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| The Thomas Gas in Action at Corks @ Russian River Vineyards! |
Sorry for the delay in our next post, but Kelly
and I were furiously working on an The Americans script for the Warner Bros.
Television Writers’ Workshop that was submitted on Saturday!!! So now we can
return you to our previously scheduled program… The Vines and Vinos Tour!!!
From its original planting in 1963, Russian
River Vineyards has established itself as one of the premier organic (!!!) and
sustainably farmed grape-growing properties in California. Many generations previously, in the
ancient time of the Native American Pomo, the vineyard was a tribal village. And prior to the grapes, the land was a
Sonoma hay field.
The vineyards on the property, which include
some of the very first Merlot vines ever planted in Sonoma County, were
originally established in 1963, a time when most of the agriculture in the area
was devoted to apples and prunes, surrounded by forests of Redwood trees. Even the name Russian River Vineyards
came long before the Russian River Valley was officially declared an
appellation in 1983.
Corks Restaurant at Russian River Vineyards is
the only winery-based restaurant in the Russian River Valley. Its menu features the seasonal best
from local growers and emphasizes organic meats and sustainable agriculture.
Like all good winery adventures, Corks likes to
paint a picture. The patio was
very romantic, with white light strings, distressed wood, brick flooring, and a
rusting iron art pieces scattered throughout the gardens. RRV has brand ambassadors, two rescue
dogs on the property that roam about saying hi to diners and sippers
alike. A large 18th
century Russian Hop Hose with 800 bats living in it (since they are an organic
vineyard, the bats are used in place of insecticides and rodent
poison along with the guano being a great fertilizer)
gives the outdoor tasting area the slightest hints of gothic Brontë novel.
Initially we were planning on just getting
lunch, but James, the Director of Sales at Russian River Vineyards was amazing enough to bring us over samples, which were perfect
for the sunny al fresco lunch we had.
Wine tasting is a fun experience as long as the
person who pours it is fun, knowledge, and (most importantly) doesn’t have an
attitude and that James to a “T”!
James had us start with RRV’s `12 Sonoma CoastChardonnay ($35). A (French) Oaked
Sonoma Coast Chardonnay (somewhat of a rarity in the Russian River Valley), this
wines delicately balances crisp tropical notes with soft vanilla. It was a perfect
compliment to our first starters at Corks.
Redwood Hill Chevre and Corks Garden Chard, Baby
Greens with Zatar (aka Za'atar is a Middle Eastern spice similar to thyme that
is traditionally dried in the sun and mixed with salt, sesame seeds and sumac) Dressing
($14) was absolutely amazing!!!
Kelly described it as “an orchestra of taste where each instrument
introduces itself subtly.”
This was mainly due to the Auh-Mazing goat cheese
that was used in this and others Corks’ dishes. The cheese darling Redwood Hill Farm is an award-winning,
Grade A goat dairy farm and creamery located in Sonoma County. Committed to making the best tasting
and least processed artisan goat cheese, yogurt and kefir, their family-owned
and operated company uses solar power to sustainably produce all its goat
products. Redwood Hill Farm
proudly became the nation’s first Certified Humane Goat Dairy in 2005.
Our other appetizer was the Grilled Castroville
Artichoke with Smokey Garlic Butter, Vella Dry Jack Cheese and Lemon ($10) was
absolutely smashing!!! The garlic
butter was out of this world.
Our next wine sampling by James was RVV’s `12 SingleVineyard Pinot Noir - Fratti Lane Vineyard. RVV’s Fratti was a Silver Medal winner at
North of the Gate Wine Competition (a competition that focuses on Northern
California wines at the Sonoma-Marin Fair). This wine has an excellent
concentration, delicate smoothness and mouth feel, balanced with rich dark
berry, currant, and spice. This Pinot did not disappoint and had a not so wild
and crazy price point of $55.
This was followed by their ‘12 Benedetti PinotNoir ($55); another Single Vineyard Pinot Noir that was a Gold
Medal winner at the North of the Gate Wine Competition. These grapes hail from the Benedetti
Vineyards in the beautiful Russian River Valley. This wine is full of
lush black cherry and warm vanilla spice with caramel notes and hints of smoke.
Onto the main course, I dinned on the Grilled
Vegetable Wrap ($13.50). Composed
of Olive Tapenade, Sundried Tomato, Redwood Hill Farm Chevre (there it is
again), Grilled Carrots, Squash, County Line Escarole with Corks Garden Arugula
wrapped in a Spinach Flour tortilla.
The dish was smoky vegetable deliciousness with truffle fries. Yummm (with 3 Ms)!!!
Kelly sampled the Bodega Fish and Chips
($15.75). A “Not So Traditional
Spin” with Locally Caught Cod, Panko Breaded, Jalapeno Remoulade and Corks Slaw,
she said it was everything Fish and Chips aspires to be: light and crisp with
nary an oiliness about it.
Our amazing tour guide Mr. Raymond Rolander
dined on the Ruben’s Reuben ($15).
House Smoked Pastrami housed on Costeaux’s Dark Rye (Costeaux FrenchBakery is located in Healdsburg and is known for their legendary artisan breads),
Havarti, and Gruyere Cheese, with Sauerkraut and Spicy Sriracha Thousand
Island. Raymond and Kelly both
agreed it the was the shining star of the lunch.
An awesome thing about joining the Russian River Vineyards
wine club is that members and their guest enjoy discounts of 20% on Corks
Restaurant food and wine portion of their bill. So along with the organic practices, the locally sourced
menu, and the rustic ambiance there’s one more reason to drive down their
winding path road and experience what Russian River Vineyards has to offer.
Raymond
Rolander, a grinning bearded guy in pageboy cap, knows where to go and what to
drink in the Russian River Valley. Driving around wine country in his
Nissan Cube, Sonoma Magazine referred to Raymond as “a one man Uber.” A super smart native of Sonoma County,
Raymond’s a former tasting room manager with a decade of bar work under his
belt. Rolander tailors all tours based
on whatever you want in wine, experience, and location preferences in a fun and
100% worry free environment. With a catchphrase of: local is
knowledge, he specializes in access to small, off the beaten path producers of
wine, cheese and olive oil while serving up a side order of local history!
Located in
the tiny hamlet of Monte Rio (Population: 1,152,) the Rio Villa Beach Resort,
is a Bed and Breakfast Inn located on a quiet bend of the famed banks of the Russian River. Just moments away from
the Sonoma Coast and over a hundred wineries, this quaint resort offers a
variety of accommodations for couples, families and individuals traveling for relaxation
or business. Surrounded by majestic
redwoods, the Rio Villa has a private beach that is totally bathed in
sunshine. The grounds are meticulously manicured and aglow with the color
of flowers and the aroma of herbs. Just next door and around the river
bend is the Monte Rio public beach where canoes and kayaks can be rented.
Located in
close by Guernville (Population: 4,534), Boon Eat + Drink is a modern California bistro. Tiny, yet airy with tables composed from felled
redwood trees, Boon is all about the blessings of simplicity. Its simple
menu is meant to show off produce from backyard garden and area farms.
Owner Crista Luedtke (who’s dog is the inspiration for the name of the
restaurant) has her details in every nook and
cranny of this minute restaurant that Food and Wine noted as one of the best restaurants in “America's Best Little Food Towns.”
