Jim Rollston, MS Named "Sommelier of the Year"

Food & Wine magazine names Manresa’s Wine Director Jim Rollston “Sommelier of the Year” in the April 2017 issue. Congratulations to Jim! We could not be more proud! Check out the story here.

Get more information on the Master Sommelier and how he picks wine for Manresa in another interview by Wine & Spirits magazine here.

Mount Eden Vineyards

Mount Eden Vineyards is a small historic wine estate located on a 2,000 foot peak in the Santa Cruz Mountains Appellation about 15 miles from the Pacific Ocean. Founded in 1945, it is recognized as one of the California’s exemplary winery properties, as Matt Kramer stated in his 2004 Wine Spectator article “New California Wine.” “If I were to present a European, say, the wines of just one California winery to demonstrate the originality of California wine, I’d choose Mount Eden Vineyards,” says Kramer.

Since 2006, Manresa has had the honor of collaborating with Jeffrey Patterson, the President and Head Winemaker at Mount Eden Estate, on our Manresa Cuvée. The wine is a Bordeaux blend made of fruit sourced from the Santa Cruz Mountains vineyards that Jeffery manages. The current vintage of Manresa Cuvée 2010 is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon 78%, Merlot 12%, Cabernet Franc 8%, Petit Verdot 1%, Malbec 1 % and is available at the restaurant both by the glass and bottle. There is another unique connection between Mount Eden Vineyards and Manresa. In 1988 Chef David Kinch moved from New York City to Saratoga to work at the vineyards of Mount Eden, and he later opened his first restaurant Sent Sovi on Highway 9 in Saratoga.

Mount Eden Vineyards has a fascinating place in the history of California wine that include iconic characters such as Martin Ray and Paul Masson and vineyards origins from Corton in Burgundy and Chateau Margaux in Bordeaux. We encourage you to join us in the lounge and try a glass or bottle of Manresa Cuvée or one of the many selections of Mount Eden Vineyards wines we have on our wine list. —Jeff Bareilles

Wonderful Wine Pairings

Manresa recently hosted the annual Tomato Modernista Modernista Dinners, and one of the outstanding wine pairings of the evening came from Jeff Bareilles who paired Japanese Taru Sake with Spanish-inspired white gazpacho. Barielles poured a smooth Ichinokura Taru Sake Junmai from the Miyagi-Prefecture, which is aged in cedar barrels. The refreshing Taru Sake, with aromas of Japanese cedar, was paired with David Kinch's "white gazpacho, lemon verbena, eggplant" during the third course. The flavors were a cross-cultural match made in heaven.

Meet the Winemakers

Experience the ultimate expression of Santa Cruz Mountains terroir with Manresa and Windy Oaks Estate Vineyards and Winery. On Sunday, February 28, David Kinch will prepare a special five-course dinner paired with Windy Oaks Estate's award-winning Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, grown and produced in the Burgundy tradition. Windy Oaks is located in Corralitos, at the southern end of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Winery proprietors Jim and Judy Schultze will welcome you with a reception at 6:00 p.m., and will be your hosts for dinner at 6:45 p.m. The Windy Oaks Estate Wine Dinner is $195 per person, exclusive tax and gratuity. Please note that the regular menus will not be offered on this evening. Reservations are available by calling Manresa at 408.354.4330. Reservations are not available at OpenTable for this event.

Windy Oaks Estate Wine Dinner

Experience the ultimate expression of Santa Cruz Mountains terroir with Manresa and Windy Oaks Estate Vineyards and Winery. On Sunday, February 28, David Kinch will prepare a special five-course dinner paired with award-winning Windy Oaks Estate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, grown and produced in the Burgundy tradition. Windy Oaks is located in Corralitos, at the southern end of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Winery proprietors Jim and Judy Schultze will welcome you with a reception at 6:00 p.m., and will be your hosts for dinner at 6:45 p.m. The Windy Oaks Estate Wine Dinner is $195 per person, exclusive tax and gratuity. Please note that the regular menus will not be offered on this evening. Reservations are available by calling Manresa at 408.354.4330. Reservations are not available at OpenTable for this event.

Dinner with Randall Grahm

Join Randall Grahm, winemaker and President-for-life of Bonny Doon Vineyard in Santa Cruz, for a memorable evening of wine and cuisine. David Kinch will prepare a four-course dinner inspired by the wines of Bonny Doon, and the special “sense of place” of California's Central Coast. Considered to be a pioneer in winemaking, Randall Grahm is the engaging personality behind such highly successful Rhône wines as Le Cigare Volant, Le Cigare Blanc and Vin Gris de Cigare, and Biodynamic estate wines of Ca' del Solo Albariño and Ca' del Solo Muscat. In a dramatic reinvention, Bonny Doon Vineyard is focused on a natural and sustainable approach to winemaking on a much smaller scale. Both David Kinch and Randall Grahm are proponents of biodynamic farming practices and the expression of terroir. Please join us in welcoming Randall Grahm to Manresa on Sunday, September 7 with a wine reception at 5:00 p.m., and dinner at 5:45 p.m. (one seating time only). The winemaker dinner is $250 per person, exclusive of tax and gratuity. Reservations are available by phone at 408.354.4330 or OpenTable.
Photo by Alex Kraus

Riesling Winemakers Dinner

Join winemakers Gerhard Grans and Andreas Schmitges for an evening of German Riesling at Manresa. David Kinch will cook a Riesling-inspired six-course dinner, which starts with a welcoming reception of sparkling Solter Sekt and passed hors d’œuvres. Meet Gerhard Grans of Grans-Fassian with his daughter Victoria, and Andreas Schmitges of Andres Schmitges direct from Germany as they present their exceptional Riesling wines. Your hosts will be Dade Thieriot, Elizabeth Grubel and Michael Terry of Dee Vine Wines, purveyors of fine and rare wines in San Francisco. Seating will be kept to an intimate group, so please reserve early by calling Manresa at 408-354-4330.

Please join us on Wednesday, May 16 for the Riesling Winemakers Dinner. Welcome reception at 7:00 p.m., dinner at 7:30 p.m. $180 per person, all-inclusive. Please note that because seating is limited, reservations for the Riesling Winemakers Dinner must be made by phone at 408-260-7315. Online reservations are not accepted for this dinner.