Select Brands Corporate Marketing Manager Tania McConnell recently visited a few wineries that produce some of the wines in the Select Brands Portfolio. Here’s her experience:

Chris Reckord (CR): Which region did you visit ? Was it your first time there?

Tania McConnell (TM): California, Napa and Sonoma. Third time to Napa, first to Sonoma where we actually stayed at a small boutique hotel (Bungalow 313) consisting of five or six cottages. The town of Sonoma was so charming and central.

CR: Do you think it’s important for people in the trade to visit the vineyards or the wineries?

TM: You never really get a true sense of a brand until you have visited their home and experienced their history. When you are lucky enough to spend time with the owners or winemakers, their passion is infectious.

CR: Which properties did you visit?

TM: The main ones were Robert Mondavi Winery, Simi, Patz and Hall, Cline, Franciscan, but we also visited a number of smaller boutique wineries and tasting rooms.

CR: Highlights of each ? Any aha moments ?

TM: I would have to say I have been to the Robert Mondavi winery twice, and every lover of California wine must go there once in their lifetime. Their property is beautiful and they have so many different wine experiences to enjoy that you could go back over and over. On our last trip we did the private cellar tasting. We were six, and it was casual, informative and fun. Absolutely lovely to be drinking wine in a glass room surrounded by wines ageing in barrels. Two of the people in our tasting had just got engaged at the vista point overlooking the vineyard. The gentleman said that Mondavi was their favourite wine and he wanted it so that when he and his fiancée opened a bottle of Mondavi they would always think of their engagement. Awwwww!

Another great experience was a drive into the vineyard at Mondavi and drinking a wine that was produced from grapes grown on the vines right where we were standing. I love that stuff!!!

My aha was more of an Ahhhh!. You always see pictures of the barrels at Mondavi that are absolutely beautiful. Margrit Mondavi is a well known artist and apparently used to go down to the barrel-ageing warehouse and be annoyed by how messy it looked to see the red wine leaking out of the bung holes. She started doing a burgundy wash on the barrels to hide any of the dripping. Every winery I have been to since and seen the dripping lines from the bung holes, I think of her.

I really enjoyed Simi as well. The story of Isabelle Simi Haigh and her foresight during prohibition to single-handedly grow her father’s legacy as a young lady in those times was amazing. She was a great marketer….well ahead of her time.

Cline – We tasted and tasted!!! They have a really diverse range of wines at a great price point. They are quite focused on Rhone varietals, which makes them quite different from many Cali wineries, especially at this price point. We currently only bring in the Ancient Vine Zinfandel but will be expanding the portfolio to include the Cool Climate Syrah, Pinot Noir, Marsanne Roussanne & Pinot Gris.

Franciscan – They have a lovely dining room where we were treated to a four-course dinner with their Wine Maker. It was here that I first tasted and loved Franciscan Equilibrium, although I must say as a person who is not the biggest fan of Merlot, Franciscan Merlot is outstanding.

Patz and Hall – I loved the simplicity of two friends coming together to make a great Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and sticking to their core.

CR: Did you have any Wine and Food epiphanies?

TM: The wineries take their food experiences very seriously with chefs cooking with only fresh ingredients, many of them grown right on property. They ask that you add nothing to the food as it is made in the best possible way to enjoy the wine it is paired with. I love pepper but if an experienced chef, (who knows his wines) recommends something, go with it and eat it the way it is presented…it really is a perfect pairing.

CR: Where would you love to go next?

TM: Argentina is definitely on the list as I would love to visit Catena but the list is LONG….Italy is definitely competing for first place. Closer to home I would say Oregon.

Christopher Reckord – Entrepreneur & Wine Enthusiast. Send your questions and comments to creckord@gmail.com. Instagram: @chrisreckord Twitter: @Reckord