THE RUSSIAN RIVER Rose Co., producers of California's only rose-estate bottled rose water and perfume, is ready to put its roses to bed for the year, but not without one last blowout — its fourth annual Russian Tea and Fragrance Festival.
The festival, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 19 and 20 in Healdsburg, celebrates both the Russian heritage of owner Michael Tolmasoff and the debut of the company's 2013 rose oil perfume and rosewater, which he distills on site.
"Rose oil on the free market commands $1,200 to $2,200 an ounce and it's highly prized by the French perfume industry," explains his wife, Jan.
This year, a ton of the company's Bulgarian rose petals yielded the company only 3 to 4 inches of the coveted oil. Tolmasoff blends it with perfume alcohol to create 300 atomizers of concentrated rose oil perfume that he sells for $26 a quarter-ounce.
Rosewater is a cherished ingredient in tea and as a culinary ingredient favored by people in India, Iran and the Middle East.
During the festival, there will be traditional Bulgarian folk singers, sips of authentic Russian tea poured from his family antique samovars, rosewater-infused teas to sample, rosewater desserts to taste and free spritzes of the estate's "Rose Embrace" perfume and rosewater.
In addition, there will be tea leaf readings, rose sorbet making, a presentation of Tolmasoff's private collection of antique perfume atomizers and a flight of garden scents such as cherry, lavender, mint, lemon and agasthace to test your fragrance familiarity.
But behind the spectacle are the gorgeous gardens, set amid vineyards and swathed in roses, some with ancestors that date back to the early ages.
"We have rose plants that have roots dating back to when people threw rose petals at emperors who returned as conquering heroes," Jan Tomalsoff says.
The 400 heady Bulgarian perfume roses the Tolmasoffs have planted in a field on their 15-acre property are just one of 649 varieties they grow, she is quick to add. They include hybrid teas, polyanthas, floribundas, grandifloras, hybrid musk, Portland and climbers.
Guests are welcome to wander through the two acres planted with roses, 130 varieties of irises and various perennials that attract bees, birds and butterflies.
They are also encouraged to explore the various themed gardens — shade, butterfly, perfume and antique rose are some — and stroll the 500-foot long rose allee.
Look for the polyantha roses Fluffy Cloud, Little White Star and Pink Sweetie, and the deep pink, fragrant climber called Rachel's Smile. These are roses that the Tolmasoffs hybridized and registered with the American Rose Society.
And then there's the 1-acre nursery that will be open. Between 400 and 600 more roses, representing 100 varieties of roses and propagated on their own rootstock, are potted and ready to go for fall planting.
"The nursery is loaded and any rose you see in the nursery we can walk you out to see in the garden," she promises. Prices range from $8 to $28.
Keep your eye open in the nursery for the rare 1927 apricot hybrid tea rose called Gruss an Coburg.
"It's a beautiful heritage rose that blooms like crazy and produces fragrant cut flowers," she says. "Really, everybody should have at least one heritage rose."
If you miss this event, there are others throughout the year, including a rose pruning class in January, an iris class in August, the perfume rose harvest in late spring and a pollinator class in the fall.
For more information, call 707-433-7455 or go to www.russian-river-rose.com.
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