2007-01-19
Tasting Room of the Week:
KENDALL-JACKSON
WINE CENTER
by Millie Howie
A visit to the Kendall-Jackson Wine Center provides more than just a few sips of splendid wines. In any season, the gardens are flourishing – from the nodding heads of daffodils in spring, to the variegated shades of gold, red and russet in the fall and winter. As a visitor walks towards the chateau a sign announces the Santa Rosa Junior College California Viticulture Exhibit with examples of 16 trellis systems supporting 28 different varieties of wine grapes. There are three garden tours each day, weather permitting, at 11 a.m., 1 and 3 p.m.
The major garden activity at Kendall-Jackson Wine Center is the annual Heirloom Tomato Festival, which marks the beginning of its second decade in September 2007. All of the more than 170 varieties of tomatoes are picked from the Kendall-Jackson culinary garden and offered for tasting in booths dotted throughout the walnut orchard behind the chateau. The festival includes a seminar, tasting of bruschetta along Bruschetta Boulevard and a sampling of gourmet foods presented by some of Sonoma County’s outstanding specialties. The colorful tomato poster is an excellent reminder of the event and it has now been joined by The Heirloom Tomato Cookbook (132 pages, $16.95 per copy). Cooking and garden expert Mimi Luebbermann researched and created 50 recipes, a handy collection of tips for using tomatoes in unique ways, suggestions for pairing wines and tomatoes, and a handy section spotlighting places to shop for seeds, although we are not breaking a vow of secrecy mentioning that the easiest place to find seeds for tomatoes of various colors, shapes and flavors is at a display table in the Wine Center tasting room.
The room itself is elegant, sparkling with light and staffed with friendly wine-savvy men and women happy to tell you about the wines and pour samples. The Classic tasting suggests that guests choose four wines from the list of eight (four red and four white) for a modest $2 fee. To taste a selection of Reserve wines available only at Kendall-Jackson the fee is $10. The tasting that is the most fun is the Wine & Food Pairing. Four outstanding wines are presented along with dishes created by the Kendall-Jackson culinary team that add savory notes to match the nuances of aroma and flavor in each of the wines. No reservations are required.
Open hours at Kendall-Jackson Wine Center are 10 a.m. till 5 p.m. daily. The Chateau is located at 5007 Fulton Road, at Highway 101. The website, www.kj.com, is informative and spotlights wine and gift suggestions and allows ordering on line. To receive extra-super treatment at K-J just fill out an application for one of the two wine clubs and be rewarded with discounts, parties and the first taste of each year’s releases. To talk to one of the tasting room staff, call (707) 571-8100.
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