One Day in Sonoma

I can’t complain about the busy life I choose to lead. It is my choice, and when weekends fly by and I can barely remember the fun I had, it is my own fault. But, sometimes I use a time crunch to my advantage. 

If there is one sacrifice to be made on a trip to Sonoma, my first trip no less, having only one day would scarcely make most people’s lists. Most destinations are like that, one day isn’t enough to do them justice, and a lifetime might never be if you leave your heart there. How did I rock one day in Sonoma?

I set out early, picking up the one day rental car at 7AM. I was staring back at the Golden Gate Bridge from Marin before 8.

Back to that trip I took with my family in 1987. The Golden Gate Bridge was one of the city sites I was especially taken with. So many people are. Definitely a point of distinction for SF, part of the charm if you will.

I leisurely made my way toward my first stop at ClineCellars. I peeled off at the first Starbucks I could find and used the WIFI to jam out my Foodbuzz Festival Day 1 post.

I arrived at Cline shortly after 10AM. I planned a trip to Cline after Maribeth Doran, their Goddess of Wine & Social Media, participated in #winechat for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Bottles of Cline’s Cashmere currently carry a pink ribbon and are linked to a donation made to Living Beyond Breast Cancer for each bottle sold. Nobody has to tell me or my family how important raising money to fight cancer is, we’ve been at it almost ten years now. It’s hard work! As a cancer survivor, fund raiser and volunteer I am dubious on some methods of raising funds, and retail promotion is one of the easily questionable methods; but I do thank organizations that support the fight and try to make their involvement worth the most with an extended relationship with a good charity. My thanks are due to the whole team at Cline for their continued involvement which has raised more than $200,000 in the fight against cancer. I heard personal stories in the tasting room, survivor to survivor even, and that means so much more on top of money raised and realities somewhere else.

Thank you Maribeth for arranging the good care I experienced during my visit. Lots of smiles and energy in the tasting room. 

One of the experiences I have had several times this year is the tasting of a blend and the varietal bottlings of the constituent wines. At Cline the Heritage Zinfandel is made of wines from the Bridgehead, Big Break and Live Oak vineyards, each expressing attributes that when blended presented much differently than expected. I am particularly taken with this type of experience because of how much creative expression can be attributed to the series of tastings and trials that winemakers go through each time they haul in grapes and try to balance how to use everything they ferment.

Cashmere is a blend of Mourvedre, Grenache and Syrah. The 2010 is still young with abundant fruit and spice. There was also a minerality component that was metallic in nature. It wasn’t a detractor from the wine per se, but it was noticeable. The wine drinks well and should see improvement over time. That’s only if the bottle I have in my cellar lasts long enough…

Something you must do if you only have one day somewhere, is move on. My trip would take me next to Rodney Strong Vineyards and my second stop of the day.

I met Robert Larsen from the Public Relations team of RodneyStrong Vineyards at the Wine Bloggers Conference in Virginia in July. The first meeting was at a tasting table and then I met him again in the evening as conference attendees met up, shared wines and networked. I had enjoyed the wines at the table earlier in the day and I was told then that there was a surprise in store for after hours. The surprise was that the Rodney Strong team had shipped along a blend deconstruction tasting (like the one at Cline) for their Symmetry blend. Based on what I said above, you figure I was pretty excited, right? Correct. Blending with friends at the counter was so much fun. The high quality of the constituent wines was abundantly clear. A range of richness, fruits and already finessed structures seemed so much for a pedestrian hangout amongst the industry set, but what the hell, we can experiment like anyone else! And, a little wine goes a long way, and we might have had a little more than a little wine….

During that trip I brought some of my homemade strawberry wine along and shared it the same night. The comment Robert made, and several others echoed that evening, is that the wine was straightforward, made well, and tasted exactly as it was described; strawberries. A thank you to all who wish to acknowledge my craft with so much as a word. It is/was an honor. During our Wine Bloggers Conference goodbyes I told Robert that I would stop by real soon and when the trip to San Francisco came to be, Rodney Strong was the first location I checked on!

I met up with Robert again during my Sonoma visit. We shared some laughs about the WBC trip and my thoughts on the wines I selected for my tasting. I had picked the 2009 Pinot Reserve, 2008 Symmetry, 2008 Alexander’s Crown Cab and the 2007 Brothers Ridge Cab. Symmetry is where my biggest interest was and this being a newer vintage from my last tasting, there were differences. The 2008 is a little hotter than I recall, but it still expressed the earthy nose and vegetal character I was expecting. One bottle for home, check! If the 2007 was any indication this wine with additional age should taste even better. Both of the Cabernet's were big wines and already drinking pleasantly. The Alexander’s Crown is unfiltered and is a touch sweet, which complements the red fruits and oak spiciness well.

Great to see you again Robert! Thank you!

I like Cabernet. I have really loved it so many times. But these days, I am finding that I dig it only when part of a mutli-grape blend. I can’t really explain why.

The rest of the day was random. I say this because my destination for lunch was picked at random as I was in pursuit of it, and my final destination of the day had been picked randomly from a list of recommendations provided through a trusted friend. Of course I had to call ahead for an appointment, but it was random nonetheless.

I found lunch at Bovolo in Healdsburg located inside of Copperfields Bookstore. As soon as I saw the description for the Zucca flatbread pizza I knew what I was having. Roasted squash, Black Pig bacon, sage leaves and ricotta salata. I’ve already recreated something like this at home just because the flavors were that well paired in this dish. Sweet squash with salty bacon and sage. Adding the crust to the action, it almost tasted like a light stuffing. The bacon pieces on the Bovolo version were huge and full of flavor.

I had to rush through lunch, although the adjacent power outlet and a phone charge was welcome, because I really didn’t have but a couple of hours and I would need to be back on the road for SF. Afterall, I was dealing with an area known for lots of highway traffic, construction and all the minutia of the modern era that goes with it.

Michel-Schlumberger was recommended to me by Jolene Bonina (Thanks Jolene and Red White Boston for linking us!) after her recent trip to help with harvest in Sonoma. I didn’t know it from any other destination on the list. That’s what being a newbie does for ya!

Michel-Schlumberger Wines is an absolutely beautiful place. The late day walk through the vineyards was a true pleasure. I snapped quite a few photos and several were the best of the trip. I didn’t take any pics of the building or the interior plaza where I enjoyed a glass of Pinot Blanc whilst waiting for the tour group to assemble. That’s a shame because it was great place to take it easy for a while. The dogs were very friendly, they know a dog person when they meet on, so I was having fun of a different sort.

The tasting menu included Pinot Blanc, Pinot, Merlot, a 1991 Cabernet, Rhone/Cab Blend and the more recent 2008 Cabernet.

The 1991 Cabernet was drinking well for the age. The tannins were a bit more aggressive than what I would have expected, but were small and clearly softening, albeit slowly. A thick salmon colored rim speaks to the age this wine already has in. The aroma is best described as dried chilies. Quite tart in the mouth. The story with it being on the tasting menu was that a newer vintage of a different wine sold out through the wine club and the 91 Cab was selected from the cellar to replace it.

The 2007 Le Sage Merlot was a wood influenced nose, is medium bodied with abundant tannins and tart red fruits. The Pinot is also notable for the length of its dry soil finish with hints of spice. I love experiencing new wines!

I had to cut my time tasting short and head back to the city and to return my rental car. I did hit traffic, of course, and was cutting it close arriving when I did; but all was well. I and my memories were home safe.

Sonoma looked exactly like I expected it to. The area north of Santa Barbara likewise looked like the agricultural and commercial area that I recall the California grape growing areas to have looked like 25 years earlier. I saw them then, I just didn’t care. I was 15 and didn’t drink, yet. That doesn’t mean there was no charm to be had. These agricultural areas also saw lots of almonds, olives and citrus orchards. All good stuff for exciting living.

Margot asked me if she would have enjoyed the places I visited on my trip. She most certainly would, and some more than others. The sub-urban and rural areas that can be found in Sonoma are much more our style and the place I could see us staying the longest. Mixing both wine travel, gourmet food and some outdoor adventure trips nearby, I think we could make a great go of the area more than once. Something to fit into the future travel plans.

I can also see how people can lose their heart in a place like Sonoma. It felt a bit like the times we have at our house in Vermont, where I leave a piece of my heart when I visit. The hours in VT are similarly casual and good food and drink isn't that far away. There definitely isn't as much wine in Vermont, but dragging along some of the cellar can make up for that!

And don't forget to check out Ancient Fire Wines on Facebook. 

Cheers!

Jason

A Rhone By Any Other Name

I am participating in Wine Blogging Wednesday for the first time this month, and having recently returned from a trip to the Southern Rhone valley, the topic for installment #71 of the event is fitting. “Rhones Not From The Rhône” is this month’s topic, offering a pretty broad space to work in. Wines made from any Rhone varietal, or several, but not made in France ‘s Rhone valley was the charge. The wine could be white, red, pink, a varietal bottling or a blend.

What’s the big deal with Rhône wines you say? If you don’t know the wines at all it might be hard for me to explain it in a meaningful way, but I’ll try. If you are hardcore Cabernet lover, don’t sway from your beloved Chardonnay or are currently on a Pinot kick you might likely be missing something. Nothing is wrong with those wines, I drink all of them, but wines from the Rhone Valley (and those made from the same grapes and in similar styles elsewhere in the world) offer different experiences. The wines from the Rhone I most enjoyed on my recent trip were the red blends. Their complexity and breadth of aromas and flavors was captivating. I found violets up next to licorice and powerful combinations of smoke, leather and pepper that were definitely unique for me. Some of the grapes used in the Rhone are minor players, or are unused, elsewhere in the world. But from the Rhone you can experience them at their finest. These truths are known in other wine producing countries, like Spain and Australia, but are still emerging in the United States, where varietal usages of grapes like Syrah and Viognier are the norm.

I have actually made blends in this style at home three times in the last few years. They have added a nice diversity to my collection and have been strong crowd pleasers. The first two I made were from a Southern Rhone style winemaking kit that was primarily Syrah with Mourvedre. The most recent occasion was a different kit with Syrah, Mourvedre and influence from Grenache and other grapes typically found in the Chateauneuf-du-Pape blends. While the last one wasn’t as good as the first two, it has been a solid drinker and is almost gone! Suffice it to say that I am quite fond of wines made from these grapes.

For my wine review for #WBW71 I planned to taste and share a domestic Rhone style red blend. Finding one in a pinch turned out to be harder than I had expected, but that reality is notable as I will describe below. I searched for a selection from California in several stores with no luck. Unfortunately, I didn’t give myself enough time to source one that would require shipping so I had to alter my search. I had recently enjoyed a taste of the Penfolds Bin 138 GMS (Grenach/Mourvedre/Shiraz) and after a quick search found it at a nearby store. I certainly could have picked a varietal like Viognier or Petit Sirah and had several domestic offerings to choose from, but picking a blend gave me the opportunity to think back to the Rhone wines I recently tasted and see how one made elsewhere stacks up.

Penfolds Bin 138 GMS 2007

66% Grenache, 21% Mourvedre, 13% Shiraz
Garnet colored with some variation from rim to center. Pink/orange on the rim to garnet in the center.
Powerful aromas of blackberry, licorice, wildflowers and earth.
Spicy & juicy red fruits with some mushrooms and almost meaty flavors.
Sleek, with velvety tannins and a moderate finish.
The total package is assertive, but not abusive.

I could have sat and smelled this wine forever. I did want to taste it so I had to switch gears eventually. The structure of the wine is really notable. It is very sleek and focused, but not weak. The moderate acidity plays the role it should in the balance of the wine and demonstrates the beauty of the blend. This is definitely a different wine from those we tasted in Provence. It is juicier and fruitier than all but the youngest Rhone wines we tasted. The trade-off is more fruit for less earth, between the Aussie and French styles, but that isn’t surprising.

Interest in wine is exploding in the US so it might not seem like any one wine or style of wine would need cheerleaders, but Rhone style wines have them. Enter the Rhone Rangers, a non-profit organization that promotes American Rhone varietal wines. Qualifying Rhone Ranger wines do have to contain 75% or more of one or more Rhone varietals, which opens up many possibilities. The group sponsors tastings and educational events with member wineries all over the country. The membership is diverse with producers in California and Washington as you would expect, but also producers from the Central and Eastern US. Members include producers, growers, distributors, wine shops and fans. I recently joined as a Sidekick (consumer) member and will definitely be looking to visit member wineries when I am in VA and OR later in the year!
I suspect my difficulty in finding the type of blend I was looking for can be explained pretty simply. When it comes to domestic wines we are very varietally focused. Even with awareness of Bordeaux, Burgundy and wines from the Rhone I am betting that the knowledge of domestic Rhone style blends is less on the East Coast, where they aren’t produced, and shops don’t carry them or stock them heavily as a result. Writing about them and requesting them from the area shops will certainly go a long way to changing that.

I can’t wait to take a stroll through the other posts from #WBW71 and discover some new wines to try.

Cheers!

Jason

Wine Region Project – Napa Valley, CA

Wine has been grown in the Napa Valley of California for one reason or another for upwards of 200 years. Grapes were first grown and carefully turned into wine in California at missions and for religious services. Commercial wineries were starting and growing by the mid-nineteenth century, and despite the roller coaster ride of pest infestation, prohibition and world wars have resulted in the Napa Valley becoming a leading winemaking region world-wide.

Home to more than 300 wineries, the Napa Valley is a magnet for people interested wine, food and the who, what , when of one of the most watched winemaking areas of the world. For this visit we decided we would focus on developing a healthy, wine-friendly menu to pair with a couple of wines we felt were good representatives of the wine vibe of the Napa Valley.

Our wines are the Hall 2008 Sauvignon Blanc and a 2007 Mondavi Napa Cabernet. Of course the name Mondavi is not far when we speak of Napa, without his and is family’s influence what we know as Napa Valley today would be quite different. We had to challenge ourselves to pair meal with such a well known vintner and wine.

The Hall Sauvignon Blanc has a nose overflowing with grapefruit, island fruits with a hint of sage. The wine is very crisp, but not hugely acidic, with more body than we expected. The flavors of peach, fresh greens/herbs and citrus were easily found.


The aromas from the Mondavi Napa Cabernet signaled an exciting taste ahead. The color is a dark ruby red and it smells of red fruit jams. No wood or earth aromas were detected. The flavors are again of red raspberries, dark cherries but more so those that have been cooked and reduced; their subtle sweetness comes through. Hints of freshly chipped wood were detected, also contributing s mild sweetness. This was a true delight.

Napa Valley offers wonderful wines and is also located in a diverse agricultural area with easy access to fresh ingredients. Napa is home to many different ethnicities and as a result, many different food influences. Research of the Napa Valley and the cuisine uncovered the obvious; this is an area where wine drives the food culture. It would appear that the restaurants of Napa cook as we often do, when you find a good wine you create something to go with it. With all the flavors and aromas to work with we could return to this challenge frequently and not run out ideas.

Our Menu

Alaskan Smoked Sockeye Salmon Toasts Topped

with Crumbled Hard-Boiled Egg & Dill

Vegan Cassoulet with Local Vegetables

Mocha Bites with Homemade Raspberry Jam & Whipped Cream

Our wine pairing plans were that the Hall Sauvignon Blanc would pair with the Smoked Salmon Toasts and the Cassoulet and that the Mondavi Cabernet would pair with both the Cassoulet and dessert. We searched for any dessert pairings with the Mondavi Cab, but didn’t turn up anything. I can’t believe nobody has tried it before, so this may be that it either isn’t hugely successful or just isn’t how this wine is typically used. Just like the restaurants of Napa we are going to be creative here and see what happens.

Alaskan Smoked Sockeye Salmon Toasts Topped
with Crumbled Hard-Boiled Egg & Dill

4 small slices of multi-grain bread, toasted
Mayonnaise
Alaskan Smoked Salmon
3 hard boiled eggs, shelled and coarsely chopped
Fresh dill
Salt & pepper

Cut the bread into squares and lightly cover with mayo. Crumble a healthy portion of smoked salmon on the toasts, top with crumbled egg and garnish with some fresh dill, salt and pepper.

Our smoked salmon appetizer was inspired by a similar item from the starter menu at the Norman Rose Tavern located on first street in Napa. This restaurant claims to be the place you can go to get a pint or a glass of wine paired with American comfort food. The menu does have lots of sandwiches and burgers on it with a wide range of ingredients and garnishes that definitely make it stand out.

We found a nice review of the tavern at http://napavalleyregister.com/lifestyles/food-and-cooking/article_106c6339-70d1-53eb-9b86-f00a8661c619.html

Vegan Cassoulet

4 medium onions, chopped
5 medium carrots, peeled and sliced thin
2 Tbsp minced garlic
1 large red pepper chopped
2 yellow summer squash, sliced thin
4 oz shitake mushrooms, sliced thin
4 oz crimini mushrooms, sliced thin
½ lb green beans, ends cut off and cut into 1 inch pieces
4 large tomatoes, chopped (keep liquid too!!)
1 large handful of fresh picked basil, chopped
2 sprigs of fresh picked thyme, stripped
Cumin (1-2 Tbsp I believe)
Smoked paprika (about 1tsp)
Red chili powder (1/4 tsp)
Red chili paste (1/2 tsp)
Salt & Pepper to taste
Water
Olive oil

Over medium heat sauté the garlic, onion, pepper and carrot with oil until beginning to soften. Add the cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika and some salt and stir. Add mushrooms, beans, squash and tomatoes. Add water to create a stew type consistency. Bring to a boil and then reduce back to medium-low heat. Add the basil and thyme. Allow to simmer for 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the red chili paste and some more salt & pepper. Allow it to simmer until the vegetables are soft, but still have some crunch. That last step can be down to personal taste.

The Vegan Cassoulet was inspired by a makeover guest post from the 5 Star Foodie Blog. I didn’t measure the quantities of the vegetables and other ingredients exactly, which would be more typical of the French roots of this dish. Most of the vegetables were sourced from our CSA share. We were on vacation last week so this week we got a double shot and boy do we have a lot of veggies to use!

Mocha Bites with Homemade Raspberry Jam & Whipped Cream

1 box sugar free Devil’s Food Cake Mix
1 can vanilla Coke Zero (room temp)
1 1/3 cup water
2 Tbsp instant coffee

Mix all ingredients by hand or with a mixer for 2 minutes. Grease mini muffin tins and till ¾ with the batter. Bake until firm. Remove to cool.
For dessert we wanted to make something that was reasonably low calorie but that could also stand up to a rich red wine. For presentation we placed the bits around the edge of a small ramekin and thin filled the center with them. We drizzled homemade raspberry jam over the top and finished with some whipped cream.

Wine Pairings

The smoked salmon toasts and the Hall Sauvignon Blanc were made for each other. The creaminess in the egg wraps the flavors of the wine and the smoky, salty flavor of the fish extends the influence of the wine in your mouth. The dill found and brought out the slight herbal flavors we detected earlier in the wine.

The cassoulet paired best with the Mondavi Cab making it taste bolder and more flavorful that on its own. The basil in the dish helped bring out grape leaf and green flavors often found in California Cabs. The mushrooms brought out the oak and earthy flavors that were not available without the food. The Hall Sauvignon Blanc was a pleasant pairing but was overpowered by the dish and tasted a bit sour.

The dessert pairing was by no means a universal match, but the red berry flavors in both the food and wine found each other. The slight sweetness in the wine was a good compliment to the dessert. The addition of the coffee to the batter helped with the wood and non-fruit flavors in the wine. A slight increase in bitterness in the finish was perceived when paired with the dish.

Overall we were very pleased at the array of flavors we were able to present and the pairings we were able to experience. Our menu was a nice representation of the Napa melting pot and how to bring food and wine together for an enjoyable experience.

Have you been to Napa? What are your thoughts on the wine and food? How did we do? Did we create dishes you would expect to see in Napa? Are our wine pairings something you would like to try? Give us some feedback from your own wine country experiences.

Cheers!

Margot & Jason

p.s. one blog we came across during our research is Between Meals by Michael Bauer. Definitely a good read for the food and wine scene in the area around San Francisco.