Wine for Normal People

Honoring St. Valentine with Wine: Go for a Côtes-du-Rhône!

2012-02-14T14:26:00.008-05:00

Do you really want to dork it up on Valentine's Day? Then I've got a wine for you. There's no better way to pay homage to St. Valentine then to drink a Côtes-du-Rhône. It's a great wine, affordable, and has a solid tie to the day.

How is that, you may ask? Well, it all goes back to the lovely port town of Roquemaure, in the Southern Rhône near the city of Avignon. This place has a long history of winemaking and it used St. Valentine to save the town!

They've been making wine in the Southern Rhône, at least since Roman times (like in the 2nd century), but this area was one of the first to step up the commercial game -- Roquemaure and the neighboring towns began stamping their wine barrels with "CDR" for Côtes-du-Rhône as early as 1737 (200 years before the French quality pyramid popped up) to let buyers know that the origin and quality of the wine was solid. With a great location for exporting (the town is right on the Rhône River) they did a brisk trade and got lots of cred from their stamp.

Sadly though, the very thing that allowed Côtes-du-Rhône from this area to spread far and wide was also its undoing, Roquemaure's location on the Rhône and its imports from New York necessitated an intervention from St. Valentine.

As the story goes, in 1862 a Frenchman received a shipment of American grapevines, which he proudly planted in his garden in the town. Within a year, a strange thing started to happen to neighboring vineyards -- they seemed plagued and started to die. Why? Because the Charles Manson of grapevines, a pesky bug that multiplies with alarming speed and poisons the roots of European grapevines (different species from American ones), thus becoming a mass murderer in fairly short order, had arrived in Roquemaure. American vines are immune to this pest, called phylloxera, but the French stock aren't and died nearly on the spot (this spread all over France and other parts of Europe, BTW. And you wonder why some French hate Americans?).

By 1868 Roquemaure, which relied heavily on wine for economic livelihood, was affected by phylloxera and all the vines lay dead or dying. People grew desperate. So they pulled out the big guns -- a rich dude in the town, Maximillen Richard, headed down to Rome to see about acquiring some relics of a patron saint for protection.

After some wheeling and dealing, Richard returned with the relics of St. Valentine. Gradually the vineyards recovered and the folks fell in love (pun intended) with their guardian. Since 1989, on the Saturday and Sunday closest to Valentine's Day, the town of Roquemaure hosts La Fête des Amoureux (the Festival of Lovers) to celebrate love and lovers alike.

So if you're at a loss for what to drink today, look no further. And, if I may be so bold, I've got a great wine to recommend that's inexpensive and delicious...and one I've reviewed before because I really do love it. This one is from a little north of Roquemaure (if you want something closer you can get a wine from Lirac, which will be delicious but more expensive!), but I think it embodies the spirit of the day very well!

The Wine: 2009 Delas "Saint-Esprit" Côtes du Rhône

The Blend: Côtes-du-Rhône is normally mostly Grenache. This one is unique in that it's 70% Syrah, and 20% Grenache, 5% Mourvedre, and 5% Carignan.

Alcohol: 13.5%

Color: A dark ruby with a pink rim, it was transparent and looked a little like cherry cough syrup, but less thick and syrupy.

Smell: Since Syrah dominates this blend, I think this wine has a lot more going on than most Côtes-du-Rhônes. Smells like licorice, decaying leaves, and black pepper were subtle but super interesting. There was a black cherry smell but all-in-all the aroma was mellow, so don't expect it to jump out of the glass.

Taste: The wine was earthy and kind of like licking rocks (if you don't know what I'm talking about, try it sometime. I promise you'll get it!). It had black cherry and cola flavors and was spicy. I loved that it was like baking spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice), but also like black pepper -- it had a bite and a warmth to it. There was a black licorice flavor too that was fabulous. Mouthdrying tannin was there, but it wasn't overpowering and the alcohol was moderate and didn't burn. Great balance of all the flavors that stick around in your mouth for a while after you swallow.

Drink or sink?: Drink. For around $10 this an amazing wine. I have yet to find a basic Cotes-du-Rhone that outdoes this one. Perfect for a more mellow Valentine's Day!

Have a great day and celebrate those you love!

Source for history: Tourist Office of Roquemaure

Wine For Normal People Radio: Episode 40 -Tasting Wine To Get The Most Out of It

2012-02-14T01:19:00.006-05:00

M.C. Ice and I are so grateful for all the wonderful feedback! As usual, we celebrate and thank you for your support by going through shout outs from iTunes, Facebook, and Twitter -- all amazing! We appreciate you all so much.

Then, we address a question that I've been hearing a ton lately: What kind of additives are in wine? (As a preview, they're not related to Velveeta or Cheese Whiz, even though the name "additive" evokes those highly-processed foods!).

For the main topic, this week we take a practical look at how to taste wine to get more out of your experience.

We get down & dirty, giving you new ideas on how to evaluate what you're tasting.
Why it's important to look at the wine, swirl it, smell it, and what to look for while tasting.
Our goal: have you slow down the process of tasting so you can figure out what you like and don't like, so you can get more of the former and avoid the latter!

If you like the podcast, please review it on iTunes, drop a comment below, or join the awesome conversation on Facebook (Wine For Normal People page) and Twitter @normalwine!

If you've got a question you want us to answer, post it on any of those places and we'll include it on the show!

Thanks for listening! We can't wait to hear from you!

Message in a Bottle: A Valentine's Wine For Every Kind of Relationship on Travel Belles

2012-02-10T18:10:00.005-05:00

Call me sentimental, but I kind of love Valentine's Day. Even before I met M.C. Ice when I spent many a year sola, I still loved it. It's a great chance to show your loved ones that you, in fact, love them (that includes pets, BTW...as you all know, I'm obsessed with my dog, Ellie).

In honor of the day, I have a double-whammy for you. First, a post on Travel Belles, talking about how to use wine to send a message to your Valentine. Here's the link to this super fun post:

Valentine's Day Wine for Every Kind of Relationship

And early next week, a post on a Cotes-du-Rhône. Why that wine specifically for Valentine's Day? Stay tuned to fine out!

Enjoy!

Deliciousness Orbiting Italy: Planeta Wines From Sicily

2012-02-07T02:37:00.004-05:00

Looking back on my posts, I realized that I'm pretty light on Italian wines. That's kind of strange given my profound love for Italy and the emotional connection I have with the place.

Although Spain was my first trip to Europe, Italy was my deepest immersion. I studied there for a semester while I was in college. I lived with an Italian family (who were hosting for the money, not for the love, so I spent a lot time walking the streets of Florence and exploring museums and beautiful places all over the city to avoid hanging out with them), studied the language and the art, and traveled all around the boot, exploring all it had to offer. I've been back a few times, checking out the wines in Tuscany and the Alto Adige, among other things.

I love Italy -- the food, the art, the clothes, the people, the language. MC Ice and I hope to retire there.

But the wine...now that's frustrating for me.

Why? The price vs. quality isn't there, especially in comparison to the other big European wine powerhouses -- France, Spain, and Germany. I know I'll get flak from some of you. You'll say I haven't tried enough stuff or I'm just concentrating on cheap stuff, but I can assure you that I've had loads of Italian wine. And I'm just not feeling it.

It's not for lack of choice in Italian vino -- seas and seas of Italian wine are imported to the US, where I live. Italy is consistently either the first or second largest producer of wine year after year. But the stuff that's available is at extremes -- there's so little middle ground. At the top end ($40+) the wines are fabulous-- super complex, full of interesting flavors, and great with food. At the bottom end, the stuff is like watery, sour grape juice. My issue is that even when I'm willing to spend $20 - $25, often that's not enough to get a high quality wine.

I'm going to be as bold as to suggest that this is the norm for the country (certainly for Tuscany and Piedmont, the historic high quality regions), with one huge exception: Sicily. They're hitting the middle ground running.

A hot place, kind of separate from the rest of the country, and with a culture quite unique from the mainland, Sicily is not the immediate suspect for great wine. And although they've been making wine there since around 1500 BC and making decent stuff since the Greeks landed in about the 8th century AD, in modern times Sicily has made an assload of crap wine through co-ops. The fertile, volcanic soil (Mount Etna is an active volcano) is great for growing lots and lots of flavorless grapes that can be sold in mainland Italy, to beef up wimpier wines from other places. But all that has changed. In the last decade, there are some really interesting things going on in Sicily that are transforming its wine scene.

No change has been this big since the English came in the 1700s and ruled the Marsala trade (Marsala is a wine made from local grapes and then made kind of like Sherry from Spain, where alcohol is added to it to stop fermentation and make the wines high in alcohol and sometimes sweet). But in the 1990s, local talent stepped it up. Leveraging some of the native grapes -- the reds: Nero d'Avola, Frappato, Calabrese and the whites: Cataratto, Grillo, Inzolia, Zibibbo, and Moscato Bianco, and adding French favorites like Syrah, Merlot, and Chardonnay, there is some outstanding wine coming out of Sicily from modern producers who want to write a new chapter in Sicilian wine -- one that's not Marsala or flabby table wine.

One of the most talented producers is the Planeta family. The family had been in farming since the 1600s, but got into wine later on, joining the co-ops and making bulk wine in the 1970s. Things changed when Diego Planeta started the winery in the mid-90s by buying up small, ideal vineyards all around Sicily. He sought to put the island on the wine map and to do that, he played the popularity contest: He made a Chardonnay that he hoped would appeal to the international market and draw attention to Sicily as a quality winemaking region.

The first vintage of Chard was in 1994 and it was a huge success -- landing on Wine Spectator's Top 100 and building enormous momentum for the brand. That enabled the family to branch out and expand the line to include native grapes. Today, Planeta grows classic Sicilian grapes plus Syrah, Chardonnay, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon.

The family owns 6 separate estates, which each make wine on-site, rather than the traditional model of having a mother-ship where all grapes are trucked to a big facility where the wine is made. By having the properties right near the vineyards, the winemakers can specialize and make sure that they can use fresh flavorful fruit (as opposed to picked fruit that's sitting in the back of a truck for hours).

Planeta is dedicated to high quality wine. This collection of, essentially, six boutique wineries across Sicily that fall under the brand contains some everyday wines and their top end is essentially the island's version of the top quality wines of mainland Italy. Each label contains a piece of the Planeta family crest -- a beautiful star-laden shield.

Before I get into the wines, I owe a thanks to Marie of Palm Bay, the company that imports Planeta. She was kind enough to take me on the Planeta odyssey!

Here's the lineup...and my opinion of whether they are worth it.

The Wine: 2008 Planeta Chardonnay (the flagship wine!), $35
Color: This wine was a rich golden color. The warm climate produces ripe fruit with lots of pigment and the oak the wine sat in darkened it too.
Smell: This was a 90s style Chardonnay -- oaky, smoky, and full of pineapple and pear aromas. The wine reminded me of the very "done up" California wines that were popular a few years ago until people got a little sick of the major oak, vanilla, and fruit combo and winemakers started making wines that were a little more subtle.
Taste: This wine tasted like it smelled. It was creamy, smoky, oaky, and full of tropical flavor. The oak didn't linger, the flavor kind of dissipated, and that made it more refreshing than some of those more commercial wines that I associate with oaky Chardonnay.
Drink or sink?: This is a well-made wine, and it's Planeta's flagship but I think it needs to evolve. It's great to stick to your guns and continue to make a wine the same year after year, but in this case, I think the winemaker needs to stop with all the tricks (oak, malolactic fermentation to make the wine creamy). The fruit can't really show what it's got with all that oak from 50% new barrels, and creaminess from malolactic fermentation. I'm not a huge fan. I call this a sink, because I think it's overdone.

The Wine: 2009 Planeta La Segreta Rosso, $12
Made on the southwestern coast of Sicily, this wine is a lighter style blend, inexpensive, and a good representation of some of the native grapes. Super pleasant!
The Blend: 50% Nero d'Avola, 25% Merlot, 20% Syrah, 5% Cabernet Franc (I guess I just revealed la segreta or secret)
Color: Light ruby with a pink rim and transparent. It looked like a nice, refreshing wine but nothing that was going to be too flavorful or bold.
Smell: Really fresh! Raspberry, ripe red cherry fruit smells with some pretty rose petal scents. On a second whiff there was some spice, dried dirt (like kicked-up dirt when you drive on a dirt road), and smoke. It was interesting and not too simple.
Taste: The wine tasted like ripe cherries and had a nice zing of mouthwatering acid. It had a tiny bit of tart, bitterness but there was no sign of tannin and it was simple, light and refreshing.
Drink or sink?: Drink. I love that I have another alternative in the world of light reds now! This is a great summer wine and could probably even take some time in the fridge. What a great value and a great light sipper! If you are just moving from white to red, here's a great transition wine. Score.

The Wine: 2008 Cerasuolo di Vittoria, $20
The Blend: The red blend is the only Sicilian wine that is granted the most restrictive regional designation -- Denominazione di Origine Controllata Guarantita (DOCG). It's required to be 50% - 70% Nero d'Avola and 30% - 50% Frappato. Cerasuolo (chera-SWO-lo), whose name derives from "Cerasa" or Cherry in a local dialect, is made in an area between the sea and the Iblei Mountains/
Color: Another wine that was light in color, this looked like the previous one. I expected another light wine.
Smell: The wine smelled earthy and had a rustic quality, like dried dirt. And oh, the cherries -- it lives up to its name!
Taste: What a surprise! The wine was smoky and tangy, like barbeque potato chips, but combined with cherries, strawberries, and cranberries. It had a little bit of bitterness from the tannin but it also had great mouthwatering acid to keep it light.
Drink or sink?: Drink! This wine was so fresh and light. It was like a Gamay (Beaujolais) but a little bit more rustic, which is a trait I find in a lot of Italian wine and something I like. We had it with sundried tomato and it was a stunner. Another wonderful, light wine but with more complexity. I can see why Planeta is considered a top producer of Cerasuolo.

The Wine: 2007 Santa Cecilia, $35
The grape: 100% Nero d'Avola
Color: Nero, a wonderful native grape of Sicily, has a ton of flavor and is a pretty rich color too. It looked like black cherry juice and had super thick legs from the 14% alcohol.
Smell: Not only does the wine look like black cherry, it tasted like it too! This smelled like a cherry cola -- cherry, vanilla, cinnamon, with a touch of orange flavor.
Taste: Wow! What a cool surprise. This tasted like a Christmas cake! It was full of nutmeg, cinnamon, chocolate, orange, and baked cherry flavors. It had kind of a pine taste and it was full flavored but wasn't too mouthdrying and had great mouthwatering acid. Those warm Christmas-y flavors are mainly from the French oak barrels they use -- those flavors against the wine's fruit was so unique.
Drink or Sink?: Drink. This was excellent. I've had some really bold, fruity Nero d'Avola before but never anything like this. I had no idea that Nero could be like this and I loved it. Amazing.

The Wine: 2005 Burdese (Bordeaux Blend), $35
The blend: 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Cabernet Franc
Color: Garnet with a little bit of browning around the edges from the 7 years of aging, the wine was full of color. It stained the glass, it was so dark, and the legs were super thick from the 14.5% of alcohol.
Smell: This was fruity wine. It smelled like blackberry, plums, and black currant with some violet flowers. It had a nice licorice and black pepper smell to it, but it was just dripping with fruit. It was almost too fruity for me -- there was barely anything else there but fruit, and I like something else to analyze.
Taste: This tasted nothing like it smelled. It was like wet soil and then lavender, Indian food spices, and green peppers. It had a tiny bit of plum flavor, and a good hit of cedar too. The mouthdrying tannins were not too overpowering and there was good mouthwatering acid too.
Drink or Sink?: Drink. Wow, this was a great wine! I was skeptical because I hated the way it smelled, but it was damn good. Nothing like a Bordeaux, but really excellent and unique. A delicious, earthy wine.

The Wine: 2006 Syrah, $35
The grape: 100% Syrah
Color: This wine was dark in color with thick, gloppy legs from the 14.5% alcohol. It looked intense and after the fruity smell of the Burdese, I worried it may be overdone.
Smell: The wine smelled dirty and earthy and a little soapy too. You could smell the alcohol -- a cilia singer. The aroma wasn't like Australian Shiraz (same grape) or like Syrah from the Northern Rhône. It was un-Syrah like -- more dirt-like and less peppery.
Taste: Heavy on the oak -- it tasted like vanilla, spice, and woodchips. It had plum and strawberry flavors, but also very astringent, bitter tannins. It was slightly smoky but mostly the sensation was sweet and bitter competing with one another, and I just didn't love that.
Drink or Sink?: Sink. My least favorite of the tasting, I thought this was a little off balance and lacked all the spicy, fruity, earthy flavors I like in Syrah. I was disappointed.

Quick note: Another of their wines, which we didn't have in the tasting, but which I've had courtesy of Marie another time was their Cometa, made from 100% Fiano, a native white grape, is beyond outstanding. It's around $40 but worth it!

All in all, I think Planeta is an excellent producer and they shine best when working with the grapes that are native to Sicily. Although are some are a little pricey, I encourage you to seek them out and try these gems. They are something completely different, exciting, and delicious!

Wine For Normal People Radio: Episode 39 -- Spain

2012-02-04T02:26:00.005-05:00

After some fabulous shout outs (thank you so much for the awesome feedback) and a great listener question on "why do wines go on sale? (a little inside the industry on this one!), this week we cover Spain.

Here's the link: DOWNLOAD

First we brush up on history, covering how the Phoenicians, Moors, and a Facist dictator affected Spain's wine industry
Then we talk about the different quality levels -- we explain the differences from table wines to the top quality designation, all of which will appear on the bottle
Finally, we do an overview of what you can get expect from some of the top regions.

If you are interested in Spain, but don't know where to start, this podcast is for you!

If you like the podcast, please review it on iTunes, drop a comment below, or join the awesome conversation on Facebook (Wine For Normal People page) and Twitter @normalwine!

Also, if you've got a question you want us to answer, post it on any of those places and we'll include it on the show!

Thanks for listening! We can't wait to hear from you!

Germany 101: A Primer On A Few Important Regions and A Grand Riesling Tasting

2012-01-26T02:18:00.029-05:00

I love Riesling.

Love it.

Love it so much that I had no problem having three other wine dorks over and trying 12 of them in a row.

What a cool opportunity! I hosted my own expert panel -- a rare Riesling tasting, provided by both Valckenberg who sent over a bunch of their products from different tiers and different places to try (these were sent as complimentary samples, but I'll be honest in the review, of course) and two from the Wines of Germany. Just so you know what these organizations do...

P.J. Valckenberg is the oldest family-owned wine merchant in Germany and exports wine to the US from smaller, higher quality producers with long histories of production. They sent a slew of their latest vintage for me to check out.

The Wines of Germany is "focused on creating greater awareness and increased sales of German wine in the U.S. through educational and promotional activities." They send kick ass German wines for me to try and review quarterly. It's a great opportunity for me to share with you the joys of German Riesling, of which I'm a huge advocate.

Before I go any further, I've got to give thanks to my wine expert panel -- Michael, Andrés, and Marie -- a group with a special combination of great taste, lots of credentials and expertise, and a normal (and hilarious) take on wine. We dorked out, learned, and laughed. Who could ask for more?

A quick German wine 101 before I get into what we tasted...

Regional Classifications
Like all other countries in Europe, Germans classify their wines based on the quality of the grapes and vineyards. They have 13 large wine growing regions (think Napa Valley, Sonoma Valley, Bordeaux, Tuscany, etc). These are called Anbaugebiete (AHN-bow-guh-beet-uh). There are then classifications that specify area (using Napa as an example, the Bereich are akin to the Rutherford AVA), and then classifications for estate grown grapes and producer/grower made wines. Similar to other places, the smaller the area (estate v. region) the more expensive the wine. (map, left, from Wines of Germany)

Quality and Sweetness Levels
You won't see much of the general Table Wine (Tafelwein) or Country Wine (Landwein) outside of Germany but you'll see a ton from the 13 regions. If you look on the bottle you'll see it's classified as QbA (QUALITÄTSWEIN BESTIMMTER ANBAUGEBIETE). It's a general regional quality designation and some amazing wines are QbA.

The top level classification is QmP (QUALITÄTSWEIN MIT PRÄDIKAT) or quality wine with attributes. These wines are the finest in Germany but to say they represent a quality pyramid is a little strange. It's not really what you think.

Because it's so cold in Germany and often the grapes can't get ripe, Germans created a scale of different ripeness levels (which they equate with quality, although we dry wine drinkers are better off thinking about it in terms of ripeness or sugar levels). Here are the most common levels and what they mean:

Kabinett: Ripe grapes from a regular harvest. They can be dry or they can be slightly sweet.

Spätlese (SHPATE-lay-zah): Late harvest with very ripe grapes. They can be dry but usually they are pretty sweet and they can be fruitier than a Kabinett but not always.

Auslese (OWZ-lay-zah): It means "select harvest," and this wine is made from very ripe, selected bunches and is either sweet, semi-sweet, or rich and dry.

Spätlese and Auslese are tricky because they cover a lot of different styles, so you have to ask or research before you buy one.

Other sweeter styles are Beerenauslese, Eiswein, and Trockenbeerenauslese. These are über sugary and just really for dessert.

That's the sweet stuff, but if you're a dry wine lover, here are some things to look for on the label:
Trocken: A dry wine with no noticeable sweetness
Halbtrocken: Semi-dry
Classic: Dry wines from a region
Selection: Dry wines from specific vineyards
Erste Lage, Erste Gewächs & Grosses Gewächs (ge-WEX): The top wine estates in Germany carry this classification and they have to meet strict requirements to use this. These wines are all dry. Erste Lage is used for vineyards in the Mosel region, Erst Gewächs is for quality vineyards in Rheingau and Grosses Gewächs is for quality vineyards in all the other regions.

That was a lot of info and we're not even up to the wines! Here's the deal, part of the reason Germany is so complicated is that there is great variation between each of the regions, as we confirmed in our tasting. All the wines we tried were Rieslings but the range was so broad we may as well have been trying different grapes in some cases. A key thing I'll keep bringing up is access to sun. Germany is at the very far north of where you can grow grapes, and growers need every trick possible -- south-facing slopes to catch every bit of sun, rivers that will reflect heat, and soils that retain warmth -- to make sure the stuff ripens and makes good wine.

As I describe the wines and the regions from our tasting, hopefully the contrast will become clear!

Nahe
The Johnny-Come-Lately of German wine, the Nahe was planted with grapevines 600 years after the Mosel (right around the Middle Ages, so let's put it all in perspective), in the 8th century (yes, this stuff is OLD). Located on the River Nahe, the area is south of the other wine regions in the tasting. This slightly southern location and the abundance of south-facing slopes on the river makes some areas of the region almost Mediterranean in climate. Rare for Germany, they even grow some red grape varieties here (in cold climates it's hard to get the color and ripeness levels need to grow reds, so this is no small feat).

Still, Riesling, the friend of the cooler weather vineyards, reigns here -- 27% of vineyards are planted with it. Nahe used to be known for some the best quality Riesling in Germany but the modernization of the wine industry left the more rural Nahe in the dust and it never quite regained its golden reputation. This is changing now, but not much of the good stuff is making it out of Germany, so it may be hard to find a wine from Nahe locally. We had a cheapy but a goodie from there...

The Wine: 2010 Two Princes Riesling, Salm-Salm, Nahe, QbA,$10
This wine comes from Schloss Wallhausen, one of Germany's oldest wine estates. Prinz zu Salm, the estate owner, has wine in his blood: he can trace his family tree back to 932 and his vineyards date to 1200. “Two Princes” P2 is the signature wine of Prince Michael (not Jackson, FYI) and Prince Constantin zu Salm-Salm, the 32nd and 33rd generations at Schloss Wallhausen.

Color: This wine was a golden yellow color, darker than some of the other Rieslings we tried.
Smell: It wasn't too aromatic -- it smelled a little like hot rocks and a bouquet of white flowers...maybe with a little salt water thrown in. We all kind of agreed that the wine smelled like clothing detergent -- floral and soapy.
Taste: It tasted better than it smelled, with a little bit of sweetness, and a candied lemon, honeydew melon flavor. There was a touch of wet saltiness but the wine also had a full texture that we all found very pleasant. For $10 this isn't going to rock your world, but it was a perfectly enjoyable wine.

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Rheinhessen
This is the biggest grape-growing region (Anbaugebiet), but even though there's lots of diversity\ in soil and some great wines made here, Rheinhessen is best known for Liebfraumilch...if you've ever seen Blue Nun, that's what I'm talkin' about. That nasty swag is made in the town of Alzey, here. That wine, in it's memorable blue bottle, is nondescript and cheap and has kind of wrecked the reputation of Rheinhessen, but I think there's still goodness to be had here.

That may just be the optimist in me though. Honestly, most of the wines I've had from here have been kind of lackluster. Apparently along the Rhine river there's a terrace of red slate, which gives a spiciness to the Riesling planted and can create insanely delicious wines, but that hasn't been what I've tasted, so I'm still on the hunt for something good from here. Riesling is important here, but Müller-Thurgau (an aromatic but often blah white) is the big dog in the region. Given the reflection from the Rhine, it's warm enough here to grow red grapes, so you'd find some of that here too.

We had two Rieslings from Rheinhessen.

The Wine: 2009 Valckenberg Undone Dry Riesling, Rheinhessen, QbA $8.50
We unanimously agreed that this was the worst wine of the tasting.
Color: A pale straw color, super light.
Smell: It started out so well! Lemon, green apple, and herb scents hopped out of the glass. It smelled promising.
Taste: Urgh. Completely off balance. It tasted like bitter green herbs, and was like plant stems. It had eye-watering acid and very little fruit flavor. The wine hadn't gone bad...it was just plain bad! It was overly acidic, bitter and left an awful taste after we swallowed. The faces and crinkled noses around the table said it all. Ick.

The Wine: 2010 Weingut Liebfrauenstift "Stift" Dry Riesling, Rheinhessen, $18
Color: Pale yellow, with a little bit of green but nothing special.
Smell: Not really much here, but a little bit of lemon, some wet waterfall smell and then something that reminded me of lemon furniture polish. Let's just say none of us was excited to try this one...
Taste: Very blah. A touch of lemon, that lemon furniture polish note was kickin' and there was a bitter, green plant flavor that was a little gross. The wine was metallic (like aluminum foil when you bite some off with your sandwich by mistake) and had a watery, not-so-flavorful note at the end. We found it simple, and compared to some of the other wines, completely overpriced.

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And now to the titans of German wine -- Rheingau and Mosel (which I've written on before). These areas make distinctive Riesling and this is where the grape really shines, in my opinion. If you ever wanted an argument for how terroir (listen to the podcast for more info on this concept) plays a part in changing flavor of a grape, pick up a Mosel and a Rheingau Riesling of the same quality level and you'll taste it for yourself, plain as day.

This tasting was awesome for that. There was consensus among our little group on which we preferred...the Mosel blew away the Rheingau. This just confirmed what I've found in other comparative tastings, but everyone has different opinions and tastes so I can see the merits of both.

Rheingau
\With nearly 80% of the vineyards planted with Riesling, this region is pretty single-minded in its focus. For this area of the world, which is really far north and cold, they'd never be able to grow grapes, but for a little quirk in the flow of the Rhine River. Unexplicably, it takes a jog from its northerly flow for a bit and flows West on the banks in the Rheingau region. This shift provides a nice southern slope for grapevines. Insulating the grapes even more -- the Taunus Mountains to the north, which deflect all the nasty polar winds.

Rheingau grapes have got it made and for 150 years, the folks living here have taken special pride in that knowledge. Germany has a nationwide classification system based on how ripe the grapes are, but Rheingau has its own standards for quality. Its Charta system, now taken over by the VDP, a quality assurance group that includes the top vineyards and producers in Germany, ranks the best vineyard sites. 35% of all Rhingau's vineyards are considered top quality (erstes gewächs, which I mentioned above). 13 are first class including two you may have seen before -- Schloss Johannisburg and Marcobrunn.

Rheingau was developed mostly by monks and has been wining it up since the 980s. It's got cred. And it hasn't compromised its dedication to quality. I can't argue that the wines are good, but I don't think the descriptors critics assign to the wine are exactly right, so I'll try to do one better.

The Riesling from Rheingau is usually described as full, rich, and flavorful with fresh acidity. But frankly, I've tried a bunch of great producers and never quite found that to be true. More commonly, I find that these wines are subtle and pretty, but without much boldness to speak of. We had three wines in this tasting, all from very reputable producers and all of high quality. One was a favorite for me and Marie.

The Wine: 2010 Weingut Johannishof Charta Riesling, QbA $18
Color: Golden, kind of like honey.
Smell:The wine didn't just look like honey, it smelled like it too. It also had a strange musty note. It was like a day-old peach pit and it had a candied smell too.
Taste: The taste reminded us of candy -- gummy peach rings, the stick from fun-dip, or some other processed peach flavor. It was pretty astringent and slightly bitter. The wine was a little hot too -- compared to the low alcohol in all the other wines, at 13% this seemed high. We agreed that this would be better with food. Michael, suggested pork as a good pairing. Alone, I could have skipped the experience and gone for a peach gummy ring. It definitely did not live up to the promise of Rheingau wines.

The Wine: 2008 Schloss Johannisberg Riesling Kabinett, $20
(Head's up -- This is a really famous wine from a famous vineyard)
Color: The warmer climate means the grapes get riper and darker in Rheingau -- this was just like the previous one -- golden in color.
Smell: Consensus: it stank. It was musty and had a gasoline note too it. There was a light green apple note with some honey and jasmine tea scents, but it wasn't jumping out of the glass at all.
Taste: The wine, thankfully, had a lot more going on when we tasted it. It was elegant and very dry with a crazy fennel, tarragon, and fresh herb flavor to it. There was a little bit of bitterness but it was still delicious and the acidity was in balance with the herbal notes. By far this was the favorite of the Rheingau wines and the only one I would definitely buy again. Both Marie and I thought it was pretty outstanding.

The Wine: 2009 Weingut Baron Knyphausen Michelmark Erbacher Spatlese, Erstes Gewäch (first growth, highest quality), $40
With a great updated package and a slick look, this wine had sex appeal from the outside.
Color: True to the Rheingau Riesling trademark, the wine was golden in color
Smell: Also true to what we were finding and what I've discovered before, this wasn't a real aromatic wine. It had a very slight perfume smell like white flowers or jasmine tea. Different from what I think of as the characteristic Riesling smell of peaches, nectarines, or limes. It was very restrained although unlike the previous wines, it did smell fresh rather than musty.
Taste: We all agreed, however, that this wine missed the mark on taste and it was grossly overpriced, especially compared to the Schloss Johannisburg. It was light, the alcohol felt too high for the low levels of fruit flavor, and the wine was just mediocre. This is not what I'd expect from a 1st growth or highest quality out of Rheingau. That said, this wine is young. It probably needs another 5 years in the bottle before it comes out of its shell. I wish I had waited to open it.

___________________________________________________________

Mosel
We had 6 wines from Mosel, but even if we'd only had two, the result would have been the same. Unanimously we found these wines to be the best in every aspect -- excellent flavor, excellent quality for the price, and amazing with food or without. Mosel was the clear star for us all -- four very experienced wine drinkers who have had our share of Rieslings.

Even further north than Rheingau, Mosel is on the Mosel River and parts on its tributaries the Saar and Ruwer Rivers. Riesling is king, queen, prince, and princess here and cultivating it is not easy. The vineyards are on near vertical slopes of either side of the river, on slate vineyards that are terraced, and need to be harvested by hand. Romans planted these vineyards in the 4th century and Riesling made the area its home by the 18th century. The river reflects light and heat off the river onto the slopes, and slate retains heat that allows for grape growing. For a stretch of 5 miles along the river, great vineyard after great vineyard stretch out.

Mosel is the most esteemed Riesling region in the world and the profile of the wines is everything I enjoy in a Riesling -- sweet or dry, they all have low to moderate alcohol, excellent fruit flavor, amazing acidity, and a slate or mineral flavor that is like licking a rock. Many of them have what wine dorks call a "petrol" or gasoline note -- it sounds gross and some argue it's a flaw in the wine, but I think it's delicious and a trademark of a Mosel Riesling. Most big fans of these wines know that flavor and seek it out. Although I've had some stinkers, if you're a fan of Riesling, it's hard not to love Mosel.

We tasted 6 Mosel Rieslings and all of our top picks were among these gems.

The Wine: 2007 Van Hovel Riesling, $15
This was from Wines of Germany
Color: The wine was yellow-green in color but on the lighter side.
Smell: It had an outstanding fruit smell. It was like melons, peach, nectarine, candied apples, and tangerines.
Taste: The wine was off-dry, or lightly sweet, which was needed to balance out the ridiculously high acidity. My mouth was watering like I had just eaten a lemon! The fruit smells carried over into the flavor and the wine was a little spritzy -- often carbon dioxide is left over after fermentation in Riesling, leaving spritzig, as the Germans call it. Natural and delicious.

This wine was a favorite. You can't beat the price and it is a great example of a Mosel Riesling. Except for some cheese and crackers we didn't have food for the tasting, but this would be amazing with sushi or halibut. Seek this out -- for the price, it is a knockout.

The Wine: 2010 Schloss Saarstein Riesling Kabinett, $25
Color: Light, pale straw in color with some small bubbles from the CO2.
Smell: So aromatic. Full of white flower, peach, and lemon aromas. There was a little bit of mineral to it too and a tiny bit of petrol.
Taste: The wine tasted even better than it smelled. It had an amazing balance -- jasmine flowers, peaches, and a little petrol played off the screaming acidity and the lightly sweet taste. The spritz in this wine also helped temper the fruity, floral smells. I have had this wine before and loved it just as much as I did in our "grand tasting." This was my favorite wine of the tasting and I was impressed, once again by this phenomenal producer. Bravo! I wasn't alone -- this wine was in everyone's top three -- Michael, Andrés, and I all ranked it as our favorite.

The Wine: 2009 Dr. Pauly Bergweiler Bernkasteler Badstube Spätlese, $22
This was from Wines of Germany
Color: A little richer and golden in color
Smell: This wine smelled like wet rocks/a waterfall, red apples, peaches, and petrol.
Taste: A perfect Riesling to smell, the taste was damn good but I think this is one that would be heavenly with food. Spritzy from the CO2, the wine was a little sweet but slightly tart and had more petrol and wet slate or wet rock flavor than we smelled. This wine would kick ass with Thai curries. This was Marie's favorite and Michael and Andrés both ranked it after the Schloss Saarstein as their second favorite. I liked it but it was my third best wine.

The Wine: 2010 Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Kabinett, $27
Color: Super golden in the color, I expected this to be sugary (sugar darkens a wine) but I was surprised by what I smelled and tasted.
Smell: The wine was so floral -- like gardenias, carnations, and lilac. It was a little like fresh laundry hanging outside/clean cotton scent from an air freshner (in a good way).
Taste: The wine was spritzy, very acidic, and light. Nary a peach or petrol flavor, this was pleasant and so elegant. I really loved this wine. It was my second favorite and everyone else liked it too.

The Wine: 2010 Carl Graff Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett, $15
Color: Greenish and pale in color, this wine was another homerun with us because it was outstandingly different from the others in the tasting.
Smell: The wine smelled like an Asian pear (somewhere between an pear and apple) and like minerals, but the overwhelming aroma was something like root beer.
Taste: It surprised us again when we tasted it -- instead of being sweet and peachy, the wine had a real Asian spice flavor. Tamarind, ginger, and even a salty minerality that was like soy sauce was prominent. Andrés and Michael loved this one and ranked it as the third best -- and it's understandable why. As it was open longer and longer, the wine just kept getting better and better. This was such a pleasant surprise and for $15, one to keep around for spicy dishes. What an interesting wine!

The Wine: 2009 Carl Von Schubert Maximin Grünhäuser Herrenberg Riesling Spätlese, $30
Color: This wine was a dark, golden color, with small bubbles, and it STANK.
Smell: It smelled like a gas station or a lit match -- a sulfur smell was prominent. Sulfur and pears. It was really hard to get past that gross smell to taste the wine, but we were glad we did.
Taste: The taste was so different from the smell. It was honeyed, and like melon and a tropical fruit salad and golden pear. It had spritz, great acidity, and a touch of sweetness. It really was nasty to smell, but so damn good. I loved this wine, but it's a tough one and not for those who are really sensitive to that sulfur smell, which was off-putting.

What a tasting. We learned so much about the different styles of Riesling that are available and had a great time exploring the different regions and analyzing what each brought to the table.

Thanks again to the panel and here is a summary of our faves:

Andrés and Michael Top 3:

Schloss Saarstein
Dr. Pauly Bergweiler
Carl Graf
(Van Hovel for budget wine)

Marie's Top 3:

Dr. Pauly Bergweiler
Schloss Johannisberg
Van Hovel

My Top 3:

Schloss Saarstein
Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt Piesporter Goldtropfchen
Schloss Johannisberg

Sources:
http://www.germanwineestates.com/understanding_german_wine_labels.htm
http://www.thewinedoctor.com/regionalguides/germanymosel2.shtml
The World Atlas of Wine, Hugh Johnson/Jancis Robinson
Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia, Tom Stevenson
Wines of Germany, http://www.germanwineusa.com/

Wine For Normal People Radio: Episode 38 -- Alphabet Soup…The Business of Wine Certifications

2012-01-25T22:15:00.002-05:00

This week we go inside the wine industry again!

MC Ice and I start with some amazing shout outs from iTunes, Twitter, and Facebook. Thanks for all the positive feedback!

Then we tackle a robust listener question that pulls the curtain back on the wine industry. I share firsthand information about big conglomerates' wines that I learned while working for the big hulking winery! In a nutshell, we address the quality, the marketing, & how to figure out what they own.

Then we cover the certifications that people in the wine industry love to tout, what they really mean, and our take on the pyramid schemes of these certification groups:

The certifications that Pliny the Elder, Ausonius, Thomas Jefferson, and other wine experts throughout history earned/certifications' place in wine history (hint: they didn't have any...this stuff is all very new)
The wine-service-oriented Court of Master Sommeliers and the different levels offered
The Society of Wine Educators and the Certified Specialist of Wine and Certified Wine Educator Exams
The Wine and Spirits Education Trust (and why it's awesome but really price-y)
The Master of Wine

If you like the podcast, please review it on iTunes, drop a comment below, or join the awesome conversation on Facebook (Wine For Normal People page) and Twitter @normalwine!

If you've got a question you want us to answer, post it and we'll include it on the show!

Thanks for listening! We can't wait to hear from you!

Acorn Winery: The Seed of Something Different and Mighty in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma

2012-01-19T14:52:00.004-05:00

Have you ever stepped into a place and felt like you were in the living room of a dear friend's home? Where the people, who you've never met, made you feel like you've known them for years and that they care about you, about what you think, and about how comfortable you are? It's rare to find this anywhere, let alone in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma...unless you go see Betsy and Bill Nachbaur, owners of Acorn Winery. Add insanely good wine to the mix and you've got one of the most fabulous, differentiated places in Sonoma.

After you've tasted all the Pinot, Chardonnay, Zin, and Cab your mouth can handle, go to Acorn for something no one else has...Cab Franc, Dolcetto, and what's called "Field Blends" (a bunch of complementary stuff grown together, picked together, and fermented together to make heavenly wines) and a family feel you won't get anywhere else.

I made an appointment here at the urging of some Facebook fans. When we drove up, the tasting room was full (it only holds about 10 people) and Betsy, harried but enthusiastic, hurried out to tell us that she was running late. We got to poke around in the vineyards outside and after the other group finished (Betsy does the hospitality at Acorn and treats everyone like they are the most important person in the world), MC Ice and I sat down with Bill and Betsy to taste through their amazing line of wines (all reds, so if you're a white wine-only person you may need to opt out) and talk about everything under the sun. Betsy and Bill are smart, insider-outsiders in the wine community (in a REALLY GREAT way) and have perspective.

What do I mean by perspective? The Nachbaurs have had a life outside of wine so they know there's more to the world than just Sonoma and Napa (there are some industry folks who I think have no idea that there is a world outside California Wine Country). Bill was a lawyer in San Francisco and Betsy had a high powered job in business. They loved wine, so in 1990, Bill gave up law and devoted himself full-time to a new venture -- he and Betsy purchased Alegría Vineyards, a property that had been planted with grapevines since the 1880s but was in sore need of care and love. They saved what they could of the old vines and then planted another 17 acres of new stuff, mostly of single varieties to have something different from the heritage vines, which included more of a hodge podge.

For the first four years they sold all their grapes and then decided to make their own wine in 1994. In 1996 the first Sangiovese was released. Today they still sell 50% of their grapes to other high end wineries. They only make 3000 cases of their estate-grown wine. They crush their grapes off site so the operation at Acorn (named because they are small but produce something magnificent: acorn to oak) is largely about farming.

This isn't a corporate place. It's not slick. Betsy and Bill work their asses off farming, making wine, delivering wine, and hosting guests. It's their second act in their careers and they LOVE what they do -- Alegría means "joy" in Spanish, and that's what they feel about farming and making wine. Bill isn't formally trained in wine. He's a really, really smart guy who read books and experimented and figured out how to farm, how to make damn good juice, and he worked with Betsy to learn how to have a business in a crazy industry that probably made no sense from a legal/political/business perspective. The Nachbaurs are fast learners.

Acorn's focus is different from everyone else's in Sonoma, especially in the Russian River Valley where ever place peddles its Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, which after a while can taste very "same-y." The vineyards aren't perfectly manicured. Bill works with nature and farms the old school way -- using mostly organic techniques and letting the vineyard express itself. Their "thing" is field blends. Letting complementary things grow together make it easier to cultivate the grapes and create unique wines. This method also honors the history of the Italian immigrants who settled in Sonoma, spreading their winemaking tradition. Acorn's wines stand out both because they are made from grapes that virtually no one else is cultivating and because they are freaking delicious.

I don't know if it's because they are originally East Coasters (from Connecticut) or whether they are not so entrenched in wine that they are really well-rounded, but these are some of the most interesting, kind, passionate people I've met in Sonoma...EVER. I love the story, I love the wines and I can't recommend this place highly enough. It's for normal people.

And so, let's get to the lineup...

Wine #1: 2008 Cabernet Franc, Russian River Valley, Sonoma, California
Price: $30
Alcohol: 13.5%

Color: The wine was a crimson color with a touch of brown. I always think Cabernet Franc is kind of like the color of mud, with plums thrown in. This one was spot on!

Smell: EXACTLY what I think of when I think of Cab Franc -- earthy, like decaying leaves and tea, with some black cherry and floral notes.

Taste: Earthy, with cherry and licorice flavors and much fuller than I expected. It had great acid and nice mouth-drying tannin but had enough fruit, earth, and nutmeg/cinnamon spice to keep it interesting. Complex, delicious and would be terrific with earthy food like mushrooms or steak au jus.

Drink or Sink: Drink. What a way to start a tasting. This wine was outstanding. It surprised me. I expected that it would be a little like green pepper (Cab Franc sometimes has that note) or overly fruity (some from Sonoma are) but this was Cab Franc done right -- earthy, spicy, fruity, floral. Great wine.

Wine #2: 2008 Dolcetto (dole-CHET-oh, a grape native to the Piedmont region in Northwestern Italy and rarely found in Sonoma, so this is really cool!), Russian River Valley, Sonoma, California
Price: $30
Alcohol: 14.1%

Color: A pretty ruby color with thick legs from the 14% alcohol (thick legs = higher alcohol).

Smell: Light cherry with cooked cherry (like the inside of a pie) and a touch of cinnamon. There were some coffee and raspberry smells too that were delicious and different for a Dolcetto. The smell is a little deceptive -- it doesn't reveal the blast of flavor your about to get when you sip the wine.

Taste: Black cherry and cherry pie filling or raspberry jam with cinnamon. This was like a raspberry, mocha cake! The wine tasted like cinnamon French toast stuffed with raspberry preserves. A little bit of tangerine flavor played against the mocha to make it like an orange chocolate truffle.The wine is soft feeling and a little buttery in texture.

Drink or Sink: Drink. I'm a huge fan of Dolcetto. This one was complex, delicious and even better than many of the watery, bitter versions from Italy.

Wine #3: 2008 Sangiovese, Russian River Valley, Sonoma, California
Price: $28
Alcohol: 14.2%

Color: Looked like cranberry juice -- ruby with just a touch of orange to it. Sangiovese tends to get a little orange/brown quickly in the winery and this one had that kind of color. I liked seeing that lighter shade because when Sangiovese is too dark, it's usually the case that the winery left the grape on the vine too long and it ends up tasting too jammy and fruity and loses its earthiness, which is what I like in the grape.

Smell: Typical Sangiovese smells like red cherry with a good hit of rustic, dirty, dusty scents. This held true to form, but was a bit more on the fruity side than the earthy one. The wine smelled like licorice and had a great spice component from the Hungarian oak barrels, which Bill said suited Sangiovese perfectly. I agree!

Taste: Similar to the Dolcetto, the wine had a cherry pie filling flavor -- baked cherry and cinnamon flavors. There was a little bit of black pepper and some kicked-up-dust-on-a-country-road flavor. I loved the texture -- some nice mouth-drying tannins but the contrast of spice, earth, and fruit was the real homerun.

Drink or Sink: Drink. This isn't a fruit bomb but it has a ton of subtle flavor. Very different from Italian Chianti in that it was fruitier and had more spice to it (the Italian version tends to be very earthy), still this would be amazing with pizza. I brought a bottle home and can't wait to have it with the Neapolitan pizza from my favorite local place.

Wine #4: 2007 Axiom Syrah, Russian River Valley, Sonoma, California
Price: $33
Alcohol: 14.4%

Color: SUPER dark -- this was essentially black in color and had super thick legs that stained the glass. I expected a lot of flavor out of this wine -- dark wines usually = fruit bombs.

Smell: Spot-on for a Syrah. Juicy, ripe black plum, with a huge hit of black pepper and cinnamon. There was a peachy, honeysuckle thing going on from the touch of Viognier used and some salty, earthy, woodsy scents that made this wine so complex.

Taste: YUM! Rich, full, fruity and peppery, this was a flavorful wine but not so overwhelming that you couldn't have it with some food off the grill. GREAT wine.

Drink or Sink: Drink. I love a good Syrah and this one fits the bill. Rich, spicy, earthy, this is a knockout. I can't wait to have it with something off the grill -- the fullness of the fruit with the spice and smoke will be insane with the char/grilled flavor.

As an aside, we tried the bottle Betsy had just opened against the one she had from the previous day. I think the one from the day before was more complex, and I'd recommend you decant this wine for an hour or so before drinking it so it really shows its stuff.

Also, we tried the 2008 version of the Axiom. It was similar in color, and it was also 2% Viognier, but I found it much more floral -- like gardenias and carnations. It was a little more earthy smelling than the 2007. It tasted far smokier, and more like earth and blackberries. I actually liked the 2008 better than the 2007 because it was so complex and powerful. Great wine.

Wine #5: 2008 Heritage Vines Zinfandel, Russian River Valley, Sonoma, California
Price: $35
Alcohol: 15%
Grapes: This is a field blend, so it bears mentioning that although 82% of this is Zin, the remainder includes 8% Alicante Bouchet and 8% Petite Sirah and the rest is a mix of 13 other grapes!

Color: Darker than many Zins (thanks probably goes to the dark Petite Sirah for that!), the wine was garnet colored with a brown rim. It had 15% alcohol, so the legs were super thick and dripped down the glass oh-so-slowly.

Smell: This was a bowl of dark fruit -- prunes, raspberry, and blackberry. It was a little bit of a cilia singer -- you could smell the alcohol, but the burn was tempered by the black pepper and clove smells that warmed it up.

Taste: The wine tasted warm and brandied. It was just like it smelled with fruit and black pepper, and clove. It was powerful, fruit, and spicy. This was clearly Zin, but the other components added spiciness and raspberry flavors that were delicious.

Drink or Sink: Drink. This is a real showpiece for Acorn. A powerful Zin with tons of flavor -- fruit and spice, but more elegant and interesting than a lot of the Zins from Sonoma. Just what Zin should be. I think Zin should always be made as a field blend -- it makes it so much more interesting!

Wine #6: 2008 Medley, Russian River Valley, Sonoma, California
Price: $38
Alcohol: 14.2%

Grapes: This is a different blend every year, that reflect what's in the vineyards. This year it is 33% Zinfandel, 31% Cabernet Franc, 23% Syrah, 3% Cinsault, 2% Muscat, 1% Merlot, and 7% other grapes.

Smell: This was a cool wine to smell -- so different. Oranges, plums, and honey jumped out the glass. There was a black tea smell too and a little bit of black cherry. The fruit, the spice, the honey combined with licorice and earth made this wine heady.

Taste: Flowers, plums and tobacco with some licorice and honey wowed my mouth. The Medley had great mouth-drying tannins and mouthwatering acid. It was so interesting and delicious, and the finish went on and on.

Drink or Sink: Drink. The Medley is knockout! It makes me wonder why more producers don't try this old fashioned method of field blends. What a unique wine! I've never had anything like this from Sonoma and I loved it.

If you can't tell already, I'm a huge fan of Acorn and of Bill and Betsy. Such great wine and TOTALLY for normal people. This is not a place for snobs, it's for nice people who want to sit down with the owners of a winery, learn a thing or two and drink great stuff.

Betsy and Bill, I applaud you both and thank you for making great wine and having no hubris about it. Salt of the earth people! Go see them!

Wine For Normal People Radio: Episode 37 -- Sherry: A Crazy Good Wine That Few People Drink

2012-01-15T18:42:00.004-05:00

After a bunch of awesome shout outs (thank you all so much) and a listener question about Viognier "blooming" in the glass, we get to it.

In this episode we talk about Sherry -- and let you in on something you need to go out and get, before everyone else figures out how great it is and the prices go up! Here's a top level summary:

We’re on a sherry kick – MC Ice explains why he's a convert
We answer the question -- Sherry: What the hell is it? and discuss how it's not just for bad 70s TV stars
We talk about the "Sherry Triangle" in Southern Spain and how the stuff is made, including the different types and what they go with, food-wise.
We top it off with a note on the best darn dessert combination out there -- Pedro Ximenez Sherry and ice cream (divine!) and wrap it up!

Download on iTunes or listen here!

If you like the podcast, please review it on iTunes , drop a comment below or join the awesome conversation on Facebook (Wine For Normal People Page) and Twitter @Normalwine

Also, if you've got a question you want us to answer, post it on any of those places and we'll include it on the show!

Thanks for listening! We can't wait to hear from you!

Copain: A Mendocino Gem in the Russian River Valley?

2012-01-11T16:24:00.003-05:00

I’ve heard so much about Copain over the years. Most of the people I’ve spoken to say it’s among the best wineries in Sonoma. But I have to admit, in Sonoma, I enjoy the freedom to explore and given that I had heard that Copain was appointment only (only partially true -- it's open on the weekends to all), I felt slightly constrained. I had never visited this property perched on a hill protected by old gnarled trees that provides a fantastic view the Russian River Valley. It is also the site of a gorgeous winery that is simple, tasteful, and elegant.

The story of Copain (which is french slang for "buddies") is kind of cool. Wells Guthrie, the winemaker, actually started his career as a journalist/taster at Wine Spectator in Napa. His job required that he taste between 4,000 - 5,000 wines in his tenure (obviously I love wine but that sounds like a job that could burn you out on the stuff and never allow you to savor anything for too long!). He developed a love for the Rhône Valley and its elegant, yet powerful Viogniers, Syrahs, and Grenache/Syrah/Mourvedre blends.

Guthrie was a resourceful guy. Rather than attend the famed wine program at UC Davis like all the other aspiring winemakers in Napa and Sonoma, he decided to skip the formal education and learn from a real master - he secured a winemaking apprenticeship with Michel Chapoutier, one of the most famous modern producers in the Rhône Valley. For two years, he learned to farm and to make wine in the French tradition.

He came back to California and after stints at Turley and Marcassin he started Copain in 1999. He took the learnings from those places to heart (which make HUGE wines): his first wines were more like fruit bombs, but a few years ago Guthrie changed his style, getting back to his French roots and aiming for lower alcohol, more balanced wines that are full of subtlety and nuance. Since around 2006 his wines are leading a guard of new wines out of California that show restraint and feature more than just ripe fruit.

Guthrie makes a line that pays homage to Burgundy and the Rhône Valley -- featuring Pinot from the former and Syrah and Viognier from the latter. Most of the grapes come from the cool growing regions of Mendocino -- in this they remind me a bit of Failla. Failla is in the heart of Napa but sources grapes from the Sonoma Coast and Copain is in the heart of Pinot and Chardonnay California gold, the Russian River Valley but sells most of its estate grapes and instead purchases organically farmed grapes (if you want to know more about this, listen to the podcast or read this post) from Mendocino in the north.

Copain produces three tiers of wine. Their "Tous Ensemble," which is their everyday, very affordable (about $20 and amazing value for what you get) wines, the "Les Voisins" series (translates to "neighbors), which they call their "Friday night wine" - nicer and more sophisticated, and the Single Vineyard series, which is top of the line and is serious, serious stuff. I love that Copain does this. It's really democratic and accommodates all pocketbooks. And although there is a difference in the tiers, each one is amazing in its own right

On my visit, I was welcomed in their gorgeous Restoration Hardware-like tasting room by such warm staff. Wells Guthrie himself was in the back scrubbing out tanks. He had given everyone the day off because they had worked nonstop for about two weeks and he wanted them to spend some time with their families. You can never tell how someone really is with their staff, but he seemed like a nice dude and invited me to climb the ladders to look at the Pinot Noir that was fermenting. Very cool.

I wish I'd had more time with him, especially because the "guide" we got was a bit of a cold fish. I've heard from close friends that the hospitality experience at Copain is super hit or miss. It's hard to be unhappy when you taste awesome wines while looking out over the Russian River Valley on a beautiful day, but I will say the guy who was telling us about the wine made it kind of clear that hanging out with me was the LAST thing he wanted to be doing. He made very little eye contact and seemed bored with my questions and he was eager to be done with me.

It was the second experience I had like that in Sonoma that day, only this wasn't anywhere near as bad as the experience at Iron Horse. That said, be forewarned that although Copain has the wine and the view to die for, the hospitality experience is reputed to be lacking and my experience affirmed the spottiness of it. It is what it is and if any of the ladies in the tasting room had taken care of us, it would have been a completely ideal experience.

So to the wines. Not a bad one in the bunch. Wells Guthrie knows how to make wine, there's no doubt about it. If you're looking for what California can do when it's not overdone, here's another example of lower alcohol, cooler climate wines that are unbelievably delicious.

Wine #1: 2009 "Tous Ensemble" Viognier, Mendocino County, California
Price: $20
Alcohol: 13.7%

Color: I look for two things in a Viognier when I look at color, how dark it is (indicates if it's been aged in oak, which happens sometimes in California) and how golden it is (indicates to me how ripe the fruit was when it was picked). This one was bright, golden, and like pear juice but it was still on the lighter side.

Smell: This wine was so aromatic -- a perfect Viognier. It was like honey, orange sherbet, and peaches with a touch of lemon. It was nice to confirm the wine didn't sit in oak. I find when winemakers put Viognier in oak, it strips a lot of the fresh aromas.

Taste: What a great wine. It had the white jasmine flower, honeysuckle, and creamy notes to it, but the lemony acidity kept it very light and bright. It had a touch of bitterness, but the alcohol gave the wine some fullness that offset that green flavor. Apparently the grapes were picked a little early in the cooler area of Mendocino, McDowell Valley -- I wish they had left them on a tad longer to get rid of that stem flavor, but it was still a solid wine.

Drink or Sink: Drink. This is such a great wine for sipping, with cheese, or with lighter fish dishes. I love a good Viognier. Although this is a light style, it's still aromatic, has a great balance of alcohol, acid, and fruit, and is excellent value -- far better than a lot of Viognier I've had for double the price.

Wine #2: 2009 "Les Voisins" Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley, Mendocino, California
Price: $40
Alcohol: 13.4%

Color: Not too dark, the wine was the color of raspberry juice with a pretty, light rim. It was a great color for Pinot, which I think should be light and transparent, given the natural properties of the grape.

Smell: I totally would have mistaken this wine for a red Burgundy (Pinot Noir). It was like minerals and dirt and farm with a touch of raspberry and strawberry to it. It was what I like to call a "dirty wine," and I loved the smell of the earth and dirt. I liked that you could tell it grew in the ground, as opposed to a lot of other California Pinots, which seem like they were created in a winery.

Taste: The wine had a great raspberry twang -- that slight bit of tartness that's in the berry, with lots of mouthwatering acidity. There was a little bit of orange rind flavor to it and it tasted like soil. It had a very long finish, and lingered. It wasn't too complex or layered, but it tasted like Pinot Noir -- raspberries, earth, and acid were all hanging out together.

Drink or Sink: Drink. An excellent Pinot and what I'd term a typical Mendocino style -- earthy with great acidity and a strong tart raspberry note.

Wine #3: 2009 Wentzel Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley, Mendocino County, California
Price: $65
Alcohol: 13.7%

Color: A bolder, richer color than the Les Voisins, this wine was like black raspberry juice -- a crimson, violet color.

Smell: A little fruitier than I expected, this was packed with raspberry, and a combo of fresh red cherry and dried cherry aromas. It smelled like earth and fresh brewed coffee too. Yum.

Taste: Fresh raspberry, strawberry, and cherry flavors dominated but this wine was super complex. There were a lot of low notes -- earthy, mushroom-like flavors with smoke, tobacco, and baking spices like cinnamon. There was great mouth drying tannins and mouthwatering acidity that balanced the fruit.

Drink or Sink: Drink. This is an outstanding, outstanding wine. Heaven. A great balance of fruit, earth, spice, with tannin and acid. What California Pinot Noir should be -- a tempered, moderate style, where fruit has center stage but doesn't steal the show.

Wine #4: 2009 "Les Voisins" Syrah, Yorkville Highlands, Mendocino, California
Price: $34
Alcohol: 13.9%

Color: A dark plum color, this puppy was opaque.

Smell: Perfect smell for a Syrah, this was like plums and black raspberries, leather, black pepper, cinnamon spice, and smelled a little like a horse stable -- earthy and rustic. There was a saltine cracker smell too -- a little salty and bready thing that was really interesting next to the plum aromas.

Taste: A lighter Syrah in style, this was fruity with a good hit of black pepper. There was a ripe plum taste and the wine had great tannin and acid.

Drink or Sink: Drink. This is a simple yet good wine. Whereas the Pinot Noir in this line seemed to be slightly better than a Friday night wine, this one fits the bill a bit more. A good wine, but not a show stopper.

Wine #5: 2007 Alder Springs Syrah, Mendocino, California
Price: $40
Alcohol: 13.5%
Color: Very dark, the color of blackberry or prune juice.

Smell: Wow! This was like crushed raspberries -- fresh but a little bit juicy and acidic. It smelled like blackberries and black plums and then a little bit of cinnamon. I left it for a second and when I went back for another whiff, I got the smell of a Catholic church -- it had this moody, incense and myrrh smell that was INSANE. I loved it.

Taste: A really unique wine. It had subtle raspberry and blackberry fruit flavors but what made it amazing was that incense or myrrh quality that came through on the taste. The wine was elegant, but still had great tannin and acid, and the exotic flavors reminded me of wines I've had from the Northern Rhône Valley, the home of Syrah.

Drink or Sink: Drink. You can really see Michel Chapoutier's influence in this wine. It's so French in style. There's such a balance -- fruit, acid, tannin, spice, alcohol -- it was like a choreographed dance on my palate (more like a ballet, less like the electric slide). Outstanding, especially for the price.

Before I left, we got a sip of the 2007 James Berry Grenache/Syrah/Mourvedre blend (that's the blend in Chateauneuf-du-Pape from France). They aren't making it anymore, because Guthrie has fully transitioned away from the big fruit style wines, which is what you get when you buy fruit from Paso Robles in the Central Coast of California. It was good, but nothing like the delicate, restrained, and balanced wines I had tasted. I think Copain's new track is heading in the right direction.

Although the hospitality was a little like a wet noodle, at least they weren't rude, and the wines and winery were certainly enough to make up for it. Next time you're in Sonoma, this is a must visit.

Wine For Normal People Radio: Episode 36 -- Common Winemaking Terms Defined

2012-01-08T03:07:00.006-05:00

To start 2012, we've got NEW MUSIC (so don't be freaked out when you listen!).

If you didn't see my previous post, we were chosen as "Best New Arts Podcast" in Apple's 2011 Rewind! Thanks to everyone for loyal listening in 2011 and we look forward to a great 2012.

After some shout outs and great reviews, we tackle common winemaking terms and define them. A dorky, but fun episode!

Download on iTunes or listen here!

Here are some quick notes on the show:

If you ever wondered exactly what stuff like residual sugar, malolactic fermentation, sur lie aging, maceration, natural yeast fermentation, disgorgement and riddling, and bottle shock are, you are in luck!
We address listener questions on aging Champagne (thanks Larry Rice!) and on sur lie (thanks Sayle Milne!).
The Grape of the Week is Chenin Blanc.

The new music (needed something that was more ME! I didn't love the other stuff, but I'm not 100% sure this is it either) is "Café connection" by morgantj / CC BY 3.0, ©2009 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0).

Let us know if you like it, and if you're a mixmaster and want us to use your bumper music instead, send it over and we'll give it a listen!

If you like the podcast, please review it on iTunes , drop a comment below or join the awesome conversation on Facebook (Wine For Normal People page) and Twitter @normalwine!

Also, if you've got a question you want us to answer, post it on any of those places and we'll include it on the show!

Thanks for listening! We can't wait to hear from you!

Iron Horse: Great Wines But "Hospitality" That May Make You Cry (literally)

2012-01-04T11:00:00.010-05:00

You know what's frustrating? When you drive up to a winery that's beautiful and appears super laid back -- with a table and a few old wine barrels in a barn for a tasting area and a gorgeous view of the Green Valley of Sonoma -- and the wines are outstanding but the person serving you is so unbelievably snobby that you wish you'd never come. Add on top of that the fact that he nearly makes another patron cry because he's so nasty, and you've got a really BAD start to the day.

I'll admit that in years past, my perception of Sonoma was generally more positive than Napa -- the people are more laid back, the wineries more casual, and the vibe more farm-like. But my perception has changed significantly, both from some great experiences in Napa (Chateau Montelena, Lava Vine, Chappellet, and Frog's Leap to name a few) and from a few visits to wineries in Sonoma. Sadly, Iron Horse proved that folks in Sonoma can be even worse than the snobbiest Napa winery.

First, let me tell you about Iron Horse and why I was so excited to visit: they make some of the best American sparkling wine available. I'm not the only one on this bandwagon -- for the last 25 years, every chef for the President of the US has served this wine at state dinners, starting in 1986 when the Winery created the "Summit Cuvee" to commemorate the "let's end the Cold War" meeting (I was a Poli Sci major in college, so I'd better know it was really called the Reykjavik Summit) between Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev.

Started in 1976 by Audrey and Barry Sterling, the Winery has always specialized in Chardonnay and Pinot Noir for their foggy, cool, frost prone vineyards. Named for a train that used to stop at the station nearest their property, the Winery has an iron-clad reputation for amazing sparkling, which they first produced in 1980. All their fruit is grown on the estate and their production is pretty small, so they have a lot of control over quality. I've served their wines at some very nice events before and had heard that the property was stunning and very normal, so even though most of their stuff is only available via direct sales/the Internet it seemed like an ideal place to come.

But alas, sometimes the people make the experience. I can't and won't take away from the fact that the wines are terrific, but the guy who helped us was smug and downright rude -- not just to me (I'm a blogger so some people hate having me around) but to everyone else there too. He did the classic wine snob thing -- dropping names of winemakers he knows, bloggers and critics he has met that far outstrip me in repute, and then he starting spouting off clone names for every wine.

I was already a little queasy and then I saw that the show wasn't just for me. He was shunning people's requests for help in directing their tasting (they had about 15 bottles of wine open, way too many in my opinion -- most people only want to try 4 -5 wines per winery and allowing them that much selection isn't helpful), and refusing to do more than offer a one sentence explanation of any wine (and those explanations were far from helpful, since who really needs to know the clone and rootstock selection for each grape? Most normal people don't need to know why a clone or rootstock matters!).

But his most egregious behavior wasn't towards me. It was when the lovely ladies Lynn and Gloria walked up with a voucher from the Hotel Healdsburg (a VERY beautiful, high-end hotel with the most comfortable beds EVER!) for a free flight. Lynn was smart, modest, and nice -- a totally normal person -- and she didn't know what a flight was (a tasting of 3 or more wines. They should call it samples or tastings, but it's just industry jargon!). She thought the voucher was for 2 glasses of wine. Snobby guy shoved the tasting menu in her face and told her to "pick one." She was confused about what "one" meant and tried to ask him but he walked away. The tasting area wasn't that busy, he just didn't want to bother to explain to Lynn what a flight was.

I was taking notes on the wine when I saw this situation right next to me. I didn't want Lynn to feel worse, so I didn't say anything right away but when she saw me tasting and writing, she asked for some help. I told her what a flight was and we talked about wine and what to look for in the glass and she told me how horrible the guy made her feel. She was visibly shaken by the experience and was relieved to talk to another wine person who wasn't mean spirited. We were fast friends -- she and Gloria were lovely normal wine people but their experience at Iron Horse could have really tainted their perception of wine people, had we not had our chat.

I tell you this story as a tale of caution. If you get attitude like this from a Winery or from a wine person, don't let it shake you. I've been in this business a while and I'm a New Yorker with a tough skin, but this is universally appalling behavior and if it happens to you, know that you're not alone. Either ignore the guy and drink what you want or leave immediately. No need for this kind of attitude.

So with that harrowing tale of "hospitality," although I give Iron Horse the utmost credit for making divine sparkling, I can't recommend visiting (or if you do, don't talk to the staff!).

I had asked to review only the four top wines, but the snob kept on pouring, so I'll do just quick hits on the 8 (yes that's right, and I wasn't thrilled) wines he had me try:

Wine 1: 2006 Ocean Reserve, Sparkling
Price: $40
Grapes: 100% Chardonnay
Quick hit: $4 from every bottle goes to National Geographic's Campaign to preserve and restore the world's oceans. The wine was platinum in color with super small and lasting bubbles. It smelled like green apple and petrol and was über dry. It was lemony, like tart green apples, and very fresh, crisp, and spritzy. The wine was pretty acidic and much more austere than a lot of other sparklers so it would be great with stuff like oysters or chevre cheese (goat). Great bottle.

Wine 2: 2007 Wedding Cuvée, Sparkling
Price: $38
Grapes: 88% Pinot Noir, 12% Chardonnay
Quick hit: This is the largest production of all Iron Horse's wine (nearly 5,000 cases made) and the one you're most likely to find "out there." It's a Rosé sparkler so it was salmon colored (more like lox than grilled salmon), with a very small bead (bubble), which is generally an indication of high quality sparkling. It wasn't very aromatic, but the taste was great. It was like strawberry, raspberry, and pear and punishingly dry -- which I loved. The wine was crisp and a little sharp but really balanced by those fruit flavors. What a refreshing, lovely wine. This is always a winner. A fantastic wine.

Wine 3: 2007 Brut X, Sparkling
Price: $50
Grapes: 75% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay
Quick hit: This wine is named "X" because it's extra dry. It's very different from the previous two in that the wine was fermented in barrels so even though it's drier, it's also a little more full-tasting and complex in flavor. The wine was more golden than the Ocean Reserve due to the higher percentage of Pinot Noir and oak aging. It smelled spicy and herbal -- like marjoram if you've ever had that or used it in cooking. It reminded me a little bit of the "Clean Cotton" smell from an air freshener -- not in a bad way though. I liked the wine but it was a bit green tasting (like plant stems) and bitter. The acidity seemed very high and even though the alcohol level was the same as all the others, at 13.5%, the wine seemed more alcoholic as well. What made this sing though, was the toasted bread quality of the wine that balanced and "warmed up" the cooler, greener flavors. It's a great wine because of this balance, although I prefer the previous two.

Wine 4: 2003 Brut LD (Late Disgorged)
Price: $85
Grapes: 50% Pinot Noir, 50% Chardonnay

Dork out note on disgorgement: After sparkling wine goes through its secondary fermentation in the bottle, the wine sits on lees (a nice way of saying dead yeast). If you want the sparkling wine to be clear and not cloudy, you've got to get that stuff out of the mix. This is done by slowly rotating the bottle over months so that the neck is facing down (riddling). In this way, the yeast cells wind up just where you want 'em -- near the mouth of the bottle. Sparkling winemakers are smart. When they put the yeast/sugar in for the second fermentation, they stick a cap inside the wine that will catch all the nasty lees. When the bottle is finally upside down, they freeze the cap with the junk in it and ease it out to make sure the minimum amount of liquid is lost and then top the wine off with a little extra still wine (dosage) and a cork. The process of getting out those lees is called disgorgement. This one was done late, which means the wine hung out with the lees a little longer than the other wines.

Quick hit: With age and more contact with lees, wine gets darker. This one was like gold jewelry. I didn't love the smell of this wine -- it was kind of yeasty (but not bread-like) and a little dirty smelling, like unwashed clothes. Like the others it had great acid, but the flavors were more developed and the wine was less spritzy -- typical of an older sparkler. Instead of a tart green apple, the wine tasted more like a golden delicious apple and it was lemony and like a buttermilk biscuit. That said, there was a bitterness to that I didn't love. It was creamy but almost like sour cream instead of soft heavy cream. Of all the wines this was my least favorite. It could just need more age in the bottle, but for now I wasn't in love.

Wine 5: Russian Cuvée (formerly Summit Cuvée -- this is the one Reagan and Gorbachev enjoyed)
Price: $38
Grapes: 75% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay
Quick hit: This very pale, platinum colored wine is a little bit sweeter than the others and much fruitier. The wine has more than double the sugar of the others and you can tell. It's really pleasant though. The wine smelled very clean and bready, and a little like fresh green herbs. It was like a bubbly Grüner Veltliner, but a little sweeter. There was a tropical fruit note and a little bit of that white pepper/arugula lettuce character that I always find in Grüner. The only difference -- really awesome raspberry and ripe apple notes were prominent. I loved it -- sugar and all.

We moved on to the still wines next.

Wine 6: 2009 "M" Chardonnay
Price: $48
Quick hit: The wine was pale with a golden rim and super shiny. It smelled like apples, caramel, toasted bread, pineapples, and lemon cookies -- typical of Sonoma Chardonnay, in my experience. To taste, it was a little more like green apples and green herbs, but it had a candied flavor -- like lemon or pineapple candies that I didn't love. It was slightly artificial tasting. Not a bad wine, but I'd rather drink their bubbles.

Wine 7: Native Yeast Chardonnay
Price: $48

Dork out note: This wine is made using just the yeast that occurs naturally on the grape skins, not by motivating fermentation by using lab created stuff. This is an Old World technique and it's risky -- sometimes the yeast can produce uneven fermentation, take longer, and create more "natural" flavors (ie, FUNK) but I usually prefer the taste. It's normally a little dirty.

Quick hit: This straw colored wine had a golden rim, the only indication that it may be oaky (oak darkens white wine). These barrels are bent/shaped using water, not fire, and that's supposed to make the oak influence less jarring. It did...on the palate. But I smelled a nail polish, chemically oak note alongside the green apple in this wine that wasn't really motivating me to pop it in my mouth. That said, it was far better tasting than smelling. It was light, a little herbal, and tasted like green apples and limes -- not the big oak I expected. A nice refreshing wine, but for $48 bucks you could get a Chablis or White Burgundy that would knock the socks off this...(sorry, I have an MBA so I'm always thinking about Opportunity Costs!)

I'm not going to review the 2008 Pinot Noir, which was $50. I don't know whether I was on overload or if it was just not good to me, but my notes are not positive for this one and the final scribble in my book o'wines says "They need to stick with sparkling." That was my takeaway from Iron Horse's wines, so it makes sense!

So to wrap, the gorgeous view and fabulous wines are winners, but I'd stay as clear away from the people serving you the wine as possible -- especially if it's a hipster guy. A place that can nearly make kind people like Lynn cry by being so demeaning and condescending is not a place for normal wine people.

Hotel Healdsburg should probably find another, friendlier place to send its guests for complimentary tastings. That said, if you're shopping at home for an American sparkler, this is an awesome choice.

I dedicate this post to Lynn and Gloria...and anyone else who has been harshed on by terrible wine tasting room staff.

Wine For Normal People Radio Voted "Best New Arts" Podcast for 2011 by Apple/iTunes!!

2011-12-30T16:11:00.003-05:00

Wow! I can't believe it. In my daily life I kind of just do my thing, so it was a huge surprise when a friend of mine alerted me to the fact that Wine For Normal People Radio was chosen by Apple as one of the Best New Arts Podcasts of 2011 in their annual Rewind (and yes, no one alerted me or even so much as sent me an Apple to reward me!!!). The honor was bestowed in early December, but I guess better late than never! Check it out!

Thank you so much for listening and for making us a top pick in 2011. Here's to some great stuff in 2012...including video!

Wine For Normal People Radio: Episode 35 -- Wine Traditions for New Year's

2011-12-29T16:02:00.000-05:00

Wine Traditions around the world are pretty interesting. In this episode we discuss the coolest ones.

This is a complement to the article I just wrote for Travel Belles so if you want to read and listen...

Here's the link to the article: TRAVEL BELLES

Here's the link to the podcast: Episode 35

And here is what the episode is all about

First we take a listener question from @mjgraves on Twitter about when to drink Cabernet Sauvignon. (Write in or call us and you'll be on the show! Call 800-599-8478 (in the U.S.) or 1-415-226-9105 and dial extension 5 to leave your question for the Wine For Normal People Podcast, and I'll answer it in an upcoming episode!)

Spanish Traditions and Cava
Italian Traditions and Prosecco/Franciacorta
Chilean Traditions and gold rings in the bubbles, Portuguese Traditions and Vinho Verde, Germany and Sekt, French Champagne, English speaking countries = boozing it up and fireworks. Grape of the week: Pinot Meunier

Listen and you'll get why I'll be lugging a suitcase around my block at midnight, while shoving some grapes in my mouth! Happy New Year!

If you like the podcast, please review it on iTunes, drop a comment on the Wine For Normal People blog, or join the awesome conversation on Facebook (Wine For Normal People page) and Twitter @normalwine!

Chappellet: Excellent Hospitality, Gorgeous Property, and a Napa Cab-Lover's Dream

2011-12-27T00:38:00.011-05:00

Running horribly late, with a car nearly out of gas, MC Ice and I ventured from Chateau Montelena in Calistoga into the heart of the Vaca mountains on the east side of Napa Valley to our next adventure on our wine country whirlwind trip late last fall.

After 10 minutes of climbing and climbing (and the car slowly puttering and lurching forward) we got out of traditional Napa territory and happened upon a gorgeous reservoir. Through switchback after switchback we crept, noticing a striking resemblance to the road to Yosemite or some other cool National Park. Just when we were at the unfortunate juncture of lost and seriously in trouble on the gas front, we saw the sign for Pritchard Hill and for Chappellet.

We arrived to a secluded, breathtaking property nestled at the top of the hill, to none other than Molly Chappellet getting into her car. The Chappellets were having a family party that day and invited me to come tour in spite of it. Ms. Chappellet was leaving to go up the hill to her home. I apologized profusely for being late but said I wanted to at least peek my head in. She was so kind and encouraged us to go up to the tasting room, since a few others were still there. She told us that we could taste a few wines while they cleaned up from the day.

This beautiful property was made all the prettier by the unbelievable hospitality and great welcome we received by people who had worked a full day on a Saturday and still had smiles to give. I hate being "that person" who shows up late and then demands attention so I asked if I could just try one or two of the wines. Instead, Katie (you rock, BTW!) gave us the full-on tour of the picturesque property. This place has style and grace.

A quick history check -- in 1967, Molly and Donn Chappellet bought the property on Pritchard Hill to both live and work in this out-of-the-way paradise. They raised their 6 children here at 1200 feet, and had the distinctions of being some of the first to plant only at high elevation (a risk, since mountains have more volatile weather) and to be the second winery established after Prohibition (after Robert Mondavi. Yes, there was a huge lag between 1933 and 1967, but people were concentrating on drinking booze instead of wine).

Even though they are a mid-sized operation, making 35,000 cases a year (420K bottles), this place is truly a family establishment. Still run by the Chappellet family, you can see Molly and Donn's residence from the Winery and catch a glimpse of Molly's gardens, for which she is famous and on which she has published several books. A few of the kids live nearby and most are involved in the business.

There's something to be said for living on the property -- I'm guessing it makes you not want to mess it up with chemical treatments and fertilizers. And being secluded, you probably want to find resourceful ways of saving on the electric bill too. The Chappellet's have definitely made choices that would indicate a dedication to the land.

90% of their vineyards are certified organic and they have a huge solar farm that powers their whole winery. They use runoff captured in their reservoir for irrigation, have a robust recycling program, and only 16% of their property is planted to vine. And you get the distinct impression that, unlike a lot of other wineries, this isn't done for show or PR purposes, it's done because the Chappellets think it's the right thing to do. It's a source of pride for them, but not because it's great for business. I liked the genuine vibe I got from them -- so different from so many others further west in the Valley.

So, honestly, all this is a very nice story, but if the wines sucked, I would have hoped that I had run out of gas and never made it... Thankfully, that's not the case. Famous for making extremely powerful and delicious Cabernet, this place didn't disappoint at all.

Here's the lineup:

Wine #1: 2010 Chenin Blanc

Price: $30

Color: Dark straw or golden, but that's from ripe grapes and not from oak, since the winemaker uses a small portion of old oak barrels, not new ones that would darken the color. After the swirl the wine showed it's meaty legs on the sides of the glass from the 14.1% alcohol.

Smell: Peach and lemons abounded. It was simple but very bright and light smelling. I was bracing for the cilia singe from the high alcohol, but it wasn't there -- good sign!

Taste: A total surprise. I usually think of Chenin Blanc as having a wooly, wax lips quality, but this was more like peaches, dried apricots, and green grapes. It was pretty acidic and light and fresh. A lot of Chenin Blanc (like from some Vouvray in the Loire Valley of France) tends to be off-dry or lightly sweet but this was bone dry with no sugar. The soft feeling sensation from the alcohol counterbalanced the acid and slight bitterness, so the wine felt kind of lush.

Drink or Sink: Drink. A well balanced wine and super refreshing. Although not a serious Chenin Blanc, in my book, it's still a great sipper and went perfectly with the assorted cheeses they were serving.

Wine #2: 2009 Merlot (with some Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec, 14% alcohol)

Price: $30

Color: Light ruby in color, with a pinkish rim, this wine didn't look overdone or too dark, which is a good sign in Merlot for me. Merlot is a pretty medium grape -- in color, flavor, tannin, alcohol, so when I see something super dark I know it hung around on the vine longer than I'd like. Not the case here.

Smell: The wine smelled like a garden. It was full of roses and violets. On a second sniff it was more like plums and blueberries. I didn't get any spice or earth from the aroma at all, different for a Merlot.

Taste: Wow, the nose completely misled me. This wine was very fruity! It was all black cherry, blueberry, plum, and blackberry. It had some great mouth-drying tannin to balance the fruit and decent acid to make it less heavy, but I can't say there was any noticeable flavor besides fresh, ripe, juicy fruit here and an excellent texture to make it sing.

Drink or Sink: Drink. This wine wasn't really my style, since I like some of the other non-fruit flavors in my wine, but it is such a classic Napa style that I love it for that. What a great representation of what fruit, grown in the proper place and picked at the right time, can do.

Wine #3: 2008 Signature Cabernet Sauvignon (Blend: 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Malbec, 9% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot. It's 14.9% alcohol.)
The Chappellets have been making this since the very beginning and it really shows off their style and what Cabernet can do when grown at an elevation.

Price: $49

Color: This was a dark, black plum color. It had a crimson rim. I expected TONS of flavor from the look of this opaque wine with super thick legs from the almost 15% alcohol.

Smell: Fruity and full! Black currant, blackberry, mulberry, and violets were all over this. It was so fragrant! There was a mellow espresso and cinnamon smell too. This smells like what I think a Napa Cab should smell like.

Taste: Whoa. This is a meal, it's so big! The wine was like blueberries, black currants, and juicy, ripe black raspberries. It tasted like coffee and had a little bit of an earthy, almost sulfur note to it. Not bad, just kind of earthy. The tannins on this wine were massively mouth-drying. I was chewing them long after the swallow.

Drink or Sink: Drink. This is a GREAT, classic California Cab. Finally! A winery that isn't trying to be something it's not. Napa has a distinct style -- fruity, lush, full, and unabashed. Too many wineries these days (fortunately none that I visited while in Napa a few months back) are trying to alter their styles to make less fruity wines. Although I don't believe in letting the grapes get overly ripe, I think a lot of wineries, in an effort to cater to trends, are not getting enough flavor from their grapes. They should take a lesson from Chappellet and stay true to what Napa can provide...fruit, tannin, and ripeness.

Wine #4: 2008 Pritchard Hill Cabernet Sauvignon (Blend: 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16%
Petit Verdot, 8% Malbec, 14.9% Alcohol)

Price: $135 (Their showpiece wine, and in high demand)

Color: Similar to the Signature Cabernet in color -- it was almost purple and the wine stained the glass when I swirled it.

Smell: It also smelled like the Signature Cabernet but even more like plums and violets. The wine had a cedar and vanilla thing going on and it smelled like cocoa powder. That said, the overwhelming notes in the glass were fruit, fruit, and more fruit!

Taste: Even more than the Signature, this wine was all fruit, oak, and tannin. If the Signature wine went to the gym, you'd have the Pritchard Hill Cab. It's a fruit bomb with blackberry and cola flavors (it tasted a little like Dr. Pepper, but good). The winemaker used 100% new French oak barrels, so the oak notes kind of clobber your palate -- I tasted a ton of vanilla, cloves, caramel, and burnt espresso. The wine had big tannin too, but because it seemed sweeter than the Signature, the tannins seemed to be less harsh.

Drink or Sink: Drink. Another typical example of Napa Cabernet. It was a great wine. This is a Napa Cab lover's wine. My only question: is it really worth $86 more than the Signature. It's better, but maybe only $30 so, not $86.

Thank you so much to Katie and the folks at Chappellet for their outstanding hospitality. I loved the property, the people, and the fact that these are true Napa wines. If you're a Napa Cab lover, look no further than this gorgeous, eco-friendly place.

Need a Last Minute Bottle for that Person You Forgot? Your Go-To Shopping List

2011-12-22T11:22:00.018-05:00

Oh crap! You just remembered that you didn't buy a present for your brother-in-law/neighbor/ cousin/ (gasp!) wife.

If they're wine drinkers, you know the best way to go is wine. It's easy to get, doesn't need to be wrapped (gift bags are cheap and easy) and it's a 5-7 minute errand, if they've got good cashiers at your local store.

It could be even easier if you have something great in your cellar, but beware: MC Ice's co-worker is a self-professed wine snob (evidence: I've been out to dinner with him before and he won't let me look at the wine list. He always orders expensive, oaky California Chardonnay and Cabernet that don't pair with the food. The same brands, every time. Needless to say, I don't go out to dinner with him, ever). He "bought" a "special" bottle this year, which he claimed was an outstanding new vintage (again, perplexed as to how he can give this to MC Ice and not know that I know what's up).

Wouldn't you know? We received the same wine in the same vintage last year from him, and when MC Ice showed it to me I showed him last year's bottle. Yeah, it's a $60 bottle, but it really cheapens the gift if you're clearly trying to rid yourself of a case you don't like and are found out. Be careful.

Enough on that -- you're in a rush, so I won't pussyfoot around. I am not going to list brands (unless I know they're national) because distribution varies, but I'll link to posts where I've reviewed specific wines if available.

Here are 5 wine categories you can get for someone special (or not so special):

Category I: The Big Red Lover
1. For $40+

Chateauneuf-du-Pape from the southern Rhône Valley, which tastes like strawberry/raspberry compote sometimes with tobacco, pepper, and earthy flavors.
Cabernet Sauvignon-based Bordeaux (look for something from Pauilliac, St-Julien, or Margaux). Check out this post for details on different styles.
Napa Cabernet Sauvignon -- so many styles and I've reviewed a ton.
Brunello di Montalcino, which is a little more medium in style but ages very well so it's a great gift. Here's a long post on this super versatile wine.
Amarone or Barolo from Italy are also amazing.

2. For $20 - $30

Vacqueryas from the southern Rhône Valley is a good approximation of Chateauneuf-du-Pape but cheaper!
You can still get a Bordeaux in this price range -- look for the '05, or '09 vintages for surefire hits that won't kill your wallet.
Australian Shiraz is unbelievable bang for the buck at this price.
Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon is similar to a Napa Cabernet but for a lot less.

3. Less than $20

If you get one for more than $15, it will seem like a $25 bottle! Look for one from Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina.
Wines from the south of Spain like Jumilla or Yecla are full and rich, and affordable!

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Category II: The White Lover

1. For $40+

A white Burgundy is amazing and can age. These can cost bucks. If you want to splurge, Montrachet, Corton, and Corton-Charlemagne are three exceptional places for Chardonnay.
Grand Cru Chablis (from Grenouilles or Valmur are my favorites) is great for someone who loves acidic wines (these are great with food too).
Similar to a Burgundy but from California, Chateau Montelena's Chardonnay is phenomenal at $50.

2. For $20 - $30

You can get a Burgundy from a larger area like Chassagne-Montrachet and it will be like minerals, and green apples and it will rock.
Fuller-bodied Chardonnay from the Russian River Valley of Sonoma is slightly oaky, and creamy, with tropical fruit flavors.
New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc has grassy, grapefruit flavors, and great acidity.
For a peachy, green apple wine with good acid and some different petrol and slate flavors, try dry Riesling from the Mosel in Germany.
Alsace Pinot Gris is oily, soft, floral, and spicy and great with food.

3. For Under $20

Verdejo from northern Spain or Albariño are both light and great starter or seafood wines.
Torrontés from Argentina is a lush, fruity, yet acidic wine that is great with cheese and terrific for friends and family who like aromatic stuff.

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Category III: Lighter- or medium- style reds

1. For $40+

You can't beat a bottle of Burgundy for a Pinot Noir lover. There is enormous range in style and price...and especially vintage so read up before putting down lots of money.
Oregon Pinot Noir at this price is amazing as well (although at lower price points, not so much).

2. For $20 - $30

A California Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley or from Mendocino in this price point will be excellent.
Lighter style Italian reds are great too -- a Chianti Classico, a Dolcetto, or a Barbera can be very high quality and still refreshing.
A Cru Beaujolais (NOT nouveau) is a fruity, easy to drink wine that people who like lighter reds will be sure to love.

3. For under $20

New Zealand Pinot Noir, even under $20, is outstanding -- a little earthy, a little fruity, and all delicious.
Right Bank Merlot from St-Emilion doesn't have to be expensive to be great. Plenty of great stuff for below $20 and it tends to be on the lighter side at this price point.
Some of the best lighter reds for under $20 are kind of out of the box -- Zweigelt from Austria, and Mencia from Bierzo in Northern Spain are great picks.

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Category IV: Champagne and other bubbles
1. For $40

If you're going to spring for Champagne, go for Dom Ruinart Blanc. Yeah it's $160, but it's so worth it if you're going big time.
I also love Henriot, if you're looking beyond the ubiquitous Veuve Clicquot yellow label.
If you want to do American sparkling wine, Iron Horse makes terrific wines -- the Wedding Cuvee is the most widely available.

2. For $20 - $30

Although you normally can't get Champagne for this price, there are some great sparkling wines (especially from California) in this price that will fit the bill for you. Roederer Estate from California makes terrific bubbly and is owned by the Champagne House in France. Go for the rosé for something special. J from Sonoma in California makes a great sparkling wine that's more affordable and available.

3. For Under $20

Cava is where it's at -- go to Spain and don't look back for the best stuff below $20.
France also has delicious, inexpensive sparklers -- Cremant from Limoux or Alsace are both solid. I just had a bottle of Francois Montaud Rosé, a sparkling wine from France and it was delicious for $10.
Graham Beck sparkling from Australia is also a great wine for less than $20.
Although a totally different (more fruity, bigger bubbles) style, Prosecco is always a fun wine to bring as a present.

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Category V: For something different (prices vary depending on quality)

Whites: Grüner Veltliner from Austria, Verdejo from Spain, Chenin Blanc from South Africa, or Viognier from California are each interesting and unique. Or try a southern Italian white like Fiano di Avellino -- honeyed and minerally but still dry, this wine is a knockout.

Reds: Nero d'Avola from Sicily, Chinon (Cabernet Franc) from the Loire Valley in France, Petite Sirah from California, Priorat from Spain, or Shiraz from South Africa are each special for your red wine lover. - the most versatile white there is and a great present.

And don't forget dessert -- for a chocolate lover, go for Port or, for a cool treat, Banyuls from Southern France. For a special treat Tokaji from Hungary or Sauternes from Bordeaux in France are amazing treats.

Hopefully that helps you select something fabulous for that wine lover you may have overlooked! Happy Festivus (for the rest of us). I know you'll get something great!

Chateau Montelena: A Napa Institution That Still Lives Up to The Hype

2011-12-16T21:17:00.007-05:00

I'm coming to a close on the recap of my Napa/Sonoma trip (5 or 6 more posts after this) and then I've got a bunch of VERY cool things to talk about. Hopefully you're liking this series and aren't bored. If you are, hold tight...international variety is en route.

If you're having Napa ennui from me, let me try my best to spruce it up now and tell you something you rarely hear from my overly honest and, at times, cynical mouth -- sometimes the hype is actually worth it.

After another year and countless more wines tasted, I returned to Chateau Montelena in Calistoga (northern Napa), to see if my opinion had changed from the last vintage. I have to admit that I wondered if my enthusiasm was attributable to my outstanding experience there (although I drink their wines throughout the year and still think they rock so I'm not sure where my self-doubt came from -- if you're a therapist, feel free to analyze). But happily, one taste of these wines and my insecurity faded. I think I may be even MORE into them than I was last year. And if you're bored of California, here's some good news for you -- these wines are closer to European wine styles than any that I've tried from the US (and if you think I'm crazy, consider that about three years ago, the very esteemed Bordeaux Second Growth Chateau, Cos d'Estournel tried to buy Montelena...they saw something here).

Due to an over-scheduled trip, I could only fit the visit in on a Saturday, during the prime visiting hours (and the lush rush, it appeared -- if you don't know what that's in reference to, listen to the podcast with Jim Morris of Michel-Schlumberger), but a crowded room of marginally drunk people looking to taste the famous wines of the Chateau doesn't change the stuff in the bottle. It still kicked ass.

I wrote about the Winery last year, so I'll take excerpts from that post for convenience and then review the newest vintage of the wines after. Here goes...

If you're unfamiliar with Chateau Montelena and why it's kind of a big deal, I'm happy to share! Montelena is famous because its wine won top honors in a 1976 competition between legendary French white Burgundies (Chardonnay) and California Chardonnay (the competition also pitted Cabernets against each other, but that's not part of this particular story). Montelena's wine, tasted blind by French judges, was so wonderful and so close to the historic wines of Burgundy that the competition stunned the wine world and gave California serious street cred.

After this fete, called "The Judgment of Paris," no one could deny that California was capable of making exceptional wine. That's Montelena's unbelievably positive and wonderful legacy -- making California a viable, serious wine region on a global scale.

As an aside, the Winery may also known by some as the basis for the horrific 2008 movie (and I'm sorry if you liked it), Bottleshock, made about that competition. Although the foundation of the story is factual, the movie makes the Winery seem silly, the owners inane, and worst of all, it spreads misinformation about winemaking that I'm sure a lot of people believed. I could barely sit through the whole film but I have managed to Zen it out and separate my dislike of the movie from the Chateau. Just thought I'd mention the flick though, in case you've seen it or were thinking about doing so.

When you drive up to this Chateau (and it is a chateau), way the hell north of Napa in Calistoga, it is imposing and a little intimidating. Bought in 1882 and built up for several years after by a rich San Francisco entrepreneur, Alfred L. Tubbs (BTW, even in the 1880s the story of Napa is the same -- rich dude from San Francisco has dream of setting up winery, spends exorbitant sums, makes it happen...), this place is a class act.

The Chateau made wine in the 1880s, paused for the hell that was Prohibition and started up again afterward. Montelena, named as a contraction of Mount Saint Helena, at whose base it lies, changed hands in 1958 and the owners built a gorgeous Asian-style lake outside the Chateau. Although a little eclectic, it's beautiful and was a good contribution to the property. The current owners (on whom Bottleshock was based) acquired the Winery and made their first vintage in 1972. They weren't at it long before they found success: the second vintage won the Judgment of Paris (1973).

This is an historic and interesting place but the coolest thing about it is the people: Down-to-earth, knowledgeable, super nice, and NORMAL. The first time I came here, I expected stodgy, old, and formal, and I got the exact opposite. It's so refreshing. The people who work here are fun and you'll want to carve out some time to kick it with them if you visit. This is a really different, special place.

And OH the wines. Amazing stuff. Seriously. My mouth was just happy to be there! Here's the lineup:

Wine #1: 2010 Potter Valley Riesling, $25
Color: This was a golden color -- kind of like pear juice. It looked a little richer than a dry German Riesling, for example.

Smell: Super fragrant, and super and fragrant! Loved the smell of this thing. It smelled like a ripe bosc pear (the brown ones, and as aside I find ripening pears to be a huge pain in the arse so this is a very elusive smell for me), peaches, and like white jasmine flowers. The greatest thing -- it was smoky. An excellent twist to this wine. It was richer and better than how I recall it from last year.

Taste: Just like it smelled but with tons of mouthwatering acid. The contrast of the crispness from the acid and the smoke and fruit made this a standout Riesling. It has barely any sugar in it but I detected it -- it was slightly sweet and so delicious.

Drink or Sink: Drink. This is a lovely wine. It's so different from last year's version. I liked it better. It had a little more depth and heft compared to 2009's lemon-lime flavors. The smoky quality against the peachiness was tasty. A great sipper but this one could be terrific with light fish or salads (I'm thinking something with raspberries, goat cheese, and carmelized pecans. Yum!).

I don't know whether it was the later harvest (the vintage was tough but the grapes hung out on the vine to reach full maturity), the fact that they bought some grapes from a different grower, or some other X factor, but this year the wine was outrageously good and I hope they keep doing what they're doing, since, as you know, I'm a HUGE Riesling advocate.

Wine #2: 2009 Napa Valley Chardonnay, $50
This is Chateau Montelena's "thing." You want to know why they won that competition in 1976? Try this wine and you'll understand. When you taste other Chardonnay in Napa it's hard to imagine that this style is even possible. Montelena does things with this grape that very few can -- and most of those few live in Burgundy.

The Alcohol: 13.6%

Color: Light, platinum, and pale, there wasn't any apparent signs of excessive oak or over-ripe grapes here (you can usually spot this by the dark color of the wine).

Smell: The smell could have tricked me in a blind tasting. I would surely have called this French. It smelled like minerals, lemon, lime, and white flowers. I didn't smell much oak at all -- just a light hint of spice but nothing overbearing. It had a sharp, crisp smell.

Taste: And this delivered on the smell. It was dry, sharp, steely, and very clean. Great lemon and lime flavors and a sweet green pea note went well with the minerals and acid in this wine. I didn't sense the oak because it was so well integrated with the fruit and acid.

Drink or Sink: Drink. This wine is awesome. It's a Chablis style -- dry, acidic, clean, and restrained. I love it. Why more people in California don't do this style is beyond me. This Napa Chardonnay is proof that something special happens when grapes are in the hands of the right people...and they all seem to be at Montelena!

My only gripe -- they have some description about how this is a "classic California Chardonnay." Couldn't disagree more. If only everyone did Chard this way in California! Most of the stuff I have is more fruity or more oaky or less acidic, but not balanced like this. There are a few others, but I'll agree with the 1976 French judges...this is something different. More expensive than what I normally drink but worth every penny.

Wine #3: 2007 Napa Valley Chardonnay, $60

I was so excited to try the same wine in a different vintage. If you ever have the opportunity to try vintage back to back like this, do it! You get to taste what happens to the wine with time. Each vintage is different, but in a really high quality producer, there should be consistency of style. Here's how the 2007 tasted to me...

The Alcohol: 13.7%

Color: With age, this wine was still pale in color but had taken on more golden hues. As white wine ages, it gets darker. After 5 years this was showing its age spots!

Smell: It was a little more mature -- baked apple, sweet lemon, and white flowers jumped out of the glass. There was just a little bit of oakiness to the smell, but it wasn't overpowering at all.

Taste: This was so different from the '09 -- much fuller and richer, as the vintage was a little more consistent and with time the wine had changed to take on different notes. It tasted like ripe apples, sweet lemon, and had some tropical fruit notes (pineapple) to it. The wine tasted a bit like caramel from the oak, but it was all integrated and not out of place at all.

Drink or Sink: Drink. The consistent theme with the '09 -- bright acid that played against the ripe fruit flavors. This was richer, fuller, and the contrast in flavors of ripe fruit and acid made this a total winner. I would have loved to have had a nice piece of halibut in a dill, lemon, cream sauce!

Wine #4: 2008 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, $49
Like most of the top Cabernet producers in Napa, this wine is not 100% Cabernet. Merlot and Cab Franc are used to soften the bold flavors of the Cab. 2008 was a tough vintage because of poor weather. Montelena lost a lot of its grapes, but as a result, the ones that were left made FANTASTIC wine.

The Blend: 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc

The Alcohol: 14.2%

Color: A little brownish with a beautiful ruby rim, the wine had lots of pigment but didn't look like blackberry juice. I wouldn't expect Montelena to make a super-dark wine, which usually, in a Cabernet blend, hints to me that there will be too much fruit and not much else (not always the case, but often because the grapes got overly ripe, the skins have a ton of pigment and that bleeds into the wine. So dark in a Cab often = fruit bomb).

Smell: This wine has such a strikingly different aroma from any other Napa Cab I've ever had. It's so fresh. The wine is floral -- like roses and violets -- but also has this note of exotic spice, like Chai tea (cardamom), tumeric, coriander, and cinnamon. I know those are kind of random descriptions, because that's the stuff in your spice rack you may never use, but if you eat Indian food, just think of those spices with some flowers and you're there.

Taste: If you like balls-out, big Cabs this isn't your style. If you like medium, restrained, Bordeaux style wines -- here you go. This wine tasted like it smelled, and the sweet cinnamon and nutmeg flavors were prominent from the oak. It was flavorful, yet very fresh.

Drink or Sink: Drink. To me, this is an amazing, amazing, amazing wine. My notes say "stylish" -- and what I mean by this is that it's more than just a fruit bomb or an alcohol bomb. This wine can't be characterized the same way as other Napa Cabs. It's so elegant, so fresh, and so beautiful without being wimpy. It's a wine to think about -- it's got a lot of layers, yet it's so easy to drink and love in the moment. This is a gold star wine for me (and so much more affordable than other wineries' less good wines).

Wine #5: 2007 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, $135
The difference between the Napa Valley and Estate wine is where the grapes are grown. For the Napa Valley wine, the grapes come from different vineyards around Napa. The benefit is that the winemaker can get the best of the best grapes with which to make the wine. The downside -- there is less consistency and control over the grapes than if the wine comes from one place. Enter the Estate Cabernet -- all from Montelena's vineyards on the property. This is their baby and their big daddy of a Cab, but the wine is still balanced, just like the rest of their line.

The Blend: 99% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Cabernet Franc

The Alcohol: 14.3%

Color: Dark crimson, almost blood red. It had a brown rim, showing a little of it's age (reds lighten to an amber brown with age. This one didn't show that much age, but it was starting to show it's grey hair).

Smell: This was like wet soil, but still fresh and like violets. There were some tobacco or cedar notes but I didn't smell much fruit. It was like an intense version of the Napa Valley Cab.

Taste: This is a ballsy wine. Full, rich black currant and black raspberry flavors and sweet vanilla and cinnamon ones were awesome complements to one other. The earthy, potting soil flavors tempered the rich fruit and reminded me that this stuff comes from the earth -- love that. The wine had some big ass tannins -- but not the bitter ones, more the mouth-drying kind. This was a powerful, forceful wine. Tons of fruit, earth, and spice.

Drink or Sink: Drink. This wine is an fantastic balance of fruit, earth, spice, and flowers. 2007 was a solid year in Napa and this wine shows that. Still, despite the fact that this wine is much more in your face than the Napa Valley Cab, it is not over-the-top. Everything in moderation...the way it should be.

Wine #6: 2003 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, $135
What a treat to try the same wine from another great vintage. Although the extra four years makes a difference, the wine shows a real consistency in style...

The Alcohol: 13.8%

Color: Much more brown or brick red than the 2007. The grey hair was showing here (the wine was paler from age).

Smell: More complex aromas than the 2007 -- time is a friend to Cabernet if it's a well-made one! The wine had the characteristic Montelena floral note and it was earthy, but the stuff had more evolved fruit aromas too. Asian pear (which I call a papple because it's like a pear and apple together), raspberry, black currant, and sweet green herbs (like tarragon or mint) were all over this. Then there was this super-strong and pleasant smell of black tea. If you've ever had or smelled Darjeeling tea, that's what this smelled like. Super complex, super fabulous.

Taste: Another ballsy wine -- this was powerful stuff. Tasted like it smelled and it was so mouth-filling with rich, chewy tannins. There was a tobacco and earth note to the wine against the backdrop of the spices I found in the Napa Valley Cab.

Drink or Sink: Drink. The flavor was significantly different from the 2007 -- the wine had matured into something special. It was evolved. What a treat. Proves that when done right, Cab gets better and better.

What else is there to say? Chateau Montelena makes divine wine. It's a jewel in California's crown. I don't know of other wineries that do what they do or make wines that taste anything like theirs. Go up and down the Napa Valley and I bet you won't find another winery like them. Are they boutique, or little -- the thing that so many people seek out? No. But if you want something different, historic, and consistently phenomenal you can't miss their wine. It doesn't hurt that the people are cool, but even if they sucked, this place does something special.

Thanks to Laura, Joel, and especially for Jamie for having me -- especially on a crazy Saturday with the lush rush in full swing!

Wine For Normal People Radio: Episode 34--Wine Gift Ideas for Festivus or Whatever Other Holiday You Celebrate!

2011-12-15T02:23:00.009-05:00

And just in time for the holidays: Wine gift ideas!

This week, MC Ice and I talk about 4 kinds of gifts to get for the wine lover/liker/drinker in your life...

Gadgets: The most useful, must-haves (not just random crap you buy just to buy!). Here's a picture of the Ah-so, for reference. Gotta also say that listener Sayle Milne provided the suggestion on wine charms! Thanks Sayle!

Glassware: The three kinds someone really needs and a few recommendations on what to look for and what to avoid.
Books. From Facebook friend Brandon Robinson, we cover books: why I don't love "Fun" wine books, three reference books for real wine dorks, and a shameless plug for the upcoming "Wine For Normal People" book (and shout to my fabulous agent Myrsini!)
And, drum roll...you didn't think we'd cover all this stuff and forget the WINE, did you? We talk about strategies for shopping for wine as a gift -- from in-store selections to wine clubs to the horror of wine shipping laws (thanks to listener Bruce Bowler for the suggestion that we should cover this). I wax a little poetic on the sentimentality of wine...but just briefly.
Then, Grape of the Week...listener Sayle Milne strikes again -- she has requested we cover this for a long time and voilá! Petit Verdot...and why it makes a better supporting actor, than star of the show.

We plan on churning out another episode before the holidays, but we wish everyone a happy Festivus (for the rest of us)...or whatever else you celebrate. Please post any ideas we missed here so everyone can benefit from your genius!

Oh...and if you like the podcast, please review us on iTunes, join the conversation on Facebook (Wine For Normal People page) and Twitter @normalwine.

We mentioned this, so here goes...call us and you'll be on the show!!! Do you have a wine-related question? Anything goes! Call 800-599-8478 (in the U.S.) or 1-415-226-9105 and dial extension 5 to leave your question for the Wine For Normal People Podcast, and we'll answer it in an upcoming episode!

The Frog's the Only Thing Not Green At Frog's Leap: Tasty, Organic Wines In a Beautiful Setting

2011-12-08T15:29:00.005-05:00

At the suggestions of the awesome normal wine people on Facebook, Frog's Leap was high on the list for my Napa trip this year and I was ready to discover all it had to offer. I'd enjoyed the wines at tastings, and knew the place was touted for its commitment to organics, but I'd never been to visit.

I gotta say, on a number of fronts, I was I happy I made it! Frog's Leap has good wine, a stunning property, and great hospitality. Thanks to all who recommended it!

The Winery is in the Rutherford District of Napa, which is a small area in the middle of the Valley. Because it's so unique, Rutherford is worth a little tangent...so here goes...

More so than any other, this sub-district of Napa is probably the most distinct of all the Valley's American Viticultural Areas (AVAs). Here Cabernet Sauvignon reigns supreme, and with good reason -- the grape has a balance of fruit, tannin, and earth that you don't see in other Napa AVAs. In a valley where the winemaker often determines flavor, the land seems to rule Rutherford grapes.

People often talk about "Rutherford Dust," a characteristic of the wines that's specific to this area. Although it's brought up all the time, truth is: there's some ambiguity about what that actually means. Some say it refers to the earthy, mineral quality of the wines (that I find to be distinctive, delicious, and great), but others say it's just a term for the winemakers' collective commitment to maintaining good land and soil. Although my mouth tells me the former is true, I'm inclined to believe the latter, since the Rutherford Dust Society, a non-profit that promotes the district's wines and farming, claims that is the case.

All I can tell you (and all that matters to me, at least) is that I taste an earthiness in the wines, so when I think of Rutherford Dust, I think of that quality regardless of the original intent of the phrase. And I think of that as a wholly positive description of the wines.

'Nough said on Rutherford.

Let's leap back to the Frog and address the gorgeous tasting room, which is in a red barn and on the site of the former Adamson Winery, built in 1884. John Williams, owner and winemaker at Frog's Leap, did the renovation in 1994 and has kept it up beautifully.

It was a really busy day for this popular tasting room so after checking in we were seated promptly on the porch which overlooks the valley floor vineyards. Our guide through the wines was Peter Molinari IV, whose ancestor was the first Swiss farmer in all of Napa in the 1880s, and whose family still owns Zinfandel vineyards from which they make a little wine but mainly sell grapes. He was the sweetest, most modest, helpful, and knowledgable person with whom you'd want to spend an hour. In a place with lots of bachelorette parties and family reunions (i.e., Frog's Leap is a little commercial), Peter still made me feel special and relaxed.

Peter shared some facts about the Winery with me. Frog's Leap is mid-sized, verging on large. It makes about 60,000 cases (720,000 bottles) per year. The story is kind of neat and not the "rich guy likes wine, buys winery" story that's so common in Napa. After growing up on a dairy farm in upstate New York, John Williams attended Cornell University, to continue studying dairy farming. But during a work-study, he learned more about wine and decided instead to pursue a Masters in enology at UC Davis in California. in 1981 he made the first vintage of Frog's Leap and hasn't thought about cows or sheep since.

Frog's Leap is pretty awesome in that the wines are made only from organically farmed grapes (check out the post and podcast for more on organics). And in places where Frog's Leap's vineyards abut their non-organic neighbors (of which there are many), Williams and his team plant ample buffers of pomegranate and olive trees to ensure the grapes are protected from nasty pesticide sprays.

Peter explained to us that John Williams is all about natural farming. He and his team nurture his vines, but let them grown on their own and struggle to reach maturity. He dry farms -- which means no irrigation (rare in Napa but saved them an estimated 10 million gallons of water last year). Williams sometimes harvests earlier to avoid the thing for which many Napa wines are criticized -- high alcohol levels, too much fruit flavor and low tannins and acids that occur when the grapes hang on the vine too long and bake in the sun (especially in warmer years). Although the wines go for big bucks, many think these Napa styles are overdone and don't allow Cabernet to show it's kinder, gentler fruit flavors, nuances, and textures. You won't find that in Frog's Leap wines.

If you're a regular blog reader, you know I'm a lover of organics and all things ecologically good, so I've got to say how utterly impressed I was that Frog's Leap walks the walk. They have 1,000 solar panels to power their winery and the farmhouse was the first LEED certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, an internationally-recognized green building certification) building in the California Wine industry, with geothermal heating and cooling systems. These people are serious about caring for the environment, unlike those who pay lip service and call themselves "sustainable," a meaningless term in this industry.

And they've got hospitality down to a science. The folks working there were all so nice. My biggest gripe about the place -- the patrons. There were lots of wine snobs there and I saw them being nasty to our new friend Peter, and to the other hard-working staff. I guess in Napa people feel that they should act a certain way, but I can understand why Peter wanted to hang out with us rather than talk to some of the other people who seemed to think he was their servant. Frustrating to watch...and all the more reason for you to go. You will be one of the good ones!

Now to the wines, which were all understated and tasty...

Wine #1: 2010 Rutherford Sauvignon Blanc, $18

Color: Super pale and light with a bit of a golden rim, this looked good. No oak here -- good sign for Napa Sauv Blanc, which always seems to have a touch of smokey, oakiness that I don't think works with the grape.

Smell: Man, this was grassy. It smelled like grapefruit, lemon, and flowers at first. Then a little tropical -- like passionfruit. This was a very typical unoaked Napa Sauv Blanc to smell -- clean, floral, and tropical.

Taste:Just like it smelled -- grapefruit, grass, and tropical fruit stood out. It had noticeable mouthwatering acid and a little weight and silkiness when I rolled it around my mouth. It was refreshing, but medium in body. It has lower alcohol (for Napa) at 12.8%, but it was no powder puff.

Drink or Sink: Drink. A good wine for the porch. Refreshing and light but not overly so. I like that the wine had all the ripe, tropical fruit flavor I'd expect in Napa yet was still on the lighter side. A great sipper on a hot day.

Wine #2: 2009 Napa Valley Zinfandel, $27

A note on this wine before I get into it. This is not your typical Zinfandel on a few fronts. First of all, John Williams and his co-winemaker Paula Moschetti decided to make a more traditional style Zin. What's that? It's a wine that's not 14%+ alcohol, bursting with fruit, and made with nearly raisined grapes. It's one that's a blend of some other stuff, to help fill in where Zin may not be so strong. So...

The Blend: 77% Zinfandel, 22% Petite Sirah, 1% Carignan

The Alcohol: 13.6% (very low for Zin)

Color: This was a really dark color, mostly from that 22% Petite Sirah. The grape has tons of pigment and can darken any wine to nearly purple!

Smell: The wine was like blackberries, boysenberries, and black plums. It was subtle and more perfumed than bursting with fruit. It didn't have the black pepper spice I'm used to in a Zin, it was kind of light to smell.

Taste: Again, a lighter fruit quality. This wasn't a fruit nor an alcohol bomb. It had some ripe black plum flavor and then a good hit of pepper, nice mouth-drying tannin, and great acid to keep everything in check. It was a subtler version of Zin.

Drink or Sink: Drink, but only for comparison to see how a lighter Zin tastes. I generally like subtler wines, but where Zin is concerned I like a little more umph. I was missing fruitiness and spice and felt this was a bit too lightweight for the grape. You'll rarely see a Zin with this little alcohol anywhere, so it's worth trying just for the sake of comparison. That said, it's not one I'll be adding to the rotation.

Wine #3: 2008 Napa Valley Merlot, $34

This is where things started to get really amazing. This wine is 100% Merlot and is farmed almost exclusively around the Frog's Leap estate. While I was sitting and sipping, I was looking at the vineyards of Merlot. It's dry farmed and gets the attention that makes this wine kind of a knockout.

The Alcohol: 12.9% (like a European wine)

Color: The wine was a crimson red with a pink rim. It was mellow in color, so I couldn't tell much about the wine by looking at it.

Smell: And there it is...the Rutherford Dust. This wine just smelled like dust and earth. It had great cherry and chocolate notes, but it was so earthy and herbal (like thyme) that I was completely intrigued. I was excited to taste this. It was decidedly more earthy and subtle than most Napa wines I've smelled, and the alcohol was low so I thought this may be the holy grail -- a true European style wine in California (everyone boasts about this but most of that's crap in my opinion. Plus I'm not sure why you wouldn't just want to be a California wine, when those styles are unique and delicious too!)

Taste: Oh, yeah. Rich chocolate, cherries and dusty, earthy, mineral flavors were prominent. The texture of this wine was amazing. It was both rough and silky at the same time! The tannins dried out my mouth, but the fruit was soft and plump. What a balance!

Drink or Sink: Drink. This is an excellent, understated Merlot that shows what Rutherford Dust really is. If you've written off Merlot from California because of "Sideways" or for some other reason (like a lot of the lower tier stuff sucks, for instance), try this one and it will show you what California could do with Merlot if it made a good go of it. It was great with the Gouda on the cheese plate too!

Wine #4: 2007 Rutherford (small production Cab), $75

The Blend: 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc

The Alcohol: 13.6% (very low for Cabernet)

Color: A dark plum color in the center with a rosy rim and kind of thick legs, it seemed like the color was pointing to a flavorful wine, but I had a feeling it would still be restrained, since I was sensing a theme with Frog's Leap.

Smell: More like violets than fruit, this wine had a serious earthy, dusty, green pepper note to it. It was full and rich with black cherry and vanilla notes.

Taste: A full, rich bold wine. It tasted like it smelled -- earthy, perfumed, and more like blueberries than cherries with a subtle hit of vanilla from the oak. More than anything this wine was earthy and fruity yet powerful and flavorful, without being over the top.

Drink or Sink: Drink. There aren't the distractions of overripe fruit or high alcohol that so many other wines in the Valley/District seem to feature. This was a great wine, and would be terrific with food.

Thank you all for suggesting Frog's Leap. Gorgeous place, great philosophy, and good wines...and they're all pretty widely available so you can probably get them where you live, if you're in the States.

And a big thanks to Peter Molinari IV -- don't let those wine snobs get you down. You are great and sweet. Next year, I'm coming up to your family's property and we're going to DORK out on farming BIG TIME!

If you've been to Frog's Leap or had their wines, please add a comment below and let me know what you thought.

Wine For Normal People Radio: Episode 33 -- The Grape Miniseries, Cabernet Sauvignon

2011-12-07T10:45:00.001-05:00

We are back at it -- the Grape Miniseries makes a triumphant return!

Here's a link to the episode: Episode 33

While drinking a rather skunked and old Napa version, MC Ice and I tackle the King of the Reds: Cabernet Sauvignon. If you like my dork out moments... get ready.

Here are a few summary points:

I geek out on the grape, talking about the history and the viticulture of Cabernet Sauvignon (I get into it -- everything from torrid vineyard love affairs to Pliny the Elder to methoxypyrazines)

We try to cover everything you ever wanted to know about Cabernet from the most famous regions around the world:

o Old World: Bordeaux, Italy, Spain, and other parts of Europe

o New World: California (Napa, Sonoma), Washington, Oregon, Long Island, South America (Chile, Argentina), Australia, South Africa

MC Ice gets really excited about the marriage of Cabernet and food. (the chemical reaction of tannin and filet fascinates him)
And here's the link to the terroir episode we reference! LINK

If you like the podcast, please review us on iTunes, write a comment below or join the conversation on Facebook (Wine For Normal People page) and Twitter @normalwine!

A Cult Producer in Napa...Of Zin: Robert Biale Vineyards Stands Out in the Land of Cabernet

2011-12-01T00:39:00.000-05:00

I like a place that specializes.Visiting a Winery with a "thing" is really helpful on a number offronts. First, I've got a place to put them in my brain. This may be why I'msuch a European wine lover. The grapes and styles are regulated by thegovernment in large part so you can judge one against another pretty easily.Second and related, I'm tasting things that are in the same vein so it's easierto gauge the style of the winery and what I think of it. If a place makes winefrom every grape under the sun, I question how well they can do any one inparticular.

So I was excited to head to RobertBiale (said like my favorite bagel alternative, "bialy")right on the outskirts of the city of Napa. Zin is their "thing" andthey do it well.

The Winery started as a family farmin 1937. They produced Zinfandel grapes, mostly for sale but the teenage AldoBiale was enterprising and held a bit back for experimental winemaking. He dida great job and shared it with a few friends and customers who bought otherproducts from the farm. It was good stuff so word spread in Napa. But this wasa small time operation so to keep the bootlegging under wraps from thoseeavesdropping on the party line phone the Biales used, those in the know gottheir jug of Zin by asking for a "black chicken." Today,"black chicken" is a wine, a wine club, and an important part of theheritage of Robert Biale.

From 1937 through 1991 the Biales onlysold wine to family friends. Finally, in 1991 Aldo, his son Robert and twoother partners bonded the Winery and started selling wine to the public. Sincethen, they've become a bit of a cult Zinfandel producer. In a valley dominatedby Cabernet (only 3% is planted to Zin), Biale stays true to the heritage ofNapa, which is thought to have produced some of the first Zin in the US.

The Winery has great hospitality andit's conveniently located just outside of the city of Napa. The tasting roomwas lively and welcoming, and the vineyards were so pretty. What a great placeto spend our morning!

One important caveat before I get to the wine: Like some ofthe other places we visited, this is a small production winery and they sellout of stuff quickly (they produce about 20 different Zinfandels and 10,000 casesof wine per year -- pretty small for Napa!). The wine is distributed in someplaces around the US, but if you see it, you better get it while you can.

Here's the lineup:

Wine #1: 2010Pollo Bianco Sauvignon Blanc, $22

Like you, I was thinking - "Hey, I thought Zin wastheir thing!" I was skeptical, but..

Color: A very palewine with a slight golden tint, I was happy to see and hear that it wasn't aFumé Blanc, aged in oak (I'm kind of against oak-aged Sauvignon Blanc because Ithink it takes away from the awesome flavor of the grape. Napa is known forliking it's oak, so this was a refreshing twist).

Smell: Almost like aNew Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, this was spicy -- like a jalapeño pepper -- andhad lots of grapefruit aromas and a strong mineral smell too. It didn't haveany of the light floral aromatics I usually associate with Napa SauvBlanc...and I liked it.

Taste:Thewine was really dangerous. It was so light and refreshing. There was a greenpepper note, and it tasted like green leaf lettuce in a salad. You could easilydrink an entire bottle of this stuff and not think twice.

Drink or Sink:Drink.It was a great, differentiated Sauvingon Blanc. Much more in line with thestyle that I like than the more floral and sometimes oaky styles of other Napaproducers, it was acidic, citrusy, and minerally.

Wine #2: 2009 Southern Trail Zinfandel, $39
Color: Apretty red plum color. It looked like raspberry juice.
Smell: This was a great smelling Zin and just what I like and expect --ripe, juicy plum with smoke, black pepper, and a little bit of fresh shaved oak(like when you get wood cut at Loews).
Taste: The winetasted like it smelled, but it had a lot of texture. It was kind of acidic andthe alcohol was slightly off the chart. I got a burn, similar to taking a shotof vodka.
Drink or sink?: Drink. The wine was good, but I wouldn't call it great. Thealcohol and acid stuck out a little too much and overshadowed the fruit. I wishthe winemaker had tempered these a little bit -- the wine could have beenamazing without these factors. It was hard to find all the nuance under thealcohol.

Wine #3: 2009Aldo's Vineyard Zinfandel, $75

Color: This was adeep, rich almost purple color. It was like prune juice -- a super dark crimsoncenter with really thick legs from high alcohol. When I swirled it, it stainedthe glass. This was going to be a heavy hitter from the looks of it.

Smell: Greataromatics. The wine had awesome plum and black cherry fruit smells and it wasspicy like a pepper mill. It was also a little gamey -- like a farm. I wasliking this more and more!

Taste: Now, this is a Zin. It had a rich plum,raspberry briar (kind of wild and outdoor-like) thing and then a ton of blackpepper spice, nutmeg, and clove flavors. It had a touch of bitterness from thepronounced tannins, and it was an alcohol bomb, but everything was in harmonyso the alcohol didn't overwhelm the wine.

Drink orsink?:Drink. This is a very good Zin. Although a little pricey, I liked the fact thatit wasn't all fruit and alcohol, but had some earth and great spice too. Thisis a huge step up from the previous wine and proves Robert Biale completelydeserving of it's place as a top Zin producer.

Wine #4: 2008Thomann Station Petite Sirah, $55

Unlike a lot of Petite Sirah that's frequently blended withZin, this version is 100% Petite Sirah. Named for the old train station in St.Helena, this was a big-ass wine.

Color: No two waysabout it -- this wine was purple with a purple rim and super thick legs. PetiteSirah is no shrinking violet -- big in every way, including color. This was onthe money for what this wine should be.

Smell: A full, richsmell that was more like dark flowers than anything else. There were blueberryand blackberry notes too, and it burned the inside of my nose -- that'salcohol, for you.

Taste: This wine wassuper concentrated in flavor, really intense and rich in those dark berryflavors. You could chew on the tannins for days -- my cheeks felt chapped fromthem. The flavor stuck around for ages too. This is a ballsy wine and not forpeople that shrink from bold fruit and tannin.

Drink orsink?: Drink.Although I love a subtle wine, you've got to appreciate Petite Sirah for whatit is -- rich, powerful, and in your face. Even more so than Zinfandel, thiswine is brawny and unapologetic for being fruity, tannic, and a little rustic.I don't think I've had a better example than this one. Hats off Robert Bialefor making an ideal Petit Sirah! This was my favorite of the day.

Thanks to everyone at RobertBiale for their hospitality, especially Scott who took a millionpictures for us and Austin who took time to hang out (in a small worldcoincidence, MC Ice does business with his dad! Worlds colliding!). We had agreat time -- good wine and it's such a laid back, pleasant place to mellow outfor a while. If you're a Zin or Petite Sirah fan, Robert Biale is a must!

Have you been here or had the wines?Post a comment here or on Facebook and let me know what you thought!

Thanksgiving Wine Picks: Part II, The Results

2011-11-28T22:15:00.001-05:00

I said I'd report back on Thanksgiving and the wines I picked. I am happy to report that this year, there wasn't a stinker in the bunch. Everything was under $20, proving you can get great stuff and don't have to pay an arm and a leg (or breast or thigh bone, if we're talking turkey) to get it! Here's a recap and why they worked...

Wine #1: Aperitif (Starter) Wine: 2010 Les Lauzeraies, Tavel (Rosé), Rhône Valley, France

The recap: Tavel is a dry, dry, French Rosé. Made of mostly Grenache and a blending grape called Cinsault, it's refreshing and delicious but a little more serious than other Rosés, with more flavor and acid than a garden variety Rosé.

The result: OMG, this was so thirst quenching and festive. A tasty, palate cleansing start to the meal. Everyone was excited for the wine selections after tasting this dry, slightly acidic wine that had a little bit of strawberry and raspberry flavor. A gorgeous color too -- totally perfect for a starter!

Wine #2: Appetizer/Cheese Wine: Non Vintage, Willm Blanc de Blancs, Cremant d'Alsace, France

The recap: Made from 100% Pinot Blanc, this wine should be refreshing, with apple and citrus flavors, but because it's from Alsace it will be more oily and thick than bubbly from other regions. Made in the same way Champagne is made, this wine should be dry, but still a little fruity and bread-like (I've said it before -- Champagne and sparkling wine can taste like toast or a croissant because of the breakdown of yeast, which releases these flavors).

The result: This was unbelievable with cashew nuts, and Manchego and cheddar cheeses. The wine was citrus-y but a little bread-like too and it made the nuts taste creamy and the cheeses seem like they were infused with citrus fruit. The strong acidity lightened up the Brie too (whose seeming lightness made me and MC Ice over-consume). We tried it with the turkey and it was great, although better with the starters, truth be told. I wouldn't classify this one as oily or thick, as I posited in my original post, but I think it's a good Champagne alternative (and for less than $20, who can ask for more?).

Dinner Wines

Wine #3: 2010 Willm Riesling, Alsace, France

The recap: Riesling from Alsace is fuller, kind of oily in texture but still extremely acidic. The peachy, appley fruitiness and the mouth-filling soft texture of the wine should work with creamy mashed potatoes, baked brussel sprouts, green beans with almonds and butter, and savory turkey.

The result: This was awesome with anything green -- brussel sprouts, green beans, and salad. The mouth-filling, oily texture of the wine took any bitter bite out of the greens and the peachy, apple fruit flavors went well with the buttery goodness of the green beans. The big bonus: the fruitiness combined with the candied yams (they were flavored with oranges) to make it all taste smooth, slightly less sweet, yet creamy. I would say this is a MUST for Thanksgiving side dishes.

Wine #4: 2008 d'Arenberg "Footbolt" Shiraz, McLaren Vale, South Australia

The recap: This Shiraz is more on the herbal/spicy side, perfect for the thyme and rosemary in the stuffing and the herbal rub on the turkey.

The result: The herbs in the stuffing were perfectly complemented by the lavender, thyme, and black pepper spice in the wine. We had broccoli and fennel soup with a touch of black pepper. The wine's licorice, pepper, and dark fruit flavors (to my surprise) went perfectly with the fennel and pepper in the soup and didn't clash with the broccoli flavor (usually the case with red wines, in my experience). I think our turkey was a little bland this year, but this wine spruced it up. It's asking a lot of a wine to give flavor to the food, but this one did it. A+ pairing!

Wine #5: Dessert Wine: 2006 Maison Nicolas, Sauternes, Bordeaux, France

The recap: The honeyed, apricot, peach flavors of this sweety should be divine.

The result: AMAZING with the pecan pie. As I said on the podcast, I'm more a baker than cook and I actually made the pie from a new recipe (I don't usually do this, but it's so awesome I have to include the link here. No corn syrup. Pure deliciousness). The nuts, sugar and butter in the pie felt light and pillow-like because of the reaction with the acid in the wine. The rich, sweet, nutty flavors were complemented by the honeyed, nutty flavors in the wine. The pie was sweet, but the wine was sweeter (the most important rule in dessert pairing). This was an inexpensive, but good Sauternes (here's a link if you want to know more about this bit of deliciousness from Bordeaux) so I can't imagine how good the pie would be with something that's higher quality.

Although we're passed Thanksgiving, hopefully this will be useful for Christmas or other savory meals you might have. Please drop a comment and share your best (and worst) pairing stories so we can all learn from your experiences!!!

My Thanksgiving Wine Picks, Part 1: The Purchases

2011-11-23T20:42:00.004-05:00

What am I drinking for Thanksgiving? My family constrained my budget, so everything is under $20. Really tough but given how much we all drink, if we wanted to get lots of variety, we needed to go for budget wines. The special ones will have to wait until Christmas, when it's a smaller group.

That said, here's the planned lineup for tomorrow. I'll report back and let you know how the pairings went...I have a feeling it's going to be a divine meal!

Wine #1: Aperitif (Starter) Wine: 2010 Les Lauzeraies, Tavel (Rosé), Rhône Valley, France
Why did I pick it? Tavel is a dry, dry, French Rosé. Made of mostly Grenache and a blending grape called Cinsault, it's refreshing and delicious but a little more serious than other Rosés, with more flavor and acid than a garden variety Rosé. I was careful when I choose this, because with Rosé the vintage has to be current (Champagne is the exception). The Les Lauzeraies is 2010, so it should still be fresh, fruity, but dry with some acid. With its raspberry juice color, Rosé is beautiful in the glass and should be a great way to begin the festivities.

Wine #2: Appetizer/Cheese Wine: Non Vintage, Willm Blanc de Blancs, Cremant d'Alsace, France
Why did I pick it? Made from 100% Pinot Blanc, this wine should be refreshing, with apple and citrus flavors, but because it's from Alsace it will be more oily and thick than bubbly from other regions. Made in the same way Champagne is made, this wine should be dry, but still a little fruity and bread-like (I've said it before -- Champagne and sparkling wine can taste like toast or a croissant because of the yeast). Should go well with the variety of starters on the menu -- cheeses (the acid should cut through the Brie like a knife), Spanakopita (feta and spinach in phyllo dough can be heavy, but the Cremant's citrus should give it a lift), and some Mediterranean-like dips that will be smokey and tangy and complemented well by the sharp, clean flavors of the bubbly.

Dinner Wines
Wine #3: 2010 Willm Riesling, Alsace, France
Why did I pick it? Like the Crémant, Riesling from Alsace is fuller, kind of oily in texture but still extremely acidic. The peachy, appley fruitiness and the mouth-filling soft texture of the wine should work with creamy mashed potatoes, baked brussel sprouts, green beans with almonds and butter, and savory turkey. Although the wine is dry, its fuller texture should make the buttery green vegetables and the turkey taste more flavorful and moist, and maybe add a little spike of fruitiness that gives the food an extra dimension. The acid in this wine will lift up the buttery dishes, making them feel lighter -- a very positive thing when the table is loaded with buttery food.

Wine #4: 2008 d'Arenberg "Footbolt" Shiraz, McLaren Vale, South Australia
Why did I pick it? Yes, Australian Shiraz can be over the top with too much fruit and alcohol, but this one is more on the herbal/spicy side, perfect for the thyme and rosemary in the stuffing and on the turkey (smells so great baking!). The licorice/anise note in the wine is going to ROCK with the broccoli and fennel soup (similar flavors), which is heavy enough to stand up to a red wine. The black pepper, leather, and plum aromas and flavors are more restrained in this wine than in a lot of other Aussie Shiraz, which should make it food-friendly but still bold enough for the folks at my dinner who like big wines (and would have hated me if I'd gone all French!).

Wine #5: Dessert Wine: 2006 Maison Nicolas, Sauternes, Bordeaux, France
Why did I pick it? I'll admit that this was kind of a risk because it's a cheap Sauternes and usually there is a correlation between price and quality with these sweet wines of Bordeaux. That said, it could be pretty good, just because it was a good vintage and even cheap Sauternes is usually worth the sip. Given that MC Ice and I will probably be the only ones drinking it, we didn't want to go too big. Apple pie, here we come. The honeyed, apricot, peach flavors of this sweety should be divine with the cinnamon spice of the pie. It shouldn't be too shabby with the pecan pie either, as it adds fruity flavors to that nutty, sweet, buttery bit of deliciousness.

So that's our experiment this year. I've said it on the podcast and I'll say it again -- Thanksgiving pairing is tough business. I tried...I'll post tomorrow on how it went for me and I hope you'll share your experiences too!

Have a GREAT holiday if you're in the United States! If not and you have a turkey dinner for another occasion, I hope this will help guide your selections.

Regardless, please let me tell you how thankful I am that you've read this and that you're interested in what I have to say. I love normal wine people! Happy Thanksgiving!

Latest Article on Wine Travel in Travel Belles: 4 Tips to Conquer the Wall of Wine At Home or Away

2011-11-23T14:12:00.004-05:00

My latest article for The Travel Belles was published yesterday!

Hopefully this will be helpful if you're last minute shopping for Thanksgiving wines or if you're going to be picking out stuff for the holidays! We've talked about shopping for wine on the podcast before, but this also addresses the issue of looking for wine when you're on the road...a unique challenge for sure!

Here's the link:
A Bottle for the Holidays: 4 Tips to Conquer the “Wall of Wine” At Home or Away

Enjoy it!

Wine For Normal People Radio : Episode 32--The Urban Tribe, Food and Wine Pairing Revisited, and Thanksgiving Wines

2011-11-21T02:00:00.006-05:00

Yep, we're throwing it down with the rest of the wine world...but doing it the normal way. It's a family time, so MC Ice and I huddled 'round the mic to share some ideas about Thanksgiving wine.

Here's a link to the 'cast and the show notes are below!

We start out with shout outs from iTunes, Facebook (Wine For Normal People page) and email (elizabeth(at)winefornormalpeople(dot)com).

Main topic: Thanksgiving Food & Wine Pairing

It’s a tough holiday for wine, but great to be with Urban Tribe or family (I explain the Urban Tribe, and how it differs from being a Member of the Tribe, of which, of course I am -- urban dictionary it if you don't know what it is)
MC Ice talks about a dessert that he'll never eat again
Wine Pairing Horses of the Apocalypse: Why food and wine pairing is tough for Thanksgiving and why the standard recommendations work
I wax poetic on pairing philosophy -- it's not just about the meat!
The Brass Tacks: We discuss pairings for Thanksgiving and why certain wines should be on the menu. We discuss everything from traditional Thanksgiving food to smoked and fried turkey, to spicy glazed ham, all of which were suggested on the Facebook page.
We offered a sample wine menu for each course from aperitifs to dessert before MC Ice and I jet off to New York, to help my mom shop for wine for our Thanksgiving feast!

Happy Thanksgiving and thanks for being part of our virtual Urban Tribe!

Click here to listen!

If you like the podcast, please review us on iTunes, drop a comment on the blog, or join the growing conversation on Facebook (Wine For Normal People page) and Twitter @normalwine!

Pride Mountain Vineyards: Great Wines and a Stunning Property

2011-11-15T01:29:00.005-05:00

The first time I heard about Pride Mountain Vineyards, my first thought was that it should become THE drink of the best party in every city across the US: gay pride! It would be an ideal pairing of two great things that I love with the same name! Alas, the wine snobs with whom I was sharing the bottle thought it was a horrible idea and made fun of my insistence that it was a missed marketing opportunity, but I digress.

Because I liked the wine I tried it in better company and learned more about it. I found out that Pride is actually the last name of the dude who started the Winery. Jim Pride was a dentist who came from a farming family and even kept up a farm while working in San Francisco as a dentist until he finally traded in white teeth for purple ones.

His million dollar idea was to provide outsourced dental administrative services and when he was getting ready for retirement, in 1989 he and his wife bought what may be the most beautiful piece of land in all of Sonoma or Napa. Jim and Carolyn Pride intended to live a quiet life on this property that had cultivated vineyards since the mid 1800s (under the name Summit Ranch, which some locals still call the property). The Prides wanted to grow grapes and selling them to others. But once they tasted what they were capable of producing, they knew they had to bottle the stuff.

Fast forward to today.

Beyond the beautiful, sweeping vistas from their perch atop Spring Mountain, which straddles Napa in the East and Sonoma in the west (in fact they have to account for winemaking activities that take place along the county line so they can pay proper taxes, hence why they will put exact percentages of where the grapes derive on their labels), the tour that is offered to visitors is fabulous. We arrived at the end of our day and were so happy that we had no other place to be so we could really enjoy it!

I can't believe that my visit was my first to this stunning property. I've always liked the wine, but I had no idea that it was going to be as breathtaking. It goes into the bucket of DON'T MISS. You've got to make an appointment (it's appointment only) when in CA Wine Country.

On our tour through the ridiculously vast caves we stopped at a few stations until finally we got to taste the Cabernet Sauvignon right out of the barrel. It was a great experience and I have to extend a huge thanks to the smart and sweet Katrina who led our tour. She was so helpful, fun, and cool.

That said, I do have to bring up one thing...having had all of these wines in prior vintages, I have to say that I was a little disappointed with them this time around. Except for the Cabernet, I found everything was slightly off its game and I didn't love the wines as much as I usually do. I think a series of tough vintages is taking its toll.

Although the wines were good, I look forward to future, better years (let's keep our fingers crossed for 2012, since 2010 and 2011 were pretty rough) and a return to the amazing stuff I know Pride normally makes.

Here was the line up:

Wine #1: 2010 Viognier, Sonoma County $42
Color: The color of golden apple skin, this was a deep yellow. Viognier does tend to be darker in color, but I had a suspicion the wine saw some oak, which darkens a wine.
Smell: It was peachy, but also a tad musty. I didn't get fresh fruit nor the big, overripe honeyed flavors that I usually expect from Viognier.
Taste: My first impression was that the wine was bitter and a little astringent -- a sign of tannin. But the only oak it saw was 8 year old barrels, which wouldn't impart any tannin. I'm not sure why I sensed this, but it kind of overpowered some of the more pleasant honey, peach, and pear flavors, which was disappointing. Could have been the bottle, or the vintage (since it rained hard during harvest last year, it may have affect these high altitude vineyards).
Drink or sink?: I was really disappointed by this wine. I'd sink this one, but given what I know about Pride, I have to assume it was just the bottle or the year. I need to try it again sometime. That said, you can get a Viognier from Australia or even France for less that I think is better.

Wine #2: 2009 Syrah, Sonoma County, $60
Color: This was almost black or purple with a rose-colored rim. It was really concentrated in color, so I expected BIG flavor.
Smell: Oooo, now this was more of a Shiraz style than a restrained Syrah. Blackberry jam, black pepper, and eucalyptus were all over this baby. It was really lush to smell.
Taste: It tasted like it smelled, only it was a little minerally and almost like salty earth. The blackberry and pepper characters were really great.
Drink or sink? Drink. I think this is one to hold for 3 or 4 years. It was kind of tight to drink (meaning the fruit wasn't as prominent as I think it should be), but I could see where it was heading and in a few years, with an hour of time in a decanter before drinking it, it could be freaking AMAZING. Not at all subtle, but really delicious!

Wine #3: 2009 Merlot, Napa/Sonoma Counties, $58
This is the wine that I know best from Pride, and with good reason -- it's their largest production wine. Every time I've had this wine I've been blown away by how balanced it is. Lots of fruit but still great mouth-drying tannin. It's an ideal California Merlot, but this vintage just wasn't that fab. The wine is 9% Cabernet Sauvignon with a touch of Petit Verdot and Cab Franc thrown in.
Color: A bricky. medium red color with super thick legs from the 14.6% alcohol.
Smell: The wine smelled much more restrained than in previous vintages. It smelled like plums and black cherry, and a little like dried herbs and violets. I thought, like the Syrah, this was kind of tight and stingy with the aromas.
Taste: Plums and black cherry flavors dominated and it had a warm coffee, oaky flavor. On a second sip, I got a sweet bubble gum thing, which I didn't really like, and the tannins were really overpowering and could use some decanting time.
Drink or sink? I would drink this, but with the caveat that this bottle is not the Pride Mountain Vineyards Merlot I know and love. If you've never had this wine before, I'd try the '08 if you can find it. Amazing and better than 09's version.

Wines #4 & #5: Barrel Samples of 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon from different vineyards

Yup, right out of the barrel using a siphon! SO COOL! Katrina was an absolute PRO at that...it's no easy feat, either.

The first sample was from a 15-year old estate vineyard. The wine was purple, and smelled floral and a little like a green pepper (typical for Cabernet Sauvignon). The taste was amazing! It was so fruity -- bursting with black plum, blackberry, and black currant flavors. It had a vanilla character to it from the oak and it was very high in tannin and acid, but not so much that they hijacked the fruit flavor. It's going to make a great wine once it's blended with some Merlot to calm it down (I just hope the 2010 vintage of Merlot is better than the '09!).

The second was even better. It was from Carolyn's Vineyard, a 29 year old vineyard that's planted on volcanic soil. This thing was black in the center with a light colored rim. It smelled like strawberries and flowers, and also like a green pepper. I loved this wine. It was the perfect Napa (or Sonoma depending on what side of the mountain it was from) Cab. Lush plums, black cherries, and black raspberry flavors with great baking spice, and then a mineral, earth flavor that was delicious. I could drink this all day long. Wish they'd make this on it's own, but it will likely be blended.

Wine #6: 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon, 67% Napa, 33% Sonoma, $66
The wine has 11% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot blended in to help the wine be a less tannic and harsh.
Color: Dark red with thick legs from the 14.8% alcohol. It was like the color of rose petals.
Smell: Like chocolate covered cherries and chocolate, the wine smelled fruity, a little sweet and very bold.
Taste: This was a blockbuster of a Cab but very balanced. The wine was dripping with black fruit -- black plums, blackberry, and black cherries. It tasted like a cup of really great coffee too. And oh, the tannins. They were an awesome balance to the rich fruit -- I needed the astringency to provide a counter balance to all the fruit and smokey coffee flavor.
Drink or Sink? Drink. I've always preferred Pride's Merlot to their Cab, but this wine was so decadent and amazing. It was delicious and everything I want out of a Napa/Sonoma Cab.

Thanks so much to Pride for a fabulous experience. Love the property, love the wines and I can't recommend a visit more.

Wine For Normal People Radio: Episode 031 -- Bargain Wines

2011-11-15T01:07:00.002-05:00

MC Ice (normal wine person, husband, and podcast host extraordinaire) and I are back from hiatus this week. We start with a thanks to everyone for their hospitality on our Napa/Sonoma Harvest trip! I'm chronicling it on the blog, so scroll down (and up) for details!

Here's the link: Click HERE

Shout outs from iTunes -- amazing new reviews! And a shout out from a listener to Ellie, the dog (hence the pictures)

Main Topic: Bargain Wines

Thanks to listener Leslie Strolla for the topic!
Defining what we mean: Cheap v. Bargain
The top bargains from Europe: places where people speak Spanish, Bordeaux (yup, that's right), some Southern Italian gems
BAD values...gotta listen to find out!
The top bargains from English speaking countries: 1 part of California, and down under...
White v. red -- which is a better bargain? My take
Some info on the sausage factory (or the bait and switch business that happens in the world of cheap wine...)
Listener question from Emir from Boston: What's the deal with wine clubs?
We want you to Call us!!! Anything wine-related is fair game!

Call 800-599-8478 (in the U.S.) or 1-415-226-9105 and dial extension 5 to leave your question for the Wine For Normal People Podcast, and we will play it on the show!
Grape of the week: Malbec (one of the best bargains around)

If you like the podcast, please review us on iTunes, drop a comment on the Wine For Normal People blog, or join the growing conversation on Facebook (Wine For Normal People page) and Twitter @normalwine!

Across the Café Table: My Favorite Wine Find

2011-11-10T13:17:00.000-05:00

Every second Wednesday, Travel Belles posts a question for their "Across the Cafe Table" section. Since I'm an official Belle (check out my monthly column if you haven't yet!), I'll be posting my response to the question when I've got something good to share!

This week, the question was:

What’s your favorite shopping find from your travels?

I'll admit that I'm not a big shopper for clothes or tchotchkes. I prefer to spend my limited funds on (what else?) WINE. So when I went to Italy, specifically to Montalcino, with MC Ice a few years ago, I was looking for a unique bottle to snag.

My rule when shopping for wine on a trip is that the purchase has to be something I can't get at home. Since more likely than not, I'll be rolling those bottles up in clothing in my suitcase (except when I go to California when I usually come home with a few cases and just check those suckers in baggage!), I have to choose wisely and make sure the stuff is pretty special.
On that particular trip, our guide showed us the facilities that made Brunello di Montalcino for export to the US and UK. Knowing there had to be other kinds of wine made at this place, I sidled up after the tour and in my broken and very rusty Italian, asked him if the Cantine made any wines just for Italians. He said they did, but that I wouldn't be interested since the taste wasn't anything like those with which I was familiar. I insisted, batted my eyelashes a bit, and he showed me and MC Ice to their little tasting room where we popped the local stuff in our mouths and promptly purchased 2 bottles. He was so happy we loved it and we were so happy to have found this secret stash!It was the 2002 vintage (the wine ages for about 5 years before it's released) and it's now almost 2012. So in July of next year the wine should be delicious and we'll drink it to commemorate the 5 year anniversary of our trip and the 7 year anniversary of our first date.

Wine is such a great thing to buy when you're away. I mean, who could ask for more than to find an item that will allow you to transport you back to happy times in your life for the hour you spend leisurely drinking the bottle?!

In many ways, wine is about shared experiences...and to me it's better than spending my money on an awesome purse or sexy shirt. I may not be the most fashionable girl out there, but the ability to get a taste of a great time in my life a few years later certainly makes me one of the happiest!

Have something to contribute to this topic? Add your ideas on Travel Belles!

Failla Wines: A Delicious Taste of Sonoma...in Napa

2011-11-07T22:48:00.005-05:00

On my tour through Napa, I hit up a few newer wineries. Failla (FAY-la) on the Silverado Trail was one of them. I just had to go, since one of the nicest guys in the wine industry, Hardy Wallace (of Dirty South Wine), has been working harvest there and I needed my annual hug from him. I visited him last year when he was working at the Natural Process Alliance, and realized that anywhere he goes is bound to be a cool place, so I was excited for this visit.

An adorable, modest property that we actually drove by twice before finding (keep your eyes peeled if you go, it's hard to spot!), Failla is full of nice people, good wine, and tons of promise. There is one kind of strange thing about it though: most of their wines aren't from Napa.

Failla owns vineyards in the Sonoma Coast, close to the Pacific Ocean, and makes wines from the cooler regions that are best suited to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Hence, it was similar to a tasting in the Russian River Valley in Sonoma -- those two wine types were all we tried (in fairness, they also make Syrah and Viognier but none was available for our tasting).

For a little background, the Winery got started in 1998 by Ehren Jordan and his wife Anne-Marie Failla (hence the name). Ehren, who started working in a wine shop in DC in the early 90s, helping ABC News personalities select their nightly swill (the shop was right near ABC studios), held various jobs in the wine industry -- sommelier, cellar rat/sales and marketing for Joseph Phelps in Napa, and then really learned his trade by doing an internship in the Rhône Valley.

On his return to Napa in 1994 he helped establish Neyers Vineyards and then worked with Helen Turley on the Marcassin label (she's a big deal in Napa -- all the name droppers LOVE to mention that they know Helen, BTW). Helen then scored Jordan a job with her brother at Turley Wine Cellars (known for BIG, expensive Zinfandel with high alcohol and lots of fruit flavor), before the siblings had an all out brawl and swore hatred for each other, so lore goes. In 1996 Jordan became general manager, winemaker, and viticulturalist at Turley. With the financial security of the Turley job, Jordan and his wife were able to start Failla in 1998 (first as Failla Jordan, but a lawsuit from Jordan Winery put the kibosh on the appended name).

As I listened to this history from Geoff, our mild-mannered, kind host, I had some trepidation about the style of these wines. Turley is known for so much flavor and such a lack of restraint -- factors that are essential in making good Pinot Noir and Chardonnay -- that I had a hard time believing its winemaker could do right by these Burgundy natives. In the hands of the wrong winemaker, the style of these wines could be something I would really despise -- flabby juice with no subtle flavors that smack of alcohol, oak, and too much fruit.

Fortunately, my Facebook fans who suggested I go here did right by me. I was happy to discover that Ehren Jordan is a chameleon and a talented guy. It's not an everyday winemaker that can spend days making huge Zin and nights making subtle, unique, and excellent Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. I was impressed.

So to the wines!

If you want to visit Failla, just remember that this is a popular place and it only makes 4,000 cases a year, so check to make sure they have wine to pour! Right now the only wines they presented us were Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. It was an appointment only, group tasting where we tried 4 wines. The Winery is small, homey and super cute. Since the weather was great, we drank up in a little grove between the small tasting room and the stone winery -- an excellent setting, especially because they were crushing grapes and that was very cool to see.

Here's the recap:

Wine #1: 2010 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, $34
A little golden and rich looking, the wine seemed to have been sitting in an oak barrel for a while, which darkens a wine. That said, when I smelled it, the impression wasn't really of oak -- it was more like lemon, green apple, and minerals. Although the wine was pretty simple, it smelled clean and had tart, citrusy fruit scents. It was a great tasting wine too -- lemony, mineral-like, with lots of acid. It's food friendly and very refreshing.

Wine #2: 2010 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, $34
A darker red, almost ruby color, this looked like it was going to be a fruitier, riper, richer Pinot. When I swirled it, the wine smelled like raspberries and cherry -- juicy and fresh. I expected more from the taste but this wine was pretty simple. It was like strawberries, cherries, and raspberries and it was light with a small touch of acidity and tannin. It was pleasant. A good wine, but not too complex.

Wine #3: 2009 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, Hirsch Vineyard, $65 Light ruby in color, this was pale and transparent -- it was the color I think Pinot Noir should be. I was kind of taken with the smell. I can't describe it any other way than fresh. It was like newly cut strawberries tossed with sweet herbs and mint. I could smell this all day long. It tasted just like it smelled, but it had some strong mouth-drying tannins to balance out the raspberry/strawberry/fresh mint goodness. The wine hung around in my mouth for a long time. It was awesome. My favorite of the day.

Wine #4: 2008 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, Occidental Ridge Vineyard, $65
Just like the previous wine, this was light ruby -- a perfect Pinot Noir color. This wine was so fragrant -- like raspberry, cherry, rose, and then like Chai tea and other Indian spices. It was herbal and fresh like the Hirsch Pinot but had spicy notes that made it more brooding than bright.The Occidental Ridge was bursting with fruit -- like black raspberries and cherries. There was a good amount of mouth-drying tannin and mouth-watering acid too. The wine was a little woodsy and earthy, but it was more about fruit then anything else. A good, well-made wine.

The subtlety and balance in these wines make them total home runs. It's clear that Ehren Jordan is a real talent. The best part is that he's just getting started at Failla. If he keeps it up...and keeps employing hardworking, smart, and dynamic guys like Hardy, whom I saw for approximately 45 seconds when the grape sorting table had a lull -- I think Ehren Jordan will soon be the go-to Pinot Noir producer from Sonoma.

Thanks to Failla and to Geoff for hosting us!

Have you had Failla's wines? Drop a comment here or on Facebook and let me know what you thought!

Wine For Normal People Radio : Episode 030 Kickin’ It With Jim Morris from Michel-Schlumberger

2011-11-06T00:43:00.007-04:00

Ok, ok, so it's been a while since we've done a new podcast. My bad! As you know, I took a trip to California Wine Country and it threw the sched off. The good news -- I recorded one from there and here it is. It's a new kind of podcast so I'd love to hear you thoughts on it.

This week I sit down with Jim Morris of Michel-Schlumberger in the Dry Creek Valley. We had such a fabulous time. We've known each other for a while but this was our first chance to just chat and dork out on wine.

Let me put your mind at ease on two counts: 1) this is NOT a commercial for the Winery. 2) I really, truly love their wines and wouldn't do a 'cast with them if I didn't think so highly of them.

A blog post on their wines is forthcoming...as are some videos I shot on their gorgeous property!

Here's a link to the podcast: Click Here

And here are the high level show notes:

Jim gives some background on Michel-Schlumberger -- its European roots, its winemaking philosophy, and why it's such a unique place (hint: they are really normal and focus on education -- totally up WFNP's alley!). Jim posits it's his lederhosen that make the wine so great.
We drill down on organic farming in practice. We got our hands dirty, dishing on honey bees, cover crops, and dog on the big wineries, talking about why sustainability should be called sustain-BULL-ity.
Jim talks about the challenges of the 2010 and 2011 vintages.
I put Jim on the spot and get him to tell a wild story about a cross-dresser, and what NOT to do in a tasting room. We discuss the ins and outs of the "lush rush" and why you don't want any part of that
We hug, cheers, and drink some great glasses of Michel-Schlumberger.

Please drop a comment on the Facebook Page.

Dig the podcast? Please review us on iTunes and we'll give you a shout out!

Sullivan Vineyards in Napa: Solid Wines in an Incredible Oasis

2011-11-03T16:00:00.002-04:00

At the suggestion of a Facebook friend who seems to have a similar palate (thanks to John P of CO!), I booked an appointment at Sullivan Vineyards, a small, appointment-only winery in the Rutherford district of Napa that makes between 2,500 and 3,500 cases per year.

Between the main drags in Napa -- 29 and the Silverado Trail, lies this beautiful oasis. As we drove into the parking lot, we saw the hustle and bustle of grapes coming in to the crushpad. A stroll around the corner and there was a gorgeous picnic area between a Frank Lloyd Wright style home and the tasting room/winery (actually John Marsh Davis, who built Chateau Souverain and Joseph Phelps designed it). It's a secluded, serene area and was such a tranquil getaway spot in the middle of Napa.

I was greeted by Sean Sullivan himself, who oversees winemaking and viticulture at the Winery. He was a modest, soft-spoken guy, but was excited to speak about his wines and family. His mother, JoAnna, and his father, Jim, a graphic designer to various music, TV, and book publishers, moved the family from Southern California in 1972 to the Rutherford property to do the wine thing. They have been making wine here since around 1981 and received tons of accolades over the years.

Sean was the lone man holding down the fort when I arrived and he was a bit overwhelmed with guests, so I got only a brief time with him. He told me a bit about his family and Sullivan's winemaking style, which focuses on more restrained, earthy, and less fruity flavors. I learned from the web site that the grapes are and always have been farmed organically and that Sean is making the move to become Biodynamic as well (you can listen to the podcast or read the post on this topic if you want to know more). Very cool.

After I finished the tasting, I got a fabulous tour around the crushpad by Sean's brother, Ross, who is also a winemaker as well. I've got to say, for a small shop, Sullivan is a technologically advanced operation and I was psyched to get a view of the valley from high atop the tanks. Ross even gave us a barrel sample of un-fermented Rosé, which tasted a lot like raspberry beer but was delicious nonetheless. I really appreciated the hospitality, and the impromptu tour and tasting. The people are cool, the property is beautiful and I'd recommend a visit any time.

Here's the lineup:

Wine #1: Red Ink, 2007 $25
This wine is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot. It was a dark red color with a light pink rim. It smelled minerally and light with just a little bit of cherry and blackberry fruit. This is a super light wine for a Cabernet/Merlot blend -- lots of red cherry flavor with some medium mouthdrying tannins, but not a showstopper. It's their best seller, most likely because of the competitive price.

Wine #2: 2008 Estate Merlot, $50
This wine is made with a little bit of Cabernet Franc. It was light in color -- like a rose petal. This was a super aromatic Merlot. It really filled my nose with red cherries and was floral, like fresh violets. The wine was a little more complex to taste. It had a strong red cherry flavor, but also an earthy, tobacco note. On a second sip I tasted a lot of thyme and dried herb flavors. It had medium mouth-drying tannin and mouthwatering acid. By far, my favorite wine at Sullivan...I'm a sucker for a well-made Merlot.

Wine #3: 2008 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, $55
Super dark in color, this was a rich crimson and stained the legs when I swirled it around the glass. The nose was pretty -- like black currant and then like a flowery perfume. There was a slightly medicinal or salty note to it, though, that I didn't love. The wine tasted better than it smelled. It was really restrained on the fruit -- juicy black currant and black plums were balanced by good acid and really strong (in a good way) tannin. There was no green pepper flavor to it at all, something I think is rare in a Napa Cabernet. Sean let me try one that was opened the day before and one that was opened that day -- I would definitely say this wine benefits from breathing! The day-old bottle was much more delicious.

Wine #4: 2008 Coeur de Vigne Bordeaux Blend, $90
The wine is 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. Rutherford is known for it's "Rutherford dust" or earthy, dusty flavors. I've got to admit that until I smelled and tasted this wine, I wasn't finding Sullivan's lineup to display this unique character. It presented itself in force here and that was a good thing.

The wine was crimson, had thick, stained legs. The smell wasn't strong -- I had to dig to find some character. It was kind of like black cherry, cola, cinnamon, and a bit like a floral soap. To taste, it was extremely dusty and earthy with a cherry flavor in the background. I liked the medium weight of the wine and soft tannins. This was a food wine. I had it with a bit of cheese and thought it shone with that.

Wine #5: James O'Neil Cabernet Sauvignon, 2008, $125 (Special Edition)
Named after Sean's dad, and founder of the winery, James O'Neil Sullivan, this wine was the big wine of the day. It was nearly purple with a pink rim and completely saturated in color. The aroma was earthy, and lightly fruity, but restrained, just like the others. Ah, the Rutherford dust made itself known immediately on the taste. The dust almost stuck in my throat and the strong black currant notes were delicious. There was a bit of green pepper flavor and the wine had massive, super mouth-drying tannins. I think this one could use a bit more time in the bottle before drinking -- it was a little rough on the boca to drink. It needs to mellow a bit before it will reach it's full potential, but with the earth, fruit, and great tannin -- it's a bright future at that.

All in all a very positive experience. If you want to visit an elegant, understated, and beautiful property with good wine, I'd recommend Sullivan. Truth be told, the wines didn't blow me away, but they were well made and better than a lot of the big guys. The opportunity to speak to the winemaker/viticulturist/owner/family member isn't common everywhere and when you get ones as nice as Sean and Ross Sullivan, it's a great thing and creates a personal, unique experience.

Have you been to Sullivan? Let me know what you thought!

The Most Exciting Winery in Napa: Lava Vine

2011-11-01T12:24:00.016-04:00

I never thought in a million years that I'd encounter a place like Lava Vine on the Silverado Trail in Napa. I mean, this is the place of tastings that cost $45 and home of some of the brands that wine snobs LOVE to tell you they have cellars full of (Quintessa, Silver Oak, Joseph Phelps, to name a few). But when a very trustworthy friend from business school posted on the Wine For Normal People Facebook page that this was his favorite place, I knew I had to go (thanks again, Chuck!).

As it turns out, this was one of the best experiences I've ever had in Napa. If you want the formal grand tasting room, with staff hovering and mahogany bars, this isn't for you. But if you want to see how an up-and-coming winery with a great product and a down-to-earth vibe is getting started (and I assume you do, since you're reading this blog!), Lava Vine is it. This place embodies Wine For Normal People -- it's not snobby or pretentious, just a place to have fun, drink well, and learn a thing or two.

I should have known it was going to be a very cool and normal experience. The guy at Ladera, who was super corporate and seemed to look down his nose a bit at "Wine For Normal People" was shocked when I told him our next stop was Lava Vine. He boasted that he knew the winemaker well because their kids played soccer together, but when I asked him if he'd ever visited the winery or had the wines, he said no. I got the distinct impression that this place may be a little too indie for him...and man, was I right!

If you head north on the Silverado Trail and hang a left after the (industrial looking) water plant, you'll see a little house that looks more like a general store than a winery. About the only thing that says "Napa" on this property is the gorgeous view of the mountains, and the lovely logo'd sign at the entrance. But once you drive around the back, there's an awesome barn, a pretty veranda, and a vintage Lava Vine mascot truck that makes you realize that un-Napa is a good thing.

Everything had personal touches -- this was clearly someone's place, not a corporate mega-conglomerate.

I was so excited to be there. As we walked up I saw two guys using a hand press to crush grapes. This is a site you never see except in pictures from the 1930s! I peered into the left side of the barn, where there were plastic vats with crushed grapes fermenting. MC Ice and I rolled into the tasting room and were warmly welcomed by Jon, who told us that they don't usually host writers, but that I sounded normal enough to make the cut...what a compliment!

Lava Vine is a tiny operation. It's run by Joe Cabral, a former real estate builder/contractor who got into wine for the same exact reasons I did -- he loved the stuff, and he loved the promise of perpetual learning it offered. I felt a real kinship with him as he told me his background (as did MC Ice, who is in real estate!).

Joe and his family got the opportunity to buy a super-steep 4 acre vineyard in the Franz Valley of Calistoga in Napa in 2000. Although it was a hot mess that needed a ton of work (that could only be done by hand, given the 45% slope), Joe perservered. He became a home winemaker and made wine from the Portuguese grapes growing in his vineyard...as you can probably guess, he started with a Port-style wine.

By 2004, Joe teamed up with another winemaker and started the Lava Vine label. In 2008 he and his wife bought the property on the Silverado Trail and opened the tasting room in October of that year.

Three years later, the place has a ton of fans and sells everything it makes. It's a small shop that focuses on quality, hospitality, and love of wine. I felt like I was hanging out with friends the whole time I was there. Everyone seems to like each other and to be so happy -- what a great work environment!

Joe and his assistant/partner Burroughs took some time out of manually pressing the grapes to talk to us and share the Lava Vine story. Jon, in the tasting room, was so sweet and his passion for wine and food pairings was evident (he gave us some real treats, which I'll share below).

It's rare that you go anywhere in wine country and feel this welcomed and such a part of the experience. I was happy to be there, but I was even happier that the product kicked ass. It would have been a shame if they were nice people making crap wine, but I'm here to tell you -- that's not the case.

Here's the lineup...

Wine #1: 2009 Lava Vine Napa Valley Viognier, $29
Color: This was a light, almost platinum color. A bit unexpected for a Napa Viognier, which I usually expect to be dark since a lot of winemakers like to make use of oak (drowning out the delicious natural flavors, in my opinion).

Smell: The smell was all Viognier, all the time -- peach, honey comb, honeysuckle, and a fresh out of the oven lemon sugar cookie jumped out of the glass.

Taste: Again really unexpected. This wine had some great acid to balance the honeysuckle/lemon cookie thing. It was a very dry, light style but super fruity. I was surprised when Jon said that 10% of the wine was aged in oak to give it more body -- it definitely didn't taste like it, which is a good thing, I think.

Drink or Sink?: Drink...all day long. The wine was a little austere from the acid and I loved it. The contrast of acid and fruit made it tasty and refreshing and one of the best Napa Viogniers I've had.

Wine #2: 2010 Lava Vine Russian River Valley Chardonnay, $35
Color: This was a rich golden color and it scared me. Most Russian River Chardonnays tend to have very ripe fruit flavors and lots and lots of (out of balance) oak flavors. From the darker color I expected an oaky wine.

Smell: The wine had a very typical Russian River Chardonnay smell -- lots of green apple, some pineapple, and then a huge hit of caramel from the oak. Again, I felt trepidation, since I have to admit, although I appreciate the style, I'm not a personal fan of Russian River Chardonnay because I find it a little too much in the big fruit, butter, and oak stuff.

Taste: Damn! This was a great wine. It was so balanced -- it had great tart apple notes, just a touch of oak, and super acid. Jon let us in on a few secrets to their success.

First, the grapes come from DuMOL, a very small production, highly esteemed producer in the Russian River Valley. The raw materials that Joe had to work with were awesome.
Second, the wine didn't go through malolactic fermentation, which makes a wine creamy and buttery and can accentuate tropical flavors. That makes for a crisper, more acidic style.

Special Pairing: I was already sold on the wine, but Jon gave us a Gravenstein apple (popular in Napa, tastes like cider without the sweetness) with Meyer lemon spread (sweet lemon). It calmed down the sharpness of the acid and was a great complementary pairing. Delicious and a great touch to have a food pairing, which changed the wine and made it tastier!!

Drink or sink?: In Joe's hands the grapes made a great wine. If everyone did Russian River Chardonnay this way, I'd be a convert.

Wine #3: 2009 Lava Vine Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, $54
Color: A faded garnet color, this was lighter than some of the blood red Cabs that are common in Napa and can taste like prune juice because they are so fruity.

Smell: This is everything a Napa Cab should be -- bursting with red and black cherry and blackberry aromas, with a little bit of tobacco and dried dirt to boot. Apparently a very prestigious producer (who Jon didn't reveal) who owns a vineyard on a Calistoga hillside (it could be a lot of different wineries so I won't speculate) sold Joe the fruit for this wine. Hillsides produce grapes that have great balance between fruit and earth, so it's no surprise that the source is on a slope!

Taste: It was earthy but had great blackberry and black plum flavors. The wine had a meaty quality too -- it was smokey, rich, and full. Even with all that flavor, though, it was a great balance of fruit, mouth drying tannin, and acidity.

Drink or Sink?: Drink. This is a multi-faceted wine where the flavors just keep on coming, but it's not so heavy that one flavor or texture awkwardly stands out over the others. Perfectly balanced and an amazing price compared to other less impressive Cabs in the Valley.

Wine #4 (the one that started it all...) Lava Vine Dessert Wine (Port style)
Like the original, this Port-style wine is made of a blend of different grapes and vintages. It's got some of the Port faves: Tinta Roriz (aka Tempranillo), Touriga Nacional, Tinta Cao and then (a little off the menu for Port) Mourvédre and Petit Verdot. The grapes are from the '04 - '08 vintages.

Color: Right on par for a Port, this was a light brownish brick color. It wasn't dark like a ruby Port, but transparent.

Smell: I could tell this was going to be great. It had ripe plum, raisin, and floral smells to it -- an ideal combo. It smelled a little brandied and alcoholic, but in a warm, fruity way. Fortunately the wine didn't smell sugary sweet or artificial, a great sign for a Port-style.

Taste: This kicked serious ass. It was bursting with ripe black plum flavors, but was also a little pruney. It was full, smokey, and mouth filling but then it had such great acid that my mouth felt clean and ready for another sip after it went down. This is what Port is supposed to taste like.

Special Tasting: Jon had a really special treat for us on this one. He broke out unsweetened chocolate, poured on some olive oil and a pinch of sea salt and had us try it with the wine. Holy s*&t. The combo transformed into something like a dark chocolate, plum-filled truffle. It was creamy, fruity, salty, and warm. I could have sworn I was eating a box of Godiva. Heaven. You have to try this!

Drink or sink?: Needless to say, this is a drink.

What else can I say about Lava Vine ? I think this may be the most exciting place in all of Napa right now. If you're heading to California Wine Country, this is a MUST DO. If not, get in their wine club now because I bet it won't be possible in a few years. This is truly a place for normal people who like wine!

Thanks to Lava Vine -- you guys are fabulous Normal Wine People!!!

A Trek Off The Beaten Path is Well Worth The Climb: Ladera on Howell Mountain

2011-10-28T10:00:00.000-04:00

Just returned from Napa/Sonoma and it was a terrific trip. I'll be reporting on the wineries I visited and let you know my impressions with lots and lots of pics!

So let's start at the beginning...

We started with a trek up to Howell Mountain to Ladera Vineyards. It's about 10 minutes off the Silverado Trail on the eastern side of Napa, in the Vaca Mountains. Howell Mountain was the first small area (sub-American Viticultural Area or AVA) carved out of the Napa Valley Appellation because its vineyards were so different from those on the Valley floor. The wines are intense, fruity, and tend to have lots of blueberry notes.

If I may dork out for a minute, let me clarify why the grapes from this mountain (and other mountains) are so unique.

If we think about mountains for a minute ('cause I know that's what you want to do in your free time), these areas are on sharp slopes, at altitude, and, importantly in Napa, above the fog line. This means they get sun hitting the grapes at an angle rather than beating down directly (less harsh light), they benefit from cool breezes higher in the atmosphere, and they get about 2 more hours of light than the vineyards in the Napa Valley, which are blanketed in fog in the early AM and late PM.

In general, mountainsides are cooler and have less dramatic temperature swings so the grapes ripen more consistently. These conditions are awesome for vineyards, because grapes can develop fruit flavor over time, but they won't generally get baked and lose their acid, tannin, or get too high in sugar, therefore alcohol (fermentation turns sugar to alcohol, BTW).

Ok, dork out done...back to Ladera.

Ladera, which means "hillside" in Spanish, is a beautiful, old property. The VP of sales and marketing, led me around and told me some cool facts about the place.

For starters, Ladera farms about 85 acres on this mountain. That's 12% of total production, the most of any producer. He jokingly called them the "tallest midget on the mountain." The Winery has changed hands many times over the years and gone by various names. It was actually started by some guys from Bordeaux in 1886, who sought to grow great mountain fruit in Napa.

In 1999, the current owners, wealthy cattle ranchers from Montana, allowed Robert Redford's "The Horse Whisperer" to be filmed on their ranch, and they took some time to live in Napa. They loved it, and then sold to some rich, prominent, famous Hollywood person (but don't ask who because they won't say) to buy Chateau Woltner, the property on which Ladera lies today. They also bought a vineyard on the western side of Napa Valley in Mount Veeder, which is at 1100 feet rather than 1800 feet.

Sadly at the time the Montana couple purchased it, the Chateau had fallen into disrepair. They rebuilt the Winery, using the original facade and included miles of underground caves. The inner portion of the building was solid wood. They needed to modernize and clean it but rather than trash the wood, the owners kept and warehoused the slats and use them to make tables and other items when needed -- very green and smart!

Ladera's winemaker, Karen Culler (whom I did not meet), seems to be a European style winemaker. She spends a lot of time in the vineyards, and directs the hand-harvesting (gentle on the fruit) each year, deciding row by row, which is ready for picking. The Winery uses pretty natural practices -- gravity to load the grapes into the tank (helps crush the grapes as they rest on their own weight, which preserves flavors), natural yeast that exists on the grape skins to ferment the wine, and they don't filter the wine at all. It's a very non-interventionist way of making wine.

The Winery makes 12,000 cases a year and most of it is sold to wine club members and in restaurants. You have to make an appointment to visit, but the view is magnificent and I bet the new tasting room they have planned for next year will be awesome. The grounds are gorgeous and these people have an incredible aesthetic. Although my tour guide was very corporate in manner and projected a bit of disdain for the whole Wine For Normal People thing (sorry to him, but I gotta be honest), I still had a great time and the wines were good.

Here's my take:

2010 Ladera Howell Mountain, Sauvignon Blanc, $25

Color: Light straw in color, this was a very pale wine.

Smell: It didn't have lush fruit or the floral character (like gardenias or jasmine flowers) that I usually find in Napa Sauvignon Blanc. It was a little herbal, fresh, and like cat pee (very common in Sauv Blanc!).

Taste: They put 10-15% of the wine in an oak barrel, which I could sense in the taste and texture. The wine was a little creamy and smokey from the barrel.

Drink or sink? Drink. Totally refreshing, but it wouldn't be my first choice in Sauv Blanc, especially not for $25.

2007 Ladera Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, $39

This wine has 3% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec added to the Cab, and it represents 50% of Ladera's production. It's from the broad Napa Valley appellation because the fruit comes both from the Howell Mountain vineyard (70%) and the one in Mount Veeder.

Color: It was nearly black and super fragrant.

Smell: It smelled like blackberries, green pepper (from the Cabernet), tobacco, and dark violets.

Taste: This was a very food-friendly Cabernet. It was medium-bodied, tasted like it smelled, and wasn't too complex.

Drink or Sink? Drink. The staff opened a new bottle of this and I would have liked to have some time to let this one get air -- I think the wine could have used a little time to mellow out. It was pretty tannic and the fruit wasn't very lively. Still, a nice wine for the price.

2006 Ladera Lone Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon, $65 From the vineyard in Mount Veeder, this was a totally different wine from the previous one.Color: It was lighter in color than the Napa -- it was crimson with a very pale, watery rim. Smell: It smelled like a ripe blackberry and like black currant. It also had a dirty, earthy smell, which I liked a lot.
Taste: The wine tasted like it was grown in a cooler climate. What does that mean? It wasn't all baked fruit and pie flavors. Although bolder than the Napa wine, this was still pretty restrained. It was earthy and had great mouth drying tannin and good mouthwatering acidity.
Drink or Sink? Drink. A very balanced wine -- again, I think this would be better with food than it was alone.

2007 Ladera Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, $70

Color: Ok, so this wine was pretty much black-purple. It had a lot of sediment in it -- that's where it matters that it wasn't filtered! If you buy this, you may want to run it through a filter before drinking it so you don't swallow chunks of sediment!

Smell: It smelled similar to the others -- green pepper, some blackberry and earthy aromas.

Taste: I expected this to be huge and over-the-top, but it was very restrained. There were some blackberry, black current, and even strawberry and cranberry flavors and a prominent earthiness. The tannins were balanced and the wine was kind of chewy, but still pretty medium bodied.

Drink or Sink? Drink. I liked this because it was moderate, and pretty medium in texture and flavor. If you like big Cabs, this isn't for you, but I really dug it.

All in all, these wines were good, but I would have preferred to try them with food. My impression is that alone, they were in a no-man's land. They were neither unabashed in fruitiness like a lot of Napa Cabs, nor were they really earthy like European Cabs. They were extremely clean-tasting with restrained fruit -- a recipe that goes better with food than alone.

That said, I'd recommend a visit. It's beautiful and the prices for Napa Cab were super competitive. Thanks to Ladera for hosting me!!

Latest Article on Wine Travel in Travel Belles: Visiting Napa Valley

2011-10-27T14:49:00.004-04:00

My latest article for The Travel Belles was published yesterday.

If you've been following on Facebook and Twitter, you know I was in Napa and Sonoma (be prepared for lots of coverage!). This one is particularly personal, since I wrote it from the road!

As a side note, I really adore Margo, the creator of The Travel Belles. She is so kind, supportive, wonderful, and completely NORMAL! I hope you'll poke around on the site. It's full of interesting, well-written articles and it's such a class act. I'm really lucky to work with this first class operation.

Here's the link: http://www.travelbelles.com/2011/10/visit-napa-valley-wineries/