Sunday started at 7:15 a.m. with an 11-hour tour to Mendocino County, “America’s greenest wine region.” With a group of about 15, the honey and I drove through the beautiful Marin County, past the Russian River Valley, to arrive first at the Real Goods Solar Living Institute. We learned about solar energy here at the center which is completely energy self-sufficient. They had some pretty cool water pump systems, very efficient houses (using straw in between the walls for insulation), and a nice garden.
Next stop, Olivino Olive Mill, where olives are pressed in small batches for local olive growers. We learned how olives are pressed, either blade-pressed or stone pressed. It was actually pretty fascinating. The best olive oil is freshly cold-pressed. Cold-pressed means the olive oil does not go above around 85 degrees when being pressed (non-cold-pressed can go above 100 degrees, reducing the flavor). Olive oil loses its flavor over time, so it should be enjoyed immediately and not saved.
Apparently, U.S. law requires domestic extra virgin olive oil to be the real deal (first press), whereas imported olive oils could be years-old 4th hot press batches with just a bit of real EVOO added. You know you’re getting good olive oil if you buy California EVOO. There are good European producers (obviously), but you have to read the label carefully – look for a press date and cold-pressed. The more specific the better, but there should at least be a year. The treat of the olive mill was – you guessed it – the tasting. We tasted a couple varieties of Olivino’s brand, Terra Savia, which were wonderful; my favorite was Luccino. I had another good brand at the farmers market on Friday, which was Apollo.
We were getting hungry, so we all happily went to Sip! Mendocino for a wine tasting and lunch. We met some cool people from all over the country.
After lunch, we visited a few more wineries to learn about (and drink) biodynamic wines. Biodynamic wines are a step beyond organic. Biodynamic vineyards create a closed-loop ecosystem – everything that goes into the soil is from the winery. They compost, and they have animals that graze amongst the vines and fertilize the soil. They don’t kill the insects; birds eat them. It’s rather idyllic, sustainable, and supposedly results in better wine. On biodynamic vineyards the vines typically require less water because they grow deeper roots, making the sugars in the grapes more concentrated.
Our last step was the most beautiful vineyard I’ve ever seen. Since my dad’s a total wine guy, I’ve visited a ton of California wineries growing up. So this one, Bonterra, is a real treat. Unfortunately, it’s not open to the public. Imagine rolling golden hills punctuated by old oak trees, a rustic yet kind of luxurious barn, a lavender-drying tower.
This is a memory that will stay with me.
After all that vino, the busride back was considerably more jovial and friendly than the 7:45am busride. We got back just in time to dash to our next eating event - dinner at Laiola restaurant, which benefitted a local farm that evening. Laiola is a fun, crowded Spanish tapas place in Cow Hollow. It's extremely noisy, so not recommended for anything romantic or serious.
The food was great, though! Very close to the real deal in Barcelona... including the service which is slow but very friendly.
(Our table, after the wine and sangria).
This concludes my Slow Food Nation blogging... the trip was amazing and I wouldn't hesitate to attend the next one (in 2010, I believe in Chicago). I highly recommend it for foodies and aspiring foodies!
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