May 22, 2022 Wine and Food Tasting in Anderson Valley

May 22, 2022 Wine and Food Tasting in Anderson Valley

On Sunday the wineries traditionally open for tastings.  This year it is a little different.  You must now register on line and pay for a tasting with food.  It provides an opportunity to try more of the wines of the ones you liked or to try different vineyard’s you missed in the tasting.

We did a bit of both.

After Suzette went for coffee and brought me back a pain au Chocolat that was very delicious, we drove over the hills to Anderson Valley and to nearly the deep end where the weather is slightly cooler that produces a more mature and elegant fruit in my opinion.

We first went to Phillips Hill which used to be named Standish.  The proprietress Is French, so for $15.00 we were poured a four or five wine tasting with a small platter of two Burgundy Cheese puffs (Gougeres) probably with Gruyere, two more narrow Bordeaux cheese puffs probably with a blue cheese, and two slices of Tomme de Savoie, one of my favorite cheeses produced from the milk of cows that forage the high lush meadows of the Haut Savoie.

                                                    The French Proprietress 

                                                             The tasting shed

I felt like I was in France when I ate my Chocolate croissant for breakfast.

Then I felt that feeling spreading throughout my body as I nibbled the lovely cheese puffs and one of my favorite French cheeses.

We next went to Suzette’s favorite winery, Brashley (https://www.brashleyvineyards.com).  They served a five wine tasting that included their wonderful Riesling with two amazing tacos of pork for $20.00.  We loved the tacos and they piqued our taste buds.

The last winery we went to was Winterbourne that does not have very good wines but Rick’s friend who makes wine using the Boonville label was pouring some of his excellent Syrah and cooking BBQ brisket that was served in a flour tortilla wrap.

After Winterbourne we said goodbye to Rick after ordering 6 bottles of his 2013 San Jacamo PN and his 2019 River’s Edge PN.

We returned to our room and rested and went to bed early after a full day of tasting.

I think I have decided to join Handley’s wine club because of their broad list of wines and constant quality.

Bon Appetit