New World Sangiovese

Just for fun, I tried a bottle of Pride's sangiovese (2006.) I've really only tasted Italian sangioveses, but given my experience with Pride's other wines, it was very much what I expected. Ripe but not too ripe, very rich oak and dark fruit flavors to bump up the wine's intensity (given the varietal) and certainly the inkyest sangiovese I've ever encountered. So there ya have it. I think cabernet stands up better to their style of winemaking.

OakJamNapaCabFest

Cimarossa, 2007
Riva Di Ponente Vineyard
Howell Mountain
Cabernet Sauvignon

This wine was just too much for me. I want to write about it so I remember to not buy it again and stop trying  different Napa cabs when the style of 95% of them is just TOO jamberry syrup and woody for me. 

Cozy Fall Cabernet

Thanksgiving came to an end. I'm completely turkey and pinot-ed out and left with a craving for a sultry cab, reserve gouda, roaring fire and spanish guitar.

Popping a Fontanella Family Winery 2009. Premiere Napa Valley. Auction 15 Lot 124, Melanson Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon...Bottle 14 of 60. Not exactly sure what every detail means (except that this juice sounds pretty darn special) but also not in the mood to be a student tonight...just ready to drink something intense and tasty. That I got...

- Stains the glass a brickish purple

- Red rose on the nose, prettypretty

- Dense fruits: red and black but not pure jam, acidity is present with a youthful freshness

- Some oak on the finish, alllllllmost too much (others would hardly detect but I'm supersensitive to wood in my wine)

- Very silky tannins

- Leather, leaves, and a mellow dustiness/extra dimension

- Pleasant grip on the finish

- Ubercab

UGC 2007 Vintage Bordeaux Tasting (hosted by Wally's at The Annex, Los Angeles)

As I sit down to write about this event I think it only appropriate to give you some context:

2009’s UGC 2006 vintage Bordeaux tasting was the first “big city” tasting I didn’t work (and by work I mean pour for free for a producer for a chance to taste some wines at the end). I had just moved to California and bought my ticket online, having no idea what to expect. I drove up to LA…it was my first time on the 405 (scary)…and my first time trying to park there (circled the InterContinental twice before parking in the Century City mall garage). I threw on a dress in the car and proudly fixed my sommelier pin to its collar. I hadn’t started the blog yet, so I guess I was there to improve my palate for Bordeaux wines – and maybe meet a fellow corkdork. Hiking up to the InterContinental from the mall garage, I felt prepared, but still nervous. The night before and that morning, I spent studying the characteristics of the different appellations and the top chateaux, but when it came to navigating a large tasting with strangers, it was best to just try to enjoy those few minutes of anticipation…

Suddenly, the holding room was crowded, I was sweating and casually talking to someone about the turnout. I was really just trying to watch what was about to go down. The receptionists were then given the signal to open the doors and we were off to the races. After checking in, I grabbed my glass, smelled it (because I saw everyone else doing that), and headed to the whites, which were stationed to the front left of the room. I didn’t even see there was a price list. Just went by my study guide and made my way from the whites, to right bank Bordeaux, to left bank, and then to Sauternes (or what was left). I took my time, scribbled notes, spit, ate some bread, used the restroom, and drank lots of water. It was a very modest, educational experience.

As you’ve probably guessed by now, this year I will write a different story. Probably because I feel different. My head is in another place - one that has me constantly thinking about my family before myself and trying to make the right decisions about participating in extracurricular activities, like wine tastings.

Sunday night, I buy the ticket at the last minute (secretly hoping the event will sell out so I’m not even tempted to go). I spend every hour before the event working on Drybar tee-shirt designs and Sponsorship Packages. I hail a cab on Santa Monica and call a friend on the walk up to The Annex to meet him in line. I take a look at the price sheet, circle a few chateaux and then ask my friends who they recommend tasting. I swallow and get a little buzz. I’ll give a list below of some flawlessly balanced, fineFINE wines, but no details. I can email them to you, if you like.

The point of this post is that like many physical things in life, my experience with them becomes less about a myopic personal encounter, and more about enjoying the opportunity this thing presents to bring human beings together. Offline.

On Wednesday night, I was in a large, loud room with PEOPLE. Looking into their eyes, backing into them (sorry), feeling their wine spit backsplash in my face, grinning at them with purple teeth, shaking their hands, and giving high fives (like I tend to do after a glass or two).

This made me beyond happy. Yes, the wines were outstanding, but it was also the environment they were tasted in that made me crave awareness for those two hours. Every time I tried to put my head down and take detailed notes, a conversation would start or a friend would say “hi.” This was a time to step away from the minutia and appreciate how fortunate I was to be there.

Thank you to the following chateaux who poured me outstanding wines (I felt bad even putting one and two stars next to some, but had to give them a little credit for somehow standing out among their peers):

M A R G A U X

Chateau Las Combes**

Chateau Rauzan-Segla

P A U I L L A C

Chateau Clerc Milon*

Chateau Lynch-Bages*

Chateau Pontet-Canet*

P E S S A C - L E O G N A N

Chateau Haut-Bailly**

Chateau Pape Clement (blanc and rouge*)

Chateau Smith Haut-Lafitte (blanc and rouge*)

Domaine de Chevalier (blanc* and rouge)

P O M E R O L (HAD TO TRY THEM ALL...)

Chateau Clinet*

Chateau Gazin

Chateau La Cabanne

Chateau Conseillante**

S A I N T - E M I L I O N (GRAND CRU)

Chateau Angelus**

Chateau Canon-La-Gaffeliere

Chateau La Gaffeliere

Chateau Troplong Mondot

Clos Fourtet**

S A I N T - J U L I E N

Chateau Beychevelle*

Chateau Gruaud Larose**

Chateau Talbot*

Trader Josie

Trader Joe’s impressed me before with their $4 Coastal Syrah and has done it again with two more reds! I recently enjoyed their $10 2007 Dry Creek Valley Reserve Cab and their $5 2008 California Grower’s Reserve Petite Syrah.

They were easy drinking, (relatively) low alcohol wines, 14.5% and 13.5% respectively, with noses and palates richer than you would anticipate given their prices. What a great reminder of the importance of trusting your palate and not graphic designers or name brands. I’ll drink TJ’s Dry Creek Valley Reserve Cab over Silver Choke any day!

Party Time

Last night Wine Gallery celebrated their 10th anniversary with an afternoon bbq and wine tasting. They brought out the best for us from cult cabs to grilled tri-tip and everyone had a blast. I got to taste through most of the whites (the Alsace Grand Cru riesling won) but really slowed down when it came to the reds because I got distracted by a bottle of Burgundy upstairs halfway through the affair (2005 A.-F. Gros Vosne-Romanee tends to do that). The reds I did have a chance to taste were excellent though. Here's my shortlist of gems:

Pinot Noir, Domaine Serene's "Yamill Cuvee"

Willamettte, Oregon, 2006

delicate red fruits, integrated alcohol, confirmed the loved i had for this producer's wines after their anniversary dinner at Delmonico in Las Vegas this past spring

Cab blend, Rudd's "Crossroads"

California, Napa Valley, Oakville, 2006

delicious wine good for drinking young, it's nice balance of rich dark fruits, good acidity, and silky tannin deserve its retail price of around $60

Cabernet Sauvignon, Round Pond

California, Napa Valley, Rutherford, 2005

prefer the Rudd over this but still noteworthy if you can find a deal on it (retails for about $65)

Cab blend, Turnbull's "Black Label" (reserve cab)

California, Napa Valley, 2006

like a slice of flourless chocolate cake...dense, decadent, but not too sweet

Adelaida Cellars

Adelaida was the only winery I had visited before and one I sincerely looked forward to returning to. The hospitality we received at Adelaida was unmatched my first trip to Paso in December. I was there celebrating a friend's birthday - it was casual trip with no appointments or tastings with winemakers. We had no connections or pull. Only common tourist enthusiasm for tasting their wines.

At that time, Adelaida went out of their way to welcome us and made everyone in the group (from novice to professional) feel comfortable. They educated us about their wines and answered our questions. There was no hard sell on their wine club and we got the feeling that everyone who worked there LOVED their job. It also helped that their wines were top quality and well-balanced. (But don't things always taste better when you're surrounded by happy people?)

This trip we (not me, but Bobbyfox and "Charlie") scheduled a tasting appointment for us where they poured about 9 nine wines - including their pinot noir and cab reserve. As if we hadn't received enough VIP treatment from Paul (our gracious host at Adelaida this trip) already, he grabbed a few bottles and glasses after our tasting and we piled into his truck to have a toast from a scenic hilltop on their land. 

Literally breathtaking.

I will go back to Adelaida every time I'm in Paso and continue to buy their wines (this trip I purchased the '06 HMR Estate Pinot Noir and the '05 Viking Estate Vineyard Cab Reserve). And next time I may bring a giant fresh pineapple with me as an overdue thank you gift.

http://www.adelaida.com/

L'Aventure Wine Tasting

Stephan Asseo, Bordeaux transplant and L'Aventure's owner and winemaker, restored my faith in balanced, disciplined Paso Robles wine. Prior to this trip, I had very high alcohol, low acidity, jammy, and generally klunky encounters with (benchmark) wines from this region. However, I always approach a new wine with an open mind and I was ready to be pleasantly surprised.

When we arrived at L'Aventure's tasting room at 10am Saturday morning (opens to the public at 11am), Stephan was sweeping the stoop outside his tasting room. The sign of an artist...we were in for a treat.

He greeted us humbly and then told us the story of his search for the right piece of land in California. His winemaking techniques are old world. His vines are (relatively) new. Plus, he has the freedom to work with any varietal, as the wine laws here are much more flexible than those in France. 

As we learned more about his style, I honed in on his focus around harvest time. It is not on the brix level (sugar level) of the grapes or, more generally, the ripeness of the fruit. Stephan picks his fruit when he believes the tannin to be ripe. Tannin is the skeleton that gives red wine its structure and ultimately connects, and supports, every other element. Choosing to harvest when "the tannin is ripe" is not a technical decision at the mercy of a number (like picking at "x" brix, or sugar, level in the berries). It's based on taste, experience, and the 6th sense of man who grew up in one of the most remarkable wine regions in the world. Ripe tannin sets a wine's "tannin" skeleton in perfect alignment. The fruit, alcohol, and acidity work their magic to fill it out. The result is a work of art. An integrated, disciplined, and memorable wine. I almost forgot to mention...it tastes fantastic. Like all of the wines at L'Aventure.

The Estate Cuvee had to be my favorite, but I also enjoyed his Estate Cote a Cote and Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. Buy and drink or hold:

http://www.aventurewine.com/

Blau Blau

Kathleen and John threw another food and wine bash on Wednesday night to properly bid safe travels to our friend Steve (who's about to globe trot for the next 3 weeks!). With two somms present, Luca and I tried to make sure everyone always had a few glasses in front of them as we enjoyed our appetizer, salad, pasta d'Luca, grilled tenderloin, and chocolate souffle. 

Here was the official lineup. Favorites were the vintage PJ and the Blau & Blau (or everyone just loved saying "Blau Blau"). This patio was rockin for a school night:

Gosset, Brut Excellence, Ay, France

Perrier Jouet, Cuvee Belle Epoque, Côte des BlancsMontagne de Reims, France, 1999

Cascina Bongiovanni, Arneis, Langhe, Italy, 2007

Mark West, Pinot Noir, California, 2007

Silvio Jermann's Mjzzu Blau & Blau, 90% Franconia and 10% Pinot Nero, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy, 2006

Tetre de Moulin, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, Saint Emilion (Grand Cru), Bordeaux, France, 2006  

$4 < House Wine > $12

I keep the following bottles at home to open on casual occasions. They are easy to drink as they are or pair with food. I like to keep my posts short and sweet, so I didn't write tasting notes for these, but I'm happy to add them at your request. Trader Joe's offers this list at these prices. They sell at such low margins that they don't do 1/2 case or case discounts like Whole Foods and other wine shops. I've seen these bottles at other stores for a buck or two more - not a big deal, but for such low priced wine they just tacked on another 20%!

Domaine Ste. Michelle: Brut and Blanc de Noirs

Traditional Method, Colombia Valley, Washington, $6.99

Picton Bay: Sauvignon Blanc (12.5%)

2008, Marlborough, New Zealand, $6.99

Trader Joe's Coastal Syrah (13.8%)

2006, California, $3.99

La Loggia: Barbera D'Alba DOC (14%)

2007, Alba, Piedmont, Italy, 2007 $6.99

Castle Rock: Pinot Noir (13.8%)

2007, Mendocino County, California, $9.99

Robert Hall: Cabernet Sauvignon (14%)

2006, Paso Robles, California, $11.99

Liberty School (second label of the famous/cult Napa cab Caymus): Cabernet Sauvignon (14%)

2006, Paso Robles, California, $11.99