Bouquets to Art 2009

It is a beautiful Monday evening, and after a full day of hiking, jogging, and spa treatment, I'm ready to celebrate the start of Spring! Tonight's party is at the de Young museum and as I enter through the museum's arched entrance, I turn around for a brief last look at the pink hued sky.

Spring is a time of renewal when the sun begins to shine more, the flowers start blooming, and at the de Young museum, artists find inspiration at Bouquets to Art! Bouquets to Art, an annual fundraiser benefiting San Francisco Fine Arts museums, exhibits floral artwork of over 100 arrangements of classic and exotic flowers. Opening night is the most grand; the art is celebrated with sultry sounds of live jazz, gourmet cuisine, and a full bar! 

Upon checking in, I am welcomed with a glass of Ledgewood Creek Chardonnay, a golden chardonnay displaying refreshing notes of pear, apricots, and almond. Perfect with the sushi, smoked salmon and prawn cocktail appetizers served in the foyer. 

In the main dining room, Lavay Smith and her Red Hot Skillet Lickers is seducing the crowd with jazzy tunes. Stations of Crab appetizers, Osso Bucco, Coq au Vin, Lamb rack and Beef tenderloin are spread around white bouquet centre pieces. The meaty dishes are well paired with the evening's red wine, Ledgewood Creek Merlot. Medium-bodied, with flavours of plum, dark raspberry, and a slight tobacco finish, it had just the right acidity to go with food.

I'll admit that my drink of choice this evening is the classic Cosmo. Perhaps it's the bartender's skill, mixing just the right portions of vodka, triple sec, and cranberry juice. Or perhaps it's the hue of pink. Tonight, after all, is a celebration of visual delights!

Educated Guess Napa Cabernet Sauvignon

'Have you ever found yourself in a wine shop or restaurant perusing the wines and wondering... how do I choose the best wine for the money? You may admire the label, recognize a name, or recall a great review... in essence you're making an "Educated Guess." This is exactly what goes on in the vineyards and wineries around the world. When should we pick the grapes? Should we barrel age in French Oak? ... Our experts use their knowledge, intuition and years of experience to make the best possible decisions; however, at the end of the day, it still remains an "Educated Guess."'

These are the words that drew me to pick this bottle tonight! (among a wall full of wines available at Whole Foods) It was partly the quirky wine molecules and formulas printed on the front that appealed to the geek in me, and partly the fact that it was a Napa Cab that appealed to my senses, but it was the wine's philosophy that caught me - that every decision we make, as much of an expert we may be and as much as we try our best, is an educated guess.

Tasting notes

Educated Guess Napa Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

Earthy and cedar aromas are well-integrated into the supple cherry, currant and dark plum flavours. Vanilla and hints of cigar show after the opening act, with persistent dark red fruit always at centre stage of this medium bodied wine. Tannins are light. 

Corkscrewed with Robert Camuto

I met Robert Camuto this evening at his book event in San Francisco where he performed a reading at Books, Inc! Robert shared his chapter on harvesting grapes in Alsace and his book's theme was immediately apparent - the French emphasize all things natural and expression of terroir in their wine.

"There are 4 aspects to making great wine," concluded the author based on his observations in France. Terrior - as an expression of the earth, sun, and geology. Respect for the environment - with minimal use of chemicals and intervention of nature's intention. Wine should be made from grapes - without added acid or yeast; naturally occuring yeast brings out qualities of the wine. People - wine should be made by people (not machines), and is meant to be drunk and shared by people.

"One of the things that most impressed me was how present wine is in daily life," Robert commented on his observations of life in France. "You have it with friends and it is linked with food."

"I always thought of wine as a drink, and now I see it more as a 5th food group." (I absolutely agree! 3 glasses a day, a bubbly, a white, and a red...)

We didn't have quite that formula the evening, as the book reading progressed into dinner at A16. To conclude the book reading, Robert shared a bottle of Domaine Mosse, Le Carignan 2003, that was made from vines over 120 years old. It was a deep red wine, medium bodied, soft tannins, and aromas of tobacco, baked plum, and mineral. Later at the restaurant, we had a bottle of Terre Nere Etna Rosso 2007, which was a lovely silky Italian red that expressed light currant, pluot, and hint of rosehips. Excellent wine shared with great company - C'est la vie!

Silver Oak 2004 Napa Cab Release Party

I love everything Silver Oak. I love the wine for its flavour, fullness and complexity; I love its people for their warmth and being down-to-earth; I love Silver Oak release parties!

The 2004 Napa Cab release party today was not an exception; it was extraordinary! A double celebration for the wine release and grand opening of Oakville, the affair spurred much anticipation. No longer does one see a warming-hut-like tasting room in midst of the vineyard with construction. Today, we step upon a grandiose mansion that houses an oak-inspired tasting room, and a beautiful wine library gleaming from behind glass walls.

Silver Oak 2004 Napa Cab began flowing at 9am (we are in California!) and everyone happily meandered 'round the venue to various activities - to taste the 2004 Napa Cab in the tent, to taste the 1999 Napa Cab in the library, and to taste the Twomey merlot at the mansion's entrance. It was pure rich red wine bliss!

When the clock struck 11am, chef stations fired up their delights - Beef tenderloin bites, pulled pork sandwiches, mushroom pizza slices, braised goat, caramelized onion/fennel tartlets, asian inspired pork ribs... It was a mini-Napa village! Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen, Mustards, Don Giovanni, AKA Bistro, and Barbers Q were all just a stone's throw away, and every bite paired amazingly with Silver Oak.

The party continued through the afternoon with the sun shining brightly, a live band playing, and glasses always full. That's the other thing I love about Silver Oak, they truly live by their motto "Life is a Cabernet".

Tasting Notes

2004 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Generous and supple, structured with dark currant, ripe black cherry, and Venezuelan dark chocolate, rounded with cedary oak flavours.

1999 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Elegantly seductive with smoky plum and a subtle hint of earth. Anise, wild berry, tannins have softened with age. Long, rich, persistent finish.

2004 Twomey Merlot

A silky merlot with dark boysenberry and blackberry flavours, touch of sage. This wine gave a warmer welcome to the palate when it opened up in the decanter.

Layer Cake

After a late night of work when my mind was still alert from intense forecasting through midnight, I decided to enjoy a glass of wine to wind down the evening. "Layer Cake" stood out on my shelf with its prominant label featuring a layered cake smack on the front! It gave me the impression that this would be a warm and lusicous wine that would fit the moment.

As I poured the 100% Primitivo wine, I noticed a very inky black-purple red hue. It's aroma reminded me of dark chocolate infused with black currant.

Layer Cake represents the winemaker, Jayson Woodbridge's grandfather's philosophy, that "the soils in which the vines lived were a layer cake. If properly made, the wine from these vines was like a delicious cake layered with fruit, mocha and chocolate, with hints of spice and rich, always rich", as quoted on the bottle's label. Just like life! I thought. Layers that make it complex, yet it all comes together, a bit of spice, always changing, always rich.

Tasting notes

Layer Cake Primitivo, 2006

Supple blackcurrant and black cherry aromas layered into dark chocolate. A rich wine with hints of earth and finish of cayenne spice. Layers are distinct yet gracefully entwined.

About Primitivo

Can anyone say Zinfandel? Or Crljenak? Primitivo is grown in Manduria of Puglia, Italy, and was recently discovered to be the identical varietal to Zinfandel, and Crljenak Kastelanski (a Croatian grape) through DNA profiling by geneticist Dr. Carole Meredith of University of California, Davis. The breakthrough led the TTB to allow Primitivo and Zinfandel to be defined synonymous in April 2002. The soils of Manduria, Italy's "Heel", are of red clay and that of an ancient sea bed. Primitivo vines bathe in Puglia's warm and sunny climate that contributes to the origin of the grape's name for its early maturity. Vines are known for their vigor and resiliance to disease, allowing for vines over 100 years old!

Happy 2009!

New Year's Eve is a time when many reflect on the past year and embrace the new. For many around me, people are drinking to drown out 2008 and toasting for renewal in 2009. 2008 has undoubtedly been challenging. As I think back on the past 366 days, I realize that all the changes and curve balls thrown at me created new opportunities for growth and exploration, just as unpredictable weather and environment conditions make each wine unique. This element of mystery in life gives the same feeling as the moment we open a bottle of wine... the anticipation of great things, yet an uncertainty of how it will turn out.

One thing that's not a mystery, no matter what stage in life, what bottle I open, I am grateful for my loving family and friends around me. I am grateful to have grown with everyone through this past year, and I look forward to continue nurturing my relationships, and of course, sharing lots of wine!

The interesting thing about celebrating New Year's is that it almost doesn't matter what's in our glasses - with all the excitement of counting down the last seconds and buzzing activity for everyone to connect with those they care about, there's barely time to think! At Ozumo, we all counted down in unison, bubbly in hand. It was hard to see the label of the wine they served, but it was exquisite! The taste of more to come... fuller, richer, and with more depth!