Wine And Horse Lovers--This One Is For You!

How many of you love horses? Horses are great. I work with someone who is so passionate about horses that I get to hear about horses as much as she gets to hear about my passion for wine. Now, how many of you love wine? (That was a silly question. You wouldn't be reading this if you didn't love wine!) I never fathomed that I would be able to find a story that would connect the two together. I know it sounds strange, but I was able to do this and the story is one of champions-- a champion by the name of Seabiscuit. Surely, unless most of you have been living under a rock, you may have heard of the legendary horse named Seabiscuit at some point in your lifetimes. OK, so I know you are asking yourselves, "What is she going on about now? How does this horse have anything to do with wine?" The answer is simple.


I recently had the pleasure of meeting a gentleman by the name of Walter Dreyer. He is the owner of Dreyer Wines, LLC. He was a very nice, older gentleman with many stories to tell. I could've spent hours listening to him if it weren't for the hundred other people who wanted to ask him questions also. Walter is passionate about wine. He represents several brands of wines, including Dreyer Sonoma, Il Cuore, Compass, Solitude Wines and a very special brand called Seabiscuit Ranch.

"Savor The Legend" is the motto for Seabiscuit Ranch wines. Let's start with a little geography lesson. Just where do these wines come from? The Seabiscuit Ranch is located 20 miles from the Mendocino coastline in Northern California---1000 feet up on steep slopes of the Pacific Coastal Mountain Range. The vineyards are tended to by hand, using sustainable farming practices. The location offers the optimum scenario for complex and well-balanced wines to be produced. The vineyards are part of the Ridgewood Ranch, which was purchased in the mid-1920s by Seabiscuit's original owner, Charles Howard. He and his wife used the ranch as a refuge to spend peaceful times in the country. Seabiscuit, their race horse, triumphed to set track records in the 1940s and became a legendary racehorse in his time. They retired him to the ranch where his memory now inspires the winemaking team to create legendary wines!

I had the chance to sample two of the three Seabiscuit Ranch Wines that are currently available to the general public. The first of which was the 2007 Seabiscuit Ranch Chardonnay. This wine was amazingly rich and full-bodied. Very round mouthfeel with tropical notes and buttery finish! At around $23, this wine scores big with myself and would be loved by any wine lover who prefers a buttery, rich Chardonnay experience.

The second wine I sampled was the 2006 Seabiscuit Ranch Trifecta. Another fabulous Bordeaux-style blend (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc), this is their proprietary wine. Rich dark berries, chocolate, a bit of tobacco. The nose on this wine was so terrific, I would have been content just smelling it all night! Really dreamy stuff with a very long finish! At $28 a bottle, it's the deal you can't beat!


After speaking to Walter for quite awhile, I was also able to sample a few of the other wines he represents, including another Chardonnay that I was crazy for and will blog about in a future installment! These wines are available on the Seabiscuit Ranch website, www.seabiscuitranch.com or if you happen to be fortunate enough to live near the Sonoma Valley, you may sample these wines at the Sonoma-Enoteca tasting room in downtown Sonoma. You may also find these wines in your local specialty wine shops. They're such a find! I would suggest to everyone to seek these out so you can savor the legend for yourselves!