And such a great party it was! 80 people plus attended and we felt quite honored to be included. Robin did help start the winery back in the early to mid 1970’s. From their web page, “On a fall day in 1976, as ravens taunted from tree branches above, Joel Peterson worked doggedly to bring in four tons of grapes before a looming thunderstorm hit. The fruit he crushed that night was used for one of two single-vineyard Sonoma County Zins – the first wines to bear Ravenswood’s signature ring of ravens. The fledgling winery got off to a great start when those wines came in #1 and #2 at a prestigious San Francisco tasting in 1979. With the critical thumbs-up, Joel was able to gather a few wine-loving investors to help get his winery off the ground. He still didn’t have enough money to buy property, so he looked around for more grapes.” Ravenswood Winery, web page.
But before we get there, we had to travel. Here are some of the places we stopped. Donner Summit is the high pass before we hit the Sacramento Valley.
Here we are. See the snow?
And in case it snows too deep, one can always find the fire hydrant.
Robin enjoys some fried chicken.
And so does a chipmunk.
Such a great market to re-stock your supplies. Corti Brothers web page. If in Sacramento well worth the stop. But you can order online, also.
How about some really wonderful prosciutto?
Lunch. Prosciutto and Corti Brothers Red Potato Salad, melon and Verner’s Ginger Ale.
Mango ice cream and fresh mango. Slightly spicy.
How about a pork tamale?
Our motel in Sonoma.
Beautiful flowers.
Love the gardens in the motel atrium.
And the gargoyle.
Cat fountain.
And the night before the super Ravenswood birthday, we must eat dinner. Here’s what we had at the Sonoma Grille. Super patio eating, if you wish. Awesome meal!!
Patio area.
This dip was delicious. Garlic-Pesto-Butter. The two wines were pinot noirs. (L) 2013 Cline Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast and (R) 2013 Trecini Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. I liked the Trecini best. Bigger, fuller. Wonderful.
Fresh oysters. They were delicious!
Robin had these
Lamb Chops in Curry Sauce
with
Crispy Polenta and Fresh Vegetables
I had
NY Steak
with
Pinot Noir Reduction
Potato Fingerlings and Fresh Vegetables
And to go with chocolate, (L) Rivessaltes, historic sweet wines of eastern Roussillon and (R) Sauterne
Awesome Chocolate Torte
Chocolate Mousse
And now to Ravenswood Winery. Happy 40th Birthday!!
The menu for the party and 80+ guests.
Library wines for dinner.
Light wines with the appetizers.
The special birthday wine. Very limited. At least were able to get 1 case.
Ceviche for an appetizer. A little spicy but good.
Some barrel storage.
A small barrel. That’s Chris standing there. He is 6′ tall.
Robin, Chris, Marnie and Joel Peterson, winemaker and known as the “God Father of Zinfandel”.
Winemaker Joel Peterson
Some of the crowd.
Winemaker in training Gary Sitton and Chris.
Also sitting at our table.
BBQ Pork. Yum.
BBQ Chicken
Grilled Cauliflower
Cookies
Dinner plated
breakfast the next morning before departing at the Sunflower Caffe in Sonoma.
Joel was gracious enough to join us.
The patio.
California Breakfast Sandwich.
California Omelet
And now ………….. Back to Boise!!
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Yes, congratulations to Skip and Melinda Smyser for 35 years of marital bliss! A great party at their restaurant in Boise, Capitol Cellars – a 5-Star establishment! (There is a permanent link to their restaurant in the sidebar.) Great party with some 30 year old wines that have aged well, just like the marriage. An interesting point – Skip Smyser was an Idaho State Senator for several years and many of the dishes served are of political slant. Check their menu on the site for some names. “Featuring Prime Rib six nights a week, our dinner menu is all about Idaho cuisine. You’ll be sure to find that almost every product is sourced locally.”
Boise Foodie Guild 