209 Magazine - Issue 3

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2014 – ISSUE 3

CELEBRATING

WINEGRAPE

HARVEST

The wines of

LODI

MURPHYS A WINE LOVER’S DREAM FALL FASHIONS, ENTERTAINMENT

3 NEW HOME NEIGHBORHOODS

MODELS OPEN

FREE RANGE CHILDREN

VISIt OuR WELCOME CENtER We’re creating a place where kids can roam free at River Islands! And now, we’re welcoming three of California’s finest home builders—Brookfield Residential, DeNova Homes and Van Daele Homes.

Start your tour at our Welcome Center to learn all about our community-in-themaking, with its distinctive neighborhoods, parks, school and lakes—all embraced by the San Joaquin Delta. We’re open daily from 10 – 6 at 301 West Stewart Road in Lathrop, (209) 808-5168. We’re looking forward to meeting you!

RIVER ISLANDS

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All amenities and features are subject to change without notice, Map not to scale.

America’s Favorite

ORGANICS

Green Truck

Cottonwood Creek

2012 Chardonnay

2010 Red Table Wine

silver medal

gold medal

East Meets West Wine Competition 2014

Orange County Fair Wine Competition 2013

2011 vintage

2012White Table Wine

94 points | gold best of class

California State Fair Wine Competition 2013

2010 Petite Sirah best of class gold medal Pacific Rim International Wine Competition 2013

red truck winery, sonoma, ca www.redtruckwine.com

87 points best buy

Beverage Testing Institute World Wine Championships 2013

ultra lightweight glass natural cork recycled paper labels soy ink printing

cottonwood creek cellars, madera, ca www.cottonwoodcreekcellars.com

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Marketed by Bronco Wine Company | www.broncowinecompany.com | 209.538.3131

V 14 isit St ou an r isl au

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425 North Soderquist Road, Turlock, CA 95381

“Where Morton takes Ruth & Chris for Prime Rib”

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Open Tue. – Sat. 4pm to Closing

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FEATURES Vineyards throughout the 209 are celebrating another successful harvest season. The 209 area has bountiful wine regions with internationally recognized labels.

This fall, discover the tastes of Central California wines.

CALAVERAS COUNTY

WINES OF LODI

Milliaire Wines

Downtown Lodi wine tasting

PAGE 40

PAGE 46

Twisted Oak Winery

Abundance Vineyards

PAGE 42

PAGE 50 Gnekow Family Winery

PAGE 52 M2 Wines

PAGE 54 CENTRAL VALLEY Delicato Family Vineyards

PAGE 58 Lucca Winery

PAGE 60 On the cover Vineyard dinner courtesy of Lodi Winegrape Commission Photo by Randy Caparoso

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AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2014 – ISSUE 3

DEPARTMENTS 8

FULL OF LIFE

Publisher’s Letter

34 CrossFit craze 36 Health benefits of wine

IN THE KNOW

10 California winemaking history 12 Fall fashion trends 14 Stockton events

BOOK REVIEW

62

16

Children’s author Michelle A.B. McKenzie

A PLACE CALLED HOME

64 Solar power for the home 66 Rock On tank coverage 68 Wine storage ideas

68

A LOOK BACK

72

Franzia Bros. Winery

CHARITY CORNER

16 Turlock Community Theatre fall line-up

74 The Boys & Girls Club 76 Power of the Purse luncheon

FLAVORS

18 Alchemy Market and Cafe 20 The Commons 22 Autumn gourds

MARKETPLACE

78

Fresno Food Expo

NAVIGATOR

24 Harvest in Napa Valley 27 Moab, Utah adventure 30 Murphys Historic Hotel

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Vol. 1 No. 3 ■ August/ September 2014 ■ $4.95 PUBLISHER Hank Vander Veen

GENERAL MANAGER Jennifer Marek Drew Savage

EDITOR Kristina Hacker

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS & PHOTOGRAHERS Morry Anne Angell Elizabeth Arakelian Alysson Aredas Dennis D. Cruz Andee Goodwin Alisa Hutsell Melissa Hutsell Marg Jackson Matt Johanson Glenn Kahl Richard Paloma Sabra Stafford Virginia Still Dennis Wyatt

ART DIREC TOR Harold L. George

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Mackenzie Alameda Jaime Ramirez

ADVERTISING DIREC TORS Chuck Higgs

Taylor Phillips

SALES & MARKETING Beth Flanagan Maureen Jerner Tara Levy Krista Messer Vicky Norman-Eddy Corey Rogers Melody Wann Doreen Wynn

SPECIAL CONSULTANT Larry Dovichi

Welcome back to another great edition of the 209 Magazine. I am thrilled to present our third official issue! The tremendous amount of feedback from residents and readers has inspired our team to dig deeper into what makes the 209 such a fascinating place to live and visit.

MNC of California is a great company that is positively impacting the community, with several publications in the heart of the 209. What sets us apart is our firm commitment to relevant, community-driven content. We want to feature the things that truly make our region a wonderful place to live, raise a family, and to visit.

As summer comes to a close and fall emerges, our agriculture customs shift from harvesting of foods to delectable grapes for the most extensive of wines. This issue of 209 Magazine is proud to celebrate Wine Harvest by inviting our readers to experience first-hand sights and sounds throughout the vineyards as grape growers, winemakers and cellar workers welcome in the new vintage this season. As you look through our publication, I urge you to acknowledge the stories, savor the pictures and visit the special events and tastings the 209 has to offer the region as to this is where we live, laugh, and celebrate life!

Thank you for taking the time to read 209 Magazine.

We welcome your comments, calendar events, and stories.

We hope you will support the businesses and charities that have chosen to partner with us. We appreciate them and look forward to being the most relevant magazine in your home, a place called 209.

To advertise in 209 Magazine, call 204.634.9141 209 Magazine is published 6 times a year 138 S. Center St. •Turlock, CA 95380 Comments: hvanderveen@209magazine.com www.209magazine.com ©Copyright 2014. 209 Magazine All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part of any text, photograph or illustration without written permission from the publisher of 209 Magazine is strictly prohibited. The opinions expressed in 209 Magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of 209 Magazine mangament or owner. 209 Magazine assumes no responsibnility and makes no recommendation for claims made by advertisers and shall not be liable for any damages incurred.

Hank Vander Veen Publisher, 209 Magazine hvanderveen@209magazine.com

agriculturally and economically, and the wineries featured in this edition have been instrumental in that effort. They have worked hand-in-hand with community leaders to spur job and tourism growth throughout our area over the course of the last few decades. This issue of 209 Magazine serves as a testament to these widespread successes and is delivered in honor of the businesses that make this possible.

Whether you are local or just passing through, I hope you enjoy learning more about the spectacular wine culture here in our beautiful area. If you’re looking to enjoy a relaxing and fun adventure during these hot summer days, I suggest a visit to one or all of the wineries featured here in 209 Magazine.

Welcome to the Wine Harvest edition of 209 Magazine, a publication dedicated to promoting interest in the best and brightest of California’s Central Valley. Born and raised in this region of the state, I am proud to have this opportunity to celebrate an industry that contributes so much to our economy, culture, and traditions.

The Central Valley has become one of California’s most exciting wine regions because of our world-renowned wineries and landscapes. Our climate contributes to rich grapes that are artfully processed into some of the finest wines in the State. Some of the world’s oldest Zinfandel vines have flourished here for generations, and our region contributes over a third of California’s annual Zinfandel production.

These attributes have helped put our region on the map both

Sincerely, Kristin Olsen Assemblymember, 12th District

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Start my subscription Send this ad with payment to: Turlock Journal 138 S. Center, Turlock, CA 95380

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209-634-9141

intheknow

California

WINEGROWING History C

alifornia’s winegrowing history goes back more than 200 years, and many California winegrowers come from families that have farmed grapes for several generations. Despite hurdles and setbacks including vine diseases, Prohibition and changing consumer taste, California winegrape growers have survived, persisted and grown to become one of America’s most treasured success stories.

Pre-Gold Rush The “Mission” variety of winegrape is introduced to California by Franciscan missionaries moving north into the territory.

1850s Vitis vinifera (the botanical name for the grapebearing vine that is responsible for most of the world ‘s quality wines) winegrape varieties are brought in by a number of growers from Europe. Zinfandel comes to California.

1870s Growers search for the optimum vineyard sites and growing regions in which to plant Vitis vinifera.

1870-1880s Phylloxera (an aphid that kills grapevines by attacking their roots) in France destroys vineyards there and increases the viability and profitability of California’s vineyards. Vineyard investment and winegrape acreage increases.

1890s Major U.S. depression negatively impacts profitability of California’s vineyards. Phylloxera destroys California’s vineyards.

1900-1920s Rootstocks (the root system of a grapevine to which 209MAGAZINE

the fruiting variety is grafted; primarily used to combat pests and diseases) are introduced and California vineyards are replanted.

1929-1933 Prohibition: the market for the commercial production of wine is eliminated. However, California winegrape acreage doubles as demand from home winemakers increases sharply. Varieties planted are chosen by growers on the basis of tannin, color, and the ability to survive shipping to the East Coast.

1933-World War II There is an oversupply of grape varieties planted during the 1920s and 30s.

World War II Wine becomes the most easily available adult beverage. Winegrape prices increase. New vineyards are planted with higher quality varieties.

1970s Modern wine boom begins. Winegrape acreage doubles. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon become more common. New growing regions are discovered and planted. Demand for white wine increases.

1976 The 1976 Paris Tasting: two California wines, a Chardonnay and a Cabernet Sauvignon, definitively outrank their French counterparts in a blind tasting that shocks wine connoisseurs and changes opinions about California’s wine all over the world.

1990s Winegrape acreage expands statewide with state-ofthe-art vineyards planted on sites selected specifically for optimum quality. An outbreak of Phylloxera speeds 10

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CALIFORNIA Winegrape facts

Facts About the Wine and Winegrape Industry • Winegrapes are grown in 48 out of California’s 58 counties • More than 110 varieties of winegrapes are grown in California • California is the fourth leading wine producer in the world, behind only Italy, France and Spain • Vineyards cover approximately 526,000 acres, less than one percent of the state’s terrain • Chardonnay is the top selling white wine varietal • Cabernet Sauvignon is the top selling red wine varietal replanting, resulting in dramatically increased quality as new vineyard techniques and practices are adopted.

1991-1992 “60 Minutes” airs segment about the French Paradox.

Demand for wine, particularly red wine, increases.

2000s Building on major trends and successful regional efforts, the wine community joins together to create the California Sustainable Winegrowing Program. Participants establish voluntary high standards of sustainable practices to be followed by the entire wine community.

The program leads to the adoption and attainment of higher and higher standards of environmentallyfriendly farming practices. ■ — Courtesy of California Vineyards

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The Wine Community’s Economic Contribution • $61.5 billion — full economic impact of wine and grapes • 4,600 — total number of winegrape growers • 2,843 — total number of bonded wineries • 330,000 — full-time equivalent jobs • $3.3 billion — taxes paid in the state • 20.7 million — annual visitors to CA wineries and vineyards — Information courtesy of the California Association of Winegrape Growers

AUG/SEP 2014

intheknow

ONLINE TRENDS DRIVE

By ANDEE GOODWIN

D

arlene Dover, owner of Envy Fine Clothing, is busy placing orders and making room for fall fashion items at her stores in Atwater, Turlock and Modesto. August marks the beginning of backto-school shopping, one of the busiest times of the year for local clothing stores. Kids aren’t the only ones looking for fresh new clothing choices this time of year, and a lot of Dover’s clients are adults looking to keep up with trends they saw online. She said that Central Valley residents are very aware of fashion and current local trends are on point with what is coming out of New York City.

“We are starting to adapt quicker. We used to be a year or two behind,” Dover said.

Part of the influx in fashion awareness comes from websites like Polyvore and Pinterest, Dover said. Polyvore allows users to mix and match fashion items to create outfits, and Pinterest allows people to share images of outfits with their friends.

“People come in and say ‘dress me like this,’” Dover said.

Her customers are also using social media to discover new fashions and to voice their opinion. Dover recently posted photos of parachute pants on Envy Fine Clothing’s Facebook page, and received immediate feedback that customers would be interested in purchasing similar items. Based on client feedback and current trends, Dover shared some of this upcoming fall season’s must have

Parachute pants

This trend has made the rounds several times since it originally appeared in the late 1970s. This year’s iteration of the style has a slightly updated silhouette thanks to softer, more modern fabrics similar to those used in leggings and yoga pants. This style is also all about pattern, and many of the parachute pants on the market are paisley, chevron and tribal patterned.

Kimonos

A new twist on backto-school staple cardigans, kimonos are a modern twist with longer lengths, bolder patterns and more draped fabric. Chunky knit and oversized sweaters will also be back in demand when the weather starts to cool down.

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IN-STORE FASHIONS

Like mother, like daughter

Dover said that children’s fashion really mirror adult clothing this fall season. Several manufacturers are using their women’s patterns and cutting them smaller for girls. Many items including dresses, parachute pants and tops are available in both women’s and girls’ sizes in the same fabrics and patterns.

Patterns and colors

Tall boots, lace up boots

Boots are big this year, in more ways than one. Tall boots (think knee-length) are stepping out in time for fall weather. Leather and fauxleather lace-up boots are also popular and are available at many price points.

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Other fashion experts say that bold patterns that were popular this summer will continue into the fall season. Tribal prints, paisley, and damask will dominate the racks for the next few months. Mint green, traditionally a spring color, is also making an appearance in fall items this year.

intheknow

STOCKTON EVENTS

offered in multiple venues Mick Foley

AUGUST The Central Valley’s Third Annual Pop Culture Convention returns to the Stockton Arena for a two day event on Aug. 9 and 10 starting at 10 a.m. on both days, tickets are $10.

Celebrating Comic Books, Games, Action Figures, Video Games, Playing Cards, Anime, Manga, Science Fiction, Toys, Television Movies and much more.

The Stockton Ports will play at home against the Modesto Nuts on Aug. 9 at 7:05 p.m. at the Stockton Ballpark, tickets range between $8 to $12.

The Stockton Ports will play at home against the

T

here isn’t a shortage of fun, interesting things for the family to do in the 209.

The Stockton Live venues include Stockton Arena, Bob Hope Theatre, Stockton Ball Park, and the Oak Park Ice Arena.

Tickets for upcoming events may be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com, at any Ticketmaster outlet, by phone at 800745-3000 or at the Stockton Arena Ticket Office, additional fees may apply.

The events coming to Stockton include:

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Modesto Nuts on Aug. 10 at 2:10 p.m. at the Stockton Ballpark, tickets range between $7 to $12.

Mick Foley: Tales of Wrestling Past StocktonCon present Tales From Wrestling Past, a one man show by Mick Foley on Aug. 10 at 7:30 p.m. at the Bob Hope Theatre, tickets are $22.50 Foley is a three-time WWE champion, a hardcore legend and a member of the WWE Hall of Fame.

The Stockton Ports will play at home against San Jose on Aug. 15 and Saturday, Aug. 16 at 7:05 p.m., wrapping up with a 2:10 p.m. game Sunday, Aug. 17 at the Stockton Ballpark, tickets

Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Presents LEGENDS

range between $7 to $12.

The WWE LIVE “SummerSlam Heatwave Tour” will burn through the Stockton Arena on Aug. 22 at 7:30 p.m. ticket prices start at $17.50.

This will be your chance to see: John Cena, Bray and the Wyatt Family, The Usos, Cesaro, plus many more of your favorite WWE Superstars during one night of intense live event action.

Friends of the Fox Present: Paint Your Wagon on Aug. 24 at 2 p.m. at the Bob Hope Theatre tickets start at $4.

The Stockton Ports will play at home against Bakersfield on Aug. 26 to 28 at 7:05 p.m. at the Stockton Ballpark, tickets are between $7 to $12.

SEPTEMBER Behold the living legends! Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey bring the unbelievable to ‘Children Of All Ages’ in an all-new show - Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Presents LEGENDS from Sept. 19 to 21 at the Stockton Arena; tickets are $17 to $90.

Experience unimaginable family fun, as amazing performers from around the globe perform aweinspiring feats of daring, spectacles of strength and thrills of wonder to summon the mythical and mysterious creatures of the past: a unicorn, a Pegasus and a Woolly Mammoth!

Join in for an unforgettable 209MAGAZINE

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family night of legendary proportions.

The Sharks will play a split-squad game on Sept.

23, against the Vancouver Canucks at 7:30 p.m. at the Stockton Arena.

The games will be split between Stockton Arena and Rogers Arena in Vancouver, BC. Stockton Arena, which opened in 2005, boasts a hockey seating capacity of 10,000 fans. The Stockton Thunder finished the 201314 season ranked 11th in the ECHL in attendance, drawing 172,000 fans during the regular season.

USARS Roller Derby Committee has selected Stockton to be the host of AUG/SEP 2014

the 2014 USARS National Championship. The event will be held at the Stockton Arena from Sept. 26 to 28.

Teams across the nation who will compete for the Championship have played in Regional Qualifiers.

The three-day National Championship will feature the top three teams in each Regional Qualifier for all different categories including junior, men, women and co-ed.

Times and events are subject to change, for more information on Stockton events, visit www.stocktonlive.com or Stockton Arena on Facebook or stocktonarena on Twitter. ■

intheknow

COMEDIANS, COUNTRY STARS coming to Turlock Community Theatre

By SABRA STAFFORD

Bill Cosby

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he upcoming slate of shows from the Turlock Community Theatre is hoping to tickle people’s funny bones and get their toes tapping.

The 2014-15 season at TCT will feature six performances highlighting comedy and country music.

“We really tried to put together a season of big stars and great performances in both country music and comedy, two genres of entertainment that most of our patrons consider to be at the top of their preferences, said Kit Casey, TCT’s managing director.

“And, of course, we will continue to add additional shows in all genres of performance art throughout the season as they become available to us.”

The first show of the season will be the national tour of NBC’s Emmy-nominated comedy series, “Last Comic Standing.” The show, set for 7:30 p.m. Sept. 22, will feature some of the reality competition show’s finalists, along with the winner. The show is currently airing on NBC and a winner has yet to be chosen. Ticket prices for the show range from $29 to $39.

The first concert of the season will feature country star Trace Adkins. The Grammy-nominated musician and “Celebrity Apprentice” winner will be performing some of his greatest hits, which includes songs such as “You’re Gonna Miss This,” “Ladies Love Country Boys,” and “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk.” Adkins will perform at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 23 and tickets range from $56 to $77.

The sounds of country will fill the theatre again on Oct. 5 when Scotty McCreery comes to town. “American Idol” fans will remember McCreery and his deep baritone voice as the season 10 winner of the singing com-

Scotty McCreery

Trace Adkins

petition show. Since his win, he’s seen his album sales top 1.6 million and has earned several best new artist awards. McCreery will take the stage at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 5.

Tickets range from $55 to $69.

The fourth show in the season series will be the season two winner of “America’s Got Talent,” Terry Fator. He will be bringing his unique brand of entertainment that combines singing, comedy, and celebrity impressions to the stage in Turlock at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 26. Tickets range from $65 to $125.

Comedian Mike Birbiglia will be returning to Turlock at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 9 for another night of laughs. This time around Birbiglia will be performing his one man show “Thank God for Jokes,” which includes tales of his New Jersey arrest, dealing with a tyrannical director and an encounter with zombie rodents.

Tickets range from $29 to $39.

Rounding out the season will be comedy legend Bill Cosby.

One of America’s most beloved comedians of all time, Cosby has captivated generations of fans with his comedy routines, iconic albums and best-selling books such as “Fatherhood.” Cosby will be performing at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 18, 2015. Tickets range from $65

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to $85.

Season tickets are on sale now and individual show tickets will be on sale beginning Aug. 8.

Prices for season tickets range from $169 to $434, depending on what level of seating chosen, and whether or not the purchase is for the full season of six shows or a partial season, which consists of a choice of four or five shows.

Season ticket patrons will also have the opportunity to purchase their same seats for any additional shows added throughout the season, prior to them being put on sale to the general public.

For more information on purchasing season tickets or individual show tickets please call the Turlock Community Theatre Box Office at 668-1169, or visit the website at www.turlocktheatre.org. ■

flavors

Alchemy Market And Café: Comfort food with a twist

ALCHEMY MARKET AND CAFÉ, a rustic yet stylish setting with a marble top bar, wood floors, vaulted ceiling, chandelier lighting, and fireplace, at 191 Main St., has an extensive menu of reasonably priced appetizers and entrées.

By RICHARD PALOMA

A

PHOTOS BY RICHARD PALOMA/209 Magazine

t the south end of a thriving Main Street in Murphys stands the perfect setting to dine on hearty fare, sip local wines, or enjoy “a nice cold one” from the over 120 beers offered in a charming dining atmosphere.

Alchemy Market and Café, a rustic yet stylish setting with a marble top bar, wood floors, vaulted ceiling, chandelier light-

ing, and fireplace, at 191 Main St., has an extensive menu of reasonably priced appetizers and entrées.

The only problem — there’s so many delicious cuisine items to choose from in just one setting you’ll have to return as one dish seems to outdo the other.

Chef and owner Jason Wright describes his creations as “comfort food with a twist” as he takes something familiar and presents it in a way to exceed expectations.

Wright’s Golden Nugget Cheese Bread, with its mixture of butter, corn kernels, serrano chilies, garlic, cilantro, and green onion combined with white cheddar and Parmesan cheese

THE ULTIMATE MEATLOAF, bacon wrapped in a barbeque demi-glace served steak like with real mashed potatoes and snap peas, is a specialty of Alchemy.

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spread over a golden ciabatta bread captures your attention and palate when you commence your dining experience.

Appetizers feature a calamari with sliced jalapenos, Parmesan cheese, and chipotle aioli is a specialty that Wright takes pride in using only the tubes and no tentacles of the octopus or a Greek ahi salad with fennel-crusted seared ahi tuna, served rare and cool over mixed lettuces, Kalamata olives, marinated red onion, oranges, feta, and a lemon-oregano vinaigrette, with spanakopita –a spinach-cheese pastry – on the side.

Both are paired well with a Lavender Ridge Cotes du Calaveras Blanc white blend in a chilled glass.

With 30 wineries in the area,

JASON WRIGHT Alchemy owner and chef Jason Wright offers comfort food with a twist at his Murphys Main Street restaurant. Wright is a graduate of the San Francisco Culinary Academy and has owned Alchemy since 2007.

the Alchemy wine list features only Murphys area wines, and only by the glass. Wright said the bythe-glass sale gives patrons a chance to sample and mix from white to red.

Entrées sampled on a July visit included a scrumptious crab macaroni and cheese prepared with rotini and a creamy white cheddar and Parmesan sauce, Dungeness crab meat, with Parmesan gratinée served in a skillet. Also a specialty of Alchemy, the Ultimate Meatloaf which was bacon wrapped in a barbeque demi-glace served steak like with real mashed potatoes and snap peas.

Both dishes were tasted with a medium-bodied Lavender Bunting Red Mourvedre.

The Strawberry Balsamic Grilled Salmon with an arugula, pecan and strawberry salad is a popular entre for the warm afternoons of Murphys.

Wright purchased Alchemy in 2007 when the establishment was only a deli and wine bar.

“It wasn’t full service like it is now,” said Wright, who trained at the San Francisco Culinary Academy and previously owned award-winning Bahama Billy’s Island Steakhouse in Carmel Valley.

With time, Wright converted the establishment into a restaurant setting, diminishing the store area and bringing in dishes he had compiled over the years that were favorites of previous patrons.

“It’s a collection of favorite items that stays the same,” Wright said. “A lot of times we have specials that the staff recommends should be on the menu but when we look at what it should replace, we can’t find one to sacrifice.”

Another pride of Wright is the fact that he carries an extensive selection of over 150 types of beer and 12 rotating taps.

“The beer geek will be in heaven here,” said

Wright. “We carry hard to find stuff. I have a good relationship with my distributor who gets me hard to get beers.”

Alchemy hosts beer dinners in January as well as pint nights and keg tap parties to introduce their ales and beers. They also have winemaker nights throughout the year featuring local winemakers that are present and pouring.

Alchemy has established itself as an exceptional, must-do dining experience when visiting Murphys that keep visitors and locals alike returning for more. ■

ALCHEMY CARRIES an extensive selection of over 150 types of beer and 12 rotating taps.

THE GOLDEN NUGGET CHEESE BREAD captures your attention and palate when you commence your dining experience.

“Comfort food with a twist.”

Jason Wright

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flavors

the commons

a downtown tracy gastropub

By RICHARD PALOMA

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racy resident John Oh, a self-taught chef, has brought his not-quite-a-bar and not-quitea-restaurant “gastropub” to downtown Tracy that offers a casual-meets-refined atmosphere that welcomes beer drinkers and wine snobs, non-fussy eaters and foodies alike.

Welcome to The Commons, a contemporary bar theme setting with a restaurant atmosphere that was just opened this June at 49 W. Tenth St. in Tracy.

There’s no strict definition to what makes a great and classic gastropub.

“It’s typically in the genre of a drinking establishment with a focus on food,” said Oh. “We put out clean, non-processed quality fare with as much local farmer contribution as possible and offer a wide selection of beer, specialty drinks, and wine.”

The experience gives bistros a run for their money as Oh’s dishes are served in a swank modern setting with hanging pin lights.

To keep his offerings as natural as can be, Oh takes advantage of the twice-weekly farmers markets in Tracy, getting regular deliveries from Scalotta Farms and Ramsey Farms for much of his produce and Knoll Farms from nearby Brentwood for eggs.

“I’m always asked, ‘What did you put in this’,” said Oh. “The answer is what I didn’t put in it.”

Oh stresses a natural product free of unneeded ingredients.

“The way I put out the food is the way I want you to have it,” Oh commented on the lack of condiments at the tables when the dishes are served. “Mustard and ketchup will kill the natural food process.”

When requested the staff provided the condiments without judgment.

And that’s not to say the dishes end up bland and tasteless – far from it.

Oh’s creations are a mix of fried dishes such as duck fat fries or mac and cheese with an Oakdale Cheese Company white cheddar Mornay and vegetable dishes of grilled artichokes or a beet salad with a whipped 209MAGAZINE

chevre, mint, hazelnuts, and Ramsey Family Farms of Tracy vinegar to establish a balance on the menu.

Entrée items include gourmet burger selections such as the AM burger of a 6.5 ounce pasture raised and hormone free beef patty with a sunny side up egg, bacon preserves, American cheese, served with the duck fat fries or an organic, free range hormone free chicken breast sandwich with cilantro and Jalapeno coleslaw.

“I always wanted to open a bar in town,” said Oh, a 2000 Tracy High School graduate of Korean ancestry. “In my personal life I had a morph for food and would prepare dishes for various friends and relatives.”

Through the years, Oh has taken what he was complimented on and applied it to his menu.

He points to the “KFC” (Korean Fried Chicken) wings and tacos on the menu he’s personalized.

The tacos were a conceptual idea of a MexicanKorean fusion taking marinated chicken with a chili paste and served with shredded cabbage to cut the heat. The Korean Fried Chicken takes a family recipe over the chicken wings to enhance a bar food staple.

Like much of the food ingredients, the wine offered at The Commons is local through contacts Oh has made in the Tracy and Lodi areas.

Among many local wineries, he features an elegant Anthony and Dominc Pinot Noir from Scotto Cellars and the Scotto Family of Tracy to pair with the burgers.

Though he doesn’t consider himself “a chef ” by any means, his creations are buoyed by the purity and zing of their ingredients.

“We don’t call each other chef here,” said Oh. “It’s not the taller the hat, the more experience you have.

We want to put out food reasonably priced and appetizing that the customer may have never tried before.”

The Commons is open Tuesday through Sunday from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. and staying open until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. ■ 20

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tracy, ca

The Commons, a contemporary bar theme setting with a restaurant atmosphere, offers a casual-meets-refined atmosphere that welcomes beer drinkers and wine snobs, non-fussy eaters and foodies alike.

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flavors

Autumn gourds pleasing to eye, stomach

F

all harvest squashes are rich in nutrients and so high in demand, no wonder this hourglass shaped gourd is the perfect addition to an autumn meal.

“So many local restaurants are placing their order of squashes as of right now,” said Peter Cipponeri of Cipponeri Farms. “Butternut squash is the most popular squash in season because restaurants use it to make soups or add

them in their dishes.”

Butternut squash presents the home cook with easy culinary possibilities. You can just place it on a cookie sheet and bake in the oven for about an hour, or until you can pierce it with a sharp knife.

Or remove the skin using a vegetable peeler and cut the flesh into chunks for steaming or sautéing. Once cooked, mash it, puree it for soup, fold it into a pasta or

risotto dish, or simply savor your butternut squash as is.

There a lot of health benefits in squash, too. It’s low in fat and delivers ample doses of fiber, making it a heart-friendly food choice. It provides significant amounts of potassium, important for bone health, and vitamin B6, essential for the proper functioning of both the nervous and immune systems. ■

Butternut Squash Whole Grain Crostini Prep Time: 10 Minutes Ready In: 10 Minutes Servings: 32

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves 32 fresh basil leaves

8 slices whole grain bread, toasted or grilled 2 cups butternut squash, broiled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled 2 tablespoons maple syrup

Cut each piece of toast into quarters for a total of 32 pieces.

Combine squash, cheese, maple syrup and thyme in medium bowl.

Top toast quarters with about 1 tablespoon squash mixture each. Top with fresh basil leaves.

Roasted Butternut Squash Ingredients 2 medium butternut squash, halved lengthwise and seeded 4 teaspoons butter 4 teaspoons brown sugar Salt and pepper

Directions Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place butternut squash halves on a large baking sheet flesh side up. Place 1 tsp butter in the middle of each squash. Sprinkle brown sugar over each squash. Season with salt and pepper.

Roast 25 minutes, until flesh is fork-tender.

Butternut Squash & Linguine Servings: 4-6 Preparation Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 22 minutes 1/2 box linguine 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 tablespoon minced garlic 4 cups butternut squash pieces (about 1-inch pieces) 1/2 cup dry white wine or reduced-sodium, fat free chicken broth 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup chopped fresh sage or 4 teaspoons dried sage 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese, blue cheese or shredded Parmesan cheese Crumbled cooked prosciutto or bacon, optional

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Additional cheese, optional Toasted chopped walnuts, optional Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and return to pan; cover and keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot.

Add garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in squash, wine and salt. Simmer 12 to 15 minutes just until squash is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in sage.

Toss squash with pasta and cheese.

Sprinkle with prosciutto, additional cheese and walnuts, if desired.

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navigator

Harvest in Napa Valley

By Morry Anne Angell

PHOTOS BY MORRY ANNE ANGELL

I

t’s no secret that California’s Napa Valley is a world-class destination, attracting visitors from far-reaching corners of the globe to sip, swirl and savor the outstanding wines for which the area is known. Pair the wines with stunning scenery, an abundance of excellent dining options, and a vibrant arts and cultural scene, it’s no wonder that Napa Valley is one of the state’s most-visited locales (second only to Disneyland).

Although a year-round destination, it is during the fall when the grape harvest gets underway that Napa Valley really shines. The lush vineyards are ablaze with autumn colors, hot air balloons dot the morning skies, and trundling harvest tractors share the roads. It’s a picturesque and activity-filled time to visit.

“The Napa Valley comes alive during harvest season,” said Julie Dalrymple, marketing and communications director of the Napa Chamber of Commerce. “Vineyards are buzzing with anticipation, restaurants and shops are busy with celebrations of the year’s bounty, and the air is sweet with the scent of great wines in progress. It’s the perfect 209MAGAZINE

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time to enjoy all the valley has to offer.”

At a mere 30 miles long and five miles wide, the Napa Valley is a relatively small geographic area. In fact, Napa Valley accounts for only four percent of California’s entire wine production.

However, with its myriad microclimates and fertile soil, this swath of land is what put California vineyards and winemaking on the map.

Napa Valley was named California’s first official American Viticulture Area (or AVA) in 1981; today, it is home to 16 distinct sub-AVAs, or wine growing regions, each unique in its soils, climate and terrain.

The diverse wine growing regions reflect the diversity of the wines as well, given that certain grape varietals grow better in specific conditions.

Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc grapes favor the cooler temperatures of the Carneros AVA in the southern part of the valley closest to the cooling breezes off the San Pablo Bay, whereas Merlot and Zinfandel varietals can thrive in the heat of the valley floor. Regardless, if you prefer white wines like Chardonnay, or red wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon, there is something for everyone. ■ AUG/SEP 2014

dilute your palate too.”

BOYD OFFERS A FEW TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL VISIT TO THE WINERIES OF NAPA VALLEY

Learn more about Boyd Family Vineyards at www. boydwine.com. For more information and resources to help you plan your Napa Valley adventure, visit the Napa Valley Welcome Center (600 Main Street, Napa, CA 94559), or online at www.visitnapavalley.com.

• Have a plan of attack. There are more than 300 wineries in Napa Valley – and you don’t have to visit them all in one day. “Visiting three to four wineries a day is plenty,” she said.

• Decide your winery itinerary in advance. Know that the majority of Napa Valley wineries charge for tastings, and many require appointments due to use permit restrictions. “A little advance planning will save you the disappointment of being turned away, or any surprises to your pocketbook,” Boyd said. “Also, offerings vary greatly between wineries. You can find everything from stand-up bar tastings, to private guided tastings, barrel sampling, cave tours, food pairings and more.”

THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN NAPA VALLEY

Wine aside, the allure of visiting Napa Valley goes beyond the bottle. The city of Napa boasts a growing nightlife and entertainment scene, and Yountville is known for its fine dining options. St. Helena offers boutique shopping along its charming Main Street, and Calistoga is famous for its hot springs resorts and mud baths.

• Plan ample time between stops. “Harvest is the busiest time of year in the Napa Valley – it will take you longer to get from place to place than you expect,” Boyd said. “It’s important to be on time for your tasting appointments, otherwise you may miss out on key parts of your visit.” If you’d rather leave the driving to someone else, consider hiring a private driver. “They will know the small, boutique wineries that will be out of the way and you’ll receive personal attention,” she said.

• Heritage Wine Trail. What makes this self-driven, eight-hour tour unique is that it allows participants the opportunity to see the entire length of the Napa Valley from the Carneros region in the south to Calistoga in the north, and have different and distinct experiences and wines at four acclaimed wineries along the way Acacia, Beaulieu, Provenance and Sterling Vineyards.

A steal at $99, the tour also includes a picnic lunch from the iconic Oakville Grocery. Advance reservations required. www.heritagewinetrail.com

• Prepare your senses. “Avoid wearing perfumes, colognes and scented cosmetics that would interfere with the ability of you and those around you to enjoy the aroma of the wines,” Boyd said. “Likewise, gum and breath mints will ruin your palate for some time. You’ll also want to hydrate with water between visits, rather than while you are tasting, as that may

• Historic Wineries. Want to see where it all started? Visit these founding Napa Valley wineries for a historical perspective: Robert Mondavi Winery (7801 St. Helena Highway, Napa, CA 94574; www.robertmondaviwinery. com); Charles Krug (2800 Main Street, St. Helena, CA 94574; www.charleskrug.com); Beringer Vineyards (2000 Main Street, St. Helena, CA 94574; www.beringer. CONTINUED ON PAGE 26 

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navigator

The Culinary Institute of America

Napa Valley Spirits

Oxbow Public Market

• Round Pond Olive Mill. What else grows with abundance in Napa Valley? Olives. At Round Pond Estate winery, they offer an olive mill experience where visitors can see how they make their handcrafted olive oils, and be treated to a comprehensive tasting of the oils complete with a spread of bread, cheese and fruit and vegetables from the estate garden. 886 Rutherford Road, Rutherford, CA 94573; www.roundpond.com/olive-mill.

consistently touted as one of the top restaurants in the world (with prices and a reservations wait list to match), but give his more accessible family style restaurant, Ad Hoc, a try (it’s a locals favorite, to be sure).

6476 Washington Street, Yountville, CA 94599; www. adhocrestaurant.com.

• Live Music. There are three spectacular live music venues in the city of Napa: the Uptown Theater (www.uptowntheaternapa.com), City Winery (www. citywinery.com/napa) and Silo’s (www.silosnapa. com). Each venue brings a wide range of acclaimed performers to their stages almost nightly.

• Oxbow Public Market. A must-visit for food lovers, or anyone who is simply hungry. The market hall and surrounding block are filled with gourmet shops and restaurants, offering everything from fresh-from-theoven bacon bread at The Model Bakery and housecured charcuterie at The Fatted Calf, to oysters on the half shell at Hog Island Oyster Company and distilled spirits like vodka made from Sauvignon Blanc wine grapes at Napa Valley Distillery. 644 1st Street, Napa, CA 94559; www.oxbowpublicmarket.com.

• Art and Nature at di Rosa. This art and nature preserve houses an impressive and extensive collection of Northern California modern art. Several different guided tours are offered Wednesday through Sunday; advanced reservations recommended. 5200 Carneros Highway, Napa, CA 94559; www.dirosaart.org.

• The Culinary Institute of America. This institute of higher learning is where trained chefs come to hone their skills, but the campus offers an array of programs for food enthusiasts as well, including cooking demonstrations, wine education and food courses. 2555 Main Street, St. Helena, CA 94574; www.ciachef.edu/california.

• Hiking and Biking. Excellent hiking spots in Napa Valley include Skyline Wilderness Park in Napa (2201 Imola Ave, Napa, CA 94559; www.skylinepark.org), and Bothe State Park in Calistoga (search www.parks. ca.gov). For bike rentals or guided tours on bicycle, check out Napa Valley Bike Tours, www.napavalleybiketours.com.

• Dining. You almost can’t go wrong with the dining options in Napa Valley. With everything from outstanding burger joints to Michelin-starred restaurants, the food is generally every bit as good as the wine. Chef Thomas Keller’s The French Laundry is

209MAGAZINE

• Pampering. Check out the Indian Springs Resort & Spa for massage, mud baths, spa treatments and a soak in their mineral pool. 1712 Lincoln Avenue, Calistoga, CA 94515; www.indianspringscalistoga.com.

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more climbing, more hiking, more fun

By MATT JOHANSON

Jerome Smart and Matt Johanson pose for a picture after climbing Castleton Tower in Moab, Utah.

M

OAB, Utah – Those who climb the Kor-Ingalls Route of Castleton Tower, a classic adventure on a coveted desert tower, face a choice on the third pitch.

There are two ways to scale the rough, tough, foot-wide crack between its vertical sandstone faces.

Option one requires shoving the left side of the body into the crack and painfully forcing one’s way up through awkward contortions about an inch at a time. I jammed my left arm and leg into the crevice and attempted the inchworm maneuver.

After multiple grunts, groans and expletives, I realized an inchworm would have made better progress.

Time for option two: a lieback, a more common climbing move that involves pulling with the arms while pushing on the legs. This felt far more secure and I moved through

I enjoy climbing with friends and family, but none of my usual cohorts were ever free to race to Utah during my spring break. the crux fairly smoothly. The trouble with liebacks is that they require full exertion from all four limbs; there’s no easy way to free a hand to place a piece of gear in the crack. A climber could ascend the rock high above the last protection, feeling solid right until the instant he takes a long fall. Thankfully, my partner and guide Jerome Smart 209MAGAZINE

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had led the pitch and I climbed with the security of a top-roped belay.

I’d always wanted to visit Moab and climb in Utah but the calendar and circumstances never cooperated. As a teacher, I have time in the summer, though that’s the wrong time to climb in the blazing hot desert. I enjoy climbing with friends and family, but none of my usual cohorts were ever free to race to Utah during my spring break.

This adventure was never going to happen in my usual style, I realized. Time for option two. I decided to enlist a guide to help me climb some of the classic towers of the Utah desert.

Castleton Tower in an area near Moab called Castle Valley was one.

Its Kor-Ingalls Route (rated 5.9, fairly difficult but achievable for CONTINUED ON PAGE 28 

navigator 20% OFF RIVER RAFTING* climbers in my ability range) is one of the coveted 50 classic climbs of North America, as named by climbing pioneers Steve Roper and Allen Steck.

First climbed in 1961, it was also the site of a 1964 Chevrolet commercial featuring a convertible and a pretty model delivered by helicopter to the peak. Both were gone when Jerome and I arrived and found a condom in the summit register box.

Attractive sandstone surrounds Moab, enough to provide a lifetime of climbing challenges. Evan Clapper, my other guide and partner, suggested trying an area about an hour south of town called Indian Creek in Donnelly Canyon. There we found perfect spring conditions, friendly fellow climbers and a lifetime supply of hard crack climbing.

Beginners need not apply around here. Most everything is rated 5.10 or higher, providing a paradise for highend climbers and a suitably challenging setting for a climber of moderate ability like me. The Naked and the Dead, Elephant Ear and Chocolate Corner were a few of our enjoyable routes. Evan saved the best for last: Generic Crack. Don’t let the name fool you. There’s nothing bland about this long, and physical crack climb that requires sustained fist jamming and endurance. But as much as I enjoyed the climbing, Moab offers far more than that.

Arches National Park, just a few minutes from town, boasts some of Utah’s most beloved short hikes and scenery. Wonderful photo opportunities await at Delicate Arch, Landscape Arch in Devils Garden, Balanced Rock and many other easy destinations. Stick to hiking and photography here; climbing Utah’s favorite landmarks is strictly off-limits and a surefire way to tick off the locals, as the accomplished alpinist Dean Potter discovered after scaling Delicate Arch in 2006.

Canyonlands National Park offers equally striking landscapes and countless hiking and backpacking opportunities. Easily-reached vistas abound

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Canyonlands National Park

in Island in the Sky, the popular northern region of the park. The photogenic Mesa Arch attracts many; sunrise bathes it in the best colorful light for photography. Ponder the mysterious Upheaval Dome or explore the magnificent Grand View Point. Visitors can easily see all of the above in a day, and those with more time can find rewarding discoveries in The Needles or other more remote areas.

Aside from the nearly infinite outdoors opportunities, Moab has interesting character, and characters. I was astonished to learn about the exploits of “Arch Enemy,” a daredevil pilot who flies airplanes through the region’s trademark arches. Other interesting Utahns created “Hole N The Rock,” a home, a zoo, a store and a tourist draw burrowed over 20 years into 50,000 square feet of an enormous sandstone cliff. Perhaps taking inspiration from this, a group of polygamists dug and blasted into rocks of their own, building a unique community that now houses about 80 people.

For me, the trip was all about climbing and I had one other route in mind. The Fisher Towers area sports Ancient Art, a four-pitch, 300-foot route with a wildly exposed summit shaped like a giant corkscrew.

Climbers line up all day to “send” this gem, so Jerome and I met at 5:30 a.m. to beat the rush. This turned out be a great call as our early start placed us ahead of half a dozen parties that arrived while we climbed up the red sandstone.

The lower pitches involved some

Delicate Arch Castleton Tower

Mesa Arch

fun stemming (extending the arms and splitting the legs) at a stout but manageable difficulty of 5.10. Then climbers tread cautiously along a narrow ledge with steep drops on either side to reach the final pitch. The fragile-looking but hopefully solid corkscrew is one of a kind and great fun. A photo here is a must, and for extra points, stand on tiny summit block before your partner takes the shot.

I’ve shied away from professional help in my 20 years on the rocks, but climbing with guides on the Moab trip opened the door to adventures that I may never have otherwise experienced.

I’m glad I did it; it’s a far better choice than staying home. ■ — Matt Johanson authored the new full-color guidebook, “Yosemite Adventures: 50 Spectacular Hikes, Climbs and Winter Treks,” his fourth book. His writing can be found at www.mattjohanson.com.

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IF YOU GO LODGING: Moab offers a wide variety of hotels and inns. Camping is available on public land outside of town near Castle Valley, Fisher Towers and Indian Creek. KOA, a few miles from the center of town, offers a nice blend of convenience and value. Visit www.koa.com/ campgrounds/moab.

TRANSPORTATION: those who would fly can now take advantage of Delta Airlines’ daily service from Salt Lake to Moab. Find details at www.delta.com.

Restaurants: Milts Stop & Eat is more than a fast food joint. The oldest restaurant in Utah, it offers tasty grass-fed beef burgers, buffalo burgers, homemade ice cream and local charm. Find it at 356 Milcreek Drive.

GUIDE SERVICES: Moab Cliffs and Canyons (cliffsandcanyons.com) teaches beginning rock climbing classes, guides more challenging desert tower ascents and leads canyoneering expeditions.

navigator

History kept alive at Hotel

By KRISTINA HACKER

PHOTO BY KRISTINA HACKER/ 209Magazine

F

or over 150 years, the Murphys Historic Hotel has been offering travelers on their way to the Calaveras Big Trees, or further up the Sierra Nevada, a place to rest and find refreshment. Not much has changed in a century and a half — at least in some parts of the registered National Historic Landmark hotel.

“The bar is historically preserved as a saloon; it makes it nice when you walk in, you feel that nostalgia,” said Kevin Clerico, one of the hotel’s three owners and the bar manager.

Along with the circa 1800s saloon, the hotel features nine “historic” rooms that are furnished with period antiques and are named after notable guests, such as Ulysses S.

Grant, Mark Twain and Susan B. Anthony.

In the Presidential Suite (the Ulysses S. Grant room) guests will find a 19th century coal stove, the original bedframe from Grant’s stay at the hotel in 1880, the barber chair used when he visited, and California’s second oldest piano.

In the “historic” rooms guests are also treated to 1800sstyle amenities — no heating or air conditioning, no electronics of any kind (televisions, alarm clocks, etc.) and there are shared bathrooms and showers in the hallway.

“The historical rooms are very charming,” said co-owner Brian Goss. “They’re warm in the summer, and cooler in the winter; you have to cuddle in

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the winter.”

Goss said many history adventurers enjoy staying in the hotel’s older rooms. He also suggested staying during the week for a quieter visit, as the historic rooms are located above the saloon.

There is another type of guest that frequents the Murphys Historic Hotel, said Goss — those looking to have a more ethereal experience with the landmark’s past.

“There are a lot of people who like to stay in this hotel, the historic rooms in particular, because of the paranormal activity we have here,” he said.

The hotel has welcomed many paranormal investigators over the years looking to capture evidence of ghostly

happenings, said Clerico. Eleanor is the hotel’s most famous ghost.

The story goes that Eleanor worked in the hotel in the 1860s and fell in love with a gold miner. When the miner went off to seek his fortune and never returned, she remained at the hotel ever-awaiting the day he might come back — even after her death.

Those looking for a paranormal experience may want to stay in Historic Room 9.

In the 11 years that Goss has worked at the hotel, he said he knows of five couples who left Room 9 in the middle of the night because of the activity or energy in the room. But they always came back the next morning to share their experiences — “over a Bloody Mary in the saloon,” he said.

“We have no bad ghosts, they’re all friendly, they’re just

stuck,” said Clerico.

While the hotel definitely lives up to its ‘Historic’ middle name, the food is anything but old-fashioned. In fact, co-owner and executive chef Joel Metzger describes the restaurant’s fare as “ contemporary cuisine, with a variety of American dishes.”

The restaurant is open seven days a week, 365 days a year and is a favorite gathering spot for holiday meals for both travelers and locals alike, said Metzger.

The hotel ‘s newest addition is a patio bar that looks like an old miner’s shack. The outside bar allows the hotel to better serve large parties on the picturesque patio that looks out onto Main Street Murphys.

Although the hotel’s ghostly apparitions are friendly, a little bit of ‘Hell’ visited the Murphys lodging

Murphys Historic Hotel owners Kevin Clerico, Joel Metzger and Brian Goss.

CALAVERAS BIG TREES Calaveras became a State Park in 1931 to preserve the North Grove of giant sequoias. This grove includes the “Discovery Tree”, also known as the “Big Stump”, the first Sierra redwood noted by Augustus T. Dowd in 1852. This area has been a major tourist attraction ever since, and is considered the longest continuously operated tourist facility in California.

The park is 22 miles northeast of Murphys on Highway 4. The park is open for day use from sunrise to sunset. For more information, visit: parks.ca.gov/ calaverasbigtrees

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last June, in the form of Gordon Ramsey and his “Hotel Hell” production crew.

Ramsey, known for other reality shows like “Kitchen Nightmares and “MasterChef,” has turned his troubleshooting abilities towards hoteliers in this FOX program currently in its second season.

The Murphys Historic Hotel owners are not able to give out any details about the filming of the show before its airing, which is expected sometime in the next three months, but the hotel’s lobby and at least two modern rooms now have a definite Ramsey look to them.

Clerico said the hotel plans on throwing a viewing party when the air date is announced. Details will be posted on the hotel’s website at murphyshotel.com. ■

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GET IN THEBOX

WITH CROSSFIT

eople all over the Central Valley are finding a healthier lifestyle with a fitness program called CrossFit. This type of training is offered at several affiliated gyms (called “boxes” in CrossFit lingo) across the 209. The benefits of CrossFit, according to affiliated gym owners and the people they train, can be seen across multiple aspects of fitness.

“We use high intensity functional movements. We’re training people for real life situations, not isolating specific muscles or doing only cardio,” said Renee Sedgwick, owner of Crossfit ParaBellum in Turlock.

CrossFit routines include a WOD (work out of the day) which can include moves ranging from rope climbing to weight lifting, bodyweight and cardio routines. The key to CrossFit, according to the program’s official website, is to vary exercises in order to forge a broad, general and inclusive fitness.

“We train for the unknown,” said Sedgwick.

Sedgwick used the example of the real-life situation of moving a heavy couch. The movements and strength required to pick up and move a heavy object like a couch are best developed by a routine which includes both heavy lifting and developing general strength and flexibility.

“CrossFit is for every fitness level, and for people of every shape and size,” said Segwick.

That general strength training has

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Members of Crossfit ParaBellum in Turlock use a variety of strength and endurance exercises in their daily workouts.

AUG/SEP 2014

PHOTO BY ANDEE GOODWIN

BY ANDEE GOODWIN

TURLOCK: CrossFit ParaBellum 1400 Venture Lane Turlock, CA, 95380 (209) 634-6094 CrossFit Turlock 351 N Walnut Sp#12 Turlock, CA 95380 (209) 485-0544

Locations in the 209 caught the attention of law enforcement, military and other public safety employees. Sedgwick’s husband Scott, co-owner of Crossfit ParaBellum, is a full-time firefighter. Several other members of Turlock’s CrossFit community are police officers.

Turlock Police officer Mayra Lewis first learned about CrossFit at a Women Leaders in Law Enforcement seminar in Anaheim. One guest speaker at the seminar stressed the importance of physical fitness for members of law enforcement.

“Cardio and upper-body strength are both important for women in law enforcement. The presenter mentioned CrossFit as a way to improve both,” Lewis said.

Lewis has been a runner since elementary school, but she said that her nearly two years of CrossFit experience have improved both her time and her recovery after races. She said that it has also helped her share a healthy lifestyle with her children, who also participate through CrossFit kids.

Many CrossFit gyms offer CrossFit Kids classes, children’s programming, or areas for children to hang out while their parents work out. CrossFit ParaBellum has both a children’s area and a CrossFit Kids program.

“People have to bring their kids. We understand that,” said Sedgwick.

Local mom Cori Maroudas said that she appreciates having an environment where she can bring her 2-year-old daughter Elizabeth to her workouts.

“I couldn’t do it if I couldn’t bring her.” Maroudas said.

Normally Elizabeth sits and watches her mom work out, but she isn’t the only cheering section in the CrossFit box.

“There is so much encouragement here. Not just from the trainers but from the other members as well,” Maroudas said.

At CrossFit Parabellum, health and fitness is a family affair. Sedgwick estimated that about 60 percent of the athletes at her gym are couples. She said that once one half of a couple starts seeing significant results their significant other wants to get involved too.

“It’s couples therapy,” joked Amanda Little, a Turlock CrossFit athlete. ■

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MODESTO: CrossFit Modesto 628 Glass Lane Modesto, CA, 95356 (209) 522-5296 CrossFit Quake 4813 Enterprise Way, Unit I Modesto, CA, 95356 (209) 227-6722 CrossFit Rapid Fire 3267 Ladd Rd. Modesto, CA, 95356

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fulloflife

Nectar of the gods may have health benefits

By ANDEE GOODWIN

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W

ine is one of the world's oldest beverages, with a history tracing back further than written records and closely intertwined with the history of agriculture itself. Throughout human history, wine has been a beverage sought after for its “healing” properties. According to “A Wine Miscellany,” wine has been credited for healing everything from digestive issues to pain from child birth. But how much of that medical advice stands the test of time and modern medicine? According to the Mayo Clinic, there might be some truth to the healing properties of wine.

Ancient cultures did not always have access to safe and clean drinking water.

Wine's fermentation process often made it safer to consume than potentially contaminated water. Ancient Greeks and Mesopotamians watered their wine down considerably to avoid dehydration.

While safe drinking water is now accessible, there could be other benefits.

The positive links between red wine and heart health are attributed to resveratrol,

a phenolic compound found in grape skins, grape leaves and wine. WebMD suggests a link between resveratrol and the reduction of heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer's. Resveratrol has gained so much attention that it is now available in supplements at health food stores.

“Because there have been very few studies conducted on resveratrol in humans, doctors still can't confirm any benefits, and they don't know what effects these supplements might have on people over the long term,” according to WebMd. Other anti-oxidants found in wine are also credited for lowering body weight and reducing the risk of heart disease. However, over-consumption of wine or any alcohol can cause the opposite affect. Weight gain, heart disease and reduced liver function are all long-term effects of alcohol consumption. The bottom line, according to Mayo Clinic, is all things in moderation.

“While the news about red wine might sound great if you enjoy a glass of red wine with your evening meal, doctors are wary of encouraging anyone to start drinking alcohol. That's because too much alcohol can have many harmful effects on your body,” according to Mayo Clinic staff. ■

RED WINE HEADACHES

FRENCH DIET

Many people suffer from headaches after drinking only a glass or less of red wine. Tannins, a chemical substance in grape skins, are often blamed for this reaction. Red wine headache sufferers do not normally report headaches from drinking a moderate amount of white wine.

French adults are less likely to be overweight than their American counterparts, despite a diet rich in carbohydrates and butter.

Doctors have theorized that moderate consumption of red wine might play a part in the healthy French lifestyle.

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THE BOTTOM LINE, ACCORDING TO MAYO CLINIC, IS ALL THINGS IN MODERATION.

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feature

Milliaire grows alongside Murphys wine scene

By SABRA STAFFORD

PHOTOS BY KRISTINA HACKER/ 209Magazine

M

illiaire Winery likes to say they are pushing the limits of wine-making one barrel at a time. For the family run winery, pushing the limits started by setting up shop in a relatively unknown wine region and making wines that would come solely from the harvests of the Sierra foothills, including a concentration on the emerging White Zinfandel trend.

Founded by Steve and Liz Millier, Milliaire Winery is truly a family business with Steve handling the wine-making and Liz running the sales and marketing operations. Their children, Robert and Catherine, grew up in the business and have now made it their careers as well, with Robert now assisting his father in the wine-making process and Catherine operating the Black Sheep tasting room, which the winery purchased in 2007. Robert’s wife Jana manages the Milliaire tasting room, located at 276 Main St., in Murphys.

The Milliers moved to Murphys in 1982 to help with the burgeoning Stevenot winery. In this rolling and rural land, the husband and wife found something growing other than grapes. It was a speck of inspiration that they could tap the potential of the area and launch their own winery. Within a year they rolled out their first vintage that was cellared in their basement and consisted of three barrels of Cabernet Sauvignon under the Milliaire label.

In 1990, the Milliers pushed the limits again by converting an old gas station into a tasting room. With barrels in the 209MAGAZINE

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Milliaire Tasting Room manager Jana Millier pours a glass from one of the winery’s seven varieties of white wine.

repair bays and wine tanks in the backyard, the place was dubbed the Roadside Chateau and has been drawing crowds ever since.

As the Milliaire label was taking root, the winery launched a tradition that continues to delight wine enthusiasts 30 years later. The “Christmas Cuvee” tradition began in 1986 when Steve took 55 gallons of trained of juice and fermented it into a blush wine just in time for the holidays.

Now each new vintage of their White Zinfandel is first labeled "Christmas Cuvee" and is released each year just prior to Thanksgiving.

Milliaire Winery produces seven varieties of white wine and 14 types of red. Their 2010 Ghirardelli Zinfandel, which comes from a 110-year-old vineyard deep in the heart of Calaveras County, won Gold at the 2013 California State Fair and recently took silver at the san Francisco Chronicle Win Competition.

The Milliaire Tasting Room is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily in downtown Murphys. For more information, visit milliairewinery.com or call (209) 728-1658. ■ AUG/SEP 2014

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feature

WITTY WINE

TWISTED OAK WINERY OFFERS TASTERS AN AMUSING AND ADVENTUROUS WINE EXPERIENCE

By ELIZABETH ARAKELIAN

W

hen Jeff Stai and his wife frequented the Murphys area many years ago they would often go wine tasting, a natural thing to do in the Sierra Foothills. Little did they know that several years later they would contribute to the area’s unique wine tasting landscape with their own winery.

“We came down here to taste wine and it tasted really good. The area got our attention as a place you could do wine and that’s one of the ideas that evolved into this project,” said Stai.

“This project” has since evolved into a fully fledged, award winning operation known as Twisted Oak Winery.

It’s rather apropos that Twisted Oak Winery is located at the end of a mile long twisted road that arrives at the summit of a hill where one is greeted with a tall, warped tree: the twisted oak after which the winery is named.

When searching for a property to establish his winery in 2001, the California Blue Oak of more than 350 years of age was the last image that Stai snapped with his film camera.

“I had one more picture to take and I said ‘oh that’s a nice tree’. Click. Only later did I look at the pictures and realize how interesting the tree was and the name popped into my head,” said Stai.

While the deformed tree still serves as a reminder of the winery’s origins as it stands on the property today, the genesis of the winery is a little less simple. Prior to founding Twisted Oak Winery Stai worked in the technology industry and enjoyed wine purely as a consumer. Feeling

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PHOTOS BY KRISTINA HACKER/ 209Magazine

that it was time to “slow down a little” — or so he thought — Stai began his venture into the wine industry.

“The winery has its origins in a lot of unfortunate drinking and decisions made in regards to starting a winery and thinking it would be a nice relaxing thing to do.

It’s been anything but that,” joked Stai. “It’s been a ride.”

It’s been several years since Stai made the plunge to found his own winery, a process which began in 2001. With his first vintage created in 2002, Stai came across the property that houses the unique twisted oak tree and he decided to plant his roots there just outside of downtown Murphys in the town of Vallecito in 2004.

Intentionally located off the main drag, Stai wanted to offer wine tasters a unique experience that more closely resembles an adventure than an average wine tasting experience.

“When we were visiting wineries and just having fun some of the wineries we liked the best for the experience were the ones where there was a journey involved.

Maybe you had to go in on a dirt road or it was little farther out than some of the other wineries but usually you found something special out there,” said Stai.

Well, special is what guests will find at Twisted Oak Winery as the dirty, gravelly, twisted road that winds past vineyards to lead to Twisted Oak Winery is embellished with signs and rubber chickens. Hanging from branches and nestled in tree hol-

lows amongst comedic road sings, the rubber chicken has become a signature of Twisted Oak Winery and represents, well, nothing more than what Stai calls the winery’s vibe.

“On our very first bottle of wine we sold we wrote on the back ‘Enjoy this with a bunch of friends and a rubber chicken… People said ‘I’ve got the wine now but where do I get the rubber chicken?’” said Stai. “We needed chickens. So now we have lots of rubber chickens.”

But where did the idea come from?

“My brain,” shrugged Stai.

Stai’s lighthearted approach to wine making is evident not only in the winery’s gift shop — where tasters can walk away with their bottle of wine and, of course, their rubber chicken — but is reflected in the bottles’ labels as well, many of which quote classic movies.

One of Twisted Oak’s most well known wines is a nod towards the Calaveras County’s river El Rio de las Calaveras, which when translated from Spanish to English means River of Skulls. Composed of the locally sourced Mourvedre and Monstrell varietals in the Calaveras County, the River of Skulls bottle bears a label with this name and a unique image of a skull designed by Stai’s younger son, a nod towards to family operation that supports Twisted Oak. “That paid off a phone bill,” said Stai jokingly.

Twisted Oak specializes in Mediterranean varieties and offers wine drinkers a multitude of wines the majority of which are blends of varieties that originated in the South of France, Spain, and Portugal. Locally sourcing from nearby vineyards, Twisted Oak Winery’s unique blends set them apart in the industry and often attract those with a more adventurous palate.

209MAGAZINE

Twisted Oak Winery owner Jeff Stai displays one his whimsical wine labels.

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feature

Twisted Oak owner Jeff Stai has some fun with the winery’s mascot rubber chicken, a joke put on one of the winery’s first labels that has carried on through the years.

“We’re trying to make wines that reflect the character of the area.”

— Jeff Stai “We don’t make zinfandel. We don’t make chardonnay. We don’t make cabernet. There’s a lot of wineries that do that but we decided, let’s take a look at what does really well up here and run with it,” said Stai.

Stai’s exploratory attitude has served Twisted Oak well as those who enter the tasting room on the property are greeted with hundreds of awards and ribbons decorating the doorway, an ode to the winery’s success in an already competitive industry.

“We’re trying to make wines that reflect the character of the area and grow really well in the area and I think that’s reflected in the awards,” said Stai.

While the awards are plenty and the labels are funny, at the end of the day the most important factor is that the wine tastes good, which it does — especially when enjoyed with a rubber chicken. ■

PHOTOS BY KRISTINA HACKER/ 209Magazine

Stai and his rubber chicken tribute to the famous Calaveras County jumping frog.

TWISTED FOLK SUMMER CONCERT All Twisted Folk concerts take place at the winery, 4280 Red Hill Road at Hwy 4, Vallecito.

Advance tickets are only $25 and can be purchased online at twistedoak.com. Tickets will be available the day of the concert, if not sold out, for $30 each. Concertgoers will be admitted starting at 6:30 p.m. and the show starts at 7:45 pm. Admission is $10 for children under 12. All proceeds from children’s ticket sales will be donated to support music education in Calaveras County.

Seating is “festival style” — first come first served — but all seats are good! Bring your own low back “beach” chairs and blankets.

Coming up: Aug. 23 — John Jorgenson Quintet Music virtuoso John Jorgenson, known for his blistering guitar licks and mastery of a broad musical palette, has

earned a reputation as a world-class musician and guitarist who has collaborated with the likes of Elton John, Luciano Pavarotti, Bonnie Raitt and Bob Dylan. In addition to acoustic and electric guitars, he is also regularly featured on the saxophone, clarinet, bouzouki, pedal steel, mandolin, vocals and has garnered recognition for contributing to numerous platinum-selling and GRAMMY-winning albums.

Currently touring as the John Jorgenson Quintet, Jorgenson creates a unique musical experience that equally enthralls the most discerning and the casual music fan.

The group’s style has been called “gypsy jazz” after the dynamic string-driven swing created by Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli in 1930s Paris, but Jorgenson’s compositions draw in elements from Latin, Romanian, Classical, Rock and Greek music, so “21st Century World Music” is perhaps a more apt description.

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feature

Get a taste of

Downtown Lodi

locally made world class wine

PHOTOS BY ALISA HUTSELL

By MELISSA HUTSELL

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T

ake a stroll through downtown Lodi, and you will quickly notice that you have stepped into a winelovers paradise. The romantic city is at the center of the region’s wine country. Quaint and rustic, Lodi and its top-notch tasting rooms and award-winning wineries that line either side of the main streets, make the city one of the Central Valley’s main attractions.

Although the city first claimed recognition after the Creedence Clearwater Revival 1969 song, titled “Lodi,” and being the birthplace of A&W Root beer, it is now rapidly gaining attention for its wines, joining internationally renowned Napa Valley and Sonoma County as Californian wine stars. Lodi is recognized by several wine enthusiast publications and organizations, and claims the title of the Zinfandel Capital of the World.

But the small Central Valley city offers much more than just that. The area is home to more than 70 different wineries, from award winning reds to recognizable whites and everything in between.

For a taste of what the region has to offer, take a stroll through Downtown Lodi and choose from a selection of nearly 200 different wines, most made locally, at the city’s more than 40 tasting rooms. The romantic scenery and variety of locations offers a chance to explore a variety of tastes and specialties within walking distance.

Each tasting experience offers a distinctive experience, from the different types of wine and pairings, to the food, atmosphere and ambiance. Each winery and tasting room carriers a special selection of brands, individual to them, giving visitors and locals a seemingly endless supply of options.

“You can’t get everywhere in one weekend,” says Joe Majarro, local and costumer at Cellar Door, one of the downtown tasting galleries along N. School Street. “You have got to come back. All [wineries] are slightly different,” Majarro adds as he sips on his favorite Lodi Wine, Bokisch Vineyard’s Garnacha – gold and silver medalists from the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Festival.

To him, downtown Lodi is fantastic for its eclectic variety of tasting rooms and shops, and the opportunity to socialize with those who make the products.

This diversity makes Lodi so attractive to wine tasters and makers.

“Most wines are different here,” says Jeremy Trettevik, owner of Jeremy Wine Co., who serves/makes primarily Italian and Spanish wines. With so many different selections, it is hard to pick a favorite. “Choosing a favorite wine is like choosing a favorite kid,” says Trettevik. CONTINUED ON PAGE 48 

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feature

While it may be impossible to compare the different brands, there is guaranteed to be something to satisfying everyone’s tastes.

In addition to a huge selection of wines, Lodi also offers visitor a chance to get to know the passionate wine-makers themselves. Generations of family grape growers and wine-masters are rooted into the region, making the wine so exquisite. Experience their enthusiasm for their products as you get to know them and their wines.

Downtown Lodi’s tasting rooms also provide diversity in ambiance and atmospheres. While all are relaxing and inviting, visitors can choose between indoor or outdoor seating while being served the finest food, pairings, bakery items and brands. Step inside The Dancing Fox and taste award-winning wines made from Lewis Family Estate Vineyards in Lodi, or enjoy full course meals, impeccable breads, pastries and desserts. Visit Wine Social for a laid back and relaxing environment and mouth watering pairings such as a chocolate plate and chilled wine in a bucket as you enjoy the cool indoors or patio seating. But don’t stop you there; get more tastes of Lodi at one of the 14 downtown locations including One Way Winery, Riaza, Toasted Toad Cellars, or Vinedos Aurora, among others.

Whether you are in the mood for a day trip or searching for the perfect locally made glass of wine, Lodi has it all. But, it is more than great wine. The region offers an abundance of fresh agriculture, making for perfect pairings such as olive oil. While hopping between tasting rooms, visit the collection of shops and antiques along the way, and truly relish all this regions has to offer. ■

Contact

LOCATION: CENTER AT 2545 W. TURNER ROAD, LODI CONTACTS: 209.365.0621 FOR MORE INFORMATION: INCLUDING A COMPLETE LISTING OF WINERIES AND TASTING ROOMS, VISIT LODIWINE.COM OR THE LODI WINE AND VISITORS.

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feature

The Petite Syrah The Petite Syrah grapes line one side of the winery and in the back are Cabernet Sauvignon grapes that are all handpicked for the wines that are bottled for consumption.

ABUNDANCE

VINEYARDS offers wine and fun

By VIRGINIA STILL

A

bundance Vineyards has been at its 1150 West Turner Rd. in Lodi location approximately eight years.

Previously the winery was in Sonoma and also at another location in Lodi, so the winery itself has been in business for many years.

There are Petite Syrah and Cabernet grapes that surround the property. The grapes are all handpicked for the wines that they serve at Abundance. The vineyard is family owned by Dino and Ron Mencarini and consists of about 400 acres.

They offer whites, reds, and sparkling wines. One of the most popular wines is the Bountiful Blanc which is a Symphony and Sauvignon Blanc blend that won double gold a few years ago at the State Fair. Elegante is a dry rosé, while they also serve up a Cabernet, a Merlot, Abundantly Rich Red – which is an Old Vine

Zinfandel, Syrah, Petite Syrah, and a Carignane blend, which is also a best seller at the winery.

Cara Slater, Tasting Room Manager, explained that the Carignane, Zinfandel, Abundantly Rich Red, and the Bountiful Blanc are favorites of the people.

At the winery you can find four flavors of sparkling wines, Brut, Raspberry, Almond and Peach.

Bacio Dolce, which means sweet kiss in Italian, is a dessert wine they offer and currently the 2009 is in the process of being labeled and a 2012 Zinfandel will be released this year as well.

“That is why a lot of people like to come here because we have a nice variety of wines,” said Slater.

“So there are options for people.”

They offer a non-vintage Zinfandel called, Rockets’ Red Glare that was originally released at a Veteran’s Day luncheon in 2010 at the winery and with every bottle 209MAGAZINE

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sold $2 will be donated to the Fisher House.

The Fisher House is a facility that is specifically for families of military service members and veterans that need a place to stay while their children, spouses, parents are undergoing surgery, rehabilitation or treatments.

Abundance does traditional wine making, crushing, stemming, filtering, and fermenting in oak barrels and French oak barrels.

Currently they have a summer music series at the Vineyard that began in May and will continue through September. They have a live band that will perform outdoors every other weekend from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., at a cost of $5 for non-wine club members. The bands in the line-up will consist of Reggae, Country, Classic Rock and others. The full list of events is on the website www.abundancevineyards.com or their Facebook page.

Jim Yerkes, the winemaker at Abundance Vineyards, had bottled some wine from the barrel and was transferring the rest of the wine into air tight containers during a recent workday.

PHOTO BY VIRGINIA STILL/209 Magazine

A food truck will be on hand at the events, available for guests to enjoy or people are allowed to bring in their own food for the concerts. However, guests are asked not to bring in any alcohol. Alcohol can be purchased at the winery.

Other events held at the winery include weddings, bridal showers, baby showers, birthday parties, and people can rent the barrel room as well.

Shawna Ahlbach, Chief Financial Officer, explained that the Mencarini family’s philosophy is making good quality wine for the average person so everyday people can buy it and be able to drink good quality wine.

“Depending on what your palate is, you will be happy,” said Ahlbach. “We can find something that will suit you.”

It also is very much a family operation, said Slater.

According to Ahlbach the winery is family friendly and they have an outdoor courtyard with a fire pit and a brick pizza oven.

The wines are distributed throughout San Joaquin County and in several retail stores in the area.

The tasting room is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the wines are available for purchase; check their website and call 209-334-0274 for more information. ■

Winemaker Welcome.

The Bountiful Blanc offered

by Abundance Vineyards is a Symphony and Sauvignon Blanc blend that has won double gold at the State Fair and is a very popular selection with wine enthusiasts.

Shawna Ahlbach, left, Chief Financial Officer and Cara Slater, Tasting Room Manager at Abundance Vineyards welcome everyone to join them for a tasting adventure where the Vineyards are family friendly.

PHOTO BY VIRGINIA STILL/209 Magazine

The Bountiful Blanc 209MAGAZINE

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feature

“We truly are a full-service custom crush winery, everything is made here.”

—Rudy Gnekow

PHOTOS BY VIRGINIA STILL/209 Magazine

Rudy Gnekow, owner, has been serving up wine since 1996 and has made many strides throughout the years, winning several medals for wines created at the winery.

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GNEKOW WINERY REGION’S CUSTOM CRUSH FACILITY

By VIRGINIA STILL

I

n a rural area southeast of Stockton, brothers Rudy and Sean Gnekow are working to make their mark.

Gnekow Winery is at 17347 E. Gawne Rd., and the brothers purchased it in 1996. The winery is a 20-acre parcel with Zinfandel grapes surrounding the property and another 30 acres of Syrah grapes in nearby Oakdale. The other varietals are purchased from the Lodi region like the Merlots and the Cabernets.

The wines are sold in 32 states and the winery has the ability to produce approximately 400,000 gallons of wine, which according to Rudy, translates to about 200,000 cases.

“So we are a custom crush facility, meaning that we do our own label and we do labels for other people, as well,” he said. “So we can crush their grapes, store their grapes and then we have our own bottling line so that we can also package the juice and give them a finished product.

“We truly are a full-service custom crush winery, everything is made here.”

For the past 18 years the brothers have learned about the wine industry and have been functioning ever since the start in 1996. Barry Gnekow, the brothers’ cousin, had winery knowledge and for the first few years shared that with the brothers as they started to learn the ropes.

In the cellar at the winery there are about 2,000 barrels and dependent on the owner of the wine, that will determine the time that the wine will sit in the barrel.

They also have various size tanks for the wine so they can isolate an individual’s product no matter how big or small the vineyard may be. Once the individual is ready to bottle it the winery has the ability to do so.

Harvest is on the horizon so the wine production will continue at Gnekow Winery.

The primary brand that Gnekow carries is Campus Oaks which comes in several varieties like Old Vine Zinfandel, a gold medal winner and a best seller.

“We were one of only three California wines that made Wine Spectator’s global value red list,” expressed Rudy. “So out of the world only three wines made it and we were one of them.”

Campus Oaks also has a Cabernet and a Chardonnay that are the next two most popular wines after 209MAGAZINE

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the Old Vine Zin that are made at Gnekow. They also make a Merlot, Syrah, Pinot Grigio, White Zin, and a Petite Syrah.

The winery also produces an upper tier line called Chateau Meroux that is made with a wine grape that comes out of Napa Valley.

They offer five flavors of sparkling wine in white, peach, almond, raspberry, and pomegranate. Almond sparkling wine is favored out of all the flavors and has become very popular, explained Rudy.

The winery also has a wine club and they do have specials for their members as well as hosting different events.

The wine shop has a variety of items for the person that enjoys wine or gifts for that special someone.

“So people that live out in this community, we can save them from having to drive all the way into Stockton or Modesto for a simple gift,” said Rudy.

Campus Oaks and other Gnekow winery brands can be found at the local Costco, Safeway, Raley’s, Smart Foods, Food for Less, several restaurants and other retail shops.

Their product is available on the website at www. gnekowwinery.com as well as on Amazon.com and the tasting room is open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. ■

At the Los Angeles International Wine Competition, Gnekow’s Campus Oaks Old Vine Zinfandel was a gold medal winner and is the winery’s best seller among a few other wines that received silver and bronze medals.

AUG/SEP 2014

feature

settles in to new location

By VIRGINIA STILL

m2

PHOTOS BY VIRGINIA STILL/ 209Magazine

Layne Montgomery, owner and winemaker, is in the barrel room of his new facility where they will process several varietals this harvest.

Wines has relocated to a new facility, 2900 Peltier Rd., Acampo, as of January 2014 and owner/winemaker, Layne Montgomery explained that they outgrew the old building on East Turner Road and had an opportunity at a new location, so they took it.

There is something unique about the new m2 facility which has Montgomery’s concept of giving visitors and wine club members an indoor, outdoor vineyard tasting experience. The architect constructed the tasting room so that all the panels slide open so the room can be fully open.

The outdoor landscaping has not been completed and a couple different varieties of grapes will be planted in the three acres between the parking lot and the tasting room. The property is still under development and the front of it will be Phase I. Phase II will be finishing the remainder of the property, with the overall goal to present a seamless transition between indoors and out.

“It will be a little more scenic,” said Montgomery of when the phases are complete. “The architect elevated the concept and it is really a cool looking building.”

With over 1,000 wine club members, Montgomery wanted a nice place for people to enjoy tasting m2 Wines.

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“It has been busy on Saturdays, we will have 300 to 400 people going through here, it’s incredible,” expressed Montgomery. “And it’s not just local regional folks, we are getting people from all over the country, and that’s happening all across Lodi, so it’s not just us.”

Montgomery started his wine career as a hobby in 1999 making wine in his home in Sacramento, with his first 30 gallon barrel of wine produced in the fall of 1999. After the first barrel, Montgomery met his original partner and the idea of a commercial winery began.

“As time went on the original business partner quit, we bought him out and other partners came in and my first commercial vintage we did 750 cases of 2004 Vintage Wines,” said Montgomery.

So far this year, he added, they have “bottled about 3,800 cases of 2012 reds and 2013 whites.”

“I never expected anything like this (new facility),” admitted Montgomery.

“We didn’t think much beyond just the next vintage.”

Since being in the wine business, Montgomery has taken several classes and attended several seminars in making wine.

The grapes are sourced from the same vineyards that they have been

using since they started like Soucie Vineyard Zinfandel in Lodi that was planted in 1916. The Cabernet is from a vineyard in El Dorado County that they have been using since 2001 and the Syrah from a vineyard in Amador County that they have been using since 2002 or 2003.

Harvest will start in late August and can possibly continue through late October.

All the processing will be done at the new facility where they will do all the traditional wine making methods enhanced with current scientific research and technology.

At m2 Winery some of the varieties you will find are a white wine, Viognier, Old Vine Zinfandel, which is one of their biggest sellers, Select Block is red blend, Trio is a blend of a cabernet, Syrah, and zinfandel, and Tormenta is a tempranillo.

m2 Wines along with six other wineries have also collaborated on a project called Lodi Native.

“We came up with this whole set of winemaking protocols of pretty much minimal intervention with the purpose of letting the grapes, the vineyard, the patch of dirt where those grapes were grown speak in the wine rather than doing our own style,” stated Montgomery. “It is a really interesting thing and all six wineries are quite the fun group when we are all together.”

The wines can be purchased at several retail stores like Costco in Lodi and Folsom, Rinaldi’s Market, and several restaurants in the area.

The tasting room is open from Thursday to Monday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and also by appointment. ■

Contact FOR MORE INFORMATION: VIST WWW.M2WINES.COM CALL 209.339.1071

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feature

A TRUE FAMILY OF WINES

Manteca-based Delicato markets 12 wine brands

By DENNIS WYATT

F

Even today, you might still be a bit hard pressed to find a “Delicato” label but you won’t have that tough of a time finding the family wine.

inding a bottle of Delicato wine on the shelf even in Manteca stores and restaurants 15 years ago wasn’t an easy thing to do.

It didn’t matter that the family owned and operated Manteca winery stayed true to roots planted in 1924 by Silcian immigrant Gaspare Indelicato or that it ranks as the sixth largest winery in the United States.

Even today, you might still be a bit hard pressed to find a “Delicato” label but you won’t have that tough of a time finding the family wine. It’s everywhere: Gnarly Head.

Twisted. Noble Vines. Bota Box. HandCraft Artsian Collection. Irony. Black Stallion.

Brazin. Domino. Massimo. Fog Head. Frusion Wine.

The premium portfolio brands are bottled and marketed as Delicato Family Vineyards or DFV Wines. You’ll find DFV Wine marked on all of the bottles.

Delicato wines — even before the family aggressively repositioned itself by offering a wide array of brands and set up their international marketing office in the heart of the Napa Valley — was a smash hit in parts of Europe. Delicato Wines controls 80 percent of the California wine market in Sweden and has beat locally grown wine in competitions in the storied wine regions France and Italy.

The family’s focus has gone from two brands in 2000 to 12 brands today.

Gaspare Indelicato planted his first vines in 1924. The first vintage was in 1935 and generated 3,500 barrels. This fall marks the Indelicato family’s 78th harvest.

That initial vineyard — which still produces — planted the seed for one of California’s largest vineyard empires.

It now includes the fabled San Bernabe Vineyards. Its 11,000 acres that stretch for nine miles in Monterey. It is the world’s most diverse and largest single-owned vineyard.

There are 110 distinct vineyard blocks farmed individually featuring 20 different grape varietals that flourish in a series of

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micro climates that start with near sea-level, often fog-enshrouded vineyards and work their way up hills to elevations gaining just under 2,000 feet.

Among the Monterey vineyards comes Pinor Noir, Riesling and Chardonnay.

The other major family vineyard is Clay Station Vineyards, some 1,250 acres on the valley’s edge and in the Sierra foothills east of Lodi. The rich, red clay with stone “cobbles” is considered ideal for drainage critical to sweetening the fruit. There are six varietals in the classic Mediterranean climate featuring sunny dry summers and cooling nighttime breezes from the Delta.

DFV Wines also focuses on securing Napa’s varietals as well as accessing grapes from their “ultra-premium regions” —Russian River Valley and Dry Creek Valley in Sonoma County.

The Manteca winery established in 1935 has a crushing capacity of 140,000 tons, storage capacity of 42 million gallons, and a warehouse capacity for 600,000 cases. The winery bottles 3 million cases annually.

Some 230 of DFV Wines’ 350 year-round employees work in Manteca. They also have another 350 seasonal employees.

DFW Wines has one of the top “winery to winery” services in the United States.

They serve the top 30 largest premium wine companies. Their services include exclusive brand development, new product development, buyers own label custom blends, and overseas packaging services.

That portion of the business — credited with establishing Delicato Vineyards as a “winemaker’s winemaker” was the handiwork of Gaspare’s three sons — Vincent, Frank and Anthony.

The third generation — Chris, Jay, Cheryl, Frank Jr., Claude, Mike and Marie — get credit for developing the branded wine business, and establishing a global market for DFV Wines. ■

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DFV Winemaking Team

DFV Winemaker James Ewart

The family’s focus has gone from two brands in 2000 to 12 brands today.

IF YOU GO The family tasting room at the Manteca winery is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. It is located at Highway 99 and French Camp Road north of Manteca. Call (209) 824-3500 for more information.

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feature

‘Whenever the door is open, come on in,’ says Mark Lucchesi of Lucca Winery

By MELISSA HUTSELL

M

PHOTOS BY ALISA HUTSELL

ark Lucchesi turned a family pastime and passion for wine making into one of the area’s most inviting local gems.

Lucca Winery, located in Ripon, is a product of more than three generations of handcrafted Central Valley wine makers, and the only small family-owned winery of its kind in town.

“I grew up making homemade wine,” says Lucchesi, who remembers making it with his father on their family farm in Oakley, Calif. Lucchesi’s grandfather emigrated from Italy to the Delta region where he bought land and planted grapes, almonds and apricots. After each harvest, the Lucchesis would make their own wine from the remaining grapes. The Lucchesi Family Farm has since expanded to include more than 400 acres of vines, and provides Lucca Winery with the selection of Rhône grapes for red varietals such as Syrah, Petite Sirah, Grenache, Carignane, and Mourvèdre.

Mark has since brought his family’s tradition from Oakley to Ripon. After years of making small batches to share with friends and family, and experimenting with different blends, Lucchesi officially established his winery in 2011. He describes the winery as a retirement career, crafting the types of wine he has always enjoyed.

“The community has been very supportive,” he adds, “people are excited.”

Friends and family who share the passion in the process help to run the winery, which got its name from the region of Italy where the Lucchesi family traces its roots.

“The word is just getting around,” he says.

As you drive down a gravel driveway lined with peach and almond trees, the family dog, Lucy, greets visitors. The tasting room is located just a few yards away from the family home, where they sometimes host weddings and events for close friends. The wine-tasting experience at Lucca Winery offers its guests a chance to get to know Lucchesi, ask questions, and most importantly,

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have fun as they relax in a charming and refreshingly cool cellar decorated by wine barrels.

The selections at Lucca Winery are for those with a taste for dry/bitter red wines, rich with Tannin, and high in alcohol content. However, he recently released a Sauvignon Blanc, described as silky and slightly toasted. Old Vine Mourvèdre is Lucchesi’s personal favorite, which he and his guests describe as being very drinkable with anything from meat to sweets.

Lucchesi says what makes his wine so soft and smooth is the grapes he uses.

“Wine is a character of the grapes you make it with,” he adds, “you can make [bad] wine with good grapes, but you can’t make good wine from bad grapes.”

Although making wine is rooted in the Lucchesi family, Mark does not consider himself a chemist or a snob. He prides himself in the accessibility of his business; his laid back attitude is genuine and enjoyable.

“We have a lot of fun here,” says Lucchesi, “whenever the door is open, come on in.” ■

FIND LUCCA WINERY PRODUCTS AT

O’Brien’s Market on Dale Road in Modesto, or by visiting the website to order or make a wine-tasting appointment.

PAIRING

Try the 100% Old Vine Mourvèdre – an earthy and deep red wine – pair with braised short ribs, steak or even chocolate.

RHÔNE GRAPE VARIETIES USED IN LUCCA WINES

These types of grapes are typically grown in the Southern region of France near the Rhône River. It is also one of the most commonly grown grapes in California.

• Syrah: Smokey aroma with flavors of blueberries, blackberry and full of body and substantial • Petite Sirah: A cross between Peloursin and Syrah grapes, deep in color and Tannins.

• Grenache: The lush texture creates aromas of licorice, red fruits and black pepper.

• Carignane: Old Vineyard grapes high in acidity, color and Tannin.

• Mourvèdre: Chocolate, leathery and earthly flavors of plum and spice.

LUCCA WINERY TASTING MENU 2011 Grande Red Wine 2011 Carignane 2011 Sangiovese 2011 Zinfandel 2011 Vite Vecchia Zinfandel 2011 GMS 2011 Mourverde 2011 Petite Sirah-Zinfandel

Bottles range from $14 - $20. Discounts are available for bulk orders.

Lucca Winery owner Mark Lucchesi

Contact Info: 16265 E. River Rd, Ripon, CA 95366

209.761.5553

LuccaWinery.com

LuccaWinery@gmail.com

For a complete tasting menu, and to schedule and appointment, contact Mark Lucchesi For upcoming Fall events such as open houses and tasting events, join the mailing list or visit the website.

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bookreview

From lawyer to author No objections

By MARG JACKSON

Author Michelle A.B. McKenzie, who lives in the rural area between Oakdale and Escalon, has her beaver hat and stuffed animal to help illustrate her tale, Beavers’ Big Problem.

M

Shown in her legal days, attorneyturned-author Michelle A.B. McKenzie spent more than a decade practicing law before becoming a full-time mom and writer.

ichelle A.B. McKenzie used to spend time behind a desk and in the courtroom, writing legal briefs and arguing points of law on behalf of her clients.

Now she sits behind a desk, or under an oak tree, even on her couch at home – still writing – but writing something she believes is much more interesting than a legal opinion.

The attorney-turned-author, who lives in the rural area between Oakdale and Escalon, has published two books for children, with a focus on introducing as many fun and unique words as possible within the context of the story.

“It is something I had always wanted to do,” she admitted of writing books for children.

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that, eventually leaving the law firm to be a full-time mom and, as it turned out, author as well.

McKenzie had “dreamed up” several “silly stories” over the years, she said, and was inspired to do something with them after becoming a volunteer in her son’s classroom at Valley Home School once he started school.

“I am an attorney so that’s kind of boring, right? I had written them (stories), I enjoyed sitting down and dreaming up a silly story, then I got motivated to send my stories off to a publisher,” McKenzie explained of interacting with her son’s classmates. “I became kind of fascinated with children, how they learn to read.”

She also wanted to make sure they were both entertained and educated by reading, so she set out to write books that fit the bill, with plenty of vocabulary words to introduce to

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young readers.

Her first book, Beavers’ Big Problem, focuses on the trouble at an ice cream factory when the clopzip breaks on the main gizmo and threatens to shut down the operation.

“There is a family of characters in the book,” McKenzie shared, adding that she made up the word clopzip as the troublesome part of the machinery because she liked the different phonic sounds.

Liking the word and saying it, however, were two different things.

“I didn’t realize how difficult it was to say clopzip until I started reading the book out loud to children,” she said, chuckling.

A major theme of the book is finding a way to fix a problem, with teamwork also a part of the package.

Similarly, Beavers’ Big Discovery finds her family of critters in Far Away Land excited for the upcoming Great Rodent Festival, then having to work together to make sure it actually happens when a burglary could end up forcing a cancellation of the festivities.

Writing, especially for children, is a way for McKenzie to share her passion for literacy and she will return this fall to the Great Valley Bookfest, where she will have her books for sale. Date for this year’s Bookfest is Oct. 18, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Orchard Valley Shopping Center in Manteca.

“This will be my third year, I really enjoy it,” McKenzie said of participating in the event. “You get to meet and interact with a lot of the other authors and what I like best about it is it is a place where people that love books come, they are coming specifically for the books.”

Her books are also for sale at Yesterday’s Books in Modesto, Vineyard Pharmacy in Escalon, Bucksworth Western Wear and Raley’s Supermarket, both in Oakdale, as well as at many online locations.

Her online presence at her website, sillycritterstories.

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com, also offers up a wide variety of fun and educational activities for kids based on her books. There are word searches, printable puzzles and coloring pages, even fun facts about beavers, the stars of her stories.

In her previous career as an attorney, McKenzie was with the firm of Damrell Nelson Schrimp Pallios, Pacher & Silva, and worked for them for 12 years. The bulk of her time was spent in civil litigation, but she also did equine law, focused on horse-related disputes, injuries and business litigation.

Two very different careers, McKenzie said, but she noted both are ultimately rewarding in their own way.

She has some other “silly stories” that could also turn in to books in the future, but right now she is busy with her volunteer work as president of the Escalon Friends of the Library, being a full-time mom to her now 10-year-old son and enjoying watching him pursue his passion – art.

The young artist has already entered and won some competitions, so creativity definitely runs in the family.

McKenzie does know that if she authors another book, she will stick to the same basic formula, make it fun and full of words to keep her young readers engaged.

“That’s one of the biggest challenges, you want them to read but they might not be interested in those books or they may not be entertained,” she said. “That, to me, is the ultimate goal: to teach kids to read, and get them to keep reading.” ■

Getting ready to share one of her books, author Michelle A.B. McKenzie will return to the Great Valley Bookfest, scheduled this October in Manteca.

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placedcalledhome

Nature’s energy Save money with solar S ince opening their doors in 2013, Oakdale’s Green Envi Solar Energy has been a leader in the solar business all over the 209 area.

Green Envi Solar Energy began with the vision of two people, Jason Kerr and Brady Gurr.

“Brady was the Vice President of Installations. He has 10 years of experience and has a lot of knowledge of the business. Myself, I was a manager of a larger company overseeing commercial projects primarily on the east coast,” shared Kerr. “Usually I would go from Boston, Massachusetts to Washington, D.C. One day I realized that I can be doing this for my hometown, plus I could be closer to my family. So we decided to go all in.”

With 12 people total in the local company, including Kerr’s three brothers, Green Envi Solar Energy has been a tightly run, success-

ful business.

“We pride ourselves on quality work for our community and surrounding areas. These are our neighbors, our friends and our clients and we believe that the best thing we can do for them is be honest, loyal and provide them with the best customer service possible,” Kerr proudly explained.

Solar energy is emerging as a top priority in America’s efforts to “Stay Green.” It has many benefits for customers as well. These benefits include lowering your utility bills drastically, eligibility for a federal tax credit, utility rebates and other state incentives, just for making the switch.

Many questions that people have about solar energy include: How do I get started?

How much will this cost me to start? Is it an eyesore on my house or my neighbors? What happens if it breaks? How often do I have to

Green Envi Solar Energy of Oakdale has been serving the 209 area for just over a year, but has made a large impact in that short amount of time. Pictured are brothers Jared and Paul Kerr installing solar panels on an area home. Jared and Paul’s brother, Jason, is a co-founder of Green Envi Solar Energy along with longtime friend, Brady Gurr.

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By DENNIS D. CRUZ

pay my bill?

All of these questions are gladly answered by Kerr.

“The best way to get started is to call. Estimates are always free and we go out to your house and evaluate your roof. We also look at your utility bills over the past year. This is to see how much electricity your family uses over the course of the year, so we can accurately size a system and determine how much of a savings to expect,” Kerr said of the process. “This all goes back to us catering to our customers’ needs and being honest and upfront with them. As far as it being an eyesore, it is placed on the roof and it is out of sight, out of mind.

“Most solar companies offer a standard 10-year warranty with the inverter. We provide a 25-year warranty on our work, which includes normal wear and tear, and covers the equipment in full.”

And unlike a monthly utility bill, Green Envi solar comes with a variety of financing options, and typically can be started with no money out of pocket. You still maintain contact with your current electric provider, but any solar power generated above your usage will prompt your electric meter to spin backwards, your excess energy going back to the grid, resulting in cost savings.

“I tell everyone that if you can afford your current utility bill, you can afford solar energy,” Kerr said.

For more information, contact Green Envi Solar Energy by phone at 1-866-903-9737 ext. 103 or check out their website at greenenvisolar.com. ■

209MAGAZINE

The average turnaround time for most solar companies to complete the sale and installation is typically 24 weeks, whereas Green Envi Solar Energy takes only eight to 10 total weeks from point of sale, and has the installation completed in two to three days.

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placecalledhome

Sonora firm offers Rock On in the 209

By DENNIS D. CRUZ Sonora’s Rock On has you “covered.” Don Smith’s Rock On Propane Tank Covers are a discreet way to cover your propane tank and make your lawn look more appealing.

I

f you live in a home that has a propane tank, odds are that the tank is bulky, chipped, dangerous and a complete eyesore. Many propane tank owners wish they could hide them, make them blend in to the surrounding landscape or cover them up completely.

Your prayers have now been answered thanks to Rock On Propane Tank Covers.

In 2005, Don Smith, founder and CEO of Rock On Propane Tank Covers, began to think about how to make a safe, decorative product that would cover a propane tank. Like many ideas, Smith went through multiple trials and tribulations before perfecting it in 2011. His vision came to life and it was an immediate success, with his business office now in Sonora.

“Our product skyrocketed and we are proudly displayed in 13 states nationwide, and we recently signed a deal with Canada,” said Smith.

The design is a decorative ‘rock’ that covers the tank.

It is a discreet cover up that makes your landscaping look complete. The covers feature a natural stone look that includes a child proof lid but allows easy access to the tank. The product is fire resistant, is built to last for 40-plus years and can hold up to 117 pounds of snow pressure per square foot during the winter, should you live in an area that is prone to snowfall.

Rock On is also a great way to shrink your bill, too. When it is hot outside, Smith explained, an

unprotected propane tank will start to heat up from the blistering sun, causing the propane to expand through the release valve, ultimately resulting in loss of propane and costing you more money. With the Rock On cover, it shades the tank and keeps the temperature down.

According to Smith, many of his clientele have found other uses for the cover as well.

“People have gotten creative with them. They use it as a play structure for their kids; they place it on their lawns just for decoration and some have used it as a house for their dogs by cutting out a door for them, of course.”

Rock On offers covers for everything from 500-gallon tanks on down. The Model 107, for example, is one of the smallest, a five pound cover that is used for small wells, septic pipes, pressure vacuum breakers and outdoor electrical outlets.

The various sizes of Rock On covers come in four different color varieties, to help tailor it to your specific needs. Products are offered in AutumnBluff, Fieldstone, Riverbed and Sandstone colors. Costs vary, depending on size.

For more information on the Rock On Propane Tank Cover or to purchase yours today, log on to their website at propanetankcovers.com or stop by their location at 19959 Villa Dr., in Sonora. They can also be reached via phone at (209) 743-0451. ■

“Our product skyrocketed and we are proudly displayed in 13 states nationwide, and we recently signed a deal with Canada.”

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placecalledhome

WINE STORAGE

DEAS

L

iving not far from some of California’s best wineries in the Central Valley can present a problem – if you want to call it that – for storing those bold reds, voluptuous whites and sparkling wines.

Another concern with wine storage is whether or not oversize bottles will fit within your set up due to oversized magnums and if a certain someone loves champagne in the household.

Whether you have the space for a full wine cellar or your own “wine room” or just a tiny spare unused space under your stairs, the ideas are limitless on how to store your hard earned collection. There are ways to combine your wine storage with interior design and bring your love of wine to life inside your home.

By RICHARD PALOMA

sure, however, to keep your bottles shielded from sunlight, heat, and large temperature variations. The kitchen is probably not the place to put such a rack as well as a wall across from a sunlit window.

A well placed wine rack can feature high-reveal display rows for showcasing your fine wines.

Vertical racks are the most common design. As with any wall-mounted product, the end-user will need to understand what type of walls are suited for the specific rack and use the proper mounting equipment for plasterboard, concrete, brick, stone, etc.

Overhead racks are an artistic additive and serve well to anyone who wants to enhance the appearance and functionality of their wet bar.

Stackable wine racks are the perfect solution for a growing wine collection. They are easy to come by in a variety of styles and allow for adding the right number of rows for the space allowed, to give a professional appearance for the storage of your bottles.

Before getting started, ask yourself a few questions to help determine your best course of action: 1. How much wine do you have and do you plan to have? Do you need space for just 15 bottles, or for 1,000?

2. What are your drinking vs. storing plans? Do you only buy wine to drink right away, or do you have, or plan to have, bottles that need to age for years?

3. Do you drink just whites or just reds – or a combination?

4. What’s your home like?

Refrigerated Wine Cabinets Refrigerated wine cabinets can also show off a prized wine collection while keeping bottles stored at their proper temperatures. Many have multi-level storage racks that keep wines organized and ready to pour.

Two or more wine cabinets can be combined to create an impressive and functional wine wall.

Many of the wine compartments in these cabinets vary in size to accommodate any personal selection and variety of wines. Cabinets also provide the opportunity to set the ideal temperature for storing quantities of wine over the longer term.

Wine Racks Wall-mounted wine racks are the most common and ideal for those with limited floor space. Make 209MAGAZINE

TO MEET YOUR HOME NEEDS

CONTINUED ON PAGE 70 

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THERE ARE WAYS TO COMBINE YOUR WINE STORAGE WITH INTERIOR DESIGN AND BRING YOUR LOVE OF WINE TO LIFE INSIDE YOUR HOME.

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placecalledhome

Wine Closet With the soaring popularity of wine and collecting, wine storage options have opened up, such as converting existing closet space into a quality wine cellar. Okay, you probably won’t be able to control the temperature of the bottles, so let’s call it a wine storage area.

There are many options for the shelves and racks. If you are building custom shelves, remember to consider the size of bottles that you may collect one day, including an occasional magnum of wine.

One option is to create diamond-shaped cubbies under the stairs, and you’ll have a place to store and display your wine collection. Popular premade cubes with

four “cubbies” can create a built-in look above a shelf, in a cabinet, or in an alcove. For a larger space, use several of them together.

The closet can be finished off with special lighting and even grated doors to augment its façade.

Regardless of where you choose to store it, make sure the environmental conditions adhere closely to these four guidelines: Temperature should remain between 55 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit; Humidity should be kept around 65 percent, relative to the temperature; Limit exposure to ultra-violet light; Keep the bottles horizontal, so

the wine stays in contact with the cork and preserves the seal.

Furthermore, the storage conditions should be kept constant, as frequent or large fluctuations in storage conditions can damage the wine.

With proper storage, wine can be a fantastic investment. A few bottles of a current vintage from a great producer, if stored properly, will likely improve in quality and value over time and prove a far better investment than purchasing that vintage after it has already matured.

The possibilities are endless and are limited only by your imagination.

Cheers! ■

This storage closet has wines kept horizontal, so the wine stays in contact with the cork and preserves the seal.

An overhead wine rack above a wet bar enhances the appearance of the home and functionality of the wet bar.

PHOTOS BY RICHARD PALOMA/ 209 Magazine

Refrigerated wine cabinets can keep bottles stored at their proper temperatures. Some models can be built in.

Stackable wine racks are the perfect solution for a growing wine collection and allow for adding the right number of rows for the space allowed.

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lookback

Franzias rebuild Valley wine industry after Prohibition

By GLENN KAHL

John Franzia and Ernest Gallo stand by a rail car in Chicago in August of 1934. Gallo and Amelia Franzia were on their honeymoon trip when the photo was taken.

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Giuseppe and Teresa Franzia are flanked by their five sons outside the new winery in 1946 when ground was broken to add an additional million gallons in storage to the Highway 120 facility raising their total capacity to 3.5 million gallons. The “Franzia Brothers” after whom the winery was named include Salvador, John, Frank, Louis, and Joe Franzia.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE FRANZIA FAMILY

T

he Franzia Brothers Winery – the oldest in Ripon – was reopened after Prohibition when matriarch Teresa (Carrara) made a monumental decision with her sons at her side underneath a walnut tree outside their rural home.

She went to the Bank of Italy in Stockton where she applied for a loan to start the family winery once again while her husband Giuseppe was away on a trip.

She signed the loan for $60,000 to start the winery and to build a new brick building that was completed in the fall of 1933 in time for the repeal of the prohibition law.

Ernest and his brother Julio Gallo had decided to start a winery of their own in the ‘30s and Teresa wanted to help her daughter Amelia and son-in-law Ernest get started with another loan. Amelia Gallo asked her mother to help with the necessary funding and she did just that.

The Franzias and the Gallos had been able to sell only a limited supply of grapes during prohibition years to buyers out of state that they had shipped by rail cars.

Wooden vats were brought out of storage by the Franzias, cleaned and prepared for a new vintage.

The brothers applied for a corporate bonded license and won approval. Their parents had no share in the winery but they did own several farms including vineyards that their sons operated.

Giuseppe and Teresa would later build homes along Highway 120 for Frank, John and Louie as each 209MAGAZINE

of their sons was married. Eventually all the five Franzia brothers would live along Highway 120 near their parents’ home place.

The price of wine grapes finally “skyrocketed” in the mid-40s because the liquor distilleries had entered the winemaking competition. Grapes were selling at $100 per ton on the vine, a fivefold increase over pre-war prices. In 1947 the family broke ground for additional wine storage tanks that would increase their capacity to 3.5 million gallons.

Family winemaker John, Jr. built champagne tanks from obsolete ICBM tanks southwest of the winery in 1960 after graduating from college.

In 1972 Franzia saw the groundbreaking of its new bottling plant with 1,100 acres in vines. In February of that year was the first stock sale with 420,000 shares going on the public market. It was sold to Coke NY a year later for $50 million.

Today the Franzia Brothers Winery site on Highway 120 is owned by The Wine Group – not a Franzia-family company. It is an employee-owned corporation continuing to produce wine with the Franzia label. The Wine Group enjoys a major share of the boxed wine business. Another irony in the family saw Salvador Franzia’s daughter, Crlyse, marry Arthur Ciocca, president of The Wine Group.

A younger generation of the Franzia family formed the Bronco Winery operation in Keyes that incorporated in 1973 that later purchased the old Petri Winery site in 2002. ■ 73

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Boys & Girls Club offers safe haven, instills confidence in Valley youth

By DENNIS WYATT

Members enjoy the games room.

PHOTO BY HIME ROMERO / 209Magazine

M

iguel Lopez is confident.

He believes in himself.

And, now at age at 19, he’s become the first in his family to go to college as he starts classes at Modesto Junior College this fall where he also hopes to play basketball for the Pirates.

There was a time, though, that Lopez was anything but confident.

He rarely talked in groups and when he did his voice would tremble or trail off. He was bullied in elementary school and was reeling from being in a broken home.

But then things changed. He joined the MantecaLathrop Boys and Girls Club at age 7.

It was there he discovered basketball. And it was there that he was able to develop his personality and strength.

“Everyone there had similar situations,” Lopez said. “There were kids that were foster children.

There were people whose parents verbally and physically abused them. We accepted each other because we knew what we were going through.”

Lopez is one of 1,500 active members of the Manteca-Lathrop Boys & Girls Club. The 35-year-old non-profit has a clubhouse at 545 W. Alameda St. in Manteca that’s open year round. A site at Lathrop School in Lathrop is open during the school year.

209MAGAZINE

Miguel Lopez is among countless thousands of youth who have attended the Boys & Girls Club over the years.

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Membership is $12 a year for those ages 6 through 17 with scholarships available for those whose families can’t afford the fee.

Unlike many other Boys & Girls Clubs, the fee is all inclusive. There is no extra charge for programs such as karate lessons, basketball, flag football, and such.

The membership is across all social-economic classes.

The club offers a teen program, games room, gym, tutoring, computer lab, art classes, Food for Thought program that awards kids completing homework bags of groceries for their families, a youth service club, Smart Moves designed to instill smart choices, and more. But perhaps most importantly it offers a safe haven for kids to hang out and make friends.

It also keep kids out of trouble.

The first year the club opened, juvenile crime in many Manteca neighborhoods plunged by 35 percent.

Now that school is back in session, club hours are 3 to 9 p.m. after school.

The club is supported primarily by fundraisers to cover most of its $450,000 operating budget. The biggest fundraiser is the two-day telethon that generates $110,000 a year on average, The telethon, which takes place the Monday and Tuesday before Thanksgiving in Comcast Channel 97, is now in its 34th year.

For more information go to www.mantecabgclub. org or call (209) 239-KIDS. ■

A flag football game conducted by the Boys & Girls Club in an adjoining park.

The annual telethon raises over $110,000 for the club.

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Power of the Purse

By ALYSSON AREDAS

hardships in the Central Valley.

Guests will be given the opportunity to network with other women who share the same philanthropic vision of helping others and identify with people who are like minded. Participants are also encouraged to purchase raffle tickets for a selection of designer bags donated by businesses and individuals in the community, including handbags from Kate Spade and Louis Vuitton.

“It really is a nice breath of fresh air to stand in a room with over one hundred women who share the same goal of helping people,” Jamieson said of the event. “We all want to see what we can do to create a better life for women in the community.”

This year’s event will be held on Sept. 17 at the Gallo Center of the Arts in Modesto. For more information on tickets, visit www.uwaystan.org/powerpurse. ■

his year marks the Women’s Leadership Council’s seventh Power of the Purse Luncheon. An annual event that brings together like-minded women in the community, this year’s luncheon will once again focus on providing support to women and children in crisis.

What once started out as one woman hosting others in her home in order to raise funds for nonprofits has now evolved into an organized event that attracted over seven hundred women just last year.

“We want to bring to light and mind the really critical issues,” community and donor relations specialist Sarah Jamieson said. “We want to see what we can do to create a better life for women in the community.”

Each year, WLC chooses its keynote speaker based on the issues they believe are applicable to the community at large. This year WLC selected Carissa Phelps, whose story highlights the prominence of sex trafficking in the area. Now a successful attorney and the author of “Runaway Girl: Escaping Life on the Streets”, Phelps will share her story about how she overcame a life of drugs, sex trafficking, and other

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Carissa Phelps, author of “Runaway Girl: Escaping Life on the Streets”, will be the keynote speaker at the Women’s Leadership Council’s seventh Power of the Purse Luncheon.

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By ELIZABETH ARAKELIAN

209MAGAZINE

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PHOTOS BY ELIZABETH ARAKELIAN/ 209 Magazine

I

t’s no secret that the Central Valley is the breadbasket of the world and this year light has been shed on the region’s innovative ability through a range of unique local food products — from new craft beers to uniquely flavored tamales — showcased at the fifth annual Fresno Food Expo.

In July, representatives from 126 food and beverage companies from the eight-county San Joaquin Valley met with 700 national and international foodservice and retail buyers, restaurant chefs, and institutions as well as members of the public at the Fresno Food Expo to celebrate local food and innovation in the industry.

With products ranging from savory to sweet, locals and judges perused the diverse selection of food product several of which hailed from the northern Central Valley such as Bella Viva Orchards Pure and Natural Dried Apple Slices from Denair; Sweet Potato Spirits sweet potato vodka from Atwater; and Sunrise Fresh Dark Sweet Dried Cherries from Stockton.

“The Fresno Food Expo has put a spotlight on our region, highlighting the fact that we are truly the breadbasket of the world attracting buyers from all over the globe who are looking to find our own local products to purchase, as well as connecting these businesses to industry partners who can provide all the tools they need to grow,” said Mayor Ashley Swearengin of the City of Fresno.

Last year Bella Viva submitted dried persimmons, peaches, pears and oranges as part of their Pure and Natural line and the company was awarded for its pioneering efforts alongside Modesto based company Cold House Vodka with the Industry Award, a nod towards the company’s unique and innovative approach.

“Our Pure and Natural product line was inspired by consumer demand for cleaner ways of eating,” said Bella Viva Sales Representative Brean Bettencourt, demonstrating the synergistic relationship between the consumer and the producer on which the Expo capitalizes. “Our product line is all-natural dried fruit, so there are absolutely no additives. This not only makes it extremely nutritious and wholesome, but it also makes it ideal for exporting because of the strict sulfur limits abroad.”

This year the Industry Award was replaced by the Buyers’ Choice Award, which evaluates products on diverse criteria, with innovation and creativity weighing 20 percent, presentation and packaging weighing 30 percent and marketability weighing 50 percent.

While Bella Viva once again made it to the top 10, it was Fresno based company Casa De Tamales that took the gold this year for its unique pepperoni tamales, and chicken and bacon tamales alongside Handford based L.T. Sue company for its San Joaquin 209MAGAZINE

Valley tea.

While many locals attending the Expo went to try new products and celebrate the industry for which the region is known, a celebrity judging panel was also present to evaluate each product, including: Chef, Restaurateur and Hotelier Erna Kubin-Clanin of The Estate by the Elderberries and Erna’s Elderberry House; Local Sourcing Guru Harv Singh of Whole Foods; and Kroger buyer Matt Jones. With the judges hailing from across the country to taste locally grown and produced products, the Fresno Food Expo showcases not only the products which companies have created but their importance in the Valley’s role as a producer on a national scale.

“San Joaquin Valley food companies are missiondriven, community-focused organizations who value revitalizing the community,” said Singh. “Each year, the quality of those exhibiting at the Fresno Food Expo gets better and better and as the San Joaquin Valley continues to set the trend in healthy food products – the public positively responds.”

The 2015 Fresno Food Expo will be July 23, and companies and buyers are encouraged to register now. ■

David Souza of Sweet Potato Spirits in Atwater explains the distilling process to Michelle Penney at the Fresno Food Expo in July.

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