As Gino Fortino returned to his rightful place of welcoming
guests and serving his loyal customers, I strolled out of the
tasting room into the light rain and looked around the event
center.
As Gino Fortino returned to his rightful place of welcoming guests and serving his loyal customers, I strolled out of the tasting room into the light rain and looked around the event center. A beautiful centerpiece to this winery that was built in 1995, the Redwood Terrace has provided many brides and corporate entities a lush and tranquil setting for their weddings, receptions and special events.
I love walking in the rain. I like the feeling of rejuvenation and cleansing that it feeds my soul.
OK, that line is a crock of
—-! I couldn’t find anywhere to stand in the overcrowded tasting room that was filled with sweethearts enjoying the pre-Valentine’s Day festivities of wine and chocolate, so my lonesome — was getting soaked while I waited for the crowd to thin!
After a while, it did thin out and I approached the tasting bar to sample some more wine.
The Burgundy Reserve is Fortino’s best seller, an interesting combination of cabernet sauvignon, carignan and grenache. This red table wine is immensely popular with local restaurants, which often feature this wine as their “red house wine.” Very reasonably priced at $9, it was soft, a bit earthy and low in alcohol. That is something else I noticed about the wine at Fortino’s. Unlike many California wineries, the subtle flavors could be found without being overpowered by the alcoholic content.
Another popular wine with the locals is the infamous Almond Champagne, a sparkling wine that is light, reminiscent of marzipan and flavored with the essence of almond. I personally know people who drive an hour just to lay their hands on a few bottles, each one priced at $16. This wine is a huge hit at the Garlic Festival Wine Tent.
The last wine I tried was the Fortino Meritage, a special wine made to honor 35 years of winemaking in Gilroy. The wine was composed of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and charbono. It was full-bodied, fleshy and slightly spicy.
With a glass of wine in one hand, and my soaked writing pad in the other, I ventured over to one of the food tables that had a chocolate fountain and proceeded to indulge in dipping marshmallows, sweetened rice squares and cookies into the cascade of cacao. I kept daring Gino’s youngest son, Kevin, to stick his open mouth under the fountain, but he knew better. Perhaps he had already done so, for chocolate could be found everywhere on his face. It was a joy to watch him stock the shelves with wine in order to help out his father.
Since this was a precursor to Valentine’s Day, Fortino had invited the culinary skills of Robert Shields, owner and proprietor of The Generous Dane’s Kitchen, to tantalize the crowd with other decadent desserts. Shield’s was presenting some of his hand-made truffles that were designed to go with the wine and champagne. The first truffle was a traditional bittersweet chocolate, dusted with cocoa powder. The other two choices included a balsamic and hazelnut truffle and a Meyer lemon – thyme crème that had been infused into the chocolate. All of them were tantalizing and seductively good.
The current production at Fortino’s is around 15,000 cases per year, which keeps everyone at the winery very busy. “It’s a good thing we have a lot of help from neighbors and friends. It’s a family affair,” Gino said. Some walls at the winery are full of photos, lending testament to Gino’s statement of the camaraderie and joy of being around family, friends and good wine.
That camaraderie is also being promoted through the Wineries of Santa Clara Valley, an association that is the resuscitated version of the South Santa Clara Valley Winegrower’s Association that disbanded a few years ago. The new association, its strategic plan and by-laws were spearheaded by Fortino’s and other wineries. Events like the Passport Weekend and the Wineries of Santa Clara Valley Dinner at Casa de Fruta are some ways that the association is trying to draw attention to the area. “By doing stuff together, we become stronger in numbers,” Fortino said.
Whether you are looking for a special event opportunity for your company, or just looking to spend time with friends, Fortino’s offers many hospitable options that can make your day memorable.
Cheers!
David Cox is a wine enthusiast and executive director of St. Joseph’s Family Center in Gilroy. He can be reached at wi**********@***oo.com.
