My Wild Wine Women group recently took a tour of Storrs Winery hosted by Pamela and Steve Storrs, winemakers extraordinaire.
Their organic estate vineyard, called Hidden Springs, is a bucolic haven that produces excellent Chardonnay. Aiming to stay in line with nature, a flock of Olde English Babydoll sheep are brought in during the winter months to graze the vineyards and promote a balanced, self-sustaining system. Though more costly and labor-intensive for the couple, there are “intangible benefits,” such as birds returning in droves.
In the welcoming tasting room, we enjoy lunch with a selection of Storrs’ wines. On this particular warm day, I gravitate toward a beautiful Gewürztraminer 2016 ($20), made with grapes from Viento Vineyard in Monterey. Complex notes of lychee nut, honeysuckle and spice are revealed in this treasure trove of aroma and flavor. Made in the traditional Alsatian style, this wine is just what Gewürztraminer 2016 should be, the Storrs say of their aromatic elixir. Full of floral and fruit notes, it’s a delightful wine for summer.
Storrs has been around since their first harvest of 1988, and they are well-established on the local wine scene and beyond. Their wines can be found at many restaurants, liquor stores and supermarkets, but head to their tasting room for the lovely experience of trying them all.
Open weekends at Storrs Winery and Vineyards, 1560 Pleasant Valley Rd., Aptos. 724-5030; Open daily at 303 Potrero St. #35, Santa Cruz. 458-5030, storrswine.com.
Wine Coming to South Point
South Point coffee shop (which used to be called Full of Beans, then Ground Control) recently opened in Seascape Village with new proprietors at the helm, Isaac Dawid and Teresa Lopez-Dawid. Open for business but still working on remodeling the interior, the good news is that they will soon serve wine and beer as well as coffee. It promises to be an upbeat, go-to spot. Pastries are from Flour & Love Bakery and Kelly’s French Bakery in Santa Cruz.
South Point, 10 Seascape Village, Aptos. southpointseascape.com.
