The ostensible excuse for our trip was the annual Jack Creek Cellars members-only pickup party Saturday afternoon.  There’s food, music, good company, and lots of wine (including barrel tastings of some of the soon-to-be-released vintages).  Doug and Sabrina Kruse, the owners, are wonderful folks who went "green" with this party, using eco-chic bamboo plates and napkins. This couple makes some great pinot noir, syrah and chardonnay.  We particularly liked the 2005 pinot noir and managed to acquire one of the three remaining bottles in their inventory.  Watch for the 2008 pinot noir clone and the 2007 syrah.  We tasted both from the barrel and were quite impressed.

Doug and Sabrina added a tasting counter this year and it's open to the public most days. How convenient.  Before this addition, tasting was by appointment only and sometimes at the Pasolivo olive oil tasting room a few miles up the road.  The new Jack Creek tasting counter is off to one end of the non-nonsense winery facility -- it's a great place to get up close to the stainless steel tanks, transfer hoses, and aging barrels!. Nothing pretentious here. Just mighty fine winemaking going on.