Posted by Michael Haran on May 31, 2011
By Michael Haran
A few weeks ago the Press Democrat ran an article about the Villa Chanticleer. The article stated that “a city-commissioned consultant’s report recommended that to make the Villa profitable, the city reduce discounts offered to local, nonprofit, government and social groups.” The Villa is one of the City of Healdsburg’s civic treasures. From the time it was purchased in 1955, to the present the Villa has been used by the community for weddings (both local and out-of-towners); social events (school proms, Christmas and holiday parties, and anniversaries); meetings (Kiwanis, school districts, the Healdsburg Garden Club; and fundraising (Rotary crab feed, Kiwanis and Boy Scouts pancake breakfasts, the American Legion gin-fizz breakfast). The report didn’t break out “events” such as the Chamber of Commerce’s annual Business Fair w
hich I assume is included in one of the above categories.
It was disturbing to me that the report suggested “reducing the discounted percentage for local groups.” Local fundraisers and events are a vital part of the life we enjoy in Healdsburg. It is at these events that the community meets and greets. These events are not only important for the good causes that they support, but they also introduce our children to the value of volunteering. Our local fundraising event should not only be encouraged, they should also be, if necessary, subsidized by the City for the betterment of our community.
David Mickaelian, Healdsburg’s Community Services Director, said that the article was confusing in that the report was actually referring to the activities (such as weddings or social events) which were held at the Villa by people who didn’t live in Healdsburg but got a “resident” discount because they went through a friend or relative who did live in the town. Weddings were by far the largest income producer, averaging $3,119 per event; next were Fundraisers, which generated $863 per event; followed by Social events at $665, Meetings at $56, and Classes which generated $26 per event.
The article stated that the Villa lost $16,000 in 2005 and $56,000 in 2006. The increased deficit in ‘06 was due mainly the facility’s deferred maintenance. The consultant’s report suggested that to increase revenue, renovations to the Villa would cost between $400k and $1.2m. These would include audio-visual upgrades, raising the ceiling in the bar, installing room dividers, putting in side doors to create a more open feeling, developing a new outdoor waiting area for wedding parties, modernizing the restrooms, and improving the acoustics.
I don’t think over spending on improvements is the right answer. A lot of money has been spent improving the Villa over the years from the $150k to finish the buildings and grounds after the original purchase to the $1.3m that was spent in 1992 which included a heating/cooling system, refurbishing the kitchen and bar area, cleaning the redwood interior paneling, paving the parking and picnic area, installing a public address system, installing a portable stage and bring the exits up to code to meet the federal Disabilities Act. Upon completion the Parks and Recreation Director was quoted as saying, “…now this building will be solid. We won’t have to go in there for another 50 years.” So much for another 50 years.
The only improvement that should be made, I feel, are those that support the use of technology such as wireless outlets (reportedly this work has been completed), a multimedia system, and improved acoustic so everyone in the room can clearly hear event speakers. A 1964 Healdsburg Tribune article said that the only thing keeping the Villa from becoming a first rate corporate retreat facility was the lack of quality hotel and motel accommodations in the area. Well, we certainly now have plenty of those. In addition, the hiring of a full time manager to focus on generating facility revenue was a step in the right direction.
The charm and beauty of the Villa and it’s proximity to the ambiance of the wine county should be its biggest draw for mid-week activities. Maybe only residents (which ought to include Fitch Mountain resident) and their immediate families (children and/or parents) should be entitled to facility discounts. I think if we all put our heads together we can come up with a plan to generate Villa revenue that won’t require reducing the subsidies for our local residents and fundraisers. Ideas…the Villa needs ideas!
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Posted by Michael Haran on Feb 8, 2011
Scuppernong, Norton, Fredonia; not the usual wines you’d expect at a wine tasting but this was not your usual California wine tasting. This was the third year that the Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association (ASWA) was invited to pour some of the Association’s 2010 competition’s award winning East Coast wines at the 2011 Unified Wine and 
Grape Symposium in Sacramento. During their trip to the West Coast ASWA’s Carl Brandhorst and Dave Barber were asked by Anne Vercelli, a well know local food and wine educator, and Bo Simons, Librarian at Healdsburg’s Sonoma County ne Library to present an historical wine seminar. The event included the tasting of some of the 30 different East Coast wines shipped out for the events.
- Because of its industry dominance, many people associate the history of American wines with California. The fact is the first American wines were made in the late 1500s from species of Native American wine grapes. Native American grapes were so plentiful along the Eastern United States the name first given to North America by the Vikings was Vinland. In comparison, the first California winery was established in San Juan Capistrano in 1783 by the Franciscan missionaries.
Dave Barber, told the some 60 wine enthusiasts that attended the Healdsburg event, about America’s first introduction to wine production. The earliest wine made in what is now the United States was more than likely from the Scuppernong grapes by French Huguenot settlers at a settlement near Jacksonville, Florida between 1562 and 1564. In the early American Colonies of Virginia and the C
arolinas, wine making was an official goal laid out in their founding charters.
However, settlers would later discover that the wine made from the various native grapes had flavors which were unfamiliar and often referred to as “foxy” or earthy in taste unlike European wines which limited their popularity.
This led to repeated efforts to grow familiar Vitis vinifera varieties beginning with the Virginia Company exporting of French vinifera vines to Virginia in 1619. These early plantings were met with failure as native pests and vine disease brought on by hot, humid summers and the cold of winter ravaged the vineyards.
In 1683, William Penn planted a vineyard of French vinifera in Pennsylvania that may have interbred with a native Vitis labrusca vine to create the hybrid grape Alexander. One of the first commercial wineries in theUnited States was founded inIndiana in 1806 with production of wine made from the Alexander grape. Today French-American hybrid grapes still represent a significant sector of wine production on the U.S. East Coast.
The primary Native American East Coast grape species are Vitis labrusca, Vitis rotundifolia, Vitis aestivalis, and the best know Native American species Vitis riparia. Vitis labrusca’s Concord grape is used in jelly, juice and soft drinks and it was the Vitis labrusca’s root stock that saved the Phylloxera ravaged French vinifera grapes in the late 19th century. 
Some of the varietals that are made from the native vines include Scuppernong (it gets my vote for the best east coast wine name), Concord, Catawba and Niagara. From the start to the 1930’s the only wine made on the East Coat came from the native grapes. Because they could more resemble vinifera wines, in the 1930’s the French Hybrids took over from the native vines. The best know of these varietals include Norton, Chambourcin, Marechal Foch, Vidal Blanc, and Seyval Blanc. With the advances in viticulture by the 1950’s the vinifera varietals began to take hold.
Today, many fine vinifera wines are being made on the East Coast. As an example, the 2010 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, the largest American wine competition in the world, awarded the up-state New York Finger Lakes Keuka Springs Vineyards 2008 Gewurztraminer the best white wine in the country.
And Now the Wines:
I really didn’t know what to expect. Being born and bred in California I only knew wines of the Vitis vinifera persuasion. Growing up I knew, as we all did, of the Concord grape (Vitis labrusca) because of Welch’s grape jelly, juice and soft drinks. The only other thing I knew was that wines made on America’s East Coast were considered inferior to those made on the West Coast.
The first wine tasted was the Sharrott Winery’s 2008 Crimson Sky a semi-sweet red wine made from the Fredonia grape. These grapes, which are a hybrid cousin of the Concord grape, were grown in the pine forests of Ne
w Jersey. Known for tastes of candied cherry and a floral fruity finish this wine won a Double Gold and Best-of-Class in the 2010 Indy International Wine Competition. This wine is priced at $14.00
The next wine was from the Vineyards on the Scuppernong Winery located in Columbia, North Carolina. Their 2009 Somerset is made from the Native American varietal Scuppernong (also known as Muscadine) cultivars Carlos (75%) and Niagara (25%). This dry white wine, which has the aroma of carefully selected Muscadine grapes and has a clean and crisp finish, was a Gold Medal winner and First in Category winner of the Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association 2010 competition. This wine is priced at $9.95
Next up was the 2008 Gewurztraminer from Dr. Konstantin Frank Wine Cellars. Located in the famed Finger Lakes region of upstate New York this Gewürztraminer has aromas of orange blossoms, citrus and banana. The wine has a nice acidic balance and light residual sugar gives a subtle honey taste. This wine is prices at $18.00
The fourth wine tasted was the Bordeleau Winery 2007 Chardonnay. Located in Eden Maryland, these Chardonnay grapes were barrel fermented giving tastes of vanilla, lemon/lime with a finish of apple and spice. This wine, which won a 2010 Atlantic Seaboard Wine Competition Gold Medal and Best of Category, is priced at $24.00.
New Jersey’s Heritage Vineyard 2007 Merlot was the next wine tasted. This vinifera grape, grown in the humid climate of the east coast, held up quite well. It was dark ruby in color and tasted of black cherry and tobacco. Its ripe tannins gave it a nice finish. The wine won a silver medal at the World Wine Championships and priced at $19.00.
The last wine tasted was a 2008 Norton from Cooper Vineyards. The Virginia hybrid Norton grape is believed to be across between aestivalis and vinifera. A small, deep blue-black grape, the Norton varietal gives intense color, body with strong herbaceous characteristics which includes spices, fruit, tobacco and chocolate. This wine was aged 16 months in Virginia oak barrels and retails for $22.00.
For the most part everyone at the event had a positive reaction to the East Coast wines. Some of the native varietals took a little getting used to but not in a “bad” way only a “different” way. I personally though the Merlot was a good as any California Boudreaux but there were a few wines in the lineup that seemed to lack a certain balance and maybe had some oxidation problems (“foxy?”). Virginia wines have come a long way from ten years ago.
As the quality of the East Coast wines has improved the future of the industry will be in their native/hybrid and the “cold weather” vinifera varietals such as Riesling and Gewürztraminer. Since this is the only place in the world that these American Native/French Hybrid wines are produced as they get known around the world the niche market for these wines can only grow.
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