Dallas Wine Chick

Stemware: Does it Make a Difference?

As some of you know, I am a big fan of using the right stemware with my wines.  It wasn’t always that way.  I originally thought that buying expensive glasses was the biggest marketing scam known to man.  How much of a difference could specialty glasses make? I had these pretty Royal Doulton crystal glasses that I received for my wedding.  Not only were they more attractive, but they happened to match my china – and after all, I did grow up in the South.  Then, I went to a Riedel wine tasting and my perspective quickly changed.

Recently, I was provided with two lead-free glasses from Eisch, a third-generation glass making family in Europe.  The glasses are known for being breathable and claim to aerate the wine in your glass in a fraction of the time that it would take to do so in a decanter while making your wine more complex and better balanced.   The Superior Red Wine Sensis Plus glass retails for $30.00 and the Superior Red Wine Classic glass retails for $22.50. 

Over a few days, we tasted two red wines – the 04 Sojourn Cabernet and the 05 Groom Barossa Valley Shiraz.  These are bigger wines that needed some more time in a decanter to develop.  Our taste test included my wedding crystal, Royal Doulton Ascot, which was apparently discontinued many years ago; the two Eisch glasses and our Riedel Vinum Extreme Cabernet glasses.

I learned a few things – friends do not let friends drink out of wedding crystal.  Both wines were absolutely awful – tasting almost medicinal and overly tannic.  Seriously beyond bad.  If you came to my house in the early days of my marriage and I served you wine, I owe you a big apology.

The Eisch glasses were interesting. Because we had two – the one with Sensis Plus and the classic glass – we spent some time comparing them.  I found that the SensisPlus glass made a noticeable difference.  On the Sojourn, I was able to distinguish the layers of the wine – truffle, blackberries, liquorice, but I struggled with finding balance in the blend.  With the Groom, I thought the flavors definitely came through more – cocoa, currant, cherry.

I did find that my Riedel glassthat retails around the same price as the Eisch glass still remained the king of my household.  The wines were brighter, had more complexity and layers.  The earthiness of both wines was more muted and you were able to better taste the balance of the wines.

However, if you are still drinking out of your wedding crystal, I highly suggest grabbing either a Riedel or Eisch glass and conducting your own taste test.  I won’t even ask that you thank me when you discover the difference.

Cabernet, Women and Shoes: The Trifecta

I had the chance to catch up with my girlfriends last week over dinner. We’ve known each other long enough that usually no stone goes unturned when we get together. I was in need for blog content and needed a different angle for a #Cabernet Twitter tasting coming up on Sept 2.  As a sidenote, Mark your calendars, grab a bottle, get online and join in the fun.

Rather than review another wine, I asked the group an important question – if you were stuck on a desert island with only one brand of Cabernet Sauvignon that you’d have to drink until rescue, what would it be? The initial feedback was that it is August in Texas with 100 plus degree days and white would be better suited to this scenario.  The conversation did finally divert into a discussion about our favorite cabs and why. Understanding that this is a subjective topic, there were a few brands that came up from the group including Pahlmeyer, William Hill Reserve, Lail Blueprint, Hourglass, Tapestry and Joseph Phelps.  Interesting that none of the usual “brand” suspects were mentioned although there was a heated debate on whether Silver Oak was worth the money with no final consensus.

The conversation quickly diverted to over-rated cabs and how many bottles of three figure cabernets were purchased at a winery that seemed magical at the time, but disappointed at home. Maybe we got caught up in the moment? Maybe it was stop number four of a full day of tasting?  But, the reality was that some of those same bottles opened at home with high hopes and a lighter wallet, didn’t live up to the memory.

The subject then shifted to the key to buying higher end cabernet – consistency in the brands that you trust. Knowing that your first (and last) bottle can change based on age, but will remain consistently good. Good cab is a great deal like good shoes. Everyone needs a favorite pair (or eight), but a nice pair of designer shoes better lasts the test of time. And even more importantly, can you ever have enough cabernets or enough designer shoes? And the consensus is no for either choice.

Esteemed Women Winemakers in the House: Heidi Barrett & Carol Shelton

Last week, I was invited by Greg Kassanoff, owner of Pioneer Wine Company, to its annual portfolio tasting, a traveling road show held in Houston, Austin and Dallas.  Seventy one exhibitors representing unique small production wines gathered at the Palomar Hotel to pour hundreds of wines Pioneer is bringing to the Dallas market.  As a consumer, imagine a “speed dating” scenario where you are given one glass and hundreds of wines to sample.  Needless to say, you had to use the dump buckets to survive.

Much to my surprise I also found two iconic women wine makers in attendance.  Carol Shelton, winemaker for Carol Shelton Wines, is often named the most awarded winemaker in the United States with numerous Winemaker of the Year designations.  I always love talking to women winemakers like Merry Edwards or Carol because they stumbled into wine making versus pursuing it as their first career choice.  In Carol’s case, she entered UC Davis to be a poet.  Merry was going to be a biologist.  But the grapes came calling…
 

Carol Shelton and my friend, Susan Hartman

Carol Shelton formed her winery in 2000.  Focusing on Zinfandel only, Carol chooses vineyards with unique terroirs and put her poetry to use with the naming – 05 Wild Thing Zin, 05 Karma Zin, 06 Monga Zin and my favorite, the 06 Rocky Reserve, which was balanced with big blackberry flavor and chocolate notes.

I did a little happy dance when I saw that La Sirena was exhibiting, but did a double take when I saw Heidi and Remi Barrett pouring the wines.  Heidi is a Napa Valley icon, the former wine maker for Dalla Valle Vineyards and Screaming Eagle and was named by Robert Parker as “The First Lady of Wine.”  In addition to her La Sirena wines, she is the winemaker for Amuse Bouche, Paradigm, Au Sommet, among others.

Remi and Heidi Barrett

I had the chance to talk with Heidi and Remi briefly and asked about the Texas market for La Sirena wines, which is booming.  I had the chance to taste all of Heidi’s wines – the 08 Moscato Azul, Napa Valley, which was full of honeysuckle and fruit; the 05 Syrah Napa Valley, which was a traditional Syrah with berry and graphite; the 05 Syrah Santa Ynez, which tasted of chocolate covered cherries and currant; the 07 Pirate TreasuRed Blend, which was full of blackberry jam.  Finally, we got to the 06 Cabernet Sauvignon.  Wow!  Black cherry, cassis, chocolate, French oak.  The quintessential Cabernet with a big price to go with it.  However, based on some of the more expensive, “slap you in the face” cabs that I’ve tasted, this is worth the $150 price point.

While I didn’t get to try the majority of the wines offered, I can say that the snapshot of those I did try bodes well for Texans in terms of bringing small production, interesting varietals and wines from around the globe to our neck of the woods.

Beyond Safe Labels: Dallasites Take the Challenge

A few weeks ago, I was shocked to read a blog comment from The Wall Street Journal’s Lettie Teague about what Dallasites are drinking. Teague visited a Sigel’s Fine Wine shop in Frisco and was told by manager Tim Farina that we only drink big cabernets and big brands.

Whaaaaatttt? While I don’t personally follow the steak to cabernet sauvignon rule, I can understand a local steakhouse having a larger selection of those wines. So, I decided to go for a sanity check. I reached out to Terri Burney, owner of  WineTastic, who told me that while she has some customers that would fit the bill, even more are trying Malbec, Rioja, Albarino and Champagne.

Brooks Anderson, owner of  Veritas, had some great insights. “To say that Dallasites drink only overpriced, big labels of Cab and Chard is absolutely ridiculous and wholly inaccurate. If that were true, Veritas would have gone out of business long ago. We do not carry Cakebread; we do not currently carry Silver Oak; we do not currently carry Caymus; we do not currently carry Far Niente; we do not carry Nickel & Nickel; etc. Instead we carry lots of fun, boutique Cabs and Chards (and other wines from around the globe) that aren’t necessarily cheap and we sell them all day long. There are plenty of Dallasites who love to explore new labels, who would rather offer a delicious wine that their dinner guest has never heard of rather than an overpriced ‘label’.”

He went on to say that “in addition to ‘not cheap’ Cabs and Chards, we sell loads of Chateauneuf du Pape, Brunello, Barolo, Barbaresco, Burgundy, Amarone, Sancerre, etc. Dallasites are trying inexpensive wines like White Rioja; White Bordeaux; Gavi; Albarino/Alvarhino; Cotes du Rhone; Spanish Garnacha; Carmanere; Malbec; Baby Super Tuscans; Nero d’Avola; etc.”

So, where do we go from here? We need to take a stand. While there is a place for Cabernets, Chardonnays and other mainstays in our lives, let’s try some new varietals.

I had the recent opportunity to meet Anne-Laure Helfrich of Helfrich wines to try wines produced in her family’s Alsatian vineyard. The price points were fantastic — $14.99 for the Noble Tier wines that were really good (Riesling, Pinot Gris and Gerwürztraminer). The Grand Cru wines with the same varietals were fantastic and priced at $24.99. The Grand Cru Riesling was elegant with orange blossom, apricot and minerality. The Grand Cru Gewurztraminer had a floral nose with honeysuckle, citrus and a floral nose. I personally am adding these to my wine “off the beaten path” selection list.

In Dallas, you can find these wines at Whole Foods, Costco, Majestic Liquors (Fort Worth), Winestyles (Arlington and Fort Worth), Vino 100 and Veritas.

Let’s prove to Tim that we’ve moved from a “safe label zone” and into wine drinkers that have the courage to put an unfamiliar bottle on the table.

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.

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.

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.

A Night with David Mirassou

One the of the coolest things about having a blog are the invitations that you receive from wineries to attend wine dinners and events.  Bloggers are starting to gain credibility as a media source and because 1,800 of you have logged on since I began Dallas Wine Chick in February, this blog has built some fast “street cred.”  So, let me start with a big thank you to all of my readers (especially the 1,780 of you who are not related to me in any way).

Mirassou Winery and Stephen Pyles teamed up to host a media dinner last week and I had the chance to attend with one of my favorite friends and bloggers Write for Wine who happened to be in town from Seattle at a work event.  I was vaguely familiar with Mirassou wines, which you’ve probably seen at your neighborhood grocery store, due to their large distribution and value. 

We were hosted by the delightful David Mirassou, who is the sixth generation of one of America’s oldest wine making families.  My husband always says when he likes someone that they “are someone you’d want to sit down and have a beer with to talk.” David is one of those guys – funny, unassuming, likeable and just an all around good person.  Even though he addressed the crowd with every wine poured, he took the time to sit down at every table so we could ask him our questions and he kept us laughing with his stories.  And, a bonus for me is that he and my uncle Mike are dear friends.

We started with 08 Mirassou Pinot Grigio as an appertif.  It was crisp and fruit forward.  It was served with an amuse bouche of cured hake, caviar and a confit of pine nuts with a balsamic gelee.  Delightful match.

Next step was the 08 Mirassou Sauvignon Blanc paired with sea scallop “migas” with spring pea emulsion and chorizo.  Recently, I have been surprised at how well sauvignon blanc pairs with spring peas.  This wine was my personal favorite of the bunch.

We moved on to the 08 Mirassou Chardonnay matched with a butter poached lobster with corn milk-green chili custard, hearts of palm and black garlic cream.  I tasted green apples, tropical notes and it was very food friendly (and how can you not get friendly with lobster?)

The rest of the group ate sous vide pork tenderloin with masa cake and texas strawberry-pasilla gastrique with the Mirassou Pinot Noir, but they substituted lamb for me due to a pork allergy.  I tasted cherries and a bit of pepper.  Super interesting fact – the Mirassou family (his great, great grandfather) was the first to bring over pinot noir cuttings from France.  

At this point I was stuffed, but the food kept coming.  A foie gras “forest” with shaved chipotle brioche and carmelized figs was paired with a 08 Mirassou Merlot.  This was the smoothest red to me and I liked the spiciness, big fruit, hints of vanilla and balance.  Definitely a fabulous pairing.

The 08 Mirassou cabernet sauvignon was paired with a cherry salsita-stuffed waygu shortrib with Dallas goat cheese-chimichurri tamale.  I am still dreaming of that tamale.  And, did I mention I was stuffed beyond belief two courses ago?

Our finale was the 08 Mirassou Riesling with mango-semolina croquettes with coconut-marcona almond sauce.  The fruit in the dessert paired well with the tropical notes in the wine.  Truly a “wow inspiring” dinner with value wines that held their own with the food.  And , did I mention that all wines are under $12? 

Since Summer seems to be the month of weddings, here’s my Dallas Wine Chick insider tip.  Mirassou is hosting its 6^th annual “I Do with Mirassou” contest where brides- and grooms-to-be can enter for a chance to win $10,000, plus a trip to San Francisco to meet with Food Network Chef Aida Mollenkamp and David to plan a custom wedding menu, complete with food and wine pairings. To find out more, enter by June 27, 2010 at www.mirassou.com/ido.