Prescription Vineyards – 2018 Chardonnay, Clarksburg ($20)
Aromas of baked apple and tapioca are mind reeling. Rich and mouthwatering across the palate, notes of guava, creamed corn, cookie dough and lemon blossom have an ecstatic side effect. This 100% stainless-steel fermented white goes through 95 percent ML, with some oak treatment. Sourced from a single grower and crafted by winemaker Robert Lloyd, it’s a definite cure for the common Chardonnay. ~ Meridith May, Publisher
Big, tarry, espresso notes douse deep, resonant blackberry and arrive on a satin coat. Dry, chalky tannins abound mid-palate, with a hint of mint and shale. Expressive, big boy red, with defined structure for an age-worthy journey.
~ Meridith May, Publisher
Sourced from 1,700 feet above the valley floor on the benchlands of the Mayacamas Moutain Range in Sonoma County, California.
Prescription Vineyards is excited to announce that we are the exclusive wine sponsor of Tampa Bay Restaurant Week, happening June 17th through 27th throughout the Tampa Bay Area. Our wines will be featured by the glass and bottle at select restaurants and paired with the events prix fixe menus.
“We’re so excited to be getting back to market and sharing Rob Lloyd’s wines,” said Greg Moore, Director of Sales for Lloyd Cellars and Prescription Vineyards, “The opportunity to work directly with restaurateurs and support Feeding Tampa Bay means a lot to us!”
Creative Loafing’s Annual Food Issue hit stands on June 17th. For a limited time, participating Tampa Bay area restaurants will be offering multiple-course prix fixe menus and exclusive pricing on Funky Buddha beer, Corona beer, Garrison Brothers whiskey, Prescription Vineyards wine, and more!
To take advantage of Restaurant Week, all you have to do is visit any participating restaurant from June 17th through 27th and ask for the Tampa Bay Restaurant Week menu.
Plus, this year, a portion of proceeds benefits Feeding Tampa Bay!
As the longer days of spring and summer approach, we begin to dream of outdoor gatherings with family, firing up the grill, and sipping our favorite wines on the patio.
Of course, with the change of seasons comes the heat. We share a reminder to order your wines now to avoid summer ‘heat holds’ and overnight shipping costs. The difference between Ground vs. Overnight shipping can mean several hundred dollars.
You can save even more by joining our Lloyd Cellars Membership.
As a Club Member, you’ll enjoy a 10% discount on your favorite wines for a commitment of 2 cases (24, 750ml bottles) purchased per year.
And you choose your wines!
To see all of Lloyd Cellars’ news features and recipes, Click Here.
To see all of Prescription Vineyards’ news and features, Click Here.
Cafe Citti has been a fixture in Sonoma Valley’s town of Kenwood for more than 30-years. Both locals and visitors to wine country have flocked to the restaurant for its casual roadside setting and excellent Italian food served up by owners Luca and Linda Citti. It was also the perfect pit-stop to nosh when traveling between the Napa Valley and Sonoma County wine regions.
Their homemade pasta, rotisserie chicken, and salads have always been great grab-n-go dishes to bring home to a hungry family. That said, a side of Cafe Citti’s deep-fried polenta sticks dipped in their superb marinara and pesto sauces are what feed uncontrollable, visceral human cravings. And then there are the rustic pizzas that give Italian pies their good name.
Here is the announcement from the owners of Cafe Citti:
“It is with a heavy heart that after 30 years of business in Kenwood, we announce that Cafe Citti will be relocating. Our landlords have made the decision to address the stability of the building and will be making renovations that will take several months. Due to the new restrictions placed upon us during this time of Covid, the annual PSPS shut-offs, and most recently the Glass fire, we will be leaving the dining portion of our business behind and we will concentrate our focus on continuing with our take-out business at a new location in Santa Rosa….”
Due to reopen this spring at its new location in Santa Rosa, next door to Hank’s Creekside (excellent breakfast!), Cafe Citti is sure to become an even bigger hit with hungry locals looking for Slow Food Fast! We recommend pairing our Clarksburg Chardonnay with the deep-fried polenta sticks and rotisserie chicken or teaming up our Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon with a hand-tossed pizza of your choice. Note: never forget to order extra marinara and pesto sauce, or…
Cafe Citti | 2792 4th St, Santa Rosa, CA 95405 | (707) 523-2690
Prescription Vineyard’s first foray into the Cabernet Sauvignon landscape has created an absolute gem. The fruit is sourced from a vineyard at 1,700 feet in elevation on the slopes of Geyser Peak Mountain, high above the Alexander Valley floor.
The dramatic west-facing hillsides on the Mayacama Mountain range possess an exquisite profile of soil that drains extremely well and shares a favorable composition that optimizes mature flavors for Cabernet Sauvignon. In these areas, Bordeaux variety grapes achieve a higher quality of tannin and intense blackberry fruit. (source: Alexander Valley Winegrowers)
Winemaker Rob Lloyd has a decade of experience working with this vineyard, so it seemed natural to create a terroir-driven Cabernet Sauvignon at the reasonable price of just $30.00 a 750ml bottle!
The oyster is a roadside delicacy in Northern California’s Marin and Sonoma Counties. Take a drive along the Pt. Reyes National Seashore and Tomales Bay, and the selection of bivalve pit stops are many. Sure, you can use your navigation to find your way, or go old school and look for the long grills sending up smoke signals over picnic benches dotting the shoreline.
We chose oysters as our next feature for our ‘Slow Food Fast’ series because many don’t know that it takes two to three years to grow oysters for market. Along with the task of raising and breeding multiples varieties of oysters, these oyster farmers, and chefs, have a passion for making their secret house cocktail and barbecue sauces and mignonettes.
Locally, we can take a leisurely Sunday drive out to the Bodega Bay Oyster Company, grab a quick dozen or bag of 50 for a party, and ready to go sauces, and be back home for a late afternoon shuckin’. We make it a ritual, as we wash the oysters down with a glass of Prescription Chardonnay, to raise a toast to the aquaculturists who brave the cold waters and windswept coast.
If you’re from a clan of landlocked human beings, many of these oyster companies direct ship. Check out Hog Island Oyster Company or Tamales Bay Oyster Company to start planning your ‘The World is Your Oyster’ celebration. Here’s a link to jump over to our store to stock up on wine!
If you’re into smoked barbecue as a personal journey, you understand the time and commitment it takes to not only prepare a single meal it’s the learning of the craft itself. Luckily, there are those so committed to the art they take the seemingly crazy jump and open BBQ joints to share their passion with others. This is when smoked barbecue becomes the ultimate slow food fast!
Before we go any further, let’s raise a glass of Prescription Vineyards to all the dedicated Pit Masters across this great country. These dedicated people are up before dawn prepping fish, poultry, and meats to serve to the disciples of the tender and smokey. Think about all the hours creating marinades, rubs, and sauces, and reducing hardwoods to embers so that they have the pit at the perfect temperature, even heat and smoke.
And then there is us, those who pull into the parking lot of the BBQ joint to pick up our order of smoked salmon or chicken or brisket – or all of the above for the family. Within minutes we’re feasting on a meal that has been in the works for days. Again, a toast to all the Pit Masters and their pit crews for taking on all the heat and smoke for our pleasure. Thank you!
For our ongoing Slow Food Fast Series, we’re singling out Lombardi’s Deli & Gourmet BBQ in Petaluma, California because it’s a local favorite for those on the go. Just an hour north of San Francisco, Petaluma is set in Sonoma County and is famous for its agriculture, including wine, dairy, eggs, meats, and poultry. Of course, it’s also famous as a set for Hollywood, noted for films such as American Graffiti, Basic Instinct, Cujo, and Peggy Sue Got Married.
On a recent Sunday drive back from the breathtaking Sonoma Coast, we picked up a full-rack of baby back ribs, Lombardi’s Small-Batch Hickory BBQ Sauce, and classic barbecue sides for dinner. The ribs were tender, with a perfect ‘slight tug’ off the bone. We paired our Prescription Vineyards 2018 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, which layered in a dark berry component to the excellent sauce while cleansing the palate between mouthwatering bites of rib. Napkins, please!
When you’re thinking about a meal days after the experience, you feel pretty good about your money being well-spent. Barbecue isn’t cheap and rightfully so. Considering we have fans all over the United States, and the myriad of regional barbecue-styles below is a link to some of America’s greatest joints to indulge in as suggested by Thrillist!
Life moves fast for most of us, yet there are pit stops along life’s road to get slow food quickly and chill the pace. The San Francisco Bay Area has one the most reliable and delicious to-go sources for sustainable and organic meals, and it’s a diner called Gott’s Roadside.
According to Gott’s website, they offer, “California-inspired dishes and seasonal specials use locally sourced ingredients and purveyors such as Niman Ranch beef, Zoe’s bacon, Panorama Bakery breads, and Osprey Seafood.” These producers are some of the best in our nation!
Prescription Vineyards itself is all about handcrafted wines created by Rob Lloyd. They are responsibly made, affordable, and easy to sip (screwcap closure) with some of America’s best prepared meals, off the shelve bites, street food, and dishes from places like Gott’s Roadside.
From Gott’s, we particularly love pairing their Chicken-Schnitzel Sandwich with Prescription Chardonnay! This crispy fried chicken breast is topped with arugula herb salad, cucumber and pickled turnips on a toasted sesame brioche bun with harissa and turmeric spiced mayos.
Yes, we all love to cook homemade meals with our families. However, there are times when life is too crazy, and we need immediate nourishment and a good glass of wine to win the day. This reality is why we’ve decided to have an ongoing series of blogs featuring easy and delicious meals to pair with Prescription Vineyards Chardonnay.
If you have tips on what you like to pair with our wine, share your favorites and photos on our Facebook and hashtag us on Instagram >>> #PrescriptionVineyards #ChardonnayPowered #DrinkLloyd.
To find Prescription Vineyards in your neighborhood, visit our Chardonnay-Powered Store Locator page!