I am sitting in a hotel ballroom in Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California with over 200 attendees of the first US annual Wine Bloggers Conference. Right now we are having a “speed dating” segment where a winemaker has 5 minutes to pitch his/her wines to your table by describing and pouring (10 people at a table). Then they move on to the next table and so on.So far we have had Sean Minor of Four Bears Winery (2005 Napa Valley Merlot, www.seanminorwines.com), Leon Glover of Lionheart Wines (2006 Angel’s Share White Rhone Blend, Russian River Valley, www.lionheartwines.com), James Caudill of Bonterra Vineyards (2004 Meritage Blend, Mendocino County, 60% Merlot, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Petit Syrah, www.bonterra.com), Cheryl Durzy of Clos Lachance Wines (2005 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, www.clos.com, Deb Schatzlein of Bink ( 2005 Weir Vineyard Pinot Noir, Yorkville Highlands, Mendocino County, www.binkwines.com)., Karen Lesley of Boho Vineyards (2006 Central Coast Chardonnay, 3L Casks in a BIB ,bags inside a box www.bohovineyards.com), Paul Sloan of Small Vines Wines (2006 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, www.smallvines.com), Nicholas Tucker of Cupcake Wines (2007 Central Coast Cupcake Chardonnay www.underdogwinemerchants.com), Steve Kanzler of Kanzler Vineyards (2007 Barrel Sample Pinot Noir, to be bottled in 2009, 400 cases www.kanzlervineyards.com), Jeff Stai of Twisted Oak Winery (2006 Spaniar, Caleveras County, 66% Tempranillo, 20% Graciano, 14% Granacha, www.twistedoak.com) and David Cole of James David Cellars (2007 Paso Robles Dry Barrel Fermented Muscat, www. jamesdavidcellars.com).
