Monterey County California is almost half way between Santa Barbara and San Francisco and has some of the most fertile Vineyard and Agricultural land in the United Sates.
The history from Monterey’s Cannery Row to the fertile Salinas Valley was made known to the world when famed author and resident John Steinbeck wrote extensively about the people and the area is his well known novels “The Grapes of Wrath “ and “ Of Mine and Men” just to name a few. The “upside down , backward river “ is what Steinbeck himself called the north flowing Salinas River that carved out the Salinas Valley which today feeds 80% of our country’s ’vegetable needs.
Approximately 85 vintners and growers call Monterey Wine Country "home" which has been overlooked for some time. Monterey County’s lifestyle and wines are defined by the influence of the ocean and especially of Monterey Bay .
The region is a unique place to visit as many enjoy all of the aspects of food , wine , history and entertainment the area has to offer. Many of the Monterey County wineries now have tasting rooms open to the public and provide a relaxed atmosphere where guests receive personal attention while tasting wines and learning about the winery.
emier Food Monterey Wine Country Great Escape Weekend is held in November, which is probably the best weather of the year in Monterey. The Great Wine Escape celebrates Monterey Wine Country’s world class wines and gastronomic delights crafted by nationally recognized chefs during a weekend of wine and culinary events. More than fifty award-winning wineries showcase their wines, reflecting the quality of the region’s nine distinct American Viticultural Areas.
 |
| John Steinbeck's Castle Rock |
Once again we headed to Monterey to experience this great event. On this visit we based out of the very beautiful and quirky town of Carmel-by-the-Sea.
Our drive on day one of our journey started with a spiritual look at the area as we visited Castle Rock. The area made famous by John Steinbeck in his book “Pastures in Heaven “.
We could not have thought of a better way to start than than with Evan Oaks, owner of AG Venture Tours and Steinbeck expert. As Evan read passages from “Pastures in Heaven”, in a pasture with Castle Rock behind him , you could almost feel John Steinbeck’s presence with every word .
Rhonda Motil , Executive Director of the Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association joined us at this literary landmark as well. She explained how “ The Thermal Rainbow of Monterey “ is a visual representation of Monterey Bay’s influence creating micro climates throughout Monterey County.
The coolest areas are to the north and closest to the ocean , while the warmest areas are to the south and more inland. She also added that 42 different varietals are planted in the county with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay doing well in the north; Cabernet Sauvignon , Zinfandel and other Rhone varietals feel at home in the warmer south parts of the county. Forty thousand planted acres make Monterey County their home and have been farmed sustanablity for quite some time.
On Friday the Wine Experience guests could experience a multitude of winery open houses all over the county from Monterey, Carmel valley and Salinas . This unique opportunity gave the guests a chance to experience first hand the quality of Monterey Wines from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Rhone Varietals as well.
 |
| Talbott Wine Maker Dan Karlsen |
Talbott Winery was our first stop and visited with the legendary winemaker Dan Karlsen . As Dan spoke to us on subjects ranging from his wines, background and winemaking philosophy we walked with him and sampled lovely Talbott Chardonnays and Pinot Noir.
 |
| Andy Mitchell @ Hahn |
We worked up quite an appetite after an ATV ride to a hill overlooking the Hahn Vineyard and the Salinas Valley. We were joined at the top by Philip Woodrow of Hahn and Vineyard Manager Andy Mitchell. From our vantage point we enjoyed barrel samples of some lovely Pinot Noir as Andy gave us a geography lesson on the valley and the very near by San Andreas Fault and its influence on the terrior
 |
| Andy Boy Colorful Cauliflower |
With Lunch time upon us , how could we refuse a lunch at Hahn Winery prepared by Chef Brain Overhauser and lovely fresh Andy Boy vegetables, joined by Margaret D’Arrigo her self.
If walking around the aquarium was not “your thing “there was also the Wine Enthusiast Signature Winemaker Dinner at the InterContinental, The Clement Monterey on Cannery Row.
This lovely dinner showed off one of Monterey Wine Country’s signature varietals, Pinot Noir. Wine lovers with a passion for Pinot Noir enjoyed this exclusive opportunity to taste through an exclusive varietal tasting, paired with a five course meal under the direction of Executive Chef Jerry Regester of the InterContinental, The Clement Monterey.
Perhaps for many , this would have been a pretty full day of activities, but the Great Wine Escape Weekend had one more treat and that was for the guests to end their day at the world famous Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Everywhere you look on the famed Cannery Row you can feel history. The sun setting over the Monterey Bay , sounds of the seals barking and the smell of the ocean spray on the rocks below provided guests a picturesque walk to a Barrel tasting of new and unique wines at the Aquarium.
Many legendary wineries and winemakers were present to give the guests a pre-view of upcoming vintages. Michael Michaud himself was pouring guests a pre-view of his very nice Pinot Noirs. Other big names such as Ventana , Hahn , Estancia and J.Lohr were also there showing what we can expect in the years to come.
The great thing about this whole region is that there are very fine smaller wineries that produce outstanding wines from Chardonnays to Pinot Noirs. McIntyre Vineyards impressed many with their Pinot Noirs . Wrath is known for some pretty high scoring wines and they did not disappoint anyone on this night with some of the best Pinot Noirs we have tasted. Scheid Vineyards, Manzoni Estates, Lockwood Vineyards and Pierce Ranch Vineyards all showed some very fine wines from different areas of the county showing off the county’s diversity.
The Second day of this great event focused guests on a series of Wine County Boot Camps that provided a hands on experience blending and sweating like a winemaker .
The Carmel Valley Boot Camp / Wine 101—Château Julien Wine Estate featured a wine sensory seminar and barrel education and vineyard walk. The Salinas Valley Boot Camp / Vineyard to Table— Scheid Vineyards shared what it takes to farm and grow grapes in Monterey Wine Country and teamed up with Paraiso Vineyards for a hands-on Wine Blending Seminar.
On Cannery Row the Great Wine Escape Weekend provided guests a variety of choices to enjoy Monterey County. The Oenophile’s Delight at the InterContinental, The Clement Monterey offered a cheese and chocolate pairing with the wines of Monterey County, A guided tasting through Monterey’s 9 AVAs or a Riedel wine glass demonstration.
 |
| John Ratto @ IL Fornaio |
Having been in the vineyards the previous day we decided to spend some time in the very quaint city of Carmel-by-the-Sea. The IL Fornaio at The Pine Inn was the first stop of the day. General Manager John Ratto and his staff provided us with mimosas and breakfast as we were joined by Kris O’Conner from the Central Coast Vineyard Team .
She was very informative as she discussed their acclaimed SIP (Sustainability in Practice) certification program that certify sustainable and organic Vineyards.
 |
| Kris O'Conner, CCVT |
Carmel –by-the-Sea was designed from the very beginning to be a “walking town”. Who better than to join us for a walk was Monta Potter , Executive Director of the Carmel Chamber of Commerce.
As we walked the cobble stone streets and enjoyed Carmel’s unique character , Monta pointed out highlights and history that has made Carmel one of the leading travel destinations in the world.
 |
| Jack Galante |
Carmel is also home to some lovely tasting rooms as well. It did not take much prodding to make a stop at the Galante Vineyard tasting room where we were joined by Jack and Dawn Galante. In addition to growing and producing wine, Jacks Great Grandfather J.F Devendorf was the founder of Carmel ! .
The Galante 2009 Sauvignon Blanc with only a 580 case production provided a refreshing break from our walk around Carmel. Jack was more than gracious and tasted us on his Pinot Noir , several very nice Cabernet Sauvignons , Syrah and his very special 2007 Grand Champion blend of Malbec, Petit Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon that he only produces 378 ( 6 pack ) cases.
Cannery Row was calling us again as we made our way back to Monterey to join the many attendees for the main event of the weekend , Taste the County in 175 Sips at InterContinental, The Clement Monterey. All of the events during the weekend pointed to this fabulous event where guests could enjoy wines from over 30 wineries from every corner of the county.
The ballroom at the InterContinental was buzzing with excitement as the guests entered the room with great anticipation of tasting outstanding wines and enjoying some signature dishes and Executive Chef Demonstrations.
Many of Monterey county’s hidden gems were on hand right next to legends like Phil Woodward ( Chalone Judgment of Paris 1976 fame ) of Graff Family Vineyards and and Michael Michaud from his namesake vineyard Michaud . We made a stops at Wrath , Otter Cove , McIntyre , Delicato and Estancia as well. Having all of these wonderful wineries in one place really showed off the diversity of the county and the wines they produce.
 |
| Chef Todd Fisher |
When you have great wines you have to know that there would be some great food as well. Many of the area best Chefs were in the house and made sure we did not go hungry.
 |
| Chef Tim Wood |
Local favorite Chef Todd Fisher was one of our first stops as we worked our way through the tasting. IL Fornio’s Executive Chef Gabriel Rodriguez and Carmel Valley Ranch Executive Chef Tim Wood both kept the guests coming back for more.
 |
| Winemaker Richard Oh |
The sun was beginning to set once more over beautiful Monterey Bay , but just like the day before , There was more to come. Guests had a choice of over a dozen Winemaker dinners held all over the county to tantalize their wine and culinary palates.
The five course winemaker dinner created by Executive Chef Matt Bolton set the stage for a memorable evening with a wonderful pairing of exceptional food and wine.
The final day of The Great Wine Escape weekend focused on the Culinary Skills of very talented Executive Chefs. A Culinary Showcase and Lunch provided intimate cooking demonstrations presented by The Food Network’s Executive Chef, Robert Bleifer and Jerry Regester, Executive Chef, InterContinental, The Clement Monterey and was wonderful way to end the 14th Annual Great Wine Escape Weekend and send guests home happy and content.
Monterey County , from the history of Cannery Row to Steinbeck’s Salinas Valley ,world class wines and award winning Chefs is now being recognized world wide for the special region that it has become. The 14th Great Wine Escape Weekend was a great way to explore the entire county and we have already marked our calendar for November 11-13th 2011 for the 15th Annual event.
Join Elaine Harris Editor-In-Chief of The Cuisineist as she takes you on 4 day journey through the Food and Wine of Monterey County and see you next year !
Join Elaine Harris Editor-In-Chief of The Cuisineist as she takes you on 4 day journey through the Food and Wine of Monterey County and see you next year !
No comments:
Post a Comment