the right time to open a bottle

Some wines are meant to be age, and then there are those that are excellent while young. We can be technical and analyze the tannins, structure and complexity, when in reality, a lot of wines are perfect at the time we decide to open them - because we and our company chose to have it at that moment.

With girls night tongiht, we had 2 bottles of Napa Cabs - a gourmet night of Tartine Country bread, spanakopita, French onion soup, Four barrels coffee rubbed steak, garlicky oven roasted asparagus, paired with our Flora Springs 2006 Cabs, and heavenly chocolate almond ganache raspberry tart. Contrasting flavours that balanced each other in harmony.

The Cabs were as sweet as we experienced in the winery tasting room, fun and lively! They continued to evolve through our 4 plus hour dinner, blossoming to richer flavours.

When do you open your wine? the question, we pondered this evening - and it really is - whenever we and our company are in the mood for that bottle that moment.

2012

Happy 2012! I can't believe 5 full days have passed! I've felt so much anticipation for 2012 (since I knew it was going to be awesome) when all of a sudden... I caught a bug. How can all these exciting things around the world happen around me when I've just lost my voice and physical energy!

Feeling lost before I could even go anywhere, I started to think about what makes me feel alive, so as not to pass another minute thinking I'm doing something as mundane as "getting better".

I <3 Wine! (Did anybody not know that already?) Did you know that I <3 everything about wine? Everything from the taste, aromas, and feel, the gorgeous red or sparkling tones, to learning the history of wine, where different grapes originated, how wine has evolved, terroir, and everyone's favourite wine memories!

Something else I enjoy doing is to write. I like to think, to express, and to tell stories, hopefully ones that make you smile or make your life better or more insightful in some way.

so I've come to the conclusion, that part of the reason why this bug latched onto me was to make me come back to my wine blog!



Speaking of favourite wine memories, my latest is New Year's Eve 2011! I was in Vancouver celebrating with my family. My bro and I had given a very special bottle of wine to our Dad for Christmas, Pahlmeyer's Priorietary Red 2007. Yummm! Pahlmeyer has always been a favourite of mine, and this one is especially highly rated by the judges. 2007 was known to be a phenomenal year for Napa reds for the ideal growing conditions that year presented.

Fast forward to December 31st, 2011, my bro, bf and I had just finished yoga class with one of my favourite teachers. The theme of her class was to open up to what may be - every moment is new, every minute and every day is new, to open to what may come. At 6pm, we got to my dad's place and opened - the wine to decant. An hour later, we began our meal, and the wine had opened beautifully with everything!

My dad's au naturale grilled grass-fed ribeye steaks and homemade morel mushroom sauce went perfectly with the Proprietary Red that opened up to rich dark berries, cassis, and cocoa notes. "Cheers!" we happily clinked our glasses.

Our evening progressed to a buttery finish as we shared some Walkers biscuits and the famous Vancouver Notte's Bon Ton cake, that melted in our mouths for a sweet finish to 2011.

On second thought, this moment is perfect. I may be under the weather right now (and only temporarily so), but my 2012 is full, as my heart is open (as it will always be).

St. Supery tasting at Google

How do you judge wine? For most of us, we're having wine while socializing with others, whether at a happy hour or at dinner or at an event. During those times, it may be hard to take note of all the things we taste in a wine. What we may remember most is whether we like the wine or not.

Such was the case during this evening's brief tasting event. The St. Supery team came out to Google and had a full range available for tasting - their Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, and Moscato.

I was impressed by how delicate the Sauvignon Blanc was, and it went great with the paired oysters! This is a wine that I felt can hold its own with or without food, with its melon and slight chrysanthemum aromas.

The Cab, on the other hand, was unbalanced with excessive oak.

The Petit Verdot was surprisingly tasty! This grape is traditionally used as a blending grape in Bordeaux blends to add tannin, colour, and to strengthen the mid-palate. Since the varietal generally ripens later than most other grapes, there is a higher risk of losing the crop and thus, may not always be used. Perhaps California has just the perfect weather for ripening the grapes given the warm sunny and more predictable climate. This wine was full, easy to drink, and nicely fruit forward. This wine can be enjoyed at a casual dinner or cheese picnic.

Interestingly, St. Supery provided cocktail recipes for its Moscato. Generally, I drink wine for its own character, so to be introduced as a cocktail ingredient was a new concept! When I tasted the Moscato, I could understand why. This wine had all the honeysuckle and rose flavours that a general Moscato offers, and at the same time, it's simple. This wine would definitely enhance a cocktail well!

I enjoyed the tasting and the energy of the St. Supery gang. It was a great way to start the evening before attending the Cirque du Soleil performance in San Jose, Ovo! At the end of the day, that's what's most meaningful, that we're enjoying ourselves with our wine, whether we taste pear or honeysuckle or blueberries or dark cherries or vanilla or spice!

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. 

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.

Lancaster Holiday Party

The holiday season warmed up quickly in Lancaster's wine caves this afternoon! We were greeted by winemaker Jennifer Higgins with her infamous smile as we made our way towards the heart of the candlelit caves. Since we arrived early, we were able to admire the spread of steak bruschetta, ahi tuna tartare, duck wraps, quiche, loving spoonful bites, and cheeses, all cascading from two ends of the caves. A choir sang harmoniously in the center while the wine never stopped flowing. Time was non-existent as everyone glowed in the holiday cheer. This afternooon also marks the special release of the new Nicole's! One taste, and you'll just know this is special. Paired with the dark chocolate cups Lancaster served, the experience becomes phenomenol.

Tasting notes

Nicole's Proprietary Red 2005

Stunningly smooth, this Cab blend is vibrant with ripe dark summer berries, oak spice, and hint of coffee. Densely layered with a gracefuly lasting finish. This is my favourite of Lancaster's wines.

Samantha's Sauvignon Blanc 2007

Pure and round, tropical pineapple, passionfruit, and citrus notes dance lightly to an elegant finish. A very polished wine.

With Challenges come Character

A friend shared with me, after hip hop class this evening, the challenges that she was going through at the moment. One of those times when everything goes wrong and things are just tough.

Another friend and I were talking on the drive home and she says, "When things go wrong, that's when we build character."

As much as this applies in our lives, I realize that the same principal is what makes one of my favorite wines, Shafer's Hillside Select so special!

Hillside grapes have many conditions that cause for struggling. Vines grown on the hillside are starved of nutrients due to natural runoff, and are thus less fertile. In addition, erosion leaves only a thin and shallow layer of soil. In the case of Stag's Leap where Shafer's Hillside Select is grown, the ground is of rock with shallow volcanic soil. This results in less than half the fruit per acre grown on these vines as compared to the average Napa vine. Grape clusters are tiny.....

...giving way to each grape being full of colour and bursting with concentrated flavours! As I tasted the 1994, 1997, and 2001 Hillside's, I'm mesmerized by the uniqueness of each wine, well-balanced complexity, and elegantly long lingering flavours.

Tough times in our lives may just be that secret ingredient that makes us grow into extraordinary individuals.