August 3, 2010 at 12:32 am (Age, Black Fruit, Bordeaux, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, California Taste Fine Wine, Cellaring, Collecting, Earthiness, First Growth Bordeaux, Francec, Heat, Laguna Niguel, Merlot, Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac, Red Fruit, Soil, Storage, Syrah, Tasting, Winemakers, wineries)
Tags: Acid, Black Fruit, Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon, California Taste Fine Wine, Cellaring, Earthiness, First Growth Bordeaux, France, Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac, Ramona Valley, Soil, Syrah, Tasting
I am a lucky person. Recently I was invited to a party in the lovely north San Diego County town of Julian. The party, in honor of friends mother’s birthday, was a blast. Too bad it was 98 degrees that day.
On the drive from Laguna Niguel to Julian, Kim and I discovered that there are 17 wineries in the Ramona Valley. Many of them are growing and producing good wine. The irony of the trip was that of the four tasting rooms visited, we did not like a single Cabernet Sauvignon. The star was Syrah and Merlot. More on this later.
Because of the unplanned tastings, we arrived at the party well after it had started. We barely had a chance to get a plate of food as the caterers were cleaning up.
We ate, visited and all of a sudden our hostess, Ida said, try this wine. “I know you are into wine, you might enjoy this.” Ida told us the story of how she and her husband had bought the wine celebrating their daughters birth year. They bought a case, which in 1981, when the wine was released, cost about $200. For a first growth Bordeaux from Pauillac, no less. The wine has been stored properly and Ida said that since her daughter is not going to get married, she might as well enjoy the wine. She has a few bottles left.
The wine was earthy. It had a nose of stewed fruit and figs. There were slight hints of cherry and definitely tar on the nose. The wine was just beginning to lose its red color as it slowly goes to a dark, brickish color. The tannins were very soft, but the experience was incredible. The acid, earth and lingering fruit stayed with you for quite a long time. It is interesting that lately, as we have opened older wines at California Taste Fine Wine, many customers say the older wines are flat. That they lack fruit. But that is what happens as a wine ages. The fruit does die down a bit and those secondary flavors and tastes come to the front. And we constantly get asked about how long this wine can be cellared.
When drinking a 31 year old wine,what you are left with is a very smooth, supple and delicate wine. Those french know how to make a long lasting wine. Something to remember and a big thanks to Ida.
Now that is Uncorking Happiness.
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June 1, 2010 at 4:44 pm (Age, Barolo, Black Fruit, Bordeaux, breathable glass, Brunello, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cellaring, Collecting, Comparisions, Cooking, Earthiness, Food, Fruit, glasses, Italy, Red Fruit, Sauces, Soil, Storage, Super Tuscans, Tasting, Tiganello, Winemakers, wineries)
Tags: Acid, Black Fruit, Brunello, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cellaring, Cherry, Earthiness, France, Italy, Soil, Super Tuscan, Tasting, Tuscany
It is rare to have a chance to drink some high quality Italian wine. But I was afford the opportunity this weekend. And what wines they were.
I have always felt that Italian wine is perfect for any meal. Sunday, at our friend’s house, we had some roasted tri-tip, a salad and brie and basil ravioli. So we had tow bottles to enjoy with the meal.
The first was the 2003 Altessimo Brunello. Brunello, a clone of Sangiovese, comes from a small town in Tuscany. Made in limited quantities, Brunello is often considered the queen of Italian wine. (People thing Barolo is the King of Italian Wines) This bottle was no exception. Bright cherry, black cherry, nutmeg and toasty oak greeted the nose. The wine was ultra smooth./ The tannins were muted. It went down so well. We decanted the wine in breathable glass decanter. We could not wait a few hours for the wine to soften. I kept thinking about my brief visit to Tuscany and the smell of the wine and the soil was taking me back there.
This bottle was a highly rated wine and top wine from the very hot vintage of 2003.
But then we opened bottle number two. A 2000 Tiganello. This is one of the top super Tuscans made. A blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. These wines are now becoming the most valuable wines of Italy. This was a deep red, thick rich wine that when I think about french Bordeaux, this wine is truly got more going for it. I like Bordeaux, but when drinking something like this, the intensity is almost overwhelming. This wine had just about everything right going for it.
Made by Antinori, Tiganello is one of the classic examples of the art of blending non-Italian varietals that are grown in Italy. There are a number of Super Tuscans to look for. And they seem to age very well with proper cellaring.
We were only sad that we had the one bottle. But the experience was worth it. And the Cannolis and pot du creme was a nice way to end the night.
The whole night was themed around watching Angels and Demons. It was fun to see parts of Rome and remember the plazas, statues and fountains. So plan a theme a night with some food and wine. fun will be had by all. That is how we uncork happiness.
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March 2, 2010 at 9:24 pm (Age, Barbera, Black Fruit, Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon, California Taste Fine Wine, Cellaring, Chardonnay, Comparisions, Earthiness, Fruit, Laguna Niguel, Lake County, Malbec, Napa, Nebbiolo, Paso Robles, Petit Sirah, Pinot Noir, Red Fruit, Soil, Sonoma, Syrah, Tasting, Tempranillo, wine critics, Winemakers, Zinfandel)
Tags: Acid, Adam Carruth, Barbera, Black Fruit, Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon, California Taste Fine Wine, Carruth Cellars, Cellaring, Chardonnay, chocolate, Clear Lake, Dry Creek, Earthiness, Lake County, Malbec, Merlot, Nebbiolo, Paso Robles, Pepper, Petit Sirah, Port, Port of Syrah, Retail Wine Stores, Soil, St. Olaf vineyard, Syrah, Tannins, Taste, Tempranillo, Zinfandel
Adam Carruth is a nice, unassuming guy. He is that neighborhood friend you had growing up . But when you meet him and talk to him, he has one overriding passion: Wine. You would never guess that he owns a winery and makes 17 different wines.
Adam makes a large number of wines in his north San Diego facility at Solana Beach. He buys grapes from all over California and turns them into solid, good wines at very reasonable prices. At California Taste Fine Wine in Laguna Niguel, we just had a tasting with a few of his varietals. The place was packed and mood boisterous.
We started off with his 2007 Lake County red Hills Sauvignon Blanc. This is a lean, crisp wine packed with grapefruit, citrus and lots of acid. A food wine, this Sauvignon Blanc does not scream New Zealand. And that is a good thing. It reflects its California roots with the upfront fruit and the richness that many golden state-wide wines have. A smooth finish with this one.
Next up was the 2007 Barbera. This varietal, originally from Italy, grows well throughout California. This wine hails from Clear Lake and has a rich velvety mouthfeel with plenty of black and red fruit characteristics. Wen you are unsure what to serve with pasta and red sauce or the fully loaded pizza, this is a fun choice. And this wine is low in tannins.
Adam sometimes takes a bit of his wines and makes what he calls “Friends Blend.” The 2007 blend has Zinfandel, Cabernet , Malbec and Petit Sirah. This is a perfect red table wine and it is another very smooth finishing wine.
Next was the Yolo County Tempranillo. It seems that this spicy finishing wine has become the favorite in the store. One of our employees likes this the day after Thanksgiving with a perfectly made turkey sandwich. As for me, I think the fruit and earthiness are a perfect match to a Chile Relleno. Many would prefer beer, but the red does not amplify the heat of the chili.
Adam goes to Dry Creek in Sonoma for his 2007 Zinfandel. This is not a big, heavy fruit bomb loaded with alcohol. rather it is nice example of a medium bodied wine that has a long finish with those tastes of blackberry and spice that are the hallmarks of a Zinfandel. This is a wine I like to pour at BBQs and with a steak.
Malbec is one of my favorite grapes. I feel I was ahead of the curve on this one, enjoying Malbecs twenty years ago, before most people realized it is grape often used in top Bordeaux. the 2007 Carruth Malbec has an intense fruit flavor and log finish. It is another wine to pair with BBQ or even a slow simmered pot roast. The grapes for his wine come from the St. Olaf vineyard in Lake County. This is the same vineyard that the Barbera comes from.
The 2007 Syrah is another Sonoma wine. Syrah is often overlooked by wine buyers. This Syrah is big and plummy with a finish of black pepper. Syrah is one of those very food friendly wines, that once you have a good one, memories of Cabernet Sauvignon fade away. Syrah is the next big thing one the wine scene, or so I have been told. People need to get out and try a bottle of Syrah with their favorite meal. It will open the eyes to other possibilities.
The Red Hills of Lake County are covered in grape vines. Some of those are Cabernet Sauvignon, where Adam sources his grapes for his 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon. The vines struggle in the volcanic soil and produce wines with blackberries, bing and sour cherry and tobacco/mocha notes. This is a full-bodied red with minimal tannins and a long, smooth finish. The acid and fruit is very well balanced, making this a definite go to Cabernet Sauvignon.
We finished the tasting with Carruth’s 2007 Paso Robles Petit Sirah. This is a rich,dark wine that is good with roasts and osso bucco as well as say a chocolate dessert. Made for the red wine drinker who enjoys a wine that stains the glass, this a big red.
Adam makes a number of other wines including a two different Ports, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and a Nebbiolo. He is also experimenting and vinifying the first ever Flor, a crossing grape from the University of Davis, California. Adam likes his wine., when people enjoy his wine, he says they are Uncorking happiness. Me, I just think they are opening a good bottle of wine.
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February 24, 2010 at 5:54 pm (Age, California Taste Fine Wine, Campagne, Collecting, Comparisions, Earthiness, Fruit, Napa, Soil, wine critics, Winemakers, wineries)
Tags: Acid, Bitter, Black Fruit, California Taste Fine Wine, Champagne, Cherry, Master Sommelier, Napa Valley, Nose, Retail Wine Stores, Salt, Sauvignon blanc, Soil, Sour, Sweet, Tasting, Terrior, Umami, wine, wine critics
My parents were in Napa recently and sent me a few bottles of wine to try. I am looking forward to trying them. But my dad asked, “Why have you not tried them yet?” I replied that I had to take things slowly.
As I continue my studies towards becoming a Master Sommelier, I have found that I have a much sharper nose and tasting ability if I take a day or two ff per week from tasting. This is counter intuitive to the norm where you should try as much as possible. But not drinking seems to heighten my sense.
A few friends have said that I am bit different because root beer cleanses my palate. Many in the wine industry use beer to cleanse out the taste buds. But all of this is actually very important.
We know that taste is at least 70% in the nose. When evaluating glass of wine, the firs t thing to do i to take in the bouquet or nose. That is where you get the cherries or lemon or whatever the wine has to offer. The same holds true for champagne. The mouth only gives us sweet, sour bitter, salt and Umami. Umami is the sensation of full or fattiness in the mouth. When someone says there is a great mouthfeel to the wine, then it is being experienced all over the mouth, Umami.
But by not drinking each day, it seems my sense are heightened and I get more out of each taste. The hard part is memorizing each wine and it’s smells and markers. I wish someone would send me a list of wines with accurate markers. But when doing blind valuations, it is best to stick with classic wines from classic regions. Modern wine writers have influenced many wine makers to make big, extracted wines that to me often taste homogenous with other wines. Many of these wines are fine, but too many wine makers are losing a sense of terrior or place that makes that wine distinct. I look forward to always trying to taste the difference in most wines.
Because at California Taste Fine Wine, I taste a lot of wine, I suspect I am becoming a professional wine taster. I have definite opinions. Just do not get me going on Sauvignon Blanc. You know who you are.
So when you are Uncorking Happiness, it is often best to occasionally take a break from tasting and drinking for a few hours or a day or two. The following bottle will be just that much better.
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February 23, 2010 at 7:35 pm (Age, Bordeaux, breathable glass, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, California Taste Fine Wine, Cellaring, Collecting, Comparisions, Earthiness, Food, Francec, glasses, Laguna Niguel, Malbec, Napa, Petit Sirah, Petit Verdot, Soil, Tasting, wine critics, Winemakers, wineries)
Tags: Acid, Black Fruit, Bordeaux, Boyd 2006 Big Ranch Cuvee, breathable glass, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, California Taste Fine Wine, Cellaring, Cherry, chocolate, Clos du Val, cornerstone 2005 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, Earthiness, Hope and Grace 2006 Napa CAbernet, JR 2005 rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot, Modis Operandi 2007 Vicarious Red, Napa Valley, Petit Sirah, Retail Wine Stores, Rutherford Dust, Soil, Stags Leap, Tasting, Value Wines
It is not often that I say I love a certain wine tasting, but that was just the case this last Friday. We featured a few boutique wines from Napa and one solid Cabernet Sauvignon from Stags Leap district. All of the wines were big reds. The few I got to sample the day after the tasting were even better.
Which brings me to a slight digression. I am finding more and more that the wines in our tastings typically taste better on day two than day one. At California Taste Fine Wine, we do not decant that often before a tasting. The thinking goes, that if we are going to sell a bottle of wine, we like to have it just as you would at home. You are going to open and then just pour yourself a glass. That is kind of how we want to do the tastings. We want to mimic the home experience.
But Friday, these wines were all so good. We started with the Cornerstone Stepping Stone Cabernet Franc. I wrote a bit about the wine earlier (See my Cabernet Franc Post). Suffice to say, this was an excellent wine to start a tasting with. Then came the 2006 Clos du Val Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. This is actually a blend of a few wines, much like a Bordeaux. The trick with Clos du Val is to let them age a few years. The rewards are immense. This is a solid bottle of wine, with lots of black and red fruit and a long finish. The idea is to stock up and put a few into the cellar. Go back to the older vintages while you wait. At least that is what I do. And I recently had a 1981 Clos du Val Cabernet that was drinking beautifully.
We also tasted the Boyd 2006 Big Ranch Cuvee. This is a blend of 40% each Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc and 5% Syrah. This is a big, luscious red blend that lingers. Aged in oak, they only made 325 cases. So this is one to collect.
We opened the Modis Operandi 2007 Vicarious Red. The tasters really liked this wine and this is another sudo Bordeaux blend were one of the grapes is Syrah. This is one of those wines that lingering in the head and on the tongue. Big fruit and a long finish. Again one of those low production wines. Only 12 barrels produced.
Hope and Grace 2006 Napa Cabernet was at first just okay. But on day two, it was absolutely incredible. The wine unwound to a lush nose of violets and Cassis, coupled with Oak and blackberry. Wow! Totally unexpected and quite a treat. And so smooth.
The JR 2005 Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon was yet another sleeper. The first night, the wine should the dark fruit and a hint of the famous Rutherford dust. Rutherford dust is a special earthiness that wines get in a special are of Napa. There is an alluvial fan of dirt, dust, stone and gravel that spread out eastward from Mt. St. Helena after an eruption many thousands of years ago. Wines grown in this region have a very distinct taste. There are a few areas in Chile that are similar, but a Rutherford Cabernet is a very tasty thing. On day two, this wine was in full swing. If you like Napa Cabernets, this wine would be at the top of your list.
We finished the tasting with the Cornerstone 2005 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. Only 500 cases were produced of this black beauty. It is a very concentrated wine with plum, cherry and mocha. This was a very smooth wine and on day two, it was absolutely spectacular.
I have often thought that there are amazing values in the $30-$60 range of wines out of Napa. These wines certainly prove that point. But what I am really discovering is that so many wines are tasting better the second day. So now I think I need to open two bottles at once. I need to enjoy half of each and wait for the rewards that come with drinking the wines on day two.
And yes, this is indeed happening with a number of whites as well. You will have to experiment for yourself, but the journey is well worth it. Ask your local retailer for help in finding these boutique wines. Great reds from premier wine areas such as Napa do not have to cost $100 or more. Value is what tastes good and delivers. These wines did just that.
So think like me and open two at once. Swirl them around your mouth and enjoy as they go down like silk. Then cork them as you save save some of each for the next day. Let me know if I am not absolutely correct. If you cannot wait, decant or use breathable glass. So now you are Uncorking Happiness, times two.
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February 20, 2010 at 9:59 pm (Age, Anjou, Bordeaux, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, California Taste Fine Wine, Cellaring, Chateau Passavant, Chinon, cleaning, Collecting, Comparisions, Cooking, Earthiness, Food, Francec, Fruit, LoireValley, Malbec, Napa, Paso Robles, Rose, Soil, Sonoma, Storage, Tasting, wine critics, Winemakers, wineries)
Tags: Acid, Anjou, Black Fruit, Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernt Franc, Cellaring, Charles Joguet Cuvee de la Cure 2005, Chateau Passavant, Chateau Petrus, Chinon, Cornerstone Winery, Earthiness, France, Loire Valley, Malbec, Merlot, Napa Valley, Rose, Soil, Stepping Stone Cabernt Franc, Taste, Tasting
So many people have gotten into the habit of calling most reds, Cabernet. Not only are there hundreds of red grapes, but in the Cabernet family, there are quite a few as well. But the parent of all Cabernet Sauvignon and their ilk is Cabernet Franc.
It is said that Cabernet Franc was crossed with Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon was born. But dad is still around and asking for a little respect. Cabernet Franc is a major player in the Loire Valley of France and is a major grape in Bordeaux, France as well. Most of the right bank Bordeaux, that is the ones that are Merlot based are blended with Cabernet Franc, just ask Chateau Petrus. Left bank Bordeaux are also blended with Cabernet Franc, but to a lesser degree as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot take a starring role. There a number of Bordeaux from the right bank that are primarily Cabernet Franc, but it is hard to find a bottle that is 100% Cabernet Franc. Typically, something is blended in that helps the color, structure and nose of the wine.
In the Loire, in places like Anjou, they blend Cabernet Franc with Cabernet Sauvignon. These are big reds and they have a very earthy taste. The organic red blend from Chateau Passavant is a good example of how an earthy red can be made and priced very reasonably. Chateau Passavant also makes a 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Cabernet Franc Rose that is fruity and very smooth. Many Cabernet Francs can also have a sense of vegetal smell. Some say asparagus and other s say brussels sprouts. When ever you are drinking a red and you get these stemmy, green smells, typically there is Cabernet Franc present. Cabernet Sauvignon has a hint of this as well.
Chinon is considered perhaps ground zero for Cabernet Franc in the Loire Valley. Wines from this area a have a wet, earthy nose, blackberry and cherry aromas coupled with spice and oakiness. One vintage that stands out at a great price is Charles Joguet Cuvee de la Cure 2005. This is a very earthy wine and when paired with a steak, is a match made for any palate.
In California, Cabernet Franc has been growing for a long time and is now just gaining recognition. Cornerstone Winery in Nap makes a Stepping Stone Cabernet Franc. Stepping Stone is 90% Cabernet Franc and 10% Merlot. It does not have any of the green characteristics of the French Cabernet Francs. It has a deep, dark blackberry and cherry taste. It might be the best California Cabernet Franc I have ever had. I kept thinking how good would this be with grilled Portobello mushrooms. There was a good acidity and a long finish. With proper storage, cellaring, this is a wine that can gae well.
It is no secret that I like some of the lesser sampled grape types like Malbec and Cabernet Franc. I think it is important to try as many grape types as possible and then as many different styles of the same grape. This helps determine your own taste. Discovering a style or varietal that pleases you is always a fun way to Uncork Happiness.
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January 26, 2010 at 10:13 pm (Cabernet Sauvignon, Comparisions, Cote du Rhone, Earthiness, Food, Fruit, Malbec, Merlot, Napa, Paso Robles, Soil, Tasting, wineries, Zinfandel)
Tags: Anise, Asinthe, Berry, Black Fruit, Cabernet Sauvignon, California Taste Fine Wine, Cassis, chocolate, Clos du Val, Cote du Rhone, Dry Creek Vineyards, Earthiness, Layercake, Licorice, Malbec, Merlot, mocha, Mosby, Rotta Winery, Soil, Tasting, Truffles, Zinfandel
We are constantly lead to believe that chocolate pairs very well with Port. And yes, it does. But what many people do not realize is that chocolate pairs well with many red wines.
But I have to digress for a moment. Many years ago, I had a Vichon Cabernet from Napa in Sedona, Arizona. (Vichon is no longer made in Napa). The restaurant owner said, “Try it with this.” What he had was a chocolate mousse topped off with whipped creme. The whipped creme had vanilla in it. The whole thing with the dry Cabernet was one of those moments that change your perception of food and wine pairings. At that time, I was not that into the whole thing like now, but I enjoyed a good bottle of wine.
So When California Taste Fine Wine had the red wine and chocolate tasting, I wanted to turn a few people around on their thinking.
The first wine was the Don Rodolfo Tannat. Tannat is an earthy wine with chocolate/mocha notes in it’s taste. The chocolate with mocha paired well with that as did the Vidal Fleury Cote du Rhone. Both of these wines had an earthiness and a hint of dark fruit that made the chocolate sing. This would have been stunning chocolate with a Malbec as well. It would have brought out the ground coffee/earth of Malbec
The Clos du Val Merlot and the Dry Creek Heritage Zinfandel matched up nicely with Cassis Truffles. The big fruit bomb of cassis was perfect foil for these wines that had a large amount of berry in them.
A word about the chocolates. The chocolates were custom made for the tasting. There were truffles with coffee/mocha, cassis, and Absinthe. There were also dark chocolate cups. But we will get to that shortly. Our thanks to Lynnsey Ramos for her culinary skills.
The next wine in the tasting was Mosby Obssessione. This was a bottling of Montepulciano from Italy. This wine paired well with truffles coated in coco powder. Those were purchased from Costco. They are not overly sweet and again, the hearty character of the wine and chocolate matched well. At this point, I started to realize that there was a theme happening. And the next wine proved the point.
For many years, Absinthe was an illegal beverage in the United States. It has just been legalized in the last couple of years. The primary taste of Absinthe is Licorice or Anise. There are whole rituals for drinking the liquor. But we will save that for another time. Lynnsey incorporated about a teaspoon into a number of truffles. That made them very hardy and tasty. And it went very well with the very fruit forward Cabenet Sauvignon from Layercake. The bit of the Absinthe cut the fruit of the wine and brought out its acidic side.
The final wine was Rotta Zinfandel Port. We pored that into the little cups. Then we slammed the whole thing into our mouths. Delightful, especially as the tasters were going hands free.
But the trend that developed is this: When you have an earthy wine, it tends to pair very well with dark chocolate and chocolates infused with black fruit flavors. Something to keep in mid when you need an instant dessert and all you have is a bag of Hershey’s Special dark and a bottle of red. Try it and see if you are Uncorking Happiness.
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January 6, 2010 at 6:36 pm (California Taste Fine Wine, Comparisions, Napa, Paso Robles, Soil, Sonoma, Tasting, wine critics, wineries)
Tags: Acid, Cortese, Gavi, Italy, Loire ValleyChenin Blanc, Mosby, Nickel & Nickel, pa, Paso Robles, Soil, Sonoma, Zinfandel
There is never a happier moment when you get to a winery and prepare to sample the wine. You are happy and in a receptive mood for enjoying the experience and learning about the winery.Tasting at a winery is the best way to learn intimate details about the winery and the believes of the winemaker(s).
So let’s start with the wine. typically the tasting is designed to help open your palette. Often, people say they only like red wines and tend to ignore the whites or Roses. That is a huge mistake. Often the whites and Roses highlight a certain grape varietal that might be unique to to the winery. Two cases in point are the Chenin Blanc at Ballantine in Napa Valley. An absolutely incredible wine, value priced. Chenin Blanc, which finds it’s main home in the Loire Valley of France is a very versatile grape. The wine from Ballentine takes the fruit forward nature of California and combines it with the high acidity and finish of a french Chenin. At Mosby winery in Santa Barbara, they specialize in Cal/Ital varietals. One of those is the Cortese grape. Often known as Gavi, this white is the perfect alternative to Chardonnay. Again, here is perfect example of combning the best of California with the best of Italy. So do not skip the whites and Roses.
When at a winery, try to learn about the wine making techniques. The soil and why the winemaker choose to do things a certain way. This were each wine starts to distinguish themselves. A good case n point is Nickel & Nickel. When at the winery, they have tubes that highlight the various soil types of their single vineyard wines. The wines taste so different because of the soil. And of course the angle of the sun on the slopes plays a part as well. Water, that is a long discussion as well.
When at a winery, ask the person behind the bar guide you. And ask questions. There are no dumb questions. But do not fall victim to what I call winery mouth. That is when you have had a few tastes and your taste buds start to go flat, the alcohol is taking effect and everything you taste is really good. So how do fight this effect? Always travel with water and fresh bread in your car. Having a certain thing, for me it is root beer, to help cleanse your palette is also a good thing. And do not forget to eat every so often to help mitigate the effects of the wine. Nothing is more frustrating then coming home and opening a bottle of wine and then saying, “why did I buy this?” Winery Mouth.
If driving in wine country, try and have a designated driver. Nothing would ruin a trip to wine country more than a DUI. And if you are at a winery and cannot drive, ask the person behind the bar to call you a taxi. They are happy to do it.
There is a certain wine buying strategy that should be used when visiting a winery. I will have to assume that you have called and made your appointments for tastings and know a little bit about the wine. So when you are at the winery, buy things on special and winery only bottlings. Often, you can find the flagship wine in a retail location at the same or less price then the winery. Less to carry home, but you the ones you do bring back will be the envy of all of your friends.
The final thing when in wine country to keep in mind is this: when dinning out in wine country, try and order a bottle at dinner that is new. I often try to do this from a winery that we were unable to visit. This is easy as most restaurants feature local wines. This practice makes for a broader tasting experience.
When I am in wine country, I try and go to as many wineries as possible. I do not recommend this for everyone. But I do feel that when in wine country, we want to try and do as much as possible.
Being in Napa, Sonoma, Paso Robles or even wine tasting in Italy, I find that I get to Uncork (my own) Happiness.
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