Extremely isolated from other vineyards in the area and perched upon a peebbly hillside in the northeastern end of the Valley, the vineyard is whipped by winds coming from all directions, and can be relatively cool during the day due to ferocious, moderating winds. Meanwhile, insofar as the vineyard often finds itself above the inversion layer, we remain fairly warm at night and experience a remarkable amount of shoot growth during the wee hours. Sometimes I think I can actually hear the young shoots growing.

Similar conditions often prevail during harvest, finding the vineyard several degrees warmer than the surrounding lower portions of the Santa Ynez Valley. This evening warmth during the final ripening stages of the grapes is part of what brings silky tannins to our wines. It is common logic that, when the temperature drops below 50 degress Fahrenheit, metabolism stops in the vine. These conditions typically prevail in the Valley and this is part of why Bordeaux varieties from here have often been accused of being hard or green. Meanwhile, when nighttime temperatures remain on the warmer side of 50, the vines will stay active and continue to gradually ripen their fruit, softening tannins and respiring tart acids.

The Baehner Fournier vineyard, because of its location above the inversion layer, benefits from such nighttime ripening. It is a significant contributing factor to our unique terroir and has much to do with the depth and lushness of our wines. I love being reminded in instances like these—-early season shoot growth, for example—–how the supremacy of site will mark the character of a wine so signicantly.

April 6, 2012

Nick de Luca
Winemaker

8 Night Food Network Guided Vacation: France – Taste the flavors of France
with Food Network

We will take you to Food Network finds, such as a bakery visited by
Giada DeLaurentiis and Ina Garten, famous for
their delicious macaroons. We’ll visit authentic markets and restaurants around
France, hand-picked by the culinary professionals in Food Network Kitchens.
While in the South of France enjoy a hands-on cooking class, where you’ll learn
how to prepare traditional foods from Nice, along with a wine tasting at a
renowned French vineyard, and multiple other unique opportunities that only Food
Network can provide. This trip is jam-packed with culinary highlights: it’s the
ultimate pairing of cuisine and culture – we hope you’ll join for this
excursion!

Our Exclusive Offer:

• Welcome Drink at Dinner on the first night with your Food Network Travel
  Host and fellow Food Network guests
• Services of a professional Food Network Travel Host
• Food Network Recommendations Booklet for dining “As You Wish” at your
  leisure
• Highlights Include:
  • Hands-On Cooking Class
  • Wine Tastings

Your trip will start in San Francisco, where you’ll see the Golden Gate
Bridge, Haight Ashbury, and the Presidio, along with an expert-guided tour of
the Saturday Ferry Plaza Farmer’s Market, where you’ll taste the foods that Food
Network talent raved about on Best Thing I Ever Ate and Giada’s
Weekend Getaways. We’ll also sample Food Network picks featured on Best
Thing I Ever Ate in the historic Mission District. We’ll visit a fortune
cookie factory in Chinatown, followed by a feast at a Chinatown restaurant
Rachael Ray has visited: a Chinatown restaurant that showcases the cultural
influences in the area. A visit to San Francisco would not be complete without a
lunch at a restaurant featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives!

Your Food Network trip will continue to wine country, where our first stop
will be Wente Vineyards, Food Network’s partner winery. We’ll be treated to a
private behind-the-scenes tour, lunch made with fresh ingredients from the
winery garden, and a wine tasting featuring Food Network’s line of wine,
entwine. While in Napa, we’ve arranged for private dinners at
Tyler Florence’s and Michael Chiarello’s
restaurants and private shopping at their gourmet shops. In Sonoma, we’ll roll
up our sleeves for a hands-on cooking class at Ramekins Culinary School, where
we will make a four-course lunch featuring Food Network recipes, which we will
enjoy together on a beautiful private garden patio. This trip features free time
to visit Food Network’s recommended restaurants along the way, to get a taste of
Food Network’s favorite California bites.

Standard Package:

• 3 nights San Francisco at Hyatt Regency San Francisco in Standard Room
  accommodations
• 4 nights Napa at River Terrace Inn in Standard Room accommodations
• 7 Full Breakfasts (B), 3 Lunches (L), 3 Dinners (D)
• Private luxury motor coach with air-conditioning, reclining seats and a
  restroom
• Sightseeing, special features and scenic highlights as indicated in the
  itinerary, including admission charges where applicable
• Hotel taxes, service charges and baggage handling
• Airport transfers on arrival
• Airport transfers on departure (do not schedule departure flights before
  1pm)

Call or email Vickie for reservations/information.  Ph 310-752-9103/vickie.b@travelstoreusa.com  Deluxe package also available.

Call or email Vickie for information and/or reservations: 310-752-9103 / vickie.b@travelstoreusa.com

This is our inaugural release of a purely varietal Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine has an almost bluish-purple hue. The nose opens with sour cherry and cranberry fruit. Following notes include tanned leather, wood smoke, sweet tobacco, mint and rose petals. At first the flavors are a little tight and edgy. But the wine has solid acidity and a firm backbone of tannin, and softens easily with decanting and aeration in the glass. I feel this wine has the stuffing and structure to age well and for quite a long period. Complementary foods demand steak or lamb, with any combination of tomatoes, olives and garlic. (Consume 2010 – 2017)

Accolades

Gold Medal at the 2010 San Francisco International Wine Competition