Bring on the Bubbles!

I'm a year-round Champagne drinker, but this time of year, I am not alone, especially with New Year's Eve just a few days away. Between friends and family and holiday parties, I have been enjoying my fair share of sparkling wine, Prosecco, Cava, and, of course, the real deal from the Champagne region of France. I have my favorites in every category, but one of my favorite "special occasion" sparklers from California is Schramsberg.

Tucked away, on a narrow driveway off the Highway that connects St. Helena and Calisotoga (you've probably passed it without even knowing it!), Schramsberg is home to the oldest caves in the Napa Valley. The tour I took with a friend back in March was educational and thorough, and as pleasant as the wines.

Our tour guide shared the history of how Jacob Schram started the winery in 1862 and how Schramsberg has evolved into a modern day sparkling wine powerhouse. As we walked through the caves, we stopped every so often to taste a different wine. Collectively, we tasted the 2005 vintages of the Blanc de Blancs (100% Chardonnay), Blanc de Noirs (100% Pinot Noir), and Brut Rose and the 2002 J. Schram. Curiously, Schramsberg does not make a non-vintage (NV) sparkling wine. All of their wines are vintage dated.

Older Champagnes often take on a yeasty bread and nutty flavors. But the 2005 Blanc de Blancs was still crisp and clean with notes of baked brioche, Granny Smith apple, citrus, and a lovely finish. This is a fantastic bubbly to serve by itself or to accompany oysters, fresh crab, or French cheeses. Because each vintage is different, these wines all have their own personalities and differ slightly year to year. This is a style of sparkling wine that one could never tire of!

A Zin that's pure Gold

With Christmas shopping, countless trips to the grocery store, decorating the house, and wrapping presents, I haven’t had enough time to go wine tasting. That being said, I would be neglecting my duties as a wine consumer and Napa Valley resident if I didn’t take the time to enjoy a little wine after a long day’s work.

During one of my visits to Whole Foods earlier this week, I picked up a block of aged cheddar cheese from Vermont; this wasn’t just any old cheddar, it was made with bits of cranberry.

Although I enjoy dried cranberries throughout the year, the idea of cranberry cheddar seemed particularly festive. I sampled it at the store; it was creamy and slightly tart with a sweet finish. My wine-pairing gears started shifting; this cheese would be the perfect complement to the 2006 Gold Series “Back Barn” Zinfandel from producer Michael Pozzan.

My instincts were right on. The Zinfandel, which is named for the parcel of land behind the Pozzan’s Yountville home where there was a barn before there was a vineyard, is ruby red in color with a medium transparency. (A dark, full-bodied wine would have killed the delicate flavors of the cheese.)

After giving it a good swirl in a stemless “O” glass, the nose really opened up, so much so that the aromas of ripe cherry, raspberry, and pomegranate escaped the glass and perfumed the entire room I was sitting in. The palate is just as powerful, offering juicy red fruits balanced by sweet oak and clove. But this is not your typical jammy Zin; it is polished and elegant, with super smooth tannins and a long, fruit-driven finish—and it’s a great value wine at $22 a bottle.

Michael Pozzan Winery produces over 100,000 cases; the wines are featured in the tasting room at the Napa Wine Company and at BevMo stores throughout California. I also highly recommend the Marianna Bordeaux-style red, the Sonoma County Chardonnay, and the Napa Valley Cuvée #13.

The new website will be up and running in the New Year; check it out at www.michaelpozzanwinery.com

T-Vine is dee-vine

Wow, it's the last month of the year, and it has proven to be a very busy one already. It's only Wednesday, but I feel like I've already put in a week's worth of work. With our December Wine Club fully processed and the online orders from our holiday promotion racking up our daily sales, I told myself I deserved to give my eyes a break from the computer screen and have a nice lunch.

A new wine on the menu at the Rutherford Grill caught my eye. It was the T-Vine Monte Rosso Cabernet Sauvignon from Sonoma County for $11 a glass. With such positive and mouth-watering memories from our tasting at the T-Vine winery in Calistoga, I ordered a glass to wash down my burger.

It was a youthful and juicy Cab that will probably be better in a year, but it was tasty and left a lingering hint of blueberry on my tongue. 

The T-Vine winery itself is far off the beaten path, thus they don't get many visitors (which is a shame, because their wines are delicious and exciting!). Without a formal tasting room, Matt and I hung out in the barrel room one morning this past summer and tasted barrel samples of the Grenache, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, and Syrah.

 

My favorite wine (and the reason for our trek up

 to Calistoga) was their Grenache, which I was introduced to at Mustard's, where it was on the wines-by-the-glass list last year.  If you happen to come across their Grenache, it's a steal for the quality and drinkability ($30 a bottle; the Monte Rosso Cab is $50). 

This is a big and ballsy Grenache, with the tannic structure of a Cab but the finesse of a Merlot. It is heavily perfumed, with a full body of dark, ripe fruit and sweet oak. This is a wine that will hold up to any steak, lamb, or chop, but it is polished and complex enough to be enjoyed on its own. 

Surprisingly, the 2007 Grenache and the 2006 Zinfandel are sold at the Whole Foods in Napa. I need to add these to my grocery list!

A real Rebellious Red (I'm not talking about myself, haha)

Despite the hundreds of times that I've passed Sequoia Grove Winery, it never occured to me to go tasting there. The barn-like exterior of the winery is very similar to their next-door neighbor Sawyer Cellars, and I'd never read any reviews of the Sequoia Grove wines. But earlier this week, while wine tasting on Hwy 29 with two fellow employees, we took our chances--and I'm so glad we did!

The tasting room at Sequoia Grove was rustic, but seasonally decorated with pine branches, red bows, and Christmas lights. They had many coffee table books, beautiful Schott-Weisel glasses, and a very welcoming staff. Vicki, who has worked at Sequoia Grove for ten years, enthusiastically poured all of the open wines for us, including a Sauv Blanc, Chardonnay, Cab Franc, 2005 Syrah and 2006 Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, the Reserve Cab, and my favorite, the 2007 Rebellious Red.

For $28 a bottle, the Rebellious Red is a steal! It's a blend of Cab, Merlot and Syrah, which is becoming not-so-unsual, but a fascinating blend nonetheless. With plummy fruit flavors and bold tannins, this wine is rich and ripe. Although enjoyable now, it's a little young, and could probably benefit from at least a few months in the bottle. But as a redhead, how could I not love a bottle of wine called "Rebellious Red"?

Volker Eisele "Terzetto" sings with flavor

If you haven't been to Press Restaurant in St. Helena on a Wednesday night recently, you're missing out on the best deal in town. Every Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday, the restaurant offers a "Blue Plate" special, one ever-changing dish that is always only $10. But the best part about going on Wednesdays is the 50% discount off the entire wine list and/or free corkage.

The special last week was bacon-wrapped meatloaf with whipped potatoes and green beans, so I showed up at the bar with a friend and a bottle of the 2005 Volker Eisele "Terzetto" (the word terzetto is an opera reference for three voices singing in harmony). The dish was delicious, and the wine was a beautiful representation of my three favorite varietals; the Terzetto is always 1/3 Cab, 1/3 Cab Franc, and 1/3 Merlot and the 2005 vintage really shines with bright, cherry fruit balanced by earthiness and smooth tannins.

Volker Eisele Family Estate is located in Chiles Valley, and if you don't want to make the half-hour-plus trek out Sage Canyon Road, their wines are often available to taste at Cult Wine Central, the Tasting Room at the Napa Wine Company in Oakville.

Volker and his wife Leisel are originally from Germany; they brought with them an Old-World style of wine making as well as a passion for organic farming. The vineyards were planted by Volker back in 1975. Their portfolio of wines, including the 2007 Gemini (a white blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon), 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, and the 2005 Terzetto, are all grown organically on their estate. While the white is crisp and refreshing, the reds are earthy and robust, and with vibrant fruit flavors and sturdy tannins, these wines have tremendous ageing potential.

Big tasty Zins on Big Ranch Road

It's definitely off the beaten path, and definitely worth the detour from Silverado Trail. Until visiting the winery, I had never tasted any of the Robert Biale wines, but I've seen them on wine lists at high-end resturants.

Robert Biale Vineyards has a facility off of Big Ranch Road; drive slowly or you'll miss the sign like we did. Once you locate it, the tasting room is a cozy wood-paneled room with friendly and attentive staff. We arrived a little after 11 am and had the place to ourselves. Maggie, whose family owns the winery in conjunction with the Biales, poured us 4 different Zinfandels, 2 Petite Sirahs, and a little of their new Port.

I loved the first Zinfandel we tasted--the 2006 "Black Chicken". It was a big and jammy wine, with surprisingly smooth tannins. With layers of blackberry and plumy fruit on the palate, the fruit-driven finish is long and juicy. It lacked the typical spicy quality, but it had the balance and complexity of a Cabernet.

The fourth Zinfandel that Maggie poured for us was even more complex, with a brightness that is uncommon for a Napa Valley Zin. It was a small lot production from their Monte Rosso vineyard. With good acidity and vibrant cherry fruit profile, this wine would make a great accompaniment to any dish--from a burger or steak to a spit-roasted chicken or spaghetti bolognese. If you're a Zinfandel fan (or even if you're not), I highly recommend Robert Biale wines.

Mmmmm Mumm

It's not your typical tasting room, but it has it's perks. A tasting at Mumm Napa Valley on the Silverado Trail is a relaxing experience best enjoyed on a bright sunny and warm day. They have a plethora of outdoor tables (with umbrellas for those of us who bake in the sun) and cushy lounge chairs facing the endless rows of vines. In other words, a tasting at Mumm is not a quick one, but an experience to be enjoyed over the course of at least an hour.

The set-up at Mumm is more like a restaurant in which you are seated and a server takes your order. It's a bit more formal and structured than most tasting rooms, but it's not stuffy. You can order a glass of wine or a flight; I highly recommend the flight that includes 2 oz of the following: 2005 Blanc de Blancs, Brut Prestige NV, and the Brut Rose NV.

I would be happy to drink the Brut any night, but for my taste buds, the Blanc de Blancs and the Rose were the most interesting. The Blanc de Blancs is light and creamy with apple and hazelnut notes; the Rose is bright and refreshing, with juicy strawberry notes. The latter makes a terrific and very festive aperatif for the holidays.

Mumm also has a revolving art gallery, which is always worth a peek.

The Rutherford Trifecta

I've always been surprised by the number of wineries with "Rutherford" in the title. There are three of them and I had never heard anything about the wines. So we set out one day recently to check out these three "Rutherford" wineries. This is the order in which I would rate them:

If you take the entrance to Auberge du Soleil and keep driving past the front gate to the resort, you'll find yourself at a breathtaking plateau where Rutherford Hill Winery is located. Unfortunately, the views and the architecture of this Terlato-owned winery are the main highlights. But the Zinfandel Port paired with chocolate-covered blueberries was worth going inside the tasting room.

The wines at Rutherford Grove Winery were good, but what made it unique was the opportunity to buy a bottle and it enjoy it on the premise (this particular permit is not easy for a winery to obtain, as is the "picnic permit"). On the next perfect picnicking day, I would go to Rutherford Grove and purchase a bottle of the Quackenbush Zinfandel to enjoy on the lawn just outside the Tasting Room.

My favorite of the three was Rutherford Ranch Winery on the Silverado Trail. The wines were affordable and surprisingly smooth. The Rutherford appellation tends to produce lighter-bodied wines and the wines from here were no exception, but they were tasty and seemed very versatile in terms of food pairings. Especially for the price, the $18 Cabernet Sauvignon was great!

The first and last dinners

We all know this is a blog about wine tasting in Napa Valley, but hopefully one more little tangent about my trip to New York won't kill you. It was a short-but-sweet excursion filled with incredible food and drink (some of which was from Napa), so I'm not going too far off course here.

My favorite and most memorable meals were the first and the last, both were dinners. But our first meal on our first full day was also worth mentioning; we enjoyed creative selections of panini with an elegant and robust Barolo at the Bottega del Vino.

At 9:15 pm on a Tuesday night (shortly after we arrived), we checked in at db moderne, Daniel Boulud's restaurant in the Theater District and home to the $50 foie gras burger. Without reservations, we were asked to wait a few minutes, and then we were seated in the more casual section (the more formal part of the restaurant was fully committed, even at that hour!).

After perusing the mostly French and Italian wine list, we asked for the advice of the sommelier. He guided us toward an "unusual" blend of Syrah and Cabernet from the Rhone that he found "interesting". Although my fellow wine enthusiast was content with this selection, I thought it a little masculine and probably would have ordered a Chateauneuf-de-pape. That being said, the terrine of foie gras and the Berkshire pork ternderloin we ordered were so artfully presented and exquisitely flavored, the food seemed to improve the tannic nature of our chosen wine. Though for future reference, I will steer clear of any wine that a sommelier describes as "interesting" or "unusual".

On our last night, we arrived early for our 8:30 reservations at Bobby Flay's upscale steakhouse, Bar Americain. We relaxed at the bar with a split of Veuve Clicquot and the best oysters I've ever had. Whoever told me that bigger oysters are usually lackluster in flavor was very wrong. The phrase, "the smaller, the sweeter" in regards to oysters may be true, but the big ones deserve some praise, too. Especially if they are from Fanny Bay, British Columbia--I could have eaten 2 dozen!

When we decided on which wines to take with us, I didn't know where we would be eating, but the bottle of 2006 Provenance Three Palms Vineyard Merlot was a good pick. Unlike most Merlot, this particular bottling is complex and very full-bodied. It complimented our ribeye surprisingly well. Although Cabernet Sauvignon would have been my first instinct had I known we would be dining at a steakhouse, this Merlot, with it's rich, plumy fruit and earthy undertones, was just the ticket--even if we didn't get tickets to a Broadway show. Nonetheless, we went back to the hotel very satisfied and quite content.

Provenance Vineyards, located in Rutherford off of Highway 29, makes more than a few tasty Merlots. I also love their crisp Sauvignon Blanc!

Paradigm in the Big Apple

Paradigm is a small winery in the Oakville appellation. On a day when our own Tasting Room was closed, we took a "field trip" to Paradigm and took a short walk through the vineyards with owner, Ren Harris. We tasted the current releases of Cab and Merlot, but the Cab Franc caught our interest. Considering it a "special occasion wine", we took it with us to New York.

Normally, I would pair the obvious Sangiovese or similar Italian varietal with Italian food, but the 2006 Paradigm Cab Franc paired beautifully with the rustic northern Italian fare at La Messeria in the Theatre District. After a glass of Prosecco, the Paradigm tasted rich and complex. It had enough acidity to hold up to the cheesy eggplant appetizer and enough earthiness to compliment the tagliatelle.

With ripe black cherry and juicy plum flavors up front, the mid-palate delivers subtle nuances of sage, cola and herbs, and leads to a long complex finish. This wine was particularly delicious with the main course, a delightfully spicy and perfectly roasted rabbit. Definitely worth lugging across the country!

Color and spice and all things nice at Quixote Winery

I first read about the opening of Quixote Winery in the NY Times in 2007. It was featured in the Sunday Styles section and the article focused more on the architecture than it did the wines. The whimsical and artistic building was designed by the late Austrian architect, Hundertwasser. His claim to fame was his use of color and lack of straight lines, roofs planted with trees, and every building is capped with a golden turret to elevate man’s sense of himself.

After a short walk around the organically grown property and through the barrel room (even the barrels were multi-colored!), we were seated at a large wooden table that was made from one of the very old oak trees that had to be cut down to make room for the winery. Photographs and other pieces of art belonging to the owner, Carl Doumani, decorate the walls within the tasting room.

We tasted the Quixote Petite Sirah and wines from the second label, Panza. All the wines were highly concentrated, but incredibly smooth, and feature twist-off tops. Hundertwasser even designed the label, in the same whimsical vein as the winery itself. My favorite was the Panza Grenache-Mourvedre (unlikely varietals for Stag's Leap District where Cab is king) and the Panza Cabernet Sauvignon, which is blended with Syrah and Merlot. Yum!

I "heart" Hartwell Estate Vineyards

Yikes! An entire week without blogging.....you know I'm doing some serious research when I don't have time to write about it.

This last Thursday, we settled in at the counter within Hartwell's cozy tasting salon. Although the interior was studded with antiques and oozed old-world charm, the views of the Stag's Leap District, with rolling hills of vineyards, were hard to ignore.

With Jona as our knowledgeable and affable guide, we tasted Hartwell's only white wine, the

2007 Sauvignon Blanc, and the following current-release red wines: the 2005 Misté Hills Cab, the 2005 Merlot, and the 2005 Reserve Cab.

The Misté Hills Cab was my favorite, and lived up to it's Stag's Leap District reputation as "an iron fist in a velvet glove". Powerful, intensely flavored, and well structured, this wine is unbelievably approachable with soft, supple tannins. The finish goes on and on, with intricate layers of dark chocolate, plum, forest floor,

and ripe berries.

With a small production of only about 3500 cases annually, it's only natural that Hartwell's facility is small and intimate. As we savored the last sip of the 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon that Jona so kindly

opened for us, we took a quick walk through the production room, waved at the winemaker, and did a quick loop through the cave. I highly recommend the sit-down tastings (complete with cheese pairings), which are offered in a room very tastefully decorated within the cave.

Enjoying an afternoon at Ehlers Estate

Armed with a recent copy of the Preiser Key magazine and a cooler carefully packed with snacks, bottled water, and plenty of room for wine purchases, we headed north on Highway 29 with a number of wineries in mind to visit. According to the "Key", which lists the contact information for wineries and restaurants in the Napa Valley, Ehler's Estate Winery had a tasting room that permitted walk-ins. We headed there first.

As we stepped inside the cavernous tasting room, we were welcomed by two members of the Ehlers staff, but they quickly corrected us about being able to just stroll in for a tasting. (We learned the hard way that the Key was wrong about a lot of tasting rooms; more than you think are by appointment only.)

So we made an appointment right then and there, and as embarrassing as it was to show up unannounced, I was relieved they were able to squeeze us in only an hour later.

With a glass of the 2008 Sauvignon Blanc in hand, we stepped into the soil of the vineyards just 20 feet from the front door of the tasting room's grand entrance. Bocce ball courts, outdoor tables, antique wooden benches, and large olive trees are just 20 feet from the front door in the opposite direction (and a great place to picnic!).

Our tour guide, Maurice ("Mo" for short), led us up to the barrel room next, where a bottle of the 2006 Merlot eagerly awaited us. As Mo shared a bit of information about the barrel regimen used by Ehler's winemaker, I was pulled in by the richness and complexity of the Merlot. Its layers of cherry cola, ripe plum, and smokey oak were accented by smooth tannins and a long lingering finish.

Back in the tasting room, at a table big enough to accommodate a sit-down tasting for 12, we settled down in front of 3 glasses and 3 small plates. From left to right, we tasted the 2006 Cab Franc, the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, and their flagship Cab, the 1886. These were beautiful, highly concentrated wines with solid structure, prominent fruit character, and velvety tannins--and great with food.

In order for the crew at Ehlers to prepare this terrific tour and tasting, they need to know you're coming. Don't forget to call ahead!

Cheers to the final Cheers event

Since May, the first-Friday-of-every-month-downtown-St. Helena-wine tasting-extravaganza called "Cheers!" has been an event to get excited about. More than 40 wineries were present at each event and were assigned to pour in a different shop from 6-9 pm. The benefits of attending Cheers were pretty obvious: the ability to explore Main Street's luxurious shops (most of which close at 5 pm, which makes it difficult for those of us with daytime jobs to visit otherwise) and the opportunity to taste countless new wines in a very social setting.

Last night was pretty low-key (no live concert or fire truck parade like the September event), but there were a few outstanding wines that were new to my palate, including the Sonador Cabernet Sauvignon (a very exclusive wine made from 97% Cab of both valley floor and mountain vineyards, and 1% each of Malbec, Petit Verdot, and Merlot) and the Barn Burner Cab from Tom Scott Vineyards (a young Cab whose fruity, chocolaty flavors were amplified by the dark chocolate salted caramels offered by the Woodhouse Chocolate shop).

There were also a lot of familiar wineries (and faces), and in my opinion, it never hurts to revisit an old favorite. A few that we couldn't pass up (and enjoyed just as much as when we tasted them for

the first time at the inaugural Cheers event) were the 2006 Pride Mountain Merlot, the Mumm Brut Rosé, Orin Swift's The Prisoner (an affordable Zin/Cab blend that is always well liked by the staff at Wine Spectator), and the Elizabeth Spencer Grenache.

Hopefully, Cheers will start back up in May of 2010. Until then, it will be missed!

In the fast lane with Bennett Lane

There's usually one or two exceptional wines from the tasting menu at any given winery, but at Bennett Lane Winery, each wine is just as memorable as the next. With offerings of very well made and balanced wines, including Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah, they also produce exceptional proprietary red and white blends (many of which are only available at the winery and to wine club members).

The last time we made it up to this winery, which is north of Calistoga but definitely worth the drive, a friendly member of the tasting room team insisted on showing us around. Bennett Lane has a small facility, which was converted from a Tuscan-style house, so the tour was quick. The highlight was getting to climb into the race car parked in the barrel room; besides wine, the owner's other passion is NASCAR racing.

The tasting room is a small room with a short bar, a table stacked with coffee table books of the Napa Valley and fancy corkscrews, and tall armoires full of wine totes and T-shirts. So if its a bright sunny day, opt for a seat on the spacious outdoor terrace.

The White Maximus is made from Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and a tiny amount of Muscat. This intriguing blend is both crisp and floral, with a hint of sweetness.

For an everyday red wine, the Red Maximus is a gem! A blend of Cab, Merlot and Syrah, this is a versatile red with notes of blackberry, plum, and mocha with an earthy undertone and a dry finish.


The Bennett Lane Special Reserve Cab is highly concentrated and delicious; at $60 a bottle, it's great for more special occasions. http://www.bennettlane.com/

Neyers on the return

A few years ago, I was at a friend's house and we were thoroughly enjoying the Chardonnay and the Cab from Neyers Vineyards. We drank so much of each that it's surprising I even remember! So to see if my memory served me right, we decided to go to the winery (conveniently located on our way back to the Silverado Trail after visiting the Kuleto Estate; appointment necessary, but no tour required).

From Sage Canyon Road, all you can see is a small unassuming sign and a gravel driveway. The modest entrance opens up to the winery, an angular and modern wooden structure. As we walked up the stairs to the front door, Phoebe (a wine diva who handles the winery's direct sales, tasting room and office operations) greeted us warmly and walked us back to the tasting room. This small room was light and bright, with high ceilings and bare walls, a wine fridge in the corner, an armoire full of glasses, and a high table in the middle (just the basics).

We took our seats at the table as Phoebe grabbed two bottles of Chardonnay and poured the two for us side by side. She talked about the different vineyards that Neyers sources fruit from (some of which they own) as we sampled the two Chardonnays.

I was curious to learn how many different wines they produce--19! Of their 19 "current releases", they make 4 Chardonnays, 5 Syrahs, 3 Cabs, 6 Zinfandels, and 1 Merlot. Single vineyard, small production offerings--sounds a bit like another winery I wrote about recently minus the barns and extravagant gardens. At Neyers, the focus is completely on making delicious and complex wines.

Next, we tasted 2 Syrahs: the 2006 Syrah Hudson Vineyard and the 2007 Syrah Old Lakeville Road which was very revealing of the winemaker's able skills and the differences in terroir of these two vineyard sites. The Hudson was more earthy and tannic, a bigger boned wine that would be a great wine to lay down for a few years. And the Old Lakeville Road Syrah was quite the opposite; it was lush and exotic, with plenty of ripe fruit and a mineral core.

The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon AME was a solid wine with a hint of black olive and spice, but I really liked the Zinfandels, the 2006 Tofanelli Vineyards in particular. It was complex, with notes of plum and sweet oak.

The simplicity and personalized, intimate nature of this tasting made it very memorable. I look forward to opening my bottles of the Old Lakeville Road Syrah and the Tofanelli Zin in the very near future!

Making it up Sage Canyon Road to Kuleto's

For months now, I've been trying to make it up to Pat Kuleto's Estate Winery out on Sage Canyon Road, which is a very windy eastbound route that leads deep into Chiles Valley (between Napa and Sacramento). Finally, we made the appointment and the drive wasn't too bad--I was lucky enough to be the passenger, so I could thoroughly enjoy the views of Lake Hennessey to the right and lush green forests on the right.

Well, it was definitely worth the drive. Our tour guide, Rick, was just as excited to tell us about the property as we were to hear about it. After pouring us generous glasses of Rosato (enough to last us the length of the tour), Rick showed us around.

Every inch of the estate has been taken into consideration, from the man-made lake at the bottom of the ravine that supplies all of their water, to the vegetable garden and chicken coop, to the numerous benches (to enjoy the views) and the 19 pizza ovens (for all the special events at the winery).

The tasting room reminds me of an old friend's living room--it's both rustic and cozy (think Tuscany meets New Mexico), with plush leather couches and lots of candles. But because it wasn't too hot, we opted to sit outside on the terrace.

We tasted the 2006 Chardonnay, the 2007 Zinfandel, the 2006 Syrah, and the 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon. They were all delicious--I liked them all (even the Chardonnay). We bought a bottle of the brand-new Sangiovese out of curiosity, and we are seriously considering joining the Wine Club, aptly dubbed the "Kingfish" Club--for people who like to eat like a king and drink like a fish. (I think it would be worth it to join the club just for the party invitations!).

Our drive up Sage Canyon Road would not have been complete without a visit to Neyers Vineyards and Chappellet Winery. Tune in tomorrow to hear more....

Post Office turned Tasting Room

I had been wine tasting before moving to the Napa Valley, but one winery that I don't know how I missed is Elizabeth Spencer. It was new to me when I moved here back in March, and I've been there about 3 times since. Conveniently, it is directly across the street from Rutherford Grill, so if your table's not ready, tasting at Elizabeth Spencer is a great way to kill some time and try some fantastic wines.

Originally the Rutherford Post Office, it became the tasting room for Elizabeth Spencer Wines in 1998. The wines are produced from fruit from various vineyards and thus, they deliver an eclectic and not-so-typical tasting menu--offering everything from Sauv Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Roussane, Chardonnay, Rose, Pinot Noir, Petite Sirah, Syrah, Merlot, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon.

At the Cheers event (an all-you-can-taste event in downtown St. Helena held on the first Friday of every month), I tasted the 2007 Grenache (it was definitely the highlight of the August Cheers). It stood out in my mind for it's ripe fruit flavors, medium-plus body, and immediate drinkability, and because Grenache is not that common in Napa Valley.

I highly recommend Elizabeth Spencer; their tasting room is quaint and cute and their staff are always friendly and informative. Although I have fond memories of the Pinot Noir and the Cabernet Sauvignon, I love the Grenache!

http://www.elizabethspencerwines.com/wines.html

Nickel and Nickel and lots of Cab

Some tasting rooms allow you to pop in for a quick tasting, others you need an appointment for, and some you have to commit to both a tour and tasting (some of which can last up to 2 hours). At Nickel & Nickel Vineyards, but we had no choice but to do a tour and tasting.

At 11:30 am on a recent Friday, we were waiting in the parlor at Nickel & Nickel quaffing the 2007 Searby Vineyard Chardonnay. The golden colored wine was pungent with oak and butter, but it's a style that is still loved by many (even if I'm not speaking for myself). The room, like the rest of the house, was traditionally decorated and impeccably maintained (we learned later that the house was built in the early 1900s). Our tour guide, Tim, told us a little bit about Nickel & Nickel's history, the philosophy behind making small-lot, single vineyard wines, and then asked us to leave our glasses before taking us outside into the garden.

Like it's sister winery, Far Niente, Nickel & Nickel has beautifully landscaped grounds. You didn't have to stop, to smell the roses here.

Tim was well-versed on every aspect of the winery. He showed us the old barn, which contains the lab, and the new barns (full of shiny stainless steel tanks) and the pristine crush pads (one for Chardonnay and the other for the red wines). He walked us through the underground cellar before leading us to a long table in a room downstairs from the parlor where our tour began. There were 4 glasses of Cabernet Sauvignon waiting for us.

Each wine was highly concentrated, with earthy flavors, and a tight mineral core. The Cab from the Tench Vineyard in Oakville was my favorite, but for $90 a bottle, I kept my credit card in my wallet. It was an informative and entertaining tour of such a well-maintained property; I highly recommend it.

Sipping in the Swanson Salon

A few years back, I went for a sit-down tasting at Swanson Vineyards with my mother, who was then a Wine Club member. Their "salon" is in a large Tuscan-inspired building that used to be home to the Swansons. My memories of that experience centered around the tasty pairings and the artwork on the walls; the wine was not as memorable.

But Swanson has recently taken on a new winemaker, Chris Phelps, who uses a different barrel regimen than the previous winemaker. I thought it wouldn't hurt to re-visit the Swanson Salon, and wow--I am so pleased we did!

When I called to make the appointment, I had been specifically told that the gates open 5 minutes before the appointment time and close 10 minutes later (if you miss that window, you miss your tasting appointment). Although punctuality is not one of my strengths, I made sure to be prompt.

For once it wasn't me who was running late--Brian, our wine educator, greeted us in the artfully adorned courtyard (I meant to ask about meaning behind the full-size teepee) and offered us a stemless glass of pink Rosato while he finished up with the previous group. We gratefully sipped the chilled Rosato (Italian for "Rose"), which was creamy and tasted faintly of strawberries soaked in brandy.

Once inside the octagonal shaped salon, the 10 visitors got situated at the custom-made, sea shell studded, octagonal shaped table. In front of each of us, there was a small plate of orange and white cheese with an edible flower, and a chocolate truffle poised on an upside-down sea shell at 12 o'clock. And of course, there were wine glasses: one white wine glass and two for red wine. In addition to this magnificent presentation, the room itself was worth noting--high ceilings displayed large paintings with whimsical themes (contrasted by farm animals) done by the local artist Ira Yaeger. In addition to table, the chandelier was also custom made and the fireplace was flown in from Paris (don't ask me how).

Brian slowly walked around the table, pouring the 2008 Pinot Grigio and telling us a bit of history about Swanson. The wine was bright with almost effervescent acidity and faint citrus notes; it was refreshing and would pair perfectly with oysters.

Next, we tasted the 2005 Merlot, which is really what Swanson is known for. I recently opened an older vintage of their Merlot that was vegetal with copper penny flavors (not really a flavor profile that I can enjoy), so I was blown away by how delicious the 2005 was. It was rich and ripe, with plum, black cherry, and velvety tannins. As I savored the last few drops of it, Brian poured a bottle of the 2005 Alexis and poured it into the elegant "Cornetto" Riedel decanter.

The Alexis is the Swanson's flagship Cab and named after their daughter, Alexis (she also runs the winery's marketing department). Up until the 2004 vintage, the Alexis was blended with Syrah, but the 2005 is predominantly Cab with small portions of Merlot and Cab Franc blended in. It tasted a little darker and a little tighter than the 2005 Merlot, and would definitely benefit from a little bottle aging. That being said, the Alexis is a very distinctive and impressive wine.

One benefit of having the last scheduled tasting of the day is that you're not rushed out. Brian insisted on pouring one more wine for us and gave us the choice between a sweet dessert wine (Eiswein) and the 2005 Petite Sirah. Not being a huge fan of dessert wines, I opted for the Petite Sirah, which was characteristically big and fleshy, but with a core of blueberry fruit and long pleasant finish.

After all of our glasses were empty, I was still most attracted to the Merlot, for its drinkability and because they offer it in half-bottles, which is sometimes just the right amount.

Round pond and great views

Now that I think about it, I don't recall seeing any round ponds when I went to visit the Round Pond Winery in Rutherford a couple months ago. We were directed outside for a tasting of three wines on the deck, which is right out of a Restoration Hardware catalogue with large umbrellas for shade and cozy benches for admiring the endless vineyards.

As we sat down, I noticed two Cabernet glasses and 1 Sauvignon Blanc glass, but the Cabs were poured for us first. Our guide explained that the Round Pond Sauv Blanc is so acidic that it's best to taste it last. She brought out tasty little bites prepared by the in-house chef to pair with each wine (2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, and the 2008 Sauvignon Blanc): a spoonful of pea soup, a tiny cheese tart, and something sweet to finish with the white wine. We weren't rushed, but the wines were so good they didn't stay in the glass long; the views were amazing.

It's probably about 80 degrees right now and if I weren't working, I would be sitting up on Round Pond's deck right now savoring their Sauvignon Blanc!

No Zinfandel on Zinfandel Lane

I went for a run tonight down Zinfandel Lane in St. Helena. I passed the vineyards of Del Dotto Winery and breezed through the rows of vines at Flora Springs Winery. Each row is marked by the varietal (Cab, Sangiovese, Merlot). Although you won't find much Zinfandel planted on this street, you will find some great wine.

The Flora Springs Tasting Room is a whimsical and controversial building next door to Dean & Deluca, less than a mile north of the winery itself. The Tasting Room caters to the younger

generation, with iMacs encouraging visitors to twitter about their experience, a disco ball and techno music thumping in the background.

For a more serious and sophisticated experience, plan a visit to

Kelham Vineyards on Zinfandel Lane. The austere gate opens to a driveway that leads into the vineyards, with the winery and tasting room to the left. The property is beautiful and lush with clean lines; both orderly and cozy at the same time. Make sure to visit on a day when you can sit outside under the canopy overlooking the perfectly manicured grounds and the large water fountain (which serves as a bath for the winery dogs).

Depending on the size of the winery, it's not uncommon to have the winemaker lead tours and pour wines for guests. But as Kelham's winemaker, Ron Nicholsen, ushered me to a table with a crisp white floor-length table cloth and various stemware, I felt a little star struck. In some ways, the Napa Valley can be a bit like Hollywood.

The setting was so enchanting, I think it would have been impossible to have not enjoyed the wines. We started with an oaked Sauvignon Blanc that was rich, round, and still maintained a fruity core. I know you know how I feel about Chardonnay, but the use of neutral oak made the 2007 Kelham Chardonnay a tropical fruit cocktail--a Chard that I didn't have to spit or pour out.

The red wines have seen some age; we tried a 2002, 2003, and 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon if my memory serves me right. We also tried three different vintages of the Merlot. I preferred the Merlots; they were soft and supple, with velvety tannins. One thing was true for all of the Kelham wines--they are food wines.

My FWE and I recently dined at Cook, a tiny Italian restaurant in St. Helena. We had a bottle of the 2001 Kelham Cab with an order of the mussels served in a tomato broth. I wasn't sure how the wine would taste with seafood (or tomatoes), but I liked the wine much more after just a single bite of food. For my main course, I ordered the pasta carbonara, and the wine went down easily with that, too!

Eating in with Paradigm

I lived in San Francisco for three years before making the leap to the Napa Valley, and there's a lot that I don't miss (the noise, the traffic, the lack of landscape), but I can't forget how easy it was to order in. You could get the customary Chinese food and pizza delivered, or you could

walk to the nearest restaurant and have your favorite dish ready in moments. Here, it's a little different. Some restaurants don't do take-out (Mustards, Press). And quick-food places like Dean & Deluca close by 7 pm.

Rutherford Grill might not be the healthiest fare, and last time they sent us home with all the sides and no meat, but the restaurant is nearby and they have our to-go order ready in about 20 minutes. When we placed an order on Sunday night, they didn't forget anything and they even included a complimentary order of cornbread (probably my favorite item on the menu).

For this mouth-watering spread of smoky ribs, roasted salmon, buttery mashed potatoes, juicy heirloom tomatoes, and cole slaw, we opened a bottle of 2005

Paradigm Cabernet Sauvignon. Many varietals would have been a good match (Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Malbec, Rosé), but we decided on the Paradigm for it's convenient half-bottle size. This is a complex and polished Cab, with balanced fruit, earthiness, and long finish. Cherry-cola flavors and smooth tannins worked well with the ribs, but weren't overpowering for the salmon. The wine's textbook Oakville acidity nicely complimented the tomatoes.

Paradigm is a boutique winery off of Dwyer Road in Oakville; on the property, they grow Cab, Cab Franc, Merlot, Zinfandel and 1 acre of Petite Verdot (totaling 55 acres). The owner, Ren Harris, was kind enough to walk os through the vineyards, explaining soil types, watering methods, and canopy management. The wines are all very finely crafted by Heidi Barrett and quite delicious!

Hope, Grace, and some killer pork tenderloin

In addition to its fabulous restaurants, Yountville is home to a few tasting rooms that pour delicious wines and--luckily for us--pour until 6 pm (Hope & Grace Wines, Jessup Cellars, Girard, and Ma(i)sonry).

Last night, my fellow wine enthusiast (who, from here on out, will be affectionately referred to as my FWE) and I visited Hope & Grace, a quaint tasting room slash art gallery located right next door to Bouchon.

The art, including large format paintings, colorful blown glass items, and elegant sculpture, is almost as captivating as the wines. But it was these beautifully crafted wines (and their interesting labels) that we were most interested in.

I am an ABC kind of girl (Anything But Chardonnay), but Hope & Grace makes a very respectable Burgundian-style Chardonnay (their only white wine).

Their 2006 Santa Lucia Pinot Noir is a knock-out, with a full, luscious body, layers of ripe cherry fruit, and an earthy finish. It's both easy on the palate and on a winery professional's budget.

The rest of the line up was quite enjoyable--we tasted the Malbec (rich and round, with dark berry flavors), the Stag's Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon (refined and restrained, velvety tannins and delightfully long finish), the St. Helena Cab (structured and powerful, already very smooth), and the 2004 Hendricks Reserve (big, opulent, lush, a special-occasion Cab).

We thanked the Hope & Grace staff for their time and generosity and made our way to the bar at Ad Hoc, a Thomas Keller restaurant. With a half-bottle of the 2006 Larkin Cab Franc (yum, yum, yum) and the

insistence of the two chatty women next to us at the bar, we ordered the full prix-fixe menu: smoked salmon blini with a soft-poached egg and lettuces to start, pork tenderloin stuffed with smoky sauteéd mushrooms and grilled peaches was the main course, a selection of artisanal cheeses followed, and a chocolate dome to finish. What a decadent evening!

Pairing Cabernet with heirloom tomatoes

Anyone living in the greater Bay Area knows that it was hot, hot, hot yesterday. It was the kind of oppressive heat that makes you want to turn on the A/C and stay out of the kitchen. But I had a surplus of fresh heirloom tomatoes from my mother's garden--it would have been a sin to let them go bad!

My dinner guest drove down from Yountville, and Domaine Chandon was conveniently on the way. We went tasting there about 4 months ago, and between the two of us, we tasted 8 or 9 different sparkling wines. Domaine Chandon pours for hundreds of visitors each day, but it is a beautiful property with tasty offerings that should not be overlooked. Our favorites were Etoile Brut and the Etoile Rosé. He so kindly brought a bottle of the Etoile Brut, which, after put in the freezer for 5 minutes, was the ultimate refresher.

Whereas the sparkling Rosé is ripe with strawberry flavors and a girlish pink in the glass (great with cheese), the Brut is dry and zesty. Aged "sur lees" for 5 years, this Chardonnay/Pinot Noir blend has buttered toast and honey aromas. On the palate, vibrant acidity is balanced by citrus, hazelnuts and baked apple. This is an elegant bubbly for any time of the day (anyone for a mimosa?).

Once we settled down for dinner, we were ready for a glass of red wine. Sangiovese is a no-fail red varietal for pairing with Italian-inspired cuisine, but Napa is "Cab Country", and that's what prevails in my wine fridge.

I selected a bottle of 2005 Hoopes Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, a medium-bodied Cabernet from Oakville with bright cherry notes, smooth tannins, and good acidity. It turned out to be the perfect accompaniment to the heirloom tomato bruschetta and the roast chicken and ratatouille that followed.

The 2005 Hoopes Cab is sold out, but the 2006 is just as good!

White Wine du Jour

It sounds like all I drink is Sauvignon Blanc. But just wait until the weather cools...

After a brutally boring meeting that began late this morning and lasted more than 90 minutes, I suggested to my manager that we treat ourselves to lunch somewhere. Feeling celebratory for really no reason at all, we decided on Bouchon, an upscale French Bistro in neighboring Yountville. Although I frequent the Bouchon Bakery more often than not (best coffee in the Napa Valley, I swear!), I have only been to Bouchon, the restaurant, once--and it was for dinner about two weeks ago. It was a very pleasant experience, and going for lunch there sounded perfect. We grabbed a bottle of 2008 Crocker & Starr Sauvignon Blanc and were on our way.

Stepping inside Bouchon is like arriving in Paris for the first time. It is both whimsical and serious--seriously French, that is. They serve the same menu for both lunch and dinner, but although I was somewhat familiar with the typical bistro offerings, it was still a difficult decision. The halibut seemed to be speaking to me right off the paper menu, but so did the moules frites, and the tartine du jour (an open-faced steak sandwich dressed with caramelized onions and roquefort)--it all had me salivating.

As I applied a thick layer of butter to the fresh "epi" baguette from next door, the server popped the cork on our bottle of wine. This is a Sauvignon Blanc unlike any other I've tried. Surprisingly, it is 100% SB, a blend of fruit from Charlie Crocker's St. Helena vineyard and the Hyde Las Trancas Vineyard in Napa. The "Starr" part of the label is Pam Starr, the winemaker; I love supporting female winemakers, especially when they make kick-ass wines. The Crocker & Starr Cab Franc definitely deserves an honorable mention.

The intricate and profound bouquet give some inclination to the wine's complexity. Asian pear and baked Granny Smith apple aromas lead to a medium-plus body of honey, tart green apple, Meyer lemon, spice, and balanced acidity. There is a subtle floral character to this wine as well as a minerality that reminds you that, yes, this is Sauvignon Blanc.

As I mentioned yesterday, supposedly there are 396 wineries in the Napa Valley, but, to my knowledge, this figure does not include producers that make their wine at custom-crush facilities or wineries represented in collective tasting rooms. Crocker & Starr wines are made at a custom crush facility in Oakville and can be purchased at Cult Wine Central or Acme Fine Wines.

I was in heaven from about 12:30 to 2 pm today. I savored every last sip of this wine and polished off my plate of seared halibut, fresh heirloom tomatoes, and the frites of my dining companions. Now, if only we had brought a bottle of Dolce for the cheese plate!

State of the Art

We were introduced to the Cade wines at the Plumpjack hospitality party at the beginning of the summer. As we walked onto the idyllic and lush Plumpjack property, the staff greeted us with a casual hello and a glass of perfectly chilled 2007 Cade Sauvignon Blanc wine. It was a very hot afternoon, and the wine, brimming with citrus fruit and bright acidity, tasted so very refreshing. We also sampled the Plumpjack current releases: the smoky 2006 Syrah and the full-bodied 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon.

The Cade label reminded me of the article I had just read in Wine Spectator. The write-up described the Cade creator's "green" mission and mentioned the LEED certification they are striving for. As a conservationist, I was intrigued. As the citrusy Sauvignon Blanc in my glass quickly disappeared, I made a mental note to visit the winery soon.

Last week, we finally found ourselves on Howell Mountain, climbing the steep driveway to Cade. The views from the winery were breathtaking; I kicked myself for not bringing a camera. One of these days, I will have an iPhone and remembering to pack a camera will not be an issue.

DJ, the Hospitality Manager, a knowledgeable and highly passionate blonde who used to run a cooking school with her husband, Ken, poured us the 2008 Cade Sauvignon Blanc and pointed out Mount Diablo in the far distance (yes, you could see all the way to the East Bay).

As we sipped and swirled the grassy new vintage, DJ listed off the various sustainable aspects of the building--I was amazed to hear about the inverted roof, which collects rain water; the roof is also painted with environmentally friendly paint that reflects the sunlight so the A/C doesn't have to work as hard; the gravel in the foyer is recycled; the blending table was previously a submarine; and, perhaps most incredible, the architect used shredded blue jeans for insulation (I hope they weren't Rock n' Republics!).

We sat in awe in ultra modern chairs as DJ poured us the 2006 Cade Cuvee and then the 2006 Cade Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon. The last was a wine I wanted to buy and put away in my imaginary cellar for 5-10 years.

The tour is followed by a sit-down tasting with food pairings prepared by Ken, the in-house Chef. Go to cadewinery.com for more info!

From the Beginning

When I moved to the Napa Valley in March of this year, I knew I had my work cut out for me. 396 wineries, over 100 restaurants, so much to eat and drink. I quickly connected with a fellow foodie and wine enthusiast, and together we decided to visit each and every one of them. We claim that it's all in the name of research and development, but it hardly can be considered work.

We work at one of these wineries, and we always joke about what a tough job it is. We pour, taste, and talk about wine for a living. And, with endless rows of vines, green mountains in the distance, and long sunny days, we live in one of the most beautiful parts of the country. Are we spoiled or what?

Our wine tasting agenda was established the day we met; when we left work, we made the short drive to Alpha Omega Winery in Rutherford, right off of Highway 29. It's one of the few that is open until 6 pm. Check out the website at aowinery.com

We started with the 2008 Sauvignon Blanc. It was very aromatic, with a pale golden hue. On the palate, it was crisp, with nuances of fresh-cut grass and citrus. With our Reidel stemware in hand, we wandered out to the patio, sinking into big fluffy chairs. We soaked up the late-afternoon sun and enjoyed the faint spray of the water fountain. I've heard stories of patrons falling asleep on the patio; I can see how easily this could happen!

Our informative and personable guide arrived at our side with a decanter of the 2006 Syrah. She elegantly poured us a sample of this dark purple nectar. I held it up to the light, noting its thin, quick-moving legs. If I recall correctly, aromas of sugared plum and candied fruit led to a medium-plus body of sweet cassis and dark berries. What this wine lacked in complexity, it made for in intensity. I could still taste it's sweetness as I handed over my credit card in exchange for a bottle of the Sauv Blanc. Very cool triangular-shaped gift bags; nice touch.

That was almost 5 months and about 50 wineries ago....