I’ve been holding on to this bottle of white Port since the Prager family shipped it to me some months ago. I wanted to make sure that I was prepared — both mentally and culinarily — before I cracked the seal. I also wanted to make sure that I opened the bottle at the right time and in the right place: I wanted to make sure I was surrounded by loved ones with which to share this wine adventure. A family product like Prager Port deserves such attention and occasion.
Yes, I am predominantly a wine girl (in case you couldn’t tell). But when in the mood for a cocktail, vodka is my go-to hard liquor of choice. To be honest, I’m not as well-versed in vodkas as I am with wines. I only recently discovered Hangar 1 when it was on sale, and with its smooth texture and almost fruity finish, it quickly became my new favorite. And then I realized why — Hangar 1 distills a combination of grapes and grain, so the vodka has a wine-like quality about it. But when Monica Villicana, Re:Find proprietor and wife to chief distiller and co-proprietor Alex Villicana, sent me a bottle of their barrel aged finished vodka, I knew I was about to find my new, new favorite.
If you’re at all familiar with Sonoma County wines, then the name Bacigalupi probably at least rings a bell. Charles and Helen Bacigalupi purchased their original16 acres of existing vineyards back in 1956 simply maintaining the pre-existing plantings. It wasn’t until 1964 that Charles started to experiment with, the now notorious California varietals, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
Back then, Bacigalupi was solely a vineyard, not a wine producer, but the name gained serious recognition during the 1976 Paris tasting when the 1973 Napa Valley Chardonnay from Chåteau Montelena — made with 40% Bacigalupi grapes — beat out the French competition.
Indeed, the Bacigalupi’s main business is still sourcing their grapes to various wineries around the Sonoma wine region and include such major players as William Selyem. But the Bacigalupi family do boast their own wine label as well, producing just around 2000 cases annually. So, to taste and to buy, one must visit the Bacigalupi Westside Road winery in Healdsburg.
On a recent visit with Steve and Brian at Crux Winery, I was reminded of how and why their wine is so amazing. Of course I couldn’t leave my visit without a bottle (or two, or three, or four…). One of the stand-outs, for me, is their 2014 Viognier. It’s unlike any other Viognier I’ve come across in taste, texture…and sight.
I love that new local wine shops and urban wineries are popping up all over the Bay Area recently. It’s like a fresh generation of winemakers are speaking up — and their stories are all about bringing Old World wine classics in to our modern day and age. And such is the case of winemaker Nicole Walsh of Ser Winery.
