A Remarkable Tasting in Kansas City!
This year, many fine wineries are taking their craft on the road. Recently, we had the distinct pleasure of sipping our way through wines made by some wonderful wineries from Napa who were sharing their wines in Kansas City. It was awesome to step into the traveling tasting rooms of many well-crafted wines.
Taste of Mount Veeder
The first question that arises is, “Where is Mount Veeder?” The next question may be, “What wineries are there?” Let's start with the appellation – Mount Veeder. It is one of sixteen diverse American Viticultural Areas within the larger Napa Valley. An AVA, as they are known, is distinct in soil, weather, altitude, and orientation to the sun, to name a few. These are all distinct aspects that contribute to the expression of the grapes grown there. When 85% of the grapes are grown within that AVA, you will find it denoted on the wine label. Other AVAs you may recognize are Howell Mountain, Oakville, Calistoga, Coombsville, St. Helena, and so on.
“Zoom In” on Winemaker Julien Fayard
This coming Saturday, April 25, there is an opportunity to sit at home and engage with one of my very favorite winemakers, Julien Fayard. Please read on for details and how to RSVP.
Julien has 20 years of winemaking experience starting in Provence, to Lafite Rothchild and Smith Haut Laffite prior to coming to Napa. Once here in the states, he worked along side Phillipe Melka. Many folks describe his work as bringing French finesse to making Napa wine. He has a deft touch in bringing great wine to life as a reflection of the grape and terrior.
The Taste of Howell Mountain 2018
The Taste of Howell Mountain was created to raise money for the elementary school on Howell Mountain. The vintners and winemakers gather to donate their wine to support the educational needs of the kids who go to school on the mountain. The funds that are raised will provide needed resources, and the kids are the biggest winners of the day.
This event remains one of my favorites. There are several reasons for this, starting with the wines of the AVA (American Viticultural Area – a designation within the United States that denotes shared characteristics for the growing area). The altitude of Howell Mountain provides warm days and cool nights that afford the grapes an opportunity to develop fine phenolics (chemical compounds that affect taste, color and mouthfeel of the wine) and produce deep, rich red wines with bright acidity. They are lush on the palate with tannins that are sometimes big and yet refined. When you start with this quality of wine, you have set an excellent day in motion.
Calistoga Food and Wine 2018
Calistoga is a small town at the northern end of Napa Valley. Population, at the last census, was around 5500. It is known for its hot springs, mud baths, and relaxing mineral water along with its wine. Just a few weeks ago, production teams were filming for a Netflix movie starring Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, and other Saturday Night Live alumnae. That is a lot for a little town; and, this past weekend, the big draw was the fabulous Calistoga Food and Wine event, which culminated in an event held at the Solage resort.
Saturday afternoon, the stage was set for delicious bites from local restaurants accompanied by lovely wine. This was the culmination of a 3-day event, and it was very cool. There was music, food, and wine! The food ran the gamut from Korean BBQ ribs (they were excellent) to crab cake bites, pulled pork, and lovely desserts. You would have to work at going hungry at this event. The local restaurants were well-represented and welcomed everyone with their fare.
There’s a Castle in Napa Valley
When visiting the Napa Valley, many people center their experience on wine tasting and the enjoyment of the beautiful vineyards along with the views. Rightly so, as it is one of the premier locations on the planet to offer such great wine and beautiful vistas. Yet there is more to see and do.
One of those experiences is a visit to Castello di Amorosa. Which literally means “Castle of Love.” It is a real castle built from authentic materials to replicate a medieval Italian castle. The visionary and owner is Dario Sattui. This was his dream to honor his Italian heritage. He did so with authentic old, handmade materials shipped from Europe to the U.S. in 200+ shipping containers. These containers held old bricks, building materials and furniture. This is a magnificent structure that spans eight levels (four above ground and four below) and has over 100 separate rooms. It even has a prison and a torture chamber. The construction began in 1994, and the castle opened its doors to visitors in 2007. This is the real deal!
Flavor! Napa Valley
What if you only had a few days and wanted to explore and have a taste of many of the outstanding food and wine experiences in the Napa Valley? So many fine restaurants, so many great wineries. What is a person to do?
Well, there is a great week of events just for you. It is titled “Flavor! Napa Valley.” This is a week-long exploration of what the valley has to offer in food and wine experiences. “Flavor! Napa Valley” is for you. It is an immersion in fabulous food and wine.
The Nose Knows
Every year during the holidays, the family hosts a wine tasting party. The purpose is to share good wine and enjoy each other in a festive environment. Each year, there is a challenge regarding varietal and matching wines to their profile. There is always a variation on the theme to pique everyone’s interest and to learn something new.
One would think that the most important aspect in identifying the different wines would be the taste, yet consider that one of the most critical aspects is the nose. What does that mean? The nose is the main source of our sense of taste. While we can only taste five distinct flavors (sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and savory), we can smell hundreds of thousands of distinct aromas. Remember the last time you had a head cold and couldn’t smell a thing? Food did not taste very good, if you could taste it at all. Test this out by holding your nose and taking a sip of wine.
HALL Wines’ Cabernet Cook-Off: Charity Runs Deep in the Napa Valley
The Napa Valley is an agricultural region, with many different types of soil running through the area (50 of the known 100+ found in the world). Mountains surround this beautiful valley, rising as high 2200 feet. Nothing, though, is as inspiring as the charitable heart that runs deep through the residents of this region. Charity is one of the things that Napa Valley does so well. Winery owners and winemakers all show their heart with the many events put on throughout the year to help take care of their citizens.
The HALL Cabernet Cook-Off is a great example of this charitable heart. The theme of the day was to “pop a cork and grab a fork.” There were 13 chef teams, each representing a different charity and vying for your and the judges’ votes The challenge: What food paired best with the 2013 HALL Napa Valley Cabernet? What a great question! It really required some drinking and eating to cast an educated vote!
The Taste of Howell Mountain 2016
The Taste of Howell Mountain is one of my favorite events of the year. Over 40 wineries that make wine from vineyards on Napa Valley’s Howell Mountain come together to raise money for Howell Mountain Elementary School. Clearly, it is a charity event that displays the heart of these winemakers and owners as they contribute time, energy, wine, and special auction lots to support the education of the children who learn at the school.
The benefactors though are more than the kids. We, enjoyers of great wine, are given an outstanding opportunity to taste their wine as well as meet the winemakers and owners who call this mountain their home. More than a tasting, it is an event to vie for special bottles through the silent auction and to bid for one of a kind wine collections or wine experiences to treat yourself (and possibly friends) during the live auction. The energy and bidding is fast and fun!