Caliza Syrah will be at the Grand Tasting.
Photo courtesy CalizaWinery.com.

How about Rhones from the U.S.A.? California wineries have found great success planting Syrah, Viognier and other classic Rhone grapes.

The Rhone Rangers will convene in San Francisco on March 27th and 28th for the thirteenth consecutive year. It’s the largest American Rhone wine event in the country.

• The Rhone romp begins Saturday, March 27th with seminars such as Pairing Good with American Rhones, Grenache and Ageability of American Rhones.
• On Saturday evening, fifteen wineries will participate in a winemaker dinner at the Log Cabin in the San Francisco Presidio. The dinner will be followed by a live auction of 15 lots of wine, unique wine country experiences and travel packages, donated by the host winemakers. Proceeds from the auction will benefit the Rhone Rangers Scholarship Fund, which provides scholarships to winemakers.

And then, there’s the opportunity to taste as many of the wines as your tolerance will allow.

• On Sunday, March 28th, more than 100 Rhone Rangers member wineries will present 500 of the best American Rhone wine at the Grand Tasting. In addition to the wines, attendees can sample gourmet foods from more than 35 specialty food purveyors—cheese, bread, olive oil, charcuterie, fruits and chocolates. A silent auction will feature wines from Rhone Rangers member wineries and will benefit Meals on Wheels of San Francisco.This is no intimate gathering: The organizers expects 2,000 consumers and members of the trade.

  For more information and tickets, visit RhoneRangers.org.