Come for the Wine

Maraschino - Wrapped in Tradition

2012-01-25T14:32:00.000-08:00

Kings ordered it, Balzac wrote about it, Hemingway andHitchcock had a hankering for it. It even went down with the Titanic--Maraschino the clear spirit distilled from the marasca sour cherry has been asought after drink by royals and celebrities for centuries.

The liqueur, first distilled by Dominican monks in Zadar inthe 16^th century for medicinal purposes, went on to become theofficial gift and souvenir of Zadar. A unique symbol of Croatia, the traditionalliqueur is making its way back into the international market after years ofinterruption to production during the war.

Today, just outside of old town Zadar, the Maraska Companyis producing Maraschino from their prized orchards of marasca sour cherries.Yet before manufacturing could return to normal, the orchards had to berestored. Unfortunately the orchards were planted with more than cheery treesduring the war-- landmines were planted there too. But with the help ofgovernment grants and funds from UNESCO, the trees were saved and the historicorchards were cleared. Currently the Maraska plantation has over 100,000 treesproducing fruit.

I asked our host Igor Zupancic if the landmines had beenpurposefully placed in the orchards to destroy a part of the heritage and cultural identity. Hediplomatically answered—“You’ll have to ask the other side that question.”

The marasca sour cherry is known for it’s distinctive aromaand has a very tight harvest window. All the cherries must be picked withina few days of reaching their peak between 22 to 25 brix.

We tasted the many products Maraska makes today startingwith the refreshing 100% fruit juices and moving up to the cherry brandies andliqueurs. The brandy was delicious and not overly sweet as I thought it mightbe. But the Maraschino was the real surprise. Clear and slightly viscous, ithad a vivid cherry scent and was quite smooth for a 64 Proof beverage-- even at 11am in the morning.

The traditional woven wicker basket around the Maraschinobottles was developed to protect them in transport and give it a distinguishingimage. We proved the protection factor theory as five bottles of MaraskaMaraschino rolled around in the press van for six days without mishap. Well,four rolled around, one we drank.

Maraschino is best served well chilled in a glass with ahigh neck to focus its particular esters. It’s also great in cocktails. I triedseveral of their recommend cocktails found on their web site and invented oneof my own I call the Cherry Bomb--

Cherry Bomb

1 shot Maraschino

1 shot Gin

½ oz Cherry juice

Splash of Grenadine

Dash of Lime juice

Garnish with cherry

Serve over ice and Enjoy

For more information on the history of Maraschino and a wonderful archive of product labels, visit the Maraska web by clicking on the photo below.

Links to previous Croatia Posts:

Croatia Series Preview

Croatia Part 1: Bibich Dégustation

Croatia Part 2: The Splendors of Split

Croatia Part 3- Šibenik Caressed by the Sea

Croatia Part 4- Zadar, The Perfect Date

Croatia Part 5- Pilgrimage to Pag: Land of Paški Sir

Croatia Part 6: Istria--Truffles, Olive Oil, Prosciutto & Wine!
Croatia Part 7: A Taste of Zagreb

Eli's Caffé in Zagreb--Wake Up and Smell the Coffee

Road Trip in Italy with the Fabulous Fabio

2012-01-16T11:16:00.000-08:00

After the International Wine Tourism Conference blogger trip ends in Naples, I willleave the carefully orchestrated world of the media trip and enter the twilightzone of possibilities.

I can imagine your hands slapped up to the side of yourface when I tell you I'm going on a road trip with Fabio. (No, not that Fabio from bodice ripper romance novels, the FabioI’m talking about is not blonde or famous…yet.)

I worked for Fabio at the Touring Club of Italy, wherehe was the Director of the International Department. We became fast friends andeven better, Fabio's friends (of which there are legions) became my friendstoo. There is probably not a single part of Italy in which Fabio does not knowsomeone and I don't mean casually, he really knows people everywhere. When I travel in Italy all I needto do is to utter the words "Fabio sent me” and immediately a room isprepared, another plate set at the table.

The last time I was careening around Italy with Fabio Iended up in the hospital, and I owe him my life for ignoring my insistence thatI was fine, and taking me directly to the local emergency room. But that was afew years ago and I'm up for another adventure to the deep dark corners and thefarthest reaches of the 'boot'.

I've had more memorable adventures with Fabio than almost anyone else in my life. Heck, all my best stories have Fabio in them. (And in my soon to be completed book Come forthe Wine, Stay for the Surgery, Fabio is a major character.)

There's no one more fun and spontaneous than Fabio. He'lltake you to small family producers of wines, olive oils and cheeses, to secretrestaurants, local sagres and indigenous food festivals, and way off the trackhiking trails. Some of which you'll never be able to find again, but that'swhat makes it um...special. Traveling with Fabio gives new meaning to the oft-malignedword 'authentic'.

Finally, after many years of people urging him to share allhis insider knowledge of Italy, he's partnered with a gastronomy tour business called Die Genussreise based in Germany and is also promoting the tours and services of Adagio con Brio to independent travelers as well. Check out the Facebook page here.

It's about time. Fabio is the most affable and charmingpolyglot you will ever meet. If you want an off-the-chart experience, have Fabio pick you up at the airport and then just let it allunfold. Equal parts guide, gastronome, raconteur, and bon vivant, Fabio haseverything you need in a travel companion. Nobody road trips better than Fabio.

So it is with glee and excitement that I look forward to ourfive-day road trip around Puglia and then up to Rome for four days where I'll be on a quest to find the bestnegronis and wander the streets where my grandmother, my namesake, wasborn.

I'll be tweeting and posting about it here. And just to beon the safe side -- this time I've purchased MedEvac insurance.

The Year in Books: What I Read in 2011

2012-01-15T14:24:00.000-08:00

Image used by permission: Elle Moss Photography

Back in December I was included in a World Hum feature on travel books read in 2011, but the books I mentioned in the piece were just the tip of the page soaked iceberg I ran into this year. I read less in 2011, averaging 2 - 3 books a month down from my usual 4, but I was also reading numerous travel magazines like AFAR and lit journals such as All-Story, Lucky Peach, Creative NonFiction and Alimentum that I did not include here.

I'm toying with the idea of getting an E-reader just to make travel easier. But I love my paper books so much. I wish there was an option to buy a hard copy book and bundle the kindle or e-version in with it so you essentially get a book in all formats for one set price. I'd buy that. I know I'd love the convenience of an E-reader but I'd miss my towering stacks of books.

I am respectful of my books. I cherish them and read them gently. I try to keep them as pristine as possible. The one and only big fight I ever had with my husband was over the fact that he mauls books when he reads them. Cracks the spines, and soaks the pages with bath water or coffee. I know, I know, there are worse things, but man-handling a book is a crime on par with arson in my opinion.

Here is a view of what I read in 2011. Many books are missing. I've started to I give them away when I travel. Not included are the guide books, cookbooks and wine reference books I also read this year, but the stack was high enough already.

Highlights from the stacks:

Otherwise Known as the Human Condition by Geoff Dyer

This collection of essays and stories had a lot of material I was already familiar with, but some great new pieces too.

The Battle for Wine and Love by Alice Feiring

I finally got around to reading this and while there were some strange repetitions in the telling of her story it was an enjoyable romp all the same.

Blue Nights by Joan Didion

Joan Didion on life, death and introspection. What more do you need to know?

Larry's Kidney by Daniel Asa Rose

So weird and beyond surreal you just have to check it out for yourself.

I probably should add a link to each and every tittle shown in the photos, but I figure you can enlarge the picture to read the spines and you know how to find the books on your own. Besides... I've got a stack of new books calling out for my attention!

Happy Reading in 2012!

Croatia Part 7: A Taste of Zagreb

2011-12-26T16:31:00.000-08:00

Since Zagreb and it’s citizens were so cool I thought the ultra groovy music of Herb Alpert --A Taste of Honey-- would be the perfect swinging background tune for this short slideshow of what we experienced. Take a look--

Running a bit late, (only 45 minutes, according to Dino*) we arrived in Zagreb and dashed through a pedestrian only section of town to meet our local guide Mladen Car aka @funkyzagreb , at the Hotel Dubrovnik. In a meta twist of fate we discovered we were to be part of a film the Zagreb tourist board was making about the gastronomic pleasures and treasures of the city. Travel writers playing tourists playing travel writers in a tourist board film about travel. Okay. Whatever...Let's do it! (*Oh yeah, that 45 minutes is a meta–meta reference to a super meta songify song.)

So off we went to the market with the film crew in tow. We climbed the steps to the top of the Dolac Market, and then we climbed the steps again. Coverage, you know, need to get it from all angles.

At the market we met our host Chef Robert Ripli from the Gastronomadi Club restaurant, and the first thing he did was pour us all a glass of Rakija which helped us temporarily forget that our every move and remark was being recorded.

We also tasted the first release of 'Portugizac', a young Croatian wine that is sort of their version of Beaujolais. The rakija tasted of honey and apricots and it was harsh in a good way. But the Portugizac reminded me of Vinho Verde Tinto a wine I had in Portugal this past February, and it was reminiscent of Lavoris, the cinnamon flavored mouthwash that was popular in the late 70’s.

These libations made the shopping experience all the more pleasant. We cruised through the market with Robert sniffing and tasting and buying all sorts of items for the meal we would make back at his restaurant later in the day. First we shopped the produce stands in the open square, and then we went beneath the market to an underground zone for meats and cheeses.

After shopping, Robert left to prep for our lunch and Mladen “the urban sherpa” took us on a walking tour of upper and lower Zagreb.

A few hours later we returned downtown to Club Gastronomadi-- a private club where chefs hang out, hone their craft, exchange chef tips, and film cooking shows. It’s also a supper club open by membership to foodie citizens. The layout is part TV-set kitchen and part hipster style speakeasy and dining room.

At Club Gastronomadia Robert introduced us to his cohort Chef Grgur Bakšić—and we were greeted with shots of žižula, a grappa like concoction made from the čičimak fruit we bought in the market that looks like a date, tastes like an apple. Grappa, Rakija, Schnapps, whatever you call it it’s a potent hit of flavor and this particular version had a bright sweet and sour snap of lemon and apple.

Now the film crew was back too and we were once again in meta land. Cooking in a cooking show about a cooking show. The Gastronomadi club is also used for corporate team building sessions where executives can get together to cook and resolve resentments between the marketing and engineering departments. Or not. In my experience any corporate outing is always about competition, and accordingly we were split into two teams to create a dish called Pigs in a Vineyard. Pork sautéed with shallots and grapes.

The teams were Team Burek, the soft pasty cheese filled contenders consisting of Kimberley Lovato, Lavina Spalding aka Lil’ Accident, and our guide Malden. Team Rakija —included me, Mattie Bamman the ravenous traveler @ravenoustravelr, and writer Anne Kazel who disappeared in the middle of it all to drop off some microfilm. ( just kidding Anne...)

The affable Grgur gave us step-by-step instructions, but was entirely hands off for the most part. Meaning we really did all the cooking ourselves. While I browned the pork I noticed that several glasses of žižula were sitting unattended on a table so I convinced Mattie it was our duty as Team Rakija to finish the remaining shots. So we did. This may have affected the cooking and eventual outcome of the competition, although I think more rajika was the key to being able to stick your finger into a hot pan without worry.

As we prepared the meal, Robert opened more wines and Grgur rolled out the dough for the baked zucchini and cheese filled dish – a component of the Zagreb continental style of cooking that would accompany the Pigs in the Vineyard meal.

Judgment time: To judge the results each team was served the other teams cooking and Robert and Grgur cast the deciding vote. It was determined Team Rajka’s polenta reigned supreme, but Team Burek’s overall meal was a winner by a nose of a pig in a vineyard…just had to get in one more meta-meta reference. But it was all good; especially the company of Robert and Grgur--two of the most fun, knowledgeable and relaxed chefs I’ve ever met.

This post concludes my Croatia series. There’s no easy way to sum up the experience of Croatia or the food, wine and people that make it great-- except to say—Croatia is way more than you can imagine and far better than you’ve been told. But don’t take my word for it. Go see for yourself.

Links to all Croatia Series Posts:

Croatia Series Preview

Croatia Part 1: Bibich Dégustation

Croatia Part 2: The Splendors of Split

Croatia Part 3- Šibenik Caressed by the Sea

Croatia Part 4- Zadar, The Perfect Date

Croatia Part 5 - Pilgrimage to Pag: Land of Paški Sir

Croatia Part 6 - Istria--Truffles, Olive Oil, Prosciutto & Wine!

Croatia Part 7: A Taste of Zagreb

Eli's Caffé in Zagreb--Wake Up and Smell the Coffee

Croatia Part 6: Istria--Truffles, Olive Oil, Prosciutto & Wine!

2011-12-19T14:00:00.000-08:00

I think this post alone could be broken into 4 parts for thefour corners of Istrian gastronomy-- Truffles, Olive Oil, Prosciutto and Wine--but I’m serving it all up in one big delicious page. So go grab a glass of Croatian wine if you have some and take a quick visit to Istria right now.

As we made our way northand inland, the landscape changed from arid to lush, from coastal to mountains, valleys and vineyards. And the food was veering off from the gifts of the seaand towards the wonders of the woodlands and forests. Pork and swine and pigs andboars and prosciutto and...oh, did I mention pork? There were truffles too-- the MSG of the tuber family--they enhance the flavor of everythingthey come in contact with, but they’re not eaten on their own. I guess mostpeople seek them out for their aphrodisiac properties as much as for flavor. (Is that correct Mattie?)

The two hotels we stayed in could not be more different. Oneultra modern, and the other, an elegant boutique with a chic but cozy feeling. I'll tell you more about that later in the post--But first the Food!!

Prosciutto

Our first stop in Istria was in Vodnjan where we met Mr. Milan Bursic, of Kod Milana Prosciutto, and toured his facility. Next to the curing facility the family restaurant Stancija Bursic, offers traditional dishes and of course the main attraction—prosciutto.

We tried a shot of something called biska that I think was mistletoe brandy. They also make an olive-liquor that I don’t recall trying but if I did, I need to go back and try it again!

In addition to a plate layered with succulent prosciutto, we had a stew called zgvacet and a platter of home made sausages with a rolled, tube like pasta called makaruni. After hours in the van with nothing more than Paprika chips this meal was consumed with gusto and it’s simplicity fully appreciated.

We certainly ate well in Istria-- from ultra truffle gourmet to simple rustic fare, and in every instance was wonderful.

Olive Oil

If olive oil can be “designed” then Chiavalon has theblueprint. Details are important here. Everything has been considered andchosen to support and enhance Chiavalon’s products. The tasting room, thebottles and packaging, even the logo and website.

Chiavalon began after Sandi Chiavalon became enthralled withagriculture at a very young age and then convinced the family to beginproducing olive oil focusing on best possible production practices as a differentiator.

Since that time Chiavalon under the Ex Albis label has goneon to win numerous awards and accolades and was certified best in the worldthree times. The packaging too has won awards for it’s innovative design.

Several varieties of olives are grown and each is harvestedby type and then blended like wine to achieve the superior taste and qualityand although some characteristics are consistent from year to year each vintageis different. We sampled the oilsin a tasting with Tedi Chiavalon who showed us how to warm the oil in thespecial glasses and allow the aromas to open. The scents ranged from fresh cutgreen grass and tomato, to almonds.

Olive season was in full swing and after our tasting we tooka short ride to the mill where we saw the hustle of the harvest first hand andgot to sample seconds old olive oil fresh from the press.

Wine

The Franc Arman winery sits on 20 acres in the middle-inlandsection of Istria, in Vižinada, near the town of Narduči. Before we went intothe cellar Oliver Arman pointed out the three distinct soils of theirvineyards. We could clearly see the red, white and brown soils each withproperties best suited to the grapes they grow. The area receives very littlerainfall and the vineyards are dry farmed.

After we toured the cellar and tank room we settled intoOlivers office—the tasting room. Oliver sat down with us as we tasted a few of the winesincluding the indigenous varietals Malvazija and Teran. Oh what lovelies theywere. The Malvazija was the epitome of fresh and crisp, with a palegreen-yellow color. It had a scent of citrus and grapefruit and a slightapple-vanilla and white nectarine flavor that was very refreshing.

The Teran Barrique is harvested selectively for the bestclusters and aged 12 months in oak “barrique” barrels. I must admit sincelearning about the wines of Croatia I’ve become a big Teran fan. I really lovethis wine-- it’s deep color and full body belies its relatively low ABV of13%. The 2008 Teran Barrique had abeautiful nose of rose buds and berries with medium tannins. Bring on theprosciutto and cheese! I bought a bottle on the spot knowing it would be nextto impossible to find it in the states.

The Franc Arman wines are not only great food wines, butseem well suited for just hanging out with friends too. In fact Oliver’s car isinscribed with the phrase—“It’s not just a wine, it’s a lifestyle.” -- and heseems to be exemplifying that quite well.

Truffles

Livade is world famous for it’s truffles and truffle oilsand of course the world’s largest truffle that started it all found by Mr.Giancarlo Zignate. Zigante, his famous truffle restaurant is open year round,and during festival times you can stroll the market stalls, listen to folkmusic, watch a truffle hunting demo with truffle hunting dogs, and shop fortruffle related merchandise. Livade is the Disney World of Truffles.

At the restaurant we feasted on truffle oils and truffledishes such as Pasta with truffles, Duck breast with a port wine sauce, and avery creamy desert with black truffles. I actually found the ice cream andblack truffles too intense for my palate. I think a bit of the truffle oil onthe ice cream might have been a better pairing, but no one was asking me formenu suggestions in truffle land.

The wines paired with each course were well matched and Iespecially liked the second wine-- a Gambaletto 2008 Teran. It was peppery andbright and contrasted well with the truffle overload.

Rojvin - Hotel Lone

Honestly, Hotel Lone is so modern, I thought we were at the airport when we first arrived. Inside it had the feel of an art gallery with an open atrium and a huge hanging installation, that when viewed from above, looked a lot like the spun sugar glass top on the lamb fillet we were served at the Bibich tasting --note the similarities in the photos above.

The Lone design is very distinct and the rooms were ultra sleek and modern. I think Steve Jobs would love it here with its attention to every detail and the design concept well integrated into every aspect of the building from the note pads to the light switches. Fun touches like the graffiti tables in the lobby keep it from feeling pretentious. But at times I did I feel like I was in the docking station for an international space station like something out of Stanley Kubrick's 2001 a Space Odyssey.

One puzzling thing I found was the hotel logo. If the intent was to have people stare at it for hours and contemplate it's meaning then objective achieved. I could not determine if it was an abstract image of a angel or an airplane or the left ventricle of the heart. Was it an aorta or a vertebrae? I don't know. You'll have to determine that for yourself.

"Tonight we willsongify"

Dinner at Hotel Lone

Dinner at Hotel Lone was terrific and each dish more intriguing than the next. I was happy to see the Grimalda 2008, an Istrian white wine blend of three varieties – Chardonnay, Istrian Malvasia and Sauvignon Blanc, paired with the the monk fish carpaccio. Mmmmm.

Buzet - Vela Vrata Hotel

Vela Vrata feels luxurious but on a very personal scale.This is the place to relax and enjoy the leisurely pace and be pampered withcreature comforts. Every room isdifferent and it's truly like you are staying in a grand private home. SoonVela Vrata will have a pool and new restaurant area adjacent to the pool andthe comfortably snug dining room will transition into a lounge and bar space.

Delights from the Vela Vrata dining room

Of course we did not spend nearly enough time in Istira --but it's on the top of my list of places I will return to very soon.

Links to all Croatia Series Posts:

Croatia Series Preview

Croatia Part 1: Bibich Dégustation

Croatia Part 2: The Splendors of Split

Croatia Part 3- Šibenik Caressed by the Sea

Croatia Part 4- Zadar, The Perfect Date

Croatia Part 5 - Pilgrimage to Pag: Land of Paški Sir

Croatia Part 6 - Istria--Truffles, Olive Oil, Prosciutto & Wine!

Croatia Part 7: A Taste of Zagreb

Eli's Caffé in Zagreb--Wake Up and Smell the Coffee

Ridge Monte Bello Blogger Tasting--Historical Vineyards Series

2011-12-14T17:18:00.000-08:00

The final Ridge Vineyards Blogger Invitational of 2011 was hosted this past Sunday, December 11th, at Ridge Monte Bello in the historic barn that served as the very first tasting room for the original winery. In the barn our host, Christopher Watkins, set the stage for the tasting theme--Historic Family Farmers-- Back in time to the original family farmers that started the vineyards know as Ridge today.

In keeping with that theme, we tasted 3 never before tried by the public wines from the Torre, Klein and Perrone vineyards. These tiny production wines are a part of the Historical Vineyards Series and were sourced entirely from the original planting locations, each wine named for one of the founding families -- Torre, Klein and Perrone. These small quantity wines are actually "beta releases" in a way, harvested from sub parcels, following a premise of "viticultural gerrymandering" based on original planting areas.

Also part of the tasting was a vertical of Ridge Santa Cruz Mountains Estate Cabernet.

But there was more to the "Historic" theme-- Christopher brought in four curious machines--ancient hunks of metal, steampunk style communication devices--called typewriters, and each blogger was required to "go back in time" and write a tasting note using one.

We got warmed up with a splash of Monte Bello Chardonnay 08-- always a pleasure.

Klein, Torre & Perrone

Historic Family Vineyards Series--

Today the oldest vines on the property are those planted by William Short in 1949. Prior to Short acquiring the property John Torre planted 100 acres on Monte Bello ridge and the old Torre winery building is now the Monte Bello tasting room.

Klein Cabernet Sauvignon 2009--

Very young and green on the nose with eucalyptus and earth tones on the palate that opened up with more dusty notes and medium-soft tannins.

Torre Ranch Merlot 2009 --

This wine is just a baby in terms of it's longevity and has lot's of room to develop over the next several years, but I really liked as is. It was full of flavor with plums and violets and spice. Also a brief whiff of oregano in there. Beautiful garnet color.

Perrone Cab Franc 2009--

A tone poem of bright fruit. Very berry, with perfume of violets and a burst of acid. Of course these wines have a lifetime ahead of them, but the Perrone was distinct and fresh and most enjoyable in the present state. The Perrone was my favorite of the Historical Vineyards series.

With these beautiful wines inspiring our palates and our brains, it was time to hit the typewriters-- below are Fred Swan and Jeff Solomon striking out a tasting note.

I wrote a tasting note channeling the spirit of Mattie Ross from the Charles Portis novel, True Grit-- because in a way that's what Ridge wines have --True Grit. Not in a literal sense, but in a sense of honesty and purity of intent. Unfortunately my first attempt at typing the note was foiled by the fact you must manually advance the paper to the next line...so things go a bit cramped on the page.

Next we tasted a Vertical of Santa Cruz Mountains Estate Cabernet. These wines all 100% estate grown were being featured as a holiday 3 pack in the tasting room. You better have been a very good boy or girl this year if you expect to see these beauties under your tree.

Ridge 2003 Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet -- Smokey, smoldering, and silky--with a toasty, salt water taffy nose and rich dark fruit.

Ridge 2004 Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet -- Chalky nose with blackberry, current and minty fresh flavors. Tannins were supple but with room to bend--may need a Thai massage to loosen up a bit.

Ridge 2005 Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet -- I found it dusty on the nose at first, that then developed into light florals with a hint of cocoa and spice. On the palate it was full of dark fruit, very concentrated-- but it's still tightly wound and needs some time to unwind.

The Mystery Guest Wine--

By the graciousness of Mr. Alan Bree, we were treated to a lovey Monte Bello 1985 Zinfandel from his private collection, which after quick calculation, Christopher determined that by drinking the bottle, of which only 33 barrels were produced, we had just enjoyed 5% of the worlds know supply of Monte Rosso Zin. Wow.

Thanks Alan. And thank you Christopher, for another fun, inspiring and enlightening blogger tasting.

7 Links Project

2011-12-05T15:39:00.000-08:00

I met Trisha Miller (@TravelWriting) , the publisher of the Travel Writers Exchange a few years ago at Book Passage Travel Writers and Photographers Conference. Recently she wrote to me and asked if I would like to participate in the TripBase 7 Links Project. Well not recently, actually it was MONTHS ago! But I've had a few projects to take care of before I could get to it. Sorry Trisha! Anyway, Trisha's 7 links post is here.

So the project asks bloggers to choose 7 links from their blog that exmplify pre-set categories. After positng the links the blogger then nominates 5 more bloggers to carry-on. It's kind of like a chain letter but without the bad luck associated if you choose not to participate. It seemed like fun so here are my links in the designated catagories:

Most beautiful post:
Beautiful?...Hmm... most recently, maybe this....The Splendors of Split... beautiful for the food and the wine and the place all at once.

Most popular post:
The Five Types of Wine Bloggers -What Kind of Blogger Are You

Most controversial post:
Most controversial and painful .... Lambrusco in the Neti Pot

Most helpful post:
The Dangers of Pine Nuts

Post whose success was most surprising:
The Wines of Croatia: A Preview -- this post became my third most traffic driving post of all time!

Post that maybe didn’t get the attention it deserved:
Harvest Epiphany -- Considering how hard I worked to get this post, it should get more attention!

Post most proud of:
This is a tricky one... Not really "most proud" of it..but it fit's the theme of pride -- Pride of Palate

So I now nominate 5 more bloggers to carry on and take part in the 7 links chain --Here they are:

Lily Chou -- Messin Around
William Allen-- Simple Hedonisms
Thea Dwelle-- Luscious Lushes
Gwendolyn Alley-- Art Preadator
Frank Morgan--Drink What U Like

Okay bloggers-- post your 7 links as I did above and then nominate 5 more bloggers to carry on.

Eli's Caffé in Zagreb--Wake Up and Smell the Coffee

2011-12-04T14:00:00.000-08:00

Eli's Caffé aka eliscaffe strikes me as the kind of place the protagonist in a Woody Allen movie would meet the wildly attractive (but totally unsuitable) love of his life. He would pursue the girl, get the girl, lose the girl, and end up back at Eli's where the perfect cup of coffee would be his only consolation.

He'd sit at the counter and tell owner Nic Orosi his tale of woe, but Nic (@nikorosi) would just keep sliding him perfectly brewed cups of coffee. No words necessary. No logo. Just taste. Pure love in a cup.

The all white interior of Eli's Caffé is punctuated by a bright red counter top along the bar. At first glance it looks like a gallery space--a gallery devoted to the art of coffee. The vibe is cool, but not pretentious. It's a refuge for those seeking a superior coffee experience and taste. After your first cup you'll know you are in the right place. One of the writers in our press group stumbled upon Eli's the week before our trip began and was anxious to take us there on our last day in Zagreb. You can read Kimberley Lovato's article about Eli's Caffé here. (NOTE: this is not a direct link to the article, look for November 4th post under the blog tab.)

Throughout our visit in Croatia we were constantly bumping up against Bourdain and his entourage, either they'd just left the place we were visiting or they were scheduled to arrive the next day. That could explain why once we got to Livade in Istria (the Disney World of truffles and home of restaurant Zigante) --instead of truffels all we found were cigarette butts, empty shot glasses and a trail of carnage in the wake of Bourdain's crew. Thank God we got to Bibich first, who knows what mayhem they may have caused there.

Eliscaffe was the perfect end-cap to our trip. I'm sure Eli's will soon be ferreted out by the No Reservations producers if it hasn't already, but I'm glad, at least for the day we were there, it was a Bourdain free zone.

You can find the location and hours of operation for elilscaffe here.

Links to all Croatia Series Posts:

Croatia Series Preview

Croatia Part 1: Bibich Dégustation

Croatia Part 2: The Splendors of Split

Croatia Part 3- Šibenik Caressed by the Sea

Croatia Part 4- Zadar, The Perfect Date

Croatia Part 5 - Pilgrimage to Pag: Land of Paški Sir

Croatia Part 6 - Istria--Truffles, Olive Oil, Prosciutto & Wine!

Croatia Part 7: A Taste of Zagreb

Eli's Caffé in Zagreb--Wake Up and Smell the Coffee

Croatia Part 5-Pilgrimage to Pag: Land of Paški Sir

2011-11-30T21:51:00.000-08:00

They say the best wine often comes from vines that struggle. The effort put out by vines to find water in arid climates or dry-farmed regions makes the grapes that much better. Well the same must be true of sheep. The island of Pag is one of the most rugged and beaten down places I've ever visited. It looks like the Alps melted into the island, leaving just the rocky barren tops visible. And it's here that the special herds of sheep struggle against the elements on a daily basis and make one of the greatest cheeses in the country. These sheep must be like the terriers of the sheep world, they are tough and don't give up easily. I don't quite understand how such restricted diet and harsh conditions creates sheep with a milk that has a high fat content. One would think it would be the opposite, thin, almost fat free milk. But that's not the case with the sheep from Pag. They are small, compact and high fat. Sort of like me.

When we crossed the bridge leading to Pag the famous Bura/Bora wind kicked up, so we got out to take a look or have a feel as it were. Yowza! That was some intense wind. Signs were rattling like something out of Close Encounters and the sea was whipping about as if a huge eggbeater was being used from above. You could see patches of white water roiling like furious mini dust devils. I could barely stand upright, and as I made my way back to the van a man came out of a stone building near the bridge. I asked him if the ripping wind was normal for the time of year. "This is nothing!" he said. Apparently it was a mild day in Pag.

I first became acquainted with Paški Sir when I hosted my Wines of Croatia tasting. US importer, Michele Buster of Forever Cheese, arranged for me to get the cheese locally in St. Helena. The cheese was one of the big hits of the day-- pairing well with both white and red wines and exceptional on its own. It's a hard cheese, but very rich and tangy with little white granules of tyrosine that crunch in your mouth, giving it a sensation sort of like pop rocks.

Unfortunately we were running a tad behind schedule so we arrived quite late in the day to Paška Sirana, the oldest cheese factory on the island of Pag. Our hosts were wonderful and I realized what an effort they'd made to accommodate us when Ante Oštarić, who led the tour, mentioned that normally all production in the factory is usually completed by noon each day. That meant these lovely people had been hanging around most of the day just to show us the process live.

Prior to the tour we donned hairnets and coats to keep our bad bacteria away from the good cheese bacteria.

The dairy has grown from a small cooperative to thelargest company on the island and it still makes the cheese using centuries old methods, but the new factory was built to meet the high standards of theEU which Croatia is set to join in 2013. It remains to be seen what the effect of joining the European Union will have on their traditions, but they are prepared to meet the new EU requirements and preserve their heritage of cheese making at the same time.

The sheep of course are the center of the entire operation, and Paška Sirana manages a herd of around 3,500 that provide the milk daily. The rest of the raw milk comes from local farmers on the island. The most productive age of the sheep is between 3-8 years. After 9 years of age they more suited to being roast lamb. And roast lamb is king around the Croatian coast. We saw numerous road side spits, a few with actual lambs roasting inside, as we drove through several small towns. Mmmm.

After the factory tour we tasted several varieties of the cheese. I loved the new sage infused style, but it is not yet available in the US market. We were given samples of a new grated style of paški sir that looked like parmesan but with a more robust flavor.

This past week Paška Sirana won 4 medals at 2011 World Cheese Awards for their PAŠKI SIR, PRAMENKO, MEDITERANO and DALMATINAC cheeses. Congratulations to the entire team.

Although Paški Sir is not that common stateside, it can be found if you put some effort into your search. Be tenacious, like one of those hearty Pag sheep and I'm sure you will be successful. {Hint: contact Forever Cheese for help}

Links to all Croatia Series Posts:

Croatia Series Preview

Croatia Part 1: Bibich Dégustation

Croatia Part 2: The Splendors of Split

Croatia Part 3- Šibenik Caressed by the Sea

Croatia Part 4- Zadar, The Perfect Date

Croatia Part 5 - Pilgrimage to Pag: Land of Paški Sir

Croatia Part 6 - Istria--Truffles, Olive Oil, Prosciutto & Wine!

Croatia Part 7: A Taste of Zagreb

Eli's Caffé in Zagreb--Wake Up and Smell the Coffee

Here's a link to another article about Pag by Matitie Bamman who was also on the trip.

International Wine Tourism Conference 2012--Perugia, Umbria

2011-11-29T14:35:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it's only 60 days away--the 2012 International Wine Tourism Conference is fast approaching. The location for the conference is deep in the heart of Umbria, Italy in the town of Perugia, a beautiful medieval town set high on a hill with tremendous views of the surrounding valleys. Perugia, the capital city of Umbria is well known as an art center, as well as for it's Jazz and Chocolate Festivals and the Università per Stranieri the Univeristy for Foreigners that was recently in the news for all the wrong reasons. Last year the conference was held in Portugal and you can find a list of links to all my posts about it here. Or I guess I mean this years conference, as it was just this past February.

The conference hotel for IWINETC 2012 is Hotel Gio and it's looks like the ideal setting with it's Jazz and Wine themed rooms. Check out that bedside lamp and desk chair in the photo below!

The 2012 Conference Program is packed with some great sessions including two with Michael Wangbickler ( @mwangbickler) who hails from my neck of the woods here in California. A few program highlilghts include: Wines of Italy Grand tasting led by Master of Wine Jane Hunt, Wines of Puglia tasting and a Wines of Croatia tasting. Yay! I just visited Croatia in October and very excited to see what wines will be featured at the conference.

I'm looking forward to making new contacts and seeing old friends from last year including: Norm Oches, Paul and Merrill Bonarrigo, Melba Allen , the power couple Lara Dunston & Terrence Carter, also hope to see Jethro if his busy schedule allows.

Most of all I'm looking forward to the Blogger/Media trip which is a wonderful learning experience and major fun too. The trip takes us to Montefalco, Orvieto, Torgiano, and the Campania wine region and will include:

* Truffle hunting in teams. Release the hounds!

* Cooking classes, food & wine pairings and an olive oil museum.

* Wine, Wine, Wine and more wine at select wineries.

Birthday dinner at Quinta do Pego

Once again it will be my birthday during the trip. It will be hard to beat the celebration we had this year on the Douro-- read about it here... but I'm sure it will be equally spectacular somewhere under the volcano in Campania.

If you are considering attending the conference--don't delay-- it will be here before you know it. If you are a wine blogger it's a great event to get acquainted with wines from around the world as well as from the host country. And for those of you who are travel writers, the event is the perfect place to meet tour operators and wine region destination managers from around the globe.

See you in Umbria!

For more information and to register, visit the Wine Pleasures site: http://www.iwinetc.com/

Thanksgiving Wines— and Wines to Pair with Annoying Relatives!

2011-11-22T21:48:00.000-08:00

I was looking through my blog stats today and noticed a huge amount of visitors reading the post I wrote about Thanksgiving wines in 2009! So I figured I better write another one and give folks something more recent to read with my selections for 2011. So here are what wines I’m drinking for Thanksgiving—and more importantly the three days after Thanksgiving. Plus a special bonus feature: Wines to Pair with Annoying Relatives—

Thanksgiving Day: What’s on the menu? Duck I think, I don’t know really. My husband is the cook. But it will all be good with these wines.

Rose: Shane 2010 Rose Ma Fille, Sonoma County
Whites: Cartograph 2009 Gewürztraminer Floodgate Vineyard, Russian River Valley &
Quivira 2010 Viognier–Sauvignon Blanc 50/50 blend
Reds: La Follette 2009 Pinot Noir Manchester RidgeVineyard, Mendocino Ridge – I love everything that comes out of the Manchester Ridge vineyard and this wine in particular is pure magic.
Baxter 2007 Pinot Noir Toulouse Vineyard, Anderson Valley –
Q: What’s going on in Philo? A: Some serious good wine.

Black Friday Wine—
Baxter 2006 Carignan Caballo Blanco Vineyard, Mendocino --I love this varietal and I’ll need the strong flavor profile of this Rhone variety to help me navigate the online sales.

Saturday 2nd Day of Leftovers Wine—
These wines will shine and make the leftovers taste divine.
White: Phillips Hill 2010 Gewürztraminer, Anderson Valley
Red: La Follette 2009 Pinot Noir Sangiacomo Vineyard Sonoma Coast – Every time I drive by this vineyard I think about this wine and it’s mineraly-minty-mocha-cherry-madness. Will pair great with the leftover duck if there is any leftover.

Sunday Everybody Please Go Home Now Post-Thanksgiving Wine—
Quivira 2009 Flight Dry Creek Vineyard, Sonoma-- the name Flight says it all—this fruity blend of 94% Zinfandel and 6% Viognier— is the right choice to serve after the holiday to those lingering too long . The name drops a subtle hint if that doesn’t work simply say—“Go on, get going or you will miss your flight!”

The Thanksgiving line up. Start your engines!

Wines to Pair with Annoying Relatives—

Aunt A: Well she’s a lush and we all know it, but she's not super particular about what's in her glass. She drinks any old swill on sale at the market so just to mess with her I'll pour Phillips Hill 2010 Chardonnay Ridley Vineyard, Anderson Valley because it will make her really sit up and notice. She will love it, but then won't be able to buy it in her Podunk town, so it will be a passive aggressive win-win.

Cousin J: My pain-in-the-ass-know-it-all cousin: I'll serve Bonny Doon Cunning a blend of 61% Carignane and 39% Mourvedre because he won't know the grapes and will smirk that it's a screw cap. Then the color will fade from his smirky-know-it-all face as he realizes how darn good it is and he'll be beside himself and fuming because he didn’t know anything about it.

Cousin MJ: MJ is such an utter twit. He is an investment banker... need I say more? No, but I will…MJ is a beady-eyed greed monster, obsessed with feathering his nest on the backs of others. He gives new meaning to the 1%. For him I’ll pour La Follette 2009 Pinot Noir Van Der Camp Vineyard, Sonoma Mountain because it’s elegant and complex with a beautiful backbone. All the qualities he lacks. Wait, on second thought this wine is too good for that loser. I’ll save this for later.

If I had a favorite cousin I'd pull him or her aside and pour them a glass of Shane 2007 Syrah The Villain, Mendocino County – but I don’t—so I’ll just drink it myself.

Wine I’m Saving for Christmas: Baxter 2007 Pinot Noir Oppenlander Vineyard, Mendocino

Cheers and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

NOTE TO READERS: I received the LaFollette and Quivira wines I discuss in this post as samples---BUT!!! I am already a Quivira Queue club member, and I purchase all their wines. I love La Follette and buy their wines regularly on my own as well. It was just a happy coincidence that I was sent samples. So don’t get all huffy about the fact I liked these wines because they were samples. I ALREADY BUY & LOVE THEM! Everything else I bought with my own money.

Croatia Part 4- Zadar, The Perfect Date

2011-11-11T22:43:00.000-08:00

My visit to Zadar was like a round of speed dating. We sat down, said a few words, and then --Ding! Ding! Ding!--the bell rang and it was time to move on. I wanted to spend more time in this place with so much to offer-- a mixture of modern art and archaeological treasures.

Oh Zadar, I feel like I hardly got to know you. But what I did see of you makes me want to go steady. I want to hold hands with you and stroll the market, feed each other burek and share some wine at sunset as we listen to the sounds of the sea organ. I know if we had more time together, I'd probably be introducing you to my folks at Thanksgiving dinner.

Zadar Market

The compact section of old town Zadar is connected by causeways and has restricted car access making it easy for pedestrians to wander around. We stopped for a quick coffee and some burek, the flaky cheese filled pastry that seems to be a national obsession, then we went off to the market.

I would show you pictures of the burek we bought, but it was an obsession for certain travel writers in attendance too, I never had a chance to get a shot before it was devoured. In old town we met up with our charming and well-dressed guide Stjepan Felber, who hosted us on our trip to the Maraska factory to sample the cherry juice and Maraschino liqueurs (more about that in the next post) and for lunch at 2Ribara a modern looking restaurant in the Varoš section of old town Zadar.

Sea Organ

The most captivating spot in Zadar by far is the Sea Organ. The Sea Organ designed by Croatian architect Nikola Bašić, is incorporated into the sea wall. It’s a whimsical love note to the ocean, and an artistic engineering marvel--as the waves roll in, the song of the sea is played. The music was haunting and hypnotic. I could have stayed there all day. It’s a gathering point for locals and visitors alike and watching the sunset is a daily ritual. In Zadar the sunset has it’s own musical accompaniment. And after dark there is a light show as well. Take a look in the video below.

2Ribara
For lunch we went to 2Ribara (Two Fisherman) where we met Ivica Kujundzic our waiter and knowledgeable sommelier. Sommeliers are so cool. It's people like Ivica who make learning about wine a great experience.

Stjepan Felber (left) Ivica Kujundzic (right)

He poured samples of a few wines before we settled on the Korlat Cabernet Sauvignon, a Smokvica Posip from Korcula, and the Adzic Graševina from the Kutjevo vineyards for the main meal.

The Graševina was crisp and full of apricot and apple flavors with slight nutty taste, perfect with the octopus salad and the fish. The deep, dark Korlat paired well with the grilled fish, the spicy notes of violets and black currents were not overpowering and the tannins were firm but balanced. I'd never have guessed a Cabernet would pair so well with seafood dishes, but the Korlat was a delicious exception to the rule.

For dessert Ivica poured me mystery wine and asked me to guess what it was. I said it tasted like Sherry. “Yes, it's Sherry but not from Croatia. It’s Nier Mundo de Sueño from Spain,” said Ivica.

“Hold on there,” said our guide. “These writers are here to learn about Croatian wine!”

Ivica shrugged his shoulders. “It’s very good, that’s all that matters.” he replied.

And that’s it in a nutshell--when something is good you can’t help but want to share it and spread the word. Ivica was the real deal. He wants to turn people on to great wines no matter where the wine may originate. Bravo Ivica!

So here is what you must do in Zadar: Visit the market and buy some burek, cheese, figs, and of course pick up some wine. Then just before sunset, go hang out by the sea organ. As the sun sinks on the horizon let the mesmerizing sounds wash over you and sip some wine. Then sip and listen. Sip and listen. Gaze out to the sea. It does not get much better than this.

Photo from Wikipedia Commons en.wikipedia.org

I have a hunch if you visit Zadar you'll want to go steady too.

Links to all Croatia Series Posts:

Croatia Series Preview

Croatia Part 1: Bibich Dégustation

Croatia Part 2: The Splendors of Split

Croatia Part 3- Šibenik Caressed by the Sea

Croatia Part 4- Zadar, The Perfect Date

Croatia Part 5 - Pilgrimage to Pag: Land of Paški Sir

Croatia Part 6 - Istria--Truffles, Olive Oil, Prosciutto & Wine!

Croatia Part 7: A Taste of Zagreb

Eli's Caffé in Zagreb--Wake Up and Smell the Coffee

Croatia Part 3- Šibenik Caressed by the Sea

2011-11-05T22:45:00.000-07:00

Šibenik has everything I love--It's low key, on the sea, and close to Bibich. Our visit was a marathon of eating; from the wonderful seafood at Dalmatino, to the sublime wine and food parings at Bibich, and finally dinner at Restaurant Marina in Skradin, where we feasted on roasted lamb and vegetables prepared in the traditional peka method in which the dish is covered and placed under hot ash and embers for baking.

Here is a glimpse of Sibenik's natural beauty and brilliant cuisine, plus a few shots of Waldo from Where's Waldo drinking rakija! {Note: If the video cuts off on the sides you may need to click through to view it on You Tube directly.}

Upon arrival in Šibenik we checked into Hotel Jadran situated in the middle of town and directly on the promenade where you could practically reach out of your room and grab a glass of wine from one of the many sailboats docked along the seawall. We took a stroll around town with our knowledgeable local guide Vanja Dadić, who had a great sense of humor and was a good sport with all our antics. After a climb to the top of Fort St. Michael for a panoramic view, it was time for lunch at Konoba Dalmatino.

To say we were spoiled by the bounty of fresh seafood in coastal Croatia would be a gross understatement. I've never had anything close to the supreme delights of the sea that I had in Croatia. The classic seafood repast at Dalmatino was an ode to freshness and simple preparation. The mussels, oysters and clams were just hours out of the water.

Our congenial host Mr. Vinko Pilizota (above at left) was dressed in traditional costume and chef Sinisa Cular seemed happy to be preparing dishes for guests with such hearty appetites as ours.

We started the meal with a few shots of Travaricia rakija a grape brandy infused with a blend of aromatic herbs. I never found out what herbs the Travarica had in it, but I detected hints of juniper, currents, sage and rosemary. Dalmatino also serves as a wine shop and I was happy to peruse the walls of so many “new to me wines” in between each course.

Apparently mussels are best served when the moon is full and lucky for us the moon was in it's fullest phase and mussels were the specialty of the house at Dalmatino. The broth of the mussels was incredibly delicious and I greedily dabbed it up with chunks of bread. It's hard to believe it was only parsley, garlic, olive oil and tomatoes. I’m sure there was some other secret ingredient, but no one was giving it away. We had some interesting wines too, including a Debit and a Maristina. The particular Debit we had was strange to me, I found the flavor flat and it seemed slightly oxidized, but the Maristina was bright and lemony with great acidity for the oysters.

The relaxed atmosphere at Dalmatino is like going to your best friends house. (The best friend who knows how to cook, has a great stash of wine, and owns cool hats that is.) We felt so comfortable and at home we found it hard to extract ourselves from the table. But nature called...no, not that kind of nature call, the real dirt and rocks kind of nature call; we were off to visit the waterfalls at Krka National Park. Afterwards we had a dinner date in Skradin at Restaurant Marina. Fortunately all that rushing water stimulated my appetite for the third time that day.

The folks at Restaurant Marina were very welcoming, and we got an up-close view of the peka process in action through the giant plate glass window in the kitchen. The savory lamb at Marina was just the ticket to take the chill off the night air. Later we sampled some sweet wines with dessert and the winds kicked up dramatically. We held tight to our glasses as the patio canopy whipped above our heads and toasted to a day of memorable meals.

P.S: Recently I heard scientists made a startling discovery that the universe was expanding at a rate faster than the speed of light, sounds crazy right? Well I can tell you it’s nothing compared to the rate of speed my waistband was expanding in Croatia.

Links to all Croatia Series Posts:

Croatia Series Preview

Croatia Part 1: Bibich Dégustation

Croatia Part 2: The Splendors of Split

Croatia Part 3- Šibenik Caressed by the Sea

Croatia Part 4- Zadar, The Perfect Date

Croatia Part 5 - Pilgrimage to Pag: Land of Paški Sir

Croatia Part 6 - Istria--Truffles, Olive Oil, Prosciutto & Wine!

Croatia Part 7: A Taste of Zagreb

Eli's Caffé in Zagreb--Wake Up and Smell the Coffee

Croatia Part 2: The Splendors of Split

2011-10-30T22:10:00.000-07:00

A dash of red pomegranates to the left, a slash of blue sea to the right, and straight-ahead, looming high in the distance, a salt and pepper ridge of limestone and granite cliffs. That was my first glimpse of coastal Split. Before my trip I read many travel articles comparing Croatia to other places, such as Italy. But in Split the sun seemed brighter, the mountains closer and sea's horizon was filled with the undulating shapes of distant islands. After arriving at our hotel I took a little walk around the beach area. The vibe was very familiar but altogether different, not quite Italy, not quite Greece, it was a mish–mash of its own. Croatia was not the new Italy as I'd read--I’d say Croatia is the new Croatia!

Dinner Konoba Varos

I was a little worried about what my first meal in Croatia would be like after I met Ivan, a Croatian living in California near Sacramento, who was on my flight from San Francisco to Split. Ivan told me he was bringing a suitcase full of Jiff peanut butter and Oscar Mayer bacon on special request for his friends and family. I was confused why people who lived in a country that supposedly had some of the best food in the world would desire peanut butter filled with partially hydrogenated goo and bacon shot throughout with nitrites and sodium phosphates. But within a few hours all my concerns were alleviated as I had the first in a series of great meals that set the tone for the rest of the trip. I chalked up the Jiff and Oscar Meyer to those odd hankerings people get for foreign foods. It's not so much that it’s good, but it's different.

The first night in Split we dined at Konoba Varoš where I got to know our driver Dino and the other four journalists on the trip. Ordering was pretty simple, you have two choices: Grilled Fish or Grilled Meats. Or just tell the waiter to bring it all!

For starters we had the following:

Salata od hobotnice-- Octopus salad with boiled octopus and onionsdressed with olive oil and lemon juice. We had this many times over the next several days and I never tired of it. So fresh and simple and delicious with a crisp white wine like Pošip.

Salane srdele –Salted sardines with onions.

Dalmatinski prsut and Ovcji sir—Prosciutto with cheeses andolives.

Mesni carpaccio-- a carpaccio of raw beef filleton a bed of rocket greens and drizzled with a sauce of olive oil and balsamic,lemon juice and covered with Parmesan cheese. Yum-o-rama.

We also had a platter of grilled meats that included the most succulent little things called cevapis that look like breakfast sausages, but are a far cry from Jimmy Deans. Cevapis are not encased like sausage, but more like rolled kabobs of beef, lamb or pork. There were also pljeskavica, small meat patties like hamburgers that were grilled with just a bit of seasoning and served with my new best friend - Ajvar. Ajvar is the fiery orange-red condiment of choice made from grilled peppers, eggplant and garlic that adds a piquant dash of joy to anything you slather it on.

For an entree we had gnocchi with beef. The gnocchi was light and fluffy, the perfect vehicle bywhich to sop up the dark sauce covering the braised beef. Asked how exactly thedish was made, we were told the beef was marinated in olive oil and wine for 24hours and the sauce was made with plums, prunes, pears, and vegetable stock. When pressed for more details the waiter merely said the sauce was a secret process. “It’s a process.” Hmm… we would be hearing that a lot in thedays to come.

Desert-- Palacinke (pancakes) filled with tresnja (cherry) Sir (creamed cheese) and Jabuka (apple). I skipped desert, but I must admit I would have been very happy with a bowl of Ajvar.

Wines

Pošip Čara 2010 from Korčula and Plavac Mali ivanDolac 2007 from Hvar. The Plavac Mali was a mostversatile wine--deep dark berry flavors, spicy with good tannins--it was perfect with the hearty meat dishes and surprisingly good withthe seafood too.

I know what you may be thinking-- how did I possibly eat all this?Well I’d been up for close to 30 hours and I had to make up for lostcalories.

Scenes of Split--

The next day we met up with a local guide also named Dino, and took a walking tour of Split.

A trip to the fish market foreshadowed lunch as we walked past the various offerings. Next we explored the walled section of town and toured inside the former palace in historic Split.

One odd thing I noticed in Croatia, I saw very few policemen. In other countries the tourist areas are full of armed officers in uniform patrolling the perimeter. Maybe the cops in Croatia are all in plain clothes, but nevertheless, I felt very safe everywhere we went. Except for one fleeting moment in Split, when a huge block of a man came trudging towards us from across a plaza. I was struck by his size and he literally looked like Frankenstein, a solid oblong mass of flesh and bones with squared off head and shoulders. His wrists cocked backwards as he walked as if he were paddling through the air. Of course my first instinct was to take a photo, but as he moved closer something told me that was not a good idea. It felt like an invisible energy field was spread out before him and everyone scurried aside to make way.

Lunch --Restaurant Šperun

At Šperun we enjoyed a fresh array of mixed grilled seafood and some amazing anchovies. If you need just one reason to come to Croatia—let it be theanchovies at Šperun. Their bright sea flavor with a trace of olive oil, lemon juice and garlic will have you clapping your hands like Flipper at SeaWorld.

Resturant owner Zdrakvo Banovic, who had a movie star air of Clark Gable about him, stated his goal is to serve an eclectic menu of authentic dishes based on Mediterranean cuisine that present Croatia as its own particular place with grilled meats such as lamb, and fresh fish dishes like his black cuttlefish risotto. He does not offer tiramisu. “Our identity is Croatian, not Italian and our cooking is representative of the region,” said Banovic.

Owner Zdrakvo Banovic, center. Anchovies, right.

Links to all Croatia Series Posts:

Croatia Series Preview

Croatia Part 1: Bibich Dégustation

Croatia Part 2: The Splendors of Split

Croatia Part 3- Šibenik Caressed by the Sea

Croatia Part 4- Zadar, The Perfect Date

Croatia Part 5 - Pilgrimage to Pag: Land of Paški Sir

Croatia Part 6 - Istria--Truffles, Olive Oil, Prosciutto & Wine!

Croatia Part 7: A Taste of Zagreb

Eli's Caffé in Zagreb--Wake Up and Smell the Coffee

Croatia Series Part 1: Bibich Dégustation

2011-10-26T16:25:00.000-07:00

As my series on Croatia begins, I think might as well start at the top. There were many extraordinary experiences in Croatia, but the visit to Bibich was what I was most excited about beforehand. I’d already been introduced to a few of their wines by Frank Dietrich of Blue Danbue Wines during the Wines of Croatia tasting I held at my house back in August and was really looking forward to tasting more of the Bibich wines in Croatia. One clarification to avoid confusion:– Babić is the grape name while Bibich is the winemaker.

Press trips by their nature are very jam packed and tightly scheduled, and there was much to see and do before Bibich time, including a walking tour of Šibenik, a exquisite seafood lunch at Konoba Dalmation (more about that to come) and a visit to Krka National Park to view the waterfalls. The only problem was I’d had little to no sleep the first two nights and now was running on fumes and sheer willpower to stand upright by our third very packed day. But I willed my self to carry-on and kept reminding my self, this was the day we would visit Bibich. By 5 pm my strength was waning but just seeing the sign for Bibich perked me up. We were greeted at the door and whisked inside the cozy space where Alen Bibić gave us the background on the 500 year history of the vines and winery and it’s operation.

Next we sat at a small table and the eight wine & seven course Dégustation began:

Pairing # 1 Bibich Brut Sparkling wine / Oysters 2 ways: Raw Oysters and Oysters with Lemon ice and Worchester Foam. I never even got to taste the lemon ice ones! My fellow (ravenous) writers jumped all over them before I got the chance.

Pairing # 2 Debit 2010 / Cucumber sorbet topped with trout caviar. Granita of smoked trout. The Debit was dry and lively with a mineral chalky quality and nose of flowers granite dust. The cucumber sorbet was an unexpected flavor sensation but it really made the Debit come alive.

Pairing # 3 R5 Riserva 2008 a blend of Debit, Pošip, Maraština, Pinot Grigio, and Chardonnay –all the flavors in harmony. Paired with Sea bass tartar w/ olive oil, pepper, chili, and an orange roof. Just as this dish was served my phone died and I frantically looked for an outlet to recharge. So no photo. Sorry!

Pairing #4 Lučica 100% Debit / Scallops grilled with goat cheese & black sesame seeds. The Lučica is very special limited production wine from vines close to 50 years old. Lovely rich flavors 13% alc. I was very captivated by the Lučica--
To the Eye: Golden amber color.
On the Nose: A rush of apple and apricot with a light honeysuckle and violet perfume.
On the Palate: Bright and smooth. Flavors of granite/limestone and vanilla with a touch of caramel.
In the Ear: A chorus of Angels!

Pairing #5 – Riserva R6 2008/ Cuttlefish pasta balsamic reduction and olive oil dust. The R6, a favorite of mine, is a blend of Plavic, Lasin and Babić with a floral rosy vanilla nose and full rich flavors. The pairing dish was a play on black and white, a deconstructed take on cuttlefish as a pasta with paski (cheese) cream, almonds, and a reduction of balsamic vinegar with olive oil dust. Deconstructed and delicious! This dish discombobulated me. I was no longer responsible for my actions. I was fully under the Bibich spell.

Pairing #6 – Wine 1- Sangreal Merlot 2007/ Lamb Filet with hazel nut, chili oil and Mediterranean spice “glass top” brittle / Wine 2- Bas de Bas 2007-- The luscious Sangreal Merlot is very limited production. I suggest you try to get some. The Bas de Bas was a Crno Syrah oakey notes on the nose and palate and a deep ruby color.

Pairing #7 Ambra / Baked Chocolate Mousse and Cream Catuluna. Ambra Debit 100% had awesome fig and apricot flavors.

I loved all the wines, but the Lučica was the one I was most enthralled with. One in our group (I’m looking at you KL) had the presence of mind to buy some Lučica. But I was so completely wrapped up in the reverie of the moment and in such a blissed out state I barely remember leaving under my own locomotion. I slept that night for the first time in two days and sweet dreams of Bibich danced in my head.

Above: Me flanked by the cherubic faced Sime (right) and the slightly Faustian Alen (left)

The cozy unpretentious setting belies the world-class wine and food at Bibich. If not for the goofy red and white checkered tablecloths, which gives the place a slightly tourist feel, one might mistake it for the weigh station to heaven--wine pairing heaven that is. Soon the world will know of Bibich, as Anthony Bourdain was scheduled to stop by the next day. But up until then it was ours alone.

Bibich is located outside of Sibenik in Skradin. Do what you must to get there. It’s well worth the effort.

Links to all Croatia Series Posts:

Croatia Series Preview

Croatia Part 1: Bibich Dégustation

Croatia Part 2: The Splendors of Split

Croatia Part 3- Šibenik Caressed by the Sea

Croatia Part 4- Zadar, The Perfect Date

Croatia Part 5 - Pilgrimage to Pag: Land of Paški Sir

Croatia Part 6 - Istria--Truffles, Olive Oil, Prosciutto & Wine!
Eli's Caffé in Zagreb--Wake Up and Smell the Coffee

Croatia Series Preview: Zivili!

2011-10-22T14:25:00.000-07:00

I'm back from Croatia and my head is spinning with all the amazing food and wine I experienced and the fabulous people I met. Before I even left the twitter support from the Croatian wine and food community was incredible. Special thanks to the Croatian Tourist Board for making the trip possible and also to:

@TasteofCroatia , @EatDalmatia , @PaskiSir , @PASKASIRANA, Cliff Rames @WinesofCroatia , Pacta Connect @pc_wines , Sasha Burekovic @TastyWineCo , Lada Radin @ladara and of course
Frank at @BlueDanubeWine for reaching out to me with tips and suggestions.

I'm currently sorting through a pile of maps, notes, photos and videos as I prepare a series of posts dedicated to Croatia and the stories of the people who make it unique. -- So stay tuned for a wild romp though one of the most dynamic wine and food regions I've ever visited. In the meantime here is sneak peek of what's to come --

The wine and pairings at Bibich in Skradin

Tasting one minute old olive oil fresh from the press at Chiavalon in Vodnjan

Market shopping and cooking with chefs Robert Ripli and Grgur Baksic of Klub Gatstronomadi

Fresh from the sea lunch extravaganza at Konoba Dalmatino in Sibenik

Truffle Fair in Livade, Istria and the wine pairing truffle lunch at Zigante

Touring Paska Sirana on Pag and tasting the new sage infused cheese

Taking a six hour scenic detour along the coast due to extremely high Bura winds

Learning about Maraschino liqueur at Maraska in Zadar

Hanging out with winemaker Oliver Arman at Franc Arman winery in Narduci

The world's greatest cappuccino at Elis Caffe in Zagreb

And of course all the outstanding wine and grappa!!

Don't touch that dial! Stay tuned to Come for the Wine for full report on all the above and more-- Zivili!

Links to all Croatia Series Posts:

Croatia Series Preview

Croatia Part 1: Bibich Dégustation

Croatia Part 2: The Splendors of Split

Croatia Part 3- Šibenik Caressed by the Sea

Croatia Part 4- Zadar, The Perfect Date

Croatia Part 5 - Pilgrimage to Pag: Land of Paški Sir

Croatia Part 6 - Istria--Truffles, Olive Oil, Prosciutto & Wine!

Croatia Part 7: A Taste of Zagreb

Eli's Caffé in Zagreb--Wake Up and Smell the Coffee

The Theater of Nature at Raymond Vineyards: Growing Wine Tourism

2011-10-08T13:36:00.000-07:00

Four months ago I visited Raymond Vineyards for an event I felt could never be matched for sheer over the top inventiveness. Well, I was wrong. I should have known better when I got an invitation to the debut of several new features at Raymond Vineyards and the opening of the Theater of Nature. A mere four months ago the Theater of Nature was just a notion, now it is a fully realized interactive educational experience about the process of organic and biodynamic farming.

The Theater of Nature
At the gates of the theater you are met by one of the three animatronic sheep that gently takes your hand in its mouth and leads you through the exhibit explaining the 5 Acts. It's an extraordinary experience, like a Disney fantasy come to fruition.

Oh wait... I think I may have dreamt that part about the sheep, but honestly if you've ever been to Raymond you'd understand. It is like a waking fever dream of genius and madness and love for the pursuit of pleasure and understanding of wine in all it's aspects.

The Raymond estate has quietly undergone a transformation led by Jean-Charles Boisset and the Theater of Nature is just the beginning. Raymond is converting over to biodynamic practices and they are in the transition stages of gaining Demeter certification for organic growing as well.

The Theater of Nature is an educational walk in the Bio-dynamic park presented in 5 Acts starting with the Soil and continuing around to include the Plants, Animals, the Vineyardist who farms in harmony with the laws of nature and the final act, the act of Wholeness that explains to guests the process of biodynamics and the convergence of earthbound and celestial forces that directly effect the growth and quality of the plants.

My favorite part of the Theater of Nature besides the sheep and the goats and the very cool cow, was the descriptor gardens planted with different herbs and fruit trees to illustrate the aromas and flavors associated with Cabernet and Chardonnay. You are invited to wander about with your wine in hand and taste the herbs, smell the fruit and determine what's in your glass accordingly.

The Corridor of the Senses
This new experience looks much like something out of the Roman Polanski movie "Repulsion" wherein Catherine Deneuve was grabbed by disembodied hands as she went down a hallway. In the movie it was very creepy, but at Raymond it's sort of Stephen King meets Lady Gaga. Large hands are mounted on the wall holding scent vials with red tasseled puff atomizers allowing you to inhale the aromas found in wine. Breathe deep. But keep one eye open.

The Rutherford Room
The Rutherford Room is where everything you ever wanted to know about the soils and AVA's of Napa Valley can be learned in a program developed by Karen MacNeil. Large glass apothecary jars display the soil along with a maps of the area. Now you can actually see what various soil types, such as volcanic, really means and get a whiff of it too.

The Red Room
If you thought the JCB lounge was jaw dropping (I wrote about it here), wait till you see the Red Room. Or wait till you become a member, I should say. The Red Room is a members only tasting room that offers an exclusive red wine blend and classic games, such as cards or billiards, set in posh red surroundings. Oh did I mention all the surroundings are red? Yes, I believe I did.

Before you continue reading might I suggest you pour yourself a glass of something. Perhaps the Raymond Generations Cabernet, but anything will do really, you just need to get in the proper frame of mind as I introduce you to Napa Valley's very first Oompa Loompa. I am not kidding. Now go get that glass of wine. I'll wait here. Seriously, go get it you are going to need it.

Okay you're back...ready now... follow me to the Blending Room a.k.a Willy Wonka's Wine Factory.

Blending Room

Welcome to the black lit, disco balled, and ultra futuristic Blending Room with your host Tyson Madden. Mr. Madden is the blending master and resident Oompa Loompas in Raymond's version of Willy Wonka's Wine Factory. Under the direction of Mr. Madden guests will be able craft their own personal blends and then make a customized label on the spot using their own images or logo. You even get to wear a fetching silver robe while blending. I give it high marks for sartorial reasons alone!

The Grove and Outdoor Living Room
This area on the opposite side of the winery is set up for guests to enjoy their wine in an open and relaxing setting and also play some bocce, pétanque or croquet. The Grove with it's linden trees, cafe tables and little white lights twinkling in the leaves feels very much like a little bit of Paris. The whimsical outdoor furniture alone makes this an irresistible spot in which to enjoy the day.

Growing Wine Tourism
Wine tourism is a concept that encompasses many things, and what "wine tourism" means exactly is open for discussion. But for now, I think Raymond has all the bases covered and then some. If you think wine tourism means Education, check, they have it; Entertainment, it's there; Hands on Experience, got that too. Raymond gives the visitor an array of choices and environments in which to experience wine, be it from a quiet corner of an outdoor garden, or in the full on glitz and decadence of the Crystal Cellar and Red Room. It's all happening at Raymond Vineyards and you don't even need an E ticket to get in.

The Ridge Master Class: Wine Blogger Tasting Series 2011

2011-09-28T13:30:00.000-07:00

On Sunday September 25th I joined a group of wine writers and bloggers for the 3rd edition of the 2011 Wine Blogger Tasting Series, one of the most sought after wine events hosted by Christopher Watkins of Ridge Vineyards at the Lytton Springs location in Dry Creek Valley.

I attended last year when we sat out on the crush pad and the temperature hovered around 90 degrees. This year the crush pad was in glorious use for harvest and we got to watch as the fruit came in and was hoisted into the de-stemmer. Then after tasting some carignane direct from the tap, we retreated to the barrel room where it was nice and cold.

The wines Christopher selected for the tasting were all small production library wines. Most came from stock with less than nine cases on hand. We tried wines from Monte Bello and Lytton Springs, some from vineyards I've never even heard of before.

I’m always amazed how well the Ridge wines hold up for years and years and years. I probably should not be surprised really since the age-ability of Ridge is it's common denominator. But I have very little discipline when it comes to cellaring wine and tend to drink things in the now rather then in the future.

Christopher reminds me of this crazy cool professor I knew in college who was obsessed with rare books, German literature and Swing music. His house was filled with shelves of classic and esoteric works of literature and old records.

He’d scan a shelf and pull a book out and say-- Oh have you read this? Do you know this work? Then he would read a passage aloud. Or he’d grab a record and say --You gotta hear this. He would play a piece of music and you would be so wowed by it. This professor was like a spirit guide to the volumes of written works that you just had to read. I'd leave his house with my mind slightly blown and a lengthy list of books I had to get my hands on.

Ridge events to me are so similar, Christopher is our "spirit guide” scanning the library wines for just the right passage, just the few phrases that will jolt you, change you, make you rethink all other wines. It's a sybaritic journey of wine and poetry and the simple pleasure of letting go and dropping into what's in the glass. I love these events it like a master class for bloggers who want to be challenged and stretched in the most wonderful way.

At some point in the day I always realize note taking is futile. I just put my pen or in this case phone down. Nothing I say will do it justice. So I just give in to the pleasure in the glass. I find it takes days to process it all. Ridge events are journeys that take you on a wild ride to the far corners of your palate and expectations.

We also had a special treat courtesy of Richard Jennings @rjonwine who brought a mystery bottle that we tasted blind then were asked to guess the vintage, varietal and vineyard designation. I guessed 92 based on absolutely nothing but the color and was not far off, but struck out, way out, on guessing the varietal and vineyard. It turned out to be a 1990 Barbera from Rancho Pequeno. It was lovely and wonderful of Richard to bring it along to share.

If you want a full account of the wines and tasting notes I suggest you check out the blogs of Richard Jennings @rjonwine or Fred Swan @norcalwine for full details.

Thank you Christopher (and Brandy) for a great day at The Ridge Master Class!

UPDATE--

Links to other blog posts from the day:

Martin Redmond -- Great re-cap of the wines we had with tasting notes.

Christopher Watkins -- Thoughts from our "spirit guide" Christopher and a groovy video.

Grenache Day at the Allen Party Farm

2011-09-24T13:07:00.000-07:00

I have been critical in the past of all these random Wine days like Chardonnay Day and Champagne Day and Cabernet Day. I fully expect to see 2% Milk Day at some point. We might as well just call them all Marketing Day, but they have some merit and I think the best events are ones like #PinotSmackDown where wine is tasted in person with the winemakers. Of course not everyone can organize or attend that type of tasting, but they are in my opinion a far more qualified way to promote a varietal.

Once again William Allen pressed the Greenhouse into service for an outstanding group of wines including Grenache and Grenache blends from Baiocchi, Quivira, Wind Gap, Mounts Family Winery, Sheldon, Stage Left Cellars, R2 Wine Company, Thumbprint, and Ridge Vineyards.

I'm already a fan of most all of the wines, especially Mounts and Ridge, and I'm a member of the Quivira wine club. But there were several "new to me" wines including Baiocchi, Sheldon and Stage Left Cellars.

I was very taken with the Baiocchi Entre Nous 2009 a blend of 90% Grenache and 10% Syrah. This wine had a deep floral nose with a gorgeous earthy flavor, nice tannins and a lovely lingering finish.

I also really liked the Stage Left Cellars 2006 Grenache with 8% Mourvedre --a funky meaty blend of flavor with a nose that kept evolving each time I tried it.

From Grenache Day to Birthday

After the Grenache Day tasting it was time for the Main Event: William Allen's Birthday Bash, and it would not be his birthday unless the Fire Department was put on alert. Mr. Allen's affinity for all things wine and pyromania make for interesting events. Events that people talk about for days and weeks and months after they get released from the hospital.

Although there were no fire dancers this year, there was a bon fire large enough to cause locals to wonder if Burning Man had been extended and the Handcar Regatta was encamped on his back forty --the back 40 feet, not acres, as the Allen Party Farm is a marvel of compactness.

The resident sheep Rowdy and Hardy* did a little horn gnashing and a bromance love dance, but that was the extend of the provocative entertainment for the evening. The rest of it was good wine, good food, and great friends. (*not sure if those were the exact names of the Allen Party Farm sheep but if not they should be renamed immediately)

Life on the Douro: Zev Robinson's Documentary Captures the Essence of Place

2011-09-21T12:21:00.000-07:00

Although I have never met Zev Robinson, I feel as if I know him. We chat on twitter and always seem to be just one or two weeks behind each other in our travels. Many near misses, but I hope to see him soon at one of the screenings for his new documentary Life on the Douro. Robinson's film traces 300 years of history of the Douro wine producing region in Portugal featuring interviews with many of the key figures working in the region today. Here is a preview below.

I supported Zev's IndieGoGo campaign to raise funds for the film and I recently got an advance copy of the film. I toured the Douro this past February and it was great to re-live my visit and reconnect through the film with the people I met including Adrian Bridge, George Sandeman and Oscar Quevedo--all of whom I have written about previously here in this blog.

If Oscar Quevedo is not elected Ambassador of Portugal Wine, I imagine no one ever will. It would be hard for anyone else to match his enthusiasm. His easy charm and infectious joy for the wines of Portugal is so genuine. We were on the same bus at the 2009 Wine Bloggers Conference and after spending time with him and his then girlfriend Nadia, I vowed to visit the Douro and see his family's Quinta. I got very very close to that goal back in February but due to a scheduling sanfu, I missed the Quevedo winery by about 6 miles and 3 hours. Luckily Life on the Douro spends much quality time with the Quevedos and through the film I feel like I got to visit there after all.

I loved this film. It's a kiss on the lips to the Douro and the winemakers. If you have been to the Douro this film will deepen your experience, and if you have not yet been, this will be your tipping point to go and make your own discoveries.

The film premiered on September 6, 2011 as part of the Douro Film Harvest festival and plans are being made for screenings in North America and Europe over the next year including these dates in California.

Los Angeles -- November, 15th
San Francisco -- November, 17th --More details here--
http://www.delanceystreetfoundation.org/enterscreening.php
Paso Robles-- Novmber 19 or 20th - - http://www.pasoroblesfilmfestival.com

For more information visit:
http://www.facebook.com/LifeontheDouro
http://lifeonthedouro.com/
http://zevrobinson.com

Clash of the Passions: Travel Writing & Wine

2011-09-01T15:17:00.000-07:00

It’s great when you get to do the things you love and even better when you get the chance to share it. Although I have this nifty blog about wine, the majority of my writing is travel writing and thus the focus on wine tourism in my blog. This year I was very fortunate to be selected for inclusion in the Best Women’s Travel Writing 2011, and now my love of writing, wine, and travel will converge in a special event.

On September 15^that 6:30 pm, I’ll be reading my story “In Lardo We Trust” at the newly opened Garagiste tasting room in Healdsburg. The event will include readings by fellow contributors Laurie Weed and Laura Deutsch with an introduction by editor Lavinia Spalding.

So come early, grab a glass of wine and enjoy a fun and inspiring evening of travel storytelling. Bring your questions about travel and writing too, as we’ll have a Q&A afterwards. Books will be available for purchase on site and of course all the great Cartograph and Stark wines are available by the glass.

Date: Thursday, September 15th

Time: 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm

Location: Garagiste Tasting Room | Healdsburg | 439 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg CA

Contact: 707.431.8023

Wines of Croatia Tasting: The Recap!

2011-08-31T12:20:00.000-07:00

What a day for Croatian Wine! I could never have predicted how a simple tweet would lead to one of the most fun, educational and incredibly delicious events I've ever had the pleasure of hosting.

As mentioned previously in this preview post, it was Cliff Rames of Wines of Croatia (@winesof croatia) who dropped the pebble in the lake triggering my connection with Frank Dietrich @bluedanubewine of Blue Danube Wines. A date was set, bloggers were invited, a hashtag chosen, wines were selected and it all came together beautifully on August 28th.

Croatia has a wide range of grape growing areas but they are basically split into inland and coastal regions. Since the majority of the bloggers were unfamiliar with Croatian wines Frank decided to focus on the coastal region of Istria. And so for a few hours my deck in Sebastopol was transformed into an odd shaped yacht as we virtually cruised the Istrian peninsula and tasted wines from the countries many islands.

Frank proved to be a great guide on our journey as he led us through the tasting and provided extensive background information and details about the wines, winemakers and growing regions of Croatia.

Frank Dietrich leads the tasting

Early on the sun was bright and hot providing the perfect setting to taste the crisp and refreshing selection of whites:
CORONICA -- Malvasia--Istria 2009
KORTA KATARINA--Pošip--Island of Korčula 2008
KRAJANČIĆ--Pošip--Island of Korčula 2009
ENJINGI--Venje--Slavonia 2003
GRGIĆ-- Vina Pošip--Korčula Island 2009

A selection of the whites. The Grimalda was a special addition.

Previously I tried a different Enjingi Graševina, but this one was fuller bodied and more developed. All of the whites were outstanding, plus we tried a Rose from Korta Katarina that was a spicy delight. My favorite of the whites was the KRAJANČIĆ Pošip from the island of Korčula where apparently Marco Polo was born. Many of the wines we tasted were from Italian born winemakers and the connection to Italy is very strong historically as well. Below are some of my quick tweet impressions at the tasting.

My quick tweet notes on the whites

As the sun dipped westward and shade creeped overhead we turned our attention to the Reds which included the following:
TERZOLO--Teran--Istria 2008
BIBICH -- R6 Reserva -- Dalmatia 2008
MILOŠ--Stagnum Plavac Mali--Pelješac Peninsula 2005
KORTA KATARINA--Plavac Mali--Pelješac Peninsula 2006
SAINTS HILLS--Dingač Plavac Mali--Pelješac Peninsula 200
MARA POSTUP-- Plavac Mali--Pelješac Peninsula 2008
ZLATAN PLENKOVIĆ--Crljenak Kaštelanski--Island of Hvar, Makarska 2008

Selection of the Reds

I enjoyed the Bibich R6 Riserva, Korta Katarina Plavac Mali, and the Zlatan Plenkovic Crljenak Kaštelanski which is considerd to be the original Zinfandel. But the wine that most intrigued me was the MILOŠ--Stagnum Plavac Mali--Pelješac Peninsula 2005. This wine had a very deep purple color with the scent of rosebuds and a slight briny taste. Maybe that explains the claim that this wine pairs well with oysters. Oysters and red wine? I need to do some first hand research on that, but I have a feeling it could be true.

The Saints Hills Dingač Plavac Mali image seemed well crafted, maybe too crafted? I can just imagine the eye rolling and the "there-goes-the-neighboorhood" effect this could have on the wines of Croatia. But I think attention is good and if it gets the peeps drawn in then I think it bodes well for all the smaller producers and gives them a greater chance to be discovered by an enthusiastic audience that will want to travel the wine roads in Croatia.

Paski Sir upper right corner

In addition to the wines we had a special guest cheese-- The Paski Sir from the island of Pag pictured in upper right hand corner. Nutty and rich it was a great complement to the whites we tried and also a few of the reds. One of the bloggers, Anthony Burich who is actually Croatian, brought an unmarked bottle of Croatian olive oil too. I did not get the chance to serve it, but tasted it afterwards and was impressed by its distinct spicy and herbal notes. Very bright and delicious. Thanks Anthony!

A few of the "off list" selections Frank poured.

At the height of the event I took quick look at Tweet Reach which indicated that over 375 tweets had been sent with an exponential reach of over 100,000 impressions! The hashtag went on the generate more than 400 tweets and many impressions beyond that, as the metric was based on only the last 50 tweets at the time. But over all it was pretty impressive for a deck full of wine bloggers to create that much buzz for Croatian wines in one day. The RTs were fast and furious. Another cool way to view the tweets is through Revist a real–time visualization of twitter messages around a specific topic which shows a dynamic flow of the tweets and the connections as they happened. Check it out here.

"Zivili" or also spelled "Zivijele" is a Croatian toast that means "to life!" So I would like to shout a hearty "Zivili" to Frank Dietrich, Cliff Rames, Andreja at the Croatian Tourist Board for supplying the maps and excellent background materials, Michelle Buster for sourcing the Paski Sir, also special thanks to KORTA KATARINA for the samples (check them out on twitter @kortakatarina) and of course to all the wine bloggers who came to the event and made it so much fun --@amybcleary @brandyea @winebratsf @SonomaWilliam @aburich @VitaeVino @SLHousman @JamesTheWineGuy @RJonWine @20dollarwine @slowgrapes @BrixChick_Liza @norcalwine & @Brixchik_xan

Zivili! -- Thanks so much. Perhaps next time we should have a game of pin the tail on the Donkey Dingac!

Links to other posts from the event. (more to be added as they become available)

Amy Cleary--WineBookGirl
Richard Jennings -- Post on CellarTracker

Links to all previous Croatia Posts:

I Can Almost Taste It! Croatian Wine is Near.

2011-08-25T22:01:00.000-07:00

Paski Sir Cheese

The excitement is building, the hashtag has been selected, the cheese has arrived, and the cards and letters keep coming in as the day draws near for the Wines of Croatia wine blogger tasting. For those who would like to follow along on Twitter on Sunday Aug 28th, the hashtag for the event will be #WoCroatia.

This week I picked up the Paski Sir cheeses from James at Sunshine Foods and it has been a struggle to keep from eating it before Sunday. I had a taste in the store and it is lovely. It's a sheep cheese and is similar to pecorino but with a salty nutty punch. Michele Buster was the first to source and import the Paski Sir from the island of Pag, and she arranged for me to get the cheese for the tasting. You can learn more about Michele and the cheese here in this article from the SF Chronicle.

Although the tasting is only a few days away we already have a post from WINEpiphany by Anthony Burich, one of the bloggers who will be attending. You can read Anthony's heartfelt post and excellent tasting notes on the Enjingi's Grasevina wine here.

In the meantime Frank of Blue Danube Wine Company, who will be presenting the wines has been preparing a list for the tasting. Here is a sneak preview.

1. CORONICA -- Malvasia--Istria 2009

2. KORTA KATARINA--Pošip--Island of Korčula 2008

3. KRAJANČIĆ--Pošip--Island of Korčula 2009

4. ENJINGI--Venje--Slavonia 2003

Graševina, Riesling, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, and Traminac

5. TERZOLO--Teran--Istria 2008

6. PIQUENTUM--Teran--Istria 2008

7. MILOŠ--Stagnum Plavac Mali--Pelješac Peninsula 2005

8. KORTA KATARINA--Plavac Mali--Pelješac Peninsula 2006

9. SAINTS HILLS--Dingač Plavac Mali--Pelješac Peninsula 200

10. BURA--Dingač Plavac Mali--Pelješac Peninsula 2007

11. ZLATAN PLENKOVIĆ--Crljenak Kaštelanski--Island of Hvar, Makarska 2008

Plus there could be a few suprises! So follow the #WoCroatia hashtag on twitter and stay tuned for the post-tasting post.

Also, just to set the mood I’ve downloaded some Croatian folk music for the day. So barring any crazy weather or earthquake or wild locust attack, I think we are going to have a spectacular day of tastes from Croatia.

Return to Coolsville: Perseid at Meteor Vineyard

2011-08-19T22:00:00.000-07:00

Last time I was in Coolsville it was for some zip line action and the release of Meteor Vineyard 2007 Perseid Cabernet. {You can read a full account of that visit here.} This time I went for a meteor shower viewing party and a pre-party vertical tasting of the Perseid Cabernet 2004-2007 and the Special Family Reserve 2005-2007.

The 2004 Perseid had not previously been tasted outside of the family. I almost felt like we would be sworn to secrecy after trying it and required to take an oath of Omertà--oh wait I’m probably projecting my own Sicilian family traditions here, not Meteor’s. No one at the table was in danger of getting whacked for speaking about the charms of the 04, well, not that I know of at least.

In addition to the pre-set verticals we tried the 2003 “Barry's Half Century” Estate Reserve, a special Birthday Blend created to commemorate vineyard owner Barry Schuler's 50th. The wine had a deep plum color, scents of tobacco and nutmeg, with chocolate, coffee and blackberry flavors. It was luscious and rich, a great birthday gift to enjoy for years to come.

I’ve tasted my way through a lot of Cabernets over the years and I'm always on the verge of declaring that I just don't like Cabernet all that much—and then I taste Meteor and it makes me reconsider. These Cabs always surprise and intrigue me. They are deep, earthy and grounding-- full of diverse flavors and scents like licorice, mint, cinnamon, clove, peppermint, chocolate, violets, leather, truffle, blackberries and plums. In the 2006 Special Family Reserve I found notes of caramelized toffee and smoky s’mores.

Meteor wines get to me in a way that is unexpected and completely fascinating. They keep me thinking about them for days afterward. It must be that Coombsville is Coolsville mystique in action. And it’s not just marketing copy to say something is truly different about Coombsville--official recognition of Coombsville as a distinct AVA is imminent.

I have a good understanding of winemaking, grape growing and the clones that are planted. But when I first taste a wine I don’t always need to know it’s personal history, I just want to be captivated. I’m curious to discover how a wine inspires me, because I think a great wine can be a catalyst to inspiration for all sorts of creative endevors.

That’s not to say the process is unimportant, quite the contrary, I love hearing winemakers describe it in their own words. It’s always interesting to hear what Meteor winemaker Dawnine Dyer and Schuler have to say. While Dyer might describe one of their clones or wines as full of feminine charisma, or a temptress; Schuler will counter with “This wine is a busty centerfold girl with a mighty rack and body that will suck you in and never let go.” (I paraphrase here of course.) But you can glean the general spirit in which it was said. Yet despite their different frames of reference, Dyer and Schuler are in full agreement that the clones they’ve planted possess all the right stuff to thrive in Coombsville.

From the tasting we headed outside where the party was in full swing with signature cocktails, spacey music to set the tone for star gazing, and tucked off to the side, a tarot card reader. As the sun set my appetite peaked and I practically inhaled a mini cup of bacon cheddar soup and a few smoked pork belly sliders with caramelized apple that naturally paired perfectly with the 2008 Perseid and Special Family Reserve. Then I got on line to have my cards read. I was relieved to see we only had to wait in line, not zip-line to the tarot card reader.

After dinner, carrying our glow sticks and wine glasses, we followed a path of tiny lights set down like a secret mini airstrip, that led us to the Lone Oak out in the vineyard. Under the oak, Cliff De Lacy, a NASA ambassador filled us in on all things celestial and where to scan the sky for meteors.

A dessert station set with was set to one end of the rows serving coffee and a Meyer Lemon Curd tart with a graham crust as well as a Brioche Chocolate Bread and Butter Pudding with chocolate sauce and sea salt. Both were a delight to enjoy in the moonlight.

In between the rows of vines were recliners and blankets from which you could settle in and watch the sky. It was like a sanitarium in the vineyard. As I lay there I half expected a masseuse to show up and knead my shoulders. It was quite cozy tucked under the blanket between the vines with little clusters of grapes above me and the rocky soil below. Something about lying down in the earth between the vines was extraordinary. It was as if you could feel the very essence of the vines seep into you. As I looked down the long dark row towards Mount George, I could smell traces of mint and fennel, sweet clover, hay and chalky earth. It felt fantastic and rather nurturing. Heck, maybe my true roots are more Druid than Sicilian! Or perhaps there is some kind of harmonic convergence going on between the Meteor vines and land in Coombsville.

Although the event was billed as a Perseid Viewing Party, I only saw a few meteors shoot across the sky. But the most brilliant stars of the night were all in my glass.

Thanks to all the Meteorites for a stellar evening.

Country of Good Vines: Countdown to Wines of Croatia

2011-08-16T23:03:00.000-07:00

The Wines of Croatia Tasting I'm hosting is less than two weeks away and I've been hearing from people near and far who want to attend. I'm not kidding about that. The interest in Croatian wine is seriously intense! It seems everyone wants to know more about them.

As I mentioned before, I made a quick visit to the Istrian peninsula of Croatia a few years ago around this time of year in August. But I did not get to stay too long. You must have reservations in Croatia when holiday season is in full swing!

Next time I visit Croatia I will plan ahead and allow plenty of time to explore the vine lands in depth. Until then, here is a brief slide show of what I saw in Umag. NOTE: For a larger view or if the video does not appear below on your screen you can view it here in the Annex.

Croatian Wines Making Waves

2011-08-09T22:35:00.000-07:00

A butterfly flaps it's wings in the Amazon and creates a tsunami in India. Ten monkeys with typewriters tap out a Shakespearean sonnet. A tweet about Croatian wine turns into a tasting. All of a sudden it seems the mysterious ways of the universe have converged to propel Croatian wine into the mainstream. Croatian wine is starting to make some waves.

Some of the biggest buzz I saw on twitter during the recent Wine Bloggers Conference in Virginia were the tweets from the night of the now infamous Room 606 Croatian Wine Tasting held by Cliff Rames.

All this synchronicity makes me think there is definitely something in the air. I had Croatia on my mind for quite a while and then, just like that, all the pieces fell into place and now I’ll be hosting a wine blogger tasting of Croatian wines on August 28 with Frank Dietrich of Blue Danube Wine.

Of course all the folks who have been championing the cause and tirelessly promoting Croatia and it’s wines knew it was only a matter of time before the rest of us caught on. But now things seem to be heating up and for the first time in a national wine publication Croatia takes the stage on the cover of Wine Enthusiast as reported here on the Wines of Croatia site.

In preparation for the tasting event and to get those attending up to speed, here is a short list of resources for more information on Croatian wine, food and culture:

Links:
Wine Enthusiast Online
Blue Danube Wine Shop - See additional links under resources
Wines of Croatia - Cliff Rames blog
Wine library TV Episode #798 - Featuring Cliff Rames
Daily Grape Episode #86 Plavic Mali form Croatia
Croatian Tourist Board - Complete resource for all aspects of Croatia
Taste of Croatia - Comprehensive site of all things culinary & more
Pacta Connect - UK importer with links and resources

The Wines of Croatia : A Preview Tasting

2011-08-02T17:00:00.000-07:00

Ever since I made a very brief visit to Croatia in 2007 I've been fascinated with the country. I have never seen more crystalline waters than those around the pristine Croatian coastline, the clarity of the Adriatic there is unlike anywhere else. The air quality was exceptional too, not something you normally notice, yet I remember it distinctly. But my best memory is the food and wine I experienced on my visit which left me wanting more. I've been anxious to get back for a longer visit and a proper introduction to the food and wines ever since.

Recently through the miracle of Twitter (and I do believe Twitter is a miracle as it has facilitated so many great connections) I got to chatting with Cliff Rames from @WinesofCroatia and @istriaficionado, and that chat led Cliff to set up a "twitterduction" with Frank Dietrich of @BlueDanubeWine an importer of Croatian wine in Palo Alto, California.

Frank and I exchanged an few emails and I'm happy to announce that we will be working together to host a Wines of Croatia Tasting for local wine bloggers at my house later this month. It's going to be a fun event and the great folks at the Croatian Tourist Board are providing me with maps and wine background materials for the event. Plus they have very kindly offered to supply a traditional Croatian sheep cheese from the island of Pag called Paški sir for us to pair along with the wines. The cheese is available locally in St. Helena at Sunshine Foods and other cheese shops in the Bay Area including The Cheese Shop in Healdsburg. Click on the picture below for more information.

Blue Danube Wine has a terrific website with excellent information and a great map of the wine regions of Croatia. I have no idea how to pronounce many of these wines and some of the names look like they may put your tongue in traction if you try. I'm not entirely sure which is the grape variety and which is the producer from looking at some of the labels, but I'm hoping that Frank will give us a little tutorial on how to read a Croatian wine label at the tasting.

After exploring Frank's Blue Danube Wine site I decided I could not wait for the blogger tasting to try the wines so I went right out and bought a few bottles at my local wine shop. I found a Peljesac, a Graševina/Welschriesling and a Zlatan Plenković all priced under $20.

I really was impressed with the 2007 Peljesac Red from Dingač. This wine had nice balance and was full and flavorful like a Zinfandal with slightly spicy tannins. I tried it with a fusilli pasta dish made with fennel and oyster mushrooms along with a side of marinated eggplant and it was a delicious complement to the food.

The Zaltan Otok 2009 Zlatan Plenković white a blend of Pošip and Maraština grapes was quite full bodied and also paired well with eggplant and sausage pizza that I made with the leftover eggplant from the night before.

My favorite label design was on the Enjingi 2009 Graševina and the wine was well constructed too. Loved the bright flavors of apple, apricot, and linden berry with a crisp mineral hit of granite. It's body compared to the Zlatan Plenković was delicate, more whisper than shout.

I can't wait to learn more about these wines and other varietals at the blogger tasting with Frank and share the findings here. I'm hoping to visit Croatia again soon, possibly before or after the International Wine Tourism Conference in Italy, where I will be presenting. So stay tuned wine and wine tourism fans. There's a lot more to come from Croatia!

Rabbit Aerator: The Lava Lamp of Wine Areation Devices?

2011-07-25T14:00:00.000-07:00

Glug Glug Glug goes the Rabbit

I normally don't use aerators for facilitating the airing or opening of a wine. I prefer a decanter. Most wine aerators I've seen are messy and clumsy looking. But I was sent a Rabbit Aerating Pourer to review from International Wine Accessories and so I gave it a try.

The first thing I have to say is that it was practically impossible to get out of the display box. I'm no weakling, but it was so insanely well enclosed in it's package, I thought only the jaws of life would be able to remove it. Once I finally got it out I needed a drink to reward myself for the effort. Oh how convenient that I had a bottle of wine at hand. Imagine that.

One thing I like about the Rabbit is it inserts right into the bottle and seals tightly so there is less mess or possibility of making a mess with this device.

As the wine is poured through the Rabbit you can hear it glug glug glugging and if you peer inside the top you can see it shooting out in tiny streams as it enters the aerating globe then cascades down the sides of the bulb and into the glass.

It's kind of like a lava lamp in how mesmerizing it is to watch the wine percolate through the device. The whole aeration process reminded me of those bubble top juice dispensers you see at deli's and food courts where juice is sprayed into a big clear bubble in some kind of merchandising madness created to make the consumer desire the beverage with a vengeance. The Rabbit replicates this look as the wine flows down the sides of the mini bubble into the glass.

Results:
Honestly, I could not tell a difference from the control glass of un-aerated wine and the Rabbit aerated glass of wine. But my husband did detect a difference, and now he is kind of obsessed with using the rabbit on everything. Like I said I prefer decanters, but my husband has convinced me I need to give the Rabbit another chance. I'm sure I will since we now can't drink anything that has not first gone down "the rabbit hole", so to speak. Soon I may need to hide the device lest he try pouring coffee, milk, or olive oil through it. I wouldn't put it past him.

It's not surprising that we had differing opinions on the Rabbit. I think there may be a gender based component to aeration perceptions in wine. Last year I tested an Eisch breathable glass and despite the unfortunate circumstances of that experiment, (read all about it here) I found the glass to be quite effective on the wine, while my husband found it did absolutely nothing. So as usual you must try it for yourself and draw your own conclusions. But if you do get differing opinions based on gender let me know about it. Maybe I could get some grant money to research the topic. You never know stranger things have been funded for study that's for sure.

Come for the Wine and Visit the Annex

2011-07-20T15:25:00.000-07:00

Just thought I'd take a moment and point out that you can find more content over at my posterous site--Come for the Wine Annex. See the link in the upper right hand corner?

I often use the Annex to post items live and on the fly from events since posterous makes it easy to add photos or video over the iPhone. I also use the Annex site to post fun humor pieces and things that are not always directly wine or wine travel related including short essays or short videos.

Right now you can find a little tribute to my fellow wine bloggers going to the 2011 Wine Bloggers Conference in Virgina this week called The 5 Signs You Are at a Wine Bloggers Conference.

You can also find my Annex post from the 2010 conference in Walla Walla --You Know You're at a Wine Bloggers Conference When....

So check it out next time you visit here at Come for the Wine.

Swirl, Sip & Slurp: Wine & Oyster Festival Recap

2011-07-17T16:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday's Wine & Oyster Festival at the Vintage Wine Estates tasting room in Healdsburg was the place to be for lovers of brine and wine. The pours were generous, the oysters sublime, and the entire tasting was a delight for the palate.

The oysters and mignonettes were prepared with specific flavor profiles to complement each wine. And once we got the clockwise vs. counterclockwise tasting order figured out we were good to go through the six oysters and five wine pairings.

My favorite mignonette, served on a Hog Island Kumamoto, was the Pink and Sassy made with beet juice that was both sweet and spicy and really brought out the flavors of the 2007 SCV Sea Fog Cuvee Blanc de Noirs.

Every pairing was well matched to the wines. But my favorite pairing of the day was the "Fresh Kiss" a Tamales Bay Miyagi with a classic rice wine mignonette and the 2010 Winsdor Sonoma Sauvignon Blanc RRV. Sensational. It hit all the right notes and compelled me to buy a bottle of the wine on the spot. That's one power pairing!

Here's a little sideshow to give you a virtual taste of the event.

Interview with Terence Carter of Grantourismo--Food and Wine Tourism Around the Globe

2011-07-11T21:46:00.000-07:00

It’s a pandemic! It seems everyone is interviewing Lara Dunston of Grantourismo. So just to be contrary, I thought I’d interview the other part of the dynamic duo, the dark side of the equation—Mr. Terence Carter. But first, the back story...

I first met Lara and Terence at the Pousada Freixo Palace Hotel in Porto, Portugal at the end of their yearlong grand tour around the world sponsored by HomeAwayUK. We were both in Porto to speak at the Wine Pleasures wine tourism conference and tour the Minho and Douro wine regions.

I came into the lobby to inquire when we were leaving for the Minho, and Lara, to whom I had not yet been introduced--gave me the full itinerary, told me where to stow my luggage, and suggested I have a drink in the bar as I waited-- all without ever looking up from her laptop as she typed madly on the keyboard writing one of her last reports for the Grantourismo project. At the same time Terence was busy re-organizing their luggage while simultaneously up-loading and tagging photographs. Lara and Terence’s ability to multitask and work wherever they are, never wasting a moment, is mind-boggling to say the least. One might think their multiple commitments and deadlines would make them less than social travel companions, but I discovered their party ethic was equal to their gargantuan work ethic.

Q&A with Terence Carter of Grantourismo

Terence Carter--Dog Whisperer

Terence Carter is very much the modern renaissance man of the road. In addition to his talents as photographer, designer and writer – Terence is an accomplished musician, composer, cook, filmmaker, and I’ve heard very gifted with puppets too.

Q: If you could add a talent to your repertoire what would it be?

I can’t draw or paint. Which is one reason I became a photographer and used to design and typeset books.

Q: What's the one thing you notice that amateur photographers do that makes you cringe? What one thing could they do to most improve their pictures?

Amateur photographers always ask me about gear. That makes me cringe. Get over gear lust and focus on making good photographs is my usual advice.

Q: You make a point to learn about the local cuisines in your travels, meet local chefs, and take advantage of the market culture. If you only could use three ingredients to make Lara her favorite meal what would they be?

Too easy. Fresh oysters (from Brittany of course), champagne and sunshine.

Q. Of all the places you traveled on your grand tour, which had the most accessible wine culture? Meaning lots of wine bars or wineries in close proximity to where you were staying. Which had the least?

Probably Jerez, Spain. Everyone in town is constantly sipping sherry. But the Tio Pepe tasting tour was rubbish. So we bought a bunch of miniatures and recreated our own sherry tasting when we arrived in Barcelona from Jerez. That upset a few people, because obviously miniatures from the Tio Pepe gift shop are not going to offer the best expression of the sherry.

Bali had the least-accessible wine culture. We did check out the local wines, but it turned out they were made from Australian grapes, that probably weren’t good enough for ‘box wines’ back in Australia. There is a reason visitors to Bali just drink Bintang beer!

Q. I think the "wine comes to you" home wine tasting you did in Budapest is a fantastic idea. Were you familiar with any of the wines of Hungary before that tasting? Were you inspired to cook any particular dishes to pair with the wines you tasted?

Lara and I were familiar with both the Bull’s Blood red and the Tokaj dessert wines – we first tasted them many years ago when we did our first wine course, which I think was called ‘wines of the world’. The big reds inspired me to make ‘Hungarian goulash’, which I found out was actually called pörkölt.

Terence with Countess Enrica Rocca - at her cooking class in Venice

Q: Everyone has a comfort food, something they turn to in times of stress or homesickness. What’s yours?

For me it’s not just the food, it’s the act of making it that helps soothes the soul. And the dish I’d be making is ragù Bolognese. The ragù is rich and homely and fills the air with delicious aromas at the different stages of cooking. The first night I’ll serve it with tagliatelli (hopefully fresh if I have a pasta machine) and the next day I’ll make lasagne with it. I did it three times on the Grantourismo trip. Sometimes making it feels like an excuse to get to snack on Parmigiano Reggiano, quaff big glasses of red wine and listen to my favourite music, but who needs an excuse? Also, if I have time to make ragù, this means that I’m not under some serious pressure to meet deadlines. This is a good thing.

Q: What's your comfort music?

My comfort music while cooking is definitely jazz. The Complete Town Hall Concert by Charles Mingus is a favourite because it’s just so chaotic, but any Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, or early Miles Davis is fine by me. If I need something more soothing, I’ll listen to Erik Satie. I’m more than a little obsessed with Trios Gnossiennes, not the more familiar suite of Gymnopédies. I love the Oriental touches of the pieces.

Q: If you had a theme song from the road what would it be? Kodachrome by Paul Simon?

Wow, I had to actually look that song up on YouTube, I’m not much of a Paul Simon fan. We actually have a theme song from the road, but not from the Grantourismo tour. It’s the opening track from the album Forever Changes by The Love called Alone Again Or. A few years ago, Lara and I were setting off on a road trip around mainland Greece from Thessaloniki and we desperately needed some music for the rental car. I picked up a whole bunch of CDs from the discount bin of a record store. We put this CD in just as we hit the highway and now when we hear the opening with the Spanish guitar and the Tijuana brass kicking in, it’s like an instant road trip.

I did actually write a piece of music on the lovely upright piano in the house we stayed at in Cape Town. I guess that will have to serve as the theme for our Grantourismo year!

Q: Who will play you and Lara in the film version of your Grantourismo adventures?
One of George Clooney’s illegitimate sons would play my role. I’m sure he has one and George is too old to play me. Lara would have to be played by an extraordinarily beautiful Russian model. (I don’t like sleeping on the couch.)
Q: In the film Goodbye Lenin! there is a scene where they are airlifting a statue of Lenin over the city by helicopter that is straight out of Fellini's La Dolce Vita and it's so spot on iconic. What iconic scene from a film illustrates or punctuates your life of travel?
The scene in Betty Blue where Betty stabs a restaurant patron with a fork. I have no idea why. I think it’s because there is something so off-kilter about our lives.

Q: You are a fairly dapper guy...If you were fashion king: What one article clothing/footwear would you forbid men to wear?
‘Wife-beaters’ (the Aussie name for singlets) with beer logos on them – particularly Asian beers. I do also have a deep dislike of flip flops and sandals.
Terence complating his tree of life
Q: And now for the poignant Barbara Walters tear jerker--If you were a tree what kind if tree would you be? But let’s change tree to a spice - If you were a spice what spice would you be. No fair answering Sporty or Posh or Scary. OR If you were a wine what wine would you be? Try not to cry as you answer.
Star anise. It changes the flavour of everything it goes into and it’s the prettiest spice of all. If I was a wine I’d be a big Aussie Shiraz and because I’m currently in Bendigo, Australia it would be a good bottle of Turners Crossing 2005 The Cut Shiraz.

TERENCE CARTER
Terence is a professional photographer who has shot photos for travel guides for DK, Lonely Planet, Footprint and Thomas Cook (including Top Ten Dubai and Abu Dhabi guide, Dubai Encounter, Buenos Aires Encounter, Dubai city guide, Best of Brussels Bruges Antwerp & Ghent, Milan and the Lakes, Calabria and Northern Italy) and had his photography published in an array of travel magazines including National Geographic Traveler, Lifestyle+Travel, Paperplane, and Get Lost. You can look at his photography at www.terencecarterphotography.com

Raw Pleasures: Wine & Oyster Festival in Healdsburg

2011-06-30T14:20:00.000-07:00

The bivalve, the Mighty Mollusk, a briny kiss from the sea--no matter what you call them Oysters are truly gastronomic gifts and their pleasures are many. Writer M.F.K Fisher was so enchanted, she wrote a whole book about them called Consider the Oyster.

Everyone remembers their first time and if you are an oyster lover it most likely is a moment you will never forget. But not all love affairs start out blissfully. I took me many years to give the oyster a second chance. My first experience was not ideal, as it took pace in a divey Florida restaurant where I was a waitress on the weekends while in college. The main attraction was raw oysters but the oysters they served were not always the best specimens nature had to offer. Couple that with my "uniform" a T-shirt that read "I Eat it Raw"-- and you can begin to get the picture as to why my early oyster encounters were not ideal. I have since learned that oysters from warm waters and dive bars are best to be avoided and have instead developed an abiding love for bivalves from cold Pacific waters and especially for my local favorites from Tomalaes Bay.

If you share a love for the brine and beauty of oysters you should plan to be in Healdsburg on July 16th, 2011 for Vintage Wine Estates Wine and Oyster Event

I can’t wait to go. And you can go too for FREE! Vintage Wine Estates has provided me with two tickets to give away. Here's how to enter: Leave a comment below and tell me-- If you had an Oyster bar what slogan would you put on your T-Shirt? Leave your comment by July 13th. A random drawing will determine the winner who along with a guest will get to slurp and swirl the following pairings:

Pink & Sassy
Wine: 2007 Sonoma Coast Vineyards Blanc de Noirs Sea Fog Cuvee
Oyster: Golden Nugget Mignonette: Sassy Pink

Fresh Kiss
Wine: 2010 Windsor Sonoma Sauvignon Blanc Russian River Valley
Oyster: Miyagi Mignonette: Classic Rice Wine

Purely Naked
Wine: 2010 Sonoma Coast Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc Laguna Vista
Oyster: Golden Nugget Mignonette: Naked

Tropical Thrill
Wine: 2009 Windsor Sonoma Chardonnay Russian River Valley
Oyster: Golden Nugget Mignonette: Mango Chutney

Sweet Finale
Wine: 2009 Windsor Vineyards Muscat Canelli
Oyster: 2 Golden Nuggets Mignonette: Naked and Mango Chutney

All pairings will be complemented by baguettes and cheese, plus music by B Rooster Blues Duo.

When:
Saturday, July 16, 2011 from 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Where:
Vintage Wine Estates Tasting Room
308B Center St (on the Plaza)
Healdsburg, CA 95448
877.289.9463

Recap: Taste Of Mendocino

2011-06-14T22:12:00.000-07:00

When is the last time you attended a wine tasting where you could actually buy the wine you liked on the spot, attend a farmers market at the same time, and watch circus acrobatics? My guess is never. But I did all that and more at the extrodinary Taste of Mendocino event at Fort Mason in San Francisco yesterday.

My palate was expanded, my imagination captured, my wallet was opened, and my mind was blown. Mendocino... who knew? Well I do now.

In addition to all the wine to taste, there was live music, flying acts by the Flynn Creek Circus, beer from Mendocino brewers, art, and a mini farmers market featuring chocloates, handmade soaps, sea salt and exotic seaweed too.

I plan to visit Mendocino wine land in person soon and make a full report on my findings. So stay tuned.

Mendocino Wine Country: Wine She Wrote

2011-06-06T19:52:00.000-07:00

Mention Mendocino and most people will conjure thoughts of quaint B&B’s on the remote northern coast of California, or perhaps the popular TV series Murder She Wrote, since the fictional town of Cabot Cove, Maine, was actually filmed in Mendocino. If the series was still being filmed today, I expect it could now be called Wine She Wrote or better yet, Wine She Drank. Mendocino County is now home to over 12 AVA’s with over 90 wineries and hundreds of grape growers.

Mendocino Wine County is a perfect example of a great wine tourism destination. It’s more than just wine, the great local food, crafts and personalities give the region it it’s unique flavor.

It’s been a while since I’ve ventured up to Mendocino and I’m long overdue for a visit. But if you live in the Bay Area and can’t make it to Mendocino, no problem, Mendocino is coming to you this Monday, June 13, at the Festival Pavilion at Fort Mason Center in San Francisco from 5-7pm. It will be like stepping into the Star Trek Teleporter, but with out the messy rearrangement of your molecules.

The Taste of Mendocino will feature 60 wineries, local restaurants, organic beer-makers, artisan olive oil producers, cheese makers and ranchers as well as great artists from Mendocino. Plus you will be able to buy products too! This is a pretty great idea, since usually tastings are just that. Tasting only. But now you can buy what you like on the spot.

Yes I know it’s on a Monday evening, but so what? How do you ever expect to live long and prosper if you stay in on Monday nights? So get it in gear and get yourself a ticket to The Taste of Mendocino now.

DETAILS:

Tickets are just $35 in advance and $45 at the door. Ticket Link: http://tasteofmendocino2011.eventbrite.com

Taste of Mendocino

Monday, June 13, 2011

5-8pm

Festival Pavilion, Fort Mason Center, San Francisco

www.tasteofmendo.com.

Twitter: @TasteofMendo

Facebook.com/TasteofMendocino

Groking La Follette's Manchester Ridge Vineyard Chardonnay

2011-05-26T12:50:00.000-07:00

I first tried winemaker Greg La Follette’s wine under the Tandem label at the 2009 Wine Bloggers Conference speed tasting. Say what you will about the merits of the speed tasting rounds, but it does serve to set in your mind wines that are very good or “very not so good”. The Manchester Ridge was in the very, very, very good category and I kept thinking about it for days afterwards. It was one of the most enjoyable and surprising Chardonnays I’d ever had.

Next thing I know, I got a bottle of Tandem Pinot Noir in my Quivira club shipment and it sparked me to learn more. Tandem wines was started in 2001 by Greg La Follette and then purchased by Quivira in 2009. Subsequently in 2010, Quivira owner Pete Knight made the great decision (in my opinion) to roll out Tandem into the new brand La Follette.

After that initial WBC tasting in 2009, I bought a case of the Tandem Manchester Ridge Chardonnay and a case of Tandem Sangiacomo Pinot for a Christmas party I was having. It’s funny how a lot of people say they don’t drink Chardonnay. But what’s more interesting, is my friends who say the opposite, “I don’t drink red wine!” (Hmmm… I know what some of you are thinking -- get rid of those friends, but hey, it was Christmas time.) Plus I have friends from all walks of life the majority of whom are not wine bloggers, merely casual wine drinkers, and I have somehow become their go to person for recommending wines and helping them expand their wine horizons. I’m no expert, I’m just a diligent explorer and always looking to share something I think is great. So when I have parties I try to have something different on hand they will enjoy.

I set out both wines at the party and watched people’s reactions. You know a wine has someone’s attention when they try it and then they go pick the bottle up again and say “Wow who makes this Chardonnay?” Or my favorite line “This is Chardonnay? I don’t drink Chardonnay. Where did you get this?” (Oh how quickly our tightly held convictions crumble in the face of a great wine!)

Days later I had people calling to thank me for the party and ask about the wine. “Can you tell me again that name of the wine you served? It was so good.” No surprise that it was the die-hard ABC (Anything But Chardonnay) red wine aficionados that went gaga over the La Follette. Mission accomplished.

Recently I was sent a sample of the Manchester Ridge Chardonnay under the new La Follette label-- and it’s as amazing as ever. So balanced and bright, with crisp apple and pineapple notes. It’s creamy without the dull thud on the palate some Chards can deliver.

Maybe La Follette Chardonnay should be called “Beyond Chardonnay” as I think it’s in a class all it’s own. Even the Manchester Vineyard is out on it’s own. If you look at a map the vineyard for Manchester ridge is located way north of Sonoma on the Mendocino Ridge AVA. It’s high elevation and cool coastal temperatures is not a typical growing area for Chardonnay. But that is perfectly in line with the winemaker’s philosophy of crafting wines from outside of so-called “safe growing” zones.

As I learn more about wine I realize the multitude of facets there are to every part of the process from growing to bottling. It’s a vast knowledge base. And I admit, my goal is not to become a student of winemaking, just a better educated consumer. But when you find a wine that really sparks your interest, it’s through its graces that you are led deeper down the path to understanding it. Or as I like to say Grok it! (For those of you unfamiliar with this term, it’s from Heinlein’s Stranger in a Strange Land; it means to so fully understand something in its essence that you practically become it.) I like to experience wines from all over the planet and love discovering new favorites, mostly I drink and enjoy them in the moment. But with La Follette I want more. I really want to grok Greg’s wines. And I will stay on that path for as long as full grokdom takes.

So now you can find and enjoy Greg's wines under his eponymous brand La Follette. Visit the La Follette website for more in depth information on winemaker Greg La Follette and the “vineyard-designate” Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays from the vineyards of Lorenzo in Russian River Valley, Manchester Ridge, van der Kamp, and Sangiacomo.

La Follette also makes stunning Pinot Noir’s as well and I’ll address those at a later date, as this post is for Chardonnay day.

Opulence? JCB Hez It! -- A Visit to Raymond Vineyards in Napa Valley

2011-05-22T19:03:00.000-07:00

The wine revolution will not be televised—it will be shown live at Raymond Vineyards. And it’s going to be quite a show. Things are different here. Owner Jean-Charles Boisset has taken the venerable Raymond vineyards and sprinkled pixie dust all over. Boisset is the mastermind and ringmaster for some evolutionary new ideas in the experience of wine. But don’t let the wow factor fool you. There is some serious good wine here along with all the glamour and glitz.

On Saturday May 14th I visited the Raymond Vineyards with a group of bloggers and wine writers and it was unlike any winery visit I’ve ever experienced before. It was a three-ring circus of wine, creativity, and decadence.

Ring 1 –Tank Room and Crystal Cellar: The Baccarat chandelier in the Crystal Cellar steals the show, but once your eyes adjust to the low lighting there’s plenty more to see; stainless steel walls, a mirrored bar and a display of crystal decanters. The philosophy is kind of Forest Gump like in it’s approach—Beauty is what beauty does. Surround yourself with beautiful things and beauty becomes you. It seems to work. Who knew stainless steel could be so sexy? From the looks of it, Studio 54 is alive and well in Napa at Raymond. I half expected Dr. Frank-N-Furter from Rocky Horror Picture Show to pop out from behind a tank and purr in my ear “Give your self over to absolute pleasure!” But instead Boisset arrived and the wattage of the room amped up considerably. Boisset is a bundle of energy, ideas and most of all showmanship. Take one part P.T. Barnum and one part marketing genius, (shaken, not stirred) and you have Jean-Charles Boisset.

In the warm glow of the candle lit Crystal Cellar winemaker Stephanie Putnam poured the current releases:

2009 Napa Valley Reserve Sauvignon Blanc

2006 Appellation Collection Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon

2006 Appellation Collection St. Helena Cabernet Sauvignon

2006 Appellation Collection Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon

2006 Generations Cabernet Sauvignon

All of the Cabernets were exceptional examples of what Napa Valley is known for, but I liked the Rutherford best--Hearty, meaty, and balanced with sweet notes of blueberries. Very drinkable now and well into the future too.

Ring 2—Barrel to Barrel: Next it was time for the arts and crafts portion of the tour. We split into teams to decorate individual barrels that are part of Barrel to Barrel a new program for delivering a wine by the glass experience in restaurants and homes. The materials provided for the decorating were anything but traditional. Liberace would have approved. Hello! Leather, glitter, leopard prints, sequins, peacock feathers and marabou galore. I think a tasteful decoupage of wine labels might be a better approach. But hey…C'est la vie!

While sipping the 2009 Barrel to Barrel Cabernet Sauvignon we set upon decorating the mini barrels. The end result included a sexy kitty, an ode to “Eyes Wide Shut” and an over the top Mardi Gras creation that took first place. If you want to try your hand at barrel decorating too, you will soon be able to visit the Raymond website to decorate one online and be eligible to win an actual barrel in real life.

Ring 3—The JCB Lounge: As we entered the JCB lounge I had the feeling of Déjà vu. Where had I seen this place before? Was it in a scene from a movie? Boogie Nights perhaps? Gianni Versace’s home in Miami Beach? Possibly. Then it hit me…I’d seen it all before here in this commercial.

Opulence? JCB hez it! The JCB lounge had the same vibe going on-- Mirrors and gold statues? Check! Stack of gold bricks? Yup! A charming and charismatic leader with foreign accent and beautiful female staff? Check! Check! Check! Check! The mini giraffe was about only thing missing. Actually the JCB lounge is beyond opulent. It’s a sensory extravaganza of gold and marble and crystal and candles and glitz all grooving to a steady beat of Michael Jackson videos playing on the big screen. Honestly, you really must see it to believe it.

This is where we tasted the JCB label wines, which are numbered and labeled with evocative terms.

JCB No.81 Chardonnay—Alluring*Ephemeral*Insatiable

JCB No.7 Pinot Noir—Debonnaire*Charismatic*Seductive

JCB No. 1 Cabernet Sauvignon—Voluptuous*Opulent*Incorrigible

The Pinot from Sonoma coast fruit tasted true to it’s terrior with a light scent of lavender and mint and rich flavors of clove, blackberries and a bit of bacon fat too.

I have to say, I first found Boisset’s eccentric approach to the “wine of the mind” disconcerting. It seems nothing is too far-out or off limits. But then half-way through the tasting I found the energy of it all to be wildly creative and inspiring. I came up with several ideas on the spot, that I’m sorry to say, his attentive staff my now be charged with bringing to fruition. Sorry! (By the way--I think it would be great to spend a day brainstorming with Boisset and his team if they are interested.)

So, you might be thinking why all the theatrics? Are they trying to distract my attention from the wine? No, I don’t think so. I think it’s merely an attempt to deepen the experience and increase the enjoyment of wines that are already very good. But you can decide that on your own. Note: If you go to Raymond Vineyards be warned; the experience can be overwhelming. One of our group stabbed themselves during the barrel decorating session drawing much blood, and another got so carried away by the Michael Jackson videos, she lit her hair on fire in tribute to him. Proceed at your own risk. But do by all means proceed. Let go, loosen up and have some fun.

Aboard the Good Ship Yeatman

2011-05-18T18:00:00.000-07:00

View of Oporto across the Douro

If you have been following along with my Portugal posts you may recall that on the second day of the Wine Pleasures pre-tour we stayed overnight at the newly opened Yeatman Hotel. The Yeatman is built into the hillside above the Douro on the Vila de Gia side of the river. It's grand open spaces, nautical details and it's juxtaposition to the river give it the feeling of a luxury ocean liner with all the rooms oriented towards the river, each with a private terrace.

Grand staircase leading to Lobby

After the Wine Pleasures tour I returned to the Yeatman to visit the private wine cellar and view the rest of the property. I stayed on for few days and got to unwind after a jam packed schedule.

The Yeatman is designed not only to take full advantage of the glorious views of Porto across the river. But also to highlight the wine producers of the region. Rooms are named after different wineries and showcase their wine. For die-hard oenophiles one of the Barrel rooms may be to your liking. That's right, you get to sleep inside a barrel.

Sweet dreams of fermentation

A tour of the impressive cellars turned up a few surprises, like a bottle of Ridge Monte Bello from my home state of California. The plan is to allow guests to visit the cellar between 4-6pm and select a bottle for dinner, then based on their selection, the Yeatman chefs create a meal to pair with the wine. I love this idea. It would be worth a trip back just to experience this concept alone. But with all those wines to choose from I'd need to stay a month or more! Below is a brief slide show of what the cellars hold.

One special highlight of my was the lunch I had in the dining room. I dined alone with only the view as my companion and the attentive staff. Dining solo in this type of setting allows you to focus entirely on the food and not feel compelled to make idle chit-chat. Not that I don't like to share, it's just a gift to have things to yourself sometimes. Although I did not partake of any of the Yeatman Spa offerings while I was there, my meal in the hands of chef Ricardo Costa was like a full spa treatment for the taste buds.

To start I had a glass of the 2009 Crasto and the first Amuse bouche set in Three Spoons--

Black Spoon: Scallops with apricot, green asparagus and beurre blanc.

Sliver Spoon: Smoked duck with foie gras, portuguese blood sausage and caviar

White Spoon: Sea urchin cream with caviar

Macaron of Serra del Estrela cheese

Foie gras truffle

Amuse bouche 2: Tuna terrine with foie gras and oyster yogurt and mushroom dust.

First Course: National Octopus with Crab cannelloni, sun dried tomato bread, molecular olives and green tomato consomme with olive oil.

Second: Megrim (a type of white fish) with vitelote potato flakes, vegetable gratin and fennel sauce.

Third: Algrave Almond cheesecake, spearmint sorbet, with hailed orange juice sorbet and vanilla with Taylors 2004 LBV Port.

Coffee and Mignardises ( Pasteis de Belem shown above)

The only thing that pulled me out of my reverie with the meal was the odd background soundtrack playing muzak versions of I Could Have Danced All Night from My Fair Lady, Frank Sinatra's The Lady is a Tramp, U2's I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, and most strange of all the Theme from MASH--Suicide Is Painless ...um what SiriusXM Channel is that?

The Yeatman is an experience with a capital E. It's luxurious, but not in an oppressive old-guard way--it's light and modern and accommodating in a most gracious way. It's worth a visit for the views alone. Stop in for a port cocktail in the laid-back bar overlooking the Douro and see if you don't feel like you are about to float away on the Good Ship Yeatman.

Wine Pleasures Portugal: The Boxed Set

2011-05-13T16:41:00.000-07:00

All good things must come to an end eventually, and although I could keep writing about Portugal for another two months I think I have covered all the highlights now. Whew! Thanks for following along. It was an incredible visit and in addition to all the fabulous wine and port and food my fondest memories are of the people. No matter where you travel, it's the people you meet that make the journey worthwhile. The crazy ones make for great stories, (you-know-who) while others make for lifelong friendships.

Long bus trips can lead to all sorts of mayhem. And if you've ever been on a Wine Bloggers Conference bus trip you probably know the feeling. --- Here's a quick video of some of the people I met on the Wine Pleasures tour and their comments about the trip on our final day in the Douro. Thanks to everyone for being such good sports. The lighting is not so good, but the scenery and background chatter is priceless!

And if that's not enough to scare you... here are some out-takes from "Bucky's Stuffed Wine Show" (Special thanks to Jethro for kind loan of his "teddies")

Next year the Wine Pleasures Conference will be in Umbria, Italy. If you'd like to be a part of it apply here.

Here are all the links to my Portugal series and links to other participants posts as well. If I missed your post let me know and I will add it to the list.

Links to Previous Portugal Posts:

Part 1: The Conference Venue

Part 2: The Wine Pleasures Conference

Part 3: The Minho Land of Vinho Verde

Part 4: A Visit to Sandeman & Vini Portugal

Part 5: The Douro & Visit to Quinta Nova

Part 6: Croft Vineyards & Portrait of Adrian Bridge

Part 7: Foodie Feast at Rui Paula's DOC on the Douro

Part 8: Quinta da Pacheca Lodge and Cellars

Videos in the Annex:

The Lagare Collection--What Hipsters Wear to Tread

Slow Travel in Portugal

The Tiles of Portugal

Wine Pleasure Participant Posts:

Grantoursimo --

Wine Pleasures Conference

Vihno Verde & Mihno Valley

Douro Part 1

Douro Part 2

Aneesh Bhasin-

Putting the Port in Porto

Messina Hof:

Home from Portugal

Portugal Part 8: Quinta da Pacheca Lodge and Cellars

2011-05-06T17:01:00.000-07:00

The last night of the Wine Pleasures tour in the Douro was spent at Quinta da Pacheca near the town of Lamego.

Quinta da Pacheca looks like a traditional manor home, but inside it has a sleek modern look. The dining room was one of the most elegant yet relaxed rooms I've ever dined in. Painted a crisp apple green with plush console chairs, it featured an ornate carved wood display case, and large windows overlooking the vineyards and river.

The cellars at Pacheca were like something out of a spread for Vouge magazine. The setting so romantic it's become a hot spot for weddings and receptions. If I ever get married again er...I mean renew my vows...I'd like to do it here.

Our host, winemaker Jose Serpa Pimentel, led us through the cellars and the lagare room that was over 100 years old with 11 largares for lots of stomping action. Mr. Pimentel (who Mr. Terrence Carter pointed out resembles Francis Ford Coppola) was a relaxed and genial host. After a tour of the grounds Jose poured us samples of the wines. My personal favorite was the Quinta de Pacheca 200o LBV Port bottled by Jose's father Eduardo in 2002. Love at first sip. A lush spicy port with notes of dried cherry and sweet plums.

For another perspective on the final days of the tour and some wonderful photos, check out Grantourismo's account of it here.

Links to Previous Portugal Posts:

Part 1: The Conference Venue

Part 2: The Wine Pleasures Conference

Part 3: The Minho Land of Vinho Verde

Part 4: A Visit to Sandeman & Vini Portugal

Part 5: The Douro & Visit to Quinta Nova

Part 6: Croft Vineyards & Portrait of Adrian Bridge

Part 7: Foodie Feast at Rui Paula's DOC on the Douro

Videos in the Annex:

The Lagare Collection--What Hipsters Wear to Tread

Slow Travel in Portugal

The Tiles of Portugal

Wine Book Round-Up

2011-04-27T17:20:00.000-07:00

Next to wine and travel, my biggest obsession is reading, and wine related books are always in my "to read" stack. Over the last several months I received a variety books for review and a few I purchased myself. Here is a synopsis of what I've been reading.

The Finest Wines of California--A Regional Guide to the Best Producers and Thier Wines by Stephen Brook, Photography by Jon Wyland--

Even though I live in California Wine country, there's always a new winery to discover or a legendary one to learn more about. The Finest Wines of California offers an imitate portrait of the authors favorite wines and the people who make them. I like books like this because unlike a complete listing guide, this is a highly personal and edited selection that hones in on the best, or in this case the finest, wines currently being produced in each region. Point Rating: 98

Reading Between the Wines by Terry Theise--

Reading Between the Wines is an odyssey thru the authors career as a wine importer and his musings on the enigma of wine. It's more memoir than wine commentary, but for the most part it works--think "My Dinner with Andre" wherein you, the reader, become Wally Shawn to Terry's version of Andre. Except Terry drinks better wine than Andre.

I liked this book for it's writerly approach to the topic of wine, although it did get a bit squirrelly with tangential digressions in places. Some sensory descriptors were rather over the top-- like the line on page 163, describing a Beaune Bressandes, 1969, in which Theise attempts to anthropomorphize a truffle and writes-- "If truffles had orgasms, they might emit this fragrance. Soy, sandlewood, shiitake, you know: Burgundy."

Hey, I'm all for a gripping essence of the moment descriptor and I understand the overwhelming emotion that can take hold of you in the presence of a great Burgundy. (I once described a Burgundy as having the scent of a warm puppy belly.) But truffle sex? Pass the bong Terry. Nevertheless, I think if ever there was a perfect book to read along with a great glass of wine--this is it. Point Rating: 96

The New Connoisseur's Guidebook to California Wine and Wineries by Charles Olken and Joseph Furstenthal--

The New Connoisseur's Guidebook to California Wine and Wineries offers a compendium of the wines and wine regions in California. It makes a great reference book as well as an ad hoc travel guide. I love the organization and layout of this book and the detailed maps. Along with a brief history of California winemaking, grapes and winery listings, the book includes sections about the geography and climate of various regions that I found the most interesting and useful. Point Rating: 95

The Wild Vine by Todd Kilman--

Written in a plodding pseudo-suspense style, I found The Wild Vine hard to get through, but was propelled to carry on out of sheer morbid curiosity to see if anything would actually transpire by the end. There was much factual information on Thomas Jefferson and his contribution to establishing wine in Virginia, but an entire book on the Norton grape is a difficult subject with which to keep a readers attention. I enjoyed the history and background information on the evolution of Virginia as a wine region, but the story of Jenni nee Michael Marsh, the transexual winemaker at Chrysalis that was threaded through the narrative, seemed melodramatic and oddly superfluous to the subject at hand. Point Rating: 75

Point Scale Breakdown:

100-95 -- Read it now.

94-90 -- Worth your time.

89-85 -- Nothing on TV.

84-75 -- Mow the lawn.

Charity Begins with a Corkscrew

2011-04-27T13:26:00.000-07:00

I always love a good story behind a wine and Charity Case Wines has a great one. The Charity Case Foundation, founded by a group of Napa winemakers, provides an outlet for winemakers to participate in charitable activities by doing what they do best--making wine. Vintners in the program donate excess juice to create wines bottled under the Charity Case label with all net proceeds donated to Napa county charities.

I received samples of the 2008 Charity Case Rosé Napa Valley and the 2009 Charity Case Sauvignon Blanc both from Napa Valley.

I had planned to share these wine with guests as I usually do with samples to get the opinions of others, but we ended up trying them one night after a power failure left us with few options for dinner. We improvised with what was on hand in our dark fridge and enjoyed the wines with some pretzels and hummus and olive tapenade. Both the Sauvignon Blanc and Rosé paired surprisingly well with the minimal feast of salty and sweet. In fact the Sauvignon Blanc was a perfect paring with all three items while the Rosé seemed best with the hummus.

I think making wine for a charitable cause is a great idea and Charity Case is not only charitable to the recipients of it's foundation, it's also most charitable to the palate of the wine drinker. If you would like to try some Charity Case Wine, (and you really should), you can find ordering information here.

Cheers to Charity Case and all their volunteers who support this worthy endeavor.

5 Easy Steps for a Great Birthday in Portugal

2011-04-11T00:18:00.000-07:00

If you are lucky enough to be in Portugal for your birthday as I was, here is all you need to do for a perfect day:

Step 1. Wake up at Quinta Nova de Nossa Senhora Do Carmo and party in the cellar!

Quinta Nova Cellar Party Posse

Step 2. Have lunch at Quinta do Panascal

Yes, there was food in between each of these wines too...

Step 3. Check in at Quinta do Pego

View of Douro from Quinta do Pego

Complimentary in room Port

Step 4. Party on into the night at Quinta do Pego: Drink great port, make celebratory toasts, and eat cake with new friends.

Birthday girl with Carlos Filipe Jesus of Quinta do Pego

Check out that cake!

What pairs with Birthday cake? -Everything!

Quinto do Pego Port tasting took place prior to the birthday party

"99 bottles of Port on the wall...99 bottles of Port...Take one down, pass it around..."

Step 5. Repeat step number four above at least 45 times.

Stayed tuned... last few posts in the Portugal Series coming up next.