Wine Country Wedding

Come join me for a glorious day in the California Wine Country where we celebrate Vicki and Jonah’s Wedding.

Vicki is my cousin. My father, Leonard, and her paternal grandmother, Edythe, were brother and sister. You may recall me talking about my Nana, born in Kiev, Russia? Nana was Vicki’s great-grandmother. Nana and my Aunt Edythe were excellent cooks, perhaps Vicki and I inherited some of our passion for cooking from them?

Vicki and Jonah live in Chicago where they met at a wine tasting a few years ago. Both wine aficionados, they decided to come out to Sonoma, California to be married in the magnificent vineyards of Cline Cellars.

The Kiddush Cup: The Rabbi recites blessings over the wine, a symbol of joy. The couple sip from the same cup of wine, representing the life they will share as one.

Married under the Chuppah: The traditional Jewish canopy representing the home the couple will build together. It is open on all sides to symbolize unconditional hospitality to family and friends.

The reception was held on the beautiful flagstone patio at Cline Cellars. Cline Cellars produces rich, distinctive RhĂŽne-style wines and intense, flavorful Zinfandels, which we all thoroughly enjoyed.

The weather could not have been more perfect for an outdoor wedding. And the bride and groom could not make a more perfect couple. And we couldn’t be happier for them.
Hors d’oeuvres

Charred Sweet Corn Soup Shooters Garnished with Heirloom Tomato Concasse

Scaloppine of Eggplant with Sky High Goat Cheese, Kalamata Olive and Fresh Basil

Ahi Tuna Fire Spiced on Crispy Lotus Root Topped with Citrus Aioli
Salad

Tuscan Salad of Wine Country Organic Greens, Crisp Prosciutto, Sonoma Goat Cheese, and Figs served with a Balsamic Vinaigrette Infused with Opal Basil
Main Course

Pan Roasted Liberty Farms Duck Breast with Creme Fraiche Mashed Potatoes, Sauteed Vegetables of the Season in a Zinfandel Pan Jus

Pacific Wild King Salmon with a Cedar Plank Essence served with a Chardonnay Tahitian Vanilla Bean Sauce, Citrus Whipped Potatoes, and Roasted Vegetables with Fennel, Red and Yellow Peppers and Zucchini
Dessert

Tahitian Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with a Wild Berry Compote and Florentine Cookie

Singing and Dancing

We dance the Horah, a Jewish circle dance to the song, Hava Negila, a celebratory song meaning “let us rejoice.”

Wedding Cake

Bottom Tier: Flourless Chocolate Cake with Fresh Raspberries and Chocolate Fudge Layers. Top Tier: Almond Macaron Cake with Praline Buttercream and Chocolate Fudge Layers.

Dear Vicki and Jonah – Mazel Tov and may your life together be as beautiful as your wedding day.

21 thoughts on “Wine Country Wedding”

  1. The first comment? I don’t think I have ever had that privilege before!

    What a beautiful wedding! And the food??? Well I am beside myself.

  2. What a lovely wedding and what a spread for a food blogger. Best wishes to the happy couple.

  3. WOW, you actually had excellent food at a wedding? Never happens here.
    What beautiful food and a beautiful couple! Nice to be able to have an alfresco wedding.
    Here in NJ, it’s raining w/ lots of wet leaves!
    I love the lemon garnishes.

  4. Call me a sap, but I love your stories about family. And the wedding feast was spectacular. Bet most of the guests had to be rolled home. Always have fun when I visit your blog.

  5. The food and the setting is all beautiful. You didn’t make all of it did you? There are some things I definitely want to try!

  6. hi lori
    hey..i have missed a lots of your wonderful posts so lot of catching to do..but first of all..my heart congratulations to Vicki and Jonah..i loved your post and the way you have written it..nice pictures…wonderful moments to cherish and i loved to read this ‘The traditional Jewish canopy representing the home the couple will build together. It is open on all sides to symbolize unconditional hospitality to family and friends’ thats so adorable thought…enjoy and thanks for sharing.

  7. Looks like a beautiful wedding. That’s coming from someone who doesn’t like weddings. Love the decor and the look of the meal definitely tops my experiences at weddings.

  8. Oh Lori Lynn.. everything looks so beautiful! Congratulations to your beautiful cousin and her new husband! Those rose petals just look gorgeous!! And the food.. wow!! I love the duck with the the creme fraishe mashed potatoes and the Zinfandel pan jus. Actually “Everything” looks so good! 🙂

  9. I want to get remarried in wine country now!:( What a gorgeous wedding, with spectacular food I might add! Congratulations to your cousin and new husband!

  10. What a gorgeous wedding! It looks just perfect. And gorgeous bride and groom, too. Man—the food, the rose petals, the surroundings, the dancing—what a wonderful celebration.

  11. Hi Nicole – You’re number one!

    HI Sandi – sweet sentiments…

    HI That Girl – where was it?

    HI Foodalogue – I was camera-happy for sure.

    Hi Peter – I did not get a shot of the breaking of the glass 🙁 but Jonah did a fine job of it!

    Hi Stacey – we were lucky with the weather, it just as easily could have been cold and rainy this late in the year.

    Hi Marie – thank you. And I highly recommend it. Ask your hubby 🙂

    Hi Anonymous – thank you so much, and it really was a beautiful wedding. We talked about it afterward and asked, what would you change? The answer: not one thing.

    HI Nazarina – ’twas a fairy tale…

    Hi SMST – actually, it was catered, I just took the pictures.

    HI Soni – thank you, and yea, isn’t that neat, the symbolism of the chuppah? I love it.

    Hi Psychgrad – don’t like weddings? You would like one in the wine country I’m sure. I’ve seen your wine tasting posts…

    Hi Laurie – oh we were awestruck when we first arrived and saw the rose petals.

    HI Lisa- I think Vicki did an amazing job with all the attention to detail. Even the wedding favors were neat. We all received a bottle of oil or vinegar made by Cline Cellars in different flavors, mine was Late Harvest Riesling Vinegar.

  12. Many blessing to Vicki & Jonah!

    Let me know the next time you are near the San Jose area…. we can meet for lunch, dessert, whatever.

    xoxox Amy

  13. I am so inspired, I was thinking about the idea of a wedding in wine country. The food alone has me sold, so much better than the regular chicken or beef options we are used to at weddings. Seems like a great time was had by all!

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