Beckmen’s biodynamic farming in Santa Barbara County

Written by Allison Levine on July 11, 2019

Lifestyle Wine

I first met Steve Beckmen of Beckmen Vineyards almost 20 years ago. He was one of the first people I heard speak about biodynamic farming. Twenty years later, we sat down and tasted his wines. The maturity of the vineyards and the passion of Steve come through in the balance and complexity of the wines and you can read my story that I wrote in the Napa Valley Register below her.

When I first started in the wine business almost 20 years ago, I would take consumers on day trips from Los Angeles to the Santa Barbara wine country for a day of tasting and education. We would visit different wineries and the winemakers would meet with our group to share their stories.

Please The Palate Wine of the Week: Pax 2018 Trousseau Gris, Fanucchi-Wood Road Vineyard

Written by Allison Levine on July 10, 2019

Wine

A French grape variety, Trousseau Gris is a native grape of the Jura region in eastern France where it is made into a white wine, or slightly colored wine. Once widely grown in California under the name Gray Riesling, there is now extremely limited production. The 98-year old, dry-farmed, seven acre Fanucchi-Wood Road Vineyard in the Russian River Valley appellation of Sonoma County is home to the only known standing block of Trousseau Gris in California. One of the producers making a Trousseau Gris from this vineyard is Pax Wine and the Pax 2018 Trousseau Gris, Fanucchi-Wood Road Vineyard is the Please The Palate Wine of the Week.

The Pax Trousseau Gris may look like a rosé but it is not. Due to some carbonic maceration as well as skin contact, the wine is a golden hued, peachy colored wine. Pax ferments the grapes in 100% concrete eggs for four months and does not add any additional SO2 during winemaking.

On the nose, the wine is bright and fresh with aromas of orange peel, lemon, kumquat, savory herbs, wet stone and unripe peach. On the palate, the wine is savory with vibrant acidity and finishes with crushed stone minerality. The wine has a lovely texture and pairs well with food, ranging from shellfish to meats to cheeses.

The Pax 2018 Trousseau Gris, Fanucchi-Wood Road Vineyard is available at wine retailers across the country and will range from $20 on the west coast to $30 on the east coast.

Please The Palate Summer 2019 Newsletter

Written by Allison Levine on July 9, 2019

Travel Lifestyle Food Cocktails Wine

Happy Summer 2019! I hope you had a wonderful, long 4th of July weekend. This summer (specifically June 8th), marks the 8th anniversary of Please The Palate. It is really hard to believe how quickly time has flown. It has been a lot of hard work but also a lot of fun building Please The Palate. When I first launched my business, the idea was to continue planning wine events as I had been doing. I also thought I would start a blog to share my experiences. Never could I have imagined that I would have a weekly wine column in the Napa Valley Register (since 2015) and regularly contribute to other media outlets, such as California Wine Advisory. I also never thought I would host a podcast but have been doing that for the past year for Wine Soundtrack. It has been amazing to watch Please The Palate grow and to be open to opportunities along the way. And, I could not do it without the support of friends and readers such as yourself. Thank you!

Upcoming Events

Drink 728 on 7/28
Spend an afternoon in Santa Barbara enjoying the wines of Fiddlehead Cellars paired with food from the SoHo Restaurant. The Fiddlestix Vineyard sits at mile maker 728 and on July 28, we celebrate! Taste Fiddlestix Vineyard, featuring verticals + horizontals of
728, Lollapalooza, Burtie Baby. Doyle Pinot Noir and more!

Date: Sunday, July 28
Time: 12-4 pm
Address: SoHo,1221 State St #205
Santa Barbara, CA 93101

General Admission Ticket: $100
Designated Driver Ticket: $50
General Admission Couples Price: $180 (for 2 tickets)
Wine Club Member Tickets: $85

Purchase your tickets here.

Read the full Please The Palate July 2019 Newsletter.