Last week I decided to try something different at one of my Vino Virtuoso wine tastings - using Jelly Bellys as a wine tasting tool. Bizarre, right? A bit. But kinda fun, too.
Wine X Magazine paired with Jelly Belly to create the Jelly Bean Wine Bar - a fun way to "deliver true flavors associated with specific wine varietals/styles". Each kit contains a "recipe" for a specific varietal or style of wine. The idea is to follow the recipe by gathering the specific flavor Jelly Bellys, pop them all into your mouth at once and chew (and chew...and chew....) until they combine to create the flavor of the specific wine you are researching. A fun idea. Did it work??
I ordered the generic "Red Wine Flavors" kit for this first experience. The kit came with the following flavors: Blackberry, Strawberry, Cherry, Raspberry, Blueberry, Berry Blue, Plum, Cola, Pink Grapefruit, Cappuccino, Grape, Berry and Pepper. At the wine tasting, we tasted a total of six different wines - three whites and three reds. The reds were a Malbec, a Petite Sirah and a blend. The kit came with recipes for Malbec and Petite Sirah, so we used those. The instructions that came with the Jelly Belly Wine Bar said that the jelly beans should be tasted after you finished tasting the wines (unless you were tasting dessert wines). Obviously, the highly sugared candies wouldn't go well with the wine but tasting them after the wine was done and trying to recreate the flavors from memory was a bit disappointing to the guests at the wine tasting.
After tasting the wines, we all gathered around the pretty little candies. We started by tasting each of the candies individually and talking about the flavors - how true they were to the real thing, which flavors the guests remembered experiencing in the wines they had just tasted, which flavors they were surprised to find in wine. Once we had tasted each of the flavors by themselves, we follwed the "recipes" provided for Malbec and Petite Sirah. First of all, let me just say that putting upwards of five Jelly Bellys in your mouth at one time is a little...challenging. As we all attempted to masticate the candies in a polite fashion, we couldn't help but laugh at each other's faces. Laughing while attempting to masticate a huge mouthful of Jelly Bellys was a little messy, but highly amusing. Between the wine we had consumed and the sight of everyone chewing huge mouthfuls of gummy candies, I can assure you that hilarity ensued.
Once we recovered - and finished chewing - we talked about the experience. The bottom line is that everyone thought the Jelly Belly wine tasting was great fun and a novel idea but that it didn't add greatly to their wine tasting knowledge. The guests agreed that tasting the flavors individually - and also smelling them - was more helpful in learning the different flavors present in red wine than following a recipe and tasting them all together. To a person, everyone agreed that the "recipes" for the Malbec and the Petite Sirah tasted nothing like the actual wines. In fact, that many candies at once just seemed to end up tasting like a mouthful of sugar.
I think that the novelty and fun quotients of the Jelly Bean Wine Bar were definitely worth the price. It certainly loosened everyone up and had them laughing (or was that the wine?) The individual flavors were useful in helping people less familiar with the different flavors in wine to isolate and identify those flavors. I would use the Jelly Bean Wine Bar at a tasting again, but probably mostly for corporate events or tastings where I know there are people who are not extensively familiar with wine.
Side note: It was funny to note that the most popular flavor Jelly Belly out of all of them was Pepper! People ate them up and loved them! After following the recipes provided, everyone started concocting recipes of their own - the most popular being two Cappuccinos and one Pepper. Oddly, they were great together.
Everyone said they had a great time, so the experiment was a success in that regard. I couldn't help but wonder how many stomach aches there were later than night, though! :)
Cheers!
I was deeply saddened to learn on Friday of the death of Budge Brown in an airplane crash. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.
While I never met Budge Brown, he and his work - and his wine - touched my life. His passion for and support of breast cancer research were an inspiration to me in a very personal way. Back in January, I blogged an "Ode to Cleavage", talking about Cleavage Creek wines and the great work of Budge Brown. (http://winenotwhine.weebly.com/1/post/2011/01/ode-to-cleavage.html) I had planned on getting up to the new tasting room this summer. I am so sorry that I won't be able to meet and thank him personally.
We have one bottle of Cleavage Creek wine left in our racks right now. We've been saving it to bring to Europe with us this summer. We planned to drink it with my husband's mother, who is just finishing treatment for breast cancer. We wanted to share the story of the wine, the strong women on the labels and, of course, Budge Brown and his family, with her, while toasting her strength and recovery. We'll still drink it together, but now the toast will be much more bittersweet. Rest assured, though, that we will be lifting our glasses to Budge Brown and to his passion, hard work and lasting mark on the wine world, breast cancer research and on me, personally.
It's important to continue supporting Cleavage Creek Winery so that the great work Budge started is carried on. I know I'll do my part.
Thank you, Budge. You will be missed.
Well, not really, but I am on vacation, enjoying some sun, sand and cerveza in Mexico with my family. I'm sure there will be some wine, too (but no whine, not on vacation!). I received some great recommendations for Mexican wines before I left and am looking forward to trying some of them while in Mexico. Stay tuned for my report! 'Til then, hasta luego, baby!
I joined an exciting new company called Vino Virtuoso this past November during their “soft launch”. You may have heard me talk about it (and if not, you are about to!). In the past few months, I have completed the training, learned even more about wine and had a great time sharing my knowledge and love of wine during Vino Virtuoso wine tastings. The soft launch of the company has been very successful and now Vino Virtuoso is ready to go full steam ahead. Vino Virtuoso is looking for Wine Educators to help fill the demand for tastings. Curious? Read on.
Uncork your passion! Become a Wine Educator
Get in on the ground-floor of an exciting new concept. We’re looking for friendly individuals to conduct fun and educational wine tastings in homes and businesses in their area. If you love making new friends and learning about wine, then you’d be a perfect fit for Vino Virtuoso! Earn $50 - $250 per Tasting!100% Flexible Schedule!Full Training Provided!Carry Zero Inventory! Award-Winning Artisan Wines!
100% Risk-Free!
Learn More about Wine!
Join a Young & Exciting Company! For a limited time, Vino Virtuoso is offering a special launch promotion to new Wine Educators.
- Get started for 50% off. If you join by May 31, 2011, you will get your Virtuoso Kit ($600 retail value) for $94.50 – an extra 50% off the regular discounted price of $189.
- Earn a $50 bonus for every tasting you conduct. For every tasting that you conduct during your first 2 months as a Wine Educator, you will earn an extra $50 cash bonus – on top of the average income of $50 - $250 Wine Educators earn from each tasting!
- $100 Bonus for every new team member. If you are interested in mentoring new Wine Educators, you can earn a $100 cash bonus for every new Wine Educator you refer during your first two months. Plus, you’ll still earn up to 15% commission on your team members’ sales.
- 40% discount on personal wine orders. Celebrate your new VV business by stocking your cellar at a huge discount! Enjoy a 40% discount on up to 2 cases of wine if you join by May 31st.
Joining Vino Virtuoso as a Wine Educator is 100% risk free. If within 6 months of becoming a wine Educator you decide that Vino Virtuoso is not right for you, you can return your Virtuoso Kit for a 100% refund. No questions asked.
I joined Vino Virtuoso because I love wine. I wanted to learn more about it and help others learn more as well. In addition to the wine, a big reason for joining was to get out of the house, spend some time with grown ups and meet new people. So far, I’ve done all of these things! I’m looking forward to learning even more, getting out and spreading the love while meeting new people. Of course, the extra money certainly doesn’t hurt, either! If you’d like to ask me any questions about the company or about my experience with Vino Virtuoso, I’d be thrilled to talk to you. Otherwise, you can check it out online at www.VinoVirtuoso.com. Cheers!
Since our dinner at The French Laundry last Friday night, the second question (after “how was it?”) has invariably been “was it worth it?” I’ve given that some serious thought in the past few days.
Was it worth it? In a word, yes. Was it the most money we have ever spent on a meal? Yes. But we knew that would be the case long before we got there. We wouldn’t have gone through the hoops of making a reservation at the French Laundry if we weren’t willing to pay the piper. Then, we had the two months between making the reservation and our actual meal to get used to the fact that yes, it was going to cost a bloody fortune. In fact, by the time we saw the bill, we were able to giggle a little at the absurd number written at the bottom. (Of course, the liquid lubricant throughout the meal helped in that area!) Was the cost of every bite of food put in front of us that evening equal to the amount we paid? Probably not. But it’s not about the price of the ingredients. The better question is: was the amount of thought and care put into each dish, the artistry, the quality, the service, the EXPERIENCE, worth the price? Hell yes.
As I’ve said before, a great meal is about so much more than just the food. Or the wine. It is the convergence of time, place, company, food, wine. An alignment of the planets. In a word, the experience. Chef Keller says that “a great meal is an emotional experience”. I couldn’t agree more. The French Laundry followed through and provided an incredible emotional experience, an experience that was greater than the sum of its parts, one that we will remember for a long time. After years of wanting to eat there, years of hearing how great it is, the French Laundry not only lived up to our expectations, it exceeded them.
If you care to geek out about the details of our evening, please read on.
Our reservation was for 9:00pm. That was a bit worrisome at first as 9:00pm is pretty darn close to my usual bedtime. Luckily, after an early evening snack and some wine tasting at Maisonry before dinner, we managed to rally. I have to confess that I was actually a little nervous as we walked into the esteemed French Laundry. We were welcomed and asked to wait just a moment. When we were seated (only a few minutes past our reservation time – impressive), a gentleman took my coat and led us to a very nice table in the salon. The space was very warm and welcoming. Fireplace, low lights, carpet, candlelight. There was no artwork on the walls but (unlike at Benu) it actually worked and still managed to feel cozy.
The wait staff here are amazing. I lost count as to how many there actually were (a lot) but they all worked together like a well-oiled machine. It was pretty incredible. While they were very professional the entire evening, after some time and conversation our waiter loosened up and was very friendly. It’s all about how you, the customer, treat them, really.
Before I get to the food, let me tell you about the wine. If you know me at all, you know I am not a white wine drinker. Until recently, I couldn’t even recall the last time I drank a glass of white wine. But I recently decided it was time to give the white wines another chance and expand my horizons a bit. I’m so glad I did. I asked the waiter for a recommendation for a glass of white wine to start off with. The only parameters I gave were that it not be champagne or chardonnay. He recommended a 2009 Nigl Gruner Veltliner “Seftenberger Piri”. It was really different – full-bodied like a chardonnay but cleaner and crisper in flavor, more like a sauvignon blanc. It paired wonderfully with the first few seafood courses. (Note to self: try more Gruner Veltliners.)
Next, we had a bottle of Chateauneuf du Pape. It was good but I cannot for the life of me remember which one we ended up ordering. Guess it wasn’t really that important in the grand scheme of things, as the courses we drank it with were the best of the evening and outshone the wine anyway.
Finally, with the dessert, our waiter recommended a Hungarian dessert wine called Tokaji Aszú. Oh my, was this good! And I’m not a fan of dessert wines typically. The color was beautiful – kind of a peachy gold. The nose was apricots and honey and lemon, with a really intense, but not too sweet, palate - apricotty and elegant. The pairing with my dessert – a chocolate soufflé – was mind blowingly good. I loved this wine and am determined to find some to buy!
Okay, so, the food. The FL menu is a nine course chef's tasting menu. Before we even got started, they set three amuse-bouche type dishes on the table. There was a bite of a salmon terrine, two gougeres, and the famous salmon cone. All delicious (and much needed by 9:00pm!). We then made our way through the perfectly paced courses: (1) “oysters and pearls”, a dish of oysters and caviar in a sabayon; (2) hearts of palm salad; (3) halibut fillet with wild nettles, sunchokes, pine nuts and green garlic; (4) butter poached lobster mitts with peas and carrots; (5) Tete de Cochon (pigs head) with shitake mushrooms, green asparagus, hen egg emulsion and Dungeness crab; (6) lamb rib-eye with globe artichokes, piperade, barbajuan and capers; (7) Cavatina cheese with dried apricot, cauliflower, cilantro and peppercorns; (8) Gros Michel banana sorbet with French Laundry muesli and toasted oak milk; and (9) dessert, which for me was an incredible Valrhona Guanaja chocolate soufflé with salted caramel ice cream, cookie crumbs and a warm caramel sauce. To die for! Now, on top of those nine menu courses, we also received FL’s famous “coffee and doughnuts” – delicious little doughnut holes covered in sugar and cinnamon accompanied by an espresso semifreddo served in an espresso cup and topped with cream. So good. And, while we were making our way through our desserts (and slowing down, I might add), they put a tray of beautiful handmade truffles on the table. I regret to say that I did not try a single one of the truffles. I’m very sad about that. (They took the tray away before I had a chance to slip them into my purse.) So, we’re at what, 10 and ½ courses? Or if you count the amuse-bouche, 11 courses? Whichever way you count, it was a whole lot of absolutely incredible food. In fact, it was so good that I have a hard time picking my favorite course. The tete de cochon is definitely up there. As is the soufflé. However, the cheese course was one that made me stop, moan a bit and say to my husband, “this is the most perfect bite I think I’ve ever eaten.” So, there’s a good argument for the cheese course.
By this time it was close to 1:00am. When our waiter brought us the check, I asked him if we could have a tour of the kitchen. He said yes and I mentioned that we needed to call for a taxi first, and could we then see the kitchen while we waited. He came back to the table a moment later and said, “We’re going to take you back to your hotel.” I was so shocked that I think I may have actually uttered a “Huh?” Long story short, after seeing the kitchen and meeting Chef Timothy Hollingsworth, a member of the French Laundry staff drove us (in one of the BMW Hybrids at the disposal of the French Laundry) the 8 miles back to our hotel in Napa. Seriously? That alone went so far above and beyond the duty of any restaurant that we are still talking about it in amazement. I cannot begin to tell you how big an impression that simple act of kindness and courtesy, so wholly unexpected, made on me. It’s easy to understand why Chef Keller is so revered. And while I may not become a regular (ah, if only!), they have certainly gained my loyalty and appreciation.
So, more than four hours after we started, the evening was over. When we woke up the next morning one of the first things I said to Jason was, “I can’t believe they drove us home!” Of course, the second was, “Wow, that was good!” And, actually, the third thing, once I managed to get up and find the cute bag of shortbread cookies they sent us home with, was, “Oh my dog, these cookies are f*#%ing awesome!” (In addition to being melt-in-your-mouth buttery good, they also seemed to have some magical hangover cure qualities!)
Now the cookies are gone but we have the memory of a wonderful evening - and the famous French Laundry clothespin - to tide us over until our next visit.
Was it worth it? Yes. Yes. Yes.
(Huge thanks to my husband for an unforgetable Christmas present!)
Depending on who you talk to, we are either bad, selfish parents for dragging our girl around wine tasting with us or we are giving her an early exposure to and knowledge and appreciation of wine. Obviously, we prefer to think it's the latter. At age eight, my daughter knows more about wine than a lot of grown ups. We've been taking her wine tasting with us since before she could walk. With a couple of notable exceptions, most wineries welcome well-behaved children and even go out of their way to treat them well. As Jim Morris of Michel-Schlumberger said (as he poured my girl a glass of sparkling cider), "I'm securing my future customers thirteen years in advance." I love that! We spent this past President's Weekend in Healdsburg. Our goal for this trip was to try new-to-us wineries instead of going to our tried and true favorites (with a quick exception). We kept the schedule fairly low-key, hitting 8 wineries over 2 days. We spent time with some fabulous people and found some new favorite wineries. Of the 8 we visited, the following are our Top 3 finds of the weekend (in order visited). It's no coincidence that all three wineries not only had excellent wines, but they each provided an "experience", a personal touch, and treated my daughter like a real person. Carol Shelton Wines (www.carolshelton.com)
I was thrilled to be able to briefly meet Carol after speaking with her on the telephone. She and her husband were on their way to San Francisco for the Chronicle Wine Competition but took the time to say hello, and Joanne took excellent care of us in the tasting room. Carol Shelton is cited as the most awarded winemaker in the U.S. and has been honored as Winemaker of the Year numerous times. After tasting her wines, I see why. After years of working with top winemakers and wineries, Carol and her husband, Mitch, launched Carol Shelton Wines in 2000, focusing on zinfandel. You can read more about Carol Shelton and her wines on her website. Of the many (and there were a lot!) wines we tasted on Saturday, there wasn't a bad one in the bunch (I even loved the Rhone style white, Coquille Blanc). One that stands out even a few days later is the 2007 Rocky Reserve Zin. This Zin from the Rockpile appellation (one of my favorites) is a really elegant wine with notes of very dark chocolate and blackberry fruit, with some pepper and oak on the finish. I can't wait to see how this one ages - if I can keep from drinking it! Carol Shelton wines range in price from $15 to $52, with most bottles at $33. If you join the wine club, you get a discount of 20%. Rather than bore you with description after description of each of the wines we tasted, I encourage you to try some of Carol's wines. You can even try six of her wines in the comfort of your own home by ordering a tasting kit, either through her web site or through www.tastingroom.com. You won't be sorry!
Michel-Schlumberger (www.michelschlumberger.com)
We had talked about stopping here many times and just hadn't made it. This trip, we had the incentive of trying their wines and meeting some people I had gotten to know on Twitter. Talk about the best of both worlds! Michel-Schlumberger is a little bit off the main track in Dry Creek Valley but well worth the extra few minutes drive. It is spectacularly beautiful. We didn't take advantage of any of their tours this time but plan to change that very soon. The tasting room is a very different experience than most. You feel like you're walking into a friend's house, complete with tables and comfortable chairs. It was such a nice change of pace to have a seated tasting. We were met by Jim Morris and Deborah Kravitz of Michel-Schlumberger, along with the Housmans, and were made to feel like old friends. I feel like I first need to say something very important: I liked the 2007 La Brume Chardonnay ($25) so much that I - wait for it - bought a bottle (Jason was thrilled). I know! I, too, wondered if the world was coming to an end. Anyway, the Chardonnay was fabulous. As I rarely (ok, never) drink it, I don't know much about it, but the tasting menu describes it as being a classic Burgundian style Chardonnay with creamy balance and minerality with flavors of citrus blossom, honeysuckle and pear. Deb did tell us that this was unlike most Chardonnays and she was right! All of the wines we tasted were good and we especially loved the 2006 La Source Syrah ($32) and the 2007 La Cime Cabernet Sauvignon ($40). At the end of our tasting we were treated to a taste of the 1991 Cabernet Sauvignon and wow, it was delicious! Talk about finishing on a high note! I highly recommend Michel-Schlumberger next time you're in the area. Michel-Schlumberger offers four levels of wine club memberships with discounts of 15-20%. As with the Carol Shelton wines, you can sample the wines of Michel-Schlumberger without leaving the comfort of your home by purchasing one of the tasting kits from www.tastingroom.com. (I love TastingRoom.com, in case you hadn't noticed. If you haven't heard of it yet, go check it out! But beware: it's addicting!) J. Keverson Winery (www.jkeverson.com)
This previously unknown to us winery was recommended by our friends the Housmans. And what a find it was! I'm a sucker for good wines and wineries with a good story, and J. Keverson fits the bill. "John, Kevin, Scott and Doug. Four fast friends who love a good game of bocce and the next quest in life. After sharing many wonderful meals and hard to find wines, our quest became a unified passion for making wine from some of the most highly regarded vineyards throughout Northern California." Our tasting experience here was great. John treated us, and my daughter, like family. After making our way through the tasting menu, John treated us to a barrel sample of his soon-to-be-released Cabernet Sauvignon. All of us fell immediately in love. If it tastes half as good once it's bottled and released as it did the other day, this wine will be a big winner. We can't wait to pick it up this Fall! While we were tasting here on Sunday afternoon, J. Keverson's wines were also being judged at the 2011 San Francisco Wine Competition, which judges 5050 wines from 23 states over 4 days. And so you don't have to take my word for just how good these wines are, take a look at the results of that competition: J. Keverson takes DOUBLE GOLD at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition for our 2008 Starkey's Court Zinfandel. Our other medls winners include:
GOLD - 07 Sangiovese
SILVER - 08 Starkey's Court Chardonnay
SILVER - 08 Sonoma Zinfandel Huge congratulations to the team at J. Keverson Wines! And thanks again for a great experience. We can't wait to drink some of that wine. In fact, tonight is sounding good.... Special thanks to Sherri and Dennis Hausman for a great day. We really enjoyed spending time with you and look forward to doing it again soon. And, lest you still fear that we are terrible parents, Monday was declared a No Wine Tasting Day and my girl chose our activities. These included a visit to the Charles Schulz Museum (fantastic!), a nice lunch, and a chocolate tasting at Tcho Chocolates in San Francisco. A great end to a great weekend. Cheers, and happy Wine Wednesday!
February 9th. An auspicious day. The day my baby girl was born. I can hardly believe that my daughter is 8 years old today! I know "they" say that time goes by more and more quickly the older you get but I was wholly unprepared for the reality of it. It seems like just yesterday I was in the hospital holding my newborn daughter in my arms and wondering what our lives were going to be like from that day forward.
The last 8 years have been a learning experience for all three of us, one that I wouldn't trade for the world. I know I'm not a perfect mom - hell, I'm not even the kind of "mom" I thought I'd be - but I do my best and try to learn from my mistakes and I love my girl fiercely. We may butt heads and push each other's buttons - and I fear the teenage years, my own still lingering in my memory - but every day I learn something from my daughter, and every day she makes me smile and laugh and love her even more (even when I'm at my wit's end!). While she may have inherited her stubborn streak and lack of patience from me (hey, I did say "may have"!) she's definitely her own person and I love seeing that person emerge more with each passing year. It's hard to imagine sometimes how I could be any more proud of her. Today we'll celebrate her day with treats for her classroom, our first official softball practice of the season and a family dinner at the restaurant of her choice. Apparently, the time of Build-a-Bear or paint-your-own-pottery cutesy little girl parties is over. This year, she has chosen to have her birthday celebration on Friday. We'll be taking 5 of her girlfriends to dinner at Benihana (so grown up!), followed by a sleepover. I'm already thinking about what wine to open to help Jason and I get through what is sure to be a noisy, giggly and sleepless night. It's bittersweet to see our girl teetering on the brink of big-girldom. Part of me wants to keep my little girl right where she is, while the other part is excited to see her begin to find herself and her way in the world. Hopefully, she'll still need her mom and dad while she does it.
So to my smart, funny, beautiful, opinionated little girl - Happy Birthday! We love you so much!
I was talking with a friend recently about food and wine (as we do) and we got to reminiscing about the most memorable meals we've had. I was able to name my Top 3 without batting an eyelash. It's funny, though, how these meals aren't just about the food or just about the wine, but are all about the perfect confluence of time, place, company, food and wine. It's all the elements combined that make a meal stand out in memory like that. And when it happens, it's not something you forget. Just thinking about these meals transports me back to the time and place and I can just about taste the flavors on my tongue. If you're interested, read on for my Top 3. No. 3: Dry Creek Kitchen, Healdsburg, CA.
A couple of years ago one of my BFFs and I spent a wonderful girls' weekend up in wine country. One night we splurged on dinner - tasting menu and wine pairings - at the renowned Dry Creek Kitchen. The food and wine were incredible but were just part of a whole that made a fun and memorable experience. It's something we still talk about. No. 2: A la Biche aux Bois, Paris
A Parisian friend took me to dinner here many years ago and it still stands out in my memory as an amazing experience. A tiny, family run restaurant with house made foie gras, pate and charcuterie, every bite melted in my mouth. It was Fall, thus wild boar season, and we had an incredible stew of sanglier that still makes my mouth water when I think about it. We drank a perfect Sancerre to start and a Bordeaux with the sanglier. The pairing was perfect, as was the company and the evening. No. 1 Corte Sconta, Venice
Warning: I am going to rhapsodize at length... Feel free to scroll on by.... First, a little context. Three years ago my husband won a trip on the Orient Express through his company. (I know, I didn't believe him at first either!!) Our daughter was still fairly young and we had never left her for more than a night, and never to go to another country, but this was the freaking Orient Express - for free! - so we planned as quick a trip as possible (in hindsight, a mistake, but there you go). It was the most surreal yet most incredible trip we have ever taken. From San Fransisco to London to Dover to Calais to Venice and back. One night spent on an airplane, one night on the Orient Express, two nights in a hotel in Venice and a nightmare trip home. Saturday to Wednesday. As I said, surreal. The entire trip was really all about food. We boarded the British Pullman at Victoria Station in London at lunchtime (in the car favored by the Queen Mother, if you believe what we read onboard). We were served a fabulous lunch of smoked trout, chicken stuffed with crawfish mousse with a caviar cream sauce, asparagus and potatoes, champagne, red wine and a jelly type dessert (not so good!). We boarded the Orient Express in Calais late that afternoon. It was simply beautiful and also incredibly small! The jet lag and lack of sleep just added to the surrealness of being on the freaking ORIENT EXPRESS. We had a drink in the bar car and then headed to dinner in the beautifully appointed restaurant car. Dinner was okay but, except for the cheese plate, was nothing to write home about. But again, Orient Express. Didn't matter! I slept like a baby that night (jet lag + wine + motion of train) and the next morning we awoke to the most beautiful scenery out the (tiny) window. We were served breakfast in our cabin and we spent much of the morning staring out the window as we rode through Switzerland and Austria. Lunch was served in the dining car. The only thing I remember about that meal was the foie gras ice cream. Now, I like foie gras and I like ice cream, and I’ll try anything once, but this was the worst thing I’d put in my mouth in ages. I wonder who thought that was a good idea?! A couple of hours later we were served an afternoon tea in our cabin and then we rolled into Venice. Venice!! All in all, we spent about 36 hours in Venice - 2 nights and 1 day. That first night we had a good meal at a random restaurant. The only thing I remember about that dinner was the wine (a Drei Dona 2003 Pruno) and that our waiter looked like Joe Pesci. One our second, and last, night in Venice, we had dinner at a small restaurant, Corte Sconta, which we found after winding our way through a teeny, tiny alley. We were seated at one end of a table for 6. About half an hour later they sat another couple at the other end of the table. They were both from Boston (he via Russia). As happens with wine, food and proximity, we were all fast friends in a very short time.. Anyway, the food. We never saw a menu. The restaurant specializes in seafood and the chef prepares whatever is caught that day. After an amuse-bouche of tuna and ricotta tartlet, we started with the recommended seafood appetizer for two. The first plate set in front of each of us had some fresh salmon topped with a light sauce, greens and pomegranate seeds, plus two of the fattest, freshest anchovies I’ve ever seen. Until that night, I have never liked anchovies. These were amazing, just like taking a bite of the sea. The next dish was a large bowl of clams steamed in white wine and ginger. Following the clams, a plate of spider crab, served in its beautiful shell, was put on the table. The waiter dressed the crab with olive oil, white pepper and lemon and oh my, was it good. The final plate of the appetizer (yes, we’re still on the appetizer!) was a large plate of baby squid, shrimp, octopus, crawfish and a cuttlefish mousse served atop a polenta square. Every single bite was heaven! For the entrees, Jason ordered a perfectly prepared (skinned and deboned a table) sea bass. It was delicious but didn’t compare with my dish. I had black pasta (the pasta colored and flavored with cuttlefish ink), topped with scallops and pumpkin flowers. I can’t even begin to describe the amazing flavor and texture and richness of this dish – it was like nothing I’ve ever tasted before. At this point, we were feeling very well-fed, happy and very pleasantly tipsy.
Speaking of tipsy, we had an amazing wine on the waiter's recommendation - a 2004 Livio Felluga Sosso. A Merlot from the D.O.C. Colli Orientali del Friuli, it was a pleasantly intense, spicy, full bodied wine. We liked it so much, we've continued to buy it.
For dessert, Liz, my new friend from Boston, and I decided to share the cheese plate. We had six different cheeses (they’re a blur now) which were served with a homemade apple mustard and a homemade fig and balsamic chutney. The waiter (cute and funny, btw) recommended a dessert wine that was fantastic, especially with the cheese. So, 4 ½ hours after we began, we stumbled from the restaurant, laughing all the while. We walked back at midnight along the Grand Canal beneath a beautiful full moon, stopped for awhile in San Marco Square, and then headed off to sleep for a few hours before our journey home (a complete nightmare, which is a whole story unto itself). (If you're still with me, wow, thanks for reading!)
As you can see, it was a case of all of the elements coming together to make what was one of the most perfect meals, and evenings, of my life. Just thinking about it puts me right back in Venice, and I can practically taste those salty anchovies. Ah, we'll always have Venice.
Hey, eyes up here. :)
I’m talking about Cleavage Creek Winery. Have you heard of them yet? I have been lucky enough to make the acquaintance of their wines and the powerhouse behind them, Budge Brown, on Twitter. I believe that people come into your life for a reason, and that reason becomes apparent if you pay enough attention. This was an easy one to figure out.
Breast cancer is a cause close to my heart. My grandmother and my great-grandmother both had it. My mother-in-law was diagnosed with it last year and just finished chemotherapy and radiation right before Christmas. Thankfully, she’s doing well. My aunt, who was diagnosed and treated three years ago is, as I type this morning, in surgery having a tumor removed from her lung. The doctors believe it was caused by the radiation and don’t know yet whether it is malignant. It amazes me that no matter who I speak to, breast cancer has touched their lives in one way or another. I pray I see a cure in my lifetime, for my daughter and generations to come.
Enter Cleavage Creek Winery and Budge Brown. Talk about a person doing everything in their power to help find a cure. This man is amazing. Budge was married to his wife, Arlene, for 48 years, until Arlene lost her battle with breast cancer in 2005. Of course, he was devastated and angry. But he chose to turn those emotions into action, which is what sets him apart. He purchased Cleavage Creek and started making award-winning wines. The thing is, he doesn’t just make great wine. He makes a difference. 10% of gross sales is donated to research to fight breast cancer. That’s gross, not net. According to the website, to date, Cleavage Creek and Budge Brown have donated over $73,000 to breast cancer causes. The first thing you’ll notice about a bottle of Cleavage Creek wine is the label. Each label has a picture of a breast cancer survivor whose story is featured on the web site. It’s impossible to pour a glass of this wine and drink it without thinking of the women it represents. It’s also impossible to drink it without thinking of the hope it represents.
“Putting a face on this disease and telling the stories of those who are dealing with it personalizes this and hopefully inspires everyone to take on the fight,” offers Brown.
To read more about Cleavage Creek and Budge Brown, and to see how exactly these wines are funding breast cancer research, please check out www.CleavageCreek.com. You can also do your part to help the cause by ordering wine there. I first bought Cleavage Creek wine this past September, when they were having a sale for “Toast To a Cure”. Toast To a Cure was a virtual toast that took place at 5:00p.m. on October 1st to commemorate the start of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. People all over participated. I was in wine country with friends (who also have relatives with breast cancer), so we made sure to open our bottle and toast at the appropriate time. Since then, I have been lucky enough to try a few more bottles of Cleavage Creek wine and have enjoyed all of them. The new tasting room just opened at the winery and it is my goal to get up there to thank Budge in person and to taste more of these great wines in the next couple of months. (If anyone is interested in a meet up, let me know and we’ll put something together!)
So far, we’ve tried and loved three of Cleavage Creek’s red wines. (We have a bottle of the 2007 Secret White but have not had the opportunity to try it yet.) The first one we tried was the 2007 Tracy Hills Secret Red. This wine was fermented in stainless steel with an aged oak treatment, which gives it a subtle oak aroma and flavor. On the nose we got lots of raspberry and cherry, with some vanilla and chocolate. We had this one evening with some holiday dark chocolate and they went really well together – a perfect pairing!
The 2007 Tracy Hills Merlot-Shiraz is 67% Syrah and 33% Merlot, aged in neutral oak. I've really been loving Syrah recently and this was no exception. It had delicious juicy berry flavors and long smooth finish that went on and on. The 2006 Napa Valley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon was the best of the best. It is well balanced and smooth, with some of my favorite cab characteristics - cherry, black pepper and coffee, with a warm, smooth finish. This is a delicious wine to drink on a special occasion with someone special. I really can’t think of a better way to help support a cause. You buy and drink some wine, which, let’s face it, you’re going to do anyway. And while you’re sipping, you can know that you just helped a good man fund research for a very important cause. So why not do something good with your wine habit this Wine Wednesday? Go on, what are you waiting for?
Happy New Year! The festivities and excess are finally behind us for another year (well, maybe not the excess...) and life is settling back down into its normal routine. We had a crazy, fun holiday season, filled with good food, wine, family and friends, and I'm excited about 2011.
We spent New Year's Eve day in the City with some great friends. We played tourist with the kids and had a blast. We started the day at Coit Tower - which, unfortunately, was closed for renovations! Oh well. The views were still awesome. The best part? The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill decided to put on quite a show for us! The best thing about getting an early start on New Year's Eve day is that there were very few people about. We took the kids down Lombard Street next and then headed to Union Square, where we did our annual ice skating. My girl was much improved this year and managed to not pull me down into a puddle (as she did last year). Huge progress! We went into the St. Francis to look at this year's sugar castle. My daughter loves riding the glass elevators there and the security guard was kind enough to let us through and take the kids on the elevator. We rode it up and down a couple of times while the kids squealed in delight. I often say my daughter is part magpie - she gravitates toward anything shiny. She also loves a good bargain, and the two things combined explain why she adores Chinatown. So we wandered around the shops, buying some cheap shiny doodads for our magpie, and then made our usual stop at the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory. We wandered around some more and eventually ended our fun day with a fabulous dinner at Plouf in Belden Place.
We may not have stayed out until midnight but we had a blast and spent the time with good friends, which is what New Year's is all about. It was the perfect way to end the year.
Now, I'm looking forward at the year ahead. I'm excited to continue cultivating my wine habit - I mean hobby - by learning more and drinking more and continuing to meet great people from the wine community. But I confess, right at the moment, I am looking forward to spending this next week actually drying out after the holidays! Can we go a week without wine? Stay tuned....
Cheers!
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