Enriquez Estate Wines Review

#PetalumaMade Disclosure

A view of the vineyard at Enriquez Estate WinesThroughout the day on our #PetalumaMade tour, we were accompanied by local winemaker Cecilia Enriquez, who helped our fearless leader Kristi Trimmer to organize this whole event.  Cecilia was fun, knowledgeable, and a general joy to hang out with.  Her’s is an amazing story, which she outlines on her website so I won’t bore you with it here, just go read it.  Basically, she knew nothing about wine just a few years ago and now, at 27, she’s president and owner of Enriquez Estate Wines.

Vineyard at Enriquez Estate WinesBefore we even tasted the wines, we saw the property – a gorgeous expanse of land that was more than welcoming in the late afternoon sun after a long day of wine tasting.  We sat outside for a bit before she invited us into her home to taste her unique wines paired with farmstead cheeses.  She had also invited Donna Pacheco from Achadinha Cheese Company to pair her wines with some of their farmstead cheese.

Paired cheese from Achadinha Cheese CompanyWe started with the very crisp white wine called Brisa, which is a white blend with Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat, & Chardonnay grapes.  It’s aged in stainless steel barrels so it’s crisper without any oak tones, which I quite enjoy.  We moved on to her Rosé made entirely from Tempranillo grapes, which I’d never even heard of before let alone tried.  It was a very different flavor, but I quite liked it.  We moved on to their signature Tempranillo and then to their very limited Family Reserve Pinot Noir.  Of all four, I was quite taken by the Rosé and enjoyed it the most.

Grapes on the vine at Enriquez Estate WinesOur group loved just hanging around Cecilia’s home and her yard with her cute dogs, and could have easily stayed there long into the evening just enjoying the breeze and sunshine with our wine, but we had a scheduled dinner to rush off to.  It was a fantastic way to end the day, and I highly recommend anyone to make an appointment with Cecilia to taste her fantastic wines and give her pups some love for me!

Family owned and operated, estate grown, ultra-premium, limited production boutique winery located in Petaluma, Sonoma County – the gateway into wine country.

Her tastings are by appointment only since she’s graciously inviting you into her home, so if you’re interested, please email Cecilia Enriquez, the President & Owner, to schedule a tasting appointment!

Check out Enriquez Estate Wines and like them on Facebook!  You can also follow them on Instagram or Twitter.

3062 Old Adobe Rd
Petaluma, CA 94954
707-347-9719
Yelphttp://www.yelp.com/biz/enriquez-estate-wines-petaluma

Sonoma Valley Portworks Review

#PetalumaMade DisclosureSonoma Valley Portworks in Petaluma, CAOur third stop of the day on our  #PetalumaMade wine tour was Sonoma Valley Portworks.  As I’ve grown older, I’ve developed an appreciation for port.  Last year I had a terrific port from Brentwood, CA that paired very well with a rich dark chocolate.  So, knowing we’d be tasting some port and not knowing if chocolate would be available, I came prepared and brought my own (my favorite Ghirardelli Intense Dark Sea Salt Soiree).  I am glad to report I didn’t need it!

Co-Owner Caryn Reading at Sonoma Valley Portworks in Petaluma, CAThe co-owner Caryn Reading was a very gracious host, and very excited to embrace us bloggers and social media.  She was all ready to ask us our best practices on blogging and using Instagram to promote SVP, and I’m so happy to report that she’s a frequent user now!  She had lots of cheese, fruit, and yes, chocolate ready to pair with our selections.

We tried two varietals of the Sonoma Valley Portworks Aris: a 2007 Petit Sirah and a 2008 Petit Verdot.  It was paired with, among other things, a cheese from Beehive Cheese Co. called Barely Buzzed, which is an espresso & lavender hand-rubbed cheese that was actually very good, and paired well.  One of the members of our tour group, Chrissy, is an untrained cheese monger, and schooled us on cheese a bit while we tasted.

We moved on to my absolute favorite, their Cask Reserve port that was simply outstanding.  I was surprised how much I liked it without any food pairing.  The layers of flavor that hit your mouth in waves were shocking and wonderful.  It was sweet, but not too sweet or too dry, either.  I didn’t expect such a rich flavor experience, but I had to bring home a bottle to share this amazing experience with my friends, family, and husband.

Sonoma Valley Portworks in Petaluma, CAAfter tasting the Deco Port with some dark chocolate truffles and the Duet Sherry, I reluctantly tried some of the Sonomic Almost Vinegar made from Gewurztraminer grapes.  I was NOT disappointed!  It was peachy and cirtrusy and thick and sweet.  Like the best parts of a local honey, and the same consistency.  I’ve never tasted anything like it, and immediately grabbed the last bottle off of the shelf!

Sonoma Valley Portworks in Petaluma, CAI’m excited to take my friends back to check in on Caryn’s social media exploits and introduce them to these amazing wines and terrific vinegar from Sonoma Valley Portworks!

Sonoma Valley Portworks is the only winery in Sonoma County specializing in ports and after-dinner wines.

Check out Sonoma Valley Portworks and like them on Facebook!  You can also follow them on Instagram.

613 Second St.
Petaluma, CA 94952
707-769-5203
Yelphttp://www.yelp.com/biz/sonoma-valley-portworks-petaluma-2

Azari Vineyards Review

#PetalumaMade DisclosureKaveh Azari & Nico ready to pour Luma BlancOur second stop on the #PetalumaMade wine blogger tour took us just down the road to Azari Vineyards, where Kaveh Azari welcomed us along with their winemaker Niko.  We first tried their riesling blend, Corkscrew Luma Blanc, a very crisp, tasty, and affordable wine ($20 retail) that they just started bottling.  It was very citric with aromas of apricot and flavors of white peach and orange.  It was so new it wasn’t even labeled yet, which I learned is what’s called a “shiner” by some in the industry.

My "shiner" of Luma BlancAzari Vineyards typically only produces 100 cases each season and most wines go for $60-$70 so they’ve actually started a second label, Corkscrew, to be more accessible and affordable to the average consumer.  One of the wines we tasted from the Corkscrew label was their rose, which was very lovely indeed.

Kaveh told us more about why Petaluma wines are so unique.  The wind coming in from the San Francisco Bay makes the grapes smaller and their skins thicker.  In turn, this makes their wines very fruity, but somewhat dry.  Interestingly, grapes have been cultivated in the Petaluma area long before their more famous Napa County neighbors!

Delicious wood-fired pizza made at Azari VineyardsOutside of the tasting room they have a traditional wood-fire pizza oven and made us some deliciously simple cheese with prosciutto pizza.  I’m not usually a huge fan of prosciutto, but it was just enough to give the pizza some body.  And that crust was to die for!  It definitely made for a very unique tasting experience to have our wine with the lovely pizza.  Not a pairing I’d have immediately thought of, that’s for sure.

We finished off our pizza and tasting at Azari with their Corkscrew Luma Rouge, which is a blend of 95% syrah and 5% vigonier.  It was delightful, even more so because Azari donates 5% of the Luma Rouge proceeds back to the Petaluma community through various organizations.  Drink wine and give back?  Sign me up!

Azari Vineyards is a family-owned winery producing ultra-premium Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Riesling from their 10-acre hillside estate.

Check out Azari Vineyards and like them on Facebook!  You can also follow them on Twitter or Instagram.

1399 Spring Hill Rd.
Petaluma, CA 94952
707-658-1235
Yelphttp://www.yelp.com/biz/azari-vineyards-petaluma

Saltonstall Estate Review

#PetalumaMade DisclosureSaltonstall Estate olive tree orchard and vineyard

Our first stop on our #PetalumaMade wine tour was Saltonstall Estate.  Saltonstall is a sprawling 170-acre estate with both olive trees and pinot noir vines.  Sam & Marina Saltonstall bought the property in 1995 as a hobby project and have recently begun bottling their own award-winning olive oil now that the trees are mature enough to produce fruit.

The wines & olive oils we tasted at Saltonstall EstateMarina was a gracious host and her wines and olive oil were terrific. I was pleasantly surprised that I liked her 2008 Pinot Noir but I really enjoyed the 2009 Fizzy White made with pinot noir grapes as well.  It was a lovely way to start off our day of wine tasting!  They find that their property is actually colder than most of Petaluma, which affects the skin of the grapes even more and changes the flavor.

The real winner for me though was the Oregon White Truffle Olive Oil.  Heaven!  I don’t usually care for most olive oils alone as I feel like there’s not enough flavor to make it worth it, but this was flavorful and rich while still being light.  I am still kicking myself for not purchasing a bottle from her when I had the chance.  I guess that means I’ll have to go back!

Oregon White Truffle Olive Oil from Saltonstall EstateThe sprawling grounds are lovely and it’s definitely worth a visit when in Petaluma! We made an appointment to visit during the week, but their normal tasting room hours are Saturdays from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.  Be aware that it’s cash only – so be sure to hit the ATM before heading down Spring Hill road for your olive oil fix!

Check out Saltonstall Estate and like them on Facebook!

2805 Spring Hill Rd.
Petaluma, CA 94952
707-658-2581
Yelphttp://www.yelp.com/biz/saltonstall-estate-petaluma

Restaurant Review: Tivoli Gardens in Reno, NV

Tivoli Gardens

Eldorado Hotel Casino
345 N Virginia St.
Reno, NV 89501
800-879-8879
EldoradoReno Tivoli Garden’s Page
Yelphttp://www.yelp.com/biz/tivoli-gardens-reno

 

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This is a solid 24 hour cafe in a casino. I’ve been to a number and this one gets my vote. The french toast I was served for breakfast was thick and they did not skimp on letting the egg batter soak in before cooking, like you’re supposed to! The sausage was thick and good, though the casing was a bit tough (had to use a knife, the fork alone was not doing it).

Our server was very pleasant and we were served quicker than I’d anticipated. It’s very conveniently located near the hotel elevators for late night munchies as well. I didn’t sample the desserts since we had breakfast there, but I have to say I missed out by the looks of things in the case as we paid the check. I’d happily go there again when staying at the Eldorado (or even the connected Silver Legacy) for some any time grub.