Enjoy All That Is Spring With the Steiner Road Wineries, April 27th

PLYMOUTH, CA – March 22, 2013 – Everyone is invited to Enjoy All That is Spring with the Wineries of Steiner Road on Sat., April 27, 2013 11am-4 pm.

This FREE Food and Wine event will delight the senses. Guests can stroll through the beautiful grounds of nine wineries, taste a variety of wines, listen to live music, experience all the blooming flowers and enjoy special treats.

Taste some small bites of spring lamb sausage, turkey and vegetable wraps, asparagus bruschetta, apricot pastry wrapped baked brie, wood fired pizza, Italian fare appetizers, tapenade cheese spread and crostini, tri-tip sliders, and artisan cheese and wine parings!!

Steiner Road - in the heart of the picturesque Shenandoah Valley, off Highway 16 - is home to many award-winning wineries. Just 45 minutes from Sacramento and 2 hours from Reno, Tahoe and the Bay Area, it is an easy day trip to the friendly Amador County Wine Country.

Visitors also can enter to win two tickets to the sold out Barbera Festival June 8th, 2013 by visiting at least 5 of the 9 participating Steiner Road wineries: Shenandoah Vineyards, Amador Foothill, Bella Grace, Deaver Vineyards, Driven, Dillian, Renwood, Charles Spinetta and Dobra Zemlja.

Steiner Road Wineries, off Shenandoah Road (Hwy. E-16), east of Plymouth, CA, in Amador County. Questions: Contact Camille Sobon, (209) 245-4455.

The wineries of Steiner Road also have a new Facebook page. Connect with them by clicking "like" here.

Amador Wine Picks (Pix)!!

So AH and I conquered Amador this weekend for their Behind the Cellar Door event. It was a toasty 70ish degree day, and we hit four five different wineries. I took pictures of my favorite wines and I am sharing the labels and info with you, so that you know what to buy (me).... ;) 

First Stop: Shenandoah Vineyards...

2010 Shenandoah Vineyards Amador County Zinfandel

2008 Orange Muscat

I am not a dessert wine person, but I really liked this one.

Mapping out where we would venture next....

Deaver Vineyards...

2010 Viognier. Yes, please.

2006 Sangiovese

So, I thought, "Oh wow... this Sangiovese is really good and I don't typically like Sangiovese..."

I think part of the reason is it has had some time to lay down.

Then I had the Deaver Red Blend. Even better than the Sangiovese.

Sorry I can't find a link to this on their website, so I don't know the exact breakdown. :(

And this was my favorite Zinfandel at Deaver. It's their Signature Zinfandel.

Us, listening intently and having too much fun. :)

Next stop: Dobra Zemlja Winery (Doe-brah Zem-Ya)

Our favorite was their jug wine, believe it or not!

I also really dug their Barbera. 

Next was Driven Cellars

I really love their Pinot Grigio

And their Barbera...

And this is the view from Driven's picnic tables...

Last was Sobon Estate. And my favorite Zinfandel there is their Cougar Hill. And I kind of went crazy over their Barbera and their Rousanne. We bought two bottles of each. 

Thank you Paul for bailing us out when the car didn't want to run. :) You guys are good friends and I am so grateful. I am glad we bought a bunch of wine from you that day.

I am drinking the Barbera now. So very good!!

Social Media Roll Call:

Shenandoah Vineyards on Facebook, on Twitter

Deaver on Facebook. Deaver on Twitter

Dobra Zemja on Facebook

Driven Cellars on Facebook

Sobon Estate on Facebook, on Twitter

Upcoming events at Amador Wineries are located here. Cheers!!

Sobon NOBOS Wine Tasting & Potluck

This wine-related post is from last year when my friends and I had a little potluck at my condo. Some of the wine we tried was made by Sobon Estates. I just visited Sobon yesterday at The Big Crush event. Pics and recap of the event to come, but in the meantime, enjoy this review of two of their NOBOS varietals.




What better way to taste wines you've been sent to try than to throw a potluck and share them with friends? I invited 15-20 people to come to my house last night (almost all either in the industry or with Twitter accounts). To test the newest offerings from Sobon Estates under the NOBOS label.

My tasting panel members with Twitter accounts included @baratin @scouthandford @sdalton97 @iamandia @marshwildman @sacramento365 & me, @cakegrrl. We tweeted during the tasting and after, trying to remember to use the hashtag search term: #NOBOStasting.

Everyone brought a dish to share, a pen and paper, and their palette for our "research" project. I figured the opinions of multiple fellow wine enthusiasts and people in the restaurant industry would add up to more than just my own. We also brought our mobile devices and digital cameras so the "project" could be blogged about here on cakegrrl.com.




Getting ready to grab some plates and be seated for the tasting.


Before I talk about the wines, below are some of the things we had to eat. Keep in mind that when you are wine tasting the food should duke it out with the wine. All the food we brought together was on the mild, non-spicy side. Salads, bread, pita chips, nuts, mild cheeses, pastry apps...


Homemade Hummus and Baba Ghannouj with Sumac. Quite possibly one of my favorite foods, so I had to make to share with friends.



Me again, going all out with the whipped butter ala pastry bag. Thanks, Scout for the awesome pic. This butter could easily be used to describe the Chardonnay we tried.




Awesome salads by Linda. Ken's dressing product placement unintentional.



Appetizers featured brie and jam in pastry, brie and spinach in pastry, and chicken spinach sausage in what else? Pastry! I also made a casserole with spaghetti squash, 3 cheeses, and bacon.



The macaroni and cheese was fabulous. Made by @marshwildman and was topped with potato chips for a phenomenal crunch.



The first wine was the 2007 NOBOS Chardonnay.

This Chardonnay was grown in the Scheid Vineyards of Monterey. Alcohol: 14.8%. Retail: $20. Our tasting notes are as follows:

Nose: A dominate "Toasty Oak".
Tastes: Butter!, Fruity, pear, light citrus, clean.

I would consider the NOBOS a classic California Chardonnay; oakey and buttery. If you like that style, you'll love this one.

Comments: "Yum." "Tasty." "Easy to drink." "Balanced." "Well-rounded."

Pairing ideas: Honestly, it was terrific with the macaroni and cheese! Any shellfish with cream sauce would also work.


Next up was the 2005 NOBOS Merlot:



The Merlot grapes were grown in the Dry Creek Valley in Sonoma County. The alcohol on this one clocks in at 14.8%. Retail also $20.

Nose: Chocolatey, berries, cherry, currant.
Tastes: Ripe fruit forward, a little heat, dry, fast finish.

NOBOS Merlot is a great wine to drink if you have been staying away from Merlots because of that silly Sideways movie. Come back from your Sideways Merlot ban and feel some Merlove with this one. It was actually my favorite wine of the 3 we tried. I liked the heat and the chocolate aroma.

Comments: "Very dry!" "Smooth" "Well-Rounded" "Cherry" "Fast finish" "incredible" "Spicy" "Tobacco" "Tingles on the Tongue"

Pairing ideas: Meatloaf, prime rib, vegetable beef soup. Even a good cheeseburger.




Andrea & Lynda... (I think they are discussing how much they love the Merlot.)



The last NOBOS wine we tasted was the 2005 NOBOS Cabernet Sauvignon:




This Cabernet was made with grapes grown high above the Dry Creek Valley. The alcohol is 14.7%. Price point is $24.

Nose: Woody, cedar, not a lot of fruit but berry undertones.
Tastes: Spicy, not too tannic, plum, soft finish.

The NOBOS Cabernet was pretty well-liked amongst the group. I have trouble writing about Cabs because I prefer jammier Zinfandels and Syrahs. Still, no trouble drinking my portion!! and liked the nice balance. The tannins were well represented, but not overwhelming.

Comments: "dark fruit, cedar" "almost evergreen woody" "medium tannins" "smoother than the merlot" "balanced, oakey" "oak, spicy" "soft, a little lacking in complexity" "dry" "hint of pepper"

Pairing ideas: Steaks, pork chops, Beef Wellington

Once again, I'd like to thank my tasting panel and the friends they brought for helping me review last night's wines. It was a pleasant evening, and I look forward to enlisting your help for the next tasting very soon. Also, thanks to Robert Sobon and everyone at Sobon Wines for making consistently outstanding wine. I specifically recall a winemaker dinner I had at the Melting Pot.

Click on Sobon Wines for more information about the winery and the wines they produce (Sobon Estate, Shenandoah Vineyards, Vicious, NOBOS). You can also follow them on twitter for updates and to enter to win an occasional contest!

If you are a winemaker/operate a winery and are interested in having your wines featured on this website, you can contact me by following this link.

KVIE Art Auction Preview Party, Monday, Sept 20th!

Join me and some of Sacramento's best restaurants as KVIE and Amador Vintners' Association Present the KVIE Art Auction Preview Party on Monday, September 20, 2010 from 5:30pm-8:30pm at the KVIE Studios, 2030 W. El Camino Avenue, Sacramento, CA 95833.

View over 250 works, meet inspiring local artists, enjoy fine wines and sample
hors d’oeuvres and desserts from local restaurants. Together we’ll honor
award winning artists. I will be there with some delectable treats. A little closer to the event I will update with what I am bringing, but it will be delicious and unique, to be sure!

Participating restaurants include:
4th Street Grill, Aioli Bodega Española, Beth Sogaard Catering, The Chocolate Architect, Fat Cat Scones, Garcia's , Hannibal's Catering, It's A Grind-Folsom, JR's Texas BBQ, Just 4 U Catering,
Opa! Opa!, Pyramid Alehouse, Sudwerk Brewery,The Melting Pot, Romano's Macaroni Grill, Folsom, and me, cakegrrl.com!!

Come out and support KVIE and local artists!

Follow KVIE and Amador Wine on twitter.

Sobon NOBOS Wine Tasting & Potluck

What better way to taste wines you've been sent to try than to throw a potluck and share them with friends? I invited 15-20 people to come to my house last night (almost all either in the industry or with Twitter accounts). To test the newest offerings from Sobon Estates under the NOBOS label.

My tasting panel members with Twitter accounts included @baratin @scouthandford @sdalton97 @iamandia @marshwildman @sacramento365 & me, @cakegrrl. We tweeted during the tasting and after, trying to remember to use the hashtag search term: #NOBOStasting.

Everyone brought a dish to share, a pen and paper, and their palette for our "research" project. I figured the opinions of multiple fellow wine enthusiasts and people in the restaurant industry would add up to more than just my own. We also brought our mobile devices and digital cameras so the "project" could be blogged about here on cakegrrl.com.




Getting ready to grab some plates and be seated for the tasting.


Before I talk about the wines, below are some of the things we had to eat. Keep in mind that when you are wine tasting the food should duke it out with the wine. All the food we brought together was on the mild, non-spicy side. Salads, bread, pita chips, nuts, mild cheeses, pastry apps...


Homemade Hummus and Baba Ghannouj with Sumac. Quite possibly one of my favorite foods, so I had to make to share with friends.



Me again, going all out with the whipped butter ala pastry bag. Thanks, Scout for the awesome pic. This butter could easily be used to describe the Chardonnay we tried.




Awesome salads by Linda. Ken's dressing product placement unintentional.



Appetizers featured brie and jam in pastry, brie and spinach in pastry, and chicken spinach sausage in what else? Pastry! I also made a casserole with spaghetti squash, 3 cheeses, and bacon.



The macaroni and cheese was fabulous. Made by @marshwildman and was topped with potato chips for a phenomenal crunch.



The first wine was the 2007 NOBOS Chardonnay.

This Chardonnay was grown in the Scheid Vineyards of Monterey. Alcohol: 14.8%. Retail: $20. Our tasting notes are as follows:

Nose: A dominate "Toasty Oak".
Tastes: Butter!, Fruity, pear, light citrus, clean.

I would consider the NOBOS a classic California Chardonnay; oakey and buttery. If you like that style, you'll love this one.

Comments: "Yum." "Tasty." "Easy to drink." "Balanced." "Well-rounded."

Pairing ideas: Honestly, it was terrific with the macaroni and cheese! Any shellfish with cream sauce would also work.


Next up was the 2005 NOBOS Merlot:



The Merlot grapes were grown in the Dry Creek Valley in Sonoma County. The alcohol on this one clocks in at 14.8%. Retail also $20.

Nose: Chocolatey, berries, cherry, currant.
Tastes: Ripe fruit forward, a little heat, dry, fast finish.

NOBOS Merlot is a great wine to drink if you have been staying away from Merlots because of that silly Sideways movie. Come back from your Sideways Merlot ban and feel some Merlove with this one. It was actually my favorite wine of the 3 we tried. I liked the heat and the chocolate aroma.

Comments: "Very dry!" "Smooth" "Well-Rounded" "Cherry" "Fast finish" "incredible" "Spicy" "Tobacco" "Tingles on the Tongue"

Pairing ideas: Meatloaf, prime rib, vegetable beef soup. Even a good cheeseburger.




Andrea & Lynda... (I think they are discussing how much they love the Merlot.)



The last NOBOS wine we tasted was the 2005 NOBOS Cabernet Sauvignon:




This Cabernet was made with grapes grown high above the Dry Creek Valley. The alcohol is 14.7%. Price point is $24.

Nose: Woody, cedar, not a lot of fruit but berry undertones.
Tastes: Spicy, not too tannic, plum, soft finish.

The NOBOS Cabernet was pretty well-liked amongst the group. I have trouble writing about Cabs because I prefer jammier Zinfandels and Syrahs. Still, no trouble drinking my portion!! and liked the nice balance. The tannins were well represented, but not overwhelming.

Comments: "dark fruit, cedar" "almost evergreen woody" "medium tannins" "smoother than the merlot" "balanced, oakey" "oak, spicy" "soft, a little lacking in complexity" "dry" "hint of pepper"

Pairing ideas: Steaks, pork chops, Beef Wellington

Once again, I'd like to thank my tasting panel and the friends they brought for helping me review last night's wines. It was a pleasant evening, and I look forward to enlisting your help for the next tasting very soon. Also, thanks to Robert Sobon and everyone at Sobon Wines for making consistently outstanding wine. I specifically recall a winemaker dinner I had at the Melting Pot.

Click on Sobon Wines for more information about the winery and the wines they produce (Sobon Estate, Shenandoah Vineyards, Vicious, NOBOS). You can also follow them on twitter for updates and to enter to win an occasional contest!

If you are a winemaker/operate a winery and are interested in having your wines featured on this website, you can contact me by following this link.

KVIE Art Auction Preview Party this Monday, August 24th

The annual KVIE Art Auction Preview Party will be held on Monday, August 24, 2009 from 5:30pm - 8:30pm.

This year's theme for the auction is "Home is where the art is!" Join KVIE Public Television for a celebration to unveil this year’s KVIE Art Auction collection. Explore over 250 works, meet inspiring local artists, enjoy fine wines from the Amador Vintners’ Association, and sample hors d’oeuvres and desserts from local restaurants.

Some of the participating artists include, Gary Dinnen, Jennifer, Tachera, Jian Wang, Jack Alvarez, Vicki Asp, Donna Billick, Victoria Brooks, Francisco Castro, Eric Dahlin, Ed Goldman, Jim Hensley, Miles Hermann, Ning Hou, Jarad Konopitski, Steve Memering, Margaret Woodcock.

Restaurants participating at the party will be: Ambrosia Café, Hannibal’s Catering, Bandera, Jealousy Catering, Apollo Olive Oil, Just 4 U Catering, California Pizza Kitchen, La Bou Delivers, Chocolate Architect, It’s A Grind Coffeehouse – Folsom, Dante Club, Mass Peal Catering, Event Architects, Opa! Opa!, Fat Cat Scones, Pyramid Alehouse, 4th Street Grille, Thai Basil

Wineries pouring all belong to the Amador Vintner's Association and include: Amador Cellars, Renwood Winery, Amador Foothill Winery, Shenandoah Vineyards, Bray Vineyards, Sobon Estate, Deaver Vineyards, Terra d’Oro, Drytown Cellars, and Vino Noceto.

Here is a link to the participating galleries.

The party will be held at the KVIE Studios, 2030 W. El Camino Avenue. For more information, you can call (916) 641-3651.

You can purchase tickets online ($40) with this link.

So if you're looking for some new pieces for your home or office, get a head start on all those bidders this Monday at the preview party. Support KVIE, sample some appetizers from some of Sac's best restaurants and caterers, and sip Amador wines while you shop! See you there!