Hawk and Horse Vineyards to Offer Wine Selection at MAST BROTHERS CHOCOLATE Book Signing, 10/29

Hawk and Horse Vineyards will present its 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon and 2009 Latigo at a book signing for Mast Brothers Chocolate: A Family Cookbook, on October 29 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Omnivore Books. Brothers Rick and Michael Mast will be coming from their home base in Brooklyn to speak and sign copies of the book, which has a foreword by Thomas Keller.

The event is gratis and there is no need to RSVP. Omnivore Books is located at 3885 Cesar Chavez Street (San Francisco, CA 94131).

Rick and Michael Mast are the co-founders, owners and master chocolate makers of Mast Brothers Chocolate, pioneering "bean to bar" chocolate making in New York City.

Sourcing cocoa with unique flavor profiles from around the equator, they roast the beans in small batches to create truly handmade chocolate, one of the very few chocolate makers to do so. At their flagship factory and retail shop in Brooklyn, their distinctive bars are wrapped in exquisite custom papers that they have designed and are sold at specialty food shops around the country and around the world.

In Mast Brothers Chocolate: A Family Cookbook ($40) they share their unique story and recipes for classic American desserts like chocolate cookies and cakes, brownies, bars, milkshakes, and even home-made whoopie pie. There are mouthwatering savory dishes as well, like Pan-seared Scallops with Cocoa Nibs and Cocoa Coq au Vin. With striking color photographs throughout, this cookbook celebrates the vision and allure of Mast Brothers Chocolate, the leaders of the American craft chocolate movement and the choice of the world's great chefs: Thomas Keller, Dan Barber, Daniel Humm, Alice Waters, and Alain Ducasse all choose Mast Brothers Chocolate for its purity and distinctive tasting notes. The Mast Brothers' commitment to traditional craft makes their chocolate stand apart. Out of a desire to fulfill a dream and to make a statement about sustainability, they made headlines when they sailed twenty metric tons of cocoa beans harvested in the Dominican Republic to New York on a three-masted schooner. It was the first commercial import by schooner to the Port of New York since 1939. Photographs and the full story of the sail are included in the book.

Founded in 1999 by the Boies and Hawkins families, Hawk and Horse Vineyards is one of the very few biodynamic estate vineyard wineries in California. Family-owned and family-operated, the ranch is a historic property in the Red Hills AVA of Lake County and specializes in estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon and Latigo (port). The winery's current releases are the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon ($65), 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon ($65) and 2009 Latigo (a Cabernet-based port-style dessert wine, $85 for a 750 ml or $45 for a 375 ml bottle).

A visit to Hawk and Horse Vineyards is a step back in time, to the white-fence-bordered pastures full of horses, a charming home-turned-tasting room with an antique Victorian bar, historic photos of the property and local memorabilia. Recently the California State Fair awarded Hawk and Horse Vineyards a Certificate of Excellence in Viticulture. The winery farms its 18 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Cabernet Franc and Petite Verdot biodynamically. The vineyards straddle slopes from a 15% grade to 85%, at elevations up to 2,200 feet, situated in the Red Hills AVA of California." The soil literally glitters due to the abundance of Lake County "diamonds," tiny silica fragments which are the remnants of volcanic activity from the Mayacama and Vaca volcanic mountain ranges and nearby Mt. Konocti, a now dormant volcano. "Our family feels that a biodynamic approach brings you a wine which is a true expression of our sense of place," explain Tracey and Mitch Hawkins. Hawk and Horse Vineyards has been Demeter-certified since 2008 and California Certified Organic (CCOF) since 2004.

The ranch is home to a small herd of Scottish Highland cattle as well as the horses and an enormous range of wildlife---from Red Tail hawks to bees, owls, bear, wild boar, bobcats, mountain lions and squirrels. Bird-watching brings glimpses of woodpeckers, bluebirds, herons, ducks and more. The property includes a plaque documenting the historical location of El Roble Grande, the largest Valley Oak ever recorded in California.

Located at 13048 Hwy. 29 in Lower Lake, California (95457, 707/942-4600), the winery welcomes visitors Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. or by appointment (www.HawkandHorseVineyards.com, tracey@hawkandhorsevineyards.com). The grounds include a picnic area; also offered are extended tours of the ranch and vineyard, by appointment.

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