winemadeez: Pigs & Blues

I think that I am just now over the glow of having attended Passport to Dry Creek Valley Weekend! So much to share! We had been a little worried because a couple of weeks out the weather seemed like it might not cooperate...but, thankfully, it was sunny with a slight breeze and 80 degrees perfect for enjoying the wineries. We are veterans of this event having participated twice before, so we kind of know the 'ropes'. We are fortunate to have a modest abode up on the vineyard in the Alexander Valley, so we invited some friends from a far off land (So. Calif.) to share our adventure which began on Friday night. We met up at Zazu Restaurant just down the road from the Sonoma County Airport upon arrival...okay, we were a little tired and cranky but they managed to fit us in and man was the food outstanding! Starting with an array of tasty hors d'ouevres, we continued to order main course dishes until we were all smiles and 'flop' (full up!) It was a great way to start the weekend. We took a vigorous hike on Saturday morning before heading off to the wineries. One of the first things I noticed is that even thought we were told the event had sold out, it seemed as thought the numbers might have been down...but it just meant that we rarely had to wait in a line for food or wine. Each winery had a theme and tried to pair their wines with what they thought would give one the best tasting experience. The results were fantastic! For instance, the pairing of Dutcher Crossing 2008 Sauv Blanc with Crusted Shrimp, or the pairing of Fritz 2007 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir with Tri-Tip and horse radish sauce were impeccable! A. Rafanelli Winery, always a favorite stop, probably had the best overall spread of delicious food, all of which complemented their finely crafted Cabernet's and Zin's, graciously poured by David Rafanelli himself, with a big smile. Mazzocco Winery won our vote for the best band and best music which happened to be reggae fusion although most of the wineries that we visited were featuring 'Blues' bands. we tried to visit some wineries that we had never been to before and were impressed by the chardonnays at Mauritson Family Winery. Okay, so eight wineries later we thought it best to call it a day...but the festivities continued at home with grilled steaks! Although the next mor

ning was a "quiet one" we were eager to continue the tour and discovered Wilson Winery, a charming setting with great vineyard views, Zin is their thing and so is Tri-Tip! We decided to go a little slower this day and really took in the music and savored the food. We loved sitting under the umbrellas at Truett Hurst Winery listening to the Blues while sipping barrel samples of Red Rooster Zin and eating pork sliders prepared by none other than Zazu owner Duskie Estes!!! It is our tradition to finish the eventful weekend at the Seghesio Winery where Pete Seghesio and other family members were pouring the wines. Such a great setting with the 'Hellhounds' providing more kick-ass Blues and the smell of BBQ in the air! My favorite was the BBQ ribs with their secret recipe barbecue sauce and the 2007 San Lorenzo Zin...just out of this world. We reluctantly left with our tummies full and smiles on our faces already making plans for next year!!!
Here are some of the wines we enjoyed: