SCMGuy
Grape Sorter
Posts:290
 | | 12/14/2007 3:31 AM |
| Hi Chris, Sorry I've been so quiet on this. I wasn't quite sure how to present my current status. So... Here's my situation -- I had unexpected surgery 2 weeks ago. I need to get clearance from my doctor (a clean liver test) before I can go to the cave party. I *am* planning on the cave party (2 of us for the cave party). However, given that I'm not 100% certain, I'm unwilling to commit at this time to the lodging and bus from the Vinters Inn. When is the drop dead date for deciding on the Vintners Inn? I realize that others will certainly want my spots if I have to back out, so I want to be fair and will decide sooner rather than later so that someone else might have an opportunity to plan ahead. I go back to the doctor on Monday, so I hope to have an answer next week. Hopefully I'll find out that I am in good shape!Â  (fingers crossed) Â
It all sounds awesome and I wish I knew if I was well so I could fully commit to the whole weekend.  I'd love to go to the Friday dinner, however I can't comit right now for the reasons above. Â
Sorry for all the details, but I wanted to be up-front 
I'll try and let you know ASAP when I have an answer.
-Dave-
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R8der
Livermore, CA
Barrel Filler
Posts:1060
| | 12/14/2007 11:00 AM |
| Dave, thanks for the note. Hope everything turns out well on Monday!
I will confirm with the Vintners Inn on when I have to sign the contract. The rooms are on a courtesy hold right now (12 for Friday, 16 for Saturday). I believe they'll want a signed contract by the first of the year, but I'll try to get that info today.
The bus and dinner on Friday can wait longer....no worries there.
Chris | | | |
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Drew
Sammamish, WA
Wine Bottler
Posts:3077
| | 12/14/2007 11:06 AM |
| Awesome. My post just deleted. Vintner's Inn ROCKS - you're spoiling the hell out of us. I'm half-tempted not to stop by the parent's house and come straight up! To summarize where I'm at:
- Two attendees (as discussed)
- Sat night only at Vintner's Inn
- Sat night dinner at Freeman
- Sunday morning tasting if it goes through
- Bus service for two
NO Friday evening activities, although I'm craving a John Ash choc soufflet
I'll be making a Salumi run for friends and family before I get on the plane. If anyone wants me to ferry stuff down, I'm more than happy to pick it up for you and bring it to the hotel. Most popular items are the Finnochiona (fennel salami) and the Mole (chocolate and ancho pepper). Just PM me when we get close. | | | |
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SCMGuy
Grape Sorter
Posts:290
| | 12/14/2007 12:16 PM |
| Thanks for the info Chris. I just talked to the doctor and I'll have an answer for you next week.
   -Dave-
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David Niederauer
Los Gatos, CA
Master Sommelier
Posts:15708
| | 12/14/2007 2:49 PM |
| Posted By Drew on 12/14/2007 11:06 AM
Â
NO Friday evening activities, although I'm craving a John Ash choc soufflet
 No Friday night? I owe you a couple of drinks and I thought this would be a great time to pay you off. I won't do it on Saturday night 'cause most of the stuff is already going to be there.
Salumi salami; how could I resist? As the Big Bopper used to say, "You know what I like!".
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Drew
Sammamish, WA
Wine Bottler
Posts:3077
| | 12/14/2007 10:04 PM |
| >>Â I owe you a couple of drinks
That's funny. I'm up at 6:30 on Saturday morning with a crying kid and a mild hangover, and it's still funny. Between pinot dumps (I can name off every bottle), the quest for Rosella and random bottles showing up at the barber, you're always on the 'what the hell can I do for DavidN' list!!! Geez, I've even got the washer and dryer set from heaven based on your advice... You of all people should know, make the wife happy, and the wine just falls into place! | | | |
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saut
Grape Fermenter
Posts:502
| | 12/17/2007 2:01 AM |
| Hey Chris...
We would like to do the bus as well, if we can go. So 2 Bus requests for Saut.
Also, we'd like to do the Friday dinner, for two. That would mean one on the waitlist...
Thanks again for doing a great job organizing this.
Cheers,
Fred | | | |
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TimLinCA
Danville CA
Grape Sorter
Posts:392
| | 12/17/2007 2:25 AM |
| Chris,
Erica and I are in for:
The Vintners Inn Sat. night.
The Cave Event
The bus
Hopefully the tasting at SVW.
Thanks again,
Tim
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TimLinCA
Danville CA
Grape Sorter
Posts:392
| | 12/17/2007 2:39 AM |
| Posted By R8der on 12/12/2007 6:58 PM Not to get too far off track.....but I have a post that's not about salmon!  Because the cousin of a friend happens to run Vintners Inn, they have offered to handle our room requests at $145/night. Their normal rates run $195/up. We could then do the Friday night dinner at John Ash. This will also put us much closer to the Freeman facility. Thoughts?
Chris,
Am I missing something? The Vintners Inn (up on Barnes Rd.) is farther from Freeman right? Not by much but it's still farther. That being said, I don't really care and would rather stay at the nicer place since we're taking the bus anyway .
Tim
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David Niederauer
Los Gatos, CA
Master Sommelier
Posts:15708
| | 12/17/2007 2:46 AM |
| | It's really not that much farther if you take the back roads. | | | |
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R8der
Livermore, CA
Barrel Filler
Posts:1060
| | 12/17/2007 2:32 PM |
| According to Google maps, it's 15.7 miles to Freeman winery from the Double Tree, and 12.8 miles from the Vintners Inn.  The key with the Vintners Inn is it's a much nicer facility, and we don't have to worry about driving for the Friday night dinner. It's also a lot closer to other wineries for those that are going to be venturing out on Saturday morning and Sunday.  Of course, until I looked it up on Google, I had thought the Vintners Inn was a lot closer than that. I guess I was thinking abotu the Farmhouse Inn, which is only 7 miles from Vintners Inn.
Chris | | | |
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TimLinCA
Danville CA
Grape Sorter
Posts:392
| | 12/17/2007 3:48 PM |
| Nicer facility sounds better. Sign us up
Tim
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Winetex
Austin, Texas
Master of Wine
Posts:10570
| | 12/18/2007 10:18 AM |
| Have flights now, will travel!
Reiterating for R8der (a wonderful wine trip organizer extrodinaire):
Yes for Friday Dinner at John Ash for 2
King room at Vintner's Inn for Fri and Sat nights
Yes for the Cave Dinner for 2
Bus for the 2 of us
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R8der
Livermore, CA
Barrel Filler
Posts:1060
| | 12/18/2007 2:34 PM |
| Posted By hudamang on 12/12/2007 11:32 PM
Whoops, i posted too soon. Is it dog friendly?
They are not dog friendly...sorry about that! I'm not sure on alternatives, but the Hilton is close, so you might try them.
Chris | | | |
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R8der
Livermore, CA
Barrel Filler
Posts:1060
| | 12/18/2007 4:39 PM |
| The Friday night dinner at John Ash is coming along. They will give us the same room as last year, the Sun Porch.
We have a $2000 minimum charge to use this room (lowered from the usual $2500 for a Friday night). They are lowering corkage to $10/bottle for us, but there will be a minimum of $300 on corkage. I kinda doubt we'll have less than 30 bottles with David N coming.... .
The $300+ in corkage is counted against the $2000, so the cost will likely be $2000 plus tip (around $2200). With 24 of us that will come in at about ($92/person). I'll start working on the menu next.
The rooms are guaranteed without a contract until the first week of January. Please confirm your hotel needs by January 1 (if you haven't already). Thanks!
Chris | | | |
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mountainman
Mammoth Mountain
Wine Bottler
Posts:3111
| | 12/18/2007 6:32 PM |
| Posted By hudamang on 12/12/2007 11:32 PM
Whoops, i posted too soon. Is it dog friendly?
There is a small 2 bedroom house next door to me on the coast that takes dogs. Not too handy to Friday's dinner but works out good for Freeman. PM me if interested in details. Â
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R8der
Livermore, CA
Barrel Filler
Posts:1060
| | 12/18/2007 8:46 PM |
| Before I get too far along, I'm looking at extending the bus time and throwing in another winery visit or two....since people are flying out from various places. Right now I'm looking at hitting Small Vines Wines at 2:30, but today I contacted Tandem and Woodenhead...still waiting to hear back....but I might try to throw those into the mix. Woodenhead is about 2 miles from the hotel....so it would be perfect for a first stop around 11:30 AM.
If those who have already pledged to ride the bus DON'T want to hit other wineries, please let me know soon. Thanks.
BTW, does anybody have any contacts at Littorai or Kistler? They are both located in the vicinity of Freeman.....but I'd need somebody that pulls some weight with them to make the call. BTW....I called Merry Edwards because they have a new facility, and when I mentioned a group of 25 they basically freaked out. WTF? I even offered to bring the stemware....but they were not having any of it. Strange shit.
Chris
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scottj
Houston, TX
Grape Fermenter
Posts:552
| | 12/18/2007 10:36 PM |
| Chris,
I don't think we'd be up for a day of wineries before the dinner. Last year was great, but in spite of my best intentions to spit during the day, I know I didn't properly appreciate many of the wines poured at dinner that night. That said, if most want to hit several wineries, go ahead and we'll make other arrangements to get to Freeman.
I don't know if Sonoma is as strict, but I understand Napa has been issuing some very restrictive permits to newer wineries (or facilities). The number of visitors is extremely limited per day or week, and the wineries have to follow these restrictions to the letter. Their ability to operate is at risk if they don't. That may explain the reaction from Merry Edwards. Or it may not ...
Scott | | | |
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tanglenet
Oakland, California
Wine Bottler
Posts:3018
| | 12/18/2007 11:29 PM |
| Posted By R8der on 12/18/2007 8:46 PM
Before I get too far along, I'm looking at extending the bus time and throwing in another winery visit or two....since people are flying out from various places. Right now I'm looking at hitting Small Vines Wines at 2:30, but today I contacted Tandem and Woodenhead...still waiting to hear back....but I might try to throw those into the mix. Woodenhead is about 2 miles from the hotel....so it would be perfect for a first stop around 11:30 AM.
If those who have already pledged to ride the bus DON'T want to hit other wineries, please let me know soon. Thanks.
BTW, does anybody have any contacts at Littorai or Kistler? They are both located in the vicinity of Freeman.....but I'd need somebody that pulls some weight with them to make the call. BTW....I called Merry Edwards because they have a new facility, and when I mentioned a group of 25 they basically freaked out. WTF? I even offered to bring the stemware....but they were not having any of it. Strange shit.
Chris
Chris, who did you talk to at ME?
And, if you're looking for suggestions, how about Walter Hansel?
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TN posted on Cellartracker
"I drink no more than a sponge." François Rabelais
www.tanglenet.com | |
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David Niederauer
Los Gatos, CA
Master Sommelier
Posts:15708
| | 12/18/2007 11:38 PM |
| Benovia Winery Cottage
High speed internet access, wireless and cord
Hot tub
1 bedroom with king size bed and walk-in closet
1 bedroom with queen size bed and closet
1 bedroom with queen size bed and closet
Sleeps six comfortably
2 full baths
Towels and linens
Fully equipped kitchen
Dishwasher
Garbage disposal
Microwave
Gas Stove
Laundry room with washer and dryer
Ironing board and iron
Satellite TV, DVD and video player, CD player
Nice furniture
Dinning room seats six
Lawn front and back
Two decks with views of vineyards and mountains
BBQ charcoal grill
Telephone for local calls
Dogs okay, fenced yard for dog
Non smoking inside the cottage
Central heat and air conditioning
Olivet Grange Farmhouse
No pets
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