Back in January, I took a look back at the memorable wines of 2009 in my first "Wine Buzz" column of the year. One of the bottles singled out was the Holly's Hill Vineyards 2006 El Dorado Patriarche, a wonderful Rhone-style blend of mourvedre and syrah that shined wowed us its juicy cherry fruit. Such Rhone-style wines just seem to shine in El Dorado County, and Holly's Hill Vineyards is an especially consistent producer.
Here's a chance to sample the latest Holly's Hill wines in tandem with some tasty food. Gonul's J Street Cafe (3839 J St., Sacramento; 916-457-1155) is hosting "A Taste of the Rhone Valley" winemakers dinner on March 23, fetauring the wines of Holly's Hill. Though we'd love another taste of the 2006 El Dorado Patriarche, the latest vintage of this wine will be served, along with others that will be paired over four courses plus dessert.
The dinner starts at 6:30 p.m. and costs $49.50 per person. Here's the menu:
Sauteed prawns & scallops, with a spicy mango sauce
Holly's Hill 2009 Viognier
Stuffed Durham Ranch chicken, with apricots, dates, preserved lemon, golden raisins, shallots, goat cheese and cream cheese
Holly's Hill 2008 Grenache
Bonless short rib, with red wine and dark chocolate sauce
Holly's Hill 2007 Patriarche
Filet mignon roast, with a three-pepper glace
Holly's Hill 2006 Syrah
Apple crisp
2008 Late Harvest Roussanne








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