Rhone Rangers, San Francisco
March21
We will be coming to the Bay Area next month for the annual Rhone Rangers tasting, March 21-22 in San Francisco, where we join over 100 of the top American producers of Rhone Varietals for seminars, a winemaker dinner and of course the grand tasting at the Fort Mason Center.
Here's a list of the events at the 2009 San Fransisco Rhone Ranger event.
Saturday, March 21
Seminar Series with Jon Bonne, 1:00pm to 4:00pm
Saturday's events begin with two new seminars, both moderated by San Francisco Chronicle Wine Editor Jon Bonne. The first seminar (1:00pm to 2:15pm) is titled Great American Syrah from Cool Climate Pinot Country, and the second (2:45pm to 4:00pm) is titled Rhone Blending Session: The Mavericks and the Traditionalists. Both are small (limited to 50 people) and tickets are just $50. The seminar participants just been finalized, and full descriptions of the seminars (and tickets) can be found here.
Library Tasting, Winemaker Dinner and Auction, 6:00pm to 9:30pm
Saturday concludes with fifteen top Rhone Rangers winemakers participating in a Library Tasting, Live Auction and Winemaker Dinner at the Log Cabin in the San Francisco Presidio. Catering will be provided by Girl & the Fig (the well-loved Sonoma food purveyor and restaurant, famous for its Rhone-Alone wine list). Winemaker Dinner tickets are $125 per person, and attendance is limited to 130 people. This event has sold out early both of the last two years.
Sunday, March 22
Seminar with Karen MacNeil, 11:00am to 12:30pm
Sunday's events begin with a seminar moderated by author and Rhone enthusiast Karen MacNeil. Her seminar, titled American Rhones in 2009, Eight Varieties, Eight Flavor Profiles will bring together leading producers of the major categories of American Rhone varietals in what promises to be a fascinating exploration of where the world of the Rhone Rangers is in 2009 and where it may be going. Tickets are $100, with early admission to the Grand Tasting included in the ticket price.
Grand Tasting, 12:00pm to 5:00pm
Finally, the Grand Tasting runs on Sunday from 12:00 noon to 5:00 PM, with 12:00-2:00PM open to trade only (plus the seminar attendees) and consumers invited starting at 2:00PM. More than 100 Rhone Ranger member wineries and 40+ artisan food producers from the Bay Area and beyond present their goods, and we will be showing nearly a dozen different Rhone wines. Advance tickets are $60; day-of-event tickets will be $65. For more information and tickets for both of Sunday's events, visit http://www.rhonerangers.org/calendar/sf_grand_tasting.php or call 800-467-0163.
I hope that we'll see you at one of these events! If you're there, please do say hello. For more information on the Rhone Rangers, visit http://www.rhonerangers.org.