Dan and Janice

Winesong, Mendocino’s unique celebration, is the subject today. On Friday, Sept. 1, 2023, Janice MacDonald visited California Wine Country with Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger, to talk about the 38th edition of Winesong for 2023, set to take place on Sept. 8 & 9, a week later. Unfortunately, due to a technical glitch, there we no recording made of that episode. The show notes below refer to that lost Sept. 1, 2023 show. But for the audio portion of this podcast episode, here is a repeat of the July 12, 2017 episode which is all about the then-upcoming 33rd edition of Winesong. FYI here is a link to that original episode, with its own show notes. The descriptions of the event and the location are as true as ever, and so is Dan Berger’s enthusiasm for the event. So please enjoy this encore presentation about Winesong. 

Janice MacDonald from Winesong 2023 joins Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger in the studio for California Wine Country today. Winesong is an important annual fund raiser for the Mendocino Coast Health Care Foundation which operates the largest and best hospital in the area. . All the top wine producers are the really high w restaurants serving their iconic dishes

The event takes place in the Mendocino Coast Botanical Garden. It’s a large garden park with different vista everywhere you look.

Janice has brought wines illustrating the event. Handley Pinot Blanc is a white wine with a flavor that is not as rustic as Pinot Gris. Dan says it is beautifully structured and would hold up to seafood. This wine is about its fruit and tropical character. Handley Cellars is located in Anderson Valley

Each area of Winesong will have its own music. The big tent hosts a wine and art auction that raises money for the hospital.

Click the logo to visit our sponsor Bottle Barn online for the coolest bargains on wine, beer and spirits.

One lot up for auction this year is a 30-year vertical of Joseph Phelps Insignia. The Joseph Phelps winery was producing blended red wines in the 1970s. In about ’85 they started Insignia. They are very expensive and hard to come by. This lot is from 1990 and you’ll never see a collection like this anywhere.

Fort Bragg is home of the Skunk Train that goes up into the redwoods. The Side Deal is a band from LA that will play there. Dan likes Winesong because you can plan 3 days including Sunday to visit wineries. You can find lodging up and down the coast. Dan says if you go once you will want to go again.

Click the logo to visit our sponsor Rodney Strong for the latest on the winery and event calendar.

This is a cool year so harvest won’t begin in full until about a week after wine song.

They are tasting a Foursight Pinot Noir from Foursight Wines, which is located in Booneville. Foursight Wines is a small producer in the town of Booneville. It is a stylish wine that has just enough oak to carry the fruit character. It is a 2020 and could handle about three more years but longer than that might not bring any particular benefit. Foursight is known for making wines of delicacy not power.

Dan Berger says the Mendocino Botanical Garden is an amazing place and is by itself worth the price of admission to Winesong.