Sonoma County Wines Archives - Dr. Liz Thach, MW

Exquisite Wine and Dine Open-Air at the Breathtaking Ram’s Gate Winery

Known for their small lot premium wines, innovative culinary experiences and beautiful farmhouse-meets-modern design, Ram’s Gate is a modern winery nestled between Sonoma and Napa at the heart of Carneros Valley. This fall, Ram’s Gate will open new Veranda and Arbor venues for private outdoor tasting experiences. The very first Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs by Director of Winemaking Joe Nielsen, who joined Ram’s Gate team in 2018, will also be released. These wines will be featured throughout the tastings and available for purchase at the winery. Ram's Gate Winery Veranda By the Fire The new Veranda Experience offers guests a [...]

By Fiona Fang|2021-01-30T17:30:19-08:00October 17, 2020|

How You Can Help Our Community Recover

Our wine community is fighting multiple challenges yet again, affected by the Glass Fire shortly after LNU fires were contained in an already difficult year. However, there are some ways you could make a difference while connecting with the community.How? Here is a short list of resources for you to check out. Offer a helping hand: Volunteer! You can volunteer both in-person or even from home by preparing and delivering food, helping at animal rescue shelters, promote social media, translate, etc. For area-specific volunteer opportunities, visit:Napa area: Napa Disaster Relief Volunteering Sonoma area:Sonoma Disaster Relief Volunteering Many ways you can [...]

By Fiona Fang|2021-01-30T17:31:30-08:00October 5, 2020|

Breathless Winery Wins “Rising Wine Star Winery of the Year” Award

In less than 10 years since it opened, Breathless Wines has already won multiple awards, including the San Francisco Wine Competition, American Fine Wine Competition, Wine Enthusiast, among others. This time, it is awarded by LuxeSF, a luxury marketing organization, as their “Rising Wine Star Winery of The Year”, after a tough competition with 74 other nominations across 5 award categories, selected by a 14-person panel of respected industry veterans. Have you tried Breathless Wines yet? They are currently offering a special duo Blanc De Noir and Brut Rose pack at $60 including shipping this week until September 18. Better [...]

By Fiona Fang|2021-01-30T17:33:57-08:00September 14, 2020|

How a Winery Nearly Destroyed By Wildfires and Ravaged by COVID Still Manages to Enchant Visitors

(Contributed by Avery Shive) I’ll never forget my first visit to Soda Rock Winery, located in Sonoma County outside the town of Healdsburg. My mother, two sisters and I had planned a glamorous girls weekend visiting top tier wineries in California Wine Country towards the end of November 2019. Our goal was to have fun, but to also support the wineries by visiting after the devastating fires that swept Sonoma County in October. Avery and her sisters at Soda Rock Winery after Wildfires Wildfires Rage Over Soda Rock Winery When we heard about the affect the fires had on Soda [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-30T21:33:33-08:00June 30, 2020|

Wine is My Love Potion: Adventures as a Harvest Intern

(Contributed by Alexandro Gomez) Wine is my love potion. Never before would I have thought wine could be this interesting. It all started in the summer of 2019 when I met the Robledo family, owners of Robledo Family Vineyards in Sonoma, California. They established the first tasting room in the United States that is owned by a former Mexican migrant vineyard worker and his family. After much discussion of my interest in wine, they offered me a harvest internship. Although I was very excited about this opportunity, I was also scared and nervous as I knew nothing about harvest or [...]

By Fiona Fang|2021-01-30T21:51:09-08:00May 20, 2020|

A Heavenly Visit to Hanna Winery in Sonoma County

In October the Wine Sense Club put on an extravagant field trip out to Hanna winery in Alexander Valley. Driving up the long and beautifully landscaped driveway of Hanna Winery, the Wine Sense club was able to take in the picturesque views of the valley. The club’s wine tasting excursion took place under the large oak tree below the tasting room. Shelby Lozinto, the President of the Wine Sense club arranged a private tasting for the club and presented a selection of the Hanna wines to the club members. Hanna Winery in Alexander Valley, Sonoma County. Photo Credit: Hanna [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-30T21:52:03-08:00May 15, 2020|

Elephant Motif and Farm-Stay Wine Experience at Zo Winery

Contributed by Keira Fernandes – This month we had a great educational wine-tasting on the campus of Sonoma State University with Zo Winery. They are located in the Dry Creek AVA of Sonoma County, just three miles outside of the town of Healdsburg. What is unique about Zo Winery is that they not only offer wine-tasting, but a farm-stay wine experience. They also have a very special focus on elephants, with every wine label graced by an elephant motif. The Elephant Connection The 11-acre vineyard was purchased by David Eckert in 1999 and named after his son Enzo. Enzo’s name [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-02-01T19:50:29-08:00February 23, 2020|

An Intimate Tasting with Schweiger and Bouchaine Estate Wineries

The most recent tasting of the SSU WineSense Club was intimate and relaxed. Schweiger and Bouchaine wineries both presented and poured six of their beautiful estate wines. The group of 18 Millennials in attendance really opened up and felt more comfortable asking questions in the more intimate setting. Favorite Wines of the Evening The favorite wine of the evening from Schweiger Vineyards was the 2007 Schweiger Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley, Estate Bottled ($58). This was a rich, full-bodied Cabernet with dark berries, chocolate, and toasty oak. It has a very velvety mouth feel with a long [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-02-01T22:43:13-08:00March 2, 2012|

Holiday Wines Millennials Love – Thanks to KJ, Mazzocco, deLorimier, Stryker and Selby Wineries

The last three SSU Wine Sense Club meetings have been packed to overflowing with an average of 50 Millennials attending each tasting. Special thanks to all of the Sonoma County wineries who have participated in these educational events. Kendall Jackson was kind enough to provide a “fermentation style seminar” with Brian Cronin, MS and Jann Cotter. The session included tastings of 5 chardonnays crafted in different styles: 1) fermented in stainless steel with no malolactic fermentation, 2) fermented in stainless with malo, 3) fermented and aged in neutral oak, 4) fermented and aged in French oak, and 5) fermented and [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-02-01T22:44:50-08:00December 12, 2011|