by Erin Neeley

The Rhone Rangers Grand Tasting in San Francisco brought a crowded house of Syrah, Viognier, and Grenache enthusiasts inside on what was one of those rare, über-warm San Francisco sunny days. Packing every inch of the Fort Mason Festival Pavilion, over 100 wineries were pouring a selection of the 22 grapes that make up France’s Rhone region, and everyone seemed thrilled to be indoors. Many of the wineries were local, affording an opportunity to try some of their more rare tastes and there was a good showing from Oregon’s wine country and Santa Barbara’s coast making new friends here in the Bay.

Local wine project, Crushpad’s winemaking clients were in attendance, with their big move to Napa finishing up, and had a host of a deep, dark pours to pick from.  Some small, family labels at the Crushpad table included: Purple Teeth Cellars (from Seattle) pouring from their first vintage, a 2006 petite syrah, Pug Wines (Nor Cal locals) with their Pug Blanc a Marsanne and Roussanne blend from the Russian River area, Michael James Wines representing a couple of Santa Barbara vineyards with their 2007 Syrah, and New Yorker transplants Petrali with a real love story around the creation of their “Peter” and “Ali” brand were pouring their 2003 and 2007 Syrah. Two of Petrali’s 2005 vintages took Silver Medals at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition: a Syrah and a Blythleigh.

Another San Francisco neighbor, Fleming Jenkins, featured their 2007 Syrah from legendary figure skater Peggy’s sports casting friend, John Madden’s vineyard. My younger brothers would be pretty psyched to know that their video game hero had tag-teamed on something their big sis could care about. I may just have to swing by their new tasting room in Los Gatos with my three bros in tow.

Some wineries brought a large selection of Rhone grapes. Frick Winery, for instance, was pouring 10 different wines. Folks with a wide range of grapes made it easier for guests looking to familiarize themselves with the Rhone region to get a sense of the distinctions and characteristics of each grape.

Also coming from up North, Bella Vineyards were pouring Syrahs, an unusual occurrence for this Dry Creek team most famous for their Zins. In chatting with Timothy Nordvedt on the Bella team, he said that it’s unusual for anyone to get to sample the Syrah without being a member of their wine club. Bella only produces 400 cases of their Petite Syrah, and 450 of their Grenache, a true treat for Rhone Ranger attendees.

San Francisco’s Skylark duo winemakers (and Wine Directors), Robert Perkins and John Lancaster were on hand pouring from their new teeny-tiny limited edition 2009 Pink Belly Rose. Only 152 cases were produced and it was fun to get a sneak peek into some of their more limited wines.  Right now, Ruby Wine in the Potrero is the only place you can pick up a Pink Belly bottle.

Oregonians, Quady North, a husband-wife team had a great look to their bottles. Meloney Quady, an artist, designed the look and feel of their labels. Referencing what could be described as elegant and family-friendly tattoo art, the bottles story-told the characteristics of the Rhone grapes inside. Their flagship wine was a 2009 Northwest Wine Summit “Best Red.” Each wine in their collection had a family feel about it, with “4-2 A” being named by their daughter’s own fanciful water and juice creations in its honor. A family affair, husband Herb Quady, a Bonny Doon alum, picked up where his father Andrew, also a winemaker left off and set out to produce wine in the cooler regions of Oregon.

Leaving the pavilion, this taster was almost sad to be heading back out in the sunshine, knowing that it would be another year before the Rhone Rangers would roll back into town with this world-class Grand Tasting.