Tour de Tina

Tine goes tasting...

Nothing like the sport of wine-tasting - if you can call it a sport - likely not, I realize that. No sweat. No elevated heart rate. No pain. In fact it's quite the opposite - wine-tasting is all pleasure. And last weekend it was all pleasurable during my personalized Tour de Napa at some of the best wineries in town. Friday afternoon, my dear friend Sally, visiting to escape the Seattle rain, went direct from Oakland (International) Airport to the lovely Patz & Hall tasting room in South Napa. Here the specialty is Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Each sip was sumptuous - and truly worth every single penny. A+++.

From Patz & Hall we headed to downtown Napa to the Olabsi tasting room - a sort of classic hole in the wall on one of the decrepid side streets of Napa - actually this particular street is not as bad as others -- though there really is a retail problem in Napa, which would be LACK of retail. It's amazing to me that there are first rate restaurants, hotels, and bars, but if a girl wants a sexy pair of slingbacks or a refill of MAC or just a fun throwaway Tee, well it's not happening in this town.

So back to wine....Napa sells wine. Not clothes. Olabsi....Well all I can say is that we bought into the "buy a case and get one free" -- and that's what we did --- I now have a fabulous case of Chardonnay sitting adjacent to my wine fridge because that puppy is full.

Saturday morning - 10:30 - the limo arrives -- I know - so decadent --- I keep thinking about how I could use (or save) this money in so many other ways -- it's hard not too feel guilty -- at the same time it's not worth wine-tasting and driving around the Valley -- I already seem to be a police magnet.

First stop - Fleury. Now, hear this one out. You drive up to a semi-modern chocolate brown barn and you think you might be in store for an 18th century sort of situation - sitting on haystacks and watching chickens wobble around you - but I walk in and see Las Vegas. SUCH a disappoint. They had two rolling racks of logoed Polo's, two cases of OAKLEY sunglasses (well one was filled with jewelry), and then a hodge-podge of other crap. The good news, however, was that the wine was fantastic - and once the tasting began, their poor taste in "accessorizing" went bye the bye.

From Fleury we drove (or rode) to Quintessa - a MUST SEE FOR all - so so so beautiful. It's a classic tour. The wine - well ask my friend JoAnn - she was not one to taste and pour out -- it all went into the "taste category" -   and once again I left with several bottles in tow. We left Quintessa to head to St. Helena to the revered Spring Mountain. Our host, a nice Jewish boy from New Jersey who happens to have the very same birthday as moi, was most lovely and most knowledgeable about our 5 wines we sipped on. Or was it 6? Or 7. Who's counting? 

While I could have been on a 4 hour bike ride that day, I spent 4 + hours living the high-life. No regrets. Just the feeling of fortune. And a mild case of the obese-fairy and her imminent arrival....though she really arrived the next day, at the cheese-tasting affair - but that story is for another day.

Ehlers Estate Merlot

Love it. Buy it. $45.

A white - try the Cline Viognier. Love it. Affordable. Buy it.

 

Llyod Cellars!

Another must buy! I sipped this yum yum and yum chardonnay on Labor Day. And Ladies - this Llyod dude was the winemaker at Rombauer -- and we all know how smooth and fabulicious Rombauer Chard is. Unfortunately my wine fridge is full - will have to wait a hair until a few slots appear. :) (PLEASE ignore the spinach dip and red plastic glasses - they do no justice to the wine).

Friends with benefits...

You read that headline and you think - "oh - I know what she is up to" - friends with benefits....

But think for a moment, I am in Napa Valley. Right - you got it - my benefit is the fabulous wine that seems to keep entering my household. Tonight it was a bottle of a Swanson Vineyards Merlot - I have to check the date - though it was so good I really don't care what year it was bottled. I thought about starting a little journal of my wine journey  - to track and take notes of all of these labels and vintages and years. While most of my commentary will likely be "yummy and extra yummy" I do think it would be great to track the tastings (rather big full glasses) and be able to offer up recommendations and of course be able to partake in Napa cocktail party chatter. And, unlike tracking my running miles - I did that 15 years ago - this kind of data entry offers a different kind of fulfillment. It's a sign to find more great fiends!

Shock and Awe

I still can't believe I actually live here in this unbelievable beautiful setting of Napa Valley. I actually get to drive - and bike - among vineyard after vineyard after vineyard. I feel so darn lucky. Twelve years of LA living has made me crave the country - and not that I am turning into some sort of farmer gal - but I do have to say I like this country living! I love the roaming cows, the goats, and the endless supply of fresh strawberries and cherries. See my baby goat photo - not really my goat but he (or she) was so adorable. And this lovely little creature lives among the Lavender farms - Harms Lavender Farm of Napa. I attended a Lavender workshop this past weekend - and of course walked away with oils, and mists, and sachets -- guess you really can't take the JAP out of the city. I still do like to shop.

I like to shop - but I haven't been - thanks to the Great American Apparel Diet that I have been on for not quite a year - (It worked Sally - I only cheated twice - and once was on my birthday!). The diet is about not shopping for clothes for an entire year - one can buy accessories, shoes and underwear but that's it. I broke down last winter and bought a sale-sale-sale pair of black denim pants for $20 bucks and then bought a cute little stretchy number last week on my 29th birthday. :)

What I do buy in this town is WINE. It's NUTZ - N U T Z - NUTZ!  I think it might be turning into some sort of addictive habit. I sort of hope this is not the case but all signs are pointing that way.

For those reading - please go to Tres Sabore - all excellent - Swanson - the Merlot - AMAZING - and my recent taste or two or three of Cakebread's Syrah. I just can't seem to get enough - :)

Wine should not outlive you.

Vineyard 29 - I keep thinking about their wine. How great it is. That Aida Cab. Wow. I was at this "half-bottle" shin-dig last week pre the annual Napa Valley Wine Auction. The basic deal is that you show up with half a bottle of wine and start tasting whatever is on the table. My total fall in love favorite was from Vineyard 29.

How I want VIP access. Can a girl just get a gig dusting those beautiful bottles? Does a friends and family discount come with the job? (go to www.vineyard29.com)

Let's talk about SPECIAL wine. I was out of town last week for a few days. My mother of course was and is the default babysitter. She bought herself and my son steak for dinner. What goes with steak? Red wine. So she reached into the wine fridge and pulled out the first thing she saw - my Far Niente 2006. Of course my first instinct upon seeing this open bottle in the kitchen fridge was "holy shit - you opened the Far Niente." But then I calmed myself down knowing that my mother totally deserves to be drinking this yummy in your tummy fabulous vino. In fact she had just cleaned up my room and "rehabed" my office. I figured this was her treat. Of course I can still tell others how she ripped open my special bottle, but what the heck, if we don't drink it now, then when? Life is short. Wine should not outlive you.

Dear Vanessa, do try the Olabisi!

Week one is coming to a close in my new life in Napa. (Today marks just about one week). And tonight marked my first night out - or as I said to my new found friends, I am "fresh off the boat" from good 'ole LA aka LA LA Land. While some LOVE Los Angeles, I always had one foot in and one foot out the door. It wasn't a place that I wanted to move to, but I accepted an amazing job opportunity. Five years turned into ten, and then I just stopped counting - well not really - I had 12 1/2 years in the land of the freeways (405N to the 10E to the 110N), and palm trees, and BMWs, and Coffee Beans, and plenty of fake tits. Sorry to be crude but it's a rampant disease down there with all of those non-movable breasts. (Come on, how many Asian women have a size D? I get us Zaftig Jewish gals, but not anyway west of the Pacific).

Okay, back to my new homeland - tonight was a Tweet/Twitter event - "Tweetup Napa" at a wonderful gallery in downtown.  I told the registration gal that I only had 8 followers but that seemed to be okay since I was prepared with my Cuivason. Perhaps attending these types of events will force me to be an active Twitterer - though somehow I doubt it - I can barely get to my blog - and then who really cares about my twittering anyway --- no one quite yet.

The event was a "mixer" - bring a bottle of wine and start meeting people - and I did. I met some lovely people as we began to open and pour the swash of Chardonnays.  Let me begin by recommending the Olabisi Carneros Chardonnay - www.olabisiwines.com.  I can't offer up the usual wine type "descriptives", but I can say it was excellent and I am certainly going to track down more! Second up was Chappellet - which I have written about before - though can't recall if I mentioned their Chardonnay - smooth and nutty - and of course I was able to meet Marissa who is their Tours and Tasting Manager. (These wine people are rockstars to me). Then, the yummy yummy yummy new release from Duckhorn - thought it was a sub brand - or rather another label and it started with an "I" and I met the winemaker, Neil, yet I can't recall the name - Imagery, Imaganarium? The bottom line - it was FANTASTIC. I actually started with a large gulp - and then moved onto my the others - but I promise you I did not taste all that you see in this photo. :)  

I had a wonderful evening. Downed a jug of water and was home safely in a record 5 minutes. Well it only takes 5 minutes unlike LA where you could wait 5 minutes at a redlight because the traffic is so thick. If anyone complains about living in Napa Valley, I say "head south" and soak up SoCal for 12 years and then you might have a major attitude adjustment.

Good night!

Rubicon Estate - Cask Cabernet 2005

This is the wine we drank tonight. A restaurant "special" - I won't say the price point, but let's just say the server was promoting this deep discount. It was fabulous. Smooth as a .... well all that is coming to mind is a baby's butt - but that's definitely distasteful when it comes to describing wine.

I'm tired. So the wine is simply smooth. yummy. buy it.

Frank Family 2006

I need to be part of this Frank Family - or at least figure out how to get more of this yum yum yum Cabernet. It was a gift which was opened at the dinner table tonight.

It's been quite the week of wine gifts. On Monday, my friend Michelle brought a bottle of her father's personal collection -- well it's his small little winery - and that Cab was unbelievable. There is never enough wine when a bottle is split 3 ways. Sad but true. Two ways works not 3 - it's my latest discover - but one I can live with. It may save me a few calories and offer up a better night sleep. 

Rum Anyone?

 So I was invited to a rum and cheese tasting party - can't say I am much of a rum gal - it's just harsh - well to me it has been a harsh drink, not to mention that is offers a less than lovely burning sensation as it dribbles down my throat. Compared to my Beckmen Grenache that I opened last night, this rum stuff is for the monkeys. Or maybe for my mother's golden retriever who has been known to slurp up a barrel of sludge in less than 10 seconds - the sludge was an after effect from the plumber trying to fix the kitchen sink. So was the $1000 vet bill that came after his stomach was pumped and he was put on a bucket full of meds. Good 'ole Wilson will eat or drink anything.

But back to the rum. I tried four "varietals" - starting with the esoteric and ending up with the Mt. Gay reserve. At least I think the bottle said "reserve" - maybe I just wanted to pretend I was drinking my '02 Dutch Henry Reserve Cabernet? Our fearless Cheese leader was enthralled with her cheese and rum pairings and while I thoroughly enjoyed all 9 cheeses - (too bad I didn't ride 125 miles today versus a measly 25) - I just couldn't get myself that moved by the cheese ... I mean by the Rum. I sipped, I swirled, I dumped it out. And so, while I will be calling upon the Carr cheese makers of Wisconsin, I will not be replacing my wine bottle for a sugar cane liquor bottle anytime soon.