Family Winemakers tasting started yesterday. My week began in Georgia moved to Alabama, back home in time to throw a "going away" party for my youngest son Nick as he prepares to move to Boulder, Colorado and then on a plane to San Francisco. I'm sitting in my room at the Hyatt and looking out the window at the San Francisco bay covered in fog. Only the base of the bay bridge is visible....fog horns sounding in the background....what a great city!
After a couple of cab rides I arrive at the Fort Mason Center, a National Historic Landmark and part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, the Center houses about 30 nonprofit organizations and is the setting for more than 15,000 meetings, conferences, performances, and special events, attended by 1.5 million visitors each year. Lines have already formed around both sides of the building with consumers and trade waiting for the 12:00 hour so they can rush in for the magic juice we call wine. Overall there are over 300 family owned wineries, some very small only producing a single varietal, others with a full range. Very quickly, the building is full and the sound level is ever increasing with the shuffle of feet, clinking of glasses and the sound of caps being turned and corks being pulled. Here are a few photos of our table and some crowd shots to give you a feel of the event.
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After the show, Clay, Margarita and I are headed back to the Hyatt when Clay spots Joey Luiz, our tasting room manager walking down the street. We pull over and give Joey a ride back to his car which was like 300 miles away according to Clay (10 minute drive equals 300 miles to Clay at this point). We are out to dinner with the group and have a thoroughly enjoyable dinner discussing wine making, grape growing and overall how to continue to grow quality and awareness of this incredible growing area in Lake County. We are committed to getting Lake County back to the World Class status it had prior to prohibition.
Today's show is for trade only so I look forward to another great day of educating folks about Shannon Ridge and the Lake County wine growing industry.
After a couple of cab rides I arrive at the Fort Mason Center, a National Historic Landmark and part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, the Center houses about 30 nonprofit organizations and is the setting for more than 15,000 meetings, conferences, performances, and special events, attended by 1.5 million visitors each year. Lines have already formed around both sides of the building with consumers and trade waiting for the 12:00 hour so they can rush in for the magic juice we call wine. Overall there are over 300 family owned wineries, some very small only producing a single varietal, others with a full range. Very quickly, the building is full and the sound level is ever increasing with the shuffle of feet, clinking of glasses and the sound of caps being turned and corks being pulled. Here are a few photos of our table and some crowd shots to give you a feel of the event.
.
After the show, Clay, Margarita and I are headed back to the Hyatt when Clay spots Joey Luiz, our tasting room manager walking down the street. We pull over and give Joey a ride back to his car which was like 300 miles away according to Clay (10 minute drive equals 300 miles to Clay at this point). We are out to dinner with the group and have a thoroughly enjoyable dinner discussing wine making, grape growing and overall how to continue to grow quality and awareness of this incredible growing area in Lake County. We are committed to getting Lake County back to the World Class status it had prior to prohibition.
Today's show is for trade only so I look forward to another great day of educating folks about Shannon Ridge and the Lake County wine growing industry.
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