Ringing in 2013

Start of the New Year, First thing to mind - Start 2013 Big! My new husband and I were inspired to make Osso Buco and with this Italian dish, my taste buds led me to Seghesio's ultra big Venom! It's as potent as the name suggests, and this 2005 vintage showed perfectly to this occasion - softened tannins led way to rich plum, blueberry, cloves, cigar, deep rose flavours. The nicely balanced acidity enriched our tender entree and accentuated the sweetness of the braised onions, celery, carrots.

All the more special, coincidentally, my dad and brother enjoyed a Venom this same night 1,000 miles north in Vancouver!

Note for future, gouda's are not great pairings, nor is Epoisse - these were the cheeses we picked up in the last few days, and so we had with the wine. Next time, perhaps milder cheeses, or ones with more fruit, less salt...

2013 is a year for experimentation, we can only learn from them :)

Celebrating Summer Solstice!

There's something about Summer that makes everyone happy - full of energy! Grapes growing, flowers blooming, the sun is up longer. As the longest day of the year, my fiancée and I found the perfect wine - it was as bright and vibrant as the day - the Flowers 2007 Chardonnay. Its golden hues glimmered to the sunset, flavours of vanilla and honeysuckle lingered through light apricot tones. Super yummy with the ginger spiced button mushrooms, tandoori and tinga chicken and roasted sprouts. People admire flowers for their beauty, and life when it is bright, as with this wine, which reminds me of a really cool new cliché I came across today - whether the glass is half empty or half full, there is clearly more room for wine!

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!

Charles Krug Sauvignon Blanc

I've lived in California for about 5 years and it's hard to believe that I haven't tried a wine from Napa Valley's very 1st winery until tonight! Charles Krug, founded in 1861 by the ambitious 27 year old immigrant, ran as a major producer in Napa that shaped much of the wine-making practices of the region. After Charles passed away and the prohibition, the winery was sold to the Mondavi couple, Cesare and Rosa, in 1943. The Mondavi family has operated the winery since while creating a new legend of their own.

As I sip the 2008 Sauvignon Blanc, I'm amazed at how this pioneering winery's creation exhibits the grace of Napa Valley, marrying a traditional grape varietal with a modern character of natural subtlety. The Sauvignon Blanc is unexpected without the usual wild grassy flavours that you'd find in a typical California Sauvignon Blanc. Rather, it displays a balanced spectrum of happy grapefruit, orange zest, and peony bouquet. How inspiring it is to have a wine that is classic to its roots and at the same time, continues to set itself apart from the crowd!

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.

A Donkey & Goat

I first came across A Donkey and Goat while dining at Coco500 a year ago; the name jumped out from the wine list. While the wine was served, its label noticeably displayed a donkey and a goat, side-by-side like old best friends. What's the symbolism behind this pair, I had wondered, while enjoying the wine that went so gracefully with the food that evening.

A year later, it was a hot summer evening on August 27th, A Donkey and Goat came to Google's Wine Wednesday. Jared and Tracy Brandt, the couple behind the intriguing wine, traveled from their winery in Berkeley to share their recent releases on the tech giant's campus. Technology and wine... is there a connection?

Ah, the Spirit of entrepreneurship. Jared and Tracy were once in the heart of the tech wave in Silicon Valley. When the industry contracted, the couple ventured to explore a new passion: wine-making in the Rhone Valley of France. At Wednesday's wine event, Jared shared some of his experiences unique to France, such as harvesting techniques that were enhanced by a wine toast between each batch!

On the spotlight at Wine Wednesday were three new releases: Three Thirteen, The Recluse, and the Reserve Syrah.

Tasting notes

Three Thirteen 2006
This Rhone blend of Syrah, Mourvedre, and Grenache was the most popular amongst Googlers. A dark cherry coloured wine, aromas of warm spice, plum, red pepper and a hint of coffee bean blend together nicely. This elegantly earthy, medium bodied wine paired well with the smoked salmon with creme fraiche, and the duck in blackberry and black truffle served by the Google cafe.

The Recluse 2006, Anderson Valley Syrah
The bold wine exudes confidence! Think of a baked blackberry pie, oolong tea, Venezuelan chocolate, and cigar. This deep wine is a keeper for aging and will pair well with meaty dishes. The lamb on croquette served this evening was a perfect companion.

Reserve Syrah 2005
The complexity of this Syrah makes it very mysterious. A well-balanced wine, boysenberry and dried fig aromas are enveloped with wet forest earth and tobacco. The finish reminds me of a rainbow breaking out at the end of a morning of rain.

Now - What does the Donkey and Goat represent? The story goes: Jared and Tracy noticed in France that donkeys weeded farms, and that a goat was a donkey's companion that provided a calming effect on the donkey. It's a perfect balance between work and leisure, a balance within the wines, and the balance between taking life (and wine) seriously, and having fun with it!