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Inspired stories about artisan wine, food and travel.
by L.M. Archer, FWS | Bourgogne ML
West Sonoma Coast Vintners presented West of West SF 2016 at Presidio’s Golden Gate Club. Premier wine makers included Littorai and Kosta-Browne.
" data-orig-size="400,536" title="WOWSF16Rm" data-image-title="WOWSF16Rm" data-orig-file="https://binnotes.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/wowsf16rm.jpg" style="width: 236px; height: 236px;" height="236" width="236" data-medium-file="https://binnotes.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/wowsf16rm.jpg?w=224" data-original-height="236" alt="Scene of the crime: West of West SF at Presidio's Golden Gate Club, showcasing West Coast Sonoma Vintners.| Image: L.M. Archer." data-original-width="236" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"2.4","credit":"","camera":"iPad mini","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1463673507","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.3","iso":"64","shutter_speed":"0.041666666666667","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-large-file="https://binnotes.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/wowsf16rm.jpg?w=400" /> Scene of the crime: West of West SF at Presidio’s Golden Gate Club, showcasing West Coast Sonoma Vintners.| Image: L.M. Archer.
San Francisco Bay from Presidio’s Golden Gate Club, host site for West of West SF 2016, featuring West Coast Sonoma Vintners.
" data-orig-size="500,500" title="WOWSF16GGC" data-image-title="WOWSF16GGC" data-orig-file="https://binnotes.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/wowsf16ggc.jpg" style="width: 236px; height: 236px;" height="236" width="236" data-medium-file="https://binnotes.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/wowsf16ggc.jpg?w=300" data-original-height="236" alt="Golden Gate Club - Presidio in San Francisco, host site of WOWSF16, featuring WSCV wines. | Image: L.M. Archer" data-original-width="236" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"2.4","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1463664915","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.12","iso":"50","shutter_speed":"0.0008298755186722","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-large-file="https://binnotes.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/wowsf16ggc.jpg?w=500" /> Golden Gate Club – Presidio in San Francisco, host site of WOWSF16, featuring WSCV wines. | Image: L.M. Archer
If you were lucky enough to taste through West of West Wine Festival SF 2016 recently, you’ll understand why the West Sonoma Coast region deserves the sobriquet ‘California’s Cote d’Or.’
The trade tasting, staged at Presidio’s Golden Gate Club, showcased a stunning selection of West Sonoma Coast Vintner Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays, and Syrahs.
Primarily selections from 2013 and 2014, these vintages played well together, like polite siblings forced to sit next to one another at the table. 2013 exhibited a cooler temperament and higher-toned aromatics, while 2014 displayed a warmer, sunnier disposition and more pronounced fruit.
Stand out wine makers included new-comers Alma Fria pristine small lot Chardonnays and single vineyard Pinots, gros ventre cellars diaphanous Campbell Ranch and ‘First Born’ Pinot Noirs, and La Pitchoune Winery’s Provençal-style Vin Gris of Pinot Noir.
Greatest discovery: Meticulous organic producer Small Vines Wines , which wowed with magical wines of purity and grace.
Among the more established wineries, Ted Lemon’s Littorai Wines ran the table with Grand Cru-like wines of exquisite harmony, structure, and balance. Meanwhile, Chantal Farthun of Flowers Vineyards and Winery proffered lyrical, bright Chardonnay and redwood and salt air Pinots so expressive of Sonoma’s Fort Ross-Seaview region.
Note: The buzz about the 2015 vintage electrified the room, brightening many a wine maker’s smile when asked about it. We’ll see.
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Copyrighted 2016 binNotes | red thread™. All Rights Reserved.
Thank you:
Eleanor Gorman – WCSV
