The school year has ended for us and with that comes all the parties and get togethers to celebrate a successful year. This year Vayle graduated from preschool, for her graduation she got ice cream sandwiches and the parents got Domaine Carneros 2006 Brut Vintage Cuvée. Not bad.

On to the end of the year party at Breggo Cellars in Anderson Valley. Breggo Cellars is a top notch winery that makes amazing Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris, not to mention a pretty good Gewurztraminer. It is run by Doug and Ana Stewart, two of the most gracious hosts around. After my half hour recovery from the drive to Boonville I was overwhelmed with the great food and wine to be had. I brought a Kelley & Young 2008 Rose which I paired with Manchengo cheese and Quince paste (one of my all time favorite appetizers, simple & elegant). Later, when Doug gave us a tour of the winemaking facilities we got to see all the care that goes into their wines. I think the tour favorite was the ceramic egg that is used for fermenting. Not only is the shape fascinating but the concept is that they produce a soft, gentle fermentation, leaving the aromas intact. This explains, why they are always highly rated and well loved.

It really made me feel lucky to be in Sonoma County with such talented artisians making brilliant wine and putting together great food to serve along side it. It really kind of beats the Olympia beer and Doritos that I grew up with, all though that does has its place…

Okay, who doesn’t love cheesy bread, or more accurately, pastry? I am always looking for an excuse to bake something, as well as a reason to drink some sparkling. So what happens when I get a chance to combine the two? Heaven. This is a pretty easy recipe for Gougere and it looks fancy for when your friends come over for some Iron Horse Blanc de Blancs.

Recently Andrea and I visited Iron Horse Vineyards located in the Green Valley appellation of the Russian River Valley here in Sonoma County. We were greeted by Winemaker David Munksgard and Corral Club Director Kevin Vanderhoff. Given a tour of the vineyards we settled on a beautiful knoll overlooking the winery to visit with David about his experiences making wine dating back to his college days at California State University, Fresno. I hope you enjoy the video as much as we did shooting it. While David’s demeanor is easy going, he and his team at Iron Horse are meticulous in all phases of making world-class Sparkling, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The sweeping rolling hills of the 300 acre ranch (160 to vine), the outdoor tasting room (Shirley has been pouring wines since the seventies and is a great host) and the outstanding wines make Iron Horse a must visit on any winery tour. There is even a chance, on an occasional Friday, you will find David passing through the tasting room and he may take you on your own vineyard tour. An unforgettable experience!

See our Iron Horse wines here.
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