Wine Words from California

By Millie Howie

Based in Sonoma California Millie Howie is a highly respected West Coast wine writer and one of those magic characters who seems to know everyone in the wine industry. She began as a wine writer in the early 70's and has followed the development of the West Coast wineries ever since. Wine on the Web is delighted to welcome her on board and to offer readers her monthly column in her charming and individual style.

Tasting Room of the Week – Gallo Family Vineyards

If you do much wine tasting you may have noticed a certain similarity in the experience winery to winery so, when you chance upon the Gallo Family Vineyards tasting room on the corner of Center and Plaza streets just off the Historic Plaza in Healdsburg, you are in for an extremely pleasant experience unlike any you have enjoyed elsewhere.

First, you will be greeted with a smile that is best described as "wide as all outdoors".  Then the host will ask what your preferences are: Do you prefer white wines?  Are you always eager to try varieties you may never have tried before or, perhaps you're a club member planning to buy some limited production wines at a good discount for your cellar?

As you discuss the wines, the host, most likely to be Amelia Forney, will show you a map of the locations of many of the Gallo vineyards and explain how soil, viticultural practices, and climate influence the aromas and flavors of wines made from similar grapes grown in various locations. As they explore these differences, the visitor's eye may be drawn to a squiggly line on the map just south of Cloverdale, that looks a bit like a red dragon. The particular importance of that vineyard, known as Barrelli Creek Vineyard, is that it is the only Gallo vineyard through which the public is invited to "walk the land, touch the vines and taste the wine". Reservations are necessary and groups from a minimum of two to a maximum of six people may participate.

Each daily tour departs from the tasting room at 11:00 am and there is a $45 per person fee. One of the enthusiastic guides is Jesse Shaw who enjoys the vineyard stroll as much as the first-timer. Large groups may be accommodated by special arrangement and other of the Gallo properties are available for private gatherings such as family reunions and other celebrations, by calling Heather Rosenblatt at 707-431-5622.

To assure that each visitor enjoys a very personal and enjoyable tasting experience, the host asks the guest what wine he/she particularly likes and which on the tasting list he/she may never have tried before. With that guidance a free sip or sips is poured and special flights of the Gallo wines are described.  There are as many as seven wines to sample in the Explore Your Taste selection for a fee of $7. Or of particular interest are the limited production (100 to 200 cases) wines in the winemaker signature series of Emerging Varietals – a tempting array of wine varietals seldom seen in an average winery visit, wines such as the 2004 Meritage, 2004 Petit Verdot, 2004 Tempranillo and the 2006 Monte Rosso Zinfandel.

While tasting is the main feature at Gallo Family Vineyards tasting room, great good taste has been shown in the selection of gift items.  Always available is a collection of artistic and colorful wine gift bags and genuine wine grape leaves dipped in copper, along with a handsome line of wine accessories. Truly distinctive are the vases, carafes and glasses created out of wine bottles, a unique line of housewares, and the newest addition, elegant bowls and other decorative serving pieces of non-glossy porcelain. Recently the Gallo family has enlarged the tasting opportunities by adding other Gallo brand selections to the available wines, so an early visit will give wine -lovers first chance at discovering these new offerings.

Applications to join the Gallo Family Vineyards Wine Club are displayed in a rack on the tasting bar and the benefits of membership are varied and tempting: VIP hospitality and complimentary tastings, 20% discounts on all current vintages, special access to exclusive events, fee-free tasting for the member and limited guests and frequent newsletters containing family recipes.

Hours at the Gallo Family Vineyards tasting room at 320 Center Street, Healdsburg, are ten am till six pm daily. An excellent website at www.gallofamily.com and a real person contact by phone at 707-433-2458 will bring an answer to almost every question.

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