“Cimarron Vineyards and the surrounding area have enormous wine producing potential based on the higher elevation, rich red volcanic soil, hot days and cool nights. Conditions beautifully suited for Cabernet, Merlot and Petite Sirah. "

-Chuck MacDonnell
Hess Collection

Sunset and lake

News

A sampling of local news from Lake County, Napa County, and the surrounding vineyards and valleys that surround Rim Rock Ranch.

May 2, 2008

Ting’s Thai Offers Wi-Fi

Ting’s Thai Kitchen is adding Wi-Fi access to its restaurant. That means you can log on with your enabled laptop while enjoying your Pad Thai. Ting’s joins other coffee shops and restaurants in Lake County offering wireless Internet access, but Ting’s will also offer “splash page advertising” in addition to its free Internet access. The Thai Kitchen can be found at 18983 Hartmann Road in Middletown.

PAINT OUR TOWN PURPLE DAY COMES TO LAKEPORT MAY 1ST

From the Lake County News we learn that The American Cancer Society's May Day for Relay encourages everyone to wear purple, put purple ribbons or balloons in your windows and on doors, tie purple ribbons or balloons on trees, fences or on your cars.

This overnight, 24-hour event (because cancer doesn't stop) will be held from 10 a.m. Saturday, May 17 to 10 a.m. Sunday, May 18 at Don Owens Stadium, at Clear Lake High School in Lakeport.

Relay For Life is American Cancer Society's largest event and the world's biggest fundraiser with more than three million participants.

The funds are used to CELEBRATE survivors, REMEMBER those lost to cancer and to FIGHT BACK against this disease through research, education and advocacy and to support programs for people touched by cancer in our communities.

Please join in painting our town purple on May 1.

For information, contact event chair, Beth Berintiat, at (707) 274-1482.

FRENCH LAUNDRY NAMED IN WORLD’S TOP FIVE RESTAURANTS AGAIN

Once again, The French Laundry, Thomas Keller’s award-winning dining establishment in Yountville, has been named one of the top 5 restaurants in the world.

First published by Restaurant magazine in 2002 and now in its seventh year, the S.Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants is recognized around the world as the most credible indicator of the best places to eat on the planet. El Bulli, Ferran Adrià’s experimental venue north of Barcelona, is the world’s best restaurant, followed by Heston Blumenthal’s Fat Duck, near London, and Pierre Gagnaire, in Paris, Restaurant magazine announced late last week.

The top three are unchanged for the third year in a row. Mugaritz, in Spain, came fourth, its highest showing, followed by the French Laundry, in the Napa Valley, and Keller’s Per Se in New York. Per Se jumped from ninth place last year.
The rankings are decided by panels totaling 700 chefs, restaurateurs, food writers and critics in 23 regions.

Here is the Top 10 list:
1. El Bulli, Spain; 2. The Fat Duck, U.K.; 3. Pierre Gagnaire, France; 4. Mugaritz, Spain; 5. The French Laundry, U.S.; 6. Per Se, U.S.; 7. Bras, France; 8. Arzak, Spain; 9. Tetsuya’s, Australia; 10. Noma, Denmark.

CARNEROS HERITAGE FEST CELEBRATED MAY 31

The Carneros Wine Alliance will host its third annual Carneros Heritage Fest, a celebration of the wines, heritage and distinctive qualities of the Carneros region’s products, culture and character. The event will be from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 31 at the Donum Estate, 24520 Ramal Road in Sonoma.

The Heritage Fest will feature the Carneros lamb barbecue, tastings of Carneros Wine Alliance wines, a young chef competition, musical entertainment, sheepherding and falconry demonstrations, vineyard tours, environmental and sustainable agriculture exhibits. Pairings of Carneros wines with innovative lamb dishes and menus that reflect the unique flavor of this region will also be featured.

The event partners the Carneros Wine Alliance with the Sonoma County Winegrape Commission, which will also co-sponsor a Winegrape Growers Pavilion, the American Lamb Board, the Napa and Sonoma Farm Bureaus, and the California Department of Fish and Game. Proceeds will benefit the Carneros Land Stewardship Foundation, dedicated to the conservation and preservation of habitat in the San Pablo Bay wetlands adjacent to the Carneros region.

The lamb barbecue, under the direction of Mark Rasic, executive chef, Google Inc., will be grilled by members of the Napa County Farm Bureau with the lamb supplied by renowned artisan lamb purveyor, Niman Ranch.
In addition to a sheepherding exhibition, Carneros Heritage Fest will feature artisan wool boutiques, music by the Back Burner Blues Band (comprised of Napa Valley chefs led by BAY TV personality Joey Altman), vineyard walks, marsh talks, and other activities and exhibitions by the California Dept. of Fish and Game.

All inclusive tickets are $75 each; children younger than 12 (accompanied by parent) are free. Tickets are available on the Carneros Wine Alliance Web site, www.carnerosheritagefest.com, or by check from Carneros Wine Alliance, P.O. Box 178, Vineburg, CA 95487.

SENATE APPROVES BILL FOR FISHERIES RESTORATION

The State Senate gave final approval on Tuesday to Senate Bill 562, legislation by North Coast Sen. Patricia Wiggins (D-Santa Rosa) to designate nearly $5.3 million in urgent funding for coastal salmon and steelhead fisheries restoration projects.

The Assembly approved SB 562 on March 24, so Tuesday's 27-10 Senate vote means the bill will soon be on the desk of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for his consideration. SB 562 is an urgency measure, meaning the bill will take effect immediately upon signing by the governor.

If signed into law, the Wiggins bill would allocate $5.293 million in Proposition 84 funds to the state Department of Fish and Game, which would use the funding for its coastal salmon and steelhead fishery restoration efforts. Voters approved Prop. 84 - the Safe Drinking Water, Water Quality and Supply, Flood Control, River and Coastal Protection Bond Act in 2006.

In addition, Wiggins said that enactment of SB 562 will allow the state to leverage up to $20 million federal dollars for salmon this spring.

"Every week adds a new development to our burgeoning salmon crisis," Wiggins noted after today's Senate floor vote. She later stressed that the industry extends beyond fishermen to include tackle shops, processors, ice suppliers, restaurants and tourism.

SB 562 is supported by a diverse group, including the California Farm Bureau Federation, Association of California Water Agencies, Pacific Coast Federation of Fishmen, the Karuk Tribe, CalTrout, the Sonoma County Water Agency and the Sierra Club.

LAKEPORT YACHT CLUB SPRING REGATTA 2008

A weekend of sailing is in store, including three sailboat races on Saturday, May 3, and two on Sunday, May 4.

Friday night begins with a welcome dinner of spaghetti at 6:30 p.m. prepared by the Lakeport Yacht Club. Cost is $8per person. Races begin at 10:00 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. Following the races Saturday night, there will be a tri-tip dinner at 6:30 p.m., also served by the Lakeport Yacht Club. Cost for the tri-tip dinner is $12 per person. An awards banquet will be held Sunday afternoon following the races. Registration is $25 per entry. All other clubs from the region, including those in Lake, Humboldt, Mendocino, and Sonoma counties, are invited to attend. Sponsored by the Lakeport Yacht Club. North boat ramp, 15 Fifth Street.
Location: Lakeport Yacht Club. North boat ramp, 15 Fifth St., Lakeport.
Contact: Lakeport Yacht Club, 707-743-1220.