St. Francis Winery News

30 Years of Winemaking at St. Francis Winery

info@stfranciswinery.com (St. Francis Winery) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 12:00:00 PST

2009 marks the 30th anniversary of St. Francis Vineyards becoming St. Francis Winery & Vineyards in 1979.

To make wine in Sonoma is to “stand in the presence of the past.” We still follow the traditions Joe Martin set upon planting our vineyard in 1971 and that he and business partner Lloyd Canton upheld after building our Winery in 1979. Use only Sonoma County grapes. Hand-pick every grape. Treat each Winery visitor as an honored guest. Above all, hand-craft complex, dazzling world class wines that dare us to proclaim, “here’s what Sonoma is capable of.”

Word of mouth and stunning accolades would later follow: “Master of Merlot” (Wine Spectator), Tom Mackey as “Int’l Red Winemaker of the Year” (London Wine Fair), “Number One Zinfandel in the World” (Wine Spectator), “California’s Hottest Winery” (Robert Parker), and so on. Today, our wines are in some of the country’s best restaurants, and have been served at the White House by four American Presidents. Many of you tell us that St. Francis wines have become part of your own family, friendship, and holiday traditions. That pleases us greatly. You have our enduring thanks as we embark upon the next 30 years, with even more exciting wines ahead. So far it’s been an incredible journey.

We hope to see you at 30th Anniversary celebrations we’ll be having throughout 2009.

TOM MACKEY HONORED FOR 25 YEARS OF WINEMAKING AT ST. FRANCIS

info@stfranciswinery.com (St. Francis Winery) — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 12:00:00 PST

St. Francis Winemaker Tom Mackey was honored in Santa Rosa on Friday evening (December 5th) for his 25 years as the first winemaker at St. Francis Winery.

Thomas J. Mackey is the first and only winemaking director employed by St. Francis Winery & Vineyards. He has held that position since 1983, but has always been an enthusiastic wine lover, even as a young man intending to make it the focus of his professional life.

Tom earned his first college degree in English at the University of San Francisco in 1973. After studying to be a secondary school teacher, he changed direction toward the wine industry. Tom briefly explored wholesale and retail wine selling, then shifted to winemaking. He went on to earn a BS in Enology in 1980 and a MS in Agri-Science in 1982, both from California State University, Fresno. During his educational years, Tom worked at Hanns Kornell in Napa as a cellarman, as a laboratory technician at United Vintners, as enologist at Rutherford Hill Winery and in a winemaking position at Gold Seal in New York. He returned home to work at Round Hill in Napa.

St. Francis Winery Founder Joe Martin hired Tom to work at his still new Winery as its first Winemaker in 1983. In this first year at St. Francis, Tom noticed something unique about a section the Merlot vineyard behind the tasting room—the grapes were smaller and more pungent than the others. Tom kept that wine separate, and used it to launch the Winery’s Reserve Merlot program. By the 2003 vintage, those same sections of Merlot would ultimately be used in St. Francis Winery’s Wild Oak line of wines.

St. Francis Winery Founder Joe Martin states that “Tom always told me that a good winemaker needs to spend almost as much time in the vineyard as he does in the cellar, and he practiced what he preached. That’s how our wines kept getting better.”

Fifth Annual Ode To Crab Winery Dinner

Tue, 9 Dec 2008 12:00:00 PST

Join us as Chef David celebrates the start of the Northern California Crab season with a menu featuring all things crab. This crustacean centric dinner has been one of our most popular events over the years. Chef David brings Crab Dinner to a whole new level. Every gourmet course will be paired with a St. Francis wine including a special library selection. Reservations Required

Valentine Winery Dinner

Tue, 9 Dec 2008 12:00:00 PST

Satisfy all your senses this Valentines Day at St. Francis Winery! Celebrate the spirit of great Food & Wine as our Executive Chef David creates an exquisite menu for you and your special someone. Enjoy the sounds of romantic acoustic music as you share an intimate candle lit meal paired with our library collection of wines. Reservations Required. "Life has taught us that love does not consist in gazing at each other but in looking outward together in the same direction." -Saint-Exupery

Up-Close and Pruning - Wine Club Exclusive Event

Tue, 9 Dec 2008 12:00:00 PST

Experience the wonders of the vineyard and take part in this hands-on event. Begin with a tour through St. Francis’ estate vineyards. Learn about the diﬀerent techniques of pruning and trellising vines and the importance of this process. Afterwards, enjoy lunch created by Executive Chef David Bush. He will prepare a seasonal menu prepared with locally grown and produced foods. Wear comfortable shoes and sunscreen. Limited space available.

Blessing of the Animals-10/05/2008