Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/164544
DEPARTMENT HEADER A s Donny Sebastiani leads a discussion with a group of wine buyers from Napa and Sonoma, its theme—what customers want and what a restaurant needs—leads to passionate repartee. It's mid-summer and we're dining at the El Dorado Kitchen on the historic Sonoma Plaza; Donny is proving a point: He has chosen five wines from his company, Don Sebastiani & Sons, to represent specially selected appellations and varietals that over-deliver in price and quality. That point is a family tradition that now spans four generations. "These are our hero wines," he announces. "They represent appellations that appeal to a wine-savvy buyer or consumer. An echo from the past, Donny's grandfather, August Sebastiani, became the first California vintner to market premium varietal wines in popularly-priced magnums, making them a new category for American wine. Donny's father, Don Sebastiani, took over the 100-year-old family business and continued to increase the success of the company by focusing on varietals that positioned the winery in the most lucrative retail price categories. Today, the company is led by Donny Sebastiani, and his focus on appellation-driven wines expands on the progressive thinking and decisions made by generations before him. The Wines That Impacted Our Dinner Left to right: Chris Sawyer, Sommelier, Carneros Bistro, Sonoma; Anani Lawson, Wine Director, Lucy Restaurant & Bar at the Bardessono Hotel, Yountville; Jennifer Ingellis, General Manager & Wine Buyer, Cindy Pawlcyn's Wood Grill and Wine Bar, St. Helena; Donny Sebastiani; Robert Della Santina, Proprietor, Della Santina's Trattoria, Sonoma; Jon Toulze, Managing Partner, Executive Chef, the girl & the fig, Sonoma. First Course Winning the 2013 Sweepstakes Award from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat North Coast Wine Challenge for Best White Wine, Best of Sonoma County, Best of Class and 98 points the SivasSonoma 2011 Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc ($19) is a bright, rich, lanolin-scented, aromadriven wine with notes of melon and lemon marmalade. A small percentage of Gewürztraminer is blended in for a nuance of lychee and guava. James Dick, Sommelier at Mustard's Napa Valley (center), talks to Don Sebastiani & Sons Sales Manager Sean Riebli (left) and restaurateur Robert Della Santina (right). september 2013 / the tasting panel / 95 TP0913_063-103.indd 95 8/22/13 9:24 PM