Walt Wines 380 First Street West Sonoma, CA 95476
You may remember from last month's panacakeLEFTOVERS post, or my Instagram Events highlight that I spent one delightful Friday afternoon at One Market restaurant, sipping pinot with Sonoma's WALT Wines. Yes, happy hour did indeed start very early that day. While I usually reserve my wine time for after my work is done, this tasting was in fact, work. That, plus, I couldn't pass up WALT's 1,000 Miles of Pinot experience. For those who are unfamiliar with Walt, the winery was founded in 2010 by Vinters Kathryn Walt Hall and Craig Hall. If you're thinking to yourself that those names sound familiar, then you're probably thinking about HALL Wines. Yes, WALT is part of the HALL Wines family. WALT currently has 12 pinot noirs, 3 chardonnays, and 1 rosé of pinot noir in its portfolio. the 1,000 Miles of Pinot comes from the fact that WALT's portfolio spans 1,000 miles across the Pacific Coast. Vineyards include the Sonoma Coast, Anderson Valley, Los Carneros, Sta. Rita Hills, Santa Lucia Highlands and Willamette Valley appellations. For this very special experience, WALT brought their pinots to us. We were lucky enough to experience their Root 101 tasting, which typically only takes place at the WALT winery, at One Market restaurant. Each pinot was deliciously paired alongside a dish prepared by Chef Mark Dommen, curated by Wine Director and Sommelier, Tonya Pitts. We sat, drank, and ate alongside the WALT team, including Winemaker, Megan Paredes and GM, Jeff Zappelli, making the experience a truly special one.
Each pinot was beautifully paired with complementing dishes. Did you SEE all those photos above?Truthfully, each dish got better and better. I appreciated the risks taken with the dishes, too. For instance, I've never had a pickled dish (the bánh mí tacos) specifically paired alongside a wine. And often times, bone marrow can be so indulgent that it's tough to pair with the right drink. Happy to report that WALT and One Market hit the nail on the head dish after dish. It's hard to choose a favorite, but my pinot pick was the 2015 Clos Pepe, which was paired with the grilled kampachi collar. Keep in mind, of course, that everyone's palate is different, so what works for me, may be totally different for you!
For those of you interested in the Root 101 experience at WALT, you can reserve your spot online. There are two tastings daily at 11am and 2pm for $60 per person, or $40 if you're a club member. The experience includes select WALT pinots and chardonnays, paired with bites from "the girl & the fig." This coming April 14th, WALT's 1,000 Miles of Pinot party takes place, where their 2016 vintage of pinot will be unveiled. Early birds can get their tickets, here!
You may remember from last month's panacakeLEFTOVERS post, or my Instagram Events highlight that I spent one delightful Friday afternoon at One Market restaurant, sipping pinot with Sonoma's WALT Wines. Yes, happy hour did indeed start very early that day. While I usually reserve my wine time for after my work is done, this tasting was in fact, work. That, plus, I couldn't pass up WALT's 1,000 Miles of Pinot experience. For those who are unfamiliar with Walt, the winery was founded in 2010 by Vinters Kathryn Walt Hall and Craig Hall. If you're thinking to yourself that those names sound familiar, then you're probably thinking about HALL Wines. Yes, WALT is part of the HALL Wines family. WALT currently has 12 pinot noirs, 3 chardonnays, and 1 rosé of pinot noir in its portfolio. the 1,000 Miles of Pinot comes from the fact that WALT's portfolio spans 1,000 miles across the Pacific Coast. Vineyards include the Sonoma Coast, Anderson Valley, Los Carneros, Sta. Rita Hills, Santa Lucia Highlands and Willamette Valley appellations. For this very special experience, WALT brought their pinots to us. We were lucky enough to experience their Root 101 tasting, which typically only takes place at the WALT winery, at One Market restaurant. Each pinot was deliciously paired alongside a dish prepared by Chef Mark Dommen, curated by Wine Director and Sommelier, Tonya Pitts. We sat, drank, and ate alongside the WALT team, including Winemaker, Megan Paredes and GM, Jeff Zappelli, making the experience a truly special one.
Each pinot was beautifully paired with complementing dishes. Did you SEE all those photos above?Truthfully, each dish got better and better. I appreciated the risks taken with the dishes, too. For instance, I've never had a pickled dish (the bánh mí tacos) specifically paired alongside a wine. And often times, bone marrow can be so indulgent that it's tough to pair with the right drink. Happy to report that WALT and One Market hit the nail on the head dish after dish. It's hard to choose a favorite, but my pinot pick was the 2015 Clos Pepe, which was paired with the grilled kampachi collar. Keep in mind, of course, that everyone's palate is different, so what works for me, may be totally different for you!
For those of you interested in the Root 101 experience at WALT, you can reserve your spot online. There are two tastings daily at 11am and 2pm for $60 per person, or $40 if you're a club member. The experience includes select WALT pinots and chardonnays, paired with bites from "the girl & the fig." This coming April 14th, WALT's 1,000 Miles of Pinot party takes place, where their 2016 vintage of pinot will be unveiled. Early birds can get their tickets, here!
Thank you to WALT and One Market for the wonderful experience! A treat, to say the least.
