I’ll Drink to That!

Last Friday night, being as our regular Friday night dining companions were out of town, we decided to try something different. We’d heard that Truxton’s American Bistro in Westchester has monthly wine tastings featuring the wines of a specific winery and paired with their food. I’d been to lunch there a couple of times, so I knew the food was good, but really, why in the world would we get in our car at 6:00pm on a Friday night and take the 405 anywhere, let alone to Westchester from the Valley?Well…wine was involved…it’s summer…and we didn’t want to be whiners…so we went! And no traffic! I know, shocking.

About 30 guests had gathered in the private dining room at Truxton’s for the event and within a few minutes the guest of honor arrived. Peter Huwiler is the driving force behind Napa Station Wines. The winery is a family endeavor, with his son Peter working closely by his side. Peter Sr, a native of Switzerland, lived in Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand before landing in Seattle where he spent many years in the restaurant business. It wasn’t long before the wine industry beckoned and he went to work for what was to become Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, later for Kendall Jackson and finally Merryvale in Napa. With his passion for all aspects of the wine making business, it was inevitable that he would end up owning his own winery. It is here at Napa Station wines that Peter truly shines. And it was at this tasting that Peter Huwiler shared his boundless knowledge and passion with his captive audience. While most winery owners/winemakers like to talk primarily about the wine, Peter regaled us with stories about Napa soil structures, (there are 110), tannin management, the density of woods used to make the barrels, cork taint and NASA images taken to determine micro climates in the vineyard. He talked about racking and fining, the astringency of grape seeds, acidity and sugars and how the Carneros AVA straddles both Napa and Sonoma counties. I hung on every word.

The wines of Napa Station

His first wine of the evening was a 2009 Sauvignon Blanc, (with 2% Semillon). This wine was complex with good acidity and a long finish. (Bought 2 bottles) 27% of his 08 Chardonnay is  fermented in 2 yr old oak while the rest goes into stainless. I didn’t think the food brought out the best in this wine, but the Shrimp Po Boy Sliders with Cajun Remoulade were really tasty.

Shrimp Po Boy Sliders

The 07 Cabernet Sauvignon is a classic blend of 88% Cab, 9% Merlot, 2% Malbec and 1% Petite Verdot. Paired nicely with Chef Greg’s Chanterelle Flatbread Pizza with Yukon Gold Potatoes, Fontina Cheese, Arugula and Truffle Oil. The arugula complemented the anise notes in the wine. (Love that)

Chanterelle Flatbread Pizza w/Yukon Gold Potatoes, Fontina Cheese, Arugula & Truffle Oil

Of the two Merlots poured, 07 and 08, I preferred the latter. A smooth, elegant wine, the 08 Merlot displays notes of black fruit and bittersweet chocolate, with more complexity and character than the 07. (I bought one bottle of that as well)

Needless to say, I really enjoyed meeting Mr. Huwiler, chatting with my table mates, the food and an evening out.

Me with Peter Huwiler

I’LL DRINK TO THAT!

Paso Robles is my favorite area in California to go wine tasting so I was excited to attend this year’s Paso Robles Grand Tasting Event, held this week at the spectacular Vibiana in downtown Los Angeles. Paso Robles is home to more than 200 wineries and over 26,000 acres are planted to vine, with special focus on Rhone varietals and Zinfandel. About 40 of those wineries participated in this event, and I was anxious to try their new releases.

Upon entering the historic Vibiana, I am always struck by the beauty of this  Baroque style church built in 1876. The ceilings soar and light streams in through the upper windows. And on this day the tables were lined up with some of Paso’s finest.

Interior of the Vibiana in Los Angeles

My first encounter was with old friends, David and Amparo of Minassian-Young Vineyards. I met them a number of years ago in Paso when they were pouring at a special event held on the gorgeous grounds of Carmody McKnight. I have always enjoyed their white Rhone blend, (64%Grenache Blanc, 19% Viognier, 17% Marsanne) and the 09 didn’t disappoint. Redolent of apples it has plenty of crisp acidity. A unique offering from MY is their 08 Black Saint Peter, a blend of 45% Zinfandel, 17% Petite Sirah, 16% tannat, 11% Cinsault, 6% Carignan and 3% Mourvedre. Big fruit and full body on this one. Their 07 GSMV, (GSM with 3% Viognier thrown in to brighten the blend), offers a long spicy finish. Nice.

David and Amparo of Minassian-Young Vineyards with Eve Bushman

Aram Deirmenjian of Kiamie Wine Cellars was there and it was great to re-connect with him. He had first poured me his White Kuvee in 08 and I’ve been hooked ever since. On this day he was premiering his 09 vintage of this Rhone blend. Steve Glossner, the winemaker, describes this blend as full-bodied on the palate with ripe casaba melon and lemon meringue richness. Scents of honeysuckle, lemongrass and persistent minerality. I describe it as “yummy”!

Silver Horse Winery, represented by owner Steve Kroener, has been producing some fabulous wines at their gorgeous winery in Pleasant Valley since 2005. Standouts on this day were the 08 Estate Petit Verdot (100%), 08 Estate Tomori, (60% Syrah/40% Cabernet Sauvignon), and the 08 “The Main Thing”, (45% Malbec/25% Cabernet Sauvignon/15% Merlot/15% Petite Sirah).

A new one for me was Thacher Winery and I really enjoyed meeting owner/winemaker Sherman Thacher and hearing his story. He started as a brew master in Santa Cruz, but along with his bride, fell in love with Paso Robles and eventually relocated there to make wine and enjoy a lifestyle they thought was perfect for raising a family. Couldn’t agree more! Their first vintage at this location was in 2008 and his 08 Triumvirate Reserve Zinfandel was named “Red” Sweepstakes Winner at the 2011 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. He had the 07 Triumvirate to taste that day which was silky with good acidity, and a bit of cinnamon. Also really liked the 09 Viognier and the 07 Syrah. The syrah fruit is from the Halter Ranch and Alta Colina Vineyards and offered a wine that was spicy, balanced and elegant.

And it just wouldn’t be a Paso tasting without visiting with Jeff and Karin from Roxo Port Cellars. Roxo offers ultra-premium Port style wines made in the metodo Portugues style. These are not the super sweet syrupy wines you may have always associated with Port. These are carefully crafted from hand-picked high quality grapes and include Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Negrette, Barbara, Zinfandel, as well as the traditional Portuguese  varietals Touriga Nacional, Souzao, Tinta Roriz and Bastardo. Many of their blends pair beautifully with foods other than chocolate, although the Negrette with chocolate is fabulous! Next time you visit Paso, think outside the Port box and stop into Meritage Tasting Lounge downtown where you can try these delicious and unusual wines.

Two hours just isn’t enough time to taste all Paso has to offer, and this event left me yearning for a good long visit to El Paso de Robles. Good people, beautiful vistas and wonderful wine. And there are now so many great places to eat and beautiful hotels and B & B’s to complete the perfect wine country getaway.

I’LL DRINK TO THAT!

Last night we enjoyed a 2004 Cabernet from D’Anbino Vineyards and Cellars. It paired beautifully with beef tenderloin with an herb/mustard crust and leek and wild mushroom bread pudding. This wine had soft tannins, was full bodied and well balanced, and all around a delicious Friday night selection. Cheers!

Carmine Rubino of D'Anbino Vineyards and Cellars

Just back from another one of my whirlwind 30 hour trips up to Paso Robles and back. I always have so much I want to accomplish and there is never enough time! I’ve made so many wonderful friends up there and there are always so many new wineries to visit.

Started this trip with a good long visit with Paso’s very own Matt and Annie Browne of Hoot ‘n Annie’s blog. Annie made us a wonderful Creole style dinner with which we enjoyed a Zinfandel from Poalillo and a Mourvedre from Opolo while we talked about…wine of course! For dessert Annie pulled out a real treat that I had not seen before, Red Soles Winery “Bootlegger”.

This unique dessert wine is made in the “solera” style aging process like the Sherry’s of Spain. This process involves the blending of vintages in oak barrels -  each year as a portion of the oldest barrels is bottled, they are replenished with wine from the next oldest barrels. The resulting product is an aged wine with depth and character and no vintage. This Red Soles wine is made from Viognier and  unlike a “late harvest” Viognier should be served at room temperature as opposed to chilled. While late harvests reflect a brighter, sweeter wine with apricots and peaches on the palate, this solera Viognier is a richer, more complex wine with nuts and caramel and a long finish. Red Soles only bottles 40-45 cases of this decadent elixir per year in these really cool bottles brought in from France.

The next morning I was off early for coffee and a goodie at my favorite bakery, Cider Creek. While I was there I made sure to pick up a couple of jars of F.R.O.G. jam - basically a marmalade from figs, raspberries, orange and ginger. I use this in all kinds of recipes, some of which are mentioned in other posts on this blog.

Later that morning I had an appointment to tour the new winery site for Epoch Estate Wines. As fate would have it, this new winery is being built on one of the most historic winery properties in the Paso Robles area. This last summer, owners Bill and Liz Armstrong purchased the York Mountain Winery property off of Highway 46W in Templeton, that was founded by Andrew York  in 1882. They also own and have overseen the restoration of the historic vineyard owned by the philanthropist and musician Ignacy Paderewski, that was dedicated to Zinfandel in the early 1900’s. While restoration of the winery continues, a brand new tasting room has been built and is scheduled to open mid November. Epoch’s inaugural release this last summer was a sell out and received very high ratings. Tasting these wines will be a pleasure as the site is majestic and beautiful, tucked away under towering redwoods in the hills separating Paso Robles from the sea at Cambria.

The road to Epoch Winery

Liz and Bill Arnstrong of Epoch Estate Wines

On my way back down into Paso Robles, I stopped by Jack Creek Farms to look at the incredible myriad of gourds and pumpkins for fall cooking and decoration. Other Fall treats include cider and pumpkin fudge!

Next up on my way down Highway 45 W was a stop at Booker Vineyards. With harvest in full swing and it being the middle of the week, I knew the tasting room would not be open. But a couple of friends of mine made some calls and the lovely Addie Pitts left her position at the sorting table to come out to the tasting room and pour me the line-up of Bookers’s wines.

Addie Pitts of Booker

First wine to try was their 2009 Pink, a heavyweight unfiltered 50/50 blend of Grenache and Syrah. With baked cherries and strawberry rhubarb in the nose, this wine has a fuller body and more spice, maybe anise, than most blush wines. Always looking for a wine for Mexican food since I ‘m not much of a beer drinker, so I bought a bottle of this one.

After tasting through three wonderful red blends, the last two wines were 100%ers. The 08 Fracture is 100% Syrah aged 24 months in barrel. Lots of aromas and flavors going on in this one including a nose of tobacco, coffee and black fruits, and a palette with hints of chocolate, smoke, cherries and cassis.  The 08 Ripper, a 100% Grenache, also sees 24 months of oak giving it a full body with nice length. Lots of red fruit like strawberries and dark cherries.

Booker is a beautiful winery with a great vibe and wonderful wines. Don’t miss this one on your next visit.

Fracture gets its name from the fractured shale soil it comes from.

A stunning view of Booker's vineyard at harvest time 2010

My short Paso visit ended with a good long lunch to catch up with my dear friend, Melinda Laraneta of Laraneta Vineyards in Templeton. We discussed wine and olives and chestnuts and plans for their new winery. I wish her the best of luck with all the many steps involved even before ground is broken.

The driveway up to the site of Laraneta's new winery.

It takes plenty of perseverance to open a  winery, plant and care for a vineyard and produce and market wine. But how we enjoy the fruits of their labors, and how I do respect and admire the people that choose to do this. Cheers to all of you. And a big thank you to everyone in Paso that made this trip so pleasurable.

I’ll Drink to That!

Last November we had the pleasure of a visit with Denis Degher of Mojo Cellars. After a tour of his estate, (see previous post). we were treated to a tasting of his wines. One was his 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, 100%, made from fruit from Latchford Ranch off of Hwy 46 W. As much as we liked it then, he suggested laying it down for a year, which we did. So with much will power, I resisted the urge to open it until a few days ago. I should mention that during this past year, the wine has won a Gold Medal at the California Mid State Fair and was also named a San Francisco Chronicle Award Winner. And, yes, it was worth the wait to drink! This wine had mellowed and the tannins had softened to a rich, viscous, beautifully balanced blend of yumminess! Chocolate, tobacco, eucalyptus, cedar - all  in there. Enjoyed this with a grilled New York steak with a Dijon glaze and  a mash of potatoes and parsnips on the side.

Domaine Deger 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon

Mike, anxious to get the next phase of his first wine making endeavor under way, called to let me know that the brix was down to nada and it was time to go press off the wine. Who knew that Woodland Hills is the location to  one of the only home wine making supply shops in the LA area? So last weekend I met Mike at the Home Wine,Beer,Cheese Making Shop just off the 101 freeway where he was to press his 130 pounds of Syrah grapes.  The store was mobbed with customers purchasing jugs, bottles, corks and wine presses so I had some time to look around. They have everything there, even a small de-stemming machine. Hmmmm….

When it was our turn, “the guy” went to the back to get the wine press out, took it out to the curb and instructed Mike on how to use the press to get the juice from his grapes. I found it amazing that after hundreds of years, the process and the machinery have changed very little. Very basic really. First Mike hosed off the machine - winemakers are apparently big on “hosing” everything, before and after using. I’ve seen plenty of video footage of people hosing off equipment this harvest season.

Then right to it. First the macerated fruit was poured by bucketfuls into the press, and the “free run” juice allowed to flow freely into another bucket. The color of the juice was an incredible deep raspberry color.

As the buckets filled up, the juice was poured into jugs. Mike kept this up until all the free run juice had been collected. Then it was time to press the grapes to get every last drop of his “wine” out of the must. He piled on the blocks and began to ratchet until no more liquid ran and the “cake” was pressed hard. The yield was over nine gallons!

Disassembling the press to remove "the cake"

Compost anyone?

Michael has a lot to show for his efforts.

And then more hosing…..

I’LL DRINK TO THAT !

Trueblood Syrah - Napa Valley - 2004 - $29.95 - Long legged beauty was my  first thought when I poured a glass of this blood red wine. The viscosity of the “legs” was incredible, slowly making their way down the inside of my glass after a good swirl. Dark, rich, lush, elegant…spicy with figs and licorice in a long finish. Bloody good wine.

To hear Victor Abascal, owner of Vines on the Marycrest in Paso Robles, tell his story about how he got started in the business of making wine, is to once again learn what happens when someone just “fires” to pursue their passion. Last Monday night at I’ll Drink to That!‘s monthly networking/wine tasting event, Victor regaled the attendees with his story of how he secretly planted a vineyard on a vacant hillside belonging to a nunnery, got caught, had to pull the vines out and ultimately decided to forgo the “5-year plan” and replant his passion and his vineyard in the beautiful countryside of Westside Paso Robles.

Victor Abascal, owner, Vines on the Marycrest

The anxious “wine tasters” were then guided through a tasting of four of Victor’s luscious red blends, all named after some of his favorite songs. Plenty of humming could be heard as guests tried to remember the tunes to: “Summertime”, a Grenache based rose, “Heart of Glass” and “‘Round Midnight”, both Rhone blends, “Satin Doll” (Cab,Syrah, Cab Franc) and “My Generation”, a blend of estate Zin and Rhone varietals. Victor described his wine making style as balanced and food friendly. I would describe it as delicious!

Gourmet mini grilled cheese sandwiches made with Gruyere, caramelized shallots, blue cheese and apple were passed around with the wine, as well as other delectable treats made by executive chef Tori Rodriguez of Artisan Cheese Gallery. And to “cleanse the palate”, SanTasti, “the world’s first palate cleansing beverage”, was available for guests to try.

Although Victor did punctuate the fact that blended wines are his preference, he did bring along 3 bottles of his reserve single varietal wines which he donated to the “opportunity drawing”, with all proceeds benefiting the non-profit organization, Make a Senior Smile. Attendee, Sara Polinsky, representing the organization, spoke about their mission to fulfill “wishes” of members of the senior community who might find themselves without funding or family to otherwise support them.

Xochitl Maiman, IDTT founder, Victor and drawing winner, Michellene Debonis of Debonis Consulting

Blake Goodwin, owner of Video Optimize, was on hand to speak about the benefits of utilizing video as a powerful SEO tool, and his videographer was there to film the event.

Blake Goodwin of Video Optomize

The evening ended with some networking done via I’ll Drink to That’s “wine swap”. Each attendee brought with them to the meeting a favorite bottle of wine, and after breaking off into small groups, had the opportunity to swap their bottle and their business information with each other.

Barbara Cohen, IDTT Marketing Coordinator with Sara Polinsky

I’LL DRINK TO THAT!

Vines on the Marycrest - Heart of Glass - 2006 - 72% Grenache, 15% Mourvedre, 13% Syrah - $22

Victor served this delightful wine slightly chilled making it the perfect wine to sip while  preparing dinner, or enjoying a sunset during these last warm days of summer. With fresh strawberries and cherries on the nose, the fruit carries through to the palate with the addition of smoky, earth and leathery touches. Beautiful clear, bright color.

The Facebook post read:

“OK, bought all my winemaking equipment this weekend. My Paso Robles syrah grapes are at 20 Brix (% sugar). Should be ready to harvest in about two weeks! Can’t wait to start fermenting!”

While this sounds like it could be a post from any number of wineries I am friends with or a fan of on Facebook, (after all it is harvest time),  to my great surprise, it was a post from my cousin, Michael, here in LA! I immediately sent him off an e-mail asking him how it was that a member of my own family was embarking on a wine adventure of this great importance without me knowing about it! (Thank you Facebook and note to self to be more in touch with family). He wrote back that he had spent the last two years “getting really into drinking wine, primarily French, primarily Rhone”, and had watched 600+ podcasts of Wine Library TV with Gary V. (And I thought I was wine obsessive). So now he wants to try his hand at making wine himself. Of course I thought this was fantastic, (see previous posts about following your passion), and asked him if it would be alright with him if I tagged along on this journey of his and blogged about it. He said “yes”, so here we go. I am so looking forward to sharing this experience with him and I hope you enjoy the ride as well.

pressedforwine.com writes:

“In the modern world we seem to lose touch with one another. We have all these communication tools, phone, cell, TV, computer, internet, palm pilot, blackberry, and yet at the end of the day we have this feeling that something is lacking in our lives. It’s the human touch, one person talking to another the old fashioned way, neighbors touching base, musing about anything- The solution to this malaise is obvious to wine makers throughout the world. We need a barrel in every basement.”

D’Anbino Vineyards and Cellars in Paso Robles writes on their site about their “basement wine” heritage…

Owners and family members John D’ Andrea and Carmine Rubino were raised on the east coast in Newark, New Jersey.  ”In our local Italian neighborhood, home wine making was a very important event. We can remember around harvest time all our neighborhood grandpas would go down to the local train yards to pick up their order of grapes coming in from California. And then there was the week-long celebration of the crush and barreling of the juice.  Up and down the street there sat in the middle of every basement—one prized barrel of liquid art, which every grandpa assiduously attended to and possessively guarded under the lock and key of his watchful eye.

I’LL DRINK TO THAT!

Stanza - 2008 Chardonnay - Lodi

Discovered this at BevMo last week - for those of you looking for an affordable chardonnay without a lot of oak and more on the crisp fruity side , this could be for you. Currently on sale at $10.99 from a regular price of $15.99.

You guessed it - just saw Julie and Julia last night. Loved it- loved it-loved it! From the moment Paul Child’s classic, gorgeous, couldn’t believe my eyes blue Woodie drops into the scene, a smile is fixed on my face that doesn’t leave until emotional tears take their place at the end of the movie when Julie and Julia’s dreams are realized. Meryl Streep joyfully and brilliantly introduces us to Julia and her joie de vivre. Julia was a woman who clearly understood how to savor “the perfect bite”, how to live in the moment, how to figure out what it is that you love and how to get it. She learns to chop mountains of onions, (with carbon steel knives), keep a beurre blanc from separating, create the perfect Boeuf Bourguignon. Her contemporary counterpart, Julie, realizing she needs more in her life, jumps way out of her comfort zone and commits to a year of cooking and writing, both of which she already loves to do, but has up to this point, pursued without real conviction. She creates a blog, writes every day and cooks recipes with the French techniques laid down by Julia in “the book”. She simultaneously wonders “is anyone out there” reading her blog, while she worries how she will be able to cook a live lobster and bone a duck. Both women set goals and with the realization of those goals comes the realization of what this movie is really about - passion. Passion is the common ingredient that runs through the recipe of this movie - passion for food, for love, for butter, for having fun, for following your dreams, for connecting with and helping people, for brie cheese, (in my case, Cambezola), for family, for friends…for life. When we don’t allow for passion in our lives, we end up making hats in a cubicle. Or something like that. This movie was an inspiration for me to continue to pursue my passions…and I hope you will too.  On a personal note, I had the opportunity to meet Julia Child in 2002 when she attended a book-signing reception thrown by the cooking school I was attending. She was gracious and friendly and took interest in my name. The book that had just been released was “Cooking at Home”, co-written with Jacques Pepin, and offering a unique format of commentary by both chefs on traditional French techniques and recipes.

I’ll Drink to That!

If you’re whipping up a souffle with creamed crab in honor of Julia Child, why not try a delicious French white wine from the Loire Valley. The Bailly family have been winemakers in Sancerre since 1700. Domaine Sylvain Bailly Sancerre Terroirs is a 100% Sauvignon Blanc with a bouquet of honey, apple and lemon. It is full bodied with crisp acidity and a minerality to the finish.

Bon Appetit!

(Oh and by the way…is there anyone out there?)

An enlightened warrior is someone who conquers themselves, not others.

Such is the endeavor to earn one’s black belt in martial arts… and in life.  And so the two journeys are traveled on one path. People make the decision to take up a discipline of martial arts for any number of reasons. Exercise, to loose weight, fear, to meet new people. Few decide to continue to take it to the next level, and the next, on up to black belt status. I am a warrior - I am willing to do what’s hard. Those would be the individuals that come to realize that with every new skill learned on the dojo floor, a new and improved version of themselves emerges. A version to be taken out into the world to face life’s challenges, obstacles and disappointments with new strength, courage, compassion and preparation. I am a warrior - I am bigger than any problem. In the training to become a warrior , the realization emerges that the battle is within. The conquering of the inner enemy brings a sense of peace, clearing the way for growth.  I am a warrior - I act in spite of my fear. Testing for one’s black belt is the culmination of years of hard work, both physical and emotional - a test of skills, conditioning, focus, endurance and mettle. I am a warrior - I do everything at 100% and I never ever give up! Such was the case with my friend, Debbie, this last Saturday. After 12 years, it was finally her chance to show herself what she had learned and how she had grown. I am a warrior - I am willing to do whatever it takes. And for three hours she did exactly that. Put through endless drills by her masters, her body would occasionally falter, but her spirit never did. I am a warrior - I succeed in spite of anything. At the end of the day, she tearfully stood while her longtime master and friend tied the coveted black belt around her waist. Only Debbie knew for sure what significance each tear held.  And, as with the end of all journeys, a new journey begins with the very next step. Walk with faith, Debbie…faith in yourself.

I’LL DRINK TO THAT!

For me, celebrations are always cause for two things - wine and chocolate! So that brought to mind a delicious pairing I experimented with a couple of weeks ago. I opened a bottle of ‘05 Villa Creek Denner Vineyard Garnacha, Paso Robles and served it with a strawberry filled cake iced with chocolate grenache. The wine, light in body with strawberries coming through on the palate, was decadently yummy with the chocolate/strawberry combo of the dessert.

May 23, 2009

PASSION

It is not the years in your life, but the life in your years that counts.

Adlai Stevenson, US statesman and diplomat

Passion is what happens when we stop, quiet ourselves and listen to the voice in our soul. Unfortunately, however, we spend our time running from one thing to the next, swayed and influenced by what we think we need to be, have to do, must accomplish, have to acquire. And the irony is, after all that exhaustive work and attention, we often are left feeling unaccomplished, unfulfilled and lacking.

Many of us are now finding ourselves, either because of age, job layoffs, or some quantum awakening, looking to make the change from who we have been portraying to being our authentic selves.

Estelle Rees Arroyo is one of those people. Except she is not 45 or 50 or 55 years of age. She is 92 years old and she has just graduated with a BA in History from Sacramento State University. Her late husband used to tell her that she never finished anything she ever started. Then how in the world did she finish this, especially at her current age? What pushed her to drive 130 miles round trip every week for the past two years, calling a Motel 6 home while on campus? Why would anyone put themselves in such a conceivably awkward situation of being so out of place? What could push someone so far out of their comfort zone of identity and safety? The only answer I have is – passion. That which we do to express who we really are, and to identify the best version of ourselves.

To all of you who are taking the very brave leap of following your passion, do so with intention and a plan to succeed. Yes, even passion needs a plan. I salute you and send you my most genuine wishes for your success and fulfillment. And I look forward to hearing your stories. Congratulations to Estelle on her graduation and her passion!

I’ll drink to that!

On a visit to Sacramento last year at this time, my two girlfriends and I spent two fabulous days touring the wineries of the Sierra Foothills. My favorite find were the wines of Holly’s Hill. Not only is their focus entirely on producing Rhone varietal wines, my personal favorite, but this is a true family run winery. This beautiful wine estate is owned by Tom and Holly Cooper, and their daughter Carrie and son-in-law Josh Bendick make up the creative force behind the winemaking. These folks are truly passionate about their rhones. Their estate vineyards are composed of Viognier, Roussanne, Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah, and Counoise. Along with their varietal wines, they also produce both red and white blends. Both delicious! The Patriarche blend is the first wine put together each year getting only the best lots of estate fruit.

Holly’s Hill -

2006 El Dorado Patriarche - $30.00
(42% Mourvedre, 40% Syrah, 11% Grenache, 7% Counoise)
Deep aromas of boysenberries and cherries are highlighted with lavender and herbs like sage, oregano and pepper. The mouthfeel is broad with medium tannins and a long finish. Yum!

Hey Everyone,

After a couple of weeks of research, watching tutorials, and tons of calls to tech support, I managed to secure a domain, a web host and this blog space!!

I’LL DRINK TO THAT!

From Cass Winery, one of my favorites in Paso Robles, comes their ‘07 Viognier. Barrel fermented and augmented with a bit of Roussanne, this wine is full bodied with a viscous mouth feel in addition to flavors of  stone fruit.  Delicious with pan seared scallops!