Station Events Archives - Page 5 of 5

February Meau-Faux Celebration

by Crystal Basin | Jan 31, 2022 | Cellar Events, Station Events

Crystal Basin is always seeking to identify and honor innovative leadership. We’ve created a way for us all to recognize and celebrate truly unique folks on their respective birthdays. Each month, Crystal Basin will select three special Meau-Fauxs who have made an indelible mark on the world in their own way.

This moniker is not to be taken lightly. It takes a LOT to be a Meau-Faux. You have to get up early, stay up late, and in many specific cases, be able to party like a rockstar. We know these personalities and what they stand for instantly. By calling our attention to these leaders, we hope you’ll be able to pull some essence of their spirit into you daily
life. They are, quite simply, Meau-Fauxs.

For February – We honor our second batch of amazing Meau-Fauxs for this year!

Ronald Reagan – 2/6

A Hollywood actor turned mid-century conservative thought leader, Ronald Reagan punched far above his weight class. He was, in many ways, a man of his times. Not only did he marry a glamorous starlet and literally take a bullet for his county, but he leveraged his film career to lead California through an unprecedented period of economic growth and, as a 2-term President, devised and implemented an international policy that led to the demise of the Soviet Union. His complex worldviews still are in evidence today. He was far ahead of his time with his support for gays, his disgust with communism and patriotism in the face of adversity.

Thomas Edison – 2/11

Is there ANYONE who has pushed back the night like Thomas Edison? His efforts to create and deliver electric light quite literally changed the pathway of the human species. His inventions have been adopted worldwide and his visionary talents enabled the creation of a host of cultural innovations. Edison was a genius in many ways – holding almost 1,100 patents including motion pictures, microphones and the phonograph. If you are reading this on any type of electric device – thank that Meau-Faux Thomas Edison!

Johnny Cash – 2/26

True Meau-Fauxs sometimes are rebels with devil-may-care approaches to life. Cash was an iconic rebel County singer and legendary partier during the 1950s and 1960s. His career overlapped with a lengthy list of lesser Meau-Fauxs from that time, including Elvis, Waylon Jennings, Bob Dylan and Roy Orbison. The ‘Man in Black’ is perhaps best known for his song Folsom Prison Blues, although he was not incarcerated there and performed at the prison only once. Religion and rebellion are intertwined in Cash’s introspective songwriting and performances. A true February Meau-Faux if there ever was one!

CBC Fans – It has been decreed, mandated and codified that on each of the birthdays of these storied Meau-Fauxs, CBC will be selling our Chateau Meau-Faux Red Blend and our Kougar Coolaid White Blend 1.5 liter pouch for $25. Phone in orders are acceptable (530-647-1767) , but we suggest that toasting one of these Meau-Fauxs on their birthday may be just the ticket.

Red Cap Day

by Crystal Basin | Jan 15, 2022 | Cellar Events, Station Events

January 15th, 2022 11:00 am – 5:00 pm Wear a red cap into either of our locations and upgrade your tasting to our premier wines. MB3 – 2016 Malbec from the Sauber Vineyard. These grapes produced wine that we believed was as close to Malbec perfection as we might ever attain. They needed no blending nor adjustment to create a stunning Foothill wine. Pair it with lamb or game. B3 – 2017 Barbera from the 2/3 acre Toby’s Vineyard on Mt Aukum Road. These were some of the most visually stunning grapes we’ve encountered over 30 years of winemaking and the wine made from this tiny batch matched the amazing promise of the fruit. Layers of flavor that don’t typically get associated with Barbera spring out of the glass. Italians are jealous… PVNV – This wine is composed of Two vintages from the same vineyard – the Duarte Vineyard. We combined one barrel of 2017 Petit Verdot with two barrels of 2018 Petit Verdot to create this tasty rarity. There is a mysterious cedary component to this wine. The NV part of the title refers to “Non-Vintage”. Ghost Vine Syrah – 2017 Syrah from the Biama Vineyard in Camino. After the 2017 harvest, these vines were mistakenly torn out of the ground (!). So our Ghost Vine Syrah will very literally – not be seen again. It has a silky smoothness that is regularly a component of high-altitude Syrahs. We were sorry to hear of its demise! S3 – 2019 Syrah that was co-fermented with 8% of late harvest Viognier. This style is common in the Northern Rhone in France but not often utilized in California. The addition of an aromatic white wine to Syrah adds depth along with a softer, fruitier bouquet. This fun experimentation with style is a most fine addition to your wine stash. Use to it amaze your wine geek friends! AB3 – 2019 Alicante Bouschet grown in the Fairplay region. It has fruit and depth and a perfect balance of acidity and tannins. Each sip seems to invite another one! Alicante Bouschet is a hybrid grape from France that has red flesh (rare in the grape world), creating a wine with an almost radian hue. This is a Patio Sipper at it’s best! CS3 – This 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon was another style experiment for Crystal Basin. We took a nicely formed 2018 Cab and aged it for a total of 30 months – half in new barrels. The tasty result is a wine more in a classic finished Napa style with oak elements that we typically don’t seek to accentuate in our Foothill Wine offerings. You can stop any wine snob in their tracks with this stunner. MV3 – 2019 Mourvedre from the Spanish Creek Vineyard in Fair Play. We wish and hope all year long for knockout version of our Mourvedre and 2019 did not disappoint. This wine is lush and smooth and very well balanced. This wine will permanently dispel any rumors that Mourvedre is “just a blending grape.” LHV – 2019 Late Harvest Viognier was made from grapes that exceeded 32% sugar at pick and fermented on the natural yeast from the vineyard. Another new style experiment for Crystal Basin, this dessert wine shows amazing pear and apricot flavors that finish any meal in style. Worth a try just for the experience!