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.

Our journey to White Cottage in search of Sangiovese

About this time every year, White Cottage Ranch Winery releases their Howell Mountain Sangiovese. When I called this winery last summer to schedule a tour, I was amazed to hear that the Sangiovese had already sold out. Supposedly it sells out within days! In addition to the Sangiovese's popularity and thus brief availability, I've heard through the grapevine that White Cottage is a truly unique winery.

Was it worth the drive up to Angwin? Absolutely!

Mike, the Assistant Winemaker, came out to greet us. With a thick Boston accent and a friendly humor, he guided us to the well-polished table set with glasses and a tray of bread and olive oil. With a fireplace to our backs and big windows with views of the vineyards, I couldn't but feel right at home; this small parlor we were in exuded a warm coziness that many big wineries lack. Mike sat down with us and proceeded to open a crisp Chardonnay.

As we swirled the Chard, we admitted that we were particularly drawn to the Sangiovese. Mike assured us not to worry, that we'd get there in time (it's a good thing we cancelled our next appointment, we didn't leave until about 2 hours later!).

Before we tried the Sangiovese, we tasted the 2007 Contra Costa County Syrah (robust with gobs of vanilla and blackberry), 2006 Merlot (approachable and easy to drink), 2005 Cab Franc (wow, what a nose!), and two Cabs: 2006 "Risa" Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2005 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon.

Just as Mike was pulling the cork on the Howell Mountain Cab, we were joined by 4 walk-ins. They turned out to be Wine Club members, so they pulled up a chair and Mike grabbed extra glasses. The newcomers said they had been members for years, and they seemed particularly delighted to have arrived just in time for the Howell Mountain Cab. Undoubtedly, it was delicious--big and rich, with balanced fruit and earth, silky tannins and a long finish.

While keeping the atmosphere informal and light-hearted, the assistant winemaker shared lots of industry-related stories and vineyard-specific information about the wines as he poured them.

Finally, Mike brought out that bottle of the Sangiovese. Great acidity was balanced by a tight, mineral core while bright cherry fruit flavors and dusty tannins rounded out the palate. At $45 a bottle, it's not quite an everyday pizza wine, but it was very tasty. I highly recommend it (the Howell Mountain Cab was my second favorite).

One thing that all of these wines had in common was their accessibility; within seconds of being opened, these wines were in full form with attractive aromatics and overt flavors. When I'm not worried about keeping a wine for more than one day, I appreciate this kind of immediate gratification. I enjoyed all of the wines, even the Bordeaux-blend of jug wine that Mike opened last. I can't think of another Napa winery that produces wine in a jug. Indeed, a trip to White Cottage Ranch Winery is a very unique experience!

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!