Wine Country Wedding

June is a wedding time of year, and the younger generation of 20-and-30-somethings plans many of their weddings at wineries.  Apart from the main event, winery weddings provide an aspect that everyone enjoys: wine tastings and drinking.

My first experience of a wine country wedding was a few weeks ago when the Canadian side of my family decided that all available Taylors should come to my second cousin Kevin’s wedding at the Vintage Inn in Yountville.  It was great fun!  And, at 6 p.m. in mid-June, there was still plenty of sunshine. 

I’d never heard of One Hope Wines, but when the wedding toasts noted the bride’s extensive volunteer work, it all made a lot of sense.  One Hope is known for its give-back-to-charity policies and its website states “Every Bottle Makes an Impact”.  Half of wine sales profits go to charity.  Wine buyers can select the wine they most enjoy by varietal, or be guided by the cause which the varietal supports.  Check their website, www.OneHopeWine.com for more detail.

 I enjoyed three wines, all nicely paired with hors d’oeuvres and dinner items.

The chilled sparkling wine, so appropriate for toasts and so welcome on a hot day, was the ONEHOPE California Brut Sparkling Wine.  French Colombard grapes provide the freshness and light color in this sparkler.  Aroma is of fresh green apples and nectarines, and the crisp taste of fresh fruit like peaches, sweet berries and pear stays nicely on the palate.  It is somewhat creamy, with refreshing bubbles.  11 percent alcohol.  $18.99 the bottle.  Half the profits are donated to end childhood hunger in America.

The 2011 ONEHOPE California Pinot Noir is hand-crafted by winemaker Rob Mondavi Jr.  Grapes are sourced from vineyards in Napa, Sonoma and the Central Coast of California.  There are intense strawberry and date flavors in this spicy yet lush-tasting wine.  These grapes had extended ripening on the vine, and then were aged in American Oak to give a nice tannin structure to the wine.  13.5 percent alcohol.  $18.99 the bottle.   Half the profits are donated to help pets find their forever home.

The 2009 ONEHOPE Santa Barbara Reserve Chardonnay has wonderful fruit aroma and a great balanced acidity.  There are accents in the aroma of citrus and stone-fruit such as nectarine and pear, and the taste features a hint of minerality along with apricot and apple flavors.  A creamy oak and some rich butter notes make a nice round finish.  14.2 percent alcohol.  $23.99 the bottle. Half the profits are donate to the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund.

 

The Vintage Inn lawn provides
a cool oasis for a June wine country wedding

This information appeared in The Tahoe Weekly column, Wine Time, in June 2014. 

Congrats to Kevin and Amanda!