Pacific Graduate Chapter Wine Tour
8:00AM - Leave Stockton from the KY House
10:00AM - Tour at Domaine Carneros
Domaine Carneros in the heart of Carneros, is the California expression of the
tradition and excellence of its founder, Champagne Taittinger. Established in
1987, Domaine Carneros is considered a regional landmark. Exquisite views of
endless vineyard-covered hills are the perfect setting to savor their wines.
Photo Gallery
11:30AM - Lunch
12:30PM - Tasting at Grgich Vineyards
Miljenko “Mike” Grgic
h first gained international recognition
at the celebrated “Paris Tasting” of 1976. Then, in a now-historic blind
tasting, a panel of eminent French judges swirled, sniffed, and sipped an array
of the fabled white Burgundies of France and a small sampling of upstart
Chardonnays from the Napa Valley. When their scores were tallied, the French
judges were shocked: they had chosen Mike’s 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay as
the finest white wine in the world. Mon Dieu! The results stunned the
international wine establishment and immediately earned Mike a reputation as one
of the greatest winemakers in the world.
Grgich's main pride and joy is their Chardonnay, an elegant
example of the varietal displaying rich flavors and exquisite balance. As a
complement to the Chardonnay, they also produce a
refreshingly crisp Fumé Blanc, a rich and spicy Zinfandel, a Cabernet Sauvignon
with tremendous depth and complexity, a lush and richly fragrant Merlot, and a
luscious dessert wine named “Violetta,” in honor of Mike's daughter, Violet.
2:00PM - Tasting at Franciscan Vineyards
Franciscan is one of Napa Valley's most venerable wineries, reaching back
more than three decades. Franciscan wines take their
signature style - rich,
vibrant flavors framed by supple tannins - from the ideal climate offered by
Napa Valley's cool, southern half and from the time-honored tradition of
small-lot winemaking, blending from hundreds of barrels to craft fine wines that
fully express the classic Bordeaux varieties.
Franciscan was founded in 1972 by a group of lawyers and doctors from San
Francisco who decided to try turning their passion for wine into a business. In
1985, Agustin Huneeus, a Chilean exile who had built Concha y Toro in his native
country, took over the helm at Franciscan. Huneeus refocused the winery on using
the superlative grapes growing in its own vineyards, rather than sourcing from
outside.
Today, Franciscan's wines are crafted under the exacting eye of Janet Myers, who
came to Franciscan in August 2003 as associate winemaker after working in the
Margaret River region and Beaulieu Vineyard, Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and Louis
Martini. The winery remains committed to its tradition of small-lot winemaking,
with small batches averaging just 150 to 1,500 cases. The image of a
hand-operated wine press on Franciscan's logo and wine labels reflects this
small lot approach to winemaking.
3:15PM - Leave for Stockton
5:00PM - Arrive at KY House for BBQ