Raconteur, bon vivant, winehiker: teller of tales, spiller of wine and Founder of California Wine Hikes guided wine country hiking tours.
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Robert Skalli, co-owner of St. Supery Winery, loves this spot atop the western ridge above Big Lake at Dollarhide Ranch, where I scouted a few routes for potential future winehiking on a bright and clear mid-November day. With just a little effort, reaching the top of this ridge affords supreme vineyard views.
Happy winehikers, cavorting along a woodsy path on a late-September morning. These folks joined me last year; would you like to join me this year? If so, you'll find all the details on my Romp through the Redwoods page.
The husband-and-wife teams of Kristin & Brian Link and Julie & Dan Scheve of tiny Heart's Fire Winery of Campbell, California will be bottling their 2008 wines during tasting hours this coming Sunday. If they're lucky, their labors will be complete by Labor Day!
You can consider yourself lucky, however, because Heart's Fire Winery invites the public to stop by and enjoy their 2006 and 2007 wines and see what's involved in getting all their 2008 wine ready for consumption.
Heart's Fire is open on the first Sunday of each month for tasting and purchases. This Sunday, September 6th, they'll be open from 1:00pm - 4:00pm. They're also available for private tastings by appointment by calling (408) 858-1155 or sending an email to info@heartsfirewine.com.
For more information and directions, please see the Heart's Fire Winery website at http://www.heartsfirewine.com.
Heart's Fire Winery
165 Cristich Lane, Unit K
Campbell , CA 95008
If you love Zinfandel and Petite Sirah and you're sticking around town this weekend, I recommend visiting!
~winehiker
The 6th annual San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival is a five-day wine and food extravaganza featuring 170 world-class wineries and spirit producers, 70 of San Diego's award-winning fine dining restaurants offering gourmet foods, celebrity chefs, wine dinners, cooking classes, and live silent auctions, personalities, and unlimited food and wine tastings. It is the largest event of its kind in Southern California and may draw a crowd of over 8,500 wine & food enthusiasts.
The Festival runs from November 18th to 22nd. Though he'd love to, this winehiker cannot attend, but perhaps you can! Tickets are now on sale for the event; see this page for a price breakdown.
Check out the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival's fan page to learn more.
Winemaker Bradley Cooper of Penticton, British Columbia, produces exquisite wines from the south Okanagan Valley, including this delicious handcrafted small-lot Cabernet, of which he made 752 cases.
I simply adore this wine's cherry, coffee and cola overtones, especially when enriched by a broad silkiness on the palate and an enduring finish that will cause you to delay brushing your teeth too soon. Lovely with red meats or on its own, here's a special, affordable Township 7 Cabernet that you should be drinking.
Price: $25.99 per bottle / $311.88 for case of 12
Heat: 13.9% ABV
Where to purchase: contact the winery.
Disclaimer: this bottle was a sample, stolen fair and square from the winemaker when he wasn't looking.
