Idle Cellars' blog...

Idle Cellars is a micro-winery located in Sonoma County, California. With Idle Cellars we seek to provide the best of Sonoma and of wine craftsmanship. We hope our wines bring people together, be it at a lively dinner party or a lazy BBQ and give all who...

[idlecellars]

Our 2018 #Viognier, 2020 @SauvignonBlanc and 2021 #rosé are drinking smooth and fresh.  You can place orders at www.idlecellars.com

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End of Summer Pop Up with Chris Ratcliff, Samir Mogannam and Anthony Yang

Chef Anthony Yang teaming up with friends to collaborate on an end of summer nine course dinner where it all began, Naked Kitchen

We’re excited to be back @nakedkitchen pouring wine for their 10 year pop up on August 26th.

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Brian Not Brian - Idle Fantasy

Next up on @idlecellars mix series is a beautiful mix from @briannotbrian. His history is firmly rooted in his hometown of Belfast, Northern Ireland. Residencies and guest spots in the city's most res

Jamming out to #BrianNotBrian #IdleCellarsMix on this foggy chill morning in #SanFrancisco. #EnjoyYourIdleMoment.

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After drinking a bottle of 2012 Idle Cellars Viognier at lunch last week at The Girl and Fig I decided it was time to stroll the Kick Ranch Vineyard.  We source our Viognier, Grenache and Petite Sirah from Kick Ranch right outside of Santa Rosa.  Owned by Dick Keenan, a retired San Francisco attorney, this 23 acre vineyard is a primo Rhône varietal plot with spectacular Syrah, Viognier, Petite Sirah and Sauvignon Blanc.  It was such a relief to see the reservoir filling up nicely and the land green and lush.  I’ve always found that the Viognier plot at the top of the vineyard is in the perfect location for that varietal.  The plot is flat and gets good mineral build up from the hillside drainage which rises steeply to the east.  It’s also slightly shaded during some parts of the day by a row of trees next to the plot to keep the fruit from heating up too much in late summer.  We make Viognier from Kick Ranch every other year so look out for a 2016 vineyard designate.  Our 2014 is currently for sale through our website at www.idlecellars.com.  

We also make an award winning Grenache from Kick Ranch.  At Idle Cellars we didn’t hop on the Pinot Noir bandwagon that’s been going on over the last decade, but we wanted to include a lighter fruit forward wine in our inventory.  Being huge fans of Châteauneuf du Pape, and Spain in general, we settled on Grenache to play that part.  We started making Grenache from Kick Ranch in 2009 and have been making more and more each year.  We’re producing about 250 cases of Kick Ranch Grenache every harvest.  Our 2013 Grenache is the current release.  Keep your eyes open for other wines from Kick Ranch.  Dick does a good job of selling grapes to up and coming winemakers, helping them to gain some credibility in an otherwise very competitive market.  We’re also trying to throw a pop up dinner in the vineyard some time at the end of the summer, so keep your eyes peeled. 

Ari Heavner

[idlecellars]

2015 was a strange harvest, but in many ways there is no normalcy when it comes to farming.  We are very impressed with the quality of fruit this year.  Yields were down about 50% across the board, but the fruit on the vine was ambrosial.  With no rain all summer in Sonoma County, there was no mold on any clusters we harvested. The fruit has thick skin, with an older more wise feel to it.  It’s almost like it’s been grown in a desert so every ounce of energy each vine had was worked into the berries.  Above are some photos taken at Speedy Creek Vineyard in the Knights Valley on harvest day, September 12th, 2015.  

The vineyard is absolutely stunning.  The owner Dave Burton even planted a grape amphitheater.  We generally pick the Sangiovese when the clusters have 10-15% raisons as we want them to be full flavored.  This being the 3rd year we’ve harvested from Speedy Creek, we’re really starting to understand the flavors the different blocks of Sangiovese have, when the grapes ripen, and how they are going to ferment.  Dave is a great teacher and has been educating us on the vineyards, farming techniques, and his philosophies on tending a vineyard.  We’ll be releasing our 2013 Sangiovese in the spring of 2016 so everyone will be able to taste this marvelous vintage soon.

Ari Heavner

[eatmespeakme]

Peach + Lamb’s Blood Sausage for tomorrow night’s Eat Me Yakitori Peach Lamb Jam!

#bloodweiser #eatmeyakitori #idlelivin (at Eat Me Speak Me)

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We love Julia. Words to live and cook by. 

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7 Reasons People Who Drink Wine Are The Happiest People To Be Around

Wine people know how to celebrate the little things in life.

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Because we wine drinkers enjoy our #idlemoments. 

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How To Have Your Own Wine Label Without Owning A Winery

Idle Cellars is a small, but growing wine label where the two owners do everything themselves. And always have done.

"Larks looks like D’Artagnan’s progeny after a long night with a very fair maid. Heavner has shorter hair, an imposing presence and a DJ’s concentrated commitment." Chris Matyszczyk nailed it in a great write up about Idle Cellars in Inc. Check it out. 

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Get Idle All Over Georgia

Idle Cellars is growing everyday and we are excited to have a long list of restaurants and wine shops that now carry our wine. For your convenience, here is a list of places carrying our wine in the great state of Georgia. Go grab a bottle or visit our on-line store anytime for a special order. 

Saint Simons Island: The Still The 19th Hole Coastal Kitchen Delaney's Bistro

Darien: Waterfront Wine & Gourmet

Atlanta and Surrounds: The Lawrence 

Atlantic Wines

Hop City Wine and Beer

One Midtown Kitchen The Luminary Terra Terroir Purple Corkscrew 3 Parks Wine Shop The Wine Cellars Herron’s Coffee and Wine Bar Athens: Five Points Bottle Shop Savannah: Johnnie Ganems Wine & Package Circa 1875 Savannah Wine Cellars Noble Fare Statesboro: The Grapevine at H’s Tybee Island: XYZ Wine Tybee Island Social Club Tybee Fish Camp

Go grab a bottle at your favorite establishment and enjoy your Idle Georgia Moments. 

[idlecellars]

Red Wine Antioxidant Could be New Path for Cancer Therapy

Resveratrol and quercetin, two polyphenols that have been widely studied for their health properties, may soon become the basis of an important new advance in cancer treatment, primarily by improving the efficacy and potential use of an existing chemotherapeutic cancer drug.

Could red wine help lead to the next Cancer cure?

[idlecellars]

Restaurant Review: the Girl & the Fig

I spend a fair number of weekends frequenting Sonoma, ever since my parents sold the home I grew up in and relocated to wine country to retire (they still won't tell me the secret to their success)...

A great review of the Girl and the Fig where we will be having our next wine dinner on July 24th in Sonoma. Grab your tickets while they last and join us for an exquisite meal: https://secure.sosh.com/san-francisco/marketplace/idle-cellars-girl-fig/m/EL4vz/?ref=search 

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Idle Takes on Washington DC and Maryland

June was a great month for Idle Cellars. Ari and Ben spent a week on the East Coast spreading the Idle Livin’ mantra and indulging in the culinary mastery of some of the areas finest. The week started off with an underground dinner with Tyes and Rick Cook at Cook’s DC whose menu was to die for:

The table was beautifully set and each course brought a new array of taste treats and unique pairings. 

We were able to get a few pictures of the food before we got caught up in the meal, the wine, and the great company. 

The striped bass and baby clam ceviche with crispy soft crab, snap peas and Leche de Tigre paired with our newly released 2014 Viognier. 

The Pennsylvania Smoked Sturgeon with pâté, wild mushrooms and black kimchi. Paired with our 2011 and 2012 Idle Cellars Grenache.

Plating the 80-day dry-aged Shenandoah Beef Loin with anchovy toast crumbs and cabbage confit that was paired with our 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon.

We continued our Idle adventure in D.C. with an hour long wine tasting with Tony at Cleveland Park Wine who did a masterful job of sketching our portraits:

Ben looks pretty good in the abstract. 

Ari should go Ginger in real life...

We wrapped up the week with Chef Nick Palermo at the Barrel & Crow and a masterfully paired dinner with an exceptional menu at an affordable price:

We highly recommend stopping by for a meal if you’re in the Bethesda area and be sure to also pay a visit to our friends at The Iron Bridge Wine Company whose knowledge of wine and food is sure to make for a wonderful visit. 

We can’t wait to get back for our next visit. Thanks to all who made it such a great trip.

Cheers!

Ari and Ben

[idlecellars]

Barrel & Crow review: At last, quality comes to Bethesda

Chef brings expert touches to casual dishes at a neighborhood restaurant that hits the right notes.

A lovely piece about the Barrel & Crow in Maryland, host of our last East Coast pop-up dinner in June. 

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Dining for a Cause at the Naked Kitchen

On April 23rd we kicked off the Dining for a Cause series at the Naked Kitchen. The series of dinners will provide charitable contributions and recognition to the featured organization of the night coupled with a wonderful wine-paired meal for the guests. What better way to eat well and feel great?

The first dinner in the series featured a five course meal by Chef Anthony Yang to benefit the organization ReSurge International. The event was a great success both for the awareness it raised for ReSurge and the meal that Chef Yang put together. The meal featured the following dishes: 

Baby Romaine lettuces with creamy avocado, Ricotta salata and grilled sourdough paired with the 2013 Idle Cellars Sauvignon Blanc.

Orrechiette pasta with braised Mary’s chicken, artichoke soubise and Parmesan paired with the 2012 Viognier. 

Mt. Lassen Trout with squash pesto, crispy ham and grilled asparagus paired with the 2012 Grenache. 

The final dish before dessert was the Miso braised beef cheeks with pea porridge, radishes, and Tatsoi paired with the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon pictured above. 

We are gearing up for the second dinner in the series to raise money for Planned Parenthood on June 1st. Chef Andrew Greene, Executive Chef at Troya will be joining us as we work to raise money and funds for the organization that has made a name for itself as a provider of vital reproductive health care, sex education, and information for millions of women, men, and young people worldwide. For nearly 100 years, Planned Parenthood has promoted a commonsense approach to women’s health and well-being, based on respect for each individual’s right to make informed, independent decisions about health, sex, and family planning.

We hope you will join us for this delicious meal for a cause and come out for future Dining for a Cause events. Reserve your tickets and view the menu at this link: https://secure.sosh.com/san-francisco/marketplace/dining-cause-eat-drink-be-inspired/m/HXtZ/?ref=search

Cheers!

Ari and Ben

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Dining with Chef Anthony Yang

Idle Cellars has long embraced the art of pop-up dining. As wine makers it is exciting to explore various food pairings and watch as the mixture of food and wine brings out new flavors in the juice. The pop-up dining experience has allowed us to work with a variety of outstanding chefs across the country who each bring their own style and distinct food pairings to match with our wines. 

Working with Chef Anthony Yang through a variety of pop-up dinners at the Naked Kitchen in San Francisco over the past year has been a distinct pleasure. Chef Yang’s flawless execution and use of local seasonal farmer’s market ingredients have led to unique and artful dishes designed to pair perfectly with each Idle Cellars varietal. Every meal we have made together has taught us something new about the intricate balance of a tasting menu and the art of wine pairing. 

Formerly of Per Se and Michael Mina, Chef Yang has awed us with his professionalism, artistry, and signature Black Truffle Waffles. 

We are very excited to be working with him again for a five-course Post-Meridian pop-up dinner paired with Idle Cellars wines. The menu we have put together includes:

Uni Corn, farro cracker, red pepper 2013 Idle Cellars Sauvignon Blanc

Asparagus Egg, potato chip, trout roe 2014 Idle Cellars Grenache Blanc

Pig Head Terrine Radish, apricot mustard 2014 Idle Cellars Viognier

Scallop Wrapped in Ramp Leaves Pickled ramps, morel marmalade, oxtail jus 2012 Idle Cellars Grenache

Braised Spring Lamb Curried crushed peas, fennel, pistachio 2012 Idle Cellars Syrah

Black truffle waffles Ice cream 2010 Idle Cellars Cab

We hope you can join us and experience the art of Anthony Yang first hand. Get your tickets at http://bso.sh/yangidlepop65

Cheers!

Ari and Ben

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Dinner for a Cause - April 23rd,2015

Come join us April 23rd at the Naked Kitchen for a night of wining and dining for a cause. This five course meal by the incomparable Chef Anthony Yang will be paired with Idle Cellars wines and a side of philanthropy. The proceeds from the dinner will benefit ReSurge International, an organization whose mission is to provide reconstructive surgical care and build surgical capacity in developing countries. 

ReSurge envisions a world in which no human being suffers physically or emotionally from a repairable congenital deformity or injury. To reach that vision, ReSurge partners with volunteers and overseas medical partners to both provide surgical care and to educate and empower local medical professionals so that high-quality surgical access is available year-round—now and for generations to come.

You can grab your tickets for this rare, low-priced meal for a cause at: https://sosh.com/san-francisco/marketplace/dining-cause-eat-drink-be-inspired/m/fiBa/?ref=flatpage We hope to see you there!

Cheers,  Ari and Ben

Idle Cellars Winemakers