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Less than 200 years ago, the winemaking industry did not exist in California. Pioneers and prospectors came here with dreams and the tenacity to build something new. This sense of exploration and innovation sets the American wine country apart in the wine world, and it melds well with two mainstays in Boisset’s life: wine and optimism.
The Relais & Châteaux GourmetFest is not, nor does it try to be, an event for the average food and wine lover. This is where true connoisseurs come to play, where elite wine collectors gather to share their very specialized obsession with like-minded folks such as legendary sommeliers Rajat Parr and Larry Stone.
Several years earlier, when deciding on varieties, Palazzo adamantly selected Merlot and Cabernet Franc. “Everyone discouraged me and said, ‘You’re in Napa, Cab is king,'” Palazzo said, “I said, ‘No, I’m going to make what I love – a Right Bank Bordeaux Blend.'”
Jessel is a bit of a Renaissance woman, fitting for an artist who studied her craft in the birthplace of the Renaissance, Florence, Italy. She is an acclaimed artist, the author of six books (a seventh to be released soon), an art and painting instructor, a songwriter, and an accomplished businesswoman.
Founder Donald Hess’s art collection began when he bought a painting as décor for his new home. Years later, a friend studied the painting and informed him that he owned a Picasso. That gave Hess his first inclination that he might have an eye for art curation.
Healdsburg is at the epicenter of three world-class American Viticultural Appellations. Just a few minutes outside town in any direction, estates and tasting rooms dot the rolling hills of vineyards wrapped around two-lane country roads.
“We gave our babies a huge haircut this year, and it wasn’t easy.” Katie was referring to the 117-year-old Zinfandel vines on the property her family has owned for almost 150 years.
When Prohibition was repealed in 1933, only 40 wineries had managed to survive and hundreds were left abandoned. Called “ghost wineries,” most were lost forever, but a precious few were later restored to their former glory. These wineries make up some of the oldest, most iconic, and cherished properties today.
In wine country, the gentle cadence of the seasons grows stronger with each stage; it begins softly in winter when the vines are clipped and bare, and steadily intensifies through the first signs of life at bud break, then becomes steady but more urgent during the slow pace of summer when gloriously green vineyards sway across the valley, marching in time toward the crescendo of harvest.
Enriquez Estate is more than a winery and vineyard—it’s a wine country experience. Visitors to the estate can tour the beautiful 8.5-acre estate on ATVs, enjoying breathtaking vineyard views and then relaxing with a picnic lunch prepared by a private chef at the property’s lookout point.