Book signing recap at Cornerstone Cellars

We had a great turnout for my first-ever book signing party at Cornerstone Cellars in Napa Valley this past weekend. In my novel, Where I Want to Be, the main characters visit the Cornerstone tasting room in Yountville. It was the perfect venue for my event!

In between chatting with my Wine Country friends and answering questions about my book (no, it’s not autobiographical!) to new fans, I took the chance to taste through the current line up of Cornerstone wines:

2011 Stepping Stone Napa Valley Riesling ($20/bottle): Yes, it’s a dry Riesling! This wine has a fresh and lively attitude with bright citrus notes and an alluring finish.

2011 Willamette Valley Chardonnay ($40/bottle): Lots of Meyer lemon on the palate with a kiss of vanilla and a long finish citrusy finish. This would be an amazing complement to fresh crab. Mmmmm….

2010 Stepping Stone Willamette Valley Pinot Noir ($35/bottle): This delightful Pinot Noir is young and fruity with notes of ripe raspberry, cranberry, and juicy strawberry. Vanilla and spice are super-subtle on the finish. Very easy to drink!

2010 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($65/bottle): This brand-new release has “drink me” written all over it. The rich and complex palate offers delicious notes of dark red berries and dark chocolate supported by velvety tannins. (I went back for seconds of this one!)

2010 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon ($80/bottle): This wine has such a gorgeous perfume that becomes more pronounced with every swirl. Think blackberry jam, fresh sage, and black licorice. On the palate, a mélange of ripe dark fruits charms the taste buds with a finish that lingers seductively until your next sip. A little age on this wine will help smooth out the sturdy tannins. I tasted the 2009 vintage of this wine on Sunday night and it is divine. But it is also quite youthful; it was even better the second day. Don’t forget to decant!

If you're going to be in the Napa Valley this weekend, please visit the Hill Family Estate tasting salon on Saturday, 12/7 from 2-4 PM for my second book signing event!  Click here for more info.

The new tasty Pinot Noir from Tendril Cellars

I had the pleasure of meeting Tony Rynders, Owner/Winemaker of Tendril Cellars, at the Wine Bloggers Conference last year in Portland. Both his 2009 White Label Pinot Noir and 2010 Tight Rope Pinot Noir were among the most memorable wines I tasted the evening of August 16, 2012 (and there were many, many wines that first night of the conference). It was quite the introduction. In case you missed that post, click here.

When Craig Camp of Cornerstone Cellars told me that Tony also makes the Cornerstone Oregon wines (of which I am a big fan), I knew that I could add Tony's private label to my ever-growing list of favorite wineries. I should also mention that before Tony started Tendril, he was the head winemaker at Domaine Serene (what do you know, I adore Domaine Serene wines too). I certainly noticed a pattern here.

I didn’t need to taste the new release from Tendril Cellars to know that I would like it. But what kind of blogger would I be if I didn’t do my homework?

The 2010 Tendril White Label Pinot Noir ($48/bottle) is smooth and supple on the entry. It’s pretty garnet hue suggests a wine of a lighter body as it is just barely transparent in the glass. It is perfumed with ripe red cherry, plum and vanilla notes. The cherry flavors carry through on the palate, accompanied by raspberry and cranberry, with a sprinkling of white pepper and baking spice. It has that dusty quality I associate with Oregon Pinot and a subtle elegance. I think it’s interesting that the fruit was sourced from six appellations within the Willamette Valley; its unique composition is 79% Yamhill-Carlton, 6% McMinnville, 6% Chehalem Mountains, 4% Eola Hills, 3% Ribbon Ridge and 8% Dundee Hills. Only 404 cases produced!

This deliciously dreamy wine that was an exquisite match with a selection of both soft and hard cheeses. But cheese was only the appetizer. Dinner that night was homemade hamburgers on a pretzel bun with bacon and avocado. This Pinot was a fantastic wine for the red meat as well as the smoky bacon flavors. For a more high-brow pairing, I would suggest lamb ragout with pasta, roast chicken with sautéed mushrooms, or a white pizza with sausage and caramelized onions.

The Tendril Pinot Noirs can be ordered directly from the website, which I suggest you do before they sell out. Cheers!

2010 Cornerstone Oregon Pinot Noir: awesome pairing potential

The ZAP Festival was fun, but I think my favorite tasting event of the year is Pinot Days. This year, it’s held in San Francisco on June 30th (I've already requested tickets). For this reason and more, summer can’t come soon enough!

At last year’s Pinot Days, I discovered many new wines, some of which I consider favorites to this day. I blogged about quite a few of the stand-outs on June 17th, but one wine in particular that continues to wow me is the Cornerstone Oregon Pinot Noir ($50/bottle; cornerstonecellars.com) sourced from vineyards throughout the Willamette Valley.

The most recent vintage, 2010, is a stunner with bright aromas of red berries, rose petal, cola, and sweet vanilla. Of medium weight and intensity, this wine flourishes in the mouth with notes of red cherry, currant, slight smoke, and dried herbs. Vivacious acidity and dusty tannins provide an intriguing texture and a long savory finish. With integrated oak and balanced fruit flavors, this wine is distinguished and ever so pleasant to drink.

*If you like Willamette Valley Pinot as much as I do, you will also want to check out this wine’s younger sibling, the 2010 Stepping Stone Pinot Noir ($30/bottle).

When I served the 2010 Cornerstone Oregon Pinot Noir at a dinner party two weeks ago, I prepared a simple meal of pork chops, cauliflower puree, and sautéed spinach to enjoy with it. The wine was delicate enough to not overpower the food and the flavors paired seamlessly. Had I poured a Cabernet along side this meal, it would not have worked.

Pinot Noir as a variety has so much food-pairing potential. Many Pinots are versatile enough to sip casually with cheese and crackers and complement many different dishes. Pinot Noir and pork is definitely a pairing I will enjoy again soon, but it’s also worth mentioning that Pinot is great with roasted salmon, turkey, and mushroom risotto.

What do you like pairing with Pinot Noir??

This bottle was received for review purposes from the Cornerstone Cellars. Please visit them in Yountville, California and Gaston, Oregon or online at www.cornerstonecellars.com. Cheers!

 

Stepping Stone Pinot Noir pairs well with a movie

During the few years that I lived in the Napa Valley, I always considered taking wine when I went to the movies. My friends said they always did it, and, to be honest, I would expect the theaters in wine country to serve wine in the first place. After this weekend, I can say that I have successfully smuggled wine into a movie theater (just don’t tell the folks at the Century Larkspur Landing).

But seriously, when they’re warning you to turn off your cell phone and keep quiet during the film, they don’t say anything about refraining from drinking your own wine. Besides, we weren’t the only wine drinkers in the theater! I noticed a guy sitting near us holding a wine glass. Alas, this post could also be titled, “When to take your own wine, part two”. (Part one referred to when to take your own wine to dinner, but since movie theaters don’t serve wine…)

It’s almost Halloween and the movie pickings are slim (unless you like scary movies). A friend and I decided to go see “Seven Psychopaths”, which I agreed to because it was supposedly a comedy and it had a great cast (including Christopher Walken, Colin Firth, and Abbie Cornish). Everything is better with a great bottle of wine; in my bag, I stashed the 2010 Stepping Stone by Cornerstone Pinot Noir ($35/bottle).

*Although a wine with a screw-cap is ideal to take to the movies, this wine has a cork closure. I keep a wine key in my glove compartment for times like these. If you try this [at the theater], please use caution when cutting the foil in the dark!

I forgot the GoVino cups, but even out of a paper cup, the Stepping Stone Pinot Noir is a delight. It has a pretty perfume of raspberry, wild cherry, dusty rose, and the telling aroma of fresh earth that I associate with most Oregon Pinots. On the palate, the cherry notes are complemented by vanilla, spice, red currant and soft tannins. Bright acidity and a long finish of juicy red berries makes this a great wine for sipping solo or pairing with all kinds of foods (it would be great with pork, ahi tuna, or anything with mushrooms).

“Seven Psychopaths”, which consisted of some funny parts and a few very gory scenes, might not be a must-see in my book, but I definitely recommend you try this wine.

Made with grapes sourced from 6 of the appellations within the Willamette Valley of Oregon under the tutelage of Tony Rynders, this Pinot Noir was matured in French oak (35% new) for 13 months. Unlike its more complex, age-worthy companion [the 2010 Cornerstone Cellars Willamette Valley Pinot Noir ($50/bottle)] the Stepping Stone Pinot is designed to be enjoyed in all its youthful glory.

I love the label art, too! It seems appropriate for such a pretty, whimsical, and lively wine to be labeled with a painting called, “Color of Life”, by Oregon artist Janet Ekholm.

This wine was received as a sample courtesy of Cornerstone Cellars. Need a wine tasting recommendation? Read my post about the Cornerstone Tasting Room and go visit them in Yountville. Cheers!

On my next trip to Oregon wine country...

Just when I was starting to have withdrawal from Oregon Pinot Noir, I received a delivery from Youngberg Hill Winery.

I was excited to open the 2009 Natasha Pinot Noir ($30/bottle), a very limited production. Off came the screwtop and I poured myself a large glass of this ruby-red wine. The complexity of the nose was very appealing; it smelled of red cherry, raspberry, root beer, and licorice. On the palate, flavors of tart cherry, red currant, cola commingle with bright acidity and subtle notes of baking spice. The wine ends with a juicy, mouthwatering finish.

The first glass I paired with roast chicken and veggies, and then I indulged in another glass while I nibbled on goat cheese and fresh figs. The wine was very versatile and delicious; it could definitely hold up to even more hearty dishes.

After enjoying this delightful wine, I was even more disappointed that I didn’t get to visit Youngberg Hill in person when I was in Portland last month—it looks like a beautiful property with a charming Vineyard Inn. I’m already planning my next trip to Oregon and I know exactly where I want to stay!

Youngberg Hill is in McMinnville, about 25 miles from the coast. It was purchased in 2003 by Wayne Bailey; he relocated there with his family from the Midwest. The vineyards, which were planted in 1989, are farmed organically and named after Wayne's three young daughters—the “Jordan” and “Natasha” blocks are planted to Pinot Noir, and “Aspen” is a small planting of Pinot Gris. Combined, they produce less than 1000 cases a year.

This wine was received courtesy of Youngberg Hill for review purposes. Please visit their website to acquire your own!

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!

Oregon Pinot at its finest

Domaine Serene has been one of my favorite Oregon Pinot Noir producers for some time now. I became reacquainted with their delicious wines at Pinot Days last month.


The 2009 Domaine Serene Yamhill Cuvée Pinot Noir ($45/bottle) is a beautiful example of elegance and earthiness. Ruby-hued and transparent, this wine smells of cherry blossom and dried herbs. It greets your taste buds with flavors of black cherry and red currant. The mid-palate displays leather and earthy notes. The bright acidity is followed by a dry, long-lasting finish of red fruit.

This wine is a delight. It shows refinement and restraint, and the potential to cellar for many years. Delicious to drink on it own but would pair nicely with pork chops or any dish with mushrooms. 

The winery and sustainably farmed vineyards are located in Yamhill County in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. In addition to Pinot Noir, they produce small quantities of Chardonnay and Syrah. Their wines regularly receive 90-95 point scores from wine publications. I have yet to visit their tasting room, but I've heard many good things about the experience.

As I said above, I have been a fan of Domaine Serene wines for a while now. They are not a new establishment; in fact, the winery is celebrating their 20th anniversary this year.

The first time I had the opportunity to taste one of their wines was about six years ago; at the time, I worked at Wine Spectator Magazine and Harvey Steiman had just finished a tasting of more than 60 Oregon Pinot samples (meaning there were 60 almost-full bottles of Pinot Noir up for grabs). I was drawn to the elegant label of the Domaine Serene. It was--and still is--quite the memorable wine.

I received this bottle of the Yamhill Cuvée for review purposes. You can order it from their website and it's also available at K&L Wine Merchants. Cheers!