Wine Lab monthly series – new Winter 2024 dates!
Join us for a series of fun and informative monthly wine gatherings where we explore wines of Firestone Vineyard and the Foley Food & Wine Society. We will feature three partner wineries from across California and beyond, taking a deep dive into the wines and common themes among them. Led by Sommelier Billie Rolla, Wine Labs include hands-on experiments, small group conversation, some friendly competition, wine, and TWO (2) seats at the table, so bring a friend or loved one and meet other fun wine enthusiasts. Absolutely no previous wine knowledge is necessary!
Friday, February 9, 4-5:30pm:
Chocolate & Wine: perfect match or bitter relationship?
Pairing wines with dessert is one of the greatest food and wine pairing challenges. Too much unbalanced sugar can make a wine taste bitter and sour. On top of it all, it can be difficult to tell if a wine is sweet or just fruity. But don’t give up on this relationship yet! In this lab, you will learn to confidently read the sweetness of a wine and impress your loved ones with your perfectly sweet pairing.
Each experience includes one bottle each of the following wines for guests to take home:
Banshee Ten of Cups
2019 Ferrari-Carano Sangiovese, Dry Creek Valley
2021 El Pino Club The CUSP, Russian River Valley
Reservation is for parties of 2.
Firestone Cellar Club and FFW Members: $160 per 2 guests
General Public – $200 per 2 guests
No animals permitted, as this event takes place in our HACCP certified winery.
Sunday, March 10, 1-3pm:
Wine & Food Dynamics
On Sunday, March 10th, join us for “Food and Wine Dynamics” Wine Lab where you will learn to thoughtfully select the perfect wine to pair with your food. We will conduct exploratory activities, engage in small group conversation, and of course, sample wines!
Learn to confidently pair wine with your next meal as we explore the world of taste. Understand the science behind why and how we taste and learn to identify those sensory notes in food and wine through a hands-on tasting activity. Feel what happens to a wine when you drink it with a sweet treat or with a lemon! Discovering how different tastes react with each other will give you the tools you need to thoughtfully select the perfect wine to go with your dish.
This experience includes one bottle each of the following wines for guests to take home:
2022 Foley Johnson Handmade Sauvignon Blanc, Rutherford
2019 Chalk Hill Syrah, Chalk Hill AVA
2018 Ferrari-Carano El Dorado Gold Dessert Wine, Dry Creek Valley
Reservation is for parties of 2.
Firestone Cellar Club and FFW Members: $160 per 2 guests
General Public – $200 per 2 guests
No animals permitted, as this event takes place in our HACCP certified winery.
Sunday, May 26, 1-3pm:
Who put butter in my Chardonnay? An exploration of acid in wine.
Sommelier Billie Rolla will lead a group of wine enthusiasts in “Who Put Butter in my Chardonnay?” that includes a lab activity, small group conversation, and of course, wine!
From Butter-bomb fanatics to ABC (Anything but Chardonnay) diehards, Chardonnay is the loved and love-to-hate varietal. What most people don’t know is that there are many different styles of Chardonnay from creamy, lee-stirred, oaked styles with super aging power to lean, tart and mineral-driven versions or Brunch-worthy sparklers! Come explore the many different flavors of Chardonnay. We’ll whip up some fun labs to discover how some styles get that signature butter!
This experience includes one bottle each of the following wines for guests to take home:
2021 Chalone Vineyard Chardonnay Musqué
2020 Firestone Vineyard Chardonnay, SBC
2021 Chalk Hill Founders Block Chardonnay
Reservation is for parties of 2.
Firestone Cellar Club and FFW Members: $160 per 2 guests
General Public – $200 per 2 guests
No animals permitted, as this event takes place in our HACCP certified winery.