We’re always thrilled when a winery we’ve championed hits the big time.
That certainly has been the case with Testarossa Winery, which is located in the historic Novitiate building in downtown Los Gatos, Calif., about an hour south of San Francisco. You can read about the history of that structure, and how it came to be a winery, here.
Several years ago, Vinesse was pleased to feature one of Testarossa’s wines. Here’s the “tasting note” we wrote about the winery’s 2007 “Subasio” Syrah:
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Although he majored in electrical engineering in college, Rob Jensen was destined to be a part of the wine industry.
He’s a fourth-generation Northern Californian who developed great passion for California winemaking — past, present and future. Time spent as a university student in Assisi probably sealed his fate, since Italy is home to the world’s No. 1 wine culture. In fact, both the winery name and the proprietary name of this featured wine selection have Italian roots.
Testarossa — Italian for red-head — was Rob’s nickname in Assisi. Subasio is the mountain where Assisi is located.
In making the 2006 “Subasio” Syrah, Rob and winemaker Bill Brosseau wanted a fruit-forward style, but with an underlying backbone of minerals and firm acidity. That meant sourcing grapes from various regions around California — specifically, Santa Barbara County, the Santa Cruz Mountains and the Russian River Valley.
The finished wine is everything Rob and Bill envisioned — a beautifully balanced and silky smooth cuvee of uncommon complexity.
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Of course, that wine sold out quickly, and that’s a pattern of success that Testarossa has enjoyed through the years.
How successful has Testarossa become? Well, take a moment to read this press release…
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LOS GATOS, CA (September 8, 2014) — Testarossa Winery, producers of premier California Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, announced plans to hold the first ever Testarossa Wine and Food event to take place September 28, 2014. The culinary event will showcase 17 local restaurants and their executive chefs, including five Michelin starred chefs, as well as the winery’s own new executive chef, Dave Page.
“This is a dream come true for Diana and I,” said Rob Jensen, Founder and Proprietor of Testarossa Winery. “We have always wanted to do a high caliber culinary event at the winery along the lines of Pebble Beach Food & Wine, and with the help of our partner restaurants and our new chef, we hope to do just that.”
In addition to 18 food stations and 12 wine stations featuring Testarossa wines, the event also boasts three premier seminars:
- The Manresa Bread Project w/David Kinch & Avery Ruzicka.
- Demystifying the Marriage of Cheese and Wine w/Courtney Riddle & Randall Bertao, M.S. and General Manager of Los Altos Golf and Country Club.
- A Magical Experience with Gary Pisoni — A Vertical Tasting w/Gary Pisoni, Vineyard Owner; Bill Brosseau, Testarossa Director of Winemaking; and Jeff Bareilles, Wine and Beverage Director, Manresa Restaurant.
All of the seminars are currently sold out.
Los Gatos Magazine is the official media sponsor of Testarossa Wine & Food and Tesla is the official vehicle partner. The event’s charity partner is the Global Social Benefit Institute from Santa Clara University, whose goal is to help one billion of the planet’s poorest people.
Participating Restaurants:
- Michelin Two Stars: David Kinch from Manresa Restaurant.
- Michelin One Star: Peter Armellino of the Plumed Horse, Dmitry Elperin from The Village Pub, Jarad Gallagher of Chez TJ, and Peter Rudolph of Madera.
- Food and Wine Magazine Best New Chef of 2013: Justin Cogley, LAuberge Carmel.
Other acclaimed chefs include: Le Papillon’s Scott Cooper, Nick Difu of Nick’s Next Door, Hult’s Jose Esparza, Shingo Katsura of Cin-Cin, Chanan Kamen of Osteria Coppa, Robert Holt of Sam’s Chowder House, Anthony Jimenez from The Table, and Efren Cardenas of the Grill on the Alley.
Local favorites Free Fahlen and Rodrigo Teague & the Spanish Beat will be providing music in multiple locations on the winery grounds. Parking will be available offsite, with shuttles running every 15 minutes from Los Gatos High School.
The event is completely sold out as tickets were first made available to Club Testarossa members in mid-July and then to the general public shortly after. The event capacity is 1,400 people. The winery will be closed on September 28th and will re-open at 11 a.m. on September 29th.
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Did you note that figure in the final paragraph? The event will be attended by 1,400 people. Yes, I’d say it’s safe to say that Testarossa Winery has hit the big time, and we at Vinesse could not be happier for proprietors Rob and Diana Jensen.
