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Community Corner

Bacigalupi Shows Off Its Vineyard's Wines at Saturday Tasting Event

Vineyard designate wines demonstrate confidence in the grower, and the fruit that goes into a top-quality product.

First the grapes became known – Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Chardonnay. Then the appellations: Russian River Valley, Dry Creek Valley, Chalk Hill, Sonoma Coast. Now it’s the vineyard’s day in the sun (so to speak).

Vineyard-designate wines are often the most sought-after of bottles, with their focus on terroir and uniformity of treatment and growing conditions. Sometimes vineyards are even represented on the label of wines from different wineries.

In the case of the Bacigalupi Vineyards, over a dozen wineries produce from their grapes, and 10 of them will join the Bacigalulpi family at John Tyler Wines on Russian River Road on Saturday, July 13, for the second annual Vineyard Designate Tasting, from 1 to 4:30 in the afternoon.

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“The goal of the tasting is to show the cohesiveness of wines made from a specific vineyard,” said Katey Bacigalupi of the extended winemaking family. “Each winery the family selected excels in maintaining the presence of the vineyard but expresses individual winemaking styles. 

Bacigalupi vineyards lay claim to a big piece of California's winemaking history: they supplied over a quarter of the  grapes used by winemaker  Mike Grgich to make the 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay, which bested a handful of French and other California white wines in the famous 1976 Paris tasting, subject of the movie Bottle Shock.

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The grapes grown today by Bacigalupi vineyards include Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, and Petite Sirah. Several of the winemakers produce more than one varietal – Matrix Winery, for instance, will pour both a Petite Sirah and a 50/50 blend they call “Petite Zinfandel.”

Other participating wineries include Arista, Graton Ridge, Edge Hill (Rudd), Venge Vineyards, Gary Farrell, Cellars 33, Von Holt Wines and Peter Paul Winery. Naturally John Tyler Winery will also participate – owners include John Bacigalupi and his nephew Tyler Heck, winemaker for the label.

There will be food to accompany the wines as well, from a tasting menu provided by Feast Catering. A complimentary logo glass included. Tickets are $70 for club members and presale through July 11th; $85 general public.

All proceeds will be donated to the non profit organization of the Russian River Valley Winegrowers to support agricultural education.

More information and reservations are online at John Tyler Wines. Bacigalupi Vineyards and John Tyler Wines are located at 4353 Westside Rd., Healdsburg.

 

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