Merry Chateauneuf-du-Pape!

My family is not known for two things: 1)Buying ultra-expensive wine or 2) Giving Christmas presents.  So, when I got my father three bottles of the Chateau de Beaucastel 2005 Chateauneuf-du-Pape for Christmas, he was not only surprised, but elated.

We had a bottle of this wonderful (and highly rated) wine about a month ago in Greenville, SC at Northampton Wines.  We showed up early for a wine tasting of a less than stellar California wine (to remain unnamed) and ended up staying for a lamb dinner.  The lamb was probably the best we’ve had outside of New Zealand, but was not the star of the show.  That award was given to the Chateau de Beaucastel we had ordered.

It wasn’t until I started looking for a bottle of this wine that I learned, from sources with more resources than I, that it had been ranked #8 in Wine Spectators “Top 100 Wines of 2008″ issue.  Now that I know this very important fact I might try and find more than the measly three bottles that Total Wine had in stock.  Hint:  I saw it for $95 on K &L Wine.

So, what did I learn this holiday? 1) Good presents are hard to come by, but are usually received with great appreciation 2) Not all wines over $100 are over priced and 3)  I can safely say that Wine Spectator was right with one of their rankings!

Victoria Valley Vineyards Allowed Sunday Tastings!

This is great news for winos across the great state of South Carolina.  Victoria Valley Vineyards located in Cleveland, SC and others like it are now allowed to open their doors to patrons on Sundays and offer them tastings of their alcoholic goodness.  Check out the article on GreenvilleOnline.com and stop by to congratulate them on their success!

Chimney Rock via State College

I think I’ve mentioned Chimney Rock before, but never in such an enthusiastic way!  I just visited State College, PA (home of the Penn State Nittany Lion) last week.  It was my job to peruse the local wine shop for a wine suitable for a tasty filet mignon dinner.   The one and only store in the vicinity is what I like to call the North Atherton Wine & Spirits shop.  All of these stores are regulated by the PLCB (Penna Liquor Control Board), so not one can be distinguished from the other by name.

This store is located, obviously, on North Atherton: sandwiched between a Hi-Way Pizza and a Red Lobster.  Once you walk in, you need to head directly to the back left-hand side of the store.  This is where all of the Cabs, Merlots, Syrahs, Pinots, Shirazs and Zinfandels are located.  I actually had a hard time deciding what I wanted to buy.  They had the big name wineries coupled with the big prices, along with many of the day-to-day wines you can find at the Cheesecake Factory.  I thought I would have to bite the bullet and buy a bottle of Nickel and Nickel for an unscenely amount of money, until I looked to the top shelf and saw the recognizable scalloped-edge wine label that Chimney Rock is known for.  Even more to my surprise, this 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon was only $45.00.  For a Stag’s Leap Cab, that price is a steal!

Note:  All Napa Valley wines that say: “Generic Valley Vineyards” 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, it means its 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.  Only when they give them nifty nicknames like: Elevage, Four Sons or Elizabeth is when you need to ask what the blend consists of.  I have never found a wine in Napa Valley that has shown me to the contrary.

I bought the wine along with a Two Hands The Bull and The Bear 2005 Shiraz/Cabernet Blend.  Thankfully it was a relatively inexpensive trip to the wine store.  I headed back to my Penn State haven in College Heights and immediately opened up the bottle of Chimney Rock.  We paired it with filet mignon, garlic mashed potatoes, and mushrooms and greenbeans.  It was perfect.  There is a reason the Wine Spectator gave it a 90 rating.  Its a bold yet smooth Stag’s Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon with hints of tobacco and black fruit, but not over bearing like some others.  For that very reason, you probably couldn’t cellar this wine for the normal 10-15 years; instead its better to drink it within the next five years.

The only problem we ran into that night was that we had to open up the bottle of Two Hands once we finished the Chimney Rock, and it just couldn’t compare.

Mariposa, Mariposa

At Savoury’s in downtown Mariposa, CA the customers are as numerous as the flies (that means that there are a lot).  This is because both the flies and the diners know that the food is good and the atmosphere is comfortable.  Neither the flies nor the growing line outside dissuaded me from entering.

I sat at a window booth and enjoyed a salad, seared scallops and a glass of Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc.  I had just finished a gruelling day-hike in Yosemite and my leg muscles were still twitching.  Thankfully, I had enough time to shower and look presentable for an afternoon meal.  While every other hiker/outdoorsperson was rehydrating after an especially hot day, I gladly took my time with my refreshing glass of white wine.  It was just what I needed after 2000 vertical feet and 5 hours of non-stop hiking.

With Kim Crawford, as will other NZ wines (Re: my favorite Daniel Schuster), your pallate is immediately hit by the terroir.   Instead of intense oakiness or an over powering apricot flavor, you can taste the subtle flavor of the earth in which the vines were grown.  Yes, the earth.  I might be overly concerned with mother nature after my jump into the deep end of Yosemite, but I highly recommend New Zealand whites for this very reason.  After you taste it (you can buy Kim Crawford anywhere) you will know what I am talking about.

The food, the wine and atmosphere at Savoury’s were more than I could’ve asked for…and so were the prices.  Even after paying more than I would’ve at any greasy spoon in Mariposa, I will definitely be back. Next time I’m going to try the Filet Mignon with crab bernaise and a glass of Mariposa Zinfandel; I just wasn’t brave enough this particular night.

Baldacci – Del Vino Rosso

Baldacci Family Vineyars is one of the few vineyards anywhere whose pinots and syrahs are just as good if not better than their cabs.  Although they are pulling grapes from all over the state, the quality and variety of wine they present in their tasting room is astonishing. Not the norm, especially in Napa Valley, especially in Stag’s Leap district.  If you’re good at making cabs you’re not usually good at making much of anything else (except maybe an accompanying white).

Getting to the point, my three favorites are:

1. 2006 “Mathilde” Pinot Noir (Russian River) – Subtle fruit aromas and raspberry flavors up front with enough tannins and spice to finish.

2. 2005 “Allwin” Syrah – Toasty notes combine with vanilla bean and subtle fruit flavors to make this one of my favorites!

3. 2005 “IV Sons” Cabernet Sauvignon – Just what you would come to expect from a Stag’s Leap Cab: Bold with aromas of cherries and figs.  Perfect with any italian dinner.

Grab these three wines for your tasting and sit outside to enjoy the NorCal sun. In the overtly prim Napa atmosphere, you have to take advantage of the few wineries that still embrace a more laid-back, old-country style.  And, if you are lucky enough to visit their caves, try the barrell tasting.  Not too long ago I tasted the “Elizabeth” there, and it was nothing less than phenominal (although, that may have been swayed slightly by the fact that I was amazed at the experience).

 

South Carolina Wine Valley?

Yes, you heard right.  A Wine Valley in South Carolina.  Now, this valley only consists of one vineyard, but its a start for a state that doesn’t see much grape growth.  Victoria Valley Vineyards, located in Cleveland, SC is paving the way for The South to make and sell respectable wines.  If you make a right after the boiled peanuts stand on Rte 11 you can’t miss it.

Victoria Valley Vineyards is a beautiful French inspired stone building overlooking their rolling hills of vines.  You enter the tasting room and are greeted by the normal wine-industry tchotkies for sale as well as some local art.  Then, you can either stand at the tasting counter or proceed to their outdoor patio for a few glasses of wine with lunch.

They are open Monday through Saturday from 11am to 6pm and offer a wide array of salads, sandwiches and the like during lunch hours.  Accompanied by a bottle of wine (the most expensive is barely over $20), a lunch on the veranda is a relaxing escape.

Victoria Valley makes several varietals, most notably a 2004 Merlot.  This particular wine is a palatable blend of spice and cherry notes, exactly what you would expect out of a Merlot.  The body isn’t quite as big and bold as those from more notable valleys, but for the price point, it surely does not disappoint.

Their 2004 Chardonnay is also a fan favorite that exudes a smooth french oak finish.  Perfect for a hot and humid South Carolina summer.  Their offerings are rounded out by a syrah, fume blanc, a few table wines and their first production of Cabernet. 

So, if you’re ever “just passing through,” stop by Victoria Valley Vineyards for a little bit of down-home wine-making with class.  Visit their website for information on upcoming events and their wine club membership.

Am I A [gasp] Collector?

The wonderful thing about buying wine is that you can either enjoy it immediately or test your self-restraint and store it for one-to-ten years before devouring the bottle (depending on its likliness to age well).  I always thought of myself as more of a “buy and enjoy now” kind of consumer.  A bottle of wine sitting patiently in my kitchen was the perfect present for a dinner party or conversation starter when friends would stop by.  Now, I’m not so sure my status as a live-in-the-moment wino remains as such…Am I a Collector?

To me Collectors are creepy.  They spend thousands of dollars on wines they will never drink because the bottle will look much better filling some empty spot in their wine cellar.  What is the point of buying wine if you are to never enjoy it or share it with friends and family?  I have come up with a few theories on why I am currently having this crisis of faith:

1. The Emotional Baggage Theory: After numerous trips to wine valleys all over the world, I am not able to emotionally give up my memories of these visits.  A bottle (or bottles) of wine from some of the most respected vineyards in the world remind me of a time when I was fortunate enough to experience the wine first hand from the winery itself.  I am never sure that I will be able to duplicate this experience in the future and therefore, I don’t want to waste what little memory remains.

2. The “You Can’t Get This Just Anywhere” Theory:  Some of my favorite wines are now scarce and hard to find.  Even calling the winery and asking if they have any left in their library is not enough to replenish my supply.  Bottles that I used to enjoy for a nominal fee are four to five times their initial price, if I am able to find them at all.  Why would I want to drink what I cannot replace?

3. The Ego Theory:  I happen to enjoy opening my guest room and seeing stacks of properly-cooled cases of wines from all over the world.  Its a sense of achievement, not in a monetary sense, but in terms of personal development and wine-knowledge.  With each bottle I learn a little more about grape-growing, wine-making and tasting technique.

But, after months of pondering my predicament I have concluded these three theories do not excuse me from keeping my wine hidden from the world.  This is because wine and what drinking wine in and of itself stands for is not properly displayed by a selfish need to collect.  Buy, open, pour and drink is the only acceptable way to enjoy wine…

 

…that is unless, it will be even more spectacular in five years.

Have Thousands of Dollars Worth of Pocket Change?

…Then bid on Lot #17: 6 Magnums of 1992 Screaming Eagle.  The Napa Valley Vintners Auction is here!  

The festivities commence this Thursday with the Auction Eve Kick-Off Celebrations.  Its a Napa Valley Block Party with 1000 of your closest intoxicated friends!  What a way to get things going.

Then, on Friday “Taste of Napa” is from 11am to 4pm with an “Evening in Napa Valley” series of dinner parties hosted at several Napa wineries.  So many to choose from, you will probably decide just to go to the Rutherford Grill for some corn bread.

Saturday the madness ensues with “A Day in Napa”: several day-time parties at wineries across the valley. The “Live Auction” is in the evening, which offers up hundreds of lots of Napa wines and verticals.  Only the monetarily endowed need attend this lavish auction.

Finally, on Sunday during lunch is the “Farewell Fete”  to wish a fond goodbye to everyone you got to know during the weekend’s events.  If you go home broke, at least you will be “rich” with friends and wine.

Note: If you don’t have four days to spend in Napa then check out their E-Auction at http://www.napavintners.com/auction/

 

No Bones About It

About a week ago I was in Atlanta and was lucky enough to have dinner at one of the best restaurants in the metro area: Bones.  It was a recommendation from a friend of my parents and I feel like I should send flowers and a thank you card.  After a drink at the bar, we were seated in the main dining room surrounded by old photos of famous actors, athletes and musicians: very reminiscent of New York deli.  The food on the other hand is anything but.

My parents and I share similar tastes and agreed that bone-in filet was just what we wanted.  It was perfection; butter-basted perfection.  But no filet can be eaten without a suitable red wine accompaniment. After flipping through the extensive wine list and seeing many of my California favorites, we settled on a Schaeffer Cabernet.  This was due, in most part, to my recent visit and dinner experience at the winery.  It was wonderful for me, but not quite what my father had in mind.

Next, it was his turn.  He chose a Hartwell Cabernet; also based primarily on a prior experience at the winery.  It was different that the Schaeffer, which got better over time.  Upon opening the bottle of Hartwell, it was a deep, smokey, earthy wine that had the most beautiful rich red color.  One of those wines that you could taste it by just looking at it.  The Schaeffer on the other hand had more red fruit up front and developed the heavier tones after breathing for about 30 minutes (I didn’t mind the wait).  This was unacceptable to my father, due in some part to the monetary price we paid.

After agreeing with my father on wines almost all my life, we had the biggest disagreement ever over two of the best wines I’ve had all year. I can think of worse things.

Stag’s Leap District – 2008 V2V…a Re-Cap

A few weeks ago a friend and I drove up to Napa for the Vinyard 2 Vintner event in the Stag’s Leap District.  This area of Napa happens to be one of my favorites (or favourites if you’re in the UK) and houses some of the best wines in the valley.  What this event had to offer, I couldn’t pass up.

On Saturday morning we arrived at Hartwell at 10am for a lovely wine tutorial, taught by Karen Macneil.  We lightly tasted six different cabernets and commented on their aromas, body and taste.  It was clear that my friend was catching on quickly when he said: “I don’t know, but I think I detect an undercurrent of cranberry on my palate.”  He doesn’t normally speak like this, so it was either the booze or the environment (or a little bit of both).  The class took about an hour; we made our way through different aromas, from cigar box to pencil shavings and earth tones and a wide array of tannins.  Whichever glass A-F you liked or disliked, one truth remained constant: Stag’s Leap District has some of the best Cabernet Sauvignon’s in the world.  They pack enough punch to stand up to bold meals, but are soft enough to keep you coming back for more.

After the Sensory Intensive, my friend and I, with our list of open house wineries in hand, drove back down the Silverado Trail to start at the beginning and work our way up.  Throughout the day we meandered slowly from winery to winery whilst telling ourselves to “slow down”, “don’t drink so much” and my personal favorite: “I really don’t need a fifth chilled brie and duck appetizer.”  After five hours, a full belly and a trunk full of wine, we headed back to the hotel to freshen up.  The day was not over.

Our amazing day came to an end with a delightful dinner at Schaeffer Winery.  The food was amazing as was the company (the who’s who of wine makers and winos alike).  We ate more, drank more and took a moment to appreciate the day we had been given in a ever-astonishing location.  Napa has a way of making me want to drop everything, pack a bag, quit my job and crush grapes for the rest of my life.

Upon reflection: I would highly recommend this event to anyone that wants to learn more about wine and the people that make it as wonderful as it is.