Russian River Rendezvous — A River Runs Through It

The Russian River itself originates up north in Mendocino County, and runs through the Alexander Valley and Russian River Valley AVAs, skirting the Dry Creek Valley on its way. The Alexander Valley combines a warm climate with the influence of the Russian River to produce robust reds and rich white wines. Clos Du Bois produces the Cabernet Sauvignon on our tasting card with grapes from this area.

The Dry Creek Valley’s balanced climate of hot afternoons and cool evenings allows fruit to mature slowly and evenly for concentrated flavor. The unique growing characteristics in this area make it ideal for growing the Zinfandel grape, and the Dry Creek Valley appellation is synonymous with world-class Zinfandel. We will be tasting a good example from this area, the 2001 Alderbrook Old Vine Zinfandel.

The Russian River Valley is cool and lush as Pacific fog rolls into the valley floor in the morning and sunny afternoon skies help develop great balance and complexity in its distinctive Pinot Gris and Chardonnay grapes. See if you agree, as we taste a 2003 Bennett Family Chardonnay and a Pinot Gris from MacMurray Ranch. We will also taste an interesting Syrah from Rancho Zabaco, which includes some Pinot Noir and Viognier to add complexity and balance to the spice and black cherry flavors characteristic in this wine.

This is also known as a world-class Pinot Noir area. There are a number of similarities between the Russian River Valley and the famed wine growing areas of Burgundy, so much so, that wines from this area have been known to win over their counterparts from Burgundy in international competitions.
The Geyser Peak Winery is located in the heart of the Alexander Valley region. They craft their Sauvignon Blanc to capture the nuances of these coastal areas, bringing in grapes from as far south as Monterey and as far north as Lake County. The fruit is cold-fermented in stainless steel to preserve the freshness, crisp acidity and complex bouquet of this flavorful wine. This wine pairs very well with our northwest shellfish and seafood.

Rounding out the tasting card will be a red blend from Mendocino County — Tusk 'n Red from Mendocino Wine Company. A salute to the Italian immigrant farmers who first established vineyards in Mendocino County, this is a New World wine that doffs its bocce cap to the flavors and legends of their Old World homes in Tuscany. It is a hearty wine to be enjoyed while remembering the things that make life good — friends, family, food and wine!

Jim Scott, of Northwest Wine Company, a regional wine distributor, will be our Russian River Valley tour guide for the evening. Jim recently passed the Sommelier exam and his work life includes food and wine pairing for restaurants, wine dinner event planning and wine training for wait staff and private events.

Guilt-Free Gourmet
You don’t need to be a card-carrying, meat-eschewing vegetarian to love Cafe Flora. True, they are passionate about providing nutritious, meatless cuisine. But there are plenty of vegetarian restaurants in Seattle and only Cafe Flora wins accolades year after year in so many categories and in publications from Bon Appetit to Vegetarian Times.

Cafe Flora draws from culinary traditions throughout the world, with an emphasis on locally-grown, seasonal ingredients. Naming it “easily one of the most engaging restaurants in the city,” John Hinterberger, in the Seattle Times, called their menu “a meld of nutritional righteousness and culinary artistry.” We are thrilled to have Cafe Flora providing the food bites for our February program. Although the menu has not been finalized as of yet, we know it will be a winner, for food lovers of all persuasions. Watch e-mail teasers for updates.

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