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.

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 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.

Say My Name, Say My Name: Unforgettable Thrills at St Supery

I never thought I would experience Six Flags like thrills on a winery tour  until I was invited by Rick Bakas from St Supery to visit Dollarhide Ranch.  Rick promised spectacular views and that he’d break out the VGS (very good shit).  He was right on both counts.

After our Goosecross excursion, we met a larger group at Dean & Deluca where we stocked up on provisions for our Dollarhide Ranch picnic.  Wine.  Check.  Glasses.  Check.  Food.  Check.  Rick piled in our disco tour bus appropriately named for the cheesy lights that were around the interior and off we went.

So picture two caravans with a total of 12 women going up a really, really, really steep hill. Or at least trying to. I mentioned a few posts ago how much food we ate over the weekend and the bus was having some issues due to the recent rain.  We got halfway up.  Then went down again.   And again.  Just when we resigned ourselves to hiking it up the hill, our driver gunned it and up we went.  The view was gorgeous and made even more so by a glass of the 08 Dollarhide Ranch Reserve Sauvignon Blanc ($37), my hands down favorite Sauvignon Blanc of the trip.

Then it was time for the picnic portion of our trip.  We gunned it down the mountain taking out several wine glasses and from the sound of it, a tailpipe.  My two friends in the back experienced zero gravity as they bore the brunt of the vehicle landing.  The weather did not participate due to the boggy ground so we weren’t able to have lunch by the picnic tables near the 150 year old oak tree. So we went old school — eating our lunches on the ground with another glass of the Sauvignon Blanc in hand.

We were supposed to venture back to the winery to barrel taste and tour, but we had such a great time at Dollarhide Ranch, we had to power through our tasting.  I wrote about the wines that I tasted during the last St Supery Tweetup including the St Supery Sauvignon Blanc, St Supery Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, St Supery Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford, Virtu and Elu, so I’ll spend time on the ones that I had not tried before.

We tried many wines, but for the purpose of this blog and to not disclose how many we tried, I’m going to highlight a few.  We started with the 08 Semillon, which had a big peach taste with a nuttiness that I liked.  At $25, it was a very refreshing wine.  I am a big fan of “off the beaten path” varietals and I enjoyed the 06 Petit Verdot ($50).  It was a big wine with lots of berries, spice and earthiness.  The estate 05 Dollarhide Cabernet ($85) was another big boy that needed some age.  I tasted big flavors of black cherry, currant, vanilla tobacco, chocolate and mocha.

We were also indoctrinated to “Rickisms,” unforgettable colloquial sayings.  Because this is a family column (ignore first Rickism above), my favorite printable one is “drop my name and drop it like it’s hot.”  So for a great afternoon of wine tasting and an amazing view, ask for Rick, make sure you have unbreakable stemware and your vehicle has traction.

Senseless Women with Wine: The Goosecross Experience

Goosecross Cellars

Our day began with the magic words, “would you like grapefruit juice for breakfast?”  Why yes, we certainly would!  And a wonderful glass of 08 Goosecross Sauvignon Blanc was served by the lovely Nancy (known as @vinifera in the world of Twitter) as we gathered around an outdoor table with a spectacular view of the vineyard.  The wine had nice notes of honey, grapefruit, pear and citrus – it was delightful and $23. I’ll take that for breakfast any day.   

Goosecross Cellars began in 1985 and is truly a family affair.  Our group of ten was greeted by Geoff Gorsuch, Winemaker & Vice President with a pretty on target comment, “What group are you with? Women tasting wine without sense?”  We shortened it to Senseless Women With Wine.  Geoff, I can tell you my husband would more than agree with that statement and usually after he sees the credit card damage from a Napa/Sonoma excursion.

Our group quickly came to a consensus about the 08 Viognier that made red wine lovers buy white.  Full of nectarine, floral, honeydew and apricot notes, it was a fantastic Texas summer porch wine that made me wish for Summer.  Naturally, my wish came to fruition as it hit 80 and now I can’t get my wines shipped.  But, for $32 it was definitely one of the universal group favorites and chances are it will be served if you drink wine at our houses this summer.

Next up was the 07 chardonnay that had notes of green apple, vanilla, citrus and a creamy finish.  It was priced at $34 and I actually saw it on the order form of one of my exclusively red drinking friends.

We jumped over to red wines and started with the 07 Napa Valley Syrah, which retails for $36. This was a great syrah representation with lots of cherry, smoke and spiciness.  Our next wine was the merlot which tasted of cocoa, black cherry and vanilla at $42.  The 04 Howell Mountain Cabernet had plum, cherry, cedar and something I couldn’t place that turned out to be anise.  At $69, I’d put this up against the many $100 plus cabs that we tasted over the weekend.

The grand finale came as we were checking out and were poured a taste of the ÆROS 2006 Napa Valley Estate Meritage, only the second release in 24 years.  Let’s just say that this was well worth the wait.  Excellence doesn’t come cheap and this wine is priced at $142.  But, wow!  It was rich and seductive.  Big fruit, smoke, stone fruit and ripe raspberry made this well balanced wine the winner in the bunch.  But honestly, with the hospitality, great wine and Colleen’s adorable puppy that we couldn’t get enough of, you can’t go wrong with Goosecross as a must see winery.

A Night of Cleavage Creek Wines

Earlier this week  I wrote about a breast cancer survivor who is participating in the Dallas Three-Day.  As a follow up to that I thought this column should be about a winery that supports the fight against breast cancer.  

Budge Brown was married to his wife, Arlene, for 48 years.  When she lost her battle with breast cancer in 2005, he launched Cleavage Creek wines to wage an attack on breast cancer.   The label of each bottle of Cleavage Creek features the image of an actual breast cancer survivor whose story is told on the Cleavage Creek website.   Ten percent of gross  sales are donated to cutting edge research in the fight against breast cancer.  

Because I’ve been pretty active in the fight against breast cancer through my work with Susan G. Komen for the Cure and having watched the battles that my friends and family have faced with breast cancer, I am passionate about the Cleavage Creek cause.  This week I thought it was a great time to invite some friends over to taste the wines provided to me by Cleavage Creek. 

Two of my closest girlfriends and I gathered at my house with three sets of Riedel glasses at our disposal.  I loved the story, I loved my correspondence with the winery on Twitter and I really wanted to love the wines.  I held my breath and started opening bottles.

 First we tried the 08 Secret White, which retails for $18.  Fermented in stainless steel, I loved the apricot, pineapple, honey and tropical fruit with great acidity. This wine got rave results from the group, one of who is not a fan of white wine.  This bottle quickly disappeared.

The 08 Tracy Hills Reserve Chardonnay had a floral essence and smelled like butterscotch to me.  I also got citrus and honeydew.  It’s aged for eight months in new French oak and retails for $18. For Chardonnay lovers, it’s a traditional Chardonnay.

Our last wine was the 07 Tracy Hills Merlot Shiraz was described as “wine you can eat with a spoon.”  We got big raspberry and blackberry tastes and a smooth finish.  A very enjoyable wine and a great deal at $18.

So Budge – as a mom, sister and daughter I thank you for dedicating your life to honoring your wife and doing so much for a world without breast cancer.  As a wine blogger, I hold my glass up to you and thank you for making some good wines.  Cheers!