<
Wine Week starts this Sunday and it’s my kind of week. It was created to celebrate the great relationship Morgan Hill has with the local wine industry. It is a week where we get to mingle with the local winemakers and hear their stories about why and how they make their wine, which includes a lot of one key ingredient—passion.
<
We will learn about wine and experience what a special thing it is to have just the right wine paired with the right food. A combination that, when done right, merges science and emotion because one bite plus one sip can equal happiness. We are fortunate to have the quality of restaurants that can make that equation work the way it should.
<
This celebration of wine, education, and food starts on Sunday, April 19. Events will take place in downtown Morgan Hill, which I believe is the perfectly paired location. Our downtown has a certain laid back yet sophisticated character that I think perfectly complements the character of the local wineries. It’s a perfect setting for a week of events that will focus on just two of our many local assets.
<
The local wine association, Wineries of Santa Clara Valley (WSCV), has been instrumental in getting this year’s Wine Week fully developed and ready to go. They are the reason for the newest event, “Our Award Winning Wine Region Celebration”—in part simply because they have won so many awards.Their involvement also promises a great event where 13 wineries will pour examples of their finest work to celebrate the number of awards recently earned for the quality of their wines (somewhere around 90 this year alone at the prestigious “San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition”).
<
This event completes the week of evening programs and will include seven top Morgan Hill restaurants who will provide appetizers specially prepared to complement the wines. This will take place Friday night, April 24 at the Morgan Hill Community and Cultural Center.
<
The rest of Wine Week should not be missed if you like wine and food. If you throw some shopping in it would pretty much be perfect.
<
Bubbles Wine Bar is committed to the week and has an event Monday through Thursday with a focus on education and getting intimate with the winemakers. For the first time this year they are also hosting a wine pairing dinner.
<
Tuesday will see Ladera Grill hosting several of the finest local winemakers in their wine pairing dinner where Odeum will focus on one winemaker, Jason-Stephens, who will bring out something special just for this dinner.
<
Wednesday will include the local popular wine pairing dinner specialists at Rosy’s, hosting another popular local in Solis Winery while The Good Fork focuses on the wines of Madeiros Family Winery. And to top off the evening, Betto’s Bistro will have your dessert paired with wines from Castillo’s Hillside Shire Winery with the multi-talented Castillo family singing opera.
<
Thursday will see Noah’s Bar and Bistro host a wine pairing dinner with local favorite Guglielmo’s. The Morgan Hill Wine and Cigar Shop will host a tasting of local wineries.
<
Friday is that big celebration event as well as The Morgan Hill Wine and Cigar shop showing just how well a port can pair with your favorite cigar.
<
If you enjoy wine and food, downtown Morgan Hill is the place to be next week.
<
For more information, please visit the Morgan Hill Downtown Association website at morganhilldowntown.org/?page_id=992
John McKay is a longtime Morgan Hill resident, city planning commissioner and a member of the Morgan Hill Tourism Alliance. He can be reached by email at
ta*****@ya***.com
.
