Artesana Winery is famous for its production of Tannat, Uruguay’s signature varietal. Although Uruguay does not always spring to mind when one thinks of wine-producing places, thanks to the country’s coastal Atlantic climate, which is often compared to that of Bordeaux, some very impressive wines are coming our way.
Tannat is a rich, full-bodied wine with ripe fruit flavors and an exotic spiciness. I first came across Artesana’s Tannat-Merlot blend at one of my Wild Wine Women lunches, a monthly gathering of women involved in wine. Leslie Fellows, director of sales and marketing for Artesana, cracked open a bottle of Tannat-Merlot for us to try and we all loved it. It also made my “Ten Local Wines to Try” list in the last Good Times Food & Wine magazine in April. The Tannat 2011 ($20) and Tannat-Merlot are sold all over California, including Soif, Vino Prima and Oak Tree Ristorante locally, and distributed by Epic Wines of Aptos. Visit artesanawinery.com for more information.
Annieglass Platemaker Dinners
The next Platemaker dinner at the Annieglass warehouse and studio will be Thursday, July 25. This time the guest chef will be Steve Wilson of Café Cruz, whose cuisine will be paired with wines by Randall Grahm of Bonny Doon Vineyard. Wilson and Grahm are well known for innovative cuisine and impressive wines—and the evening promises to be a superb experience. A reception starting at 6 p.m. kicks off the evening, and Annie Morhauser will lead a tour of her facility. Dinner is at 7 p.m. served on Annieglass’ stunning dinnerware—what else! The dinners benefit Annieglass scholarships. For more information and tickets visit annieglass.com.
Passport Day: Saturday, July 20
Passport Day comes around every three months, and it’s the day when you can visit participating wineries belonging to the Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Association (SCMWA), providing you have a Passport, which will cost you $45 and can be purchased at any winery. Passport Day takes place four times a year on the third Saturday of January, April, July and November. Info: 685-8464, or scmwa.com or
in**@sc***.com
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Bargetto Winery’s Celebratory Weekend
Bargetto Winery will be celebrating all weekend and I suggest you don’t miss out on the fun. Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 20 is their 25th annual Art & Wine Festival, where many well-known local artists show off their talents, with their work available for purchase, of course. And the biggest news of all—Bargetto Winery is releasing a special book on the 100-year history of the winery on July 20 and 21. Entitled “Vintage Bargetto: Celebrating a Century of California Winemaking,” this pictorial following of the family’s Italian roots to the present day is a unique and interesting read. Bargetto Winery, 3535 N. Main St., Soquel, 475-2258. Bargettowinery.com.
