Wining at Noir...

Dining room at Noir

JD and I were lucky enough to be able to get tickets to a special winemaker dinner at Noir Food and Wine in Pasadena. By special, I mean special. Richard Sanford, the man behind the Sanford & Benedict vineyard, the original Sanford Winery, the current award-winning Alma Rosa Winery, and the inspiration for a generation of winemakers, was bringing his lovely wines to be paired with dishes created by Pasadena's most celebrated chef, Claud Beltran.

Wining in Solvang...Part 2...

Continuing from my last entry from last week (sorry about the delay), which left our intrepid pair standing at the tasting counter at Richard and Thekla Sanford's Alma Rosa Winery.  As I mentioned before, we were welcomed like long-lost family when I dropped Ian's name, and we got to taste all the wines that would generally be saved for winery members.

Alma Rosa focuses on the wines on which Thekla and Richard Sanford built their reputation - the cool growing varietals best suited to the Sta. Rita Hills AVA.  Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes predominate and form the core of the Alma Rosa Winery & Vineyards product line.