North Bay olive oils recognized as some of state’s best

CALIFORNIA

The California Olive Oil Council has announced the winners of its 2021 Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition, recognizing olive oil producers from throughout the state, including several from the North Bay.

This year’s competition, which attracted 80 submissions, gave out awards for Best of Show and Best of Class along with gold and silver awards.

Among the 26 Gold Medal winners were Campodonico Olive Farm of the Big Valley AVA District of Lake County for its Tuscan Blend; Gold Ridge Organic Farms of Sebastopol for its Minerva Blend; Long Meadow Ranch for its Napa Valley Select and Prato Lungo; Marciano Estate Winery of St. Helena for its Organic Italian Blend and Warm Springs Farm of Glen Ellen.

Among the 26 Silver Medal winners were Estee Hill Vineyard of Napa for its Manzanillo; Gold Ridge Organic Farms of Sebastopol for its Arbequino Blend and Picholine Blend; McDonough Family Olive Oil of Kenwood; Pine Mountain Olive Farm of Cloverdale; Showa Farm of Cloverale for its Arbequina and Swayne Family Ranch of Santa Rosa for its Tuscan Blend.

Founded in 1992, the California Olive Oil Council is a nonprofit trade and marketing association that promotes growing olives and producing high-quality extra virgin olive oil in California. For more information, go to cooc.com

ONLINE

Palmer continues Pigs & Pinot cooking series

Join Chef Charlie Palmer and Trattore Farms for a virtual Pigs & Pinot cooking class at 4 p.m. on May 27.

The class will feature owner Tim Bucher of Dry Creek Valley’s Trattore Farms, where he produces premium wines and artisanal olive oils along with his wife, Mary Louise.

Palmer will make a Five-Spice Braised Pork Belly with Cucumber and Scallion Salad to pair with the Trattore Farms 2019 Pinot Noir, Laughlin Ranch, Russian River Valley.

The class costs $75 per person, including a live Zoom demonstration with questions and answers. To reserve: charliepalmer.com/pigs-and-pinot-cooking-class

SANTA ROSA

Wines & Sunsets back at Paradise Ridge

Paradise Ridge Winery will host its Wines & Sunsets every Wednesday evening from June 2 through Oct. 27, bringing back its live music pairing with local food.

Guests can buy wines made from the winery’s Rockpile and the Russian River Valley vineyards while enjoying fare from gourmet local food trucks.

Here is the schedule of live music and food trucks for June: Carlos Herrera and Jams Joy Bungalow, June 2; Ron’s One Man Band and Sushi Shoubu, June 9; Dave Chapman and Zazu Black Piglet, June 16; Lara Louise and Lata Indian Couzine, June 23, and Da Puna Bruddahs and Dry Creek Catering for “Hawaiian Night,” June 30.

Advance ticket purchases are recommended. Cost is $15 in advances for general admission and $20 at the door, based on availability. To reserve, go to prwinery.com and click on calendar.

PETALUMA

Cowgirl launches new cheese nationwide

Cowgirl Creamery has nationally launched Inverness, a St. Marcellin-inspired cheese that features organic, single-sourced cow’s milk from Bivalve Dairy in West Marin.

The tiny gem of cheese — about 2 ounces — packs a big flavor with notes of crème fraîche, sourdough bread and a coastal brininess. Inverness is available on the creamery’s website as a 3-pack collection. Individual packs will be available at select California and West Coast retailers in the near future.

Inverness cheese is an ode to the tiny coastal town of Inverness, just across Tomales Bay from Cowgirl’s hometown, Point Reyes Station. Aged for two weeks, the soft-ripened, lactic-style cheese has a bright and tangy flavor and a cheesecake-like texture — dense at its core with a softer exterior.

For more information, go to cowgirlcreamery.com

NAPA VALLEY

V Foundation to honor the Franks

The V Foundation Wine Celebration will honor longtime supporters Rich and Leslie Frank as the 2021 Vintner Grant Honorees at a special luncheon during the Wine Celebration Weekend, Aug. 5 to 8 in the Napa Valley.

Through the Vintner’s Grant, the honorees can designate an area of focus with a cancer research grant in their name. In memory of Rich’s mother, Edythe Frank, Rich and Leslie are joining the fight against lymphoma, a cause close to their hearts.

In addition to founding Frank Family Vineyards, Rich Frank is the former president of Disney Studios and is currently the vice chairman of the American Film Institute and a voting member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Leslie Frank is an Emmy Award–winning journalist who spent more than 25 years covering politics, crime, weather and calamities and interviewed some of the biggest Hollywood stars on the red carpet.

For more information on the 2021 V Wine Celebration, go to winecelebration.org

Staff Writer Diane Peterson can be reached at 707-521-5287 or diane.peterson@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @dianepete56