Barnett Vineyards: "Passionate Perfection Proudly Perched On The Top Of Spring Mountain"

In an effort to dine at all 3000 San Francisco restaurants(800 and counting) and visiting all 600 wineries (350 and counting), my wife Linda recently traveled to Barnett Vineyards at the top of Spring Mountain with our foodie friends Ron and Josiane Hable.

Owners Fiona and Hal Barnett purchased this 40 acre labor of love in 1983. Perched 2000 feet above Napa Valley their grapes produce world class wines and the views are heavenly. Driving to the top of Spring Mountain, you feel you have arrived at a special place as the iron gates open to this majestic hillside vineyard.

Our host today was Kevin who was very passionate and proud of the highly rated  Barnett wines. We began our tasting with the 2013 Chardonnay from Anderson Valley that was crisp and very refreshing. It retails for $42.00.  The  2015 Pinot Noir from the Russian River Tina Marie Vineyard was light, lively and retailed for $45.00. We also sampled the 100 percent 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Rattlesnake that was a full bodied rich wine that would be great paired with a juicy filet or for any special occasion or celebration.  It retails for $175.00.  The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon was a "perfect" blend of 85 percent  Sauvignon, 10 percent Cabernet Franc, 4 percent Merlot and 1 percent Petite Verdot. It retails for $75.00.  We took home a few bottles of the Cabernet and our favorite the 2014 Spring Mountain District Merlot. It was blended with 12 percent Cabernet Franc with an elegant and beautiful smooth finish,  It retails for $65.00

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After our tasting, we dined at the R and D Kitchen in Yountville that is part of the Hillstone Family of restaurants that also owns the Rutherford Grille in Napa. The servers are very knowledgeable, happy and helpful and the restaurant has an open kitchen with a friendly ambience and plenty of comfortable booths. If you want to enjoy the many days of the perfect Napa weather, there is an outdoor bar with fire pits and plenty of seating.

There is no corking fee so we brought in a bottle of the 2014 Merlot to enjoy with the famous Fried Chicken Sandwich and Chicken Thai salad that was highly recommended and presented  picture perfect. We were not disappointed.
To complete our meal, we all shared the generous Ghirardelli hot fudge sundae that brought smiles of joy to all of our faces. It was also served with extra hot fudge that added to this excellent, decadent and delicious dessert.

For more information and to schedule  an appointment go to: https://www.barnettvineyards.com/

Schweiger Vineyards: 4 Generations of Family Fun

In an effort to dine at all 3000 San Francisco restaurants(800 and counting), and visit all 600 wineries (350 and counting), my wife Linda and I recently traveled to Schweiger Vineyards. It is 55 acres of serenity located on the top of Spring Mountain about an hour ride from our Danville home.

The Schweigers  have owned this pristine piece of property for 53 years spanning 4 generations of family living and working this spectacular piece of real estate producing elegant wines.
Our host for the day, Laurel Shapiro, was full of wine passion and very proud to share her knowledge about their great juice.  We enjoyed sampling the wines on the balcony of their warm and friendly tasting room overlooking the happy vines planted on the heavenly hills surrounding their property

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We began with their 2013 Chardonnay that had rich flavors of peach, lemon, pear and apricot that was refreshing and retails for $35.. There are only 3 wineries that produce Chardonnay on Spring Mountain and have created a winner. Although my palate like Laurel's is described as "ABC- anything but Chardonnay", this was great and came back to Danville with us.

We then tried the 2011 Merlot hailed as Spring Mountain's "signature varietal" with blueberry characteristics that was very good and sells for $52.
The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is a blend of 97 per cent Cabernet  Sauvignon and 3 percent Merlot. It is aged in French Oak for 32 months creating a full yet elegant mouth feel. It retails for $65..
The 2011 "Dedication" is a blend of 58 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon, 32 percent Merlot, 6 percent Cabernet Franc and 4 percent Malbec creating intense berry and stone fruit aromas with a silky and balanced finish. It retails for $95.

Our favorite was the 2012 Family Cuvée that had a memorable blend of 76 percent Cabernet Sauvignon,  19 percent Petite Syrah and 5 percent Cabernet Franc and retails for 65 dollars. We also took a bottle of this home with us.

Schweiger also offers private parties and a wine club. They were preparing for their annual lobster fest that sounded like lots of fun.

After our tasting, we had lunch at one of our favorite places famous chef Thomas Kellers Bouchon in Yountville. The restaurant requires reservations offering an elaborate Oyster Bar and carefully crafted specials with superior service. We enjoy their warm and delicate Quiche that is the best we have ever eaten. Linda enjoys their Irish Coffee made with Equator coffee and we always enjoy treats from their  fabulous bakery next door. This time we especially enjoyed their toffee and decadent chocolate eclairs.
For more information and to schedule a tasting go to:
 http://www.schweigervineyards.com/About

Justin Winery: Producing World Class Wine On The Central Coast"

In an effort to dine at all 3000 San Francisco Restaurants( 800 and Counting) and visit all 600 Napa Wineries(350 and counting), my wife Linda and I  recently traveled to Paso Robles home of 200 great wineries on the Central Coast.

From our home in Danville, it is an easy 3 hour drive and about an hour South of Pebble Beach and the Monterey Peninsula. We stayed in the heart of downtown Paso Robles at the famous Paso Robles Inn.  It is walking distance from the park and downtown area, packed with many great restaurants and wine tasting rooms. The Inn also has a great Steak House and each room is named after one of the 200 wineries nearby. The rooms also have patios with a mineral bath tub overlooking  impeccable gardens and modern 2 person swings to take you back to your childhood days and relieve any stress from the rigors of city life.

We chose to have a private tasting at nearby Justin Winery. In 2015, it was named Winery Of The Year by Wine Enthusiast. If you dine at their great restaurant, the wine tastings are complimentary. Also, if you are a Wine Society Member tastings are nearby at an elegant tasting room paired with various cheeses and very good prices to take a few bottles home with you.

There are also 5 spacious rooms available ranging from 600 to 1400 square feet if you want to stay and visit the many wineries nearby.

Our tasting host was very knowledgeable and passionate about sharing his wine knowledge. The cheese pairing with the tasting is very well done and adds to the richness of the wine.

We began with the 2013 Chardonnay that was aged in French Oak for 18 months, very refreshing on a warm day and retails for $40.

The 2013 Justification is composed of 58 per cent Cabernet Franc and 42 per cent Merlot billed as blending the old world and new world. It retails for $50 .

Our favorite was their celebrated Isosceles 2013 composed of 75 % Cabernet Sauvignon,16 % Cabernet Franc and 9% Merlot. We also tasted the 2012 Isosceles Reserve that is a blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14%  Cabernet Franc, 12% Merlot and 1% Malbec. Both were great with the 2013 retailing for $70 and the 2012 Reserve for $105 per bottle.

The final taste was the 2013 Savant composed of 65% Syrah, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Grenache, and 4% Petite Syrah. It retails for $50.

The bottom line is that "Paso Robles Rocks" and is producing some great juice. We would highly recommend a visit to this wine making heaven on the Central Coast. The area is a very beautiful and has lots of great wineries to visit and it is not too far from Danville and the San Francisco Bay Area.

For more information and to schedule a tasting at Justin go to:

http://justinwine.com/

Bacara Resort And Spa: Relaxed Oceanfront Luxury

In an effort to dine at all 3000 San Francisco restaurants (800 and counting) and visit all 600 Napa wineries(350 and counting), my wife Linda and I recently traveled to Santa Barbara. 

From our home in Danville, it is an easy 5 hour drive. We stayed at Bacara Resort and Spa on the Santa Barbara coast offering 78 acres of relaxed luxury. It is located about 2 hours north of Los Angeles and offers 3 restaurants, world class spa, meeting rooms, wine tasting, and some great golf courses nearby.

We had a nicely appointed room and very comfortable bed with pool and ocean views from a large balcony.

The service staff has golf carts that will shuttle you to the restaurants or spa after a day at the beach or nearby Sandpiper Golf course that is known as the "Pebble Beach" of the Central Coast. We enjoyed playing the course with many holes overlooking the deep blue Pacific. It offers 4 sets of tees for to satisfy all skill levels. After golf, the spa offers an extensive list of treatments to soothe your soul and pamper any of your golf aches and pains. 

On site, Foley Wines has an elegant tasting room with many of their great wines and daily wine tastings and a knowledgeable staff of wine lovers. If you purchase one of their great wines, you can bring it to dinner for a $15 corking fee. 

Angel Oak is their new restaurant that just opened 1 month ago. Like an eagle, it proudly sits high above the ocean with spectacular vistas and sunsets. We ate on the patio of this great place and enjoyed a knowledgeable, attentive and happy wait staff feeling lucky to be working at this beautiful restaurant. They have an extensive wine and drink selection and blankets and gas heaters provided if it gets too cool. 

We began this foodie experience ordering one of their specialty cocktails called "Smoke On The Water." It is fabulous and finished tableside  with Woodford Reserve Select Barrel, Apple Brandy, Creme De Noyaux, All Spice, Smoked With Cherry Wood. 

Chef Alexander Bollinger recommended we try the bone marrow for an appetizer. We were not disappointed as it was cooked to perfection with oxtail marmalade, pistachio gremolata, herbs and grilled sourdough.

There is a wide variety of steaks and seafood dishes all served with warm homemade rolls and house butter made with coriander-lime-espelette or truffle and herb. 

We chose to dine on the light side ordering a jumbo shrimp cocktail with 3 large shrimp served on a bed of popcorn, Caesar salad with Pecorino Romano, boquerones, radishes and herbs. We also tried the French Onion soup served steaming hot with a variety of imported cheeses that was the best we have ever experienced. 

Since it was Linda's birthday we were advised to try their famous candy bar desert. It was presented with a birthday candle and happy birthday written in chocolate gracing the plate. It is dark chocolate cremeaux, peanut butter crunch and salted caramel ice cream that was fabulous. The couple seated next to us ordered Baked Alaska flamed at table side with toasted coconut ice cream, strawberry elderflower gel and grand mariner that added to the fun of this special foodie experience.

We would highly recommend this resort and on your way home to stop at one of the 200 wineries making great juice in Paso Robles only 2 hours away. 

For more information go to:

http://meritagecollection.com/bacararesort/

Palmaz Vineyards.. "Passionate Pursuit Of Perfection"

In an effort to dine at all 3000 San  Francisco restaurants(800 and counting) and visit all 600 Napa wineries(350 and counting), my wife Linda and I recently returned to Palmaz Vineyards. We shared this "special wine experience" with our Danville wine and foodie friends Ron and Josiane Hable.

We met this warm and passionate wine family many years ago and their spectacular story is unique and impressive.   We had the pleasure to travel with Julio, his wife Amalia and daughter Florencia on a fabulous trip to South America in 2013 .  The wine cruise sailed from the 2016 Olympics town of Rio De Janerio down the coast ending in the vibrant city of Buenos Aires. The trip included fabulous private wine dinners  served on the attentive Silver Seas Cruise Line.  The trip was highlighted with an elegant luncheon and day of "fun in the sun" at the Palmaz oceanfront summer home in Punta de Este, Uruguay. 

Palmaz Vineyards features over 100,000 square feet of caves and a gravity feed winemaking system that produces high quality wines. In addition to quarterly shipments of wines, their wine club members enjoy elegant theme parties throughout the year.  Upon joining  the wine club, you receive an Argentinean Gaucho facon, a  silver personal steak knife, that can be used at the Palmaz Winery annual Asado barbecue.

From the web site:

"Julio Palmaz was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Julio invented the Palmaz Coronary Stent, a device that revolutionized medicine. (Artifacts related to his research now sit in the Smithsonian Institution’s medical collection.) Having moved to the United States from Argentina in the late 1970s to pursue medical research at a notable institution, Julio completed his residency at the University of California, Davis, where his passion for wine first emerged. To unwind on weekends, Julio and his wife, Amalia, would drive through Napa in a white Triumph Spitfire, visiting wineries and restaurants. “I had wanted to make my own wines since my days at U.C. Davis,” he would later say. “And where better to make the best wine in the world than Napa Valley?”

Our host for this tour and elegant tasting was Nick Woodhams. He reflects the "passionate pursuit of excellence" of the family and the entire staff. He proudly toured us through this high tech winery producing world class juice. Having been on this tour before, it is still very impressive. It was the first visit for our friends and they marveled at the attention to detail and gentle care of the precious grapes and gravity feed process. We learned  a tid bit about "Angels Share" of the wine which was fun to hear.  If you visit the winery make sure to ask your tour host what that means.

Following the tour, the tasting took place in an elegant tasting room overlooking the 600 aces of heavenly beauty and paired with carefully selected foods. The long wood table was accented with fresh flowers and a  high tech presentation of each wine.  We began with the 2014 Amalia Chardonnay that was chilled perfectly and paired with Edamame Purée and Piave Vecchio Curls and Hawaiian Sea Salt.

The next selection was the 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon. It is 97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2 % Petite Verdot and 1& Cabernet Franc. It was perfectly paired with a bite of a smoked duck breast with cream cheese and fig preserves.

The 2012 Cabernet was next and a blend of 96% Cabernet, 3% Petite Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc. Vineyard Pasty Twigs with olive, garlic and Parmesan added to the this bold and beautiful wine. The final taste was 2014 Florencia Muscat paired with fresh goat milk cheese with apricots on a short bread cookie that was sensational. A dark chocolate truffle completed this elegant tasting experience.  We enjoyed all the wines and took a few of each back to Danville with us. We also took a bottle of olive oil that is supposed to be fantastic

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In conclusion, this winery is very very "special" and well worth making an appointment to visit.
  
For more information go to  https://www.palmazvineyards.com

"Lake Tahoe Edgewood Country Club Hosts Super Bowl Of Celebrity Golf"

In an effort to dine at all 3000 San Francisco restaurants(800 and counting) and visit all 600 Napa wineries(350 and counting), my wife Linda and I will travel to beautiful Lake Tahoe.

Edgewood Country Club hosts the American Century Celebrity Golf tournament and this year is number 28. The golf course is a slice of heaven located on the shores of beautiful Lake Tahoe. The tournament gets bigger every year with 80 famous sports celebrities and movie stars trying to win the $125,000 first place prize. 

For the past 15 years, I have been playing in the Celebrity Pro Am  with many interesting people like Alphonso Riberio ala "Fresh Prince", 5 time Champion Dan Quinn, Hall of Famer Tim Brown, and  Super Bowl MVP Joe Theisman to name a few.

I am given Celebrity names prior to the tournament and our son, MJ, chooses the celebrity and rides with him/her during the tournament.  Last year we played  with former Olympic Tennis Star, Mardy Fish, who is also a great golfer and one of the favorites to win. He finished second to Michigan State Spartan Mark Mulder who was also a great pitcher for the Oakland A's. This is the second year that he won the tournament and we hope  to play with him. 

My foodie and avid golfer friend from Chicago Brad Browder is also joining us again this year. 

Linda and her friends have an annual tradition to play Edgewood the Monday before the tournament begins. We enjoy our traditional lunch on the patio of Brooks Bar at Edgewood that is fueled by their famous mojitos.  Brooks Bar overlooks the lake and the famous 18th hole pond ala "Lake Lambier" named after Detroit  Piston Basketball player  Bill Lambier when he deposited a lot of balls a few years ago.  Brooks Bar has also been named as one of the best 19th hole bars in America.

A new tradition this year is staying at the grand opening of Edgewood Lodge, a magnificent 151 room 100 million dollar development right on Lake Tahoe and next to the golf course. We will also have a dinner there the nigh before the pro-am and start a new tradition. 

Another tradition is dinner at Friday Station on the top of Harrah's Hotel. It has spectacular sunsets and full of celebrities enjoying the great service and fantastic food.  Many of the waiters have worked there over 25 years. They are  professionally dressed in black tuxedos and intent on making your eating experience a memorable one.  It is no wonder many of them have worked there such a long time as the spectacular sunsets over Lake Tahoe each evening make for a soothing working environment  and "I love my job" attitude. 

The event is also televised on NBC. NBC has just renewed their contract through 2022. Watching it on TV is great but attending the tournament is much more fun.

It is also fun to watch your favorite sports and movie stars try to master the difficult game of golf.  In addition, the deep blue lake guarded by towering pines and snow capped mountains feels like being in heaven. It is no wonder the nearby ski slopes are named Heavenly Valley. 

In conclusion, mark your calendar for July 10-18 in 2018. For more information, go to:

http://tahoesouth.com/events/american-century-celebrity-golf-championship/

Sensational Sherwin Family Vineyards

In an effort to dine at all 3000 San Francisco restaurants(800 and counting) and visit all 600 Napa wineries(350 and counting), my wife Linda and I recently traveled to Sherwin Family Vineyards in St. Helena.

After spending 30 years in the Bay Area as a builder and developer, Steve and Linda Sherwin decided they wanted a slower life style and purchased 30 acres of grape vines on the top of Spring Mountain in 1996. As you drive into this serene location complete with a pond, you immediately feel a sense of peace and tranquility from the rigors of city life.

The tasting room has a fireplace for the cool days and patio for the warm days. Like an Eagle, it proudly overlooks this spectacular piece of property and enhances your wine tasting experience.

Donna was our knowledgeable and energetic host and we were also joined by Steve Sherwin owner and winemaker. We began our tasting with the crisp and refreshing Chardonnay balanced by rich fruit and hints of oak.

Steve then let us taste the Cellar Scraps. With a proud smile on his face, he said "this fun Cabernet changes every time we make it. We take a look around our cellar and use the leftovers from some of the finest wine ever produced at Sherwin."   We liked it so much that we took a few bottles home with us. We also joined their "Cellar Scrapper" wine club which includes an annual 6 bottle shipment and an invitation to their "Swill and Grill" barbecue bash.

The estate Cabernet Sauvignon is made from the fruit of the 16 acre estate grapes on the top of Spring Mountain. It is their flagship wine and ready to drink now or add to your cellar. It is a blend of 80 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon, 12 per cent Cabernet Franc and 8 percent Merlot.

For the grand finale, Steve gave us a special treat as we tasted the Reserve Cabernet right from the barrel. Aged 8 months in French Oak, this 100 percent Cabernet is excellent and elegant. The gold label and golden wax cork is like owning a expensive piece of art and a great addition to any cellar. Besides being dipped in red or gold wax, the special Sherwin bottles can be bought with the American flag etched on the bottle making for a great gift, golf tournament, or charity auction item. Steve said he is the only winery in America that has been approved to place the American flag on the bottles.

We would highly recommended this winery to visit. The wine is great and the  setting is "sensational" on the top of Spring Mountain.
For more information and to schedule a tasting go to.: http://sherwinfamilyvineyards.com/

Artisan..7 Years Of Foodie Perfection

In a effort to dine at all 3000 San Francisco restaurants(800 and counting) and visit all 600 Napa wineries(300 and counting), my wife Linda and I recently dined at Artisan restaurant located in nearby Lafayette.

We went to the restaurant when it first opened 7 years ago and again for lunch recently as were reminded by our friends of its excellence.  The restaurant serves locally sourced Californian-French fare in a lovely converted house with patio seating.

Chef John Marquez, owner and chef, is a local guy who grew up in Danville and graduated from San Ramon High School.  His first apprenticeship at Danville's Bridges and a culinary degree from Diablo Valley College. He originally wanted to open his own place in San Francisco, but eventually turned his attention to the Walnut Creek area. He has a rich foodie history including working  at San Francisco's Coi and Fringale and for Thomas Keller at the famous French Laundry in Napa, also helping him open Per Se in New York in 2004.  He prides his creations as using the freshest, finest ingredients and  a labor of love. We had the pleasure of meeting him.

Our server Ken was very knowledgeable and has been with the restaurant since its beginnings 7 years ago.  Chef John features a 3 course luncheon special for 30 dollars. For 5 dollars more you can include a Martini or Perfect Manhattan.

We chose to order ala carte and began with Tempura Squash Blossoms with goat cheese that were warm, fresh and fantastic.  For the main course, we ordered the fish tacos and corn soup, Croque Madame and sweet potato fries. Both entrees were nicely prepared. For dessert, we shared the chocolate decadence that was a cake with chocolate mousse and a ganache frosting.

Chef John, who is of Peruvian decent, told us he will be opening a new Peruvian restaurant in Concord called Lima. It will be open around July 1st and promises to be a joy to experience with lots of unique and flavorful Peruvian recipes planned.

We would highly recommend Artisan as it is close to Danville and food prepared with great attention to detail and very, very good.

For more information and to make reservations go to:
 http://www.artisanlafayette.com/

Spottswoode Winery: The Grace Kelly of Napa Wines

In an effort to dine at all 3000 San Francisco restaurants(800 and counting) and visit all 600 Napa wineries(300 and counting),my wife Linda and I recently traveled to Spottswoode Winery in St. Helena. From our home in Danville, the winery is around an hour drive.

The historic winery has an interesting history.  It was established and designed in 1882 by George Schoenwald, in a style reminiscent of the Hotel del Monte, an early luxury resort located in Monterey that he managed. He planted wine grapes on seventeen of the estate's thirty one acres.

In 1910, it was christened and named after Mrs. Albert Spotts husband. Prohibition had started to take hold in the US and the Spottswoode Estate fell into disrepair.  The Spotts family survived this time by selling grapes to the Christian Brothers, who made sacramental wine, growing mushrooms in the cellar, and raising frogs for frogs' legs, popular in San Francisco restaurants during those years.

Mary and John Novak acquired the winery in 1972. After realizing his dream of moving his family to an agrarian community, Jack Novak tragically and suddenly passes away. Faced with the difficulties of running a vineyard while raising five children, Mary Novak decided to stay and pursue the vision she and her husband shared.  She began managing the Spottswood Vineyard, successfully completing her first harvest, and selling grapes to various Napa families, among them the Schafers and Duckhorns.

Mary continued to make their dream come true and produced the first Cabernet Sauvignon in 1982 one hundred years after the winery was established.  Today Mary's daughter Beth Novak Milliken manages the winery and her sister Lindy Novak oversees the marketing.

From the web site, Paul Lukacs, author of the great wines of America says" the women of Spottswoode produce an unfailingly elegant Cabernet Sauvignon--the Grace Kelly of Napa Valley wines conveying an almost aristocratic impression of refinement and class."
The wine advocate describes the wine as "the Chateau Margaux of Napa Valley."

Our knowledgeable tasting hostess was Nicole Knoth. We enjoyed walking around the serene and manicured grounds learning about the rich history of the elegant Spottswoode home that Mary stills lives in.

Our tasting began with the 2014 Sauvignon Blanc blended with 73 percent Sauvignon Grapes and 27 percent Sauvignon Mosque. It sells for around 40 dollars and we learned that it is Mary's favorite.
2013  Lydenhurst Cabernet Sauvignon was our next wine. It is a blend of 92 percent Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. 4 percent Malbec, 2 percent Cabernet Franc, and 2 percent Petite Verdot.
The final tasting was the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon that recently received a rating of 95 by Robert Parker. Aged in 100 percent French Oak and blended perfectly with 88 percent Cabernet Sauvignon estate grown grapes, 8 percent Cabernet Franc and 4 percent Petite Verdot. The label has a picture of Mary's home on it.

We made sure that a bottle of each of these wines went back to our home in Danville to share with our wine loving friends.

After our tasting, we went to one of our favorite foodie lunch stops, The  Rutherford Grille. The restaurant is always full of happy people and the heavenly aroma  of the "famous ribs" and open kitchen  insures you that your foodie experience will be very special.

Our meal always begins with the corn bread that is served steaming hot in a cast iron pan and goes great with the wide selection of reasonably priced Napa wines. You can also bring your favorite bottle of wine and there is no corking fee. We always order the "knife and fork ribs," French fries, and Cole slaw. It is a generous proportion that we always split. The ribs are moist, savory, and the "best" we have ever eaten. The fries are crispy and hot and the Cole slaw is crafted to perfection.
For more information and to schedule a wine visit go to:

 http://www.spottswoode.com/visit/

Blackhawk Sausage Extravaganza

In an effort to dine at all 3000 San Francisco restaurants(800 and counting) and visit all 600 Napa wineries( 300 and counting), my wife Linda and I recently had the pleasure of participating in the first Blackhawk Sausage Extravaganza. 

This unique event was organized by dining etiquette author/consultant Rose Marie Burns and good friend and neighbor John McSherry. It was held at Cynthia and John's beautiful Blackhawk home.  The fun began at 9 in the morning with the avid group of "foodies" making 6 different types of sausages.

The party began with an early morning champagne toast by Chefs John and Rose Marie.  15 people participated in the process to prepare the sausages for the afternoon barbecue. The 150 pounds of meat resulted in around 500 sensational sausages.

McSherry's home radiated with a heavenly aroma of various herbs and seasoned meats used to make the 6 sausages.  Chicken And Apple, Kielbasa, Jalapeno. Italian, Greek Turkey and Macedonian Leek Sausage were carefully crafted by the group of serious foodies. 

Each sausage was also perfectly paired with the following wines by Sommelier Wendy Hughes.

The Chicken and Apple sausage was paired with 2014 William Fevre Champ Royaux Chablis. Kielbasa was matched with 2014 Pessimst Red from  Daou Vineyards in Paso Robles. Jalapeño went with 2007 Caprcho de Landaluce Riota. Italian Sausage was paired with the 2011 Barolo. The Greek Turkey Sausage was matched  with the 2014 Virage Rose and the Macedonian Leek Sausage was paired with the Clos Pegase 2013 Chardonnay.

The entire process took 8 hours and was completed at 5 pm.  At that time, the chefs began barbecuing our heavenly creations.  Everyone was very pleased with the results of this unique foodie experience and each sausage was a joy to taste with the well thought out wine pairings of our able Sommelier Wendy. 

As a genius addition to this very special foodie day, John's wife Cynthia, a true Cajun, deep fried lightly dusted nuggets of catfish and alligator which were so good there was not "one bite left over." 

Additional invited guests also arrived for the sunset feast and enjoyed a beautiful Blackhawk evening on the McSherry's patio overlooking the second green of the Lakeside golf course. 

As the sun set over the majestic hills of Blackhawk, Rose Marie and John smiled with a sense of great accomplishment and said, "today was so much fun that we are already mentally planning "Extravaganza 2." 

Finally, each lucky guest was also given a selection of sausages to take home with them. 

Great job Rose Marie and John for organizing this great day of "unique foodie fun."  Now that we are all no longer "sausage making virgins," we eagerly look forward to participating in "Sausage Extravaganza 2."

In an ef."