Lovers of Rosé and Zinfandel get a double-whammy with Pelican Ranch’s delightful Rosé of Zinfandel. Grapes are harvested from the renowned Rinaldi Vineyard in Amador County, one of the oldest Zinfandel-growing regions in California. As we all know, to make good wine, you have to start with good grapes.
Winemaker Phil Crews, and Pelican Ranch co-owner, with his wife Peggy Crews, made this blush Rosé ($24) using a modified old-world process. The pink juice from directly pressed “Gold Country” Zinfandel grapes is immediately transferred to small stainless-steel barrels for fermenting. “This nouveau-style wine is rich with strawberry and rose-petal aromas,” says Phil. He recommends serving it chilled with “rich pizza.”
Try their wines at their tasting room in a bucolic setting surrounded by redwood trees.
Pelican Ranch Winery, 2364 Bean Creek Road, Scotts Valley, 831-332-5359. pelicanranch.com.
Blossom’s Farmstore and Coffee Shop
I was mesmerized when I stepped into Blossom’s for a morning cup of joe. Overflowing with produce, homemade goods, locally sourced edibles and all kinds of wonderful goodies, including lotions and potions, tonics and skincare products, it’s an Aladdin’s cave coffee shop. Manager Jolie Hood gave me a quick tour, but I have to return to take it all in. Named after a favorite cow named Blossom, the darling little store and eatery offers pastries, bagels, soups, fresh juices—and gluten-free and vegan options. And Blossom’s Biodynamic Farm—17 acres of land in Corralitos—is where coffee shop owners Carin Fortin and Delmar McComb grow and process all of the healthy herbs and ingredients, using regenerative biodynamic practices. McComb is a longtime operatic tenor who sings in leading roles with opera companies around the state “when he can spare the time.”
The lease is up on Blossom’s Biodynamic Farm, and they are urgently looking for other land to farm. If you know of any available land, please contact them at in**@bl**********.com. For more info, visit blossomsfarm.com.
Blossom’s is at 2904 Freedom Blvd., Corralitos, 831-319-4048.
