Memories pressed between the pages of my mind, memories sweetened through the ages just like wine.

She Said: The day after the wedding G and I took a quick trip out to Dundee Oregon to visit one of G's favs, Argyle Winery.  This winery also has a special place in my heart.  On our second date G and I went to a Greek restaurant and this was the first time G had ever ordered us a bottle of wine.  I remember the wine coming and the waitress pouring the initial sip for G to taste.  The next few seconds were a combination of me watching G with both shock and surprise as he stuck his entire nose in the glass and took a big sniff, then he took a sip and sloshed the wine almost like he was using mouthwash.   I remember being stunned, and I may have glanced around to see if others were seeing what I was seeing.  It was clear he was a winemaker; wine was his passion, and he knew what he was doing.  G gave the ok and our glasses were poured.  The wine tasted spectacular and enhanced by the "second date" high.  At one point, I reached out and looked at the bottle of wine.  I read Argyle and then my eyes spied Dundee Oregon, Willamette Valley. My family is from Oregon.   I excitedly told G  the connection, how special Oregon is to me.   Arriving at Argyle felt like a walk down memory lane.  I must admit though, I drank A LOT at the wedding the day before and my wine taste buds were tapped out.  After we did our tasting we enjoyed walking the gardens on the property.

I'm gonna be a mighty king so enemies beware! Well, I've never seen a king of beasts with quite so little hair.

King Estate Winery

She Said:  We made it to King Estate Winery on the drive up to Albany, Oregon!  I had been here last summer with my aunt, cousin, and mom and was blown away, so I knew I wanted to take G.  The views of this winery are breath taking.  I highly suggest if you are in Eugene to make a stop here.  King Estate has a wonderful restaurant with delicious food. You can sit out on the patio sipping wine and enjoy the panoramic view.  We lucked out and the weather was hot, complete with blue skies, a rarity for Oregon.  The most random part of the entire King Estate adventure was while tasting G was wearing his New Jersey hot dog shirt.  A family tasting next to us was from New Jersey, and when they see G's shirt, struck up a conversation.  Before we knew it; their doctor was G's uncle!!!  Small world.

Goin' places that I've never been, Seein' things that I may never see again, And I can't wait to get on the road again.

She Said:  McMenamins is an Oregon institution.  Listed as one of the top 50 largest craft breweries in the United States, over 60 brewpubs, microbreweries, historic hotels, theater pubs that make up this McMenamin empire.  It is amazing to see how they take over old buildings and restore them in to works of art.  On Saturday before the wedding a group of us went to eat at the Black Rabbit, one of the restaurants on the Edgefield property in Troutdale.   After lunch we walked the grounds to see the distillery, golf course, gardens, and there was a line of Willie Nelson fans waiting for the concert later on that evening.



This place is a sight to see, and I am excited on future trips to Oregon to explore more locations.  I must say the food at Black Rabbit was sub par.  My risotto was bland.  I should know better then to order a dish that G makes, setting the bar way too high.  Usually I am a strict Corona Light drinker, and I rarely experiment with beers, but at lunch had the ale light Ruby.  This beer was refreshing, and processed with raspberry puree to give it just the right fruity kick.  A new favorite.  We did check out Edgefield’s wine tasting room.  This was the first time G and I had ever done wine tasting with my mom and she was a good sport and dived right in.



On our way out I was taken back by all the small details.  Every traffic sign is hand painted, murals cover the walls, and the labels of beer and wine are artfully designed.  I am blown away by the thought and creativity around every corner at Edgefield.



 

Oh Lord! Stuck in Lodi again.

This weekend G and She set out on a Lodi wine tour. First stop Michael David.



Although the names of the wines were catchy: Incognito, Heavenly Chards, 7 Deadly Zins and the labels were eclectic the wine was sub par.

G said: Big extracted Lodi style. If you love Lodi wine it could be for you. The whites struggle. Wasn't impressed. Quixote has ruined me for Petite Sirah. Although for 18 bones a bottle it may be for you.



This particular label is the exact replica of the seismograph reading from the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.

Outside on the grounds, there was a beautiful you-pick garden filled with dalias, zinnias, and sunflowers. We even played a game of bocce ball. G kicked butt as always. Never challenge an Italian stallion to bocce ball; you will lose.





Next stop m2!



This place is a diamond in the rough that is in dusty Lodi! A must stop. Michael Perry the pourer is as knowledgeable as they come. There are no pretty views, no flashy artwork; this place is down and dirty warehouse style. Take it or leave it.

G Said: Quote of the day, "the 07 Petite Sirah pulls up a lazy boy on your pallet and parks there." Really impressed with wine making here; there is actually a sense of place in the wine. M2 seems to be ahead of the market in predicting the rise of mediteranean varietals such as Albarino, Temparnillo, and Verdelho. The wine wasn't high alcohol or RS it was actually wine not candy.

Lane, the wine maker, we did not meet, but he is supposedly quite the story teller. Hopefully we will see him next time.  We will be coming back for sure.



G getting the back stage tour and nerding out.

Next stop Peirano Winery. She was in heaven because chips and salsa were paired with the wine.





G tries hard to look creepy in pictures or maybe he is just sad due to the horrible wine?

Blasé. Ok, so their wine 'The Other' has broken through and made its way to Costco. The pourer was celebrating this; unfortunately, our taste-buds weren't. Overly raisened was the consensus. In fact all the wine tasted the same. Our last taste was the cab a #2 best seller. Not impressed; just an Ocean Spray cranberry bog of a wine. Our pourer ended our tasting with Barbera and came right out and said how bad it was, but great for sangria. Personally who wants to end an already bad tasting with the worst copper penny smelling wine. Blech! Come on, this place should be embarrassed.

G tip: Any time you walk into a winery and they are blowing cases of their wine on sale for $28 think red flag.

On the way home to Modesto to fire up the grill and make burgers.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

She Said: What is harvest like?  What are the highs and lows of harvest time in wine country?  What goes on behind the scenes?  How can the ordinary person be involved or participate?

Here it is...Harvest Eve 2011.  After a cool wet spring across most of the state, temperatures rebounded and, so far, California has managed to stay dry and (knock on wood) fire-free.  Heat data in the Central Valley is almost identical to last year, and cooler sites are actually ahead of where they were last year at this time (in terms of growing degree-days).  The early June rain threw most growers for a loop, and most of the cooler regions (see Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino, Lake, etc) were experiencing bloom at the time.  As you may guess, heavy rain, high winds, and fragile flowers don't mix, and in the end, something had to lose.  Some growers were more unfortunate than others, and early-blooming varietals experienced lousy berry-set--hence, their crops could be lighter come harvest.  If you were in the Central Coast, then you know all too much about the April frost.  Out of respect, it will never be mentioned again.  But most of the state has caught up in the last month with respect to ripening and heat, and those grapes that are left on the vine look great.  2010, while not a bad year (in fact, I'll argue that it was the opposite), presented challenges that many California grape growers and winemakers had never experienced...namely a cooler than average season and WAY above-average rainfall.  The season was very un-California.  Strange weather caused some people to do strange things, like pulling basal leaves from vines with the idea that exposed berries will see more sunlight and ripen more quickly.  Now why is that a bad idea?  In developing vines, basal leaves are the largest, and therefore the most photosynthetically-active during the growing season.  At a point during the mid-summer, green growth (shoots and leaves) ceases and all the vine's energy is diverted into ripening fruit--the berries become a sink for photosynthetic products, which are sugars.  Removing basal leaves removes the main sugar-manufacturing stations from the vines, and during cool years, the berries need all the sugar that they can get.  Not only is ripening delayed, but the fruiting zones of the vines are fully exposed to the sun, leaving them in danger of burn.  Burn, you ask?  Oh yeah.  Grapes get sunburned just like your Irish cousin.  And in late August 2010, that's exactly what happened.  A string of 100+ days scorched California (102 in the Russian River Valley), and all of those exposed berries got fried on the vine.

But this is the year 2011!  So much we've all learned from the pop-quiz that most of us failed last year.

Our first loads are due to arrive this coming Wednesday morning, at which time Santa Claus will come down the winery chimney and leave Pinot Gris (which is destined for a program that I'm not permitted to reveal).  Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Muscat will begin to hit at the end of the month and carry us through September.  Valley Pinot Noir is looking to be ready around mid-September, while the stuff that's actually worth a damn is currently in the early October timeframe.  Syrah, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon will load up the month October; and come Halloween, we'll be seeing rain in the forecast and the final harvest push will end just before it gets wet and harvest is over.  That's the season in so many words.

But what really happens?  It's a world that not many are privileged to see, but if you're a friend of the blog, you have an inside track!  Like right now...

If you caught my Santa reference earlier, you might have the idea that I look forward to harvest like a kid looks forward to Christmas.  What I love the most about it is the fact that there's only one chance per season to execute a plan, so everything--all those ideas, all those months of developing a playbook--need to occur in a very very finite period of time.  If you fail, you miss your chance for another twelve months (and, more often than not, you'll receive and earfull from whoever signs your paycheck).  So you gotta show up with your A-game every morning...there's none of this leeway for someone like, say, Jay Cutler, who can throw five picks on a Sunday afternoon, get benched, and then quickly forget about it in preparation for the next week (where he'll probably throw another 4 along with being sacked more times than I care to watch).  In the wine business, for a LOT of small producers, there is no tomorrow.  Do you enjoy pressure and long hours?  I might have a job for you!

To give you an idea of the kind of long hours to which I am referring, here's an outline of my first harvest shift of 2010....

9:45 pm:  Report to winery to write compliance work orders for the night's receiving and make coffee.

10 pm:  Write work orders.  You can probably assume which task got highest priority.

10:30 pm:  Radio cellar team leads for a truck update.  They haven't heard anything yet, and I'm not surprised.

11:15 pm:  A co-worker and I square off in a YouTube contest in which we have to show the funniest video.  I pull a Trump and win with the Bedroom Intruder song.

12 am:  Radio to the cellar draws no response.

12:40 am:  Pot #2 is on.  My eye-in-the-sky reports fruit within the hour.

1:30 am:  The first truck arrives at my facility--press-cut Pinot Gris.  Pump it out and we're underway.

2 am:  Begin gross solids removal from juice.

4:57 am:  Write work orders for fining-agent additions and start the clock on the required juice contact period.

5 am:  Begin fining-agent adds

6 am:  Begin removal of fining solids, make oatmeal, check fantasy baseball standings for the morning.

10:30 am:  Calculate yeast additions.

10:40 am:  Scour the winery for the correct yeast strain.

11:15 am:  Pitch yeast starters to tanks--now we're making wine!

12 pm:  Reinforcements arrive.  Lay out expectations for the afternoon.

2 pm:  Shift end.  Limp home to bed.  What was that...16 hours?

And I live for it.  Every second of it.  From August through December, each day is spent on this unbelievable high--the ultimate state of wired.  You find yourself breathing heavily when you realize that your body can't keep up with all the thoughts in your head.  You may only get one or two good nights worth of sleep in a week, but to me there's plenty of time to sleep in November.

The low point in the season is when you hit the stage of physical exhaustion.  Cleaning, lugging heavy hoses and pumps, deadlines, early deliveries, and paperwork take their toll, and right around October 10th everyone becomes a shell of irritability.  By then, no one wants to muck out the press at 3 am because they're soaked and tired and cold (and you can't expect being inside a small metal tube in the dark to be all peaches).  You really have no clue about the physical and mental strain of harvest until you've been there...

If you're interested in experiencing harvest for yourself (if my last paragraph didn't turn you off forever), there are actually PLENTY of opportunities for the lay person to get their hands dirty (literally).  True, there are wineries out there that offer "Be a winemaker for a day" events.  And they're cute and they give you a glass of wine and you're usually done by 3.  If that is the kind of experience that you seek, then go for it.  Think of it as harvest with training wheels.  They'll bring out bins of reject fruit (probably the stuff with a high enough percentage of rot that the winery would never ever use for wine) and put it in a bucket for you so that you can take off your shoes, roll up your pants, and have the time of your life.  You don't need to stay up all night picking, nor do you need to fill out weigh tags, sort berries, clean equipment, troubleshoot, perform all necessary laboratory analyses, and plan for the next day and/or week.  Easy-peasy.  Oh!  And your event is catered!  And they'll give you free wine!!  And you can get your picture taken!  Not that I would ever do a day like that, nor would I recommend it to someone legitimately interested in wine; however, I will tell you that such an experience can make for a good party or a fun date.

If you're serious...like, REALLY serious about learning how to make wine, most wineries (especially the small ones) are more than happy to take volunteers for the day.  If you don't mind all night shifts or early mornings, you can pick a few tons.  All you need is a knife or pair of pruners and a good attitude (picking is repetitive and sometimes tedious, but face it, it's necessary).  We pick at night because cold fruit is less susceptible to breakage and infection by bacteria or mold (it's also easier on the crews not to be out there in the heat of the day).  If the winery wants you on-site, chances are you'll be on the sorting table picking out leaves, shot-berries, and generally anything that looks nasty before it has a chance to go into the fermenter.  You might also be asked to clean this and that, and the winery will most likely provide you with lunch and beer (it does, in fact, take a lot of beer to make wine).  They may also give you a bottle or two as a thank-you (because free labor is always appreciated).  But by volunteering, you'll be able to pick brains and ask all those sound-silly-in-your-head-and-may-be-afraid-to-ask questions and find that they aren't silly at all.  As long as you show a genuine interest in what you're doing, winemakers will explain our whole world to you!  We're good people like that.

The best way to contact wineries looking for volunteers is through either Facebook or Twitter.  They'll post harvest updates fairly regularly, and there's your opportunity to offer your services.  Can't find your favorite winery?  Give them a call and sell yourself.  Unless it's a large operation, the chances of you being turned down are incredibly slim.

 

[caption id="attachment_224" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Harvest in Napa, 2009. I guess someone has to do it."][/caption]

Question of the day:  What was the hardest job that you've ever had?

Sincerely, though, thank you so much for reading.  Wine is my passion in life, and I love everything related to it.  If you have any questions at all regarding any part of the business, where to buy, or just want ideas on new wines you haven't tried before, I promise all of you that I will take time out of my day to answer all of them.

Until then, later, kids.  And Happy Harvest '11--I hope you were good this year.

 

See the time we shared it was precious to me, but all the while I was dreaming of revelry.

She and G...the ultimate kidnappers!

Today we kidnapped mama She and whisked her away to Napa for the day. When whisking someone away to Napa , the first stop ALWAYS must be Oakville Grocery to pick up lunch.



G made an appointment at Reverie Winery for 11:00. Our host, a retired police officer, wowed us with his knowledge. We laughed when he said he used to arrest drunk people and now his mission is to get people drunk and loving wine. We tasted in the cave. Tasted in the redwood tree grove. Then we ate our Oakville lunch with a bottle of Roussane and waited for the oyster tasting. Unlimited BBQ oysters with parmesan and chipolte peppers made by the oyster guy were divine! www.oysterguy.com





Fully stuffed on oysters we headed to our next appointment at Outpost on Howell Mountain Road. This place is a must, MUST visit!!!!





We chatted with both wine hosts who were incredibly knowledgeable. We are hoping one will be a guest post on this blog and tell of cross country stories from Philly to Napa stay tuned... Anyone who travels cross-country to immerse themselves in wine is fascinating. We purchased the Grenache and a Zin, both 09s, and tried the just-bottled 09 Cab...still inverted and shocked, but a blockbuster.

Dinner was at Hurley's in downtown Yountville. Food is not Bottega or Rutherford Grill worthy. Bland tastes but ok.

Great day!

Sandy, the fireworks are hailin' over Little Eden tonight

Loma Prieta Winery

She Said:

G and I hit this winery on a perfect blue sky day.  The views of the Santa Cruz mountains are amazing and worth the windy drive.  Unfortunately, we were not able to snag a seat outside or play bocci ball because of the weekend crowd (thumbs down).  Of the wines I tasted the port was my only favorite. Most ports are too sweet for my taste buds but this port hit the spot.  The flavor reminded me of oozing cherry cordial insides.  Our jovial pourer won his way in to my good graces by pairing each wine with hershey's chocolate, salami, and dark chocolate.  Although most of the wines I tasted fell flat I will definitely go back.  I am a sucker for a good view what can I say.

G Said:
I judge a winery based on the following criteria:

1.  Quality product.  Not just one or two that you really like, but the whole line-up.  Anyone can make generic wine...take in all your fruit, process it all in the exact same fashion, and blend accordingly.  Show me individual, lot-specific attention that highlightsdifferences and unique qualities.  With that in mind...
2.  A quality second-label or lower wine.  It's easy to make a $100 bottle--buy well-farmed grapes and try not to mess it up.  But if a winemaker can take lower-level material and turn that into something head-turning...that takes real talent.
3.  Knowledge of the staff.  Having a winemaker or someone associated with production (for me) is always best, because I ask a ton of geeky questions and will pick a brian or two.  But a knowledgeable tasting room attendant is worth his or her weight in GOLD.  Hear that, wine industry?  Train your staff and hold them to a standard.  And quiz them....for the love of God, quiz them often.  And have them taste around to get a feel for the competition and identify how their wine fills a market niche.  There are wineries who are good about it (and it shows!), and I realize that not every visitor is going to grill the pourer; however, upping the level of general knowledge can only serve to benefit.
4.  Vision.  How does the winery see themselves within the business, and how do they plan to move forward?  What is their winemaking philosophy?  Do they cut corners with equipment?  Where do they see themselves in 5 years?  20 years?  The answers usually separate those in the business who are there to show off wealth and those who really care.
5.  Price.  Does price = elitism?  Yes and no.  The ultimate question is "Is the wine worth it to you?"

Notice how I didn't say anything about grounds or fountains marble walkways or a gift shop.  I could honestly care less.  Not that I don't appreciate a good view or a dog or romantic scenery (yeah, I said it.  Bring on the comments), but it doesn't influence my opinions on the wine.  I'm not fooled by the showpiece...so to all those with $$ to display...your efforts are wasted on me.

Loma Prieta?  To me, it's a showpiece.  They went for the whole "Tuscan-villa" design, and they nailed it.  It looks great--I don't want to take anything away.  They're also at the highest elevation in the Santa Cruz Mountains appellation, so on a clear day you're able to see the ocean from the top of the vineyard.  Hell, I dig a good view.  The wine, though?  Bland and uninspired.  The Viognier (a varietal that I love) left too much to be desired...aromatically-challenged and criminally thin.  Cab and Merlot were nothing to write home about; however, they did do a Pinotage (only 105 tons crushed in the state of California in 2010--but that's up from 82 in 2009).  It was decent...a little overripe, but decent.  I recommend them for an afternoon--find a day with your friends and head up there to spend some time.  But if you're looking for ground-breaking wine, try this instead.

Later, kids.

                                  

What a life it would be/If you could come to mine for tea/I'll pick you up at half past three/We'll have lasagne

She said: 

The first time I laid eyes on Food Network with chef Michael Chiarello of the show “Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello”, I was smitten.  His dark eyes, warm smile, and Italian charm would make any female fan melt.  I DVR his show just so that when I come home from a long day of work, plop on the couch, turn on the tv, he is there welcoming me in to his Napa kitchen.   This weekend I did not have to resort to Michael Chiarello DVR couch surfing, instead G and I dined at his restraunt, Bottega, in Napa Valley.  

Unfortunately, we did not have reservations, but I spotted a couple at the bar signing their bill and knew this was not the time to be shy or casual.  I walked right up, made small talk with the wife, asked her to give me a signal when they were going to get out of their seats, so we could swoop in.  “Great idea”, she said, but why not just take them now?  G and I were bellied up to the bar in 5 minutes flat.   Upon sitting, both G and I had instant restaurant ADD.  Our eyes darted back and forth while bar tenders poured $45 a glass tequila, waiters and waitresses hustled about with steaming platters of culinary eye candy, and the thought that was on both of our minds: Is Chiarello in our midst?  G ordered us a bottle of wine and like ritalin it mellowed us food geeks out some.  The menu deliberation begins.  G and I have a very simple unspoken rule about ordering as a couple: Never order the same thing.  This way you get to taste two very different dishes from the menu and really feel like you had a well rounded dining experience.  My pick was the house made rigatoni, tomato braised Sonoma rabbit sugo, caramelized mushrooms, with house- made ricotta.    The rigatoni was perfectly al denti and held up next to the rich sauce.  The ricotta cheese on top was not overpowering, and when mixed in gave the sweet caramelized mushrooms a nice softness.  This was my first experience with rabbit and I was pleasantly surprised at the tenderness. The consistency reminded me a lot of duck.   

Meanwhile, the Chiarello adventure loomed big in my mind. I left my meal a couple of times to “use the restroom” which really meant poke around and see where Chiarello may be.  There he was with his back to me on the food line,  plating.  I stopped in my tracks, and as if in slow motion, saw him wipe the rim of a plate and lick his fingers.  Some may say this was a rabbit rigatoni induced mirage, but here’s hoping he did the same exact thing before my plate was served.  By the end of the night it looked like he was not going to come out to the bar area and socialize.  When all my hope was about gone, I spotted him out of the corner of my eye talking with the hostess.  I flew out of my seat.  We made eye contact, and my desperateness was quite evident, “One minute, sweetheart, and I will be right with you.”  I stuttered out something like, “I adore you.  Will you come take a picture with me?”  I lead him through the bar, and he got bombarded.  I lost him to two woman and an iphone. Eventually he made his way over, and the three of us posed.  Somehow my camera was on timer, so we stood smiling while the camera just flashed.  After multiple takes, Michael was good natured, and I was mortified.  In retrospect it, just meant I a longer time in his culinary presence.  Next, he signed a Bottega bar napkin and was on his way.  The night was magical.  Award winning food, great conversation with fellow bar eaters, a night with G, my own personal Italian stud, and an audience with my favorite celebrity chef .

G Said:

I'm quite comfortable with the fact that I've lost my girlfriend forever.  Don't believe me?  Take a look for yourself.  

My exact words to him were, "Chef Chiarello, you're a God.  This is really an honor."  You know how you have those moments when you're totally incapable of intelligent thought/speech?  Yeah, that was one of those...but in retrospect, I probably would have said it again!  Even managed to throw in a, "By the way, big fan of your label."  


For those interested, Chiarello's grapes come from his own land and the wine is made by Thomas Rivers Brown (Schrader, Outpost, Maybach, Rivers-Marie, etc).  Brown is a legend in his own right, and if you get some time, I highly recommend taking a listen to an interview he gave in 2009--he has every right to have a massive ego, and is instead of the most down-to-earth in the business and incredibly soft-spoken.


Chiarello is, in his own way, partly responsible for my position in the wine industry today.  When I was in college and thinking about med school, I had this half-serious plan-B for when my plans didn't work out and, invariably, I would need a new direction for my life.  In my apartment kitchen one night, I decided, should my hopes be crushed, that I would open my own restaurant.  I partnered up with my buddy Jared and we do dinner for our wing of the building and whoever else decided to come by...usually on Tuesdays or something.  I had a decent share of failures, but I was learning and I was happy.  So later on when school started, I was cutting class watching PBS (because that's what the cool kids do when they skip class--don't judge) and Chiarello was on talking about wine.  At the time, the only thing I knew about wine was that I could legally buy it and in my narrow world, Kroger had a good selection (I now know this to be factually incorrect!)  If I was going to pursue my culinary destiny, I thought it would be good to know something about wine.  I bought old outdated copies of Wine Spectator from the Kroger shelves (which they NEVER replenish) and just read.  Just sat and read and absorbed.  Most of the time, I had no idea what the hell I was looking at....one of the first issues I bought was all about Germany.  And when you're clueless with regards to wine, German geography, and have no grasp on the language, you're not going to get very far (I still have difficulty with the labels, but the numerical codes are helpful).  But whatever....I didn't care.  I was too caught up, and couldn't get enough material to read.  You can talk to some of my college friends--I'd bring my magazines to dinner, and to class, and to track meets.  Yeah, that's right.  In between races while my friends took naps, I was nose-deep in an article on why 2002 was a shitty growing season in Italy.  Can you see an obsession growing?


It did.


I never went to med school.  


So if She wants to run away with Chef Chiarello, I really have no issue.  When she first bit into her rabbit, I think I saw her eyes roll back.  I went for the pan-seared gnocchi with English pea fonduta--equally impressive!  Not over-filled (which can be a problem with restaurant gnocchi--more is not always more) and just the right amount of sear.  You know...a touch...a kiss....perfect.  And dessert?  Panna cotta with pineapple gelatini.  I believe She's words were, "I'm not usually a dessert person, but tonight, I'm glad I was."  See?  Believer = made.  


And a lesson of the night...something to experiment with in your own lab on your own time:  you can get almost anyone to open up just by asking their name.  

Have a drink have a drive, go out and see what you can find...

She Said:  

Although G and I did not consult a word of the day calendar on Saturday, it was clear that the word ‘foresight’ was Saturday’s buzz word.  G received an invitation back in March to a day of picnicing,wine tasting,  swimming, and much more at a winery, which I have decided to keep nameless.  This winery is only open a few times a year, and it is so fabulous that it needs to be shrouded in mystery.  I had no idea what to expect.  When we parked the car and walked towards the grounds, my mouth literally dropped when I spied the view.  

How could this exist after that long, windy, dusty drive into nowhere? We set up our picnic by the man- made lake and ate our Oakville Grocery sandwiches (my favorite is the turkey and brie), drank some wine, and watched kids play in the water and wine lovers around us laugh and soak up the sun.  G and I felt like we were at an elite wine summer camp.  The glistening water, redwood tree groves, and cool breeze, was too good to be true.  At 2:00 all the wine camp members gathered at a special spot for the commencement of the tour.  We were led by the late, vineyard owner’s/ creator’s stepson who was a wealth of information.  His stories about his step-father were inspiring and the buzz word “foresight” kept popping into the narration.

Here was a man who started his career in pharmaceutical sales and at 47 decided he wanted a career change so turned to the Napa Valley.  He bought 80 acres of land for as little as $100,000 in 1968.  He was told by many that this was a huge mistake and that the land wasn’t even fit to grow a radish.  His foresight told him to ignore the naysayers.  He smuggled Cabernet Sauvignon vine cuttings from Bordeaux by way of Tijuana.   He had no idea the acres he purchased would have three different types of soil and microclimates that would make for a unique Cab growing experience.  His bottle of Cab was the first California Cabernet to break the $100 a bottle mark.  He focused on Cab and never looked back, taking a huge chance.  In addition,he had a 23 year battle with Parkinsons disease, and didn’t let it get in his way. 

As the stepson unraveled these facts through out the tour, I was mesmerized, and it especially hit home with my current state of job uncertainty.  How does one trust one’s gut instincts, throw out one’s routine life and leap forward, embrace a career change and go for it with total determination?  I struggle daily with caring what others think, and here is a man who heard from the peanut gallery and went the exact opposite direction and was a raging success.   Not only was he a wine visionary, but his vast property is also a foresight-seeker”s haven.  Only a true visionary would see acres of forested land and think let’s build a huge man-made lake, waterfalls, a lagoon, a messy bog turned swimming pool, truly a sanctuary of national park quality.  

The wine was entirely too expensive for young’ns such as us to purchase, but we snagged an empty tasting bottle on the way out for posterity sake.  And as for foresight, I think it is fickle.  Everyone has it, but do they embrace it and throw caution to the wind and just embrace the visionary urge?  Probably not.  I feel especially sad for us 20 somethings, all bright eyed and bushy tailed, fresh out of college with tremendous debt, a failing economy, no jobs, and other such tales of woe. I for one am going to tuck this wine memory in my back pocket, and when foresight knocks, I will answer! 

G Said:

Whenever I find a bottle or a place that I really like (and I know that your tastes are similar to my own), I'm quick to recommend.  However, the name of this particular winery will have to remain nameless for the time being.  That being said, the Google-savvy will probably be able to piece together clues and come up with the location.  If you're serious about your wine and your history, you'll understand that this winery is a Napa institution.  They've been producing since the early 70's  and have maintained their growing and winemaking philosophies to this day.

I've been a fan of these guys since I started in the business.  I was fortunate to have a '94 Volcanic Hill, and was hooked.  I'm up in Napa, well, a lot (and for that, I'm incredibly grateful), and for a guy whose tastes tend to gravitate towards tobacco-y, leather-y, asparagus-y Bordeaux, the wine is the most Medoc-like that I think California is able to produce.  She mentioned French Cab clones, and that is only partly responsible for the flavor profile.  Other factors include rainfall, weather, row orientation, soil type and depth, rootstock, vine age, temperature...to name a few...you get the idea.  So French vine does not necessarily equate to French wine (pay attention, Central Coast Pinot-makers).  

With regards to vine age, I'm a firm believer in the school of thought that older vines yield more complex wines.  After a vine is planted, it will begin giving fruit suitable for wine production after three or four years.  Young vines such as these tend to give a more fruit-forward style; and as they approach, say, 7-10 years of age, their production (call it pounds of fruit per vine) escalates and plateaus.  After 10 years, their productivity dips and will eventually settle on something relatively low.  However, grapes from older vines tend to reflect the characteristics of the site on which their grown.  Hello, complexity!  Their wine had it in spades--even had developing tertiary aromas after only two years!  I'm amazed....name me a so-called top-tier Napa wine that can claim that.  

You're looking at a view from the top of Red Rock Terrace overlooking the Gravelly Meadow Vineyard.  If you take a comparative look at the three sites (Red Rock/Grav/Volcanic Hill), the Red Rock Terrace bottling will become the most approachable first.  While still aromatically tight, the wine is incredibly complex and focused with balanced cassis and juniper, along with some nice smoked pastrami and a well-integrated oak profile.  Delicious.  The Gravelly Meadow (my personal favorite)  is very Graves-like, which I dig.  Lean at first take, but still waters run deep.  Definitely built for the long-haul with a firm tannin profile, but seamlessly balanced with with acid and one hell of a mid-pallet.  The Volcanic Hill had some intense tobacco action and the Diamond Mountain-structure that I love so much.  Keep in mind that everything we tasted were 2009s out of barrel, pre-bottle.  

Definitely hitting up the open house weekend for years to come, and without naming names, thank you to all those who made our visit the incredible day that it was--I've always appreciated your wines, and the through your wine and hospitality, you've made two fans for life.  

Thank you, Al.  Without your foresight and values, Napa would never be what it is today.