Monterey Wines 25th Winemaker Celebration

What could be better than tasting good wines while sampling good food with good people on a beautiful day in a beautiful setting? The simple answer, is not much.

In the beautiful hamlet of Carmel by the sea, with some great local chefs serving small bites complemented by Monterey Wines make the 'Monterey Wines 25th Winemaker Celebration' a very enjoyable event. This is one of Monterey’s premier wine events. The event showcases both the established and small production wineries of Monterey County and its sub-appellations, including Arroyo Seco, Carmel Valley, Chalone, Hames Valley, Monterey, San Antonio Valley, and Santa Lucia Highlands.

This year we were privileged to be given complimentary VIP passes from Monterey Wines. As VIP's we gained early access at 12:00 noon for a more intimate experience by being some of the first in. New to this year's VIP experience was valet parking. Valet parking was a wonderful addition to the experience and a real classy touch. Another classy touch is the availability to get a designated driver ticket and because of all the great small bites not a bad event for the non drinkers and those that sacrifice for the good of the team.

Traffic was light and the easy convenient VIP parking meant we were way early and so a stop in to visit the lovely ladies at Caraccioli Cellars for a starter glass of bubbles was in order. As we sipped our bubbles we watched as the last of the setting up was completed.

Having attended this even a number of times there were no great surprises (a good thing). The wines and food are always satisfying and the event well run. This year we made an extra effort to taste all the whites and not get drawn in too early on the reds and miss some good white wine experiences. After all there are a ton of different ones to taste. Monterey has 53 different wine grape varieties, 30 of which have more than 20 acres of vineyards per varietal. Chardonnay (40%) and Pinot Noir (15%) are the two largest wine grape varietals grown in Monterey County and there are some world class ones made here.

On the food side there were a lot of options but a couple of our favorites (we like simple foods) were the pork belly and beans from La Balena in Carmel and a Salmon and wild rice from the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Oh and the potatoe chips from 400deg Burger. On the dessert side, the cannoli's from Little Napoli right there on Delores and the Mini Bunt cakes from Nothing Bunt Cakes were lip smacking good!

Tasted a number of good wines, really good wines. Finding some that stand out would be easier if the event was not so much fun. With that being said a couple of the wines that stood out. On the white side there were -
Caraccioli Cellars Brut Cuvee - Joyce Vineyards Albarino and Dry Reisling - Scratch Wines Dry Reisling - Odonata Wines Sparkling Rose - Blair Chardonnay - Manzoni Wines Chardonnay and Wrath Wines Sauvignon Blanc.

On the red side Wrath Wines San Saba Pinot Noir - Manzoni Wines Syrah - Scrath Wines Grenache and the most amazing breakfast drink was a breakfast bloody Mary to get one through the day from Mulligans Public House. These are just a few of the wonderful wines we tasted.

Against what the weather reports had predicted it was a spectacular day, and we thank Monterey Wines for giving us the hook up. We look forward to this event every year as somehow it just seems to get better. The Monterey Wines 25th Winemaker Celebration was truly a celebration of wonderful Monterey Wine and Food and an event not to miss.

Happy Wine Adventures,

Cheers,

WineWalkabout 

A Red wine reduction sauce... You are welcome

What is the biggest difference between your home cooked steaks and the ones you get at a restaurant?
A RED WINE REDUCTION SAUCE!

For having a little of that restaurant taste at home when you want to step it up a notch... You are welcome! Whip this up and enjoy...

Ingredients:

• 1/2 red onion, fine diced
• 2 stalks celery, fine diced
  
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 tablespoon flour
• Cracked Pepper
• Sea Salt
• 3/4 cup red wine (Cabernet wine for a more earthy taste, Shiraz for a fruitier taste.)

Directions:

Sauté the onion, celery, garlic, and rosemary in the butter over low-medium heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour in red wine and bring to a simmer until about half the liquid evaporates. Serve over your meat of choice (New York Steak is our favorite). 

Happy Wine Adventures,

Bon Appétit,

WineWalkabout 

Summer of 2017 Europe, two different trips

So no trips to Australia or New Zealand this year! WHAT!!! This year is the year of Europe. Specifically a tour around France and a river cruise from Paris to Prague. Each of us is looking at the advantages and disadvantages of taking a small group with us next time and trying to decide which trip gives the best value and experience.

Ideally we would both be on both trips but the bank accounts have limits as does the amount of vacation time available.

So for the tour of France, Chris (Kiwi) has enlisted the help of our French connection, Duncan. Duncan has previously helped out with tastings and as a bonus has an enviable collection of french wines and a much better knowledge of France. The two couples will be doing a loop through the country and hitting some real highlights.

This is the itinary,
DEPART SFO to PARIS CDG
DAY 1 May 6th
Paris, St Germaine for 4 days
DAY 5 May 11th for 2 days
Bayeux, Normandy
Day 7 May 13th 3 days
Amboise, LoirValley
Day 16 May 16th for 3 days

Sarlat, Dordogne Valley
DAY 19  May 19th for 2 days
Bordeaux City
DAY 21 May 21st 1 day
Charles DeGalle, Paris
FLY HOME

For Trev's adventure, a small group river cruise with Viking River Cruises. The cruise selected was done so for timing, length and availability.
The selected trip, Cities of light, Paris to Prague.

DAY 1
Paris, France
Tue July 18, 2017 Flight in AM. Wandering Paris
DAY 2
Paris, France
Wed July 19, 2017

Morning A Taste of Paris Shore Excursion
DAY 3
Paris, France
Thu July 20, 2017
Day trip to Versailes
Late Dinner at 58 Eiffel Restaurant (Tower)
DAY 4
Paris, France
Fri July 21, 2017

Morning Paris City Tour Shore Excursion

DAY 5
Trier, Germany
Sat July 22, 2017

Afternoon Luxembourg City Tour & American Cemetery
DAY 6
Trier, Germany
Sun July 23, 2017

Morning Trier City Tour Shore Excursion

DAY 7
Cochem, Germany
Mon July 24, 2017

Morning Cochem Walking Tour & Reichsburg Castle
DAY 8
Koblenz, Germany
Tue July 25, 2017

Morning Marksburg Castle Tour Shore Excursion
DAY 9
Heidelberg, Germany
Wed July 26, 2017

Morning Heidelberg Full-Day Excursion with Student Lunch
DAY 10
Würzburg, Germany
Thu July 27, 2017

Morning Würzburg Residenz & Walk Shore Excursion

DAY 11
Bamberg, Germany
Fri July 28, 2017

Afternoon Franconian Countryside Tour Shore Excursion
DAY 12
Bamberg, Germany
Sat July 29, 2017

Morning Nuremberg City Tour Shore Excursion
DAY 13
Prague, Czech Republic
Sun July 30, 2017 Morning Prague City Tour Shore Excursion
Afternoon Jewish Prague Shore Excursion
DAY 14
Prague, Czech Republic
Mon July 31, 2017

Prague breakfast - Fight out. 

Follow along on Instagram and see if you may wish to join us (sign up to show interest on the Travel Adventures tab) in the next year or so on another magical wine adventure.

Happy Wine Adventures,

Cheers,

WineWalkabout 

Make A Magnifique French Pear Tart

Oh what a lovely pear...

In celebration of our impending visits to France (both of them) we though this might help us share the excitement. Yes we are both going, but at different times and on different types of trips to try to decide what kind of tour to organize for the future. So here you go... bon appétit

Make A Magnifique French Pear Tart

It's no secret that the French have turned baking into an art form. As we anticipate our upcoming cruise, we thought you might like to create your own artistic expression using sliced pears and Frangipane, a sweet, almond-flavored pastry cream, to enjoy.

Ingredients

3 firm ripe Anjou or Bartlett pears

PASTRY DOUGH:
1¼ C (156 g) all purpose flour, additional for dusting Pinch of salt
4 T (48 g) baker's sugar
½ C (115 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 lg egg yolks
¼ tsp (1 ml) vanilla extract
1 T (15 ml) cold water

FRANGIPANE:
⅓ C (76 g) unsalted butter
¾ C (144 g) granulated sugar
3 lg eggs
¾ C (64 g) ground almonds
1½ T (12 g) all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp (½ ml) almond extract

GLAZE:

¼ C (80 g) apricot jam
1 tsp (5 ml) lemon juice
GARNISH:
2 tsp (10 g) slivered almonds 

Directions

PASTRY DOUGH:

Sift together flour and salt; make a well in the middle. Put sugar, butter, egg yolks, vanilla and water into well and work together gently to form a firm dough. Cover and chill for 2 hours. Roll out gently on a lightly floured surface to cover a 9-inch (23 cm) fluted quiche or tart pan. Press dough firmly into pan, cutting off any excess. Prick bottom of dough with a fork several times. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Line dough with parchment or foil and place a layer of pie weights or dry beans on bottom. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Lower temperature to 375°F (190°C); remove paper and weights and bake for 5 minutes or until golden. Remove from heat and let cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F (176°C).

FRANGIPANE:

Mix butter and sugar until creamy. Add eggs, ground almonds, flour and extract; stir to combine. Spoon into crust.

Peel, core and slice pears. Arrange slices in an attractive pattern over top of frangipane. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until pears are tender and lightly browned. Remove from heat and let cool on a wire rack.

GLAZE:

Melt jam in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in lemon juice. Remove from heat and push mixture through a sieve. Brush glaze over pears then sprinkle with slivered almonds.

SERVING SUGGESTION:

Serve with crème anglaise, fresh raspberries or vanilla ice cream.

• Prep time: 25 minutes.
• Chill time: 2 hours, 20 minutes.
• Cook time: 57 minutes.
• Nutritional info per serving:
• Calories 485
• Fat 31 g
• Cholesterol 211 mg
• Sodium 37 mg
• Carbs 49 g
• Protein 8 g 

They say this makes 8 servings but we think its more like 4... bon appétit

Happy Wine Food Adventures,

Cheers,

WineWalkabout

James Suckling and Great Wines of Italy 2017

The final stop for 'James Sucklings Great Wines of Italy' tour took us to San Francisco. This is our third year attending this great event. The event has stops all over the world. From Hong Kong, Bangkok and in the USA in Miami, New York, Beverly Hills and the event we attended at the Golden Gate Club in San Francisco.

On what was a beautiful late winters day in San Francisco we lined up and went in to taste some Great Wines of Italy. So rumor has it that James tasted close to 4,000 Italian wines in 2016 to have the ability to assemble the wines at the event. As we collected our 90 point James Suckling tasting glass it was off to the races and off to randomly taste some wonderful Italian wines. For the first tastes we went after some lovely whites, but is was not long before we were tempted by some young Italian lady (no not like that, ok maybe a little bit) who poured some beautiful reds. As we wandered around we tasted one lovely wine after another, and then when comparing our individual experiences were constantly using way too many superlatives. We are always (and shouldn't be)  amazed at how much we love all these wines. From whites to reds, from Puglia to Veneto on the east and Piedmont to Sicily on the West there are so many tasty, well made food friendly, generally affordable great Italian wines.

The charcuterie stations at each of the three tasting rooms were also perfect, and unlike most events well stocked. Having more great cured meats than any event ever attended and some lovely cheeses it was spot on!

Our new best mate!

The crowd is a mix of industry and enthusiastic punters and this year all fairly well behaved (they must have known we were watching). Now while we did get stuck into it there were a good number of wines unfortunately we did not get to. We did however meet some new best friends as is the usual theme with Italians. One in particular that we had a great conversation with was Gian Luigi Maravalle of Tenuta Vitalonga . He kept inviting us to come visit him. We even warned him that it was highly probable that we would show up and he still said come come.

The wines were amazing. So many lovely Italian wines all in one place made for a wonderful evening of wine tasting pleasure. James is a great host and he is always on the move talking with both sides of the tasting table. There is an obvious respect from the producers towards James and from him to them and this just adds to the feel of this wonderful event.

Our other new best mate...

For added entertainment Adelaide Australia's Surahn Sidhu will managed the DJ booth with fantastic wine tasting beats just as he did the previous year. Nice to see a home town boy (at least for one of us) having a good time and doing well. Great to have a chat and catch up a bit as well.

As we tried to compile a list of favorites it became very obvious that we really enjoyed everything we tasted and trying to pick a top 3 or 5 was proving to be really hard. These were an amazing collection of wonderful wines and we decided that, yes, they were all winners for having been invited by James to be a part of his tour. So congratulations to all the producers pouring their wines as you are all winners!

This truly was a wonderful event and we would like to thank James for the invite and the great hospitality and wine. If you can get to one of Jame's events, do it!

Happy Wine Adventures,

Cheers,

WineWalkabout

Domaine Hatzimichalis from Greece

Basket-trained Assyrtico vines on Santorin

The following wines were provided for our drinking pleasure...

2015 ASSYRTIKO DOMAINE HATZIMICHALIS

Assyrtiko [ A seer' tee ko ] Assyrtiko is one of Greece’s finest multi-purpose white grape varieties. It was first cultivated on the island of Santorini, where it has developed a unique character producing excellent wines. Assyrtiko has the ability to maintain its acidity as it ripens. It's typically a very dry wine that has citrus aromas mixed with a mineral aftertaste. It is naturally resistant to most diseases which is another reason why it has become a popular grape, re-planted throughout Greece.

See the Video

This Assyrtiko is from the selected vineyard "Alepotrypa", located around the Domaine Hatzimichalis winery, in the heart of Kalliaro Field, Atalantι Valley. The Greek, multipurpose variety Assyrtiko reveals an extremely complex and attractive character. The valley of Atalanti in Central Greece is surrounded by Mt. Knimida to the north, Mt. Chlomo to the south, Mt. Parnassus to the west and the northern Eubean Gulf to the east. The main natural trait of this ecosystem and its uniqueness is the cool breezes that flow from Mt Parnassus to the sea and vice-versa. It is in
the selected vineyard "Alepotrypa" in the heart of Kalliaro Field in Atalanti Valley, where this Greek Assyrtiko found ideal soil to develop its distinctive personality.

So lets taste this Greek white wine and see what we think...

On the nose - Aromas of citrus and ripe yellow fruit frame a subtle minerality.
On the palate - In the mouth that citrus promise is fulfilled and with lovely stone fruit flavors being noted it balances perfectly with the nice balanced acidity leading to a long fruity finish and revitalizing freshness. Technically speaking it makes you go 'mmmmmm'.
This is an expressive Assyrtiko perfect to accompany summer dishes or the perfect wine to start those summer gatherings with. Great value and tasting wine, **** and 7 on the official Rating Scale.

Next up was the 2009 DOMAINE HATZIMICHALIS Cabernet Sauvignon. This was a bit of a surprise as we were expecting perhaps some other Greek wine. The Cab is a good value wine. From selected vineyards of the Hatzimichalis Estate private owned vineyard in Atalanti Valley, Central Greece. So lets get to the tasting and see what we think...

On the nose - between the four of us we collectively noticed aromas of dark fruits like blueberry, blackberry, plum and a hint of earth and tobacco.
On the palate - This wine would like to be decanted if opened within the next few years as the tightness took some coaxing to get to open up, but once it relaxed exposing a fairly well-structured wine with those dark fruits and earthy flavors just like the nose promised.  With its rich and complex flavors and persistent mouth-filling tannins holding on at the finish this is a wine that's wants to be paired with a meal of lamb, spare ribs or grilled steak. We paired the cab with a Greek style pizza and it worked nicely. They say it is best served at 61-64 °F. We agree! Again a great value at **** and a 6 on the Official Scale.



A couple of very nice, very affordable wines from DOMAINE HATZIMICHALIS. We look forward to tasting some of their other releases in the future.


Happy Wine Adventures,

Cheers,

WineWalkabout

Paso Robles Rhone Rangers 2017

We recently had the pleasure of again joining the 45+ members of the Paso Robles Chapter of the Rhone Rangers for a day in Paso Robles Wine Country with some of America’s leading producers of Rhone varietals. We always enjoy these events and trying not only old favorites but new producers as well. We were to explore what makes Paso Robles so ideal for these grape vines and wines. Due to a previous commitment we could not attend the days "Rhone Essentials" Seminar (went last year and were very impressed, do not miss) where this year the attendees got to taste a top example of each of the primary categories of Paso Robles Rhone wines and also heard from winemakers and principals who have chosen to be Rhone Rangers in Paso Robles, and who are helping to forge the area's reputation as California's "Rhone Zone".
The seminar panel was moderated by Elaine Brown, American Specialist for JancisRobinson.com, contributing writer with Wine & Spirits Magazine and columnist at Wine Business Monthly.

The wineries and speakers representing the major categories were:
Viognier: Ranchero Cellars 2015 Viognier (Amy Butler, Proprietor)
Roussanne: Tablas Creek Vineyard 2014 Roussanne (Jason Haas, Partner)
White Rhone Blend: J. Lohr 2015 Gesture 'RVG' (Kristen Barnhisel, Winemaker)
Dry Rose: Shale Oak 2015 Grenache/Syrah Rose (Curtis Haskall, Winemaker)
Grenache: Niner Wine Estates 2014 Grenache (Patrick Muran, Winemaker)
Mourvedre: Vines on the Marycrest 2013 Mourvedre (Victor Abascal, Proprietor)
Red Rhone Blend: Brecon Estate 2014 '42' (Damian Grindley, Proprietor, Winemaker)
Syrah: Kukkula 2014 'Noir' (Kevin Jussila, Proprietor)
Petite Sirah: Tooth & Nail 2014 'The Stand' (Jeremy Leffert, Winemaker)
After this those that attended enjoyed the Vintners' lunch  where each table was joined by a Rhone Rangers principal or winemaker for a gourmet banquet lunch prepared by Chef Jeffery Scott. Throughout lunch, members' Rhone wines were passed freely around the tables, while attendees enjoy an extended opportunity to interact with the producers.

 
We arrived at Broken Earth Winery, on Highway 46 just east of Paso Robles, to enjoy the Grand Tasting & Silent Auction and to taste nearly 150 wines from the complete membership of the Paso Robles Rhone Rangers, including top single Rhone varietals and the best in Rhone blends. During the Grand Tasting we placed a few bids on lots donated by Rhone Rangers member wineries and help support the Rhone Rangers scholarship fund (no winning this year)! 

Tercero from the
Santa Barbara Chapter

There was an added bonus this year as a few producers from the Santa Barbara Chapter were invited and added some wonderful wines. 

Being the professional drinkers, tasters that we are, we developed a plan to get in a good cross section of wines, knowing that all 150 would be a tall order even for us. The plan was derailed a bit as we found a few producers that caught our attention. 

For a full list of Paso Robles Rhone Rangers member wineries, click here. We tasted some lovely wines and won't bore you with the typical list of wines, producers and tasting notes but instead mention a few that got our attention as standouts in a high quality field.

From a producer standpoint the following list (in no particular order) were impressive across the line of wines they were pouring,

Alta Colina - Tablas Creek - Tercero (Santa Barbara) - Red Soles - Brecon Estate - Mitchella - Vina Robles

Vina Robles also poured our favorite wine of the day. Their 2014 Terra Bella Syrah. A well balanced wine that is a great example of what a great Syrah can be.

Tickets for the seminar and lunch were $90, and seminar/lunch attendees receive free entry into the Grand Tasting. Tickets for the Grand Tasting were merely $35, an absolute steal!

If you love wine, and Rhone wines in particular, make sure to mark your caledar and dont miss next years event. We will see you there...

Happy Wine Adventures,

Cheers,

WineWalkabout

Summer is nearly here.

It's been raining, and California has been closed! Ok not really, but wow what a wet winter it has been and just in the nick of time to save us from the drought. But as we close out February and work through March our minds go to winetasting in the Spring and summer. Now you may think its just off on any given weekend to any one of the dozens of winetasting regions in California for a few tipples and a smashing weekend. Not so fast oh eager one. California has a very big variable that can make or break a wine weekend. Some areas will reach 110 deg in the middle of summer and some combine heat and humidity for that ever so lovely 'my body is leaking and it wont stop' feeling. Lets face it, some areas are just potentially not a great choice for July through September. That being said there at some that are. Lets look at a series of tasting times and some corresponding events for different regions of California.

Paso Robles Rhone Rangers Experience

Sun, 02/19/2017 - 10:30am (look for the 2018 event)

The 45+ members of the Paso Robles Chapter of the Rhone Rangers invite you to join them for a day in Paso Robles Wine Country with some of America’s leading producers of Rhone varietals as we explore what makes Paso Robles so ideal for these great grapes and wines.

Vintage Paso: Zinfandel Weekend

March 17 - 19, 2017
Various Wineries
Paso Robles
Raise a glass to Paso Robles' first wine, Zinfandel at Vintage Paso: Zinfandel Weekend

Lodi Wine & Food Festival

April 1, 2017

Ole Mettler Grape Pavilion at the Lodi Grape Festival Grounds
Lodi. The Lodi Wine and Food Festival is the total wine and food experience right in the heart of Lodi, the 2015 Wine Region of the Year.

Santa Cruz Mountains April 2017 Passport Day

April 15, 2017

Participating Santa Cruz Mountains Wineries
Aptos

Passport aficionados are welcomed into 50+ wineries throughout the Santa Cruz Mountains, each offering a unique winery experience.

Pebble Beach Food & Wine

April 20 - 23, 2017

Venues throughout Pebble Beach

Pebble Beach

Pebble Beach celebrates the tenth anniversary of its premiere epicurean event.

35th Annual Paso Robles Wine Festival

May 18 - 21, 2017

Various Paso Robles Locations
Paso Robles

The 35-year old festival, one of the largest outdoor wine festivals in California, features more than 70 of the region’s finest wineries.

SLH Gala XI

May 20, 2017

Join more forty stellar wineries pouring some of the world’s best from the Santa Lucia Highlands, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah. For many of our artisan vintners, this is their one public tasting of the year.

The 41st Annual Wine Festival
Fri, Jun 9, 2017, 6:00 PM –
Sun, Jun 11, 2017, 3:00 PM

Where Wonderful Views Collide with Legendary Wines. Now in its 41st year The Monterey Wine Festival has established itself as the premier wine & food event in Monterey. 

These are just a handful of events to choose from, of just a few wine areas. All are probably in good weather periods. At least your odds are better. Nappa and paso are definitely late spring and late fall, whereas Monterey is almost an any time of year destination although summer can be foggy and cool.

 

Happy Wine Adventures,

Cheers,

WineWalkabout