Celebrate California Wine Month In Style With An Exclusive Wine-and-dine Experience In Beautiful Carmel Valley
Wine enthusiasts don't need an excuse to raise a glass in celebration, but if they did, September would be the perfect time since it marks California Wine Month.
- Salinas, CA (1888PressRelease) August 22, 2015 - September marks the height of the wine grape harvest in California and California Wine Month celebrates the state's ideal climate for wine, beautiful wine country landscapes, the state's talented and creative winemaking families, California's celebrated lifestyle and award-winning cuisine and its commitment to sustainability and the environment.
So in honor of California Wine Month, celebrate in style on Monday, Sept. 28, with an exciting and exclusive wining and dining experience at one of the Central Coast's finest estates featuring wines from two exemplary wineries, dinner at a celebrated restaurant in beautiful Carmel Valley Village, topped off by dessert and wine at one of the village's renowned tasting lounges.
Your evening starts at 5 p.m. with an exclusive wine-tasting experience in Holman Ranch's private Wine Caves. There you'll sip both Holman Ranch and Jarman estate wines while savoring small bites from Will's Fargo Steakhouse & Bar in Carmel Valley Village. The experience includes tastings from barrel samples with the winemaker.
After the wine tasting, Holman Ranch will provide transportation from the Wine Caves to Will's Fargo Steakhouse and Bar.
There you will partake in a 2-course dinner prepared by Chef Jerome Viel at the renowned Will's Fargo, with courses expertly paired with Holman Ranch wines.
After dinner, you'll stroll to the nearby Jarman Tasting Lounge and Patio and enjoy dessert accompanied by a glass of wine on the patio.
You will be transported back to your car at Holman Ranch to complete your wonderful wine and food evening.
Menu includes:
• Cheese and fruit tray at the cave.
• At Will's Fargo: Seared Halibut, English Peas, Baker's Bacon and Braised Lettuce paired with Holman Ranch Chardonnay and Roasted Quail, Sautéed Mushroom, Potato Gratin, Truffle Sauce paired with Holman Ranch Pinot Noir
• Assorted Petit Fours at Jarman Tasting Lounge and Patio paired with Holman Ranch Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc
Cost for this exclusive wine-and-dine experience is $115 per person inclusive.
About the Wine Caves:
The winery at Holman Ranch, located in The Caves, is completely underground in order to take advantage of the natural cooling and low humidity of the caves. The 3,000-square-foot area maintains a constant temperature of 58-60 degrees Fahrenheit and contains four 750-gallon tanks, four 1,200-gallon tanks, and four open-top tanks that can hold two tons of grapes each. One hundred French oak barrels are maintained year-round. Winery operations such as de-stemming, pressing, fermenting and aging take place in the cool environment of The Caves. Bottling is done directly outside using a mobile bottling line. During harvest, 6 to 8 tons of grapes a day are processed. This may seem a low figure, but harvesting hours are limited to between 7 a.m. to noon on any given day. Grapes are hand picked and loaded into half-ton bins, transferred to the winery by tractor and then moved by forklift to the de-stemmer. White wines take around three weeks to ferment at 50 degrees Fahrenheit and are bottled in February, while red varietals ferment for two weeks and are bottled in early June. All skins, seeds and stems are composted and returned to the fields. Slow months for our winery are June, July and August, with the busiest time being September. The winery produces 3,000-5,000 cases annually.
Holman Ranch Vineyard and Winery Background:
Located at the north eastern tip of the Carmel Valley Appellation, the family-owned Holman Ranch resides approximately 12 miles inland from the Pacific Coast. Immersed in history and romance, the ranch has not only proven to be an excellent growing location for our vineyards but also for the Tuscan varietal olive trees which have flourished under the temperate climate.
Holman Ranch estate-grown wine varietals are planted on approximately 19 acres of undulating terrain. The wines produced are unfined and crafted to deliver the true varietal of the grape from harvest to bottle. The climate and terroir of the appellation has played a critical part in the success of their wines. The warmth of the inland valley coupled with the cooling marine layer has proven to be an ideal microclimate for the production of Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. The vineyards' Burgundy Clones have thrived from the perfect blend of ideal climate, southern exposure and thin rocky soils.
The estate wines of Holman Ranch include: Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Rosé of Pinot Noir. Carefully hand-harvested, cold pressed and bottled, the Extra Virgin Olive Oil produced from the fruits of our trees has a delightfully distinctive flavor.
Holman Ranch Background:
Holman Ranch: Where the Past is Always Present. Tucked away in the rolling hills of Carmel Valley, historic Holman Ranch provides a unique and memorable setting for weddings, special events, family gatherings, corporate retreats, and team-building events. With its charming gardens, stunning mountain views and serenity, this private estate affords old-world charm while providing modern day conveniences. This stunning Property includes a fully restored stone hacienda, overnight guest rooms, vineyards, olive grove, horse stables and more.
Background on Will's Fargo Steakhouse + Bar:
Will's Fargo Steakhouse + Bar became a landmark steakhouse in 1959 and has been a peninsula favorite for over 55 years. Entering Will's is stepping back into a time when fine food and service were the rule, rather than the exception. An intimate courtyard patio offers seasonal outdoor dining. Will's also features an intriguing small saloon with a full bar that pours an honest drink and features a lighter menu, including such standards as salads, burgers, and other delectable items. Dinner from 4:30pm nightly. Indoor and outdoor seating available as well as a pet friendly patio.
The History of Will's Fargo:
The Will's building was constructed in the late 1920's to be a tea room and later served as a Road House located on the "milk run" between Monterey and Tassajara, eventually becoming a dinner house named The Carousel. Will Fay established Will's Fargo Restaurant in 1959; the name simply a take-off on his first name which seemed appropriate for what he called the "dressed up saloon" interior. With the use of antiques and collectibles, Will merged the gracious aura of a Victorian parlor with a western "Fargo" way station. An evening at Will's Fargo brings back a bygone era.
Background on Chef Jérôme Viel:
A classically trained French chef born in Brittany, Jérôme Viel began studying the culinary arts at the age of 15. Traveling throughout Europe to study each region's specialties, Chef Viel worked with some of the world's greatest chefs.
He left Europe in 1999 and landed in Carmel Valley, Calif., working at two prestigious resorts, Bernardus Lodge and Stonepine Estate. Viel fell in love with bucolic Carmel Valley, met his wife and started a family (the couple have two daughters). For the last 12 years Viel has worked as executive chef at Carmel Valley's iconic Will's Fargo Steakhouse + Bar.
Chef Viel learned the basics of traditional French cuisine, working with Pierre Estival at Le Métropole in Beaulieu-sur-Mer and at L'Hotel Antares, at Meribel in the French Alps, a one-star Michelin restaurant. He learned Italian influences from Pierre Carrier at the Albert 1er, a two-star Michelin restaurant in Chamonix.
Chef Viel left the French Alps and ended up in another magical place, Corsica, at Hotel Cala Rossa in Porto Vecchio. He then spent two years in Switzerland working between Hotel Des Trois Rois in Basel and with Roland Pierroz, at Le Rosalp in Verbier, where he had the privilege of working alongside some of that country's most prestigious chefs, including Philippe Rochat and Fredy Girardet.
About Jarman Wines
Jarman's terroir (a French word that speaks to a wine's place of origin, its subtle nuances of traceable character, flavor, lineage and integrity) refers to a special place in Carmel Valley-and also to a special woman who inspired a family to bottle the essence of a mother's spirit. The Jarman label will reflect quality, with only the best local grapes used during an artisanal, small-batch winemaking process. Jarman wine uses only 100 percent estate-grown, organic and certified-sustainable grapes. Aged in French oak barrels, Jarman's vintages are held in limited supply, and not available anywhere outside their tasting room.
The two varietals include:
· The 2013 Jarman Pinot Noir takes on nuances of warm blueberry pie, cloves and cinnamon that mingle in the nose with oak notes from 10 months in the barrel. The mouth-feel is plump and juicy with overtones of cassis and blackberries.
· The 2014 Jarman Chardonnay features floral notes reminiscent of walking by a parfumerie in France - subtle and pleasant with a hint of earthiness. When serving this wine lightly chilled, rich notes of underripe berries and raw honey will waltz across your palate.
To further honor their mother's memory, the family has opened a special tasting room in Carmel Valley Village (open noon to 5 p.m., Thurs.-Sun.; or by appointment) next to Will's Fargo Steakhouse + Bar, the restaurant they purchased in 2014. The tastings will feature full-fledged experiences, including tours and wine education, and each will include a food element that complements the wine. The new Jarman tasting room will provide visitors with three unique experiences: Cru Tasting, Premier Cru Experience and the Grand Cru Experience.
About The Owners:
Carmel Valley's iconic steakhouse Will's Fargo is owned and operated by the husband-and-wife team of Nick Elliott and Hunter Lowder, who also team up to run nearby Holman Ranch, a wedding and special event venue that also produces wine and olive oil. Lowder formerly served as manager of Rio Grill in Carmel, while Elliott is a culinary school graduate. At Will's, Lowder manages the front of the house while Elliott runs the bar. The couple maintains Will's Fargo's reputation as an elite steakhouse and popular locals' hangout, while also using the property as an off-site option for Holman Ranch guests.
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