After several years of visiting the wine country of California, my husband and I have grown to love Sonoma Valley – it’s climate, it’s laid back atmosphere, it’s sustainability mindset, and of course, the Wine. Yes, Napa Valley is the big dog in wine country where most of the large wineries exist but the quaintness and beauty of Sonoma Valley is unmatched. This is where you will find some of the best kept secrets in the California wine industry. Charming boutique wineries abound producing amazing wines in small quantities (400 cases instead of 20,000 cases). These wines often sell out to beloved wine club members before the public ever gets a chance to taste them.
So, during a recent visit to Sonoma in June, we learned that the owners of our favorite winery, Mazzocco, were hosting a “Grape Camp”. What, GRAPE CAMP??? Well, that certainly caught the attention of my nutritionist, wine lover, sustainable-farmer-wanna-be self! I grabbed the descriptor of Grape Camp and this was no macramé or Kumbaya around the campfire. No, sir, this was serious grape and winemaking education from Best of Class and Double Gold Medal winemakers that included actual grape harvesting and unforgettable wine tastings and fabulous food pairings. Yep, we signed up!!
What, GRAPE CAMP??? #saslife #grapetoglass #sonoma Click To TweetGrape Camp occurred from September 28th through October 1st and was an unforgettable adventure, one worth sharing. So, here is the Grape Camp experience.
A Grape to Glass Experience
Background about Wilson Artisan Wineries
Ken and Diane Wilson
Ken and Diane Wilson, and their daughter, Sydney, were the hosts of Grape Camp. Their grape and wine journey started modestly.
Ken began his wine journey over 30 years ago as a grape grower. He and Diane purchased their first winery, Wilson Winery, in 1993. Diane says her calling as a wine maker happened quickly as she had six weeks to learn how to make wine. In addition, like many new business owners, she performed every other task at the winery, from washing bottles to pouring wine for customers in the tasting room.
Forging her way through the California winemaking scene over the past 22 years, Diane has become recognized as one of California’s most celebrated woman winemakers. She was honored as Woman Winemaker of the Year in 2008 and her wines have won multiple back-to-back Sonoma County Harvest Fair and San Francisco Chronical Sweepstakes for Reds (meaning the best of all red wines entered in the contest), dozens of 90+ scores and over 100 Gold medals. In September of this year, Diane’s 2013 Matrix Estate Reserve Pinot Noir won the Sweepstakes for Reds at the 2015 Sonoma County Harvest Fair.
Ken and Diane now own 8 wineries in Sonoma Valley that specialize in Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Petit Syrah, Primitivo, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc varietals. The Wilson’s also own several Inns in Healdsburg, California, plus several suites for rent right in their vineyards. This charming Mosaic Suite is in the vineyards at DeLorimier Winery where you can sleep and eat among the grapevines. We did and I ate Primitivo grapes from these grapevines with my salad at lunch.
Itinerary for Grape Camp
Daughter, Sydney Wilson, and her rescue dog, Newton, were the quintessential Camp Directors for this inaugural Grape Camp. Newton is so well known in Sonoma, he was given the cover shot for the Wine Dogs of California coffee table book.
Sydney and Newton Wilson
Here is a pictorial guide to our daily Grape Camp itinerary:
- Lots of grapes and lots of wines
- Grape education with the amazing and gifted, Antoine Favero. Antoine is the winemaker at Mazzocco, Soda Rock and Jaxon Keys Wineries in Sonoma. Antoine specializes in robust, flavorful Zinfandel wines which have completely won me over as a Zinfandel lover.
- Wine tasting education with Antoine at the Wilson’s Rockpile Vineyard.
- Grape harvesting
- A blind tasting and aroma seminar. In a blind tasting you can’t see the color of the wine so you have to rely on your senses – taste and smell - to determine if it is a white or red wine based on the flavor notes you're tasting. Surprisingly difficult!
- Grape pressing and fermentation measuring with winemaker, Diane Wilson.
- A grape stomp with my hubby (guys versus gals)
- A Sunset dinner in the barn at Soda Rock Winery and Vineyards
- And the grand finale, a Chopped cooking competition with fellow Grape Campers at Relish Culinary Adventures in Healdsburg, CA.
How to Attend Grape Camp?
Needless to say, Grape Camp was a trip to remember! The Wilsons will be hosting Grape Camp each Fall during harvest season so if this kind of experience is on your bucket list, you can contact Sydney at swilson@wilsonartisanwines.com for information about next year’s Grape Camp.
There are other Grape Camps in Sonoma as well. Check out this link for more info. For my husband and me, we have Grape Camp fever so next year it’s Grape Camp in Italy!!
Winemakers to Watch
Keep your eyes on these talented winemakers and if you get the chance to taste their wines, do it!!
- Diane Wilson, winemaker and grape grower
- Antoine Favero, winemaker and grape grower
- Merry Edwards, winemaker and grape grower. In 2013, Merry was inducted into the Culinary Institute of America’s Vintners Hall of Fame. Merry also won the James Beard Award for Best Wine, Beer or Spirits Professional in the United States, only the fourth woman to receive this honor.
Other Things to do In Sonoma
If you have extra days to fill during your trip to Sonoma, here are a few other "must dos" while you're there.
Spaghetti Squash and Sausage Boats
Paired with: Matrix Bacigalupi Russian River Valley Chardonnay
Adapted from: Stupid Easy Paleo and Paleo Grubs
Makes 4 Servings
Looking for a new dish to complement your favorite Chardonnay? Here's a warm and cozy recipe that sticks to your ribs without blowing your daily carb budget. The mild spice from the chicken sausage and the nutty spaghetti squash balance this rich Matrix Bacigalupi Chardonnay.
Ingredients
2 medium spaghetti squash
12 oz Italian chicken sausage links, cut in small cubes (I use Bilinski's Organic)
1 medium Vidalia or sweet onion, diced
2 - 4 cloves garlic, minced (I used 2 cloves)
6 - 8 oz raw baby spinach
1 ½ Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Salt and pepper
2 Tbsp pine nuts, roasted (opt.)
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (opt.)
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place squash in the microwave for 2 - 3-minutes to soften. Using a sharp knife cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and discard (or save for roasting later). Place the halves, with the cut side up, on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 45-50 minutes, until you can poke the squash easily with a fork. Let cool until you can handle it.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 4-5 minutes. Add the chicken sausage and cook for 10-12 more minutes, stirring regularly, until the sausage is slightly browned.
3. Add the baby spinach and stir. Cook for 1 minute more to wilt the spinach. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. Once cooled, scrape down the insides of the spaghetti squash with a fork to shred the squash into strands being careful not to tear the shells (if you plan to serve it in the shells – not necessary, just makes for a cool presentation). Transfer the strands into the skillet with the sausage mixture and toss to combine. Add pepper to taste. Divide the mixture among the squash shells. Top with pine nuts and parsley if desired (opt. – I did not have these last 2 ingredients. Still Yum!).
Nutrition Information per Serving (without pine nuts or parsley): Calories: 210, Protein: 19gm, Carbs: 16gm, Fiber: 3gm, Total Fat: 9gm, Saturated Fat: 1.5gm, Trans Fat: 0gm, Cholesterol: 65mg, Sodium: 700 mg
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