Washington State Merlot: 2003 Wilridge Merlot Red Mountain Klipsun Vineyards

We don't get much wine from Washington State in Montreal, so when my travels took me to Seattle I thought I'd sample some of the local offerings. Seattle's Tasting Room, located in the Pike Place market, had a quaint, but serious ambience - perfect for an extended stay, but I only had time to grab a few bottles and run....

The staff was rather busy serving tasting customers and didn't offer much assistance with the wines on offer, so I was left to random picks and some customer suggestions (lots of helpful winos there!). Tonight's Merlot made it into the bag as I have taken to buying wine in reverse order of alcohol content, and this 13.7% bottling was probably the lowest alcohol red in the shop (and conveniently selling at a large discount to the rest of the offerings).

The 2003 Wilridge Merlot Red Mountain Klipsun Vineyards was a wonderful surprise, with fresh, earthy fruit, green pepper, milk chocolate and cassis on the nose. Spicy, and a bit rough around the edges at first - a shag carpet of tannins - but it sorted itself out with some air. Smooth, balanced, a nice long finish...a lot of heart put into this. And this merlot did NOT taste 7 years old, still fresh and vibrant, it never got flabby. Cellarworthy? A rare question at this price point - wish I had some more to find out!
cork. 13.7% alcohol
Score: 17/20
Price: US$19 (Tasting Room Seattle)

A Sip of Long Island: Bedell Cellars

Long Island Wine is, for the most part, a local delicacy. With just 3000 acres under vine and an annual production of 500,000 cases you won't find much wine leaving the country, and it would probably be a rare wine shop that carried any sort of selection outside of New York and the neighbouring states.

But a wedding on Shelter Island put me a stone's throw away from Long Island's North Fork wineries. I regret to inform that this was NOT a wine tour - the wife and kids made sure of that - but I did have time for one stop, and local knowledge directed me to Bedell Cellars.

I coughed up 12$ for the "Premium" Flight, and this was how it went:

The 2007 Bedell Chardonnay Reserve was steel and oak aged - oaky, buttery, ripe red apple, with some wet stones, almost caramelly on the nose. Lighter bodied, tart and pleasing, short finish. 13% alcohol, Score: 16/20

The 2007 Bedell Gallery was an interesting blend of Chardonnay (69%), Sauvignon blanc (19%), and Viognier. Fleeting floral notes on the nose, probably from the viognier, but tangy citrussy and apricot aromas dominate, some toast. Terribly well balanced, and more flavourful than the Chardonnay, delicious spicy fruit... 13% alcohol, Score: 16.5/20

Long Island is famous for its Merlot (a grape getting a lot more play at Joe's house these days...), so I wasn't going to miss Bedell's red offerings:

The 2007 "Taste" Red was a blend of Merlot (56%), Cab Sauv (25%) and Syrah. Noticeably green and earthy at first, pretty violets, cedar and a hint of dark syrah berries on the nose. A spicy palate with tasty green tannins and gooseberries, a light- to medium-bodied everyday red. 13% alcohol, Score: 16/20

A whiff of the 2006 Bedell Reseve Merlot revealed smokey, dark earth, new leather, blackberries and vanilla, maybe some charcuterie - nicely done! Gritty, dark fruit, a good balance between fruit and acid, very Bordeaux like. This tastes too young - it has the acid, tannin and fruit to keep, I would age this one. 13% alcohol, Score: 17/20

The winery's signature offering was the 2006 Musée, predominantly Merlot (75%), but with some Cab Sauv (13%) and Petit Verdot blended in. Lovely aromas of green herbs, blackberries and roses, damp earth and crisp cherries, chalky... Soft and fruity on the palate, but with dense, velvety tannins, and a nice long finish. Lush, complex and very well balanced. 13% alcohol, Score 17.5/20

Overall, the offerings were very well done across the board, even those sips I had from my wife's flight of entry-level wines (the 2007 Merlot was particularly notable as a great value).

I would not dare make any generalizations about Long Island wine based on a 2 hour stop at a single winery, but I think I can say this - nearly every wine I tasted or saw in local shops was 1% to 1.5% lower in alcohol than their California bretheren. Perhaps it is climate, or a conscious effort to be "different" from their West Coast winemaking peers, but this observation and the wines that I tasted tell me that something different is going on in Long Island - and this "different" is more in line with the kind of wine I am seeking out these days...

PS - Congrats Rob (my Napa and Sonoma partner in crime) and Ellyn!

Cloud 9 Liquors

A recent business flight routed me through Calgary, where I noticed that the Cloud 9 Liquor & Wine Store has reopened. Now there is nothing novel about a Duty Free shop in an Airport, but Cloud 9 is not a Duty Free shop - it is a shop for Canadians to engage in a little "inter-provincial tax arbitrage".

You see Alberta is Canada's oil province, and its lower taxes (and no government-run liquor monopoly) are evident in lower wine and spirits prices, for the most part. Calgarians laugh at me, saying Cloud 9 is way more expensive than other local shops, but they miss the point - with prices for many products up to 20% lower than those at home, out-of-province travelers don't have time to drive around town for an extra 5%.

Cloud 9 used to exist just behind the check in (but before security) and proudly advertised its prices vs. those for BC Liquors and LCBO. But then the 2006 terrorist plot ended air travelers' ability to carry-on wine (which really pissed me off) and Cloud 9 closed.

Now I haven't been to Calgary in a long time, so I don't know when it reopened, but it has reopend behind security. That's right - check your bags, clear security, pick up a Starbucks and do a little liquor shopping. And since you are past security you can carry it onto the plane.

Does Cloud 9 have a dizzying array of wine? No, but it is pretty good. Is it always cheaper than SAQ or LCBO? No, not always. But there are many deals to be had (especially single-malt scotch).

I couldn't pick up a bottle this time as I was on an outbound flight with a short connection, but I do recommend that out-of-province travelers waiting for a flight in Calgary stop by and pick up a bargain.

Cheers!

Oenology (Eno), A Wine Bar

"Quickly, bring me a beaker of wine, so that I may wet my mind and say something clever" - Aristophanes - (from the menu at Eno)

Walking back to my hotel in Chicago from an evening business meeting, I spotted a sign: "Oenology". Hmm...promising...yes...a wine bar! Now, a wine bar in a big city like Chicago is not a surprise, but it was not on my schedule for the evening so I can call it a surprise...

A few comments on "Eno". Yes, it is located in a hotel (the InterContinental), but therein lies the charm - it was modern, but not so hip that I had to deal with the extra loud thumping of music, servers in tiny black minidresses and 25-somethings who already know everything about wine. But I wouldn't dare call this a "library" - yes there was modern music background and a youngish crowd, but the atmosphere accented the wine, not suffocated it. Perhaps even a detectable seriousness in the air which, for anyone who has seen me tasting, was absolutely perfect...

Most wine bars feature various wines by the glass and featured flights, and so did Eno, but Eno also featured thoughtfully prepared flights of cheeses and meats to pair with the wines, a simple, but well executed, touch  - I highly recommending some of the meat and cheese flights.

Flight #1 was a "Festival of Whites", paired with a flight of Wisconsin cheeses (perfect for this Cheese-head), olives and nuts, and a curiously delicious jam with mustard seed:

The 2006 www "Bordello" Verdelho (Lodi) showed a fresh greenness on the nose, with green melon and floral, woodsy, notes as well. Refreshing and flavourful with decent acid, but with higher alcohol and a heavy oaky hand.
13.4% alcohol, Score: 16/20

My favourite of the flight was the 2005 Atrea "The Choir" (Mendocino), a Rhone blend of Roussane/Viognier, had a nice earthy, musty nose, butterscotch (Werther's) and oregano later on. Smooth, soft, and luscious mouthfeel, very flavourful and poised, nice persistency. There's amazing juice in there if they just laid off the oak a tiny bit...
14.2% alcohol, Score 17/20

On the right was the 2006 Brooks "Amycas" (Oregon). A blend of Pinot gris, Pinot blanc, Gewurtztraminer, and a dash of Muscat, it showed a simple nose of honeyed apples and wet bread dough, some citrus. Simple and refreshing, but a bit thin.
13.7% alcohol, Score: 15.5/20

Flight #2 was "Pinot Envy", paired with a unique selection of dried meats from around the world:

Pinot envy was not just Pinot Noir, and first up was the 2007 Yamhill Valley Vineyards Pinot Blanc (Oregon). Very minerally, with green grass and yeasty limes on the nose. Dry, limey, very nice acidity and minerality on the palate. Great persistency, very nicely balanced, this is quality wine making.
??% alcohol, Score:17/20

The 2006 Eola Hills Pinot Noir (Oregon) featured ripe raspberries, oak, vanilla, cocoa, white pepper, and a hint of cloves - more like a Californian Pinot on the nose - but back to Oregon on the palate, with good acidity, substantial tannins, and crisp fruit - better structure than the nose hinted at, nicely done.
13.8% alcohol, Score: 16.5/20

So here's one reason why I like wine bars - where would you try a STILL Pinot Meunier?Apparently Chandon's Napa estate has decided to set aside some of this classic champagne grape and use it in a dry, red wine. The nose of the 2006 Chandon Pinot Meunier (Carneros) was over-the-top California Pinot Noir at first - all ripe fruit and chocolate - but later opened up to reveal an appealing earthiness. Rather hot and unbalanced on the palate, with smokey dark berries (gooseberries?), modest tannin, and a deceptively long finish that lasts longer than you think.
14.3% alcohol, Score: 16/20

After the flights I had a craving for something European so I finished with a glass of Italian Cabernet Franc, the 2004 G. Puiatti "le Zuccole" from Friuli. Ahh, now there's the stuff...earthy green pepper, black pepper, tobacco, espresso coffee grounds... velvety dry tannins and crisp cherry fruit on the palate, a bit thin but still very good and nicely balanced, would work great with a wintery stew.
12% alcohol, Score: 16.5/20

For me, a wine bar should tease, taunt and educate, and it should be serious about the wine, not the bar. So in that sense Eno was a great success. No, it was not cheap, but not excessive, and I don't mind paying for the infotainment on occasion.

And for those of you looking for a hipper, trendier wine bar, Bin 36 is nearby.

Cheers!

Milos: A Worthy Tasting Menu for a Birthday Treat

I don't write up a lot of restaurants, and when I do sing a restaurant's praises it is usually buried in a tasting note, but I was sufficiently impressed that I thought I should shout out this legendary Montreal institution.

Milos is high-end Greek, spanning the globe with locations in Montreal, New York and Athens. Now I've lived in Montreal for 14 years and I have never tried this place, despite numerous glowing recommendations. The reason for this oversight is simple - my wife hates seafood. The mere mention of Milos resulted in a "Milos? Oh great, maybe they will have a chicken breast for me". But I also think we sheltered a bias against high-priced Greek food - I mean, Greek is fast food (souvlaki pita, gyros), right?

Well, the surprise arrival of a babysitter on my wife's birthday sufficiently disarmed her, and her suspicious glare was greeted with a "But honey, I heard that they have really AWESOME lamb". It was a freebie, and she was kind enough to go along with it...

The restaurant had a pleasant, natural, Mediterranean feel to it with beautiful paintings and white stucco, and with fresh a evening breeze at 27 Celsius and wide open windows we could have been in the Greek Islands...

Feeling rather adventurous, my wife and I went for the tasting menu, which featured a selection of unpronounceable Greek wines (some of which were private imports) to pair with a carefully selected flight of Greek specialties. 

The first dish was the grilled octopus, stunning in its simple treatment (olive oil, onions, peppers) and grilled to perfection - no rubbery tentacles tonight. The star of the night, I could have had this for a main course (next time I might!). This was paired with a glass of 2006 Domaine Gerovassiliou, a white blend of Assyrtiko and Malagousia (50:50). 

Next up was a succulent plate of "crab cakes", perhaps a misnomer as these were a long way from cheap east coast variety, with great balance in the spiciness and not too oily (the menu claims 95% crab meat). This was paired with the 2004 Domaine Katsaros Chardonnay. 

My main course was a plate of grilled shrimp, skillfully paired with the 2005 Biblia Chora Areti, a wine fashioned from 100% Assyrtiko. 

Even dessert was to die for, with the freshest, most succulent, melt-in-your-mouth Baklava I have ever tasted, delightfully paired with a Greek muscat dessert wine, the widely available NV Samos Muscat dessert wine.

As a wine guy I would have to say that none of the wines, standing on their own, "wowed" me per se, although the Assyrtiko-based wines by Gerovassiliou and Biblia Chora were particularly impressive - I do think the Greeks should play up the indigenous varieties (i.e. Assyrtiko) rather than falling into the "Chardonnay trap". But with this stunning meal the pairings were perfect, a fine reflection on the sommelier who obviously put some thought into this - I would rather have a great pairing than a great wine that doesn't work with the meal in front of me. Even the glassware was spotless and odourless (yes, I sniff the empty glasses), with a new set of glasses for each new wine.

As a food guy, I was extremely impressed. I appreciate balance in my meals, as in my wines, and everything was done just right. I especially commend the chef both for the freshness and quality of the seafood, and for the meticulous preparation - too many seafood restaurants just can't get that perfect texture with seafood. Milos did (Cafe Ferreira can, but that's for another night), and for that reason alone seafood lovers should rush to this fine establishment.   

But that comes with a price caveat - Milos did not come cheap. But impeccably grilled seafood (lamb for my wife), perfectly matched wine and exemplary service don't come cheap. 

A hearty bravo! I will be back, and next time my wife will ask to go.

A New York Minute with Brooklynguy, Rockss

Source: Wikipedia

Once again Neil (Brooklynguy) played the gracious host, this time welcoming Joe to his house in Brooklyn. With only 90 minutes to share a drink we had to work fast, competing with BrooklynBabyGirl who was trying to snitch our glasses for a quick olfactory evaluation (adding notes of banana and yogurt for our enjoyment...)

Noting the limited selections of Beaujolais on my site, Neil started with the 2005 Louis-Claude Desvignes Morgon Javernières Côte-de-Py, a wine from one of Beaujolais' top appellations. On its second day this beauty exhibited a nose of earthy flowers and a hint of candy strawberry, a palate of velvety tannins, mineraliness (like mineral water), crisp acidity and tremendous length. Much too young, I would love to get a hold of a few bottles and stick them away. This impressive yet subtle wine may be the best bojo I have ever tasted - a tremendous value as well.

cork. 13% alcohol
Score: 17.5/20

While great bojo is rare enough for Joe, Neil topped that with a 2002 Francois Cazin Cour-Cheverny Cuvée Renaissance, a wine made from the very rare Romorantin grape. A deep golden hue in the glass with pleasing notes of lemon, honey, yeast and noble rot, it really impressed on the palate - softly textured with juicy lemon and minerals, everything in near- perfect balance. Slightly off dry, it made me think of Alsace for some reason, Alsace pinot gris perhaps (but it has been so long). Nice to sip, but it would have been even better with a nice plate of scallops, perhaps? Another great value.
cork. 13% alcohol
Score 16.5/20

So, some great wine, a neat trip to Brooklyn and an opportunity to meet Brooklynguy, BrooklynLady, and the very charming BrooklynBabyGirl (who is not really a baby anymore) - I look forward to hosting all of you up here this fall.

While brief, I should also mention a few minutes chatting with Lyle of Rockss and Fruit. This was actually a wine swap, the result of my Donnhoff Weissburgunder/Grauburgunder post in April. Lyle commented that those were difficult to find, so I agreed to deliver a bottle of each on my next trip to NYC. In return Lyle spotted me a German riesling and a Marcillac, wines he has recommended on his site. I am looking forward to both of those Lyle - many thanks.

Feelings Cafe: Cheap White Burgundy in the Big Easy

New Orleans is not a town that I associate with wine - alcohol, yes, but not wine. Facing spicy Cajun cooking every night (Jambalaya, Gumbo, Étouffée) I stuck to beer, for the most part (the local Abita is quite good), but our last evening in the Big Easy featured a family dinner at Feelings Cafe and I was pressed into service to pick the wine.

From a wine perspective, Feelings featured a short, but well-selected wine list. Unfortunately, the list did not show the wine vintages and the server had no idea about the wines on the list. The wine service was also lacking, as the red wine (see further below) was served warm and it was not decanted (yes, very anal). 

My white selection was the 2006 Cave de Lugny Mâcon-Lugny "Les Charmes", inspired by the great Mâcon-Loché I tasted in March. Attractive notes of lime and green apple on the nose, some minerality and floral aromas underneath. A smooth and luscious texture, it was minerally bitter-lemon on the palate. A charming wine, and a steal at this price (includes restaurant markup). It paired very well with my Étouffée and Red Snapper. 
cork. 13.5% alcohol
Score: 15.5/20
Price: US$24 (menu)

I should also mention (1) that we ordered a 2002 Penfolds Bin 128 Coonawarra Shiraz, a big hit with those enjoying red wine that evening, and (2) the food was terrific - I highly recommend this restaurant (in a city of great restaurants) for the food alone.

And don't forget to check out Neil's Silver Burgundy post for more wines from Mâcon-Lugny and the Mâconnais.

New York, New York (2)

A highlight of our NYC adventure was a simple table wine at Patsy's Pizza. The 2004 Avignonesi Rosso is a blend of Prugnolo (40%), Cab Sauv (30%) and Merlot (30%), and just $24 on the restaurant menu. Dark cherry red in the glass, this vino di tavola was simple - smokey and cedar-ey, like a campfire, with meat, tobacco, pepper and dark cherries on the nose. Big and flavourful on the palate, with nice cooked fruit, acidity and tannins, it was balanced and interesting. An honest effort at this price, and a great match for a calzone with romano and prosciutto. Patsy's - great pizza, kid friendly, conveniently located near FAO Schwartz, and great prices on cheap wine.
cork. 12.5% alcohol
Score: 15/20
Price: $24 (menu)

I love visiting NYC at this time of year, and despite three kids in tow we managed a few good wine moments. I even liberated a few bottles of Bella from Rob's "cellar" - mmmm - wait for it!

New York, New York (1)

I have been away for a few days on a family trip to NYC - Rockefeller Plaza, the Rockettes, Statue of Liberty, etc. While not a wine trip, I had a few neat experiences.

The first was Landmarc in Tribeca. When faced with the impossible task of finding a restaurant that was "kid friendly" AND had a good wine list, Rob's girlfriend Ellyn delivered. The kids loved "the fancy restaurant" and daddy loved the wine list - hey, I wasn't driving anywhere!

We started with the 2004 Catena Alta Malbec (my receipt says it was the '03, but I am pretty sure it was the 2004). My intent was simple - Rob and Ellyn had never enjoyed a malbec before, so this was my weapon to change their mind. A terrific wine, with great poise and elegance, velvety tannins good acidity and present, but not omnipresent, fruit. Drinking well now, this could also do with a few years in the cellar. Price: $ 69 (menu).

But we did not avoid the fruit bombs. Next up was the 2002 Clarendon Hills Grenache. Big, fresh, ripe cherry fruit, I was shocked at how fruit forward this was - as Rob said "now I know what they mean when they say 'fruit bomb'". Balanced, with velvety tannins and modest acidity, it was a terrific drinking wine, but not a great match for food.

Now these are wines that can be found on many a wine list, so what is so great about Landmarc? What they do right is a "reasonable" markup. That Catena is $50 in the store - a markup of less than 50%! They also had decanters, and used them. So, kid friendly, great food and reasonable wine markups? Outstanding - highly recommended. Thank goodness Rob finally got the good sense to find a woman who knows these things!

Next up: table wine at a pizza joint...

Dinner with Brooklynguy at AOC Bedford

(source: AOC Bedford, Neil conveniently sat under the copper frying pan...)

Dinner and wine with a fellow blogger is a treat, but twice in a month? Rare, indeed.

Neil (Brooklynguy) was kind enough to supply the wines for a tremendous dinner on my last trip to NYC. AOC Bedford is a quiet little French Bistro (apparently NYC's "most romantic restaurant", so I hope Neil took Brooklynlady there sometime!) in Greenwich village, just a few blocks from where I used to live in New York. Sunday is bring your own wine night, with no corkage on the first bottle (Ha! One bottle...).

Neil was late, but that was ok as the server set me up with a Pinot Blanc from Germany. Very nice, but I can't recall the name of the wine (no notebook tonight). What I absolutely can recall is that the restaurant was obsessive about using the proper stemware for each wine, and the glasses did not betray the manner in which they were cleaned - Bravo!

Neil opened with the Henri Billiot Brut Rose NV Champagne that has previously written about. His comments were "nearly perfect", and I would agree. While the rose colour was subtle, I found the pinot noir came through quite clearly, with nice blackberries and that crisp white champagne backbone and a great mousse. Neil correctly refused the ice bucket, allowing us to observe the flavour and aromas evolve throughout the evening. Like Neil, I am not a huge fan of rose Champagne, but this was a great one.

With appetizers we opened the 2002 Domaine du Closel Savennieres Clos de Papillon, a delicious Loire white that Neil has tasted on multiple occasions (I don't see the '02 there). Anyway, this was a delicious, but ageing, white, which we both remarked was remarkably similar on the nose to a Sauternes (apricot, noble rot). An elegant, balanced, white that is losing some of the crispness I love in Loire whites, perhaps peaking in my mind.

For the main course Neil shared a 2002 Sylvain Cathiard Vosne Romanee, which he wrote about here. Cherry red in the glass, it started musty, but followed with earthy vanilla, blackberry/raspberry, and smoke. On the palate it showed dry, dusty tannins, with a nice - but short - finish. A terrific red Burgundy showing that paired well with my lamb, drink now.

Many thanks to Neil, who was surprisingly close to how I pictured him! My apologies, Neil, as I was very disorganized for this event - I didn't even bring a gift (how embarassing - I was going to bring the de Villaine Bouzeron I sampled here). Unfortunately, airline travel with wine is frustrating these days. Speaking of de Villaine, tomorrow is WBW #39....

Cibo Bistro & Wine Bar

A wine bar review is not that interesting until one considers the location of this worthy stop on your travel itinerary, gate B6 at Philadelphia International Airport. How cool is that? With cullinary delights at most North American airports ranging from TGI Friday's to Starbucks, could Cibo Bistro and Wine Bar be a refreshing sign of things to come?

In the background was modern, rhythmic mood music which fit with the hip and trendy decor, reminiscent of the modern-styled bistros and wine bars popping up in major metropolitan areas. A nice suprise to brighten up this weary traveller's day, and it was jam packed similarly haggard travellers.

It was dinnertime when I sat down at the bar, and with just an hour between flights ordered a crispy calamari salad (balsamic dressing) to pair with a glass of the 2005 (?) Folie a Deux Menage a Trois (white), a widely available blend of Moscato, Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc. White gold in the glass, I thought it more sauv. blanc on the nose, with grapefruit, green apple, oak and some floral notes. A nice soft mouthfeel, supported by juicy lemon and pink grapefruit, good acidity and persistency. Very smooth. Nicely done, and a great pairing.
Score: 16/20

Cons? Pricing (wine, the food pricing was ok), of course, but I have become somewhat immune to airport sticker shock over the years. The glassware was weak, but forgivable given the challenge of handwashing Riedel at a high volume Airport bistro.

Overall, if you love wine than this bistro is worth a stop. Somebody sign me up for this franchise!

PS - If anybody knows of other good airport wine bars, please pass on the details!

Acela Express - "High Speed" Wine

The Acela Express is the closest thing we have in North America to a Euro-style high speed train. Not quite the same deal (I recently rode the Eurostar through the Chunnel, very cool), but it seems to me a great way to travel that Northeast corridor.

Travelling from Philly to Baltimore in one hour, downtown to downtown, I enjoyed a salad and a light snack (some chilled duck slices and Asian noodles) with wine, of course. Blinded, I sampled a small glass of white with salad and a small glass of red with the duck.

The white was a 2006 Santa Ema Chardonnay from Chile (I guessed Aussie Chardonnay). Yellow gold, with spicy oak, red delicious apple, lemon, butter and some nice minerality. On the palate it was appley toast with a nice soft mouthfeel and good acidity, very flavourful. A nice choice - one of the best freebie whites I have enjoyed. Score: 15.5/20

The red was a 2004 Ironstone Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, which was definitely a Californian. Dark, dark purple in the glass, it looked like Shiraz but smelled like Merlot. Vegetal on the nose, with some spicy oak and ripe berry cassis, vanilla and nutmeg. On the palate it was medium-bodied with jammy fruit and a short spicy liquorice finish. Great balance, but a bit hot. It worked nicely with the duck, but fell apart quickly - don't cellar, don't decant. Very competent. Score: 15.5/20

Overall, kudos to Amtrak for making good selections at what I assume was a low end price point.

Sonoma 2007 Wrap Up

We left Santa Rosa early on a foggy morning to catch our flights back east. For my last Sonoma post I thought I'd just summarize my final thoughts on a tremendous trip, with the benefit of a few nights to mull the event.

Highlights

Without a doubt, the highlights were:

1) A tour and tasting at Luna Vineyards with winemaker Mike Drash. The wines were excellent, and we loved having your ear for a few hours. Good luck with this year's harvest, Mike.
2) Dinner at Barndiva with Sam and Scot of Marietta Cellars - thanks for the tips, and I look forward to tasting the Emilia's Cuvee

3) Bella Vineyards, purveyors of fine Ancient Vines Zin at a very modest price for the quality. Entering the tasting room on a rainy day, The Smiths playing in the background (nice touch)...I could have stayed there all day.

4) Tasting at Verite. Verite is French for truth, but I prefer the word perfection. I dare Miles to drink this and say "No f-ing merlot!". Thanks, Leanne.

Lowlights

1) EDK - the service was awful and my wallet was swiped. But the food was sooo great....

2) Santa Rosa - Charles Schultz is from Santa Rosa, but I was on a wine quest not a Snoopy quest. Stay in Healdsburg next time - sorry, Sonadora, I should've listened to you.

3) Martinelli - I've heard of a short pour, but that was ridiculous!

What I bought?

I acquired six bottles of the Bella (2 Lily Hill Zin, 2 Big River Ranch Zin, 2 Lily Hill Syrah), 1 Landmark Pinot, 1 Marietta Emilia's Cuvee, 2 bottles of '02 Verite (Le Desir, La Joie), 2 bottles of Hartford Pinot, and 1 bottle of the Luna Canto. These will be returned to Canada in twos over the coming year.

To Visit Next Time

I definintely think you need to base yourself out of Healdsburg. We originally thought Santa Rosa was central, but it involves driving or expensive cab rides to get to the key restaurants. Stay in Healdsburg and you can probably walk to dinner every night, try something new, and is definitely the best situated for the key vineyards. Many have tasting rooms in town, as do the wine shops.

Wineries? I regret missing Trentadue, and I wish I had been more organized and called ahead for appointments at some others...

Many thanks to...

Sonadora for Sonoma travel tips.

Mike Drash for his time, fresh cab berries and beautiful wine.

Edward for drinking a few Sonoma selections "in support" of my trip (any excuse, eh Edward?)

Andrew for steering us to Harford - too bad I forgot about your Zin recommendation, but I loved their Pinot!

Regrets...

David suggested Bistro Ralph, but time constraints forced a Burrito truck substitution (At Lytton Springs Road/Healdsburg Ave, next to the Hwy 101, go for the truck on the left - he said he was better than the guy on the right. I don't know if that's true, but his shredded pork burrito was totally awesome). Barry suggested Kosta Browne and Mark West, but they are not open to the public. Farley suggested Siduri and Acorn, but we're guys - we're not organized enough to call ahead!

Cheers! Back to my daily tastings...sigh.

Sonoma Pics

(Old Highway 1 - the long way to Santa Rosa...)

(Day 1 - Cab berries go for destemming at Luna)

(Day 2 - The rain stops, and the clouds begin to drift away)

(Day 3 - A quiet back road near Hartford)

Great shots, and more to come. Cheers!

Sonoma Day 3 - The Last Supper

Leaving Verite with a bottle of the 1998 La Muse for dinner, we decided to take a leisurely drive through the valley, stopping for a proper lunch (i.e. no more burrito shacks) at Ravenous (click here for a review) in Healdsburg. Good, fast, service was perfect for a brief luncheon detour from some serious wine country touring. Noisy, chaotic even, this great little bistro was a perfect fit for my style, and the food was absolutely delicious. For once I cannot comment on the wine list - after the stunning flight at Verite I thought a homemade lemonade would be the beverage least likely to disappoint.

Sufficiently nourished we left Healdsburg, taking the Westside road destined for the Hartford Family Winery. Having found Zin Nirvana at Bella and Merlot Nirvana at Verite, I thought one more shot at Pinot Noir was appropriate. Scenic and twisty, the Westside road was perfect for a leisurely drive. We stopped the Winemobile every 200ft in an attempt to capture the seasonal beauty of Sonoma on film (ccd).
Not sure if I found Pinot Nirvana at Hartford, but it was close. We started with the '05 Chardonnays, the Four Hearts and Stone Cote cuvees. The Four Hearts was more New World in style, while the Stone Cote was more Burgundian, but both were varietally true and excellent examples (best whites of the trip). The three '05 Pinot Noirs (Land's Edge, Sevens Bench, Jennifer's) were also very well made, but the Sevens Bench was the tasting room standout in my mind (and made it home with me). While I went here for the Burgundian-styled juice, we tasted the '05 Russian River Zin and I would be remiss if I didn't mention what a standout wine this was, especially at the $30 price point. Perhaps an equal to Bella. In fact it was Andrew at Rouge and Blanc that sent me here, but I mistakenly thought he sent me for the Pinot - I just checked my notes, he sent me for the Zin...sorry Andrew!

Last Supper: A Dinner at John Ash & Co.

The day, and our trip, ended at John Ash & Co., one of Sonoma's top tables. Unlike EDK, John Ash acknowledged our reservation and set us up at the bar for some pre-Verite (I mean pre-dinner) drinks. I loved that the bar served mini-flights of 3 wines - two oz. pours in tasting glasses around a theme. The standout? A Balletto Gewurtztraminer - I must visit Balletto next time.

Seated facing a floodlight vineyard, it would have been romantic if Rob weren't there. The service was exceptional, and surprisingly fast for a Saturday night. Yellow tomato gazpacho with some spicy tuna balls (went nicely with my flight of whites) was followed by a beautiful cut of venison in a blackberry reduction, a perfect interplay with our red wine selection.

The 1998 Verite was a stunning Merlot of subtle complexity. In the glass it was dark cherry in colour, with some orangey brick at the edge. The nose was dominated by leafy tobacco, liquorice, exotic spices and dark currant fruit, constantly shifting, changing, teasing. On the palate the beautiful currant fruit interlaced with velvety tannins, it was dry and slightly minerally/chalky. Absolutely amazing balance: smooth yet complex, subtle and powerful. With a very long finish, this Verite still has a few years ahead of it. What a way to finish this adventure.
cork closure, 14.1% alcohol
Score: 19/20
Price: US$90 (winery)

Sonoma Day 3 - Beauty in a Glass

How could I spend a full day in Sonoma, visit just two wineries, and achieve nirvana? Well, it all depends on what is in the glass...

Day 3 started at 11am with a "by appointment only" tasting at Verite Wines. Vérité is a maker of very expensive Bordeaux-styled wines in Sonoma but I didn't know much about them before our trip. As far as I understand, this winery, like some other boutiques in Napa and Sonoma, is a pet project of Jess Jackson (of Kendall-Jackson fame). These boutiques (Cardinale, Verite, others) are run outside the K-J empire as quasi-indepedent facilities (i.e. Verite uses the equipment at Stonestreet down the road). For Verite, Jackson brought in Pierre Seillan, a vigneron from Bordeaux, to craft Californian Bordeaux-styled (with an emphasis on Merlot) wines.

Away from my tasting group I have never tasted such an amazing flight of wines, and this classy joint served the wines properly - the wines were double decanted hours before we arrived and served in proper Riedel stemware that did not smell of industrial soap. From left to right:

2002 Archipel
2002 Verite "La Muse"
2002 Verite "La Joie"
2002 Verite "Le Desir"
1998 Verite (La Muse)
1998 Verite "La Joie"

The starter was the 2002 Archipel, a cab sauv (49%), merlot (32%), cab franc (18%) and malbec blend. Nice leafy aromas, raspberry fruit, mint and liquorice, with beautiful dry tannins and a nice long finish. This Verite wine uses California oak (the rest use French oak).

The 2002 Verite La Muse (92.5% merlot, 7.2% cab franc, dash of malbec) was a terrific, Pomerol-inspired merlot. Liquorice and truffles, musk, leather, tobacco, smoke, later showing a softer, chocolately/candy aroma. Velvety tannins, beautiful length, poised, elegant. Still very young, stick it away for a decade.

The 2002 Verite La Joie is a cab-dominated blend (64.2% cab sauv, 28.5% merlot, 7% cab franc, dash of malbec) the maker claims is Pauillac-inspired. It was a stunning wine, violet, pepper, cocoa, raspberry with dusty dry tannins and a finish that goes on forever.

The 2002 Verite Le Desir is described as St-Emilion inspired, with a blend of merlot (52.7%), cab franc (41.2%), cab sauv (5.1%) and a dash of malbec. Cofffee grounds, very peppery, leafy tea and tobacco and maraschino cherry. Such beautiful balance, exquisite harmony, a very long finish. Could this be a 20pt wine? Wow! (my favourite)

The 1998s were also served to compare to these new releases. The 1998 Verite (La Muse, but they didn't use that name originally), 90% merlot and 10% cab sauv, is aging beautifully. Flint, floral, leafy, vegetal and pencil shaving on the nose, the wine was silky smooth on the palate with great raspberry flavour and nice acidity. Still showing some length, this could certainly cellar for a few more years, but it is drinking so well now there is no need to wait. We bought a bottle for dinner (more later).

The 1998 Verite La Joie (70% cab sauv, 30% merlot) was brick red, peppery, smokey, and woodsy undergrowth notes, this wine is also aging gracefully, with bright cherry fruit, silky tannins and some nice lenght. Same as the La Muse - it can be cellared longer, but why wait?

Despite the lengthy decant, these wines were so complex and ever evolving. Many thanks to Leanne for the tour through these vines and the overview of the winery. We were even served an Archipel Rose, a terrific little rose for $12 - I recommend picking up a bottle at the winery - this is going to be discontinued.

In summary, I highly recommend to anyone going to Sonoma to call ahead and make an appointment to taste these wines. If you can't afford to drop $150 on wine you will pay a $25 fee, which seems to me a reasonable price to properly taste six truly stunning wines.

This visit was one of those rare "Wow! Unbelievable! Incredible! Super-fantastic! Amazing!" wine moments. Seillan is a genius, and the French inspiration/winemaking style flows through all of these wines - they all resemble good vintage Bordeaux. While I didn't officially score these, the Verite wines would all justify between 18.5 to 20 points out of 20, my highest ever. Despite the obscene price tag I bought the '02 La Joie and Le Desir - if these aren't perfection, then they are so darn close...

Stay tuned for the end of Day 3, cheers!

Sonoma Day 2 - Dinner at EDK

(View from the Bella Cellar...)

This should have been a terrible evening. The El Dorado Kitchen in Sonoma did not honour our 8:30pm reservation, making us wait another 45 minutes to get a table (and were terribly rude and unapologetic). By 12:15am Montreal time I nearly ate my wallet. Actually, I should have - it would have been better knowing that the cash was safely digesting in my empty stomach rather than funding a night of binge drinking for that punk who "lightened up" my wallet. And that cash would have come in handy for the $100 cab ride from Santa Rosa. But I digress...

Arriving on time for our reservation, we cooled our heels in the bar, sipping on a beer while I fondled the 2005 Bella Lily Hill Syrah that would be our dining companion. Fortunately, the food (and the wine) was fantastic.

Once we were seated the service dramatically improved, and the menu was terrific. For a starter I had local yellow tomatoes with shaved fennel and arugula - delicious. The entree, a grilled free range chicken with gnocchi and garlic sauce, was absolutely perfect. Rob went for the pork osso buco, another winner. And the main courses paired very well with the Syrah (tasting notes some other day). A minor gripe - was that a baguette?! Anyway, if the first paragraph were a lie this could have been a perfect evening.

So, was the wait worth it? Not sure if I can let any restaurant get away with that reservation idiocy, and they seemed rather unapologetic that a regular lifted the cash out of my wallet (which wouldn't have happened if my reservation had been honoured).

In the end, the food was really good. The Bella Syrah was really good. And at least the he left my credit cards and ID. I can't wait for Day 3 - a verical tasting of one of the world's greatest wines!

Sonoma Day 2 - Dry Creek Treasures

The morning began with a suggestion from Sam and Scott during last night's evening at Barndiva. On a cool, drizzly morning (that had most winemakers freaking out, by the way…), we set off for Bella Vineyards, a little “hole in the hill” (literally) winery at the end of West Dry Creek Rd. This winery does not sell retail, with all of the wine going to visitors and wine club members. I should add “lucky” in front of that, because this was an amazing flight of wines.

Zin is not frequently at the top of my list, but I may have to make an exception for Bella. The modest $5 tasting fee served up the stunning 2005 Lily Hill Estate Zinfandel and 2005 Big River Ranch Zinfandel. Both wines come from old vines, ranging from 85 to 100+ years old. Both were extremely complex, nicely balanced, with the Big River featuring a very long finish (meant for aging, my favourite Zin ever), while the Lily Hill seemed more accessible. Both tasting notes feature words like "spectacular" and "beautiful". Nuff said, you MUST visit this place - this was our great find of the trip. Even better, they had a very nice Syrah, and the prices were very reasonable for the quality. Rob and I went splits on a case.

We were rather reluctant to leave Bella, but the pourer assured us no amount of groveling would result in free pours, and my claims of media nobility were ignored. So off we went to we went to see Unti Vineyards, which served up a nice Grenache at Barndiva last night (Sam's suggestion). Tastings at this winery are "by appointment only", but the Unti folk were gracious enough to host us in a quick tasting of some of their wares. An unusual winery, focused mainly on Rhone and Italian varietals, it seems to be most associated with its Barbera wine. This was sold out, unfortunately, but we did try their 2004 Syrah, 2005 Segromigno, 2005 Zinfandel and 2005 Petit Frere. Last night Scott recommended the Syrah and I agree - another bottle to lug home. Overall, the quality was very nice, especially given the very modest price point on most of the wines.

After that we drove past the Ridge winery. Unable to contain myself at seeing this veritable Cathedral to wine, I had to stop. Seems like Zin heaven was achieved at Bella, so I was rather unimpressed - high hopes combined with a great Zin earlier in the day made for a tough tasting. But I left with a Montebello, regardless.

After that we stopped at Seghesio - a traditional, crowded tasting room, the wines on offer were nice, but the day was progressing and my taste buds were lacking (perhaps it was the burrito truck for a second day in a row...). Even worse, we tried to catch Martinelli before close. Clearly the length of the pour, while free, was inversely proportional to the proximity to closing time. Lapping at the vapours in my glass, I have no idea if the wine was any good.

Then to dinner - an adventure in itself.

More later...Cheers!

Sonoma Day 1 - Continued

Leaving Luna, we took the Oakville Cross to get back to Sonoma. On the way Rob saw the Silver Oak Vineyard tower, and instinctively drove into another winery. There was a Sonoma connection here - Rob wanted to compare their Napa to the Sonoma Silver Oak bottlings. Fortunately, there were pouring both at the winery, saving us a trip to the Sonoma estate. The 2003 Silver Oak Alexander Valley was classic California Cab, but very dry with dusty, earthy, tannins, rather Bordeaux-esque. Nicely done, needs some time in the bottle. The 2002 Silver Oak Napa Valley was a seriously complex wine with copious tannins and tremendous length. Elegant, balanced, but far too young. Overall, despite the different terroirs, the wines were quite similar. While the Napa was the better, was it $40 better? Not sure about that.

By now we were ready to start our Sonoma trip. Taking the scenic Oakville Grade through the Mayacamas mountains made for an adventure in itself, with over 100 hairpin turns and steep twisties. Made for a Porsche, our Dodge was less prepared for such a drive. If the drive were any longer I may have lost that burrito stand lunch...

We arrived in Sonoma near Kenwood, and decided to finish our winery tour with a stop at Landmark, a winery known for Pinot and Chardonnay. These are rather highly rated wines, but Rob was not terribly impressed - kinda ho-hum. I liked the 2005 Domaris and Lorenzo chardonnays, but the 2005 Kanzler Pinot was the highlight of the visit - spicy, mushroomy, earthy, raspberry jam, coffee - smooth and crisp, great balance, substantial tannins. Nicely done.

Capping off a terrific wine day was dinner in Healdsburg at Barndiva. Hip, trendy, this bistro served up great wine, great food and great service. Sitting at the bar, we conversed with son of the Marietta Cellars owner. Serving up great wine and tips for the next day's tours (their winery is not open to the public), we were soon joined by his brother, a recent UC Davis wine grad. These tips led to our greatest wine find of the trip! Gotta catch a flight - more details on the dinner and the wines soon. Say tuned for Day 2 - Dry Creek Valley Treasures.

Sonoma Valley Preview

In just three nights I will be at my hotel room in Santa Rosa, in the heart of Sonoma, resting up for a three day whirlwind tour of one of America's most famous wine regions. This will be my first visit to Sonoma, so my perspectives today are those of someone who has "never been there".

Grape growing began in the region in the early 1800s, but all sources point to a Hungarian Count, Agoston Haraszthy, as the father of the local wine industry. Arriving in the mid-1800s, Count Haraszthy is credited with being among the first to plant European varietals and promote California as a place to produce fine wine. Founded in 1857, his winery (Buena Vista) still operates today.

Today Sonoma's 1,800 grape growers and >250 wineries produce wines from 65,000 acres of vineyards. Chardonnay is the dominant grape (16,000 acres), Cabernet Sauvignon (12,000 acres), Pinot Noir (10,000 acres), Merlot (7,500 acres), Zinfandel (5,000 acres) and Sauvignon Blanc (2,500 acres). I have to confess, I was a bit surprised by these stats, as I think of Sonoma as Zinfandel country - already learning...

Situated so close to Napa, Sonoma is often overshadowed by it's famous peer (visited by Joe last year). Geographically and viticulturally diverse, Sonoma's twelve AVAs cover a wide range of soils, microclimates, and grape varietals. Unlike Napa, Sonoma doesn't have a signature grape or wine style, and it is this diversity that makes it so daunting to study. And yet this is what excites me about the trip - surely there are some unheralded gems just waiting to be discovered?

I look forward to visiting, tasting, purchasing and writing about the wines.

Cheers!

PS - Some useful links: Sonoma Vintners, Sonoma Growers, and Sonoma Touristy Stuff.