Dallas Wine Chick

Can’t Drive 55!

This was the photo that I got from my lead footed husband as he made the solo drive from the Portland Airport to join me on a tour through Prosser, Red Mountain and Yakima.  I was lucky enough to have one of the top experts, Margot, and her husband, Dave,  show us Washington “wine o’clock” style.

You see, John didn’t join me until after #wbc10 was over. He’s a bourbon boy from the South and while he has a strong appreciation of wine and a collection that reinforces that point, seven days of wine tasting would render him to a state where he would want to poke his eyes out with a fork.  For the sake of our marriage and my enjoyment of the experience, he arrived late on Sunday. 

Unfortunately he missed out on some wonderful experiences.  Our first stop was family-owned L’Ecole. The name, L’Ecole Nº 41 is French for “the school”.  The winery is located in district 41 in historic Frenchtown, a small community outside of Walla Walla that was named for the many French Canadians that settled there in the early 1800s. 

We arrived at the converted schoolhouse that serves as the tasting room and were greeted by Jamie, a fun new friend who hosted us for a fantastic vertical tasting of library wines.  We began with a refreshing glass of the 08 Estate Luminesce ($19) that I loved, but alas, it was completely sold out.  We then tasted the 99, 03 and 07 Apogee from Pepper Bridge Vineyard and the 03 and 07 Estate Perigee from Seven Hills Vineyard.  I personally loved the Apogee – especially the earlier vintages that tasted of earthiness, black cherry, cassis and notes of chocolate.  The evolution in the glass was noteworthy and I left with a case of my own to taste test in the future.

Our next stop was to Va Piano Vineyards to meet Winemaker Justin Wylie.  Its motto: “Chi va piano, va sano e va lontano.” The translation is “He who goes slowly, goes safely and goes far” – an old Italian saying and the winery’s approach to living. This recommendation came from Greg Kassanoff, who owns Pioneer Wine here in Dallas.  We started with two Brunos Blend I and VI wines, one Sauvignon Blanc and one red blend as well as the Semillon.  Father Bruno Segatta, who Justin met during his time at Gonzaga University, is an artist and selfless priest.  Father Segatta inspired Justin to give back to the community. When the Bruno blends are sold out, Va Piano donates a portion of the proceeds to a charity of Father Bruno’s choice.  We tried two Syrah’s – the 07 Syrah and 08 Estate Syrah, which were inky black, spicy and fabulous.  But it was the 07 Cabernet that made me a card carrying member of Va Piano’s wine club.  At $38 a bottle, it rivaled some of Napa’s heavy hitters currently in my cellar.  Let’s just say that I cancelled my Far Niente membership because I liked it that much (the rule in my house is that if I add a wine club, I must cancel a wine club – actually my husband made up this rule after one particular Visa bill).

The next day, we made a brief stop at Airfield Wines where my favorite wine was the Aviator ( $30). It was a big Bordeaux style blend and since my cousin is in process of finalizing his clearance to be a fighter pilot, I loved the history of the winery.

The next day we headed to visit Alexandria Nicole Cellars.  Because Margot and Dave were wine club members, we were given VIP treatment and access to the back room, where we tried more than 16 wines on their tasting list – we even showed restraint as they have 21 varietals.  My favorites included the 07 Jet Black Syrah, 09 Rousanne, 08 Quarry Butte (ah Quarry Butte…), 07 Cabernet and 08 Crawford Viognier.  We also had the chance to sample some older vintages – the 03 and 05 cabernets and merlots from Alexandria Nicole’s enomatics system.  Again, the evolution in the glass and the changes over a two-year period were notable.

Then it was time for lunch.  I was excited to finally meet Scott who has been a long-time friend on Twitter, but I wasn’t prepared for the red carpet that was rolled out by my new Washington friends.  We went to eat at Tuscany and were met by Coop, Sara and Kevin.  Coop brought a bottle of his not yet released 08 Pinot Gris and it paired perfectly with the delicious food.

Mark your calendars for the debut of Cooper Wine Company’s Red Mountain grand opening on Sept. 11.  If his Bordeaux-style reds rival the Pinot Gris, you won’t be sorry. 

We left Tuscany and I had the chance to experience Fidelitas Wines in Red Mountain.  We originally planned to visit several wineries on Red Mountain, but were drawn in by Charlie Hoppes’ big red wines at Fidelitas Wines along with the hospitality of Marilyn and Cindy.  Let’s just say that another case of wine now has a home in Dallas that includes the 07 Red Mountain Cabernet Franc ($40), the 07 Jaguar red ($20), 2007 Champoux Vineyard Cabernet  ($60) and 07 Red Mountain Red ($50).   

P.S. Here is a photo of the not debuted yet packaging…

Our last and final stop was Sean Gilbert at Gilbert Cellars in Yakima where we tasted an array of reds, whites and a Rose’ of Mourvedre paired with cheeses, olives and Marcona almonds.  While I enjoyed every one of his wines, it was the 07 Cabernet Sauvignon ($28) and 07 Cabernet Franc ($32) that will be joining us in Dallas once the Texas heat has diminished.

Sean also talked us out of our dinner selection and sent us to an unmarked sports bar with a hunter complete with a scoped rifle as the signage.  Thankfully we trusted him and enjoyed a great dinner with a bottle of Gilbert Cellars’ Malbec.  We ended the evening hanging out with Margot and Dave in their room where we told stories and toasted a wonderful trip with a few special favorite wines.

Desert Wind Winery – A Five Star Experience

After #WBC10, my husband, John, and I were invited to stay at Desert Wind Winery in Prosser, WA, with Margot, her husband, Dave, Barbara and her boyfriend, Jason.  Margot told me what a beautiful place the winery was and that we were in for a treat.  We usually take family vacations to an amazing resort in Punta Mita, Mexico, so I just expected a pleasant winery stay.  Let’s just say that sans beach this was a comparable five-star experience. 

Courtesy of Desert Wind Winery

Desert Wind Owners Greg and Amber Fries served as exemplary hosts from the moment we arrived and greeted us with a refreshing glass of Sauvignon Blanc on the spacious patio.  We had some time to relax in a fabulous, fully-stocked suite that had everything one could need from bottles of wine to munchies to luxurious bath products (and I love luxurious bath products). 

Just when I didn’t think it could get any better, we started our food/wine experience. We began with a tour of the winery and had the opportunity to barrel taste the 08 Petite Verdot, 08 Barbera and 08 Tempranillo. I was impressed that Greg was so willing to go off the beaten path of the varietals to  see what wines would blossom with his talent.

Chef Frank Magana and Darren Dewalt from Picazo 7 Seventeen treated us to a multi-course dinner paired with Desert Wind and Duck Pond wines (Greg is also the wine maker).  The food parade started with Dungeness Crab Cakes with Chipotle Aioli Firecracker Prawns, Patatas Bravas, various wonderful cheeses, Marcona Almonds and Olives, paired with Desert Wind’s 2008 Sauvignon Blanc and  2009 Viognier.  My foodie and chef hobbyist husband was absolutely in heaven.  I innocently asked Chef Magana exactly how many course were coming and realized some restraint from the appetizers would be necessary in order to stay the course.

The good news is that you too can enjoy Mojave by Picazo at Desert Wind, which is open noon – 3 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays.  But back to this meal, this glorious meal….

Our first course was Prosciutto-wrapped Mixed Field Greens with Ancho Chile Vinaigrette, paired with 2009 Dry Rose’ and 2008 Semillon. If you read this column regularly, you know I’m not the biggest fan of Rose and I’m allergic to pork, so I choose the Semillon and had a special menu adaptation.

We moved on to the Basil-Stuffed Salmon with Tempranillo Pan Sauce, Blue Prawns & Trumpet Mushrooms with Cream paired with a 2008 Tempranillo and 2006 Duck Pond Cellars ‘St. Jory’ Pinot Noir, one of the many library wines we tried. Loved, loved, loved this course.

And then came the beef – the filet of Beef Tenderloin Ruah Sauce, Black Truffle Risotto followed by Grilled Lamb Chops with Ruah-Garlic Marinade was delightful. The meats and sauce paired perfectly with a vertical of Desert Wind Ruah wines from 04, 05, 06 and 08.  Sublime.

I was glad to have run that morning (even though I got lost like an idiot) because the dessert plate … well, it rocked.  It was a trio of Espresso Crème Brulee, a Chocolate Crème Brulee and then a Gorgonzola Truffle.  It’s been a few weeks now and I still fantasize about that darn truffle matched with a 04 Duck Pond Port.

When I returned from my run the next morning, there was a food basket waiting for us with yogurt, fresh fruit, baked goods, coffee and other assorted goodies that we enjoyed on our balcony.

If you are looking for a great winery and gourmet food married with a five-star resort experience that is centrally located near several great wineries in Prosser, I highly recommend checking out the hospitality of Amber and Greg.  It will certainly be an experience that you will always remember and I’m certainly looking forward to my return.

My Diary Recap of #wbc10

Now for the #WBC10 experience.  It’s hard to know where to start so I thought I’d put it in diary form to try to capture the essence and experience.  Please keep in mind that while I took notes, I found that my early morning notes tended to be a little more detailed and legible than those taken later in the evening.

Thursday, June 24

The moment I’ve been waiting for – I’m here.  I’ve survived the wine bloggers road trip and the confused GPS due to a newly-opened highway.  We have reached the Marcus Whitman Hotel.  It’s historic and lovely.  We were greeted in the lobby by William with an open bottle of wine and Riedel glasses.   I think I’m going to like this place.

After trying to figure out which pre-party to attend,  several of us made our way to Basel Cellars where several wine makers including Reininger Winery were pouring some excellent wines.  My favorite wine from Basel Cellars was the 06 Basel Cellars Inspired, which was made in a traditional Bordeaux style blend.  It was a well balanced wine with stone fruit and spice.  My favorite wines from Reininger included the Helix Red 05 with big raspberry, oakiness, blueberry, plum and black currant as well the 07 Cabernet Sauvignon.

We received a tour and were shown  the “man cave”.  This is the ultimate finger in the air room to the divorced wife.  When we jokingly asked about the stripper pole, we quickly found out that it had been removed just for our visit.

So we just call this photo, “Bloggers Gone Wild.”

Friday, June 25

I thought I’d start the conference out on a good note and went for a run though the town of Walla Walla.  Never before have I been to a conference where registration opened at 10 a.m. and there was wine served freely in the registration area.  Liza (my roomie) and I decided to take a quick walk through town in an attempt to not overindulge this early.  I found that we were definitely a curiosity to the locals.  We were asked many times about how we made a living by blogging.  I think we dashed many hopes when we explained that most of us just had a passion for wine and did this on our own time and funds.

The conference opened with a taco truck tasting lunch.  Very humorous to see the décor of what looked to be a Texas BBQ but featured chicken, Walla Walla beef and beef tacos.  With a big syrah, I have to say that they rocked.

So, it’s now 2 p.m. and the conference officially begins (my kind of start time).  We kicked it off with the wine blogger awards and I attended the Advanced Wine Blogging session with Joe Roberts, Jeff Lefevere and RJ Hilgers.  I admire and respect these guys and they had some great advice for someone who aspires to be a better writer, increase my readership and make Dallas Wine Chick a top wine experience destination.  As expected, I have a long way to go, but thanks to them I have a great foundation to get there.

We then experienced speed dating for wine. Picture 300 bloggers at 60 tables with computers, iPads, iPhones, Blackberries and every other technology device known to man.  Imagine 60 wine makers, who are given 5 minutes per wine to pour, describe and answer questions.  And then…. switch.  Our table tasted 12 wines – a mix of everything from high end to box wine.   This was a great way to get to know a variety of different wines and wine makers.  Obviously spitting was mandatory and it was funny to see the very honest comments on the big screen Tweetup.

After dinner, we advanced to the Walla Walla Walkabout with the Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance or as we called it the WWWWWVWA.  Basically it was a progressive tasting room party that allowed us to get a feel for the wines of the region.  We ended up at the Charles Shaw party where they served rock star wines out of plastic cups since we missed the library tasting earlier.  It was quite the burlesque show, but when the dancers’ pasties started to flame, I realized I was a little …. old. Judging from the amount of bloggers that stayed out until after 4 a.m., I missed quite the party.

Liza and I found an open tasting room and proceeded to be amused by a really drunk couple.  When the man left for the bathroom we watched the woman pop no less than ten huge chocolate covered strawberries into her mouth.  I can’t imagine the sugar and alcohol induced highs and lows that she must have experienced later.

Saturday, June 26

You couldn’t have attended this conference without hearing through the grapevine it was my birthday.  Not because I was obnoxious about letting everyone know, but because my friends broadcast it everywhere I went – by mouth, by Facebook, by Twitter.  I’m jumping ahead a bit, but it was such an awesome surprise to be invited by Margot and Dave over for a glass of wine and find an awesome chocolate cake with my name on it!  The bottles of wine that I received as birthday gifts were absolutely amazing and everyone’s generosity continued all day – from bloggers, wineries and distributors.  Thank you, thank you, thank you all for making a birthday that was spent away from my family one that I will remember forever.  It really was nice to coincide #wbc10 with #mbc10 (melanie’s birthday conference).

We started the conference that day early with a departure before 9 a.m.  We randomly picked a bus as no destinations were given and I was thrilled to find Kevin Pogue, a renowned geologist whose talk I missed that morning while I was in the gym, was our leader.  Our first stop was Waters Winery, which was founded in 2005.  We stopped at the Forgotten Hills vineyard and learned about Jamie Brown’s approach of celebrating the land by making distinct, “old world” wines that express the “time and place.”  We tried the 09 Rose ($18) and the 08 Forgotten Hills Syrah ($40).  The syrah was a big boy with earthiness, truffles, pepper and mushroom.

We had a little time to kill, so we stopped by Cayuse Vineyards, a miracle started by a French winemaker that fell in love with a few acres of farmland that was covered in stones.  Fast forward a few years and Cayuse is one of the most acclaimed wineries in Washington.  While we didn’t get to try their wines, I am absolutely intrigued with the terroir and what they are able to produce from the land.

Our next stop was my favorite – Leonetti Cellars where we had the great opportunity to try two other wines.  Tom Schafer from aMaurice poured Sparrow Viognier, which is made by his daughter, Anna.  The wine tasted of big peach, citrus and other stone fruits with almond on the nose.  I really liked this, but with only 37 cases produced, it is long gone.  Winemaker Ken Hart from Tulpen Cellars poured his Dryland Cabernet Sauvignon.  It needed some more time in the bottle, but it had nice balance and a big berry/currant taste.  Then we hit the mecca – Leonetti Reserva 05.  I described it in my tasting notes as a “symphony in a glass.”  Big blend of morels, clove, blueberry and cinnamon that could age for another 20 years.

We then ventured to Cougar Crest Winery where they had a nice lunch for us and we were able to taste a variety of their wines.   I loved that Cougar Crest sold wine for “medicinal purposes” throughout Prohibition.  My favorite wine there was the award-winning 05 Reserve Syrah that was spicy with big fruit.

Then back to the conference.  I attended a great session given by Andrea Robinson, Barbara Evans and David Honig about growing your audience from other bloggers to consumers and got some great advice from some talented and successful bloggers.

It was then that I rebelled when I found out the “unconference” was occurring on the patio outside.  I went to my room and proudly got my bottle of Turley 05 Petite Syrah from Haynes Vineyard.  And, that’s when I found out I was an amateur.  We had vintage Bordeauxs, expensive champagnes, big California cult cabernets and everything in between along with conversation, laughter and one blogger with a cigar.

We ended the afternoon with live wine blogging with a focus on red wines.  Lesson from that – be sure to bring the package of Wine Wipes to keep your teeth from turning purple.  Our dinner that night was sponsored by the Washington Wine Commission with a keynote from Lettie Teague of the New York Times.  The food was awesome, the wines at our table were delicious and Lettie’s insight about the wine industry was spot on.  We adjourned to an after hours party hosted by Rias Baixas Albarino and wines from Spain where we tasted a multitude of albarino wines.  We were then whisked away by Reininger for a midnight party. I continued my enjoyment of the Helix Red and tried a secret spooky wine that I loved but can’t tell you any more detail.  Sorry — what happens at Reininger stays at Reininger.  It’s the rules of fight club.

Sunday, June 27

The next morning came quickly, but the morning session with Andrew Lazorchak, fellow Texan Ben Simons and Joe Herrig entitled “Top Gun Blogging,” was well worth the time.  The highlight of the day was a wine/food pairing seminar with Chef Jeffrey Saad, who was smart, entertaining, well spoken and discussed some great overall trends about wine, cheese, meats and other new/old pairings.  We then had a fabulous lunch that the Click Wine Group and Chef “Bear” Ullman hosted with a variety of well-paired white and red wines with everything from sliders to tuna tartar to a goat cheese tart that I still think about.

Unless you are not following the Wine Bloggers Conference or you slept in that day, you know about the announcement that the Wine Bloggers Conference 2011will be held in Charlottesville, Virginia.  A controversial, yet interesting choice.  Aside from my initial reaction from my Virginia wine tasting last month, I think I’ll reserve my judgment until I’ve researched more about what Virginia wines have to offer.  At a minimum, I’ll have a great time seeing the wine blogging mafia next July.

My Pre-WBC Conference Love Affair with Oregon Wines

In reading the materials for the Wine Bloggers Conference, one theme remained the same.  Figure out your blogging strategy.  Clearly, I failed miserably in heeding this advice.  Part of it was that I was fully engaged on Twitter during the conference.  Part of it was the pre-trip to Oregon and the post-trip to Washington State with a fellow friend, blogger and co-worker.   And, finally, it was the massive workload explosion that I walked back into that consumed me.

So why don’t I start at the beginning?  I was lucky enough to be invited to an unofficial pre-conference trip that originated in Portland going to the Willamette Valley.  Since I was arriving later than the rest of the bloggers I fully expected to fund my own cab for the hour plus trip that began at Solena Grand Cru Estates.  But no, this is Oregon wine country so  I found myself in a car with Amy, a delightful tour guide and person who welcomed me with the biggest chocolate, peanut butter and Rice Krispies covered donut that I’ve ever seen.  After ripping it in half and handing half to Amy, I joyfully took a bite of my first donut in probably five years.

Voodoo Donuts

As we reached the gates of Solena, our bloggers chariot awaited — a candy apple red double decker bus.

The Double Dutch Bus Coming Down the Street

The day only got better from there.  We toured the winery and got to experience “do it yourself blending.  If you didn’t like the blend, you could only blame yourself, but it is hard not to succeed with so many good wines at Solena.

Rolling out the red carpet

We were then seated for a four course lunch prepared by chef Matthew Howard matched with Solena Estate’s wines.  The first course, early summer corn soup with fingerling potatoes, prosciutto and basil oil with 08 Solena ElvenGlade Vineyard Chardonnay.  The second course, Plank-roasted wild sockeye salmon with fava bean puree, shaved fennel salad, rhubard and nectarine compote with 07 Solena Domaine Danielle Laurent Pinot Noir.  The third course, grilled cascade natural flat iron steak with yukon gold potato and leek hashbrown with heirloom cherry tomato relish with an 08 Solena Hyland Pinot Noir.  Our dessert course matched a rosemary and fleur de sel shortbread, oregon strawberries, Bellweather Farms carmody cheese with an 08 Solena Late Harvest Riesling.

Early Corn Soup

Plank-roasted sockeye salmon

Our next stop was Soter Vineyards where we were greeted with a glass of sparkling rose.  Even though it had rained for six weeks straight in Portland, we had an absolutely gorgeous day.  My favorite was the  2007 Mineral Springs Ranch Pinot Noir with big notes of plum, earth and cherry.

Time at Soter

We wrapped our winery tour with Anne Amie, which is well known for its Pinots, but offers a wide array of affordably priced red and white wines.  I was familiar with the Pinot Noir because I discovered it at Veritas Wine Bar in Dallas and it sold out quickly.  We were surprised to learn that the winemaker Thomas Houseman first had a career as a modern dancer.  This was something interesting to try to reconcile after several glasses of wine.

Thomas Houseman, wine maker and former dancer

We were feeling lucky, so our bus stopped off the beaten path so we could buy Powerball tickets and beer.  I can’t imagine what the gas station attendants were thinking when our fire engine red bus stopped and Liza ran in with a fist full of money.  Alas, we were too late.  Powerball had closed.  We decided to donate our money to next year’s Wine Blogger Scholarship Fund instead.  So I thought… but I recently learned that a different scenario actually took place.

Our hospitality continued with a BBQ at Mary and Sean Cressler’s house, who live in the city in a fabulous home in a charming historic neighborhood.   Their backyard was made for entertaining.  Sean had spent the day smoking a pork butt for us.  The wines flowed freely, the weather on their back patio was spectacular, the conversation was hilarious and the food, oh the food.  Because I have pork allergies, I tried everything else from the tofu that they grilled for me (which was surprisingly tasty), the smoked salmon dip, the veggies, freshly baked bread and anything else that I could cram in my mouth.  Everyone else raved about the pork actually before, during and after the conference.  This was the day the diet died…

It was close to midnight so I was dropped off at my hotel – or so I thought.  The Marriott Courtyard had bumped me to another hotel.  When I got there, I was given the only room left – the one with the handicapped bathroom.  I was tired and in hindsight, trying to navigate the shower was pretty humorous the next day after an hour run throughout the city.

We were then off on our next adventure – the caravan to Walla Walla.  Mary had set up a private tour with Bob Morus of Phelps Creek Vineyards where we spent a great deal of time learning about the intricacies of the winery and harvest.  Since I geek out during conversations like this with the winemaker, I was in heaven and thought it was fascinating that they have two wine makers — one American and one French that make two entirely different styles of Pinot.  I personally loved the 08 Cuvee Alexandrine, a big Burgundian style Pinot.

Bob Morus from Phelps Creek

My husband can attest that I am not usually a road trip person and I was a little hesitant to spend hours with folks that I’d met only on Twitter.  However, this was not your usual road trip.  From blasting tunes that I enjoyed from elementary school with Jason (Duran Duran and Missing Persons if you must know) to having a conversation imposed “time out” to force Doug to work on his client deadline while I became even more addicted to the Zombies and Plants game on my iPad, it was an experience that I’ll never forget and definitely hope to have again.

A special shout out to Lynette (and Amy) for their unmatched hospitality.  You truly gave as an experience that will be hard to replicate.

Top Things Learned at #wbc10

1. You may have the opportunity to let another blogger who cannot attend live the experience through your eyes. Otherwise known as the what you say can and will be used against you adage Vintage Texas

2. Under any circumstances possible, schedule your birthday to coincide with #wbc11. Trust me on this. From the presents of bottles of birthday wine to a fun surprise birthday party to being poured non-stop Velvet Glove wine from the Molly Dooker folks months before its US debut (thanks  Brian Pasch), it was an amazing time and every one is really nice to you on your birthday. I prefer to refer to #wbc as #mbc (“Melanie’s Birthday Conference”).

3. Get to know your local distributors, wine representatives and others in the industry. Thanks to Greg Kassanoff, CEO from Pioneer Wine Company, I was invited to several special events and had the chance to spend some time with Justin Wylie from J Piano, whose wine club I immediately joined after the tasting.

4. Share a room. As a married person for almost 16 years, I was planning to have my own room until a mutual friend asked if I’d mind sharing with another female blogger who needed accommodations. I ended up with the most fun roommate in Liza and she became my running buddy at all events.

5. Attend the unconference events. In the midst of one of our sessions, a note was sent out on Twitter that an unofficial wine tasting was in process on the back patio. As I slipped out in between the sessions, I found the bottle of Turley that I brought from home paled in comparison with the vintage Bordeaux’s, high end champagne and other cellar selections from other bloggers. 

6. Bring your list of Twitter handles included in the #wbc handbook. It was so much fun to put faces and names with personalities that I’ve come to know and love over the past year and a half.

7. Spit. Thankfully this is a lesson that I didn’t need to learn. If you were to ingest all the wine that is offered to you especially during speed tasting, you would end up curled up in a ball in a corner somewhere. You already need a bionic liver to hold your own here anyway.

8. Open your mind and try to put aside preconceived notions. While I can’t say I left the conference with a differing opinion on rosé, I did try it and know that there is one person on a mission to convince me to change my mind.  Mary, I’m happy to continue trying….

9. Partner with the local experts. I had the opportunity to spend three days with one of Washington’s top wine bloggers Write for Wine and her husband, Dave. They taught me so much about the region, introduced me to some amazing wines and truly rolled out the red carpet.

10. Exercise daily. Just trust me on this. It clears your head, jump starts your metabolism (you desperately need this based on the 6,000 calories that you consume daily with food and wine) and there is not a better way to see your surroundings.  The reactions of your fellow bloggers as they pass you in the exercise room on the way to the conference are priceless.

11. My bonus tip is to buy flair. The ribbons are sassy, fun and help define your personality. Find Thea and know that your money will go to the scholarship fund to send a deserving blogger to #wbc11.

Sojourn, Mounts Family Vineyard and Michel Schlumberger

It was my last day in Napa and it was going to be a great day to spend time with friends.  I started the morning with a five-and-a-half mile run where I chased the hot air balloons gliding through the vineyards of Calistoga.  After finishing a fantastic gourmet breakfast at our charming new bed and breakfast find, the Cornerstone Inn, my husband and I waited for our driver from St. Helena Wine Tours to pick us up.  Tom pulled up at the bottom of the hill – in a shiny black Jaguar.  (Insert theme song from the Jefferson’s here as this is not usually the way we roll).

The sun was shining and the Valley was radiant as we began our drive to Sojourn, one of my favorite Sonoma Pinot producers.  I was excited about the wine as we have been loyal consumers over the years, but as excited to meet a long-time Twitter friend, @winebratsf, live.  Both met my high expectations.  I knew from experience that I would enjoy the 08 Sonoma Cost (earth and oak, needed some time in bottle); Sangiacomo Vineyards (cherry and earth) and Gap’s Crown Vineyards (blueberry, cherry and spice) – all priced at $48.  But, I was excited about trying the new 08 Rodgers Creek Pinot Noir.  I loved the ripe berry taste of Burgundian cherry, floral aroma and spiciness.  We then tried three cabernets that I feel are amongst the better cabernets from the trip.

We started with the 06 Sonoma Cabernet, which was a steal at $39.  It was a big blend of currant and black cherry flavors with lots of spice.  The 06 Mountain Terraces Vineyard Reserve Cabernet ($75) was full of dark fruit with earthiness and cedar.  We ended with the 07 Home Ranch Vineyard Cabernet ($39), which tasted of blueberries and had a more subtle finish.

Our next stop was Mount Family Winery where we went to meet some other online friends – @sonomawilliam, @sharayray @winedog – for a BBQ thrown for wine club members.  (Side question:  why does tri-tip seem to be the official beef product of Napa wineries for BBQs?)  I had the opportunity to sample their Grenache (still not released) and I am looking forward to adding a few to my collection.

The final stop was at Michel Schlumberger where we secured a picturesque table on the porch overlooking their lovely grounds.  If you haven’t experienced a tasting there, I would highly recommend you stop by.  The wines are organically farmed and as Evan, our host, said, “the wines have good poundability.”  Yes, they do – they are quite good.  We took home several bottles including the 08 Pinot Blanc ($21) that passed the Texas Summer porch test; the 06 Le Fou Pinot Noir ($32) that had lots of cherries and was perfectly described by a tablemate as having “red hots on the back end” and the 04 Deux Terres Cabernet ($75) which was framed by big cherries, spice and hints of chocolate.

The next morning we met @winebratsf and @wineevangelist for some Iron Horse Tut Cuvee bubbly and brunch for a great time.  You know it’s funny,  I started Twitter because I felt like I had to “understand” social media for my career.  I look back at what I’ve gained from my experience, the encouragement that I got from my friends to start this blog, the incredible wine lovers that I’ve met and I realize that was the venue that brought out my inner wino.

Fleury Winery: Diamond in the Rough

I always ask industry people about “undiscovered gems” that I should visit the next time I am in wine country – the wineries that usually are small enough to sell direct to consumers because of their limited production, high-end wines and intimate tasting experience.  Fleury Winery in Rutherford is one of those places that a few industry folks recommended so during my most recent trip to Napa we visited the winery.  We began our tasting with a very nice woman who had worked at Fleury for three days, so based on the quantity of my questions; we were quickly reassigned to Michelle, the assistant manager.

It all begins with the story of Brian Fleury, a Bay area businessman and self-taught winemaker with a passion for wine and the means to produce it.  With only 3,000 cases produced at three vineyards in Rutherford, St. Helena and Howell Mountain, the tasting room has a rustic feel, but with unique artwork from Brian’s son and special touches from Brian’s wife, Claudia, an accomplished interior decorator who was responsible for Del Dotto’s new winery. 

Current releases include a Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, a Zinfandel/Cabernet blend and three Cabernets.   We tried them all, so I’ll tell you about my favorites. The wine is pricey – the Sauvignon Blanc starts at $50 and the prices goes up from there.  That being said, these are wines that you could put down, but are entirely drinkable today.   The 09 Sauvignon Blanc was my husband’s favorite white wine of the trip.  Big citrus and grapefruit, but with a great balance and an almost floral nose.  The 07 F’in red was tasty – cherry, currant and a nice Bordeaux blend.  Priced at $85 a bottle, the design was definitely a conversation starter.  The 06 Lauren Bryce cab (named for Brian’s kids) was a lush, rich, fruit-forward cabernet priced at $85.  The one that made me do back flips was their signature high end wine – the 07 Passionne.  My tasting notes read as follows, “Oh.  My.  God.”  Priced at $150, you might want to pray to a higher power for discretionary income to purchase this wine, but wow – it was worth it!  We also barrel tasted the 08 Howell Mountain Cabernet and it was an inky black color with big fruit and a surprising balance for such a young wine.  I definitely have my eye on this one during release.

While I thought I was one of the first Dallasites to visit, it appears that Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who is known for his wine collection among other things, beat me to the punch.  He’s a big fan and Brian did a custom bottle package for his holiday gift list one year.  

Because this column is all about wine experiences, I’d be doing you a disservice if I did not mention the bathroom.  It is outside.  In an oversized wine barrel.

Fleury was definitely a great find this trip.  Even with the $35 tasting fee, the staff is passionate and it is an intimate setting to enjoy some great juice from a whimsical winemaker with a great hand.

Here Comes the Bride: But Not In Napa

Forgive me – I know it’s been over a week since I posted last, but work, life, travel and reality got in the way of my passion. I was lucky enough to head back to Napa/Sonoma for the wedding of two dear friends who after many years of being together decided to make it legal. I love the story of Karen and Jim. They are both wine aficionados who happened to be in Napa at the same time. As luck had it, they met over the tasting counter at a certain winery. Sparks flew, miles accumulated and so did a two-city wine collection. Fast forward many years to several jobs, different cities and many great bottles of wine and we found ourselves at this same winery celebrating the non-traditional wedding of our dear friends.

I’d tell you more about the fantastic wines that were served and the fabulous food pairings that punctuated this beautiful evening, but I can’t reveal the location. You see – wineries are prohibited from hosting weddings, wedding parties, anniversary events or any parties that aren’t directly linked to the marketing of wine. The Winery Definition Ordinance (WDO) has been in effect since 1990. So, while I’d love to expand on how they said their vows over the wine bible or about the fantastic wedding cake that was so moist that it melted in your mouth, it’s against the rules and it could really get the winery in trouble. Nor can I tell you about the three winemakers who I sat with from different wineries who kept me laughing all night with their stories.

What I can tell you is that true love prevails – in spite of a ridiculous rule that would result in improved economics, increased jobs, tax revenue and much needed revenues for the wineries. So, cheers to Karen and Jim, the couple who taught John and me about the Napa experience! We wish you a lifetime of happiness, love and wine.

A Day on Spring Mountain with Barnett Vineyards

Our last stop in Napa was to see one of my favorite people and a wonderful  wine hostess, Jacquelyn St. Martin at Barnett Vineyards.  I had the opportunity to meet Jackie, recovering Texan, last year at a wine dinner in Dallas and we immediately clicked.  For years, I have always joked about my “Fred Flintstone thumbs” and hers are identical (hence the photo and trust me – this is a freak of nature thing).  Barnett is always at the top of my wine country list.  I love their wine, but it’s even more fun when they are in wood burning pizza making mode as the pairing is sublime.   Looking down Spring Mountain with a glass of wine in hand is just a majestic experience.

Fiona and Hal Barnett launched the winery in 1983 with a focus on producing Cabernet Sauvignon wines, but have expanded to include Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Merlot with grapes taken from other single vineyards.  Because of the nature of the Spring Mountain terroir, the grapes are harvested by hand. 

We started with one of my favorites Barnett whites – the 09 Sauvignon Blanc, which had just been released that week and harkens from Dry Creek Valley.  At $25, I loved the crispness and tasted citrus, herbal and tropical fruit flavors.  I adore this wine.  Our next glass was the 07 Savoy Chardonnay priced at $35.  It was made in the Bordeaux style.  I tasted citrus, floral notes and a little vanilla.  They were totally sold out of the Tina Marie Pinot, so we tried the 08 Viento Valle Pinot Noir instead.   Our group almost collectively brought home two cases of this wine, which is priced at $45.  Big cherry, a touch of sweetness and some earthiness. 

We then tried the 07 Merlot, which was described by one of my travel companions as “the soup that drinks like a meal.”  It’s a deep purple color with lots of stone fruit, earthiness and licorice.  Priced at $48, it is a great wine and one that should be tried with food.  We then tried three different Cabernet Sauvignon wines.  First up was the 07 Spring Mountain District Cabernet Sauvignon, which was a good Cab, priced at $65.  We also tried the Cyrus Ryan Cabernet, which was very nice, but the 07 Rattlesnake Hill Cabernet brought the group to our knees (in a good way).  It’s a special occasion wine at $125, but its dark color, deep fruit and complexity, made it the favorite wine with the group.  There is some urgency to getting this wine.  When we were there, only ten cases remained and we probably cleared out two of them.

Lora waiting on the plan

After a wonderful time at Barnett and a great dinner at Redd, we ventured back to the hotel to get ready for our return.  The drive to Sacramento was uneventful and then we jinxed it with the comment that this had been such an easy trip.  Wrong!  Due to some weather in Dallas, we ended up diverted to Oklahoma City for a few hours.  Only one of our team had upgraded to First Class and when she came sashaying back with her Bailey’s as we were pooling the snacks at the bottom of our purses, we were kind enough to not do her harm.  We finally arrived back home about four hours later than we originally planned and I was realizing the return to reality might not be as easy as I had hoped.

A Winery Wonder of the World: Palmaz

I haven’t written too much about the Women for Wine Sense conference mainly because my friends and I had so much fun exploring on our own. There were definitely a few highlights including the humbling blind pinot tasting featuring pinots from California, New Zealand, Oregon and France as well as the grand tasting where I tried rhubarb wine for the first, and last, time. We dined well at The Farm, Tra Vigne and Redd as evidenced by the extra six pounds that I carried back even though I ran for about an hour every day. It was fun to see my friend, Lindsay Woodward from Oregon-based Retour Wines, accept the Shining Star award and then to spend some time with her. Finally I got to meet some of my Twitter friends and social networking pioneers during a discussion on social networking (@davidhonig from Palate Press and @winedivergirl from Hahn Estate).

On Sunday, we were split up into groups and were hosted by a different winery. I choose to visit Palmaz Vineyards for a number of reasons – I had heard wonderful things about their wine; the technology behind the vineyard is fascinating for a tech geek at heart and I wanted to explore the stacked caves. These caves would equal the height of an 18-story building in any other city. We started our tour with a glass of the Palmaz Chardonnay ($45) and went to the top patio for a gorgeous, sweeping view of the property. I got notes of tropical fruit, buttered toast and a hint of vanilla in the wine. Here we learned how the home’s original owner, Henry Hagen, one of Napa’s first winemakers, produced award-winning wines in the 1800s at Cedar Knoll Vineyard and Winery, but Prohibition killed his business. The winery fell into disrepair and the vineyards were forgotten for almost 80 years until the Palmaz family saw the potential many years later.

We ventured into the caves and learned about gravity-flow winemaking. The wine is never pumped rather it is propelled through gravity from floor to floor through the entire winemaking process. We then returned to the table to sample the 05 and 06 Palmaz Cabernet Sauvignon, which were made by Tina Mitchell/Mia Kline. We began with the 06 ($100) and I tasted blackberry, spice and leather. It was well balanced, but needed some age. When I tried the 05 ($120) , I was sold. This one had lots of depth and a silky finish. Dark fruit, earthiness, spice made it a wine that will only improve with age, but is approachable today.

The Palmaz experience was truly the opportunity to explore a “Wineries of the World Wonder” and drink some damn good cabernet in the process.