate Élu (Cabernet Sauvignon dominant blend) and eggplant parmesan
• 2010 Rutherford Estate Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon and mushroom caps stuffed with burrata drizzled with truffle oil
• All guests are treated to full recipes for each pairing so they can bring a taste of Napa Valley home to their kitchens

WWW.STSUPERY.COM

02/02 BEN MAYO, EBERLE WINERY, CATE CONNIFF, NAPA VALLEY VINTNERS

BEN MAYO – WINEMAKER, EBERLE WINERY

Gary Eberle grew up in a small town in Pennsylvania and went to Penn State on a football scholarship. After graduating with a Bachelor's of Science in biology, he attended Louisiana State University (LSU) where he continued his graduate work studying cellular genetics. While attending LSU, Gary developed an appreciation for wine and changed his academic path to become a winemaker. He traveled west to California to study enology at U.C. Davis where he received a degree in Enology in 1971 and then headed south to Paso Robles in 1973.

Gary launched his career as a winemaker and as the “Pioneer” of Paso Robles Wine Region by establishing Estrella River Winery & Vineyards. In the late 70’s, he decided to pursue his own project and acquired nearly 64 acres just down the road from Estrella River Winery. Shortly thereafter, Gary released his first Eberle wine, the 1979 Cabernet Sauvignon debuting the iconic boar logo, depicting the German origin of the name Eberle, meaning “small boar.”

THE WINERY
By 1984 the Eberle Winery production facility and tasting room were open for business and in 1994 Gary expanded underground, building the first wine caves in Paso Robles. Now, over 30 years later, Gary Eberle still greet guests daily with complimentary wine tastings, public tours of the production facility and 16,000 square feet of underground caves.  They also play host to a variety of delicious and entertaining events held at the winery throughout the year.

WINEMAKER, BEN MAYO
Winemaker, Ben Mayo is a native of San Luis Obispo.  He pursued his passion for art and science, earning a degree from UC Santa Cruz.  From there, Ben worked in the art world of San Francisco, where he was introduced to food and wine.

Influenced to combine his newfound enjoyment of food and wine with his passion for art, he returned to the Central Coast in 1998 and found winemaking to be the ideal outlet. Since 2001, Ben has worked with a small team to produce the vast array of Eberle wines, integrating his artisitic personality, with a hands on approach from the vineyard to the final wine.
"For me, making wine is about elegance. I pay attention to detail. As I like to say, my science background gets me through harvest, but it's my artistic side that helps me in blending and creating beautiful wines." - Ben Mayo, Winemaker

WWW.EBERLEWINERY.COM


CATE CONNIFF - COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER, NAPA VALLEY VINTNERS

ABOUT THE NAPA VALLEY VINTNERS

The Napa Valley Vintners nonprofit trade association has been cultivating excellence for 70 years by inspiring its more than 500 members to produce consistent quality wines, provide environmental leadership and care for the extraordinary place they call home.

OUR MISSION

To promote, protect and enhance the Napa Valley appellation, our wines, vintners and community.

OUR VISION

Through our collective efforts the Napa Valley will be:

• The leading wine region worldwide
• Preserved and enhanced for future generations

OUR GOALS

• Position the Napa Valley as the premier wine region in the world
• Champion and sustain the Napa Valley wine community
• Engage and support our members through the work of an effective organization

Through our signature marketing programs, industry advocacy and comprehensive member resources, we work continuously to be the voice of the Napa Valley wine industry for consumers, members of the wine trade and media outlets around the globe, and we strive to be the essential trade organization for any vintner producing Napa Valley wine in the Napa Valley.

WWW.NAPAVINTNERS.COM

01/26 RENEE ARY, DUCKHORN VINEYARDS, COBY PARKER-GARCIA, CLAIBORNE AND CHURCHILL

RENEE ARY – WINEMAKER, DUCKHORN VINEYARDS

Renee Ary became the fourth winemaker in the four-decade history of Duckhorn Vineyards in 2014. Her promotion came after 11 years as an integral member Cof the winemaking team—including roles as assistant and associate winemaker. Like the two acclaimed winemakers before her, Renee spent years working alongside her predecessors, honing her craft, refining her gifted palate and mastering the Duckhorn Vineyards style. Today, with an approach that balances artistry, science and a deep respect for the viticultural side of winemaking, Renee guides the entire Duckhorn Vineyards portfolio, crafting wines that offer structure and sophistication, as well as a deep and purposeful sense of place.

Born and raised on the East Coast, Renee moved to California to attend Saint Mary’s College, where she earned a degree in chemistry and art. Fascinated by the intersection between science and an art, winemaking quickly became Renee’s passion, career and way of life. She started in the laboratory of Robert Mondavi Winery in Oakville, where she spent four years working closely with winemaking luminaries Genevieve Janssens, Steve Leveque and Richard Sowalsky. While Renee gained this invaluable hands-on experience, she augmented her scholarly understanding of winemaking and viticulture with classes at UC Davis and Napa Valley College.

In August of 2003, Renee joined the Duckhorn Vineyards team under then winemaker, Mark Beringer. From Mark, Renee gained a much deeper knowledge of farming, viticulture and the intricacies of Duckhorn’s diverse and storied Estate program. She also refined her blending skills, embracing the intuitive artistry of the blend, and the counterpoint it offered to the more scientific aspects of winemaking. Throughout her first decade at Duckhorn Vineyards, Renee learned every detail of production moving from lab manager to enologist to assistant winemaker to associate winemaker in charge of Duckhorn’s Sauvignon Blanc and Monitor Ledge Vineyard wines.

In early 2014, Renee became the fourth name on the short list of Duckhorn Vineyards winemakers that began with Tom Rinaldi in 1978. As winemaker, Renee works in small lots to preserve the rich complexity of the fruit in the Duckhorn winegrowing program. “From our own Estate vineyards to legendary sites like Three Palms, I am incredibly fortunate to work with some of Napa Valley’s most exceptional grapes,” says Renee. “When you work with fruit of this quality, there is no recipe or formula. My job is to let the vineyards speak and convey the soul of the wine.”

“It’s important to approach a role like this with humility,” adds Renee, “and with the knowledge that I am a part of an ongoing story—that I am contributing to the legacy of a great winery, and building on the work of the talented people who laid the foundation for excellence.”

WWW.DUCKHORN.COM


COBY PARKER-GARCIA - WINEMAKER, CLAIBORNE AND CHURCHILL - WINE LIBRARY WEEKEND

Claiborne & Churchill is a small, family-owned winery founded in 1983 by Claiborne (Clay) Thompson and Fredericka Churchill. Former teachers at the University of Michigan (Clay specialized in Old Norse Languages and Literatures and Fredericka taught German), the couple left the "Groves of Academe" for the vineyards of California in 1981 in order to start a new life in the wine industry. Clay began as a "cellar rat" in a local winery, learning the business from the ground up (actually underground), and soon the two were encouraged to start their own wine production in that host facility.

With its first crush in 1983 Claiborne & Churchill announced its special focus, producing 565 cases of Dry Gewürztraminer and Dry Riesling, modeled on the fruity but dry dinner wines of the French province of Alsace. Claiborne & Churchill now produces about 10,000 cases of wine a year, purchasing grapes from vineyards in the cool maritime valleys of California's Central Coast. About two-thirds of these wines remain our signature wines, the Dry Riesling and Dry Gewürztraminer, which are sold all over the country (and abroad) by a network of brokers and distributors. A variety of other wines, including Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as other wines in the Alsatian style (Pinot Gris, Dry Muscat, and an Edelzwicker), are produced in small lots and can be ordered directly from the winery.
In 1995 Clay and Fredericka completed construction on their new and permanent winery building. This structure, a noteworthy example of environmental architecture, is a "straw bale building," the first of its kind in California. With sixteen-inch thick walls made of bales of rice straw, the winery is so well insulated that it maintains a constant cellar temperature, without the need for mechanical cooling or heating.

At Claiborne & Churchill traditional European winemaking techniques prevail, including extensive use of barrel-fermentation and barrel-aging (even with Riesling and Gewürztraminer), minimal manipulation of juice and wine, "natural" or spontaneous fermentation using indigenous yeast, and limited use of SO2, all in the belief that the winemaker's task is to bring out the flavor and character that is latent in the grape. Our aim is to create pleasurable dinner wines in which there is a harmonious balance of fruit and oak, structure and texture.

BIO
A native Californian, Coby Parker-Garcia was born and raised in San Luis Obispo. Growing up working in the family garden he realized his love for agriculture. After extensive trips to Europe and South America he knew the wine industry was his true calling. During his college days at Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo he studied Agribusiness Marketing with a minor in Wine and Viticulture. While at Cal Poly, he worked on the campus vineyard learning the ins and outs of growing grapes. Not only did he spend time in the vineyard but also took an internship with a local winery. There his love for winemaking grew and pushed his passion for wine even further.
In 2004 the opportunity to work for Claiborne & Churchill came up. He took the responsibility as assistant winemaker. Under the guidence of Clay Thompson, he learned traditional European winemaking techniques that emphasized minimal manipulation of both fruit and wine. Wanting to continue his education further he took classes at the University of California Davis. This gave him insight to new an improved winemaking techniques. By 2007 Coby was promoted head winemaker for Claiborne & Churchill. Today he oversees the entire wine production, their estate vineyards, and works closely with numerous vineyard managers along the Central Coast.

Besides working for Claiborne & Churchill, Coby helpes his wife's family vineyard in the Russian River, AVA.

Winemaking Style
"I like to say I take a hands on approach to winemaking. Get in and get dirty. As a winemaker, my job is to highlight the best qualities of each vintage. Each vintage is different and brings something positive or unique to the table. My job is to showcase the vineyard and vintage in each glass of wine.My wines are not the biggest, boldist, and most most tanic. They show extreem finesse. "My style is to make balanced wine that accompanies food that show solid structure, elegance, and age ability".

Hobbies
If Coby is not knee deep in winemaking. He enjoys time at the beach surfing, in the mountains snowboarding and mountain biking, cooking, and sharing wine with family and friends. Since 2010 Coby has been a board member for the World of Pinot Noir where he shares his passion for Pinot Noir with others.

WINE LIBRARY WEEKEND

Friday, February 20 | 6PM
Winemaker Dinner
$75 Club | $95 General

Kick off this exciting weekend on Friday with a gourmet winemaker dinner highlighting notable vintages of wines from our cellar. This will be a fun and educational dinner guided by our winemaker Coby Parker-Garcia and owner Clay Thompson. Enjoy five unique courses perfectly paired with Claiborne & Churchill Library Wines.

Saturday, February 21 | 1-4PM
Wine Library
Grand Tasting
$15 Club | $25 General

Experience a tasting showcasing the best vintages of our library wines. You’ll have the opportunity to taste and purchase from among two dozen white and red wines which have been carefully cellared for several years.

Sunday, February 22 | 11-4PM
Library Wine
& Cheese Pairing
$15 Club | $20 General

“Wine down” on Sunday in our garden patio with a flight of library wines and a gourmet cheese plate by Fromagerie Sophie. Each cheese has been specially selected to pair with these stellar wines.

CLAIBORNECHURCHILL.COM  

01/19 EMILY KAUFMANN, CALIFORNIA WINE FESTIVAL, 4TH ANNUAL WINTER WINE CLASSIC, TERRY HALL

EMILY KAUFMANN - EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CALIFORNIA WINE FESTIVAL - 4TH ANNUAL WINTER WINE CLASSIC BY CALIFORNIA WINE FESTIVAL

4th Annual Winter Wine Classic by California Wine Festival
SATURDAY, JANUARY 24, 2015

Santa Barbara, one of America’s most beautiful cities and the capital of Southern California’s wine country, will become the epicenter of the California wine world on Saturday, January 24, 2015. That’s when one of the largest gatherings ever of the California’s ultra-elite winemaking masters will assemble for the 4th annual “Winter Wine Classic” presented at the luxurious Fess Parker’s DoubleTree Resort.

Tasting nearly 100 classic California wines of this legendary stature at one event is truly a rare chance for fine wine lovers to taste the very best all in one place. The event will include famous names from the wine world like Bernardus, Charles Krug, Heitz Wine Cellars, Chateau St. Jean, and  Peju  as well as artisan gold-medal producers such as Ahnfeldt, Beckmen, Grassini, and Tablas Creek who will pour their ultra-premium wines and delight of the hundreds of oenophiles in attendance.

A wide variety of delectable wine-worthy gourmet morsels will be paired and offered by some of the region’s most notable chefs in this luxuriant wine and food celebration. Top Santa Barbara restaurants include Blush, The Lark, Cielito,  Olio e Limone, Finch & Fork, Enterprise Fish Company and much more!

WWW.CALIFORNIAWINEFESTIVAL.COM


TERRY HALL – FOUNDER AT TH-INK - NAPA VALLEY UPDATE

Terry joins the show with some insider info on what’s going on in Napa Valley in 2015. Formerly the Communications Director for Napa Valley Vintners (7 years) and Trefethen Vineyards (8 years) he now runs his own communications, branding and event planning company.

TH | ink is a communication and brand marketing company focusing on wine and hospitality, founded by Terry Hall in late 2012. The resources of sixteen years of experience in senior-level PR, marketing and brand development in the wine industry coupled with nearly two decades in senior-level resort hotel and food and beverage management offer a breadth of experience and insight that is unmatched.

01/12 HEATHER MURAN, SLO WINE COUNTRY

HEATHER MURAN -  SLO Wine Country  

The wineries of SLO Wine Country boast an average distance of just five miles from the Pacific Ocean, resulting in prevailing marine conditions that are among the most pronounced of any wine region in California.

Collectively, these growing conditions forge a unifying wine quality that is native to SLO Wine Country: The reliable cooling effect of the nearby Pacific Ocean ensures a long growing season, enabling the grapes to achieve physiological ripeness and natural balance. Cool-climate varietals such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir excel in the heart of SLO Wine Country, and even the warmest areas benefit from considerable marine influence.   The ocean proximity also exerts a moderating effect on the climate, minimizing temperature swings so that growing conditions are rarely hot or cold. The result is an extraordinarily steady growing season that fosters balanced ripening and consistent quality from vintage to vintage. The imprint of the ocean is also evident in SLO Wine Country's uncommonly complex soils, which are frequently riddled with ancient sea fossils. Soil variation enables the winegrower to mix and match varietals to specific soil profiles, or to add more "colors" to the palette of a single varietal, heightening overall quality and complexity.

SLOWINE.COM