Blackbird on Main Street

Although the Cheers! St. Helena events are on hold until May, Cheers! To Taste events are going strong. These particular get-togethers are designed for industry peeps with the hopes of providing opportunities to make new connections and sip some good wine in the process.

Yesterday, the monthly Cheers! To Taste party was held at I. Wolk Gallery on Main Street in St. Helena, which was recently purchased by the folks who own Ma(i)sonry. Ma(i)sonry is a wine collective/living arts studio on Washington Street in Yountville. I love visiting Ma(i)sonry--great art, great wines, what's not to love? Last night was great because they brought the

Ma(i)sonry line up of wines to downtown St. Helena, including a bottle of Blackbird Vineyards, which is made by Aaron Potts and owned by Michael Polenski.

Each of the Blackbird wines (Illustrations, Contrarian, Paramour) is a blend of Merlot, Cab Franc, and sometimes Cab. At $90 a bottle, these are serious wines that are juicy, fruit-driven, elegant, and seriously good. As a big fan of Blackbird, that's what I opted for. I didn't even notice which of the above was listed on the bottle (I saw the birds, and I was sold!), and sure enough, it was delicious. Does anyone who went to the party last night which Blackbird wine this was?

A visit to Ma(i)sonry is both an aesthetically and palate pleasing experience. In addition to the Blackbird wines, they feature Brown Estate Zinfandels, Renteria, Rivera Vineyards, Pedras, Tamber Bey and more. These are tiny producers who don't have their own tasting rooms (same concept as Napa Wine Co., where Blackbird is bottled). Go to Ma(i)sonry on a warm sunny evening and sit outside. It's absolutely fabulous! (But even on a cold night, there is a huge outdoor firepit to keep you warm.)

As a side note, I'd like to add that I want to make this blog more interactive. If you have any questions about anything I write, please ask. Likewise, if there is a wine or winery that you'd like to know more about, let me know!