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Tastes of LifeTastes of LifeA Swedish girl in California reviews and shares thoughts on wine, chocolate, food in general, restaurants and traveling. Articles
Rusack 2005 Reserve Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir
2007-05-10 05:34:00 When we were in Santa Barbara last weekend we picked up a bottle of Rusack 2005 Reserve Sta. Rita Hill s Pinot Noir . After having the 2005 Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir not to long ago (and really enjoyed it) we were very excited about this one-step-up bottle.The Reserve Sta. Rita Hills is a 50/50 blend of grapes from Fiddlestix Vineyard and Rancho Santa Rosa. 445 cases produced.It has a great bright, dark red, color in the glass. On the nose I got dark fruit with a sweet touch of oak with caramel at the end. Swirling it in the mouth, black berries and medium dark cherries emerges with enough acidity to give it some structure and kind of firm, but still smooth tannins (what do you call that kind?). Overall it has medium to dark fruit/berries, showcased in a more elegant style. This felt like a very food friendly wine. We really thought this was a very good wine for not to bad of a price ($35.99).Find it at Wine-Searcher.com from $29.99 or atRusack's website for $38.Vote for my blo... More About: Santa Rita Hills
Venge 2000 Family Reserve Scout's Honor Napa Valley
2007-05-08 05:30:00 We got this bottle quite a few years ago when having a private tasting at the Venge Family 's winery, Saddleback Cellars. The Venge 2000 Family Reserve Scout's Honor Napa Valley is made from 81% zinfandel, 14% charbono and 5% petite sirah. It is named after the very first winery dog at their property, the yellow lab, Scout. Scout passed away months before the first release of this wine and was named in his honor.This wine has been put away for quite a few years and pulling it from the stack today I was afraid that it would have past it's prime. I fooled myself...This wine has a beautiful dense, ruby red, color in the glass with medium clarity. It displays great black cherries, black berries, tobacco, and some oaky vanilla on the nose. Moving to the palate, again black cherry and black berries, with black currant and earthy spice. This really held up a lot better than I expected it to and we, me and my husband, really enjoyed this wine.I can not find it online for sale after modera... More About: Zinfandel
Hartley Ostini Hitching Post 2005 St. Rita's Earth Pinot Noir
2007-05-06 02:59:00 Owners Frank Ostini and Gray HartleyThursday night we tried a new Pinot Noir from Hartley Ostini Hitching Post Winery. The 2005 St. Rita's Earth , Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir. The grapes for this wine comes from Sanford & Benedict, Fiddlestix and Clos Pepe Vineyards. Medium dark red, cloudy color in the glass. On the nose red cherries and not overly ripe, dark fruit, with a hint of vanilla. On the palate the red cherry follows through with blue plum and berries. Medium acidity and some what firm tannins, in play with the fruit, gives this wine a long savory finish.We really enjoyed this wine, but I would give it some time in the bottle, if even just 6 months or so, to settle down a little bit, and I think it will show even better.Find it at Wine-Searcher.com from $29.99. Vote for my blog here and help me reach top 10 on The Blog TopI am now in top 11! More About: Santa Rita Hills
Citronee Bistro and Wine Bar
2007-05-03 05:04:00 June, me and Robyn in Nevada CityMyself and two friends spent the whole day, Monday, up in Nevada City, celebrating a birthday. We started of with a pedicure, went on to lunch, and after that, spent the afternoon shopping and wine tasting. For dinner we went to Citron ee Bistro and Wine Bar. Never having been to Nevada City before I had done some previous research online to check out some good places, and this one was on the top of my list. We started of with a wine tasting paired with cheese by the Chef Robert Perez, in the Wine Bar. After taking a look at the menu we decided to stay for dinner for sure.We started of by sharing the Scottish Salmon (cured lox style) on Belgian Endive and Baby Greens with a delicious Citrusy Vinaigrette. Very fresh and a great start to the meal. The acidity in the citrusy vinaigrette cut perfectly through the fatty salmon.For entre I had the "Today's Special", Braised Short Ribs with Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes and a Red Wine Reduction. The wonderfull... More About: Restaurant , Tron
Tapiz 2006 Mendoza Argentina Chardonnay
2007-05-02 04:48:00 Thought I would try this Char donnay from Mendoza when I found it one the 5 cent sale at BevMo (buy on bottle for full price and get the second for 5 cents).This wine has a medium light, clear, straw color in the glass. On the nose, creamy, ripe, green apple with lemony citrus and a hint of buttery oak. On the palate the apple is more of the tart character with citrus and round, creamy mouth feel and medium acidity.This wine was fermented in new French oak for 8 months and you can certainly detect it both in the nose and on the palate. It is however still a relatively refreshing chardonnay with not to heavy creaminess.I got his at BevMo for $ 14.99, with bottle number two for only 5 cents, so that means that I only paid $7 per bottle. This wine is by no means going to "break any scoring records" but it is a solid, nice chardonnay for a good price. This is a wine that will most likely please the crowd considering the realtively low price.Vote for my blog here and help me reach top 10 ... More About: Argentina , Tina
Bonaccorsi 2002 Melville Vineyard Santa Rita Hills Pinot noir
2007-04-30 05:39:00 Bonaccorsi rocks! I've said it before and I'll say it again... (Review here, here, and here.)The Bonaccorsi 2002 Melville Vineyard Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir has a dark, dense reddish purple color in the glass. The very first moment you pour it in the glass and inhale, you get a whiff of strong cinnamon. That wears of almost immediately and after that I can not quite detect it again. Dark, ripe, cherries and fruit shows on the nose, with the dark cherries following the wine to the palate, accentuated by dark berries and pleasantly neutral, but very much existing, acidity, and firm tannins. This all wraps up in a nice clean finish with a trace of spice. This is a fruity but very much structured Pinot Noir with the pleasant fruit and berries that are not to overwhelmingly fruity or jammy. It has that nice fruit you are longing for in a slightly more elegant style...Only 200 cases was made of this wine and the only place I can find it online today is at RaedersWines.com for $57.99. ... More About: Santa Rita Hills
Samsara 2005 Ampelos Vineyard Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir
2007-04-29 04:40:00 Going wine tasting this afternoon in our local wine store we picked up a bottle of the Samsara 2005 Ampelos Vinyard Pinot Noir ($48.95) from the Pinot Noir section to try something new.Samsara was founded in 2002 by proprietors Chad and Mary Melville. Chad is also assistant winemaker and vineyard manager at his dad's (Ron Melville) winery, Melville, since 1997. Deciding to start his own venture as well, Samsara was created. A little philosophy behind this name to give some thought: Samsara is sanskrit for the eternal cycle of life, the world we live in now, one of passion, oneness, harmony. It talks about each individual human being longing to be in control of every aspect of life. When it comes to farming, as so many other things in life, you can not control everything, no matter how hard you try, and the final result is a harmony of the power of nature, things beyond our control, and the human desire to reach perfection. This will ultimately result in the expressions of the finis... More About: Vineyard , Santa , Santa Rita Hills
Sapor Restaurant, Sacramento
2007-04-27 03:40:00 I got invited to a nice little mid week treat last week. While our husbands watched a basket ball game at Arco Arena us two girls went out to dinner. My girl friend suggested a new neighborhood restaurant, Sapor Rest aurant , just blocks from her house in Sacramento . They had been their previously and really enjoyed the food and service. Being a Wednesday night it was very quite as we stepped in. The restaurant only seats 56 and we were the second table to be seated that night.We were presented with the menu and decided to start with Day Boat Scallop and Prawn with Horseradish Celery Root Puree and Riesling Essence. We paired this with a glass Chardonnay. The wine arrived, and with it, just out of the oven baked bread. Shortly after the starter arrived. The scallop was perfectly cooked and although I couldn't really detect the horseradish, the celery root puree was a great match with it's subtle taste and creaminess. The Riesling essence accentuated the sweetness of the scallops bea... More About: Aura , Amen
Kim Crawford 2005 Marlborough Unoaked Chardonnay
2007-04-26 02:55:00 Are you just like me sometimes craving a good chardonnay without all the heavy oak? If so, this is your bottle...The Kim Crawford 2005 Marlborough Unoaked Char donnay was like the name suggests not fermented in oak but in stainless steel tanks. It did however go through malolactic fermentation to give it a soft creaminess. Displaying light straw color in the glass, you might as well be looking at a Sauvignon Blanc. On the nose citrus, apple and some butterscotch. Round tropical fruit and creamy citrus with firm acidity and lingering finish in the mouth. It all gives this Chardonnay a Sauvignon Blanc feel. Over all a very refreshing Chardonnay that feels light and crisp instead of heavy and over oaked. The price is also hard to beat, $13,99 (at sale) at my local grocery store. If not available in yours, you can find it at Wine-Searcher.com or WineZap.com from $12.99. Give this wine a try if you like unoaked chardonnay. I think you will find it very worthy for the price... More About: New Zealand , Hard
Summerland Winery 2006 Central Coast Sauvignon Blanc
2007-04-24 05:17:00 The Summerland Winery 2006 Central Coast Sauvignon Blanc has a very pale, brilliant, straw color in the glass. Stick your nose in the glass and discover tropical fruit, white peach and citrus. On the palate a milder citrus with sweet pear and the tropical fruit again. The finish is clean and fresh with uplifting, crisp acidity. A not to shabby Sauvignon Blanc.I got this at BevMo's 5 cent sale, which means that you buy one bottle for full price and get the second for 5 cents. So, I basically got this bottle for $ 8 ($15.99/bottle when not on sale). I say that is a very attractive price for a decent bottle. This would be a great crowd pleaser for that big summer BBQ, when you want to serve something good that won't brake the bank.Find it online at Wine-Searcher.com from $12.60.Vote for my blog here and help me reach top 10 on The Blog TopI am now in top 12! More About: Land
One day in the El Dorado wine country
2007-04-22 22:32:00 Yesterday our good friends and neighbors had rented a limo and invited us to come along for a day of wine tasting in Shenandoah Valley (45 min from Sacramento, CA). I am not the one to decline such an invitation and after accepting I was told that I was in charge for the itinerary. This is how our day panned out.We started of with a visit to Villa Toscano. I had been there before and really enjoy their wine and the beautiful architecture and surrounding garden. Being after noon we were all starving and started with a meal from their Gourmet Bistro. We all shared a mix of freshly baked pizza, salad, panini, anti pasto mix, cheese and crackers. You can enjoy it at a table in their garden or in the big tent they have set up in it. And so it was time for tasting... They poured around 15 wines + four futures right out of the barrels. They produce chardonnay, viognier, sauvignon blanc, sangiovese, barbera, merlot and several bottlings of zinfandel. Although all the wines showed very well ... More About: Country , California , Wine , Restaurant , Zinfandel
Rusack 2005 Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir
2007-04-21 05:21:00 Rusack was founded in 1995 by Geoff Rusack and Alison Wrigley Rusack. With their dedication to quality they made some drastic changes, most notably the replanting of several vineyards after the 2001 harvest. They currently produce Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir , Syrah, Sangiovese and a Bordeaux blend.The 2005 Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir consists of grapes from both Santa Maria Valley and Santa Rita Hills. Both influenced by the maritime climate, and very suitable for Pinot Noir.In the glass, a bright dark red color with a hint of violet. Ripe red cherry with a hint of herbs, particularly mint, on the nose. Red cherries and ripe raspberry with soft oaky vanilla on the palate, with good acidity as backbone. For $24 both me and my husband thought this was a really good wine.Find this wine for only $18.95 at Wine-Searcher.com or WineZap.com, or $26 at Rusack's website.Vote for my blog here and help me reach top 10 on The Blog TopI am now in top 12! More About: Santa Barbara County
Summerland Winery 2005 Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir
2007-04-18 03:29:00 No history on the winery to be found on the Summerland Winery web site. However it tells me that the majority of the grapes for this wine comes from Bien Nacido Vineyard, and the rest from nearby vineyards in Santa Maria Valley.The 2005 Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir has good clarity with a ruby red color in the glass. On the nose, oaky black cherry with almond and vanilla notes. It also suggests a high level of alcohol. You know the feeling in your nostrils that kind of detects the alcohol. The funny thing is that when I look at the bottle its "only" 14.1%, while many Pinots can be up towards 15% or more. But the impression is never the less there... The palate has not quite ripe dark cherries, plum, and the oak. Good levels of acidity and pungent, but still round, tannins.Hmmm... This is a tricky one. It's good, by slightly over oaked? In any case a pretty descent Pinot for the price. You'll be the judge.I found this wine at BevMo for $ 17.99. The winery sells this wine at it'... More About: Santa Barbara County
La Vie Vineyards 2003 Black Mountain Reserve Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot No
2007-04-17 04:05:00 Friday night we had another great Pinot Noir from La Vie Vineyards . I have reviewed the 2004 Rasta Rita Pinot Noir earlier. You can read more about it here.The 2003 Black Mountain Reserve Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir has a dark ruby red/purple color in the glass. The black cherry on the nose overpowers everything else but a hint of sea sand. The black cherry gives room for some ripe black berry on the palate, although the black cherry is still the most prominent taste. A hint of oak, and good acidity that mingles with round tannins. This is a beautiful, lush, Pinot Noir with good back bone and long finish. La Vie Vineyards "Rasta Rita" (referred to above) is a little bit more of a powerhouse Pinot, but this is not to far behind. A beautiful Pinot Noir!Hard to get a hold of, I found this bottle for $36.99 at a small grocery store in Los Olivos, Santa Ynez Valley. I have done some research at Internet and I can not find any store or web site that carries it, and the winery is als...
Domaine Jean Reverdy 2005 Sancerre La Reine Blanche
2007-04-15 21:08:00 Domaine Jean Reverdy has 30 acres of vineyards, 9 acres of them being Sauvigonon Blanc. The 2005 Sancerre Le Reine Blanche is made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc from a single vineyard, the vines being 25 years or older. It has not seen oak and has not gone through malolactic fermantation.Pale straw in the glass. Citrus, green apple, floral note and a hint of grass on the nose. Citrus, apple and minerals play beautifully with the fresh acidity on the palate. This is a great little bottle of Sancerre. Not to much green vegetables and grass like you can find in some of them. Just a light, slightly fruity wine with great freshness from the lively, not at all tart, acidity.I bought this at my local grocery store for $18.99. A fair price. Find it at Wine-Searcher.com or WineZap.com from $16.99.Vote for my blog here and help me reach top 10 on The Blog TopI am now in top 13! More About: Doma , Ever , Maine , Domaine
Foxen Vineyard 2004 Julia's Vineyard Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir
2007-04-13 04:51:00 I just love Foxen Vineyard from Santa Ynez Valley. They truly make some outstanding wines and tonight I had the 2004 Julia's Vineyard Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir . I have reviewed the 2003 earlier. Read more about it here.The 2004 has a bright, medium dark, ruby red color in the glass and shows incredible dark cherries and dark berries on the nose. On the palate, again, that intense dark cherry comes through, with a hint of red licorice, and little else being able to shine trough. Despite of that, it's rich, broad, intense and complex. Medium high acidity and smooth tannins gives this full-bodied wine good balance (tipping toward the ripe cherries). Long fruit driven finish. Still a tad young though. Lay it down for a couple of years and I think that the ripe fruit will mellow out and give this wine even better balance.This wine is shipped from the winery to members only. Only 300 cases produced. Looking for it online the only bottle I could find was a magnum (1.5 liters) for $10...
Woodhouse Chocolate
2007-04-11 05:39:00 Woodhouse Chocolate is located on Main Street in Saint Helena, Napa Valley, California. They have some truly delicious handmade chocolates and caramels and I bought a few of them when wine tasting in Napa a while back. Woodhouse Chocolate is owned by the Anderson Family with Tracy Wood Anderson heading the business as the Chocolatier. She creates all the different chocolates and caramels, using only the freshest and highest quality ingredients. Supporting her is her husband, mother and two daughters. I brought home a small bag of six chocolate pieces and a box of their caramels.I started of by tasting the Quatre Epices (Four Spices) with black pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon and clove in a milk chocolate ganache. Subtle but still distinct flavors in a smooth ganache, covered in dark chocolate with a white chocolate topper. Very tasty!The Thai Ginger consists of candied ginger, coconut and lemon grass chocolate covered in a dark chocolate ganache. There is a ton of ginger flavor and a hint ... More About: Wood , Cola , Late , Ouse
Three great bottles...
2007-04-10 00:34:00 I had the opportunity to enjoy three bottles of very good wine this weekend, and want to share my thoughts on them with you.First out was the Dunn Vineyards 2003 Howell Mountain Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark, dense red/purple color in the glass. Thick, rich, dark fruit on the nose with black berries. The black berries carries through to the palate with black currant, good acidity and big, but relatively smooth, tannins for being so young. Long, beautiful finish. This wine is a fruit power house. Very good!After the 2003 we pulled a bottle of the Dunn Vineyards 2000 Howell Mountain Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, thinking it would be fun to compare the two wines. What a difference! The 2000 has a dark ruby/purple color in the glass as well. On the nose not so much berries but dark cherries and plum with a hint of burnt match stick. Still rich fruit and berries on the palate but not nearly as bright, ripe, and dense as the 2003. The tannins are very firm, and this wine will do ... More About: Great , Three , Bottle , Bottles
Aveleda 2005 Alvarinho Vinho Verde Branco
2007-04-06 05:12:00 Seems like the two hot white wines lately are the Austrian Gruner Veltliner and the Portuguese Alvarinho. Having reviewed a Gruner Veltliner recently I thought it was time for an Alvarinho. Alvarinho is the same grape as the Spanish Albarino. The Avelada Estate has been in the hands of the Guedes family since 1947, and is located in the heart of the Vinho Verde region in Portugal . This Alvarinho was ranked #12 in Wine Enthusiast's Top 100 Best Buys of 2006, with 89 points. Finding it at BevMo for $9.99 I thought it was definitely worth a try.Brilliant, very pale, straw color (with perhaps a touch of green) in the glass. Ripe green apple with citrus and a hint of grass greets you on the nose. On the palate it is surprisingly round and full, but still crisp, with medium-high acidity and shy tannins. A very dry white with good length finish. Not to shabby according to me... Try it and let me know what you think!Vote for my blog here and help me reach top 10 on The Blog TopI am now in ... More About: Vari , Branco
Chateau de Segries 2005 Cote-du-Rhone
2007-04-05 06:06:00 I picked up this little beauty at my local grocery store for only $9.99.Chateau de Segries is owned and operated by the Hendri de Lanzac family since 1994. The Chateau is located in Lirac, just across the Rhone river from Chateauneuf du Pape, and the average age of the vines are over 30 years.The 2005 Cote-du-Rhone Rouge is made from 50% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 10% Cinsault and 10% Carignan.Dark red in the glass with black berry, dark fruit, and a hint of toast and vanilla on the nose.Once in your mouth, full and round fruit with dark plum and slightly tart fruit. Nice acidity and smooth, well integrated, tannins, the palate ending in a medium length finish.I thought this was a really nice wine for the price ($9.99). And it can be found at Wine-Searcher.com for only $8.99...Vote for my blog here and help me reach top 10 on The Blog TopI am now in top 15!
The Polo Lounge at The Beverly Hills Hotel
2007-04-04 05:47:00 We just came home from five days in Los Angeles and thought I tell you a little bit about what we ate and drank.We started our trip with dinner at The Polo Lounge at The Beverly Hills Hotel . We did not have reservations, that presented no problem, and we got seated right away (7 pm on a Thursday).Attentive staff to start with, taking our drink order and presenting the menu. After that the service went down hill. Food was timely but our bottle of wine sure took it's time, and we sat with our empty plates for quite a while before anyone noticed. Ordering dessert was quite a shore and we had to ask three times for the dessert menu before it finally arrived. Unacceptable!Let's move on to the food. I started with the Ahi Tuna Tartare with Spiced California Avocado and Shaved Radish on Micro Greens. All very fresh and good. For main course I had the Wild Sockeye Salmon with Potato Crisps topped with a Creme Fraiche Sauce and Caviar. The salmon was slightly over cooked, but otherwise ver... More About: Travel , Restaurant , Pinot Noir , Santa Maria Valley
Calera 2002 Mills Vineyard Mt. Harlan Pinot Noir
2007-03-27 03:15:00 The story about Cale ra Wine Company and Josh Jensen starts back in 1975 when he planted his first grapes on one of the highest and coolest vineyard properties in California. Since then he has expanded his vineyard properties and now owns a state of the art wine making facility. Read more about the history of Calera here.Mills Vineyard was planted in 1984 and is 14.4 acres of Pinot Noir . It sits at 2,200-2,300 feet above sea level on a south sloping hillside.The Calera 2002 Mills Vineyard Mt. Harlan Pinot Noir has a clear, dark ruby color in the glass. Intense dark plum and black cherries on the nose with a hint of vanilla from aging in oak. Softer dark fruit and berries on the palate with some spice to it. Moderate, well integrated tannins and good acidity. A really good Pinot!We got this wine from friends and I will certainly have to get a couple of more bottles. Get it from the winery for $43 or from Wine-Searcher.com for as low as $33.97. Rated 89 by Robert Parker and 92 by Wine ...
Bonaccorsi 2002 Red Monkey Syrah
2007-03-26 04:57:00 This is not my first time reviewing a Bonaccorsi wine, one of my favorite wineries in Santa Ynez Valley. Read more about the history and their Pinot Noirs here and here.The Bonaccorsi 2002 Red Monkey Syrah is made from fruit primarily from the Sanford & Benedict Vineyard, with some Fiddlestix Vineyard blended in. It has a a dark red/purple color. At first a burst of plum, cherries and raspberries greets you on the nose. After letting it sit for a couple of minutes, tea and vanilla reveals itself. On the palate not to ripe, dark fruit and berries, with some spice to it. Great acidity and notable tannis, medium long finish.I am a big fan of Bonaccorsi wines since several years and this wine is no exception. We got several bottles of this wine about 2 years ago for $30 per bottle (a great price for a great wine). We have opened one of them about every six months and today we really thought it was at it's best so far. We have one bottle left and are looking forward to enjoying it i... More About: Corsi
Otella Lugana "La Creete" 2005
2007-03-23 03:29:00 Otella is a family run winery located in the Lake Garda area of the Lugana region, situated in the Veneto province. This white Italian is made from 100% Turbiano (a clonal type of Trebbiano di Lugana) from 45 year old vines.It has a pale straw color with a hint of green in the glass. On the nose some white floral with sweet honey apple, and tropical fruit. Still a very refreshing feeling on the nose. Medium bodied in the mouth with tropical fruit, citrus, clean, fresh acidity and grapefruit at the finish. I thought this wine was very good and refreshing. Know that my experience with Italian whites are very limited...I found this wine at Trader Joe's for $15.99 but you can find it from $13.25 at Wine-Searcher.com.Vote for my blog here and help me reach top 10 on The Blog TopI am now in top 15! More About: Gana , Ella , Cree
Valsacro 2001 Rioja
2007-03-22 01:07:00 Time for a wine from Spain. It has been a while...The Bodega Vals acro 2001 Rioja is made from Garnacha, Tempranillo and Mazuelo, and aged in French and American oak for 12 months.Let it sit in your glass for 5 minutes, and gorgeous black berry and black cherries with black pepper and cinnamon will appear on the nose. On the palate, lush, dark fruit and berries with sweet oak, some spiciness from black pepper, good acidity and smooth tannins. Long, pleasant finish. Overall a very good, nicely balanced wine. And it sells at a good price, from $19.99 at Wine-Searcher.com. I found me bottle at BevMo for $18.99.Vote for my blog here and help me reach top 10 on The Blog TopI am now in top 15! More About: Acro
Sanford Winery and Vineyards
2007-03-21 00:10:00 We went down to Santa Barbara for relaxation and wine tasting last weekend with friends. Saturday, we visited four wineries, one of them being Sanford Winery.Sanford Winery and Vineyard was founded in 1971 when the first Pinot Noir in Santa Barbara County was planted at Sanford and Benedict vineyard, Santa Rita Hills. In 1976 the first wine was released to the public and received great reviews.A lot of things have changed over the years, and the winery now makes Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and produces over 40,000 cases per year. The current winery facility is a huge handmade adobe construction, located at La Rinconada Vineyard, containing state of the art wine making equipment. Since 2005 the Terlato Family has the majority of ownership interest (they also own, among other wineries, Alderbrook, Chimney Rock and Rutherford Hill + other wineries around the world). Winemaker Steve Ferrell joined Sanford in 2006 after working at Trefethen Vineyards and Vos... More About: Yard
Roasted Beet Salad with Sauvignon Blanc = Great Spring Satisfaction
2007-03-20 00:35:00 Tonight I served a Roasted Beet, Fennel and Goat Cheese Salad with the Long Meadow Ranch 2006 Rutherford Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc , a match seemed to be made in heaven.The freshness of the SB went perfect with the sweet roasted beets, the tanginess of the goat cheese, and the acidity of the citrus in the vinaigrette. Mmm...The 2006 LMR Sauvignon Blanc has a beautiful, very pale straw color in the glass. On the nose, crisp apple and pear. The apple follows through to the palate with some citrus and tropical fruit. This wine is round and full bodied in the mouth but still possesses that refreshing taste you want from a SB. I had the 2005 last year and thought it was great, and the 2006 is right up there with it. A perfect wine with a light seafood dish or salad this summer.Find it at LongMeadowRanch.com for $18.Vote for my blog here and help me reach top 10 on The Blog TopI am now in top 15! More About: Spring , Great , Ring
Robert Sinskey Vineyards 2005 Los Carneros Napa Valley Pinot Noir
2007-03-15 04:16:00 The philosophy of Robert Sinskey Vineyards is "Farm conscientiously and make wine with minimal manipulation...". The tail starts in 1982, and it's to long of a story to tell here... Read more about it here!The 2005 Los Carneros Napa Valley Pinot Noir was a recent gift from friends. I knew I should keep my hands off of it but I could not resist it and tonight it got popped open. Intense ruby red color in the glass with great clarity. At first, earth and spice on the nose with the yeast smell of rising bread at the end. Letting it sit for a little bit, soft red cherries and berries emerges with herbaceous notes. Tart red cherries and raspberry on the palate with pencil lead on the finish. Good acidity and medium firm tannins. A really good bottle at this point, and letting it age for a couple of years I would expect it to improve...Find it at Wine-Searcher.com or Winezap.com from $31.98.Vote for my blog here and help me reach top 10 on The Blog TopI am now in top 15! More About: Eros , Yard
Rudd Crossroads 2003 Sonoma Valley Syrah
2007-03-14 05:00:00 Rudd is renowned for their outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon, but did you know the make a great Syrah as well?The Rudd Crossroads 2003 Sonoma Valley Syrah has a dark, dense reddish/purple color in the glass, with tons on ripe, dark fruit and berries on the nose. Beautiful ripe berries on the palate again with some spice and sufficient acidity and firm tannins. We enjoyed this wine with baked spaghetti topped with flavorful tomato sauce and Italian meatballs. Thanks for a great dinner Robyn!I got it at the winery for $30 last summer, and could not find it online when looking for it tonight. If you can find it it is definitely worth a try.Prior to the Rudd Syrah we had a bottle of Vigneti Villafranca 2003 Castelli Romani Red Wine. Made from Sangiovese, Merlot and Montepulciano grapes, this wine has a bright ruby red color in the glass. Soft dark fruit and berries on the nose and very velvety fruit and smooth tannins on the palate. This wine is a very easy-to-drink wine and a crowd please... More About: Road , Ross , Roads
Salomon Undhof 2004 Hochterrassen Kremstal Gruner Veltliner
More articles from this author:2007-03-13 04:47:00 I haven't had a Gruner Veltliner since I was on vacation in Austria 3 years ago. Yesterday I ran into a bottle at BevMo and picked it up. The Salomon Undhof 2004 Hochterrassen Gruner Veltliner ($12.99) has a medium straw color in the glass. Fresh green apples on the nose with a hint of tropical fruit and citrus. The green apple emerges on the palate again with refreshing minerals, and a good amount of crisp, clean acidity. An ok wine, but there are better Gruner Veltliner out there. I will be reviewing more of them as summer approaches.When it comes to food pairing, I think this wine would be a good match with spicy Thai food or other Asian Cuisine. I had it with spicy southern style BBQ. Not a great match...Let me know what you pair Gruner Veltliner with!Vote for my blog here and help me reach top 10 on The Blog TopI am now in top 15! More About: Terra , Line , Lomo , Rune 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 |
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