Ladera Cabernet at it's peak

Until I went through my entire list of past blog posts just now, I was sure that I had featured Ladera Vineyards at least once within the past three years (it doesn’t happen often, but I was wrong [haha]).

My first visit to Ladera, which is located on Howell Mountain (northeast of St. Helena) was back in 2009 (perhaps before I started my blog). The tour was amazing; we sipped wine as we walked around the historic winery and into the caves. We probably tasted 6 or 7 wines in total, including a Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, vineyard-designate Cabernet Sauvignons, and a Malbec.

Last time I checked, I had 2 bottles of the 2007 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($41/bottle), 1 bottle of the 2006 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon ($75/bottle), and 1 bottle of the High Plateau Cabernet Sauvignon ($65/bottle). Wines like Ladera Cabs should be aged, but I am guilty of letting the price of these bottles scare me away from opening them.

I never hesitate to open a bottle of wine that’s under $20 a bottle. Even if I’m planning on having just one glass. But when I’m dining solo and I might not be home the following evening for second-day leftovers, I don’t want to waste the good [expensive] stuff. I try to avoid thinking about wine in this way, because life is short, and wine is only wine. And it’s quite possible to wait too long.

(Last night, I actually opened two bottles of 2007 Cab from another producer that were—sadly—past their prime, before I pulled the cork on the Ladera.)

After one sip of the 2007 Ladera Napa Valley Cab, I was grateful for opening it (and I fully intend to enjoy it again tonight). In my opinion, this particular wine is at its peak.

The wine is intensely perfumed with cherry cordial, fig, leather and tar. The palate expresses pure mountain fruit flavors of black cherry, blackberry, cassis and sturdy tannins. There are undertones of oak and wet earth followed by a long-lasting finish that is berry-licious.

I enjoyed this bold wine with a delicious duck cassoulet; it would also pair perfectly with lamb, filet mignon, short ribs, spaghetti Bolognese and mushroom risotto. 

As I write this, it makes me wonder if the 2007 vintage as a whole is peaking earlier than critics predicted…

Like the 1997 vintage, 2007 was a phenomenal year for grape growers. But nothing stays fresh forever. If you prefer to drink wine that more fruit-focused and fresh, pop the corks on those bottles of 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon you may have—now. Better to drink a wine before it peaks than once it has gone downhill.

(And stock up on Ladera Napa Valley Cabernet—it’s a value for the quality. It also comes in half-bottles!)

When in Portland for the WBC...

The 2012 Wine Bloggers Conference commenced bright and early this past Friday morning, with another round of wonderful wines to taste. It's difficult to imagine tasting wine before noon, but as the saying goes, "When in Rome..." [I was in Portland for a reason!]

Winebow, an importer based in Seattle, provided a sumptuous brunch Friday morning. The featured wines were all from Mendoza, Argentina and the delicious food pairings were inspired by South American cuisine.

The Alma Negra Misterio Rosé ($24/bottle) was one of my favorites. Made from 85% Malbec and 15% Pinot Noir, this was a pale pink sparkling wine with delightful and bright flavors. The ceviche it was paired with was pretty tasty, too.

I also enjoyed the 2009 Bodega Catena Zapata Alta Malbec (spicy and fruit-forward) and the 2010 Bodegas Nieto Senetiner Reserva (a jammy, full-bodied blend of Bonarda, Malbec, Cab Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon).

By 3 pm, we were on our way to Oregon wine country via bus (every bus went to a different winery and the destination of each bus was only disclosed once we were en route). I was pleased to find out that I was aboard the bus going to WillaKenzie Estate, a winery in Yamhill (about an hour away from our Portland hotel).

We were greeted warmly (with gift bags and 100-degree heat) at the beautiful WillaKenzie property. After the vineyard tour, we were all thoroughly drenched with sweat, but the promise of wine and food motivated us to hang in there. Our thirst was quenched with a Pinot Noir comparative tasting with wines from WillaKenzie, as well as neighboring wineries Solena Estate, Elk Cove, Belle Ponte. The winemaker/owner from each of these wineries was present to introduce and discuss their wines (this unique tasting was designed specifically for our bloggers group).

As delicious as the wines were, the highlight of the excursion was the sunset view of the Willamette Valley and the dinner of lamb and roasted vegetables that we enjoyed atop the WillaKenzie property. I would definitely visit this winery again (though preferably on a cooler day).

We were afforded a short break from wine-tasting on Saturday morning. During the lunch break, I went up to the suite of Craig Camp, owner of Cornerstone Winery, where he was hosting a Napa wine tasting.

There was a selection of 2002 Napa Valley Cabernet from various producers (including Opus One, Pride Mountain, and Far Niente). I was pleasantly surprised by the 2002 BV Georges de Latour—it was still dark and concentrated in the [plastic stemless GoVino] glass with intense blackberry flavors.

The entire line-up of Cornerstone wines were also available to taste. Knowing that I already really liked the Cornerstone Pinot Noirs (which I discovered at Pinot Days in June), I sampled the various Cornerstone Cabernet Sauvignons, which were all incredible. The 2009 vintage of “The Cornerstone” was outstanding with opulent black fruit and impressive structure (the kind of wine worth dressing up for, haha). At $125 a bottle, it deserves the red carpet treatment.

Saturday night, King Estate Winery from Eugene provided us with an amazing five-course meal, prepared by their estate chef, and paired with their estate wines. The third course of wild-caught King salmon with gnocchi and sausage paired exquisitely with the King Estate Pinot Noir ($29/bottle). But the final savory course did me in—roast loin of beef and mushrooms with the NxNW Cabernet Sauvignon ($25/bottle) was an awesome duo!

As you can see, there was no shortage of amazing wines at this conference. It was also a great opportunity to network and meet some of my fellow bloggers (please see the “Blog Roll, Please” to the left of this post). 

I would also like to thank the event organizer, Zephyr Adventures, and all of the sponsors. And to all the wineries who participated in the event—your wines were very much appreciated. Cheers! 

Intro to WBC

The 5^th annual Wine Bloggers Conference was held this past weekend in Portland, Oregon. It was jam-packed with wine tasting activities, educational sessions, and socializing opportunities with the other 375 attendees. (I had no idea there were so many wine bloggers!) The hashtag #WBC12 was at the top of the Twitter Trends list all week long.

The conference didn’t actually begin until Friday morning, but when I saw that the Welcome Reception was planned for Thursday evening, I flew in early.

The preliminary event was more “overwhelming” than it was “welcoming” (but don’t read that as a complaint). I was expecting a low-key gathering with a few unfamiliar wines and a few new faces; there were about 50 different wineries pouring upwards of 200 wines (needless to say it was anything but low-key).

The event was sponsored by the Oregon Wine Board; the participating wineries were from all over the state.

The largest wine growing area within Oregon is Willamette Valley (the second and third syllables of Willamette rhyme with ‘damn it’), which was well-represented.

I’ll be honest, I’m not very familiar with Oregon wine-growing areas or it’s producers (which is one of the reasons I wanted to attend the WBC in Oregon in the first place), so I tried a lot of new wines on Thursday evening.

 

As I made my way through the room, I recognized the familiar face of Craig Camp, owner of Cornerstone Cellars (who I met at the Pinot Days event). The 2010 Stepping Stone Willamette Valley Pinot Noir ($30/bottle) was a fresh and lively wine with bright fruit flavors and good acidity. Tony Ryders is the winemaker for the Cornerstone Oregon wines, but I didn’t know that Tony also has his own label. When Craig suggested I check it out, I didn’t need much convincing. 

Ryders gained experience and notoriety at Domaine Serene before branching off on his own. Under the name of Tendril Wine Cellars, he produces super small quantities of Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. The 2009 White Label Pinot Noir ($48/bottle) showed red berry fruit flavors, with a hint of white pepper and rose petal; silky smooth and delicious. The 2010 Tight Rope Pinot Noir ($64/bottle), only about 50 cases produced) will be released later this year, and it is the kind of Pinot that will benefit from a little aging. It is rich and powerful with flavors of cassis, violet, and spice. Contact the winery directly for availability and purchase info. 

Red Hawk Winery was represented at the table right next to Tendril, otherwise I might have missed the value-priced Pinot Noirs they were pouring. The 2009 Grateful Red Pinot Noir was only $15; light and very easy to drink! The 2010 Estate Pinot Noir ($22/bottle) was more complex and concentrated with ripe, juicy red fruit flavors. Yum!

From there, I jumped across to the Cowhorn Wine table. As a big proponent of Rhone varietals, I was eager to taste their Grenache. The 2010 Cowhorn Grenache ($30/bottle) was lush but balanced, offering aromatics of plum and raspberry with ripe strawberry flavors underscored by savory spice. The Syrah was quite delectable as well.

Another Syrah that I really enjoyed was the one poured by Big Table Farm. The 2009 Syrah ($48/bott) with a picture of silverware on the label (drawn by the winemaker’s wife) was bold and full-flavored, with intense flavors of blackberry, cinnamon, and black licorice.

I also enjoyed the Domaine Drouhin and Brooks wines before the event started shutting down. It was a terrific tasting and a wonderful introduction to so many fantastic Oregon wineries. I’ll post more about the Wine Bloggers Conference over the next couple of days. Stay tuned!

Celebrate subtlety with Erath Wines!

The more wines from Oregon I taste, the more I love Oregon wines. (And it's a good thing because I'm going to be spending the next 4 days in Portland!)

It’s easy to get inundated with Californian wines when you live within an hour of many winegrowing regions in California. But Oregon wines offer something that California wines often lack—subtlety.

Don’t get me wrong; subtlety does not equal a wimpy wine.

Yes, there are times when a full-bodied Cab from Napa is just the ticket (for example, when you’re grilling up rib-eye steaks). But for someone who eats very little red meat, I don’t want a wine that will hit me over the head with tannin, fruit (i.e. a fruit bomb), or alcohol. I find myself gravitating towards wines that have subtle nuances and modest characteristics.

That being said, when I poured myself a glass of the 2010 Erath Pinot Noir (Oregon, $19/bottle), I was surprised. Albeit a pretty ruby hue, the wine was transparent in the glass—it looked more like a rosé than a red wine!

But one sniff and I knew this wine was more powerful than it looked.

Rose petal, red fruit, dusty earth, and violet aromas jump from the glass. According to a  friend of mine who just moved here from England, the smoky quality to the nose is reminiscent of a widely used wood polish in the UK*. I thought it smelled more like saddle leather, but I have never polished wood in an old English home (and I hope I don’t ever have to, haha).

*There are no right or wrong answers when it comes to wine—it’s all subjective. And that’s the beauty of it!

This elegant Pinot Noir expresses understated flavors of brandied cherry, red currant, and raspberry. It has very high acid without being abrasive; the mouthfeel is juicy and soft. Although I was skeptical at first, I really enjoyed this wine. And for $19 a bottle, it’s my new favorite Pinot Noir for under $25.

This wine would be great with ahi tuna—whether tartare or lightly seared and served with as a salade niçoise. It would also pair perfectly with an Italian anitpasto plate of proscuitto, salumi, olives, and peppers.

Before we “nose-dived” into the Pinot Noir, we tasted the 2011 Erath Pinot Gris (Oregon $14/bottle). This wine was a great way to start the evening; it’s a terrific apperatif.

Tart and snappy with vivacious acidity, the Pinot Gris is perfumed with Meyer lemon, pear, and citrus blossom. The palate confirms the nose with additional green apple and banana flavors. It is a pale straw color in the glass and finishes with very slight nuances of freshly cut grass and pineapple.

We enjoyed this wine with a honey goat-milk Gouda cheese from Trader Joe’s before we sat down for dinner. This wine would also go nicely with quiche, lobster bisque, or summer veggies.

Sidenote: I loved that both of these wines have cork-free closures. Without a cork, there's also no foil to mess with (and therefore less waste). These bottles were received courtesy of Erath Winery for participation in the Thirsty Girl Twitter tasting. Thank you both!

I am attending the Wine Blogger’s Conference from August 16-19. Please follow me on Twitter and like me on Facebook for updates. Thank you and cheers!

It's all good on the Westside

Forgive me if you’ve heard me say this before. When I lived in the Napa Valley, I was conditioned to think that [good] wineries in Sonoma were few and far between. The resistance that Napa has for Sonoma reminds me of the rivalry between Northern and Southern California. As a Bay Area native who went to USC, I received flak from my friends about moving to Southern California. And while I lived in Los Angeles, I was constantly having to defend the upper half of the state. 

(So it seems the NorCal-SoCal antagonism is similar to the competition between Napa and Sonoma.)

Alas, this is not a blog post about East and West. This is about two fantastic wineries I recently visited on Westside Road in Healdsburg.

Westside Road is home to many wineries; although I wouldn’t recommend a walking tour, there are many tasting rooms within a very short distance of each other (and a quick jaunt from the Healdsburg Square). The selection of wineries located along this road is vast, featuring older establishments as well as some newer wineries.

Hop Kiln Winery is an historic landmark located about 6 miles from the 101. The winery has an old-world feel to it and beautifully appointed grounds, including a colorful rose garden and serene duck pond. Inside, you’ll find the tasting room has a kitschy feel to it; there are gourmet mustards and vinegars, wine knick-knacks, T-shirts and coffee table books. There is also a selection of cheese and salami. This is a great place to buy a bottle and some snacks and sit at one of the outside picnic tables to enjoy the pretty scenery.

The staff at Hop Kiln is super-friendly and accommodating. The atmosphere is inviting and relaxed with nice music playing in the background. You have the option of sitting at a high-top table or standing at the tasting bar. For $7, you taste your choice of five estate-grown wines (this is cheap compared to Napa tasting standards!).

I would recommend starting with the 2010 HKG Chardonnay ($28/bottle). It is light and crisp with nuances of green apple and lemon zest.

The 2010 HKG Chardonnay, North Bridge Selection ($34/bottle) is a richer style of Chardonnay with more new oak. Although you can quickly identify the vanilla and baking spice notes, this wine is very balanced and good acid.

Don’t miss the 2011 HKG Rosé of Pinot Noir ($24/bottle). With aromas and flavors of guava and sweet strawberry, this pink refresher is dry and delicious! The perfect summer wine. There’s also a Pinot Grigio available.

Like most wineries in Sonoma County, Hop Kiln offers a few vineyard-designate Pinot Noirs. Tasting these beauties side-by-side illustrates the diversity that different vineyard sites provide.

The 2010 HKG Pinot Noir ($34/bottle) is soft and supple. With juicy blackberry and black cherry flavors, it is very easy to drink. Good value for Russian River Pinot Noir and would pair great with everything from pizza to paella.

The 2010 HKG Pinot Noir, Twin Corners Selection ($42/bottle) is a little darker in the glass with ripe fruit flavors, lively acidity, and a touch of baking spice.

The 2010 HKG Pinot Noir, North Bridge Selection ($42/bottle) is firm and full-bodied. Great intensity and concentration with robust fruit flavors and a long-lasting finish. This would be a great match for duck breast or tri-tip. Yum!

For a completely different experience, check out TwomeyCellars (from the Silver Oak family). The tasting room is very modern; all smooth concrete and shiny surfaces. The wall behind the tasting counter is clear glass, so you can admire the sweeping vineyards views as you taste.

For $10, you taste all five of the Twomey current releases, starting with the 2011 Sauvignon Blanc ($25/bottle). Bright and zesty, this white is a great palate cleanser and would be nice with oysters.

I tasted two vintages of the Anderson Valley Pinot Noir. The 2009 ($51/bottle) has red fruit flavors with notes of caramel and lots of spice. I preferred the 2010 vintage ($46/bottle), which has bright acidity and tastes of ripe strawberry. Medium-bodied with a dry finish, I would pair the 2010 Anderson Valley Pinot with pork tenderloin.

The 2010 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ($50/bottle) blew me away! It has attractive aromas of violets and rose petal with gobs of black cherry and red currant on the palate. The finish is huge, leaving your mouth begging for more!

The 2007 Napa Valley Merlot ($50/bottle) seemed a bit out of place in what I think of as Pinotland, but it was a wonderful wine to finish with. This Merlot is blended with 5% Cab Franc and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon. It is dense and broad-shouldered with bold flavors of cherry cola, blueberry, blackberry, and dark chocolate. You could easily pair this wine with a filet mignon or rib-eye.

Other wineries on Westside Road include John Tyler Wines, Matrix Winery, Armida Winery, Mill Creek Vineyards, and VML Winery. With so many to choose from and the town of Healdsburg just a few miles away (with such fabulous restaurants and luxurious hotels), this is a great avenue for back-to-back wine-tasting. Cheers!

Gun Bun Fun!

A couple weeks ago, I received a message via Twitter from a friend that read, “I know how much you love Chardonnay, you shouldn’t miss this.” There was a link included in the message that took me to the website for the SF Chef’s festival and a list of wine-related events (including a session on the history of Chardonnay in California).

While I appreciated the info, my first inclination was to defend my wine drinking sensibility, because I don’t love all Chardonnay.

If this friend had had accused me of loving White Burgundy, I would have said, “Yes, you’re absolutely right.”

Because California Chardonnay can be a bit of a mixed bag. If you read my earlier post, “Just the right amount of oak”, you’ll remember that I prefer Chardonnay when it’s fruit-driven with good acidity and just a kiss of oak—as it is made in Burgundy, France.

I’m glad to report that I am discovering more and more of this balanced style produced here in California. You could call it a conditional love I have for Chardonnay…

The 2010 Gundlach Bundschu Sonoma Coast Chardonnay is a fun, delightful quaff ($27/bottle). Its complex perfume offers Meyer lemon, key lime, green apple, pear and a whisper of toasty vanilla. With bright minerality and lively acidity, this wine has “cool climate” written all over it and tastes like summertime. Prickly pear, lemon, and pineapple flavors prevail on the palate. This wine is light-bodied and clean, with citrus notes that linger on the tongue until your next sip.

Twenty percent of this wine was fermented in stainless steel, the other 80% was barrel-fermented, but only 20% of the barrels used were new. Also, this wine did not go through malolactic fermentation. The lack of “ML” helps to preserve this wine’s fresh fruit flavors and vivacious acid level; it is a very refreshing and food friendly choice.

It is the perfect wine to sip on it’s own, as I did earlier this week while I prepared dinner. I sautéed corn, spinach, and summer squash separately. Then I whisked three eggs together for an omelette, which unfortunately became scrambled eggs in the pan. I piled the veggies and the eggs into a bowl; it wasn’t as pretty as I had planned. But with a little dill, basil, and goat cheese on top, it tasted great with the Chardonnay.

Seafood (i.e. petrale sole in a beurre blanc sauce or shrimp), creamy risotto or pesto pasta, or a light salad would also pair well with this wine.

Gundlach Bundschu is one of Sonoma’s oldest wineries. They celebrated their 150^th anniversary in 2008! They also produce Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Gewurztraminer, Rosé of Tempranillo, and a signature blend called Mountain Cuvée.

I also had the opportunity to enjoy the 2009 Mountain Cuvée recently. For $24 a bottle, it is a great, easy-drinking red wine that would pair nicely with everything from BBQ ribs to eggplant parmesan. It is a unique blend of 7 varietals (mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, Cab Franc, Zinfandel, Petit Verdot, Syrah, and only 1% Malbec). With dark fruit aromas, this palate expresses flavors of black cherry, currant, black licorice and tobacco. This wine has soft tannins, a rich mouthfeel, and a lush medium-plus body. Cocoa and dark berry flavors linger on the finish. This wine will probably improve with 1-2 years of aging, or I would recommend decanting it if you decide to drink it right away.

These two wines were received courtesy of Gundlach Bundschu Winery for sampling purposes. Their wines are distributed throughout the US and they can be ordered directly from their website. 

*If you unsure of how to pronounce the name of the winery, think gun-lock-bun-shoe, like the pictures depicted on the cork.

To all of you going to Outside Lands this weekend, have fun and be safe. Some great wineries will be there, too. Cheers!

Download this app and get ready to (wine) riot!

When you go to a wine event where there are 250+ wines to taste, you can usually expect to forget what some of those wines tasted like. And you will probably forget some of the names of those wines. (We all know how alcohol has a way of making those little details hard to remember.)

But at a Wine Riot event, the Second Glass app for iPhone remembers for you!

It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3 (or buy, open, drink): Download the app. Go to the event (the next one is in NY next month and then in LA in November). Rate the wines as you taste them!

The wines being poured at the event are pre-loaded into the app, so just scroll through the list to find what you’re tasting. As you sample a wine, you can give it two thumbs up, one thumb up, or “nah”. You also have the option of taking notes for each wine. Then you can look up your reviews after the event.

This is really quite a genius concept.

The San Francisco Wine Riot that rocked this past weekend was held in the Exhibition Concourse in SoMa—a nice change of scenery and a welcome change of pace from Fort Mason, which is where so many wine tasting events in the city are held.

For an event dubbed “riot”, I was expecting a little chaos, but the Saturday afternoon session was mellow (we heard that Friday night was wild, and I imagine that the Saturday night session got pretty crazy, too).

Because it wasn’t very crowded, it made it much easier to have a conversation with the winery reps and take our time at the various winery booths. There was no rushing around or fear of being trampled (like perhaps at a real riot).

The wines poured were a diverse mélange of varietals and regions. Pretty much every major wine growing region was represented: Australia, South America, Bordeaux, the Loire Valley, Spain, Italy, and, of course, California. There were some smaller producers (some of which were new to me), and some large-scale wineries that distribute all over the place (whose wines I see regularly at Whole Foods or Safeway). The one thing these various wine brands seemed to have in common was price—I don’t think there was a single wine priced over $40 a bottle (although most seemed to fall in the $10-$25 range).

I happily rated the wines using the app while I tasted. I saved myself the trouble of taking notes, but here are a few wineries that definitely “made an uproar.”

Echelon Vineyards

This familiar brand has recently gotten a makeover with a revitalized label and a new line-up of wines. Honestly, I was impressed with all eight of the wines!

From the California Series, the Pinot Grigio ($13) was light and refreshing. The unoaked Chardonnay ($13) was fruity and delicious—a great food wine. I preferred the Red Blend ($14; mostly Cab and Merlot) to the Cabernet Sauvignon, but both were surprisingly tasty. All the wines at this booth were from the 2010 vintage.

Of the Collection Series, (aka the “upper echelon”), the Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon was my favorite. At $18 a bottle, this wine is a steal! Upon the first sip from my plastic GoVino stemless “glass”, I picked out the signature varietal flavors of blackberry and dark chocolate. Black cherry notes and spice are there, too, with a medium-plus body and subtle tannins. Did I mention it’s only $18 a bottle? Yum!

Echelon doesn’t have a tasting room, but they are distributed throughout the US. Click here to see which retailers near you stock these wines.

Peachy Canyon

I’ve been a fan of Peachy Canyon Zinfandel for a while—since my first ZAP festival in 2007, to be exact. Their wine is very consistent and also readily available in the marketplace.

The 2010 Incredible Red Zinfandel ($12) was basic and easy to drink. Not too spicy, not too jammy. Nice and balanced.

 

The 2008 Westside Zin ($25) was twice as complex with dark fruit flavors, supple tannins, and a long, juicy finish. A delicious, food-friendly Zin!

The 2010 Cirque du Vin ($19) was a tasty surprise. It is Peachy Canyon’s take on a Bordeaux blend of Cab, Cab Franc, Malbec, Merlot and 2% Petite Sirah. Ripe strawberry, blackberry, and sweet vanilla flavors with a rich mouthfeel and nice finish.

Mollydooker Wines

In Australia, Mollydooker is another word for left-handed. Husband and wife team, Sarah and Sparky (both leftys) produce Australian Shiraz, Merlot, Cab, blends and one white wine, Verdelho. With whimsical names and animated labels, these wines amuse the eyes as much as they please the palate. They’re affordable too (the following three wines are all $25/bottle)!

The 2011 “The Violinist” Verdelho was crisp, clean and citrusy—a refreshing palate cleanser.

The 2010 “Maitre D” Cabernet Sauvignon was big and voluptuous, with dark berry flavors and a kiss of black licorice and oak spice. (I asked for seconds of this wine for a reason.)

Last, but certainly not least, the 2010 “The Boxer” Shiraz has garnered lots of success. Wine Spectator continuously scores this wine 91 points. With smooth tannins, this is a refined Shiraz (compared to some of the more rustic styles that I’ve had before). Ripe blackberry and cherry flavors prevail with notes of bacon fat, spice, and smoke.

A few other wines of note were the 2011 Honig Sauvignon Blanc and the 2009 Honig Cabernet Sauvignon (always reliable and delicious), the Simply Naked wines (made without using oak barrels, even the red wines!), the 2009 Las Rocas Garnacha (Grenache goodness for $12), and the 2010 Hahn Winery GSM blend (southern Rhone in style and fruit-forward, $14). 

Second Glass was started by a group of wine-drinking hipsters. The pop-culture vibe and tech-savvy element to their events attract a younger crowd, which is a demographic that the wine industry sometimes has trouble reaching (the use of Facebook and Twitter is bridging that gap). There were also stick-on tattoos and a photo booth with funny hats and silly costumes provided by Betabrand (see below). This was one of the most fun wine events I’ve been to in a long time.

We will definitely attend another Wine Riot!

Sparkling wine: the affordable luxury

If you associate Champagne with special occasions, that's understandable. That unique pop! sound is often preceded by a proposal, an announcement, or a major accomplishment. But sparkling wine can be a very refreshing option on a hot summer day and it pairs well with many types of food (especially ethnic cuisine like Mexican or Chinese food as well as sushi and dim sum). 

Don't rule out it because of price!

There are many sparkling wines made outside of the Champagne region that go by other names ("cremant" in other regions in France, "prosecco" in Italy, "cava" in Spain, and of course, the sparkling wines made here in the US). 

 

These other sparklers offer a great value, so start celebrating this weekend with one of the value-priced bottles described below. At these prices, you might want to sip sparkling all week-long.

I discovered the Toques et Clochers Cremant de Limoux at BevMo; it’s currently on sale for $13.39. I was pleasantly surprised by this sparkler from the Limoux region located near the southernmost tip of France. It is zesty and light with bright lemony notes. Delightful on its own, it would also pair well with appetizers, salads, olives and cheese.

BevMo is also the best place to stock up on my favorite Napa bubbly in the $17-$25 range, particularly Mumm Brut Rosé and Domaine Carneros Brut. They also carry many Spanish sparklers between $8-$15.

There are also some good less-expensive options at Whole Foods, too. As tempting as the top-shelf varieties of Veuve Cliquot, Moët, and Nicholas Feuilante can be, disregard them and look a little lower for La Marca.

La Marca is a reliable Italian prosecco for $15.99. I’m not adventurous when it comes to Prosecco because some can be borderline sweet (or super-sweet), but the La Marca is crisp and clean and very food-friendly.

And when you have a legitimate special occasion that allows for something a little pricier ($50+), remember the B’s—go for a bottle of Bruno Paillard, Billecart-Salmon, or Bollinger (these three legit Champagnes are all available at Whole Foods, too). 

Get your sparkle on this Saturday and Sunday and celebrate something (anything)!

From "ABC" to Chappellet Chardonnay

About two years ago, the Chappellet Chardonnay was the wine that converted me to a Chardonnay drinker (albeit a particular one). Until then, I had been adamant about proclaiming my drinking habits as "ABC" (anything but Chardonnay).

When I started working at Chappellet Vineyards in 2010, I quickly became a fan of every single wine we poured (including the Napa Valley Chardonnay). This wine has quite a following; over the course of my employment there, many customers told me that they had been enjoying the Chappellet Chardonnay for thirty years. Indeed, the first vintage was 1979, ten years after the Chappellet Family produced their first vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon.

And I imagine that thirty years from now, I will probably still be drinking this particular Chardonnay (and the rest of the Chappellet wines).

Chappellet’s wines are incredibly consistent. The Signature Cabernet Sauvignon always gets 90+ point scores and the Mountain Cuvée Bordeaux-style red blend is always delicious. The wines are so good every vintage because they have been made by the same winemaker, Philip Titus (for almost 25 years), and because the grapes are sourced from the same vineyards year after year. 

So what makes the Chappellet Chardonnay so special?

The fruit is grown in the cool southern part of Napa Valley, specifically the Coombsville area. The wine is made in the Burgundian style, meaning that most of the French barrels used are 3-5 years old. The resulting wine exudes tropical fruit and just a kiss of oak.

The 2010 Chappellet Napa Valley Chardonnay smells like toasted coconut, nutmeg, honey and orange blossom. The palate is at first reminiscent of burnt crème brûlée. Flavors of sweet oak, vanilla, and baking spice roll over the tongue with a creamy texture and good acidity. As the wine warms up, the oaky quality dissipates and flavors of caramelized pineapple and hazelnut prevail.

It’s a wonderful wine to savor on it’s own while lounging on the deck after a long day. It would also pair perfectly with risotto, pasta carbonara, and roast chicken with mashed potatoes.

This bottle was received from the winery for review purposes, but it’s available for purchase from the website (or at Kermit Lynch for $28.99). You can read about their other fantastic vineyard tour here and make an appointment and/or purchase on their website.