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Pinot noir fanatics are a rare breed. Unlike other wine lovers with more general tastes, the hardcore pinot noir fanatic will traipse around the globe in search of the best pinot noirs. Now, what they consider “the best” varies from fanatic to fanatic. There are pinot lovers that profess that only Burgundian-style pinots are representative of all the poetry and beauty this temperamental varietal has to offer.
About 20 years ago, it was pretty tough to sell California pinot noir. Sure, you could peddle the occasional bottle of high-end pinot noir to the obsessed collector, but, for the most part, California cabernet sauvignon was king : and so was chardonnay. Both varietals were finding a strong foothold in an increasingly aware marketplace. The balance of wine drinkers at that time were consuming hefty lots of white zinfandel, and some zinfandels, as well.
When you train racehorses, you’re undoubtedly used to taking chances. That’s why Bill and Roswitha Craig, who worked with racehorses in Baltimore, didn’t think twice before buying a 65-acre property in Solvang and planting some vines. Their gamble paid off, and six years later, in July 2005, the Craigs opened the doors to their winery: Shoestring.
While Sarah Gott attended UC Davis, she had every intention of becoming a veterinarian. But, once she caught the wine bug, while exploring the viticulture and enology programs there, she changed her major to winemaking. “I’d spent a lot of time in the wine country with family friends when I was growing up. Food and wine had always been a part of my life, so becoming a winemaker seemed like a natural progression.”
After Rick Longoria received his degree in sociology from UC Berkeley back in the early 1970s, he decided that he’d either become a winemaker or a lawyer. If he was going to become a lawyer, he’d have to hunker down and go to law school. If he was going to become a winemaker, he decided, he’d probably have to go to UC Davis. Longoria had developed an appreciation for wine during weekend trips away from the college dorm, during which time he and his friends would take wine-tasting tours through Northern California.
Gerry Moro grew up watching his family make wine in Italy. So when they immigrated to the U.S., Moro had winemaking in his veins. But he had sports in his blood, too. He trained for the U.S. Olympic team, competing in the 1968 decathlon. Moro didn’t win a gold metal there but has gone on to receive several awards for his wines.
Wines and weddings are a perfect match. There are few ways more appropriate to celebrate one’s nuptials with family and friends than by raising a glass to future joys. Before you decide upon your wedding wines, there are a few guidelines that may help you to navigate the sometimes choppy waters of wedding reception planning.
