Dream

I've started telling people it is my dream to be a wine writer. They suggest I find a magazine to write for or try to get featured in a local periodical. Game on.

An '05 Burgundy Sunday Afternoon

Opened this delicate Domaine A.-F. Gros Vosne-Romanee with a new friend halfway into the party yesterday. Having just tasted some rich red blends and cabs, it was quite a challenge for the subtleties of this wine to capture the attention they deserve. Typical of the varietal (pinot noir) and Burgundian wine making practices, the beauty of this wine is that nothing jumps out at you. It's soft on the palate, humbly carries complex aromas and flavors, and - especially the 2005 vintage - strikes heart-stopping balance. Given my slightly abused taste buds, I still managed to tune into the delicate dried raspberry, field strawberry, tart red cherry, rose water, and tea notes. Now I need to introduce my friend to one of the Gros Richebourgs... :)

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

The Privilege To Drive

I am working on regaining the privilege to drive in the state of California in mid November (I'm confident you can do the math here.) After functioning for four and a half months without a license, I have a fierce new appreciation for laws and social responsibility. Plus, an awareness of the luxury of exercising logical forensics to make an exception to policy. I have waited in line for hours. I have paid temporally and financially. I have never been a more humiliated, and, of course, humbled. I'm now more patient. More respectful. (Sorry for all of the "I"s.) And I'm thankful this happened. It is easy to go through life and never experience what I did. Respect your fellow humans and the law. If you don't, the clock is ticking. Think it is only fair to finally share this.

Today I Found Out

at the ACS Discovery Shop that my friend with cancer was told she had six months to live December '08. Given this diagnosis, I think my previous post is an even greater testament to the power of her spirit. I've heard many similar stories and I feel lucky to be in the company of a survivor firsthand. She came in again today to volunteer and my goodbye to her was "See you next Wednesday!"

I Have A Friend With Cancer

I met her at work and she is going through chemo right now. The radiation treatments are awful and she still manages to come into volunteer at the American Cancer Society Discovery Shop (it's a second hand (donation only) retail store in Corona Del Mar that donates 75% of revenue to ACS.) She came into today with a wristguard on because the radiation is now giving her carpal tunnel. 

Everyone is sensitive to her weak immune system and low energy, but she still wants to help out so we find her small jobs. I'm amazed and overwhelmed by her passion for life and activity. She is past pain. And I think just wants to be treated like a capable human being and not a sick person. She will live longer, or, even better, beat cancer because of this. A truly inspiring woman.

Learn how to volunteer for the American Cancer Society in your neighborhood:

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/EMP/EMP_0.asp

"Her Eyes"

I heard this song by Pat Monahan today in the car and liked this little line.

She's old enough to know,

and young enough not to say no.

Lately, I miss that "young enough not to say no" feeling. Feel me?

drybar ~ a blow dry bar

My sister-in-law, Alli Webb, is opening a blow dry bar in LA - Brentwood, specifically - in January. I'm beyond excited for her and completely in love with the concept (even though I have superthin hair that air drys in 5 minutes and doesn't take a curl...a.k.a. not an ideal drybar client). She will have a sexy teaser website up soon and has started a blog if you want to follow her journey of being an entrepreneur, in addition to Grant and Kit's mom and a rockstar wife, sister, and friend. Here's the link. Please cheer her on with me!

http://thedrybar.blogspot.com/

Boom Boom Pow

Love the Black Eyed Peas version? I did too, until I heard this one by the Maccabees (thanks Shwan!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmE2w7eCF98

If Only

we all looked as cute as my nephew, Kit, on the bowl.

I Apologize

for the lack of posts recently. I have been home for an overdue visit to friends and family in New York and Connecticut, reading to try to improve on my writing, working on launching two new companies (that, unfortunately, have nothing to do with wine) before Feb '09, and finally attending to things that I've neglected over months when I've prioritized blogging, wine tasting, traveling, and mulling over life questions on long walks by the ocean. Bottom line is that not too much wine sipping and exploring is going on at the moment...I'm just happy if I can squeeze in a Leffe and a twenty minute walk around sunset time.

The purpose of this blog has always been to add value (wine knowledge, recommendations, philosophical exercises, etc.) to the lives of my readers through its content. I hope to resume posts in this nature in the next few weeks. Thanks for your patience. XO

Cry Freedom

Below is the last of the lyrics and a link to the song "Cry Freedom" 

performed by Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds at Luther College.

http://listen.grooveshark.com/#/song/Cry_Freedom/9552936

Hands and feet are all alike

But gold between divide us

Hands and feet are all alike

But fear between divide us

Hands and feet are all alike

Hear what I say

Hear what I say

Oh, so be it

How can I turn away

Brother/Sister go dancing

Through my head

Human as to human

The future is no place

To place your better days

Family Winemakers of California

This was my first experience at Family in  San Francisco at the Fort Mason Center. It was a great one thanks to...

1) My friend (and international distributor) JB Moresco who was no rookie. Our plan of attack was to explore spontaneously and taste more thoughtfully Day 1 and hit the destination producers we missed Day 1 plus a few extras, recommended by trusted palates, on Day 2.

2) Eating a full lunch at Greens (awesome vegetarian cafe around the corner from the Tasting in Fort Mason Center) prior to tasting both days: http://www.greensrestaurant.com/

3) Spitting everything. If you can't do this, cut the tasting short and go back to your favorites to "drink" a second pour over the last hour. Grab some bread or cheese and crakers to enjoy these sips.

4) Drinking water in between producers. A couple ounces is enough. This will keep you going when fatigue sets in from tasting, talking, standing, and fighting to maintain a healthy core body temp in the Fort Mason Center.

Summary (IMHO):

A LOT of wine and only a handful of standouts. High (unbalanced) alcohol, no mid/back palate, and green tannin showed consistently. And, sadly, in some renowned wines which I really looked forward to tasting. I've listed my "Best in Show" below. These are wines with above average complexity and balance (fruit, acid, alcohol, ripe tannin, oak positive), among their neighbors in CA. However, on an international scale, I can't commend them all on value (taste per dollar). But this is just the voice of one palate, which lacks a respectable wine budget and was trained on almost all Old World wines. 

I believe that there is high demand in the market for the style wine I tasted the past two days, at a lower price. "For the love of the game", I hope these wineries do well. And just because you don't LOVE all of the wines at a tasting doesn't mean it's a bust. I will always go to trade tastings because of the opportunity to meet the winemakers and sales/mkg peeps who are crazy passionate about their juice. Regional tastings showcasing hundreds of wineries are one of the best ways to exercise your the palate and build on your mental inventory of producers, appellations, and specific vineyards*.

(drumroll please)

B E S T   I N   S H O W . . .

Chardonnay

Arcadian, (Dierberg Vineyard) Santa Maria Valley, 2006

Fog Crest Vineyard, Russian River Valley, 2005

ZD Wines, Reserve, Napa Valley, 2007

Rose

Lynmar Estate, Rose of Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, 2007

Pinot Noir

Arcadian, (Fiddlestix Vineyard) Santa Rita Hills, 2005

Ladera Vineyards, Russian River Valley, 2006

Clos Pepe, Santa Rita Hills, 2007

Cabernet Sauvignon

Parallel Wines, Reserve, Napa Valley, 2006

Kelleher, (Brix Vineyard, Oakville) Napa Valley, 2005

Peirson Meyer, (Versant Vineyard on Pritchard Hill) Napa Valley, 2005

Cabernet Franc

Pride Mountain Vineyards, Sonoma County, 2007

Cass Winery, Paso Robles, 2005

Petit Sirah

Robert Foley Vineyards, Napa Valley, 2006

Sirah

Enkidu Wine, Odyessy, Russian River Valley, 2006

BLENDS

L'Aventure, Cote-a-cote and Estate Cuvee, Paso Robles, 2006

Paloma, Merlot (15% Cabernet Sauvignon), (Spring Mountain) Napa Valley, 2007 (buy 2006)

X Winery & Amicus, Amicus Special Blend (51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 11% Petit Verdot,10% Cabernet Franc), (Spring Mountain) Napa Valley, 2005

BEST VALUE Portfolio ($12-$20!)

Owl Ridge Wines, Dry Creek Valley/Sonoma Coast/Sonoma County/North Coast 

PARTYINMYMOUTH 

La Sirena Winery, Moscato Azul - Dry Muscat Canelli, (Calistoga) Napa Valley, 2007

Navarro Vineyards, Estate Dry Gewurztraminer, Anderson Valley, 2006

*and cement my love for the Old World. Much has to change over here before that foundation starts to crack :)

Scenic Drive Itintin Down the Central Coast

San Simeon (tour Hearst Castle)

Cambria (listen to the seals)

Cayucos (stop for coffee and get your toes wet)

Morro Bay (kayak)

Solvang (The Hitching Post II...bbq filet rare plus please)

York Mountain Winery

We had a spontaneous picnic here while 2 guitarists had a jam sesh on the hilltop.

http://www.yorkmountainwinery.com

Brian Benson Cellars

Hot rod enthusiast meets babyface wine maker. His tasting room (across the street from Booker) was our last stop on Sunday. Brian grew up in the vines in Paso watching his parents and grandparents make their wine, Dark Star Cellars. He's all grown up now and has his own label that's getting a lot of attention. But like most winemakers in Paso, he's still humble, sincere, and passionate about his work. My favorite part about his tasting room is the tiny barrel he keeps on display, which held the first wine he made as a boy. Brian's first commercial vintage was in 2001 (he was 19!) of 147 cases split between cabernet sauvignon and zinfandel.

This cool cat (he sported a black tee and a straw fidora) loves vintage cars about as much as he loves wines. He told us a few stories about hot rods he's restored himself, while having us taste through his current release. My palate was a bit burnt out by this time, so I don't think I can give a fair review of his wines, but I will revisit a bottle in the next month...so stay tuned. Thanks again for squeezing us in late Sunday afternoon, Brian! We'll be back again soon :)

http://www.brianbensoncellars.com

Torrin Vineyards and Scott Hawley

What are the 3 most important factors in winemaking? 

Location. Location. Allocation.

Scott Hawley, owner and winemaker of Torrin Vineyards, has almost everything going for him. Priceless terroir landlocked by Booker and L'Aventure vines in Paso Robles. A lovely, loving, and gifted wife who is his partner in the project (word is they're hands down the most attractive couple in town). Two little ones running around the vines. Natural talent that's producing some of the finest wine coming out of the region.

However, his current resources can only produce 217 cases of his three bottlings of the velvety libation (80 cases of Akasha, 72 cases of Banshee, and 65 cases of Maven). He's got the allocation of a Burgundy Grand Cru. No secret marketing game here.

Moral of the story: If you can find a bottle at one of the handful of retail shops in California that have allocation (or his east coast retailer in Boston), buy it. Or get on his distribution list yesterday.

http://www.torrinwine.com/torrin/index.jsp

"I'm on a BIIIIKE"

Booker Wines and Eric Jensen

Booker was not only our homebase, but quite literally our wine playground. When we arrived around noon on Sunday, after a LONG Saturday (tasting appts from 10am to 4pm), Bobbyfox, Orion, and Eric welcomed us with wine straight from the barrel and free reign of the property. This place was about fun.

After a taste of Eric's experiment with cement tanks for his '08 "White" and his delicious 100% '08 Grenache (bursting with sweet and tart red fruits...my favorite!) we unpacked a picnic and invited everyone working and visiting the winery to join us. 

I couldn't have dreamt a better Sunday afternoon in wine country until the quad, motocycle, and mule started their engines. Eric Jensen and his team are as rockstar-farmer-winemaker as it gets. Next time maybe The Stones will be there. (Oh yeah, almost forgot to mention that Fergie was in the tasting room an hour before us!) Make a stop at the Booker Tasting Room a priority on your next trip to Paso:

http://www.bookerwines.com

Track Ball On The Lawn

Probably the best way to end Day #1 in wine country. Just try not to get too frustrated when you consistently whif. Maybe Terry Hoage will join us next time. I hear Eric Jensen is quite the athlete too...