Apr

30

Here are the events that we recommend for this weekend and beyond.  Click on the title of an event to visit that event’s official web site.

Apr

29

Donafugata Anthìlia 2007 is composed of 50% Ansonica and 50% Catarratto.  Quite honestly, we had never heard of these grapes before, which are native to Sicily and have apparently been used for making wine since ancient Roman times.  Regardless, we liked how the wine was described to us in the store — a crisp, not-too-big white, with fragrant apricot and peach scents, that constitutes a great value — and we thought it would be fun to try something new. 

In fact, the aromas and flavors of apricot were so distinct that we could easily say that we’ve never tasted anything like this in a white wine – you could almost forget that you were drinking liquid derived from grapes.  We found it to be deliciously refreshing when chilled, that it was well structured, and that it made for the perfect ”something different” bottle.  At $13, it was, indeed, a great value.

As a side-note, if you, too, should find yourself considering buying a white wine to serve chilled during one of the warm days of spring or summer ahead, but you don’t recognize either the varietal or the winemaker, we recommend using one of our trusty, no-brainer shopping techniques: paying close attention to alcohol content.  For example, we’ve found that lower alcohol content white wines (in the 12%-13.5% range) tend to be more refreshing on hot days than wines with higher alcohol levels  – obviously, by checking this information before making purchases, we’ve managed to more effectively target the types of wine that we know we’ll enjoy in warm weather.   

Where to get it: We bought our bottle at Vintage Berkeley in the East Bay.  They ship.  You can also find it using the Snooth search function under “Wine Locator” in the right hand column of this page, or by visiting wine-searcher.com or winezap.com.  

Apr

28

pelican-inn-lawn.jpgOn our way back to San Francisco from a Sunday afternoon picnic at the stunning Muir Beach Overlook, just 20 minutes or so from the Golden Gate Bridge, we stopped off at the nearby Pelican Inn to track down 6 ounces of water for our son’s bottle.   We had been to The Pelican Inn twice before, once for a pint of English stout in the inn’s authentic old English pub, and another time for a lovely dinner with family in the charming garden.  Never before, however, had we considered enjoying an afternoon glass of wine at this wonderful location.

But as we walked out of the Tudor-style bar with a full baby bottle in hand, we noticed other folks being served wine and cheese as they sat in couples and small groups on the front lawn, seemingly relaxed and care-free in a stereotypically Northern Californian way.   We couldn’t resist joining them for a crisp and refreshing glass of white wine (only after we had scanned the wine list, of course!).  Considering the fact that The Pelican Inn’s bar had the feel of a genuine English pub, the list featured a surpisingly good selection of wines by the glass (see menu) and by the bottle (see menu) offering both New and Old World selections from “top growing regions with a focus on artisan producers, especially those using organic or biodynamic practices.”  If you go, we recommend trying the Navarro Riesling, the Chablis, the Vouvray, the Stellenbosch Sauvignon Blanc, either of the Sancerres, or anything under “Bubbles,” each of which is sold only by the bottle.  If you do choose to order by the glass, note that the bartender will likely pour out samples if you ask (he did for us, at least).

If you find yourself wanting to prolong an equisite day of exploring the natural beauty of the Marin Headlands, there may very well be no better way of doing so than with a glass of wine in your hand on the Pelican Inn’s front lawn.

www.PelicanInn.com
10 Pacific Way
Muir Beach, California 94965
(415) 383-6000

Apr

24

While we were in Durham, North Carolina at our law school reunion a couple of weekends ago, we made a point of dropping by several of our old haunts for old times’ sake: Ben and Jerry’s, Whole Foods, Duke Gardens, and Parker and Otis (which used to be Fowler’s Market during our law school days).   It was at the latter spot that we came across quite an impressive selection of wines, from which we plucked an amazing value: a $35 bottle of seven-year aged Mount Eden Chardonnay.  Interestingly, we had just recently tasted the ‘04 vintage of that same Chardonnay and were literally blown away by how delicious it was.  Nutty, zippy, crisp, citrusy without bitterness, and light… a super combination at $48.

So why was our 2001 thirteen dollars cheaper?  We still don’t know, but hey, we were certainly fine with it!

We popped open this bottle later the same evening, and we were even able to coax some of our law school buddies into trying some.  The wine earned a positive reaction from everyone.  

The thing that we love most about Mount Eden’s Chardonnays is their potential to age for an unusual amount of time — for example, we’ve heard that 10 to 20 years is possible for the current release.  It’s amazing what a difference a few years of aging made for the ‘01, using the ‘04 as a point of reference: the older version was more golden in color; the crisp acidity had mellowed considerably; the flavor of lemon was creamier; and the nutty aromas – which, by the way, smelled just like a bowl of Cheerios – were now accompanied by a hint of sweetness that reminded us of pink Trident, fresh from the wrapper, and most interestingly, by the scent of mushrooms.  The mushrooms reappeared again in full force a split second after swallowing the wine — you’ll miss out if you don’t look for it!

It’s amazing when you think about it: usually white wines bring to mind fruity, perfumed, and/or floral scents and flavors.  But this one turned out to be earthy more than anything else.  It was quite a bottle, and one we highly recommend!

Where to get it: As mentioned above, we bought our bottle at Parker and Otis, in downtown Durham, North Carolina.  Inquire about shipping.  You can also buy it online by visiting WineZap.com ($33) or through Mount Eden’s web site ($55).  As usual, we tell you this only for your convenience – as you would expect, we don’t see a single cent from sales of any wines we review! 

Apr

23

Here are the events that we recommend for this weekend.  Click on the title of an event to visit that event’s official web site.

Apr

22

Recently, we were watching an episode of In Wine Country that reported that an increasing number of new wineries have set up shop in Oakland, California – rather than in the more usual, but pricier, wine producing areas like Napa or Sonoma – in hopes of keeping costs (and prices) down.  These wineries typically source (i.e., purchase) their grapes from vineyards across California and then produce and bottle their wines inside the city limits.   

Cannonball Wine Company, which also sources its grapes, may not be making its wine in a large city, but it has clearly managed to keep its costs low enough to offer a quality Cab for sale at $13.  We found Cannonball’s 2005 Cab to be delightfully juicy all the way through from sip to swallow, with aromas and flavors of dark cherry and the sweet tobaccoey smell of a newly opened pack of cigarettes.  The balance was quite good, even if it tended a little bit toward sweet – but seriously, for $13, good luck finding a better California Cab.  In fact, ditto for even $20!

Where to get it: We bought our bottle over at K&L Wines in San Francisco.  Of course, we tell you this only for your convenience – as you would expect, we don’t see a single cent from sales of any wines we review! 

Apr

21

seaescape-view.jpg

Last Monday, we described our overnight pre-parenthood stay in The Harbor House Inn in Mendocino County.  We also mentioned that, if you did not have the spare cash on hand to spring for such a decadent weekend trip, there were other lodging options in the area.  One such option is to rent a house, which is precisely what we did over Labor Day weekend last year.

Seaescape, the two-story house owned by a lovely Irish lawyer, with whom we corresponded only via telephone and email, was perfect in all respects.   The downstairs area featured an open plan-design with a bathroom, a charming kitchen with all amenities (dishwasher, microwave, plates, cutlery, coffee mugs, glasses and a small eating area included), a dining room area, a cozy living room with a wood-buring fireplace, a wet bar, and a spectacular deck overlooking the dramatic coastline below.  The three bedrooms (and additional bathroom) were upstairs — two with private decks overlooking the ocean, one with a king size bed, and each romantic in its own respect.

As we mentioned last week, this area is a perfect stepping stone to the Mendocino wine country, and after one day spent exploring the quaint town of Elk, enjoying a delicious breakfast at the diner, and poking into the few shops, and another spent exploring the lovely and artsy town of Mendocino, we spent our remaining free day picnicking at Lazy Creek Vineyards (before our tasting), and then enjoying our dessert of sparkling wine at Iron Horse Vineyards. 

In the evenings, we would relax outside on the deck, enjoying the olives and cheese we had picked up at the local store in either Mendocino or Elk, sipping wine, and soaking in the breathtaking, awe-inspiring view before us.  As the sun set, and as our fresh salmon was fully grilled (the house comes complete with a barbecue, which we used every night, and an outdoor hot tub), we would move inside to enjoy our meal from the warmth of our lovely house.

We can’t remember having spent our Labor Day weekend in a more idyllic spot than Seaescape. 

www.Seaescape-Elk.com
Hwy 1, six miles south of the junction of Hwy 1 and Hwy 128
Elk, California
(707) 293-4053

Apr

20

This month’s question:

What is the most underrated wine region (judging by wine value) anywhere in the world? 

We’ve talked a lot in the past couple weeks about the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA, which has fast become one of our favorite jewel-in-the-rough wine regions.  There are just so many wineries in the SCM crafting exquisite Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays, and at the level of quality that we’ve been seeing, we’ve become convinced that the area is producing the best Burgundy look-alikes available in California.  

Try Hallcrest Vineyards’ 2006 Belle Farms Pinot Noir, Heart O’ The Mountain’s Pinot Noir, Windy Oaks’ 2006 Estate Wild Yeast, and Mount Eden’s 2004 Estate Bottled Chardonnay if you’d really like to get a sense of what we mean.  Note that you can order these wines at the respective wineries’ web sites, subject to your state of residence.  And as a reminder, we tell you where you can purchase the wines only so that you know where to find them.  There’s nothing in it for us!

Know of a better underdog region??  Share with everyone by posting a comment below.  

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