Hall Wines: An Artistic Expression
Wine tasting in the Napa Valley is a joyous experience. Almost 500 wineries call the valley their home. So isn’t that a luscious palate to choose from for a tasting adventure? Yes, of course, yet not all wineries welcome visitors and offer tastings without appointments. Within the valley there are three distinct categories of wineries. One being that there is no permit or access to tasting. These wineries may not be able to build a tasting room based on the size of their production or because they sell out of their wines through their mailing lists. Secondly, there are wineries that welcome visitors on an appointment basis and may offer multiple choices of tastings that could include pairings with cheeses or other small bites. And then there is a third group of wineries that are open during certain hours and offer a menu of tasting options for the visitor, even without an appointment.
This is where Hall Wines fits in. Hall offers a portfolio of wines that one may stop in and sip through. They offer many different experiences to explore, although some of these will require an appointment as well. For those driving down Highway 29 looking for a beautiful setting and great tasting wine – Hall Wines is a perfect stop.
Bubbles for Any Budget!
As we approach February 14th, the stores are showing the bright red colors of Valentine’s Day – a time when our hearts turns toward expressions of love and romance. Nothing is more quintessential for this month than sparkling wine! Real Champagne can be pricey, but there are many lovely expressions of sparkling wine that can fit the occasion and the pocket book.
Sparkling wine is made all over the world, including in Champagne, France, which is the only place real Champagne comes from. It used to be that no other region could challenge the sparkling wine from Champagne, yet that is no longer so. Many wines, especially the sparkling wines of California, can provide the luxurious texture and flavors to rival Champagne.
Great Value: Columbia Crest Grand Reserve Cabernet, 2014
The tree is put away, the lights have been taken down (hopefully), and the bills from the holidays need to be addressed. Where is that value wine when you need one most? Well, for those experiencing the need for a good drinking, modest priced Cabernet – I have one for you.
I recently read a review in Wine Spectator regarding the Columbia Crest Grand Reserve Cabernet, 2014. It was tasted and awarded 91 points. Interesting start… Then, they listed the price for $12. This gets more of my attention. For me, that’s an invitation to see if I can find it and taste it myself.
The Nose Knows: Part 2
The sense of smell is critical for taste – whether it be when tasting food or wine. Remember, we can discern 10,000 different smells, at a minimum. A recently published paper touts that we can distinguish up to 1 trillion smells! The second number is a mathematical extrapolation, not based on a human study. Either way you look at it, we can discern a lot of smells. It again makes the point of how important wine aromas are and just how much they factor into the pleasure.
Why do I bring this up again? Well, one of the first places to be using that super sense of smell is in the glass before you pour the wine. The glass itself (not the wine) may often be the source of what we perceive as off odors or spoiled wine. The first thing I do is smell the glass to ensure that it is clean and free of any off-putting aromas itself.
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.
The Paring: A Great Value!
The ‘Holy Grail’ of wine buying is quality at a modest price. This one fits that bill! One of the ‘top notch’ wineries of Southern California is Jonata. Their wines are deep, rich and textured. The Paring is their second label that competes with many wines. I recently received an offer that I wanted to share with you. This offer is definitely worth considering given the portfolio and cost – just $25 per bottle for wines that are well rated. Purchase a case, and the shipping is only $1.
This is a value that I never pass up. (Even my friends in Pennsylvania can now have wine shipped to them.) Check it out here:
Mumm’s the Word
You will often hear folks refer to sparkling wine as “Champagne,” but this is an accurate description only if that bottle is from the French region named Champagne. There was a time when no other sparkling wines could come close to the quality produced in France, but that’s not true today. California sparklers can deliver the complexity, richness, and length of finish to rival those made by the French.
Mumm is one such producer to try for your next sparkling wine. Located in Napa Valley and growing fruit in vineyards in the southern, cooler part of the valley, Mumm offers many different wines to please your palate. A visit to the winery is not only refreshing but also enlightening when it comes to the production of their wines. Just recently, I took their tour and found it well done and informative.
Cliff Lede Wines: Great Wine Leads to Big Crowds
Once upon a time, one of my favorite wineries was readily accessible. One could walk in, without an appointment, and enjoy their wide portfolio of wines in a relatively mellow atmosphere. On this past Saturday, my experience was noticeably different. Cliff Lede has been discovered, and it seems to be by almost everyone! The tasting room was filled with people all along the long bar and out on the patio, and there was an event going on in a seated private tasting area.
I had to inquire, what transpired? Clearly something had changed — and that’s good for them. It is known that quality can’t be kept a secret. People finally discovered the limited production wines. Most recently, their 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Poetry was awarded a perfect score of 100 points from Robert Parker. This seems to have opened the floodgates of individuals coming through the doors of Cliff Lede.
Favia: A Favorite!
Many times I get asked, “What is your favorite wine?” I glibly reply, “It comes in a bottle." Funny at times when I say it (folks do chuckle at my response), yet it is true. (Discussion of wine in boxes and cans to come later.) A friend of mine once said that every bottle tells a story. It comes from a specific place, grows in unique terrain, experiences different weather, and the winemaker has a specific expression with the varietal or blend. No two winemakers bring their art to you in exactly the same way. That allows you and I to discover what that expression is and what it means to us as we savor and enjoy their labor of love. That is the exploration each time we open a bottle.
With all that said, there are some wines and winemakers that consistently come to the forefront for me. One of those wineries is Favia. This is the labor of love for viticulturist Annie Favia and her husband and winemaker Andy Erickson. This is a marriage made in heaven and the vineyard. These two make a killer team, and the proof is in the bottle. Each time I open one of their wines, I am charmed and love nothing more than to savor each sip of wine.
The 2013 Harvest: Cabernet Sauvignon in Napa Valley
“2013 was a phenomenal growing season in just about every way. A warm, dry spring led to early bud break, limited canopy vigor and berry size, and created ideal conditions through bloom and fruit set. An abundance of long sunny days, with only one heat spike in early July, resulted in even ripening and an early harvest with exceptional flavor development. The 2013 vintage offers very high quality wines that are striking in their balance and expression.”
The above paragraph was taken from a mailer I received from Paul Hobbs Winery. Paul Hobbs is one of the most respected vintners in the valley, who also has projects outside of the U.S. In fact, Forbes magazine called him the “Steve Jobs of Winemaking.” With all that said, you can trust the descriptors he provides of the growing season in 2013 for cabernet.