What to drink now: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Champagne!

With the release of my debut novel, Where I Want to Be, coming up in the next few weeks, I haven’t had much time to blog (shame on me). I have been busy developing my marketing campaign for the Wine Country Series, reaching out to the wineries mentioned in the first ebook (yes, there will be more!), making a YouTube video in which I read an excerpt from the first chapter and proofreading the final proof of WIWTB. Despite all these non-drinking activities, I have still managed to enjoy some fantastic wines.

I love a crisp Chardonnay on a hot late-summer evening, which we have had a lot of in Marin County recently . The 2011 Castello di Amorosa Reserve Chardonnay, Bien Nacido Vineyard, Santa Barbara ($38/bottle; castellodiamorosa.com)* is a terrific summer sipper with a nose of white flowers, pear and crème brûlee spice. Upon the initial quaff, I almost deemed this wine too oaky for my likes, but as the wine warmed up in the glass and continued to evolve with a little aeration, I could fully appreciate its intricacy. On the palate, this wine offers flavors of Meyer lemon, candied ginger and minerals. With only 20% malolactic fermentation, this wine retains its natural vibrant acidity. The finish is refreshing and clean and enhanced with tropical fruit notes and a whisper of vanilla. This is a great wine to share with girlfriends (or perhaps a good book). Yum!

A slightly chilled Pinot Noir can be just as refreshing... 

If you didn’t catch my post about Pinot Days on July 1st, perhaps you haven’t heard me boast about the awesomeness of Russian River Valley. Last weekend I had a date—his name was Gary Farrell and he was absolutely delicious. From the 2009 vintage, this RRV Pinot Noir ($35/bottle; fpwm.com) has matured nicely and offers up a complex flavor profile of cherry cola, juicy plum and red raspberry. The mouthfeel was super-smooth and lush. The mid-palate kept me intrigued with notes of vanilla, earth and spice. It was a lovely wine; the kind I would definitely say yes to for a second date. ;-)

Last but certainly not least, the other stunner I have had the pleasure of spending time with is Jean Vesselle. From Bouzy, Champagne, the Oeil de Perdrix NV ($29/bottle 375 mL shown or $56/bottle 750 mL; mainstreetwinebar.net) is a 100% Pinot Noir brut rosé. It has a peachy color with aromas of wild strawberry, freshly baked bread, roses and a hint of smoke. It is robust and seductive in the mouth with complementary notes of roasted nuts, bright red fruit flavors and a long delightful finish.

As always, thank you for reading. Please provide comments and questions on my Facebook page and stay tuned for more wine reviews to be posted soon. Cheers!

*This bottle was received for review purposes from Castello di Amorosa. Please contact the winery to purchase.

A sensible Sangiovese from the Napa Valley

Italian grape varieties are fairly uncommon in the Napa Valley. That being said, the few Napa Sangioveses I've had in the past have tasted less like their Italian counterpart and more like a Napa Cabernet. Which made me wonder why a Napa winery would even bother making anything besides Cab. And yet, Castello di Amorosa has committed itself to producing Italian-style wines from Napa-grown grapes. 

Charmed by the architecture and the chickens roaming the landscape, I felt transported to Tuscany when I visited the Castle in Calistoga for a brief tasting in 2010. Since then, the winery has hired a new consulting winemaker and the vineyards have matured in ways that do the Tuscan varieties justice.

I recently opened a bottle of the 2009 Castello di Amorosa Napa Valley Sangiovese ($30/bottle). Upon my initial quaff, the wine was tight and restrained. I poured a little more through a WineSoiree and swirled it around in the glass while my eggplant parmesan warmed up in the oven. It wasn't long before this wine started singing a beautiful tune.

The perfume of rose petal, dried herbs and red cherry hits a very similar note to that of Chianti Classico. On the palate, notes of cranberry and currant shine alongside excellent acidity and dusty tannins. Despite it's Calistoga birthright, this wine definitely has an Old World sensibility.

The wine’s high acid was the perfect match for the tomato sauce with my eggplant parmesan. It was a delightful pairing that continued to get better as the wine continued to flourish. By the end of my meal (and my second glass of wine), sweet aromas of black cherry and ripe plum dominated the nose of this medium-bodied Sangio. Rhubarb and cocoa became more pronounced on the palate, and the finish lingered with juicy cherry and spicy vanilla.

This bottle was received for sample purposes. Please visit the winery’s website for ordering information and to plan your next Tuscan-inspired tour!