Mid-March marks the time of the annual Rhone Rangers roundup of US versions of wine made from the great grapes of France’s Rhone Valley region. The grand tasting in Fort Mason Center’s Festival Pavilion features the entire lineup of 22 Rhone varietals, including favorites such as Viognier, Syrah, and Mourvèrdre.
More than 120 Rhone Ranger member wineries and artisan food producers from the greater Bay Area set up in the pavilion for a tasting experience beyond compare. Inside the main event, the “Meet the Winemakers” special tasting area offers 20-minute mini-tasting events hosted by member wineries. At these intimate gatherings, winemakers pour fine varietals and discuss topics such as “single vineyard Syrah and vintage variation.”
One of the Rhone Rangers more colorful members is Twisted Oak Winery, located in Calaveras County in the Sierra foothills of Northern California. Twisted Oak creates boutique Rhone wines such as Viognier, a Marsanne/Roussane blend, and Grenache.
Similar to other Rhone Ranger wineries, Twisted Oak is a tiny operation with lots of personality and panache. The winery has its own micro-vineyards and also forms partnerships with other small local wineries to obtain additional grape varieties for its handcrafted wines.
For those new to massive wine tasting events, the Rhone Rangers offer a “starter kit” on the web site, www.rhonerangers.org. The Rangers suggest trying about five or six wines and sticking to the same varietal, such as Viognier, for the entire tasting. The Rangers also recommend finding wines to taste that are in the same price range, and palate cleansing with bread or crackers between each wine.
One of the best ways to learn about wine is at the Rhone Rangers seminar and tasting in the Fort Mason Center Conference Center in Building A. “Beyond Viognier: An Exploration of White Rhones” provides a great way to experience Rhone wines with wine experts before attending the grand tasting event.
Become a wine aficionado at the Rhone Rangers roundup of fine wines. See March 16 and www.rhonerangers.org for more information.
Festival Pavilion 
