Print
Email
 |
Directions
I love a good palindrome. You know, a word or phrase that reads the same forward and backward. “Able was I ere I saw Elba” is a classic example. My new favorite? AVAVA. Technically it stands for Anderson Valley American Viticultural Area, but to me it stands for great wine paired with farm fresh food, natural beauty and a welcoming community.
Greg and I recently returned to the Anderson Valley for a long holiday weekend. This trip was even better than the last: we were invited to stay at a winery– the bucolic Lula Cellars– and attend a couple of screenings at the Cinema in the Vineyards portion of the Mendocino Film Festival.
At the risk of making you very jealous (sorry!) I’d like to offer up a few tastes of my…
View Full Recipe at Sippity Sup-Serious Fun Food
Toolbox
Add the recipe to which day?
Adding to Planner
Advertisement
Advertisement
Leave a review or comment
Leave a review
Sign Up — Free Membership it's free!
Recently featured in
DailyCandy, Trendhunter, Eater, LaunchSquad, Mashable, Killer Startups & San Jose Mercury News
DailyCandy, Trendhunter, Eater, LaunchSquad, Mashable, Killer Startups & San Jose Mercury News
Or connect via:
%20I%E2%80%99d%20like%20to%20offer%20up%20a%20few%20tastes%20of%20my%20experience:%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EFilm:%20%E2%80%9CFinding%20Gaston%E2%80%9D%20shown%20at%20Balo%20Vineyards.%20Gaston%20Acurio%E2%80%99s%20cuisine%20put%20his%20country%20on%20the%20international%20food%20map%E2%80%93%20he%20translated%20French%20cuisine%20techniques%20into%20a%20Peruvian%20pastiche%20featuring%20his%20passion%20for%20local%20ingredients,%20his%20support%20for%20indigenous%20farmers%20and%20fishermen%20and%20his%20mentorship%20of%20young%20culinary%20talent.%20Admirable%20and%20sustainable,%20as%20well%20as%20enjoyable.%20Greg%20and%20I%20have%20recently%20returned%20from%20Lima,%20Peru%20where%20we%20were%20fortunate%20to%20Find%20Gaston%E2%80%99s%20food%20for%20ourselves.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EWine%20and%20Filmmaker%20Dinner:%20Farm-to-table%20family%20style%20feast%20hosted%20on%20the%20grounds%20of%20the%20fabulous%20Madrones%20supporting%20the%20Anderson%20Valley%20Foodshed%20and%20Farmers%20Market.%20Food%20picked%20that%20day%20paired%20with%20local%20world-class%20wines%20capped%20by%20the%20dramatic%20presentation%20of%20a%20whole%20(lovingly%20raised)%20suckling%20pig.%20I%20was%20lucky%20to%20be%20seated%20between%20Todd%20Darling,%20whose%20documentary%20%E2%80%9COccupy%20the%20Farm%E2%80%9D%20captures%20an%20East%20Bay%20community%E2%80%99s%20fight%20for%20food%20equity%20and%20Jason%20Drew,%20whose%20high%20elevation%20winery%20produced%20the%20highly%20distinctive%20Syrah%20that%20accompanied%20our%20main%20course.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ELula%20Cellars:%20On%20our%20previous%20visit,%20winemaker%20Jeff%20Hanson%20said%20%E2%80%9Chey,%20next%20time%20you%E2%80%99re%20in%20the%20area,%20you%E2%80%99re%20welcome%20to%20stay%20in%20my%20guest%20house.%E2%80%9D%20It%20was%20an%20offer%20we%20couldn%E2%80%99t%20refuse.%20Imagine%20a%20a%20cozy%20cottage%20tucked%20away%20from%20the%20hustle%20and%20bustle%20of%20Boonville,%20a%20rooster%20alerting%20you%20to%20a%20new%20day%20rife%20with%20wine%20tasting%20possibilities,%20a%20stroll%20through%20fog%20laden%20vineyards%20to%20get%20your%20circulation%20going%20and%20a%20Honey%20of%20a%20dog%20guiding%20you%20down%20to%20Lula%E2%80%99s%20rustic-modern%20tasting%20room%20for%20a%20guided%20tour%20of%20expressive%20terroir-driven%20wines%20delivered%20by%20her%20master,%20culminating%20in%20my%20personal%20favorite,%20the%202012%20Lula%20Cellars%20Costa%20Vineyard%20Pinot%20Noir.%20Priceless.%20(see%20video%20below)%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EFilm:%20%E2%80%9CA%20Year%20in%20Champagne%E2%80%9D.%20Follow%20French%20family%20winemakers%20through%20a%20challenging%20vintage%E2%80%93%20but%20don%E2%80%99t%20feel%20too%20sorry%20for%20them%20because%20they%20have%20Champagne%20with%20breakfast%20and%20serve%20impossible%20to%20get%20verticals%20at%20their%20casual%20get%20togethers.%20Fortunately%20the%20film%20was%20followed%20by%20generous%20pours%20of%20Anderson%20Valley%20sparkling%20wine%20including%20Roederer%20Estate%20Hermitage%20from%20a%20magnum,%20Scharffenberger%20Ros%C3%A9%20and%20Signal%20Ridge%20Brut.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EMore%20wine%20discoveries:%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E2012%20Maple%20Creek%20Estate%20Chardonnay%20%E2%80%93%20Ripe%20pear,%20tinge%20of%20vanilla,%20just%20enough%20oak.%20Can%E2%80%99t%20say%20that%20Chard%20is%20one%20of%20my%20favorite%20varietals,%20but%20I%20loved%20this%20one,%20so%20deep%20and%20elegant!%20Winemaker%20Tom%20Rodrigues%20is%20also%20an%20avid%20artist%20and%20master%20mushroom%20forager.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E2014%20Balo%20Vineyard%20Pinot%20Noir%20Blanc%20%E2%80%93%20Never%20had%20a%20still%20white%20wine%20made%20from%20Pinot%20Noir%20before%20(certainly%20had%20some%20sparkling%20Blanc%20de%20Noir!),%20the%20Balo%20is%20crisp,%20slightly%20herbal%20and%20a%20wonderfully%20earthy%20companion%20to%20salad.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E2014%20Meyer%20Family%20Cellars%20Ros%C3%A9%20%E2%80%93%20An%20atypical%20ros%C3%A9%20made%20from%20Syrah%20and%20made%20by%20Matt%20Meyer,%20scion%20of%20the%20Meyer%20family%20famous%20for%20Silver%20Oak%20Cabernet%20Sauvignon.%20Dry,%20with%20watermelon%20and%20strawberry%20flavors%20and%20a%20touch%20of%20vanilla%20from%20barrel%20aging.%20Great%20with%20seared%20scallops%20and%20fennel.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E2014%20Saracina%20Sauvignon%20Blanc%20%E2%80%93%20Organically%20farmed,%20tangy%20and%20bright,%20this%20limited-production%20Sav%20Blanc%20from%20winemaker%20John%20Fetzer%20and%20his%20wife%20Patty%20Rock%20is%20the%20perfect%20citrusy%20companion%20to%20the%20local%20oysters%20we%20enjoyed%20at%20the%20bar%20of%20Little%20River%20Inn.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ENo%20doubt%20we%E2%80%99ll%20be%20making%20another%20trek%20up%20to%20the%20Anderson%20Valley%20sometime%20soon.%20There%20just%20wasn%E2%80%99t%20enough%20time%20to%20visit%20the%20tasting%20rooms%20at%20Baxter,%20Champ%20de%20R%C3%AAves,%20Edmeades,%20Handley%20Cellars,%20Phillips%20Hill%20Estates.%20The%20list%20goes%20on%E2%80%A6%20%E2%80%9CDammit,%20I%E2%80%99m%20mad!%E2%80%9D%20%20KEN%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EThe%20first%20and%20last%20photos%20were%20supplied%20by%20Lula%20Cellars%20who%20also%20provided%20our%20accommodations.%20All%20opinions%20are%20my%20own.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ERelated%3C/p%3E){kind=link}