Hopland Passport Fall 2015 is this weekend

John on Wine: Hopland Passport Fall 2015 is this weekend

Originally published in the Ukiah Daily Journal newspaper on Thuirsday, October 15, 2015

Hopland Passport is just two days away, on Saturday, Oct. 17 and Sunday, Oct. 18, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, and will offer up wine and food tasting at 15 local spots. Many wineries offer up their biggest discounts of the year for attendees.

Hopland Passport visitors enjoying the wines at top attraction, McFadden Farm Stand & Tasting Room (Photo by Pam Strayer)

You’ll find music, tours, and this year there will be seminars too. For more information, including how to get tickets for the two-day event, visit HoplandPassport.com. Here is some of what you can expect this weekend:

Join Brutocao Cellars at the Historic “Brutocao Schoolhouse Plaza” for another fun-filled, educational wine weekend. They’ll be pouring their award-winning Estate wines from both bottle and barrel, rolling bocce balls, dancing to live music and of course eating great food.  In the spirit of the Schoolhouse, Brutocao will be hosting “blending seminars” both days.  Sign up early, to learn the secrets of great wine making.

Seminar: Blending Seminar

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Join Campovida this Hopland Passport for an exploration of white Rhône varietals with winemaker Sebastian Donoso.  Campovida will be pouring Marsanne, Roussanne, and Viognier as well as Campo Di Blanca, a blend of all three, accompanied by food pairings crafted by their restaurant, the Piazza de Campovida. Finally, don’t forget to try Campovida’s biodynamically farmed Grenache.

Seminar: White Rhone Varietal Exploration

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Cesar Toxqui Cellars will be serving delectable cheeses with a new sparkling wine and Viognier as a starter. CTC will have fall-themed food: seasonal corn and black bean salad, plus a mixed-grill medley of barbecue grilled tri-tip, wild boar sausage, and chicken — which will pair well with new release 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, organic and sustainable, along with Zinfandel. Complete your experience with delicious cake paired with port.
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Frey Vineyards invites you to taste 100 percent organic award-winning wines at the Solar Living Center, inside the store. Organic Menu:  Apricot glazed chicken breast strips marinated in ginger, garlic, tamari, and local apricot jam; Marinated Frey Ranch Goat Cheese; Roasted root vegetables with olive oil and Herbs; Homemade Hummus; fresh raw vegetables; crackers, baguettes; and Acorn Meyer lemon bars sweetened with local honey on a buttery crust.
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Graziano Family of Wines with four distinct wine labels will be offering wines from Aglianico to Zinfandel. Specializing in Italian varietals, they also make several different Pinot Noirs and old Mendocino varietals like Chenin Blanc and Petite Sirah. Greg Graziano will be doing a seminar on Italian influence in Mendocino County on Saturday. Come taste Greg’s wines and enjoy Italian Sausages, aged cheeses, olive tapenade, and more.

Seminar: Greg Graziano Family Tradition (held at Brutocao Cellars)

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Scottish Highlanders invade Mendocino Wine Country. The girls of Jaxon Keys Winery & Distillery will put on their finest kilts and sporrans to explore their Scottish roots on Burnee Hill. Join Jaxon Keys and taste amazing Estate wines paired with traditional Scottish fare. The Highland Games are taking place in the meadow, bagpipes are sounding in the farmhouse and America’s Best Brandy will be showcased in an expertly guided distillery tour. Slainte! Cheers!

Seminar: Distillery Tour and Seminar

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Upper Russian River Grilling will be happening at Jeriko Estate for the October Passport. Experience a wild display of mixed meats, cheeses and condiments to complement Jeriko’s Upper Russian River Pinot Noir, Anima Mundi Pinot Noir and Pommard Pinot Noir, along with classics like Sangiovese.  Don’t miss out on the barrel sampling, music and special wine prices that are discounted for Passport weekend only.
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At the McFadden Farm Stand & Tasting Room, enjoy Hopland’s top awarded, rated and reviewed wines. Guinness McFadden will be cooking up a Beef Bourguignon styled stew, which McFadden is calling Irish stew because Guinness is cooking it, using his organic grass-fed beef from McFadden Farm, perfect for the fall weather, and sliced baguettes. McFadden Wine Club Members get 30 percent discounts plus 1 penny shipping on cases of wine during Passport. Pick up farm fresh premium garlic braids, wild rice, beef and herbs, as well. Guinness McFadden will be on hand to hand sign purchased bottles.

Seminar: Chat on Organic Farming (with the possibility of additional topics: Notre Dame, the U.S. Navy, and a joke about an Irish priest and a bicycle) with Guinness McFadden

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McNab Ridge Tasting Room will be featuring Pollo Ricky Tacos — Perfectly prepared by S’Wine Country BBQ. Marinated chicken grilled to perfection, sauced with a sweet and savory chile sauce, topped with a fresh pico de gallo cabbage salsa, finished with a roasted chipotle peanut salsa, chipotle crema and chopped roasted peanuts. Bottle painting by Leslie Bartolomei. And of course, McNab Ridge will pour the whole line-up of Rich Parducci’s award-winning wines.
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Milano Family Winery will feature a scrumptious red-wine-infused oak smoked, marinated Tri-Tip, fresh veggies, a variety of cheeses and decadent chocolate raspberry brownies.  Enjoy live music on the lawn both Saturday and Sunday noon to 4 p.m.  Learn about Red Winemaking at Milano’s seminars — Saturday at noon and 2 p.m., Sunday at noon.  Eat, sip medal-winning wines, groove to tunes, and peruse the wares of several vendors selling fashion and crafts.

Seminar: Red Winemaking with Deanna Starr

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Relax in the Redwoods at Nelson Family Vineyards with gorgeous views of their terraced Cabernet vineyard. Nelson will be pouring Estate wines paired with Mendough’s Pizza. Roots of Wine Tour, Viticulture 101, Saturday 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. Walk the vineyards with Greg and Tyler Nelson. See first-hand how to prune, sucker, tie, and leaf pull to yield top quality wine grapes.

Seminar: Viticulture 101

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Relax and enjoy the grandest view in the valley at RIVINO Estate Winery, where with every wine you get to savor in your glass, you can also view the vines they came from, from where you’re perched. Along with award winning estate wines, you will get to enjoy wood fired food creations by Pagan Fire Pizza. Rivino may have some delicious fermenting winery juices to try too.
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Join Seebass Vineyards and Family Wines on the vineyard for a traditional German Oktoberfest. Seebass’ best wines will be accompanied by authentic German tastings prepared by their family and served in historic barns overlooking a 100+ acre vineyard. Seebass will be featuring their favorite Chardonnays as well as a selection of award winning reds. Prost!
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Located in downtown Hopland, SIP Wine Shop is a wine shop and discovery center for anyone interested in learning about and buying Mendocino wines. With over 100 different wines from local producers, SIP is sure to have something to please every palate. Stop by and enjoy a glass of wine, cider or craft beer on a beautiful garden patio. SIP will be pairing fine wines with tasty treats all weekend long.

Seminar: Cooking Demo & Seminar on Grass-fed, Heritage Meat by Mendocino Organics

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Find the grill of your dreams at Terra Sávia, with a Passport menu featuring a trio of glazed grilled kebobs of beef, fresh shrimp, or chicken along with marinara, cashew ricotta, or pesto gnocchi paired with local seasonal vegetables., pleasantly topped off with a refreshing Meyer Lemon Cake. Back by popular demand, Coffee Zombie Collective will fill the house with their raucous acoustic cover tunes. Bring your appetite and dancing shoes.

Seminar: Olive Oil Seminar

 

23rd annual Fall Hopland Passport is coming, Oct 18 & 19, 2014

 

 

 

John Cesano of John On Wine

John On Wine – 23^rd annual Fall Hopland Passport is coming, Oct 18 & 19, 2014

Originally published in the Ukiah Daily Journal newspaper on Thursday, October 9, 2014

We are just nine days out from the 23rd annual Fall Hopland Passport, coming up on Saturday, October 18, 2014 and Sunday, October 19, 2014, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day.

Like Napa in the 60’s or Healdsburg in the 70’s, Hopland today is a place where there are more grape growers than wineries, where organic is normal, and where amazing wines remain largely undiscovered.

Affordable, relaxed, enjoyable. Hopland is rural yet close to everywhere in the bay area; a getaway destination, a place to taste wine, and a gorgeously magical spot where cares and stress just melt away.

Come to Passport, but don’t rush. Relax, take a deep breath. With 14 participating Passport winery tasting rooms to visit over two days for your $45 ticket – or $55 if you are procrastinator – you’ll have over 50 minutes to devote to each spot, with some tasting rooms just 20 mere feet from door to door!

Hopland is where the Mendocino County Fair Wine Competition’s Double Gold medal winning Cabernet Sauvignon and Best of Show white wine, and the California State Fair Wine Competition’s Best of Show sparkling wine can be tasted, and without any tasting fee when you buy a ticket.

There is food, real food, good food to taste at each stop on your Passport tour. The mouthwatering savory scent of BBQ grills cooking meat throughout the Hopland area will have you at peak readiness for wine and food pairings all weekend long.

Receive a Passport logo glass, entry to all wine tastings, food pairings and entertainment at all 14 wineries. Collect stamps in your actual Passport to enter the Passport Prize Giveaway…. over thirty fabulous prizes will be given away! Tickets can be purchased online at DestinationHopland.com/store for $45 or at any of the participating wineries during the event for $55.

Get your ticket, raise your glass, and celebrate the A-Z variety of wines poured by the participating winery tasting rooms in the Hopland area: Aglianico, Arneis, Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignane, Charbobo, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Cortese, Dolcetto, French Colombard, Gewurztraminer, Grenache, Marsanne, Merlot, Mosacato/Muscat, Negroamaro, Nero D’Avola, Orange Muscat, Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot, Pinotage, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris/Grigio, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir, Primitivo, Riesling, Roussanne, Sangiovese, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Syrah Noir, Tannat, Tocai Friulano, Valdiguie, Viognier, and Zinfandel.

There will also be blends; the county’s flagship Coro wines, rosés, late harvest and ice wine, port, sparkling, and Meritage wines to delight.

Here is a short description of what each winery promises visitors during the Hopland Passport wine weekend:

BRUTOCAO CELLARS •Award winning Estate wines from both bottle and barrel •Tasty delectables  •Annual grape stomp!

CAMPOVIDA •Wine tasting •Olive oil tasting •Live music •Food pairings from our restaurant the Piazza de Campovida •Garden tour with our master gardener, Ken Boek

CESAR TOXQUI CELLARS •Fruit infused cheeses paired with a new Orange Muscat, Pinot Gris, and Chardonnay •New release full bodied 2012 Organic Zinfandel and our new Heirloom V with a mixed meat BBQ grill of wild boar sausage, and chicken •Ganache chocolate and port.

FREY VINEYARDS •Award-winning, Organic and Biodynamic wines (with no added sulfites) •Organic Autumn-inspired, colorful fresh foods.

GRAZIANO FAMILY OF WINES •Aglianico to Zinfandel we have as many as 30 different wines •Marinated tri-tip in the crock pot, imported aged cheeses, homemade dips and spreads, and more.

JAXON KEYS WINERY & DISTILLERY •Spaghetti western themed hospitality •Fresh spaghetti done three ways: red, white and green •Farmhouse

JERIKO ESTATE •Upper Russian River Grilling of mixed meats •Cheeses and condiments •Anima Mundi Pinot Noir and Reserve Pinot Noir, Sangiovese. •Barrel sampling •Music •Special wine prices that are discounted for passport weekend only

MCFADDEN FARM STAND & TASTING ROOM •Highly rated, top award winning wines •McFadden Farm Organic Grass Fed Beef, and Wild Rice and artichoke heart salad; both seasoned with Herbs and Herb Blends – family farmed and organically grown •Beef, Wild Rice, and Herbs available for purchase at special Passport discounts •McFadden Wine Members get 40% off cases of wine during Passport •Guinness McFadden will sign purchased bottles

MCNAB RIDGE WINERY •Rock music themed Passport  •Barrel tasting of our new Cononiah Zin with futures available •Complimentary bottle painting by Leslie Bartolomei •Smokestack BBQ grillmasters smoky chicken, gourmet sausage and grilled veggies. •Popular dips and spreads •Rich Parducci’s award-winning wines

MILANO FAMILY WINERY •Red-wine-infused oak smoked, marinated Tri-Tip, fresh veggies, cheeses and decadent chocolate raspberry brownies •Live music on the lawn with the Rose City Band playing jazz and dance music on Saturday •Contemporary duo of Marilyn DeFrange and Janet Orsi on Sunday.  Join us and eat, •Medal winning wines •Several craft vendors

NELSON FAMILY VINEYARDS •Estate wines •Mendough’s Wood-Fired Pizza, deliciously made with organic, local ingredients including chevre, sun dried tomatoes, prosciutto, arugula, Gorgonzola and artichoke atop the most incredible crust.

RIVINO ESTATE WINERY •“Wines of Anarchy” themed event •Pagan Fire Pizza •Newly released wines

SARACINA •Gourmet harvest fare •Live music by A Band Called Luke •Wine cave tours on Saturday at 1:30, 3:00 and 4pm and on Sunday at 1:00 and 3pm.

TERRA SAVIA •“A Cheesy Affair” is the theme •Greek salad stuffed tomatoes •Macaroni and cheese empanadas •Butternut squash with blue cheese •Frisee and farro salad with warm goat cheese •Accoustic and eclectic band Coffee Zombie Collective will entertain

This will be my eighth consecutive Hopland Passport missed because I work at one of the participating tasting rooms, and an event I sorely miss. I cannot recommend getting a ticket and attending Hopland Passport strongly enough, it is an absolute stand out wine event value – no where else do you get so much for so little!