An Evening with Steve Heimoff

Our October “First Friday” this last weekend was extra fun with renowned writer, blogger and wine critic, Steve Heimoff as our special guest.

A few years ago Steve wrote his dream wine book – a book that wouldn’t become dated with wine reviews that nobody would care about in ten years.  “A Wine Journey Along the Russian River”, a colorful, entertaining and informative history of our beloved wine region, is that book – a collection of stories and anecdotes about wine and life along the Russian River in Sonoma County.  

Steve is a brilliant and engaging storyteller, both in print and in person, and shared some of his stories with us, informally, on our patio with an almost full moon hanging out over the vineyard.  As we sat, enjoying the unusually warm fall evening and a glass of wine, Steve explained how the book came to be and how he spent a year travelling the river, engaging along the way with visionaries, winemakers, geologists, sommeliers and many others whose perceptions and memories of life along the river brought it’s long storied history to life. Steve went on to read a passage from the book that recalled a visit to The Farmhouse Inn and a special toast from Sonoma icon and Paris born sommelier, Joseph Bain. The passage ended with the sing-song toast Joseph liked to share from Goethe’s drinking song:

For a praiseworthy object we’re now

gather’d here.

So, brethren, sing: ergo bibamus!

Tho’ talk may be hush’d, yet the glasses ring clear,

Remember then: ergo bibamus! (Thus, let us drink!)

Steve signed books and chatted with guests while Gus, his loving canine companion, tucked in by his side.

Most of us here at Fog Crest Vineyard have read or are currently reading and enjoying Steve’s book – we invite you to do the same. We’ve got a few copies left in our tasting room should you like to embark on the journey as well. A roaring fire, a glass of wine and a good book…..

“The hills were still the color of dried wheat, like the gold that gave California its nickname of Golden State; in a few weeks, the winter rains would turn the hills emerald green. The harvest was almost over, and there was a peaceful, in-the-barn feeling that, with the approach of the rainy season, another turn of the wheel had been completed”.

…..fall is going to be great.