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Bighorn Cellars 2004 Los Carneros Camelback Vineyard Chardonnay
2007-06-29 03:37:00
Bighorn Cellars was founded by Bill Hill in the 1970's and his mission is to produce wines from exceptional vineyards in the best growing regions for each varietal. The Chardonnay is therefor grown in Carneros while other varietals are grown in other areas. Pinot Noir for example is grown in Willamette Valley and Sonoma Coast. The 2004 Los Carneros Camelback Vineyard was barrel fermented in 100%, 1 to 2 year old, French Oak. After that allowed to go through secondary malolactic fermentation. Then bottled without filtration and aged in the bottle until release.It has a golden, light straw color in the glass. Initially on the nose, buttery oak overshadows everything else, but letting it sit in the glass for 5 minutes very different aromas appear. This time soft floral and citrus steps in with the oak and leaves a more balanced impression. Tasting the wine, ripe apple and pear, with citrus and some tropical fruit shows up. The mouth feel is round and soft with creamy oak that doesn't...
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Long Meadow Ranch 2004 Ranch House Red Napa Valley
2007-06-28 04:24:00
The Long Meadow Ranch 2004 Ranch House Red has a very dense, dark red color in the glass with a touch of cloudiness. On the nose black cherries, spice, earth, wet stone, and a hint of sherry like aromas. On the palate again the black cherry, with red cherry, black currant, and some peppery spice. Again a hint of that sherry quality, that I am not a fan of. The fruit is at first intense but loses strength quickly and gives way to tart tannins on the medium length finish. This is not a wine I would recommend. I do not like the sherry associations I get on the nose and palate, and the wine is not very well balanced. For $19 I can easily find a wine that fits my palate better.Vote for my blog here and help me stay in top 10 on The Blog Top! I have finally reached top 10 and I am now striving to reach top 5!
More About: Valley , Ouse , Napa

Artesa 2005 Carneros Chardonnay
2007-06-26 03:26:00
The 2005 Artesa Carneros Char donnay has a pale straw color in the glass with a slight green tint. On the nose I pick up pear, green apple, citrus, and some yellow peach at the end. On the palate the apple and citrus comes through really nice, with a smooth, round, creaminess. The wine is however not to buttery but instead quite lively and fresh. This character comes from 2/3 of the wine being fermented in oak and 1/3 in stainless steel tanks, plus the fact that only 1/2 of it went through the secondary malolactic fermentation. The malolactic fermentation is the step in wine making that gives the wine its buttery creaminess. Since only half went through it, you still keep some fresh fruit character. It lacks a little bit in complexity, but it is over all a really nice white.I enjoyed this chardonnay thanks to the fact that it was not overly oaky, or to buttery/creamy. If I had to pay the winery price ($30) I would opt for something else, but when finding it at Wine-Searcher.com from ...
More About: Nero , Donna

Jessica Foster Confections
2007-06-21 05:09:00
I had the fortune of receiving a box of truffles for my b-day from Jess ica Foster Confections out of Santa Barbara. Jessica Foster launched her brand in 2003 after years of working in restaurant in Santa Barbara and along the central coast, as a prep cook, then pastry chef and finally specializing in chocolate. Using Belgian chocolate for her creations she finds her inspiration for the many flavors in as diverse places as the local Farmers' Market, to her travels abroad. I received a box of the Hot Chili Truffle Selection. Four different chili flavored truffles were included.Dark Chocolate Cayenne was the first one to disappear without a trace... This truffle was coated with cocoa power and made from luscious, smooth, dark chocolate with no initial taste of the cayenne. But right as you let it all melt in your mouth a medium strong heat sets in that lingers in your mouth long after you swallow. You know that great kind of heat that sneaks up on you.The Dark Chocolate Habanero was u...

Au Bon Climat 2005 Santa Barbara County Chardonnay
2007-06-20 15:55:00
I have enjoyed this wine many times (of different vintages) and it hit me tonight that I have never shared it with you. So here it is...I can't share my thought on this wine with you without starting with some history, because the wine maker, Jim Clendenen, really deserves it. He started as the assistant wine maker at Zaca Mesa Winery in 1978. In 1982 he went on to found, with ex-partner Adam Tolmach, Au Bon Climat. Jim Clendenen has been a ground breaking wine maker and force in Santa Ynez Valley ever since. He has won several accolades and awards during the years and was named "Wine maker of the Year" in 2001 by Food and Wine Magazine. So, on to the wine. The Au Bon Climate 2005 Santa Barbara County Chardonnay consists of grapes from two vineyards, 65% Bien Nacido Vineyard and 35% Rancho Vinedo Vineyard. It is barrel fermented and aged in French oak. It has a pale, golden, straw color in the glass. Sticking you nose in the glass, pear, buttery toast, citrus and a hint of tropical...
More About: Santa Barbara County

Bonaccorsi 2004 Sanford and Benedict Pinot Noir
2007-06-20 03:50:00
Bonaccorsi makes some fantastic Pinot Noir s from the central coast. I've had quite a few of them before and also reviewed a couple for them. Read my four earlier reviews here. This is however my first bottle from the Sanford and Benedict Vineyard and I was anxious to see how it compared to the other vineyard designated Pinots.The Bonaccorsi 2004 Sanford and Benedict Pinot Noir shows a very dark, ruby red, medium dense, color in the glass. On the nose big, black cherry, blackberry, earthiness and a hint of vanilla, greets me. Moving on to tasting it dark raspberry, round, dark plum, and black cherry initially leaves a big impression. As it moves toward the finish, silky tannins and juicy acidity steps in, along side the fruit and berries, and gives this medium to full bodied wine a long beautiful finish, with pencil lead leaving you a final impression at the very end.This wine is definitely up there with both the Melville, and the Fiddlestix Vineyards that Bonaccorsi also makes (amo...
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Thank you to all my devoted readers and voters!
2007-06-19 02:49:00
Just in time for my birthday I finally reached top 10 on The Blog Top! What a birthday present!!! I owe a BIG thank you to all of you who have voted for me day after day for a long time. Thank you so much, I was so excited to reach top 10!
More About: Readers , Voters , Hank

Lodi Wine Tasting
2007-06-14 00:44:00
My birthday is coming up and yesterday my two good friends Robyn and June picked me up in the morning to go to a, for me, unknown destination for a day of fun. An hour or so later we arrived in Lodi . Now, I have never been to Lodi before, but I do know that they make quite a bit of wine there, so of to wine tasting we went.We started off with Jewel Wine ry were the majority of the wines are under $10. They pride themselves with offering great wine for a great price. I started of by tasting the 2005 "Un-Oaked" Chardonnay ($9.99). Not to bad at all for the price. Good amount of fruit while refreshing from the acidity, and non existing oak. Got myself a bottle of this one. The 2004 Firma (blend of Barbera, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese and Syrah ), has a nice balance of dark fruit and smooth tannins. For $9.99 it is not to shabby as a crowd pleasing table wine. The 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon ($9.99) was really not all that bad either but it was lacking a bit in structure with to much fruit...
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Fess Parker 2005 Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir
2007-06-11 05:05:00
Not my first Fess Parker Pinot Noir and certainly not the last. We got this bottle in our wine club shipment from Fess Parker a while back and tonight it was time to try it with a Chicken Pasta Primavera. With a clear, deep, garnet color this wine shows black cherry, plum, raspberry, floral notes, and oak, on the nose. In the mouth flavors of black cherry, plum and a nice spiciness emerges. This is supported by good amount of acidity and silky tannins with a firm edge. For the price range we are talking about, $20-25, this is a pretty decent pinot noir. I would not hesitate to get this bottle again and if you have a chance pick it up and give it a try as well.I do not have my records left on this bottle but I believe we got charged $22 for it through the wine club. You can find it at WineZap.com from $21.99, and that is a pretty good deal for this quality level of wine.Vote for my blog here and help me reach top 10 on The Blog TopI am now in top 11!
More About: Barbara , Santa , Santa Barbara County

Capiaux 2004 Garys' Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir
2007-06-10 06:36:00
After having the Capiaux 2005 Chimera Pinot Noir a while back I had to try the "one step up" pinot noir from them as well. They have several of the these and I picked the Garys' Vineyard having had many pinots , from other wineries, from this appellation before and always enjoying them.This wine shows a slightly cloudy, dark ruby red/purple color in the glass. Aromas of dark and red cherry, raspberry, perfumy floral, and smoke, hits you on the nose. Tasting it, black currant, red cherries, and smokey oak, shows up. This is a medium to full-bodied wine with supple acidity and relatively smooth tannins with a long beautiful, complex, finish.This is a really good pinot that I hope to enjoy many more times in the future. It is a great pinot if you do not like some of the "fruit bomb pinots" that are being made out there. It is very well balanced with great structure. Give it a try!I bought this at a local wine store for $55. You can find it for as low as $40 at Vinfolio.com. I know it ...
More About: Santa , Lucia

Morgante 2005 Nero D'Avola Vendemmia Sicilia
2007-06-08 02:57:00
This wine is made of 100% Nero D'Avola , a varietal unique to Sicily. It is highly recommended by several wine critics (one of the being Robert Parker), and I thought I would give it a try ($15.99 at local store).A deep ruby red color in the glass gives me a hint that this is going to be a wine concentrated in fruit. On the nose, dried, dark cherries with spice. It is overwhelmingly powerful in the fruit and I am not to excited about tasting it. It is equally super, overly, powerful on the palate with almost a sherry-like quality. This is not my style of wine at all...This is the first time for me tasting this grape and I am not quite sure if I missed a flaw in this specific bottle or if it is just not something I would enjoy. I suspect the later...Can not recommend it at all. I took a couple of sips and then the whole bottle went down the drain...I would love to hear your comments on this wine! Give me your opinion!Vote for my blog here and help me reach top 10 on The Blog TopI am ...
More About: Sicilia , Organ

Step Rd. 2005 Black Wing South Australia Chardonnay
2007-06-07 05:30:00
Only $9.99 at my local grocery store and with some great reviews, I just had to try this wine.The Step Rd. 2005 Black Wing , South Australia , Chardonnay has a medium-light straw color with an ever so tiny hint of green in the glass. On the nose it shows ripe pear, citrus and pineapple. On the palate the pear shows up again with nice citrus and a hint of vanilla. The mouth feel is initially round with a slight buttery creaminess, that is washed away by the plentiful, fresh, mouth watering acidity. This is a medium bodied, to a certain extent ripe, but still "cooling", chardonnay with a really nice finish of lingering fruit and the acidity that holds it's grip until the very end.I really liked this wine and plan to get some more for summer entertaining.Find it at Wine-Searcher.com and WineZap.com from $9.99. This is a must try for the dollar spent!Vote for my blog here and help me reach top 10 on The Blog TopI am now in top 11!

Orecchiette with Hot Italian Sausage and Sauteed Greens
2007-06-06 01:48:00
Time for a new video blog. This time I am cooking up a warm pasta salad that is the perfect dish for the summer. It's a one-dish-entree that is easy to make, very flavorful and looks pretty on the plate. All things good.Episode 11: Orecchiette with Hot Italian Sausage and Sauteed Greens .Recipe follows.Orecchiette with Hot Italian Sausage and Sauteed Greens3/4 lb Orecchiette pasta2 tbsp butter1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced3/4 cup dry white winesalt and black pepper1 tbsp olive oil1 lb hot Italian sausage (can be substituted with sweet Italian sausage)2 tbsp olive oil1 (5 oz) bag of baby arugula6 Swiss chard leaves, central rib removed and coarsley chopped1/4 cup mascarpone cheeseBring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to directions. When draining reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water.In the meanwhile saute garlic and scallions with butter in sauce pan until softened. Add white wine and simmer until liquid is reduced by half,...
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Frank Family Vineyards
2007-06-04 02:18:00
This weekend we went wine tasting at our local wine merchant, Capitol Cellars. Frank Family Vineyards was pouring four of their wines, and I thought I put together a little review on those, as we enjoyed the tasting.First out was the 2005 Napa Valley Chardonnay ($34). Medium straw color in the glass with citrus, ripe apple, and a hint of white floral on the nose. On the palate the apple and citrus plays an initial role before the round creamy mouth feel steps in. This is however not an overly oaky chardonnay. It has refreshing acidity that balances the creaminess out and gives it a fresh and somewhat crisp finish. Over all a very nice chardonnay.The 2005 Napa Valley Zinfandel ($34) was up next. This zin has a dark red/purple, but relatively clear/thin, color in the glass. On the nose it displays raspberry, strawberry and a spicy note from pepper. On the palate darker fruit with black raspberry and blackberry emerges with mouth watering acidity and high in firm tannins. You are left ...
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Senders 2005 Carneros Sonoma Valley Pinot Noir
2007-06-03 06:15:00
We picked up this bottle today at our local wine merchant after the owner recommending it to us.I have never heard of this pinot before and trying to do some research online I found...nothing... The website given on the label is not active, I could not find any reviews or prices anywhere...I did not get the story behind the wine when purchasing it so I am not quite sure if it is a new winery or what is going on...Oh well, on to the wine. It has a very clear, not very dense, ruby red color in the glass. The nose offers red cherry, red raspberry, cranberry and a touch of oak. The cherry and cranberry follows through to the palate with medium acidity and sleek tannins. That is, tannins are definitely there, but are not to obtrusive, and on the other hand, not overly smooth either. A little thin on the fruit on the mid palate and finish for my taste, but never the less a very nice wine.This, I would say, is a really good pinot to pair with food. Very good on it's own indeed, but it wil...
More About: Pinot Noir , Sonoma County , Noir , Nero , Ender

Easton 2004 Sierra Foothills Sauvignon Blanc
2007-06-02 01:16:00
When we went up to El Dorado wine country in April earlier this spring I picked up a bottle of this Sauvignon Blanc at the Terre Rouge/Easton winery. Tonight, beeing Friday night, BBQing in the backyard, I thought this would be a great wine to start with as the food is cooking. I reviewed this wine briefly before, after our wine trip. Today I will go a little more into detail.This wine was cold fermented in stainless steel tanks and then aged in neutral French oak on the lees for 9 months. The majority of Sauvignon Blanc are aged in stainless steel to keep it clean and crisp. The oak, in this case, gives this wine a certain creaminess. It did however not go through malolactic fermentation which gives it the characteristic crispness we usually see in Sauvignon Blanc.This wine has a clear, light straw color in the glass. On the nose light tropical fruit, pear, citrus and a hint of butter scotch vanilla. On the palate there is citrus, light peach and pear, with a slight round creamines...
More About: Sierra , Hill , Hills , Foot

Benessere Vineyards 2000 Napa Valley Sangiovese
2007-06-01 02:00:00
When up in Napa Valley earlier this spring my friend picked up a bottle of this wine at the Bene ssere Vineyard, and tonight she shared it with me.This wine has a slightly cloudy, ruby red, appearance in the glass. On the nose I pick up smells of the ocean, dark cherry, tea and a musty earthiness. Once in the mouth muted plum, black cherries and black currant shines through. The berries come with a hint of spice, the tannins are relatively smooth on the mid palate but leaves you with an astringency at the end of the finish. This is a medium bodied wine that shows good quality both in the fruit driven aspect but also shows a lot of terroir. We both enjoyed it along with a good conversation and would have it again if this was not the last bottle.Searching online I can not find it for sale. I think the original price at the winery was about $25-30/750 ml bottle at the winery, but I can not confirm that at this point. FYI: we tasted a 375 ml bottle that's why the glass is bigger then th...
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Clos Pegase 2005 Mitsuko's Vineyard Carneros Chardonnay
2007-05-31 02:54:00
Tonight I had a shrimp and broccoli fettuccine for dinner and paired it with the Clos Pegase 2005 Mitsu ko's Vineyard Carneros Chardonnay .This wine has a clear, medium straw color in the glass. Sticking your nose in the glass you pick up citrus and white peach with light floral notes, and a hint of almond. Sipping it ripe pear, citrus, and again, the white peach, coats the palate. It has soft a creaminess with some buttery oak, balanced out by medium firm acidity giving this white a clean fresh finish, with metallic minerals leaving it's mark at the very end.It paired very well with dinner and having 90 degrees+ up here today a chilled, not to oaky chardonnay was exactly what I needed. I got this at Safeway on sale for $22.99, but you can find it at Wine-Searcher.com for as low as $19.99.Vote for my blog here and help me reach top 10 on The Blog TopI am now in top 11!
More About: Yard , Nero

Article: Get the service your bottle deserves.
2007-05-30 15:23:00
Last week I read a great article in Los Angeles Times: Get the service your bottle deserves.It addresses what good wine service in a restaurant should look like, and if that is not what you receive, how to steer it in the right direction.Whether a beginner or old dog in the world of wine this is a great article to read.Read the article here.
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19 Kitchen~Bar South Lake Tahoe
2007-05-29 21:30:00
We spent the Memorial Day weekend in South Lake Tahoe with good friends. For Friday night I had made reservations at 19 Kitchen ~Bar, located at the 19th floor of Harveys' Hotel, in South Lake Tahoe.After having a delicious Pineapple Ginger Mojito in the bar we got seated promptly.We started of with two starters shared by the table, Warm Goat's Cheese Strudel with Arugula, Mushrooms and Balsamic Vinaigrette ($12). Very good with great balance of the flavors and the right amount of creamy goat's cheese in the strudel. The second starter was the Lettuce Wraps with Chicken, Water Chestnuts, Mushrooms and Szechuan Sauce ($12). Very tasty as well with a nice spiciness to it, although I preferred the Goat's Cheese Strudel.For entree I choose the Sea Bass with Shrimp Risotto and Lobster Broth ($29). This was a beautiful dish with mild flavors, the sea bass cooked to moist perfection and the risotto had the right texture and creaminess. The Lobster Broth was poured around the risotto and...
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Fess Parker 2003 American Tradition Reserve Santa Barbara County Syrah
2007-05-29 20:39:00
We had this wine last night when having a BBQ in the backyard. The dinner contained of a Spanish spice rubbed chicken with spicy parsley and mint sauce, grilled vegetables and a tomato/corn salad.This syrah has a dark, dense, purple/red color in the glass. On the nose it shows black cherry, dark fruit and black currant. On the palate, intense dark, ripe, cherries again with black berries and some oak. This wine was very concentrated in the dark, ripe, fruit and berries but manages to balance that pretty well with decent acidity and round tannins. Over all not an amazing syrah but certainly good. Worked well with our meal, and it won't break your bank. Find it at Wine-Searcher.com from $26.45.Vote for my blog here and help me reach top 10 on The Blog TopI am now in top 11!
More About: Tradition , Syrah , Barbara , American , Santa

Sea Smoke Cellars 2004 Botella Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir
2007-05-24 04:52:00
Tonight we are having a wine loving guest over and I opened the Sea Smoke Cellars 2004 Botella Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir . This is an absolute favorite since a couple of years back. Very hard to get a hold of unless you are willing to pay twice the price of original "retail price".I was lucky to get a hold of a couple of bottles at $55 at a local wine shop when it was first released.This wine displays a clear ruby red/purple color in the glass. The first thing that greets you on the nose is black cherries that opens way for the black berry, lingon berry and subtle oak.Sipping this beauty you discover that there is more fruit/berries on the nose than on the palate, although it displays wonderful black cherry and black currant with a spicy note. It is well balanced with firm tannins and good acidity that provides a nice back bone. Full bodied with a long savory finish. Over all a great Pinot Noir that will last quite a few more years in the bottle! This was my last bottle and I wish ...
More About: Santa Rita Hills

Elk Cove Vineyards 2006 Willamette Valley Pinot Gris
2007-05-22 04:38:00
Tonight I am revisiting a favorite from last year, the Elk Cove Pinot Gris , but this time the new vintage, 2006.Elk Cove Vineyards was founded in 1974 by Pat and Joe Campbell, and to this day it remains family owned and operated. In 1995 Adam Godlee Campbell joined the team as the winemaker. All the fruit is estate grown, the estate being 350 acres, 120 of the dedicated to vineyards.They use gravity flow and gentle handling to intervene to a minimum, to let the grape express itself in the wine.The 2006 Willamette Valley Pinot Gris was whole cluster pressed, cold fermented in stainless steel tanks, and did not go through malolactic fermentation.It has a clear, very pale, straw color, with perhaps a hint of green, in the glass. On the nose white, sweet floral with citrus and a touch of tropical fruit. The first impression on the palate is that of medium viscosity and sweet, soft creaminess. As that subsides fresh citrus with great acidity kicks through and gives this wine a great refr...
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Rideau Vineyard In-Circle Cellar Club, Iris' Estate, Bon Temps Vineyard Syr
2007-05-20 04:02:00
We bought this wine when visiting Rideau Vineyard last summer. I pulled it from the wine fridge tonight anticipating a good match with the BBQ flank steak and Santa Maria style salsa I was preparing.This wine has a dense, dark, inky purple color in the glass. Looking at the color you expect massive dark fruit and berries, and it sure delivers. Greeting you is a big punch of black pepper, dark berries and black currant. Sipping it, the ripe, dark fruit hits you again with a hint of vanilla. Big, soft tannins and black berries finishes this wine.This is a voluptuous, big, maybe even huge, naught, naught syrah. But oh so good!It worked to a certain extent with our meal. The pepper and big body was perfect, but it was a bit to ripe and fruity. Still, we had a great meal and a great wine. Perfect match or not....Robert Parker gave this wine 90 points. I bought it for $58 at the winery. Searching the web I could not find it for sale. If you do run across it, grab a bottle or two. It is wo...
More About: Estate , Syrah , Santa Ynez Valley , Iris

Smoked Pork Loin, Leek and Gorgonzola Pasta
2007-05-18 23:39:00
It's been quite a while since I posted a video but now I am back, this time cooking a Swedish inspired pasta dish with smoked pork loin which is a common ingredient in the Scandinavian Cuisine.Episode 10: Cooking Smoked Pork Loin, Leek and Gorgonzola Pasta . Smoked Pork Loin, Leek and Gorgonzola Pasta Recipe4 smoked pork loin slices, 1" thick1 leek 10 baby bella mushrooms1 cup peas1 1/4 cup Creme Fraiche (substitute with sour cream if not available)3 oz crumbled Gorgonzola1 lb Penne pasta (or any other shape you might want to use)Start by boiling up plenty of water in a large pot to cook the pasta. Cook the pasta according to directions. In the meanwhile cut the pork loin across in thin strips and then cut in half, to half the length. Slices mushrooms and cut leek in 1/2" slices across. Saute the leek and mushrooms in butter in a frying pan on medium high heat for about 5 minutes until they soften and start to brown. Add pork loin and peas and saute for 1 minute. Add creme fraiche/s...
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Kara's Cupcakes in San Francisco
2007-05-18 01:10:00
My sister-in-law, Kristina, searched out Kara 's Cupcakes when visiting San Franc isco earlier this week, after reading about this bakery at DailyCandy.com. Knowing me and my addiction for sweets she brought home some of the goodies for me to taste.Kara's Cupcakes are baked from scratch daily at their bakery at Scott Street. All of the ingredients are locally sourced, and many of them are organic.They feature 14 kind of cupcakes on their website, 10 "regular" ($3 each) and 4 filled cupcakes ($3.25 each). I got to taste three of the regular ones.Ghirardelli Chocolate: This is a chocolate cupcake topped with chocolate frosting. The cake is really moist and light in texture and the topping has a delicious, creamy,sweet, chocolate taste. Next up was the Chocolate Velvet: Chocolate cupcake with a bittersweet chocolate butter cream. If the Ghirardelli Chocolate was great this one was amazing, as it has a more intense, less sweet chocolate flavor. The cake is still super moist but the butt...
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Fess Parker 2005 American Tradition Reserve Santa Barbara County Chardonnay
2007-05-17 01:38:00
This is another bottle we got in our latest shipment from Fess Parker wine club.The 2005 American Tradition Reserve Santa Barbara County Chardonnay has a clean, medium dark, straw color in the glass. On the nose this wine shows citrus, apple, white floral, caramel and oak. The apple shows up on the palate again, this time more green and tart. Citrus and good acidity balances the round, creamy palate. Much to often chardonnays leave you with a too creamy, cloying finish but thanks to the really nice acidity, this one exits with a pleasant round, but fresh feeling.This chardonnay is not yet available to the public. I payed $30 through the wine club and it will be around $35 as it reaches retail. A really nice Chardonnay but it seems to belong more in the $25 range... Give it a try. You be the judge... Vote for my blog here and help me reach top 10 on The Blog TopI am now in top 11!

Fess Parker 2005 Melange Blanc Santa Barbara County
2007-05-15 03:59:00
We got this wine in our latest wine shipment from the Fess Parker Wine Club.It is a white Rhone blend, the primary grapes being Rousanne, Marsanne and Grenache Blanc. It has a clear, medium straw color in the glass. On the nose floral notes, ripe apple, peach and a touch of tropical fruit. On the palate this white offers sweet floral and fruit with some sweet vanilla. It is round and soft in the mouth with a creamy finish.The floral and fruit is to sweet for my taste and it doesn't have enough acidity to give it the lightness and freshness it needs to balance those characters. This is not a bad wine, but neither is it one that I particularly enjoyed, so I can't recommend it.This wine is not yet available on Fess Parker Winery and Vineyards' website, but will be. It was $18 in our shipment and should be around $21 for non club members. There are definitely better wines to be found at that price...Vote for my blog here and help me reach top 10 on The Blog TopI am now in top 11!
More About: Barbara , Santa , Santa Barbara County , County

Galante Vineyards
2007-05-14 02:47:00
We were in Carmel this weekend for Mother's Day. Passing by the Gala nte Vineyard Tasting Room I just had to stop by to taste their wines. I had not heard about this winery before and I got some good information from the very knowledgeable and friendly tasting room staff. They explained the wineries wine making philosophy and methods. The wine maker strives for the wine to express what in France is called terroir. That means, in short, letting the soil, surroundings, location and weather express itself through the fruit in the wine and intervene as little as possible. The wines are gravity racked and have not gone through fining or filtration.On to the tasting. I tasted around eight wines and I will mention the ones I liked the best.First out was the 2006 Carmel Valley Sauvignon Blanc ($25). It has intense peach aroma and flavor, with a hint of tropical fruit. Good acidity gives this wine a nice freshness.The 2005 Carmel Valley Petit Sirah is much more delicate than most Petit Sirah...
More About: Vineyards , Yard , Alan

The Truffle Shop in Nevada City
2007-05-11 05:51:00
On our little day trip to Nevada City last week we found The Truffle Shop . Being a chocoholic there was no way I could possible resist it, so into the store we went. Rows of huge truffles awaited us...The shop was opened in 1986 with Chef Willem DeGroot, as Master Chocolatier. DeGroot came to the States with his parents when young. After high school he decided to become a Capuchin monk in Franciscan monasteries. This is where the recipe for the truffles was developed. After 13 years he left and eventually opened today's Truffle Shop. The recipe is still the same and still remains a secret.I got a box of six truffles:Raspberry Cream: This truffle has a red colored raspberry filling. And although it was very god and intense in raspberry flavor I prefer when the raspberry is blended with a dark chocolate truffle, with a less intense flvor from the raspberries as a result.Highlander: The majority of the truffles has some kind of hard liquor in them. This one is a semisweet truffle flav...
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