2006-03-03
The Kendall-Jackson Wine Center is widely regarded as one of the richest tasting experiences in the world of wine. Its staff of professionals acquaint visitors with the entire range of Kendall-Jackson wines while its lush gardens invite guests to linger.
Kendall-Jackson has welcomed visitors for the past 10 years at the Wine Center, near Highway 101 in Fulton. This year, return visitors to the scenic 100-plus-acre Center can be heard enthusing about the redecoration that lifts the Tasting Room to a new level of elegant ease. A fresh cast of gifts complements Kendall-Jackson wines – and guests can taste from the entire celebrated range:
• Vintner’s Reserve, choice blends of coastal grapes marked by fruit-forward quality and consistency. Among the most widely-acclaimed wines in the world.
• Grand Reserve, the superlative blend of terroir from key vineyards, the harmony of appellation and winemaking skill.
• Highland Estates, the wines that best showcase Kendall-Jackson’s estate properties on mountains and ridges in California’s cool coastal regions.
• Stature, the pinnacle of Kendall-Jackson winemaking in very small lots from the finest estate vineyards.
The innovation drawing the most praise this season is Food and Wine Pairing, an inspired blend of wine with culinary creations by Executive Chef Justin Wangler.
Sandy Edwards, a guest from Tulsa, said the pairing climaxed her much-anticipated first visit to the Wine Center. “People think you have to know a lot before you come, but you don’t,” said Edwards, who calls her own wine knowledge “intermediate.” “The staff and the whole experience help you learn and grow. It’s fabulous.”
Just then, she and her friend stepped outside with their wine for a scheduled tour of the Culinary Gardens, a world-famous landscape of delight at the Center. Chefs count on the remarkable range of produce and herbs for use in their innovative food and wine pairings, while sensory garden plots acquaint visitors with the herbs, fruits and flowers that inspire wine flavor descriptors.
The gateway to the Gardens is a dramatic creation by Adrian Bloom, one of the world’s leading authorities on perennials and an honored member of the Royal Horticulture Society of Britain. Mr. Bloom selected close to 1,000 plants to fashion a Wine County interpretation of the English gardens that he helped make famous.
Wandering deeper into the Gardens, International plantings allow guests to explore the fruits, vegetables and herbs unique to France, Italy, Asia and South America. Here Chef Wangler has the chance to experiment daily with flavorful combinations with an international flair.
Its resplendent gardens, renowned wines, hospitable staff and prime location make the Kendall-Jackson Wine Center the must-see attraction of Sonoma Wine Country.
The Kendall-Jackson Wine Center is located at 5007 Fulton Road, Santa Rosa. Call (707) 571-8100. Open seven days, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit KJ.com for information on the Kendall-Jackson Wine Club.
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