Jeff Mangahas, Winemaker, Williams Selyem; Eric Flanagan, Flanagan Wines; Rick Davis, Calstar Cellars
Oakland, California, June 21, 2017 –The Oakland Wine Festival will showcase the wines of select Sonoma County wineries on June 25, 2017 at 2:30pm. The Oakland Wine Festival presents a monthly seated tasting, Soiree and Silent Auction featuring the wines of our Honorary Steering Committee members. This seated tasting will feature wines from Founding Honorary Steering Committee Winery, Emeritus: PRIDE Mountain Vineyards. Wines from Sonoma County Treasure, Williams Selyem Winery will also be poured as well as wines from Founding Sponsor, Flanagan Wines. We are delighted to present Sonoma County wines from Terra Valentine and David Clinton Wine Cellar. The handcrafted wines of Calstar Cellars and remarkable wines from Trentadue Winery rounds out this Sonoma County Wine Showcase!
Sonoma County Tourism, a key sponsor of The Third Annual Wine Festival, has included an exciting opportunity to attend Wine Road Sonoma County via our popular Silent Auction!
Limited tickets are available for this unique event which is sure to sell out! Tickets are available here: For more information please visit: www.Oaklandwinefestival.com.
We recently asked the following questions of our Oakland Wine Festival Kick Off Tasting, Soiree and Silent Auction participants:
Why work with the Oakland Wine Festival?
Williams Selyem: Our production is very limited and our wines are difficult to get, so it was a great way to showcase Williams Selyem wines.
Flanagan Wines: The Oakland Wine Festival is one of the top Bay Area Wine events of the year and a great place to showcase our wines.
Calstar Cellars: They are reaching out to consumers that I do not regularly see at other events.
Tell me about the Oakland Wine Festival Founder, Melody Fuller, and how you came to meet and work with her:
Williams Selyem: We met at the Sunset Magazine wine competition.
Flanagan Wines: I met Melody at a tasting at Sequoyah Country Club where she was a member. We hit it off right away!
Calstar Cellars: I met her at another wine event, she was both knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Is trying new ideas for her tastings.
What compelled you to become a part of the California wine industry?
Williams Selyem: There is no better place than Sonoma County to produce some of the best Pinot Noirs!
Flanagan Wines: I traveled around the world exploring wine regions and tasting wines. Sonoma County spoke to me. We love living in Sonoma County and growing grapes. From a very young age I loved growing things and my focus remains in vineyards and farming.
Calstar Cellars: Initially a long-term interest in food and wine, then a desire to create wines that have a particular “voice”.
Who are some of your favorite producers outside of your own portfolio?
Williams Selyem: Some of the other historic wineries in the RRV that I enjoy are Dehlinger, Rochioli and Joseph Swan, to name a few. I am a Burgundy fiend as well.
Flanagan Wines: I think Fred Scherrer makes great wines that reflect their sites. His site selection and wine making style produce age worthy Sonoma Coast Pinots.
I also really like the Failla Wines. Ehren Jordan is a tremendous wine maker and he is also really focused on sourcing from great sites.
Up in Dry Creek I think Lambert Bridge is doing a good job.
Calstar Cellars: Deloach, Balo, Patricia Green, Alquimista, and Halleck.
Why do you think so many luminaries and leaders in the wine industry are such tremendous friends and supporters of the Oakland Wine Festival?
Flanagan Wines: Because it is a well-run event that attracts a quality group of knowledgeable wine consumers.
Calstar Cellars: Because Melody is trying new ideas to give both the wineries and the public greater contact and ability to interact with each other.
Tell me about your showcase on June 25, 2017. What can patrons look forward to?
Williams Selyem: We are showcasing our Eastside Road Neighbors. It is a blend of a few vineyards along the east side of the Russian River in the Middle Reach region of the AVA. The wine highlights the warm days and cool nights in the RRV with bright red fruits and wonderful acidity. This is a classic Williams Selyem wine with whole clusters in the fermentation that add a spice and offers wonderful texture.
Flanagan Wines: We will be featuring our new releases. The 2015 Vintage was terrific for us.
Calstar Cellars: Unique Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays.
What hopes do you have for the Oakland Wine Festival and for you and your winery?
Williams Selyem: This is a great opportunity to learn about the style of Williams Selyem which is beloved by many.
Flanagan Wines: I hope that people who get to try our wines will be impressed by the quality and integrity of our wines. Our vineyard sources are some of the top sites in Sonoma County and we make wines that reflect the individual sites. We don’t impose a “style” on all our wines, but rather treat each site and each vintage as unique.
Calstar Cellars: Reaching new people that are interested in my style of wines, to add them as fans and customers.
About The Oakland Wine Festival:
The Oakland Wine Festival is a high profile, educational, wine and food event featuring celebrated winemakers from Napa Valley, Sonoma County, and around the world. The festival is collaboration between Founder, Melody Fuller, and some of her close friends in the Napa Valley and beyond. The Oakland Wine Festival features premium, reserve, library, high-end, hard-to-get and newly released wines.
Melody was named Best Westerner by Sunset Magazine for the innovative and creative work that she does in the wine world. The Oakland Wine Festival is the result of the desire to further acknowledge an overlooked – yet key – community of wine lovers who appreciate having world-class vintners and chefs within arm’s reach.
