Gioia Wine Line Up

I wouldn’t necessarily have thought a wine could have a soul –well at least not in the religious sense any way.  But I do think if one thinks more on a philosophical basis, I may just have found six wines with soul to share with you.

Let me put it this way, for me a soulful wine is a complex blend of aroma, flavor and texture that is pretty much seamless from first sight, to second swirl, to final sip. I shouldn’t need to make up silly definitions like “wet violets on a warm stone” or “horse leather baked in the Mohave Desert” to describe my experience. Nope, the wine’s lovely nuances and subtleties should roll off my tongue reminding me of familiar terroir and cherished tastes.

The Women’s April Wine Council (Pix courtesy of Roger Paige)

Good wines are a delight, and that’s what we each hope for as we sit down at our monthly Wine Council meetings. Just six to eight lovers of wine looking for an evening of “pleasurable and memorable.”  Great wines imprint on our memory, a tattoo for the senses in some respects. It’s the best we can hope for, and it happened for me as follows.

Teri Love shares the joy of great food, wine and friendship

The Women’s Wine Council met on a warm April afternoon on an enchanted patio to review six wines.  Attending were seven Council members (Coletta Boone, Ginger Giordano, Linda Kissam Carmen Micheli, Laura Plant, Corie Maue, Roger Paige ) and Teri Love, owner of Gioia Wines.  As each wine was presented, Teri explained how the wine was crafted from vision to bottle.  Intermingled with the story of the wine was her tale of love, loss, survival and hope.  Teri tells her story so well on her Website www.GioiaWine.com that I won’t go into it in this article.  But I will say this…you would be cheating yourself if you did not take the time to taste these wines, explore her Website, and immerse yourself in her story.

Enjoy these six soulful examples of exceptional food and wine pairings.

Menu Theme:  Vegetarian

Winery: Gioia Wine

Asian Spring Rolls

1. 2009 Bacia Bianca ~ 77% Chardonnay 20% Muscat Alexander 3% Pinot Gris, $28,: Wine: A feisty but  sumptuous blend full of spring flowers on the nose, slight tastes of crisp green apples, sweet juicy pears & honeysuckle. Paired with Ginger’s Spicy Asian Spring Rolls. Perfect for a soulful summer day.

Chardonnay & Kale Salad

2. 2011 Chardonnay, $30: Classic tastes of rich pineapple and yellow apple with sexy lemon notes, this is a Chardonnay lover’s dream wine. Smooth & soulful on the front end, it finished off dry with a hint of citrus.  Loved the haunting taste of pure coconut & vanilla cream. Paired with Coletta’s kale salad with fruit and nuts, this was the group’s second favorite white wine.

Baguette with goat cheese and roasted grapes

3. 2011 Pinot Noir, $40.  A true classic Pinot beauty perfectly balanced with bright red fruits and soulful earthly notes of spice & minerals. Juicy red cherry, raspberry and wild strawberry are nimbly followed up by an easy-going nutty spice, and a hint of damp forest floor. Corie paired this with a baguette with goat cheese and roasted grapes. This was the group’s overall third choice.

Roger with Pizza & Carmen with her Vege Fudge

4. 2009 DAX Ryder Red ~ 86% Sangiovese 14% Petit Sirah, $30, Roger: DAX has a rich berry taste that knocked my socks off and was my number one favorite. The color, a bright, deep garnet hinted at the flavors to come of fresh strawberries, raspberries, black pepper and boysenberry jam. The spicy mouth feel was dusted with a lingering flavor of vanilla. This was a treat for the soul as well as the palate.  Roger brought a vegetarian pizza  topped with creamy garlic sauce, spinach, zucchini, mushrooms, mixed onions, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, and an herb & cheese blend to pair with this sassy wine.  We’re glad he did.

A soulful event

5. 2009 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, $42: The fruit for this succulent Cabernet Sauvignon comes from Jaeger Vineyards in the Oak Knoll District of the Napa Valley. Our expectations were high for this Cab and we were not disappointed. This wine exuded a soulful mix of deep, rich cherry & cassis flavors with a slight hint of green bell pepper. Paired with Carmen’s rich decadent Vege Fudge, this combination was a huge group hit.

2006 Cab

6. 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles, $45: The grapes were harvested in September 2006 from Halter Ranch Vineyards. Using 40% new French oak barrels and 60% seasoned barrels, the wine aged in barrels for 22 months. This wine had time to age into soulful perfection with its lusty cherry and chocolate notes.  Even served to us a bit on the chilly side, it was still voted the group’s number one favorite. I can only imagine what it would have tasted like served a bit warmer and with a sizzling steak to complement it.

Carmen compares her hands to Jane Russell’s

Guest Wine Chix Carmen Micheli is a freelance wine, food and music writer living in Temecula Valley Wine Country. An amazing home chef, mother of two and wine aficionado she writes about those in-the-know and on-the-go. With a pulse on the latest in dining, entertainment, events and more, Carmen delivers the latest news and happenings around the city, showcasing the best that Temecula Wine Country and the SoCal area has to offer.

Hollywood Sights and Bites Food Tour

TOURific Escapes Tour Company

I recently discovered a Food tour in famous Hollywood, CA that is an exciting combination of sights, bites, stars and history.  Courtesy of TOURific Escapes Tour Company, our team of Temecula based writers and photographers (Linda Kissam, Corie Maue, and Todd Montgomery) were delighted and amazed at our “Die Hard“ Hollywood food and sightseeing experience.  The educated tour guides zipped us through the “Fast and Furious” city and used their Jedi senses to pick the most delicious and interesting places to savor the flavors of Hollywood.

Roosevelt Hotel

The tour begins at the Roosevelt Hotel, named after President Theodore Roosevelt and home of the very first Academy Awards in 1929.  The hotel has a rich history and has hosted timeless stars like Marilyn Monroe who modeled for a suntan lotion ad in the pool area, and Shirley Temple who received tap dancing lessons from legendary Bill Bojangles on a staircase just off of the original lobby.  Here is a fun video of the two dancing together on a similar staircase:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjCFYpWDmfM.  More recent actors like Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks filmed a famous chase scene in the hit movie, “Catch Me If You Can” in an upstairs hallway.

Babylon Court at the Hollywood and Highland center

After a detailed history lesson on the birth of the Hollywood Sign and a stroll along the Walk of Fame we arrive at the historic Grauman’s Chinese Theatre (now the TCL Chinese Theatre: http://www.tclchinesetheatres.com/).  It features over 200 handprints and messages in stone from iconic celebrities like The Marx Brothers, Joan Crawford, John Wayne, John Travolta, George Lucas, and others.  Some celebrities choose to imprint other things associated with their career, like actress Whoopi Goldberg who left an imprint of her famous dreadlocks.

Crumbs Cupcakes Case

Our first foodie lovers delight, Crumbs Bake Shop, is an East Coast sensation and their cupcakes took us to the “Point of No Return”.  I could have hung out here all day and over-indulged in the scrumptious Red Velvet, Oreo Cookie, Cookie Dough, Peanut Butter Cup, Sea-Salted Carmel, and S’mores cupcakes.  After summoning some serious self control, I decided on just one perfectly moist and rich mini Red Velvet cupcake with café mocha to drink.  These guys really know how to make a star cupcake!  http://www.crumbs.com/

Kaya Toast with Soy glazed egg at Street

Next, a walk up the famous Red Carpet Stairway and a quick stop at a version of the 1916 movie set “Intolerance” brings us to our second foodie stop, Susan Feniger’s Street http://www.eatatstreet.com/.  Susan Feniger is best known as the last standing female chef in the second season of Top Chef Masters.  She was sent home during the “dish for the gods” round in which she made Kaya Toast with a soy-glazed egg for Aphrodite.  This dish is a star menu item here and within minutes of service, all of our plates were empty.  Spicy Potato Samosas with a Tamarind Ginger Cooler were my favorite and are also popular menu items.

Mozza 2 Go Sage Pizza

Famous Chef Mario Batali’s Mozza 2 Go http://www.mozza2go.com is our third, and my most anticipated, food stop of the day.  I have been a fan of the Food Network Iron Chef for many years and the flavors they crank out of this place are like nothing any of us had experienced.  I love the style of the Bianca Sage Pizza with Fontina, Mozzarella, and Sottocenere garnished with a butter fried Sage leaf on top.  I can honestly say it was the best pizza of my existence and I will make sure we meet again.

“Against All Odds” of the busy city, we get time to relax inside the TOURific Escapes shuttle and enjoy some more celebrity stories and interesting historic facts.  We pass by, get photos of, and talk about surrounding famous areas and buildings like Pig N Whistle, Paramount Studios, the Capitol Records Building, and Melrose Ave. from “Melrose Place” to name just a few.

Carmen Micheli and Corie Maue at Greenblatts

We soon arrive at the best place in town for a Pastrami Sandwich:  Greenblatts Deli, Restaurant and Fine Wine Shop, http://www.greenblattsdeli.com/.  There are no words to describe their “Almost Famous” masterpiece of perfectly baked Rye bread and precisely sliced pastrami that’s served with slaw and 3 different mustards.  The Fine Wine Shop showcases a great wine selection and wine bar for tasting, in addition to the deli and upstairs restaurant.  The whole group adored it here.

John Kelly Chocolate

A big highlight of the tour is a visit to award-winning JohnKelly Chocolates for chocolate tasting and a behind the scenes tour of their chocolate factory.  This is a chocoholic’s dream and they offer premium chocolates handmade on location that even Willy Wonka himself would envy.  After tasting a few of the bestsellers like Peanut Butter and a spicy Dark Chocolate with Chipotle,  I decided buy some of the Dark Chocolate with French Grey Sea Salt to bring home.  Thank goodness I can get more online, it didn’t last long.  http://johnkellychocolates.com/

Green Tea Ice Cream

Our “Final Destination” is Mashti Malones Ice Cream.  Mashti Malone’s Middle-Eastern inspired Ice Cream offers unique flavors from Mashti’s homeland like Rosewater, Saffron, Ginger, Green Tea, Lavender, and Cardamom to name just a few of my favorites.  It has been served to celebrities like Mel Gibson at the Warner Brothers Studio, as well as on the set of Everybody Loves Raymond.  Listen to the legend of Mashti Malone here: http://www.mashtimalone.com/legend.htm.

Our tour ends conveniently back near the Roosevelt Hotel where there are tons of photo opportunities and shops to explore.  We are left with a day full of fun memories and stellar food experiences that demand an encore.

The Hollywood Sights and Bites Food Tour is just one of three fun tours offered by TOURific Escapes.  For more information, or to book a tour, please visit http://www.tourificescapes.com/.

Carmen Micheli

Guest Wine Chix Carmen Micheli is a freelance wine, food and music writer living in Temecula Valley Wine Country. An amazing home chef, mother of two and wine aficionado she writes about those in-the-know and on-the-go. With a pulse on the latest in dining, entertainment, events and more, Carmen delivers the latest news and happenings around the city, showcasing the best that Temecula Wine Country and the SoCal area has to offer.

Affordable Wines with Flair
A Women’s Wine Council Review

Laura Plant and Kefir Lime Palate Cleanser

The ladies of  the February  2013  Women’s Wine Council (WWC) (Carmen Micheli, Corie Maue, Judee Smith, Ginger Giordano, Laura Plant, Linda Kissam) are not just writers, consumers, and connoisseurs, we are wine lovers.    We give wine a voice.  Through food pairings, atmosphere, and the story of how the wine went from grape to glass, we learn who she is and what she likes.  We leave no wine unexplored.   Instead,  we drink and review wines in all categories that are just simply interesting or would make sense to our friends and colleagues in some shape or form.  We are also women who like a deal, and we are constantly on the lookout for quality wine at a price we would be willing to pay as consumers.  We look for wine with flair, and it is always exciting to share our discoveries.

March 2013 Line Up

WWC recently explored 5 affordable and memorable wines courtesy of Camelot and Allegro wines.  Listed in order of tasting:

Camelot Chardonnay

Camelot Non-Vintage Chardonnay (Bronze Medal Winner) – $7-

Made from cool-climate grapes from the Sacramento Delta and Central Coast, this is a light Chardonnay with not too much oak and is accented with peach and toasty marshmallow on the nose and palate.  Garlic Shrimp Crostini by member Ginger Giordano is excellent with this wine.  A ruby red grapefruit slice sweetens the finish a bit, and a crispy coconut cookie accents the buttery mouth feel.

Camelot Pinot and Pork Tamales

Camelot Non-Vintage Pinot Noir- $7-

The whole group couldn’t stop talking about this Pinot Noir from California’s Lodi and Clarksburg regions.  What a steal at $7!  It is a beautiful sight in the glass and surprisingly lengthy on the palate.  There are notes of strawberry and earth with flavors of dark cherry and spice.  We all loved the fruit forward finish.  A Pork Tamale with spicy salsa picante is a fantastic pair by WWC leader Linda Kissam that truly gratifies every layer of this Pinot Noir.

Camelot Merot and Greek Lamb

Camelot Non-Vintage Merlot (Bronze Medal Winner)-$7-

This Merlot is made from grapes grown in California’s Lodi, Central Coast, and North Coast regions.  Pepper and smoky oak are nicely balanced with sweet plums and vanilla on the nose and in the finish.  Do not underestimate this Merlot.  It comes on strong and hangs around until you kick it out with something else.  An equally bold food pairing like grilled meats, roasts, and hard cheeses are recommended.  Member Corie Maue’s Greek Style Lamb with Feta Spread on Pita is an excellent combination.

Kefir Lime Rosemary Sorbet

Palate Cleanser: Mint Iced Tea and Kafir Rosemary Sorbet

WWC palate cleansing expert and Sniffologist Laura Plant always delivers the most original ways to rest our palate.  The freshly made Kefir (Persian Lime) and Rosemary Sorbet with Mint Iced Tea is a really unique and effective way to waken and refresh the senses in preparation for the last couple of wines.

Camelot Cabernet Sauv and Dark White Choc Brownies

Camelot NV Cabernet Sauvignon (Silver Medal Winner) – $7-

This is another great find from the Lodi, Central Coast and North Coast regions.  It has a beautiful nose of berries and herbs and a deep fruity finish.  Dark and White Chocolate Cherry Brownies are heaven with this.  It also holds up very well to the Greek Style Lamb dish, and member Judee Smith’s Glazed Meatballs.

Moscato Allegro

2011 Allegro Pink Moscato- $12-

Allegro Pink Moscato is made from grapes grown in California’s San Joaquin Valley.  The “flavorful blend of the finest Muscat Canelli with just a kiss of red wine” is downright genius.  Honey and Rosewater are prominent at first taste with a touch of orange blossom on the nose after a bit of swirling in the glass.  This is a nice social wine that went well with Glazed Meatballs, Garlic Shrimp Crostini, and Crispy Coconut Cookies.

These affordable wines with flair are available online and at select retailers across the U.S.  For more information please visit: http://www.camelotwines.com/ and http://www.moscatoallegro.com/.

Winemaker David Vergari

A springtime update from David Vergari, Thornton Winery’s beloved Winemaker.

Winemaker Musings

Well, it had to happen.  First we turn the clocks ahead an hour, then the vines wake up.   Yep, Chardonnay buds started popping the day before yesterday.  The vintage is on.

We’re wrapping up pruning; only the East Block Syrah remains and this will be finished today (March 14).  The cover crop—the green strip going down the vine rows–looks gorgeous and healthy.  The days are getting warmer but not disagreeably.

We’re racking the 2012 reds off their barrel lees, blending the new oak and the older cooperage together and then going right back into barrels.  This is part of the process of removing grape solids and clarifying the wines (if we don’t rack there’s the risk of the lees becoming reduced and contributing off-aromas, like rotten eggs for example).

The 2012 whites are farther along—shoot, they’d better be coming around because we’re bottling them in the spring, which has already arrived for all intents and purposes.

I’m getting amped for the Wine Club weekend on April 13-14.  This promises to be big fun so make your plans and RSVP right away.

Smooth Jazz 2013

The Jazz season is also rapidly approaching.   There will be a couple of surprises in 2013—I’m talking major-league, all-World, musical Bell Cows, baby—but Tonya has sworn me to secrecy so I can’t give ‘em up.  The days are longer, so make plans to stop by for some of Chef Pickell’s outstanding grub accompanied by some Thornton wines.

David Vergari
Winemaker
Thornton Winery

Men’s Wine Council (Pix courtesy of Roger Paige)

At a Men’s Wine Council  affordable Bordeaux tasting I attended with five other writers and one “consumer” reviewer, we all agreed that there are Bordeaux’s –both white and red – to add to our home  wine stash. Some of our samples did quite well as a stand-alone sipper, but in general they were much more agreeable with food.  On this evening, we tasted one white and five reds.  Each was paired with a dish to complement it.

It was a treat to see the surprise on everyone’s face as they tasted the wines. I could just hear the wheels turning.  Weren’t these cheap wines?  Don’t Bordeaux’s have to be expensive to taste good? Well…guess this tasting cleared all that silliness away.  These were good wines at affordable prices.  Period.

Read on to find out our favorite Bordeaux’s and the dishes that best paired with them.  Then you should get out from behind your computer and run to your local wine store to grab a bunch of them.

For addititional information on Bordeaux Wines: www.planet-bordeaux.com

Reviewers:  Ken Barnes Karsten Boone, Linda Kissam, Todd Montgomery, Roger Paige, Lisa Vinton and Scott Vinton

Affordable Bordeaux’s

1. 2009 Chateau Ballan-Larquette Blanc -50 % Sav Blanc, 50% Semillon, $15: Food pairing: Spicy lime grilled shrimp,  ginger cookies, and Bobotie (A South African Meat Pie). Wine:  Crisp lime, lemon, pink grapefruit,   slight mandarin orange and mineral notes. A #2 favorite  with the writers and a top pick for the consumer members Lisa and  Scott Vinton.

French Brownies

1. 2010 Chateau Monet – Bordeaux, $13.  Food pairing – goes well with   brownies and a variety of cheeses . Wine:  Medium-bodied wine is somewhat   fruity but  smooth and has a slight touch  of earth that is typical of red wines from this region of France. Fell flat at the mid palate.
2. 2010 Chateau Couronneau, $13. Food pairing: Stuffed  Portabello’s. Wine:  French style but with a splash of New World richness. This wine comes from a very  dynamic and forward-thinking estate that’s one of the critic’s favorites.   Has a great nose and some wonderfully cherry-berry  summer fruits from the merlot grape.      Barrel ageing gives it a creamy texture and sweet attack on the  palate.  Organic and made from small   yields. 

Todd’s Irish Stew

1. 4. Chateau Le Grand Verdus 2009 Bordeaux Superieur , $13: Food pairing was provided by MWC member Todd.  “My dish is an Irish Stew recipe from SC Cellars. A country dish with lamb/yukon potatoes/carrots/sweet pepper/Guinness Beer/peas, etc. Not quite French, but similar to French stews from the  countryside of the Bordeaux region. One cup each please, no fighting for      more. “ Wine: Predominately Merlot with 30 Percent Cabernet. Complex,  earthy, touch of lavender,       Tempranillo like. Serve  around the family dinner table. This is a fruity wine with the aromas of fresh fruit, spices and licorice. A group   favorite coming in at #3.

Lisa’s Ragout

1. 5. 2010 Chateau La Croix de Roche Bordeaux Superieur Rouge, France, $8: Food pairing:  Beef and Vegetable Ragout:  Wine: Let it breathe or you’ll be put off by it.  Once it has opened up, it’s easier to enjoy. Think hints of  spice, mint, chocolate, candied red fruit, bell pepper and smoked meat. The recipe can  be found here.

Karsten’s Bobotie – A South African meat pie

6. 2009 Chateau Saint Antoine Bordeaux Superieur –$15. 65 % Merlot, 35 % Cabernet Franc.  Interestingly this wine and the food served with it was  both the writer’s and consumer member’s #1 choice.  Food Pairing: “Bobotie”, which is a South African meat pie. Wine:  Lush with juicy black  fruit, rose petals and violet notes.  Great for richly flavored dishes featuring red meat or mushrooms,  and excellent with stews.  A true  star.

Amador County Adventure Game

The 49er Treasure Trail is Amador’s adventure game, which begins Friday night, March 22nd and completes Saturday night, March 23rd. Game participants ride the rails on a hand car, pan for gold, perform a play onstage, play a Native American game of Staves.

Grand prize is a fabulous weekend getaway to Amador County. Win other ways: great costumes (pictured below), most fun team, slowest to finish, traveled the furthest. You get the idea. Prizes include tickets for unique local events, meals, gift certificates, and merchandise from local merchants. This event is great for all ages. For more information, visit touramador.com or phone (209)267-9249.

Registration is now open and costs $15 per team member. Children, sixteen and under, play for free. Online registration is available at www.touramador.com. Registration includes player ID, a program with game rules and list of adventures and challenges to experience.

Last year’s winning team was Shop Gifted (pictured left), sponsored by Gifted on Main Street in Jackson. Teams voted for their favorite stops and Gold Country Pet Resort tied with Amador Central Railroad for best experience on 49er Treasure Trail. Gold Country Pet Resort checked players into their facility, groomed them, and made them perform agility tests. Amador Central Railroad provided a hand car for teams to power down the rails (pictured above).

A 2012 49er Treasure Trail player wrote, “The Cougars had a great time and are ready to go again next year. The Adventure and Challenge Spots were so much fun to visit and participate in their activities. Three of the Cougars are from out of the area and ready to do this again.”

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While your there, set up this fun wine tour as well!

Vino Noceto Winery

You and your friends can directly experience the inner operations of this  winery any day of the week–it’s a great way for visitors and friends to experience wine country from the vine to the barrel.

These complimentary tours require reservations 24-hours in advance.  Please call (209) 245-6556 x2 to book your tour.

Vino Noceto Winery ~ 11011 Shenandoah Road ~ Plymouth CA 95669

Karsten Boone

The Wine Memo
by guest writer Karsten Boone

February 2013 Mens Wine Council
Bordeaux  wines reviewed

Men’s Wine Council

Young, jammy, earthy, and dinner- ready wines kind to your pocket book—those were the six Bordeaux wines tasted in February 2013 by Linda Kissam’s Men’s Wine Council.  Ranging in price from $8 to $15, each paired well with a dish prepared by one of the attendees.   Tasting any of these wines on their own would be a disservice; perhaps that’s one reason wine tasting American-style is uncommon in France.   We found our more complex dishes– especially those with hearty and spicy ingredients– complemented and intensified the wine’s own fruit, citrus, and mineral flavors.  Bordeaux is, of course, a region, not a type of wine, but typically its wines are blends, with the Bordeaux Superieur wines being of smaller production and usually aged longer in the barrel than the others we tasted.

Bordeaux Line Up

We tried:
2009 Chateau Ballan-Larquette Blanc ($15), a Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon blend
2010 Chateau Monet-Bordeaux ($13), a young, berry forward red blend
2010 Chateau Couronneau ($13), an organic red blend
2009 Chateau Le Grand Verdus Bordeaux Superieur ($13), a Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon blend
2010 Chateau La Croix de Roche Bordeaux Superieur Rouge ($8), a blend of Merlot with Carmenere, Petit Verdot and Malbec
2009 Chateau Saint Antoine Bordeaux Superieur ($15), a Merlot/ Cabernet Franc blend.

Bobotie (a South African spiced curried meat dish with fruit)

Our top picks were almost unanimous:  Chateau Saint Antoine Bordeaux Superieur was the most complex, with a discernibly minnerally, dry, full mouth feel, tasting juicy with black fruit and spices, with black currant, violet, plum and rose on the nose.  It paired with all the dishes, but was especially suited to Irish Stew and Bobotie.  Our second favorite was the lone white, Chateau Ballan-Larquette Blanc; it too paired with everything, especially with the Bobotie’s lemony flavors, and it brought out the ocean in the Spicy Lime Grilled Shrimp.   The Blanc’s Semillon provided a full luscious balance to the Sauvignon Blanc’s acidity.

Our top dishes were the Bobotie (a South African spiced curried meat dish with fruit) whose combination of flavors found a complement in every wine; Irish Stew, reminiscent of French countryside stews paired best with the reds; and Stuffed Crimini Mushrooms with bacon, which welcomed all the wines.  Surprisingly, all these wines often overwhelmed an outstanding group of cheeses, but with ginger and citrus they were particularly memorable.

Carmen and Wine Council Mascot Westie Millie

Guest Wine Chix Carmen Micheli is a freelance wine, food and music writer living in Temecula Valley Wine Country. An amazing home chef, mother of two and wine aficionado she writes about those in-the-know and on-the-go. With a pulse on the latest in dining, entertainment, events and more, Carmen delivers the latest news and happenings around the city, showcasing the best that Temecula Wine Country and the SoCal area has to offer.

Laguna Canyon Winery delivers graceful stylish wines for anytime

Laguna Canyon Tasting Lineup

Laguna Canyon Winery is known for their gorgeous location, premium handcrafted wines, and dedication to giving back to the environment and its animal inhabitants.  Located in a majestic canyon in Laguna Beach, California, the wines offered here cover a nice spectrum ranging from “fruit forward social wines” to more luscious and “complex dinner wines”.

Winemaker Marlowe Joseph Huber grew up on the prairies of Central Canada and through cattle, horses and grain farming with his father, his respect and love for the land was born.  He began making wine in the early 80’s and after successfully owning and operating 2 wineries in the Vancouver area with brother, Darren, the winery in Laguna Canyon, CA was built in 2003.  They have been living their sunny Southern California wine country dream and delivering award-winning premium wines ever since.

Food & Wine Pairing

Sourced from low-yield vineyards in Napa and Sonoma, Laguna Canyon Winery produces wine under 3 labels: Laguna Canyon- the main brand; Purple Paws- in which a portion of sales go to the care of homeless pets; and Wyland Cellars- Marine artist ‘Wyland’ artwork adorns this label and a portion of sales go to the Wyland Foundation which supports clean rivers, oceans, and the protection of sea life.

The  Occasional Wine Council reviewed six wines from the Laguna Canyon label.  Each was a star representative of the individual grape variety and while they were the focus of our elaborate holiday gathering, I was delighted to find all were enjoyable sipping “anytime” wines.  They were able to hold their own with no food pairing needed, but when accented with the appropriate food pairings, new layers presented themselves and changed the wines delivery a bit.  Listed in order of tasting:

2011 Los Carneros Pinot Gris- $20- Gold Medal Winner, OC County Fair

The very polished pale yellow color of this Pinot Gris is reminiscent of morning rays of the bright California sunshine of its origin.  The Los Carneros wine region is situated at the southern tip of the Sonoma Mountains and is one of the oldest and most recognized viticultural areas in the United States.  Fresh aromatics of early spring blossoms and mint lead into enticing flavors of pear and honeydew melon.  The very clean mineral finish is pleasantly light and crisp and makes it ideal with shrimp, white fish and white sauced pasta dishes.  My bet is that a classic Shrimp Fettuccini Alfredo would be exquisite.

2010 Russian River Valley Chardonnay- $26 -

Shrimp Salad

This stellar Chardonnay has a golden caramel color that is mouthwatering at a glance.  I am greeted with an excitingly smooth and buttery mouth feel with ripe apple and vanilla bean notes and flavors that blend extremely well with a not too oaky finish.  A bright red and green citrus shrimp salad and interestingly enough, BBQ deviled eggs are a divine pair.  This is an all around, just plain good Chardonnay.

2009 Lodi Petit Syrah- $30 –

Philly Cheese Steak Pizza

Very intense and jammy as expected, but this Petit Syrah really surprised me with a bit of a peppery, almost spicy kick in the finish.  Philly Cheese steak Pizza and a Classic Brownie were great pairs although each complemented the wine in a different way.  The Classic Brownie brought out more of a bold peppery finish; while the Philly Cheese steak Pizza allowed for more of the jammy sweetness to come through with the spice in the end.

2009 Rockpile Petit Verdot- $44- Gold Medal Winner, OC County Fair-

Carmen’s Organic Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

The brilliant garnet color gives this wine a sort of “love at first sight” appeal.  Oak and dark berries on the nose with notes of ripe fig enter into a deep, lush finish.  I love everything about this wine.  It pairs especially well with Blue Cheese Sheppard’s Pie, Fig Bruschetta and Organic Chocolate Chip Banana Bread.

2009 Rockpile Malbec- $42- Gold Medal Winner, OC County Fair-

This is an outstanding sipping wine with a flavor profile that is nicely balanced with bittersweet blackberries and intense lingering tannins.  Pair with hearty stews, lasagna or maybe even an Italian meatball sub.  Blue Cheese Sheppard’s Pie and Philly Cheese steak Pizza are great pairings for this stand up Malbec.  It is the unanimous number one group favorite wine of the six reviewed.

2009 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon- $48- Gold Medal Winner, OC County Fair - 

Tom Plant and 2009 Napa Valley Cabernet with Wine Soiree

This classic, bold and earthy Cabernet Sauvignon has hints of ripe black cherry, rich vanilla, and a long layered heavenly finish.  We used the infamous wine soiree’ to enhance and decant this rich red for optimum and immediate aeration.  Ever heard of it?  Check out the intriguing details at http://www.winesoiree.com/.  Serve with smoked foods, steak, lamb, and chocolate truffles.  Organic Chocolate chip banana bread makes this a nice last course wine.

Laguna Canyon wines are available in 15 states throughout the U.S., online at http://www.lagunacanyonwinery.com/ with shipping available in California and other select states, and in their 2 tasting rooms located in Laguna Beach, California.  Visit the main winery tasting room, open 11am-6pm, Tuesday through Sunday (except holidays) at: 2133 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, CA 92651.  Or, the Downtown Laguna Beach tasting room: 380 Glenneyre St., Laguna Beach, CA 92651.  Reservations required for groups of 8 or more.

Tin Roof Cellar wines

How many times have you rolled right by the affordable wine section thinking there just can’t be anything worth drinking at THAT price?  When was the last time you actually smiled as the sales person rang up your wine order? Well, next time you see a Tin Roof Cellars  bottle of wine, grab it.  Just saying.

At my last *Occasional Wine Council (OWC) meeting  (five  wine writers, one consumer) we reviewed six Tin Roof Cellar wines: two whites, four reds. Out of the six wines, the group felt that we had tasted some of the market’s best value wines under the $12 mark.  These budget friendly wines have good consumer accessibility at very welcoming price points. These wines are easy to find, easy to drink and very food-friendly…the three pre-requisites that wine lovers truly appreciate –  especially my wine review group. Just saying.

Occasional Wine Council: Linda, Karsten, Sue

Regardless of your level of wine knowledge, and independent of the price you normally pay for a bottle of wine, most of us can’t really tell the cheap stuff from the good stuff from the affordable stuff in a blind taste-off. According to a recent paper from the Journal for Wine Economics not only can a random sample of people presented with several glasses of wine (and no information about the wines) not tell the difference between a $2.99 bottle of wine and a $180 bottle of wine, they tend to think that the cheaper wines taste better (as long as they know nothing about the prices). Wow! Guess what that means to all of us ???  Yup, the right amount to spend on a bottle of wine is as little as possible. Just saying.

Wine & Food Pairings

Here are the food & wine pairing reviews for our stellar evening of affordable Tin Roof Cellar wines. I am hoping you’ll enjoy it as much as *we did.

1. 2011 Sav Blanc -$9.  Pairing: Sue brought Tempura shrimp with soy dipping sauce & Asparagus spears, wrapped in prosciutto and a French grained mustard. Wines:  Produced from Lake County and Sacramento Delta grapes. Sourcing fruit from these cool-climate regions produced a crisp, zesty Sauvignon Blanc with tangy flavors of fresh-cut grass and lime. It’s an ideal match for lighter seafood dishes, roasted chicken, Caesar salad and mildly spiced Asian cuisines. This was the group’s number  one white wine choice and consumer pick.

Crab stuffed snap peas

2. 2001 Chardonnay –  $9. Pairing: Coletta & Karsten provided the perfectfinger food, a crab filled sugar snap pea. Wine: Made from grapes primarily grown on California’s Central Coast this wine displays fresh apple and peach aromas with a hint of vanilla on the nose. The wine’s broad, mouth-filling palate offers notes of Fuji apple, quince and crème brulee. This Chardonnay is a fabulous accompaniment to a mild sausage from Mad Mikes sweet & sassy Tri-Pepper Sausage  and Salted Tahitian Camels from Trader Joe’s.

3. 2009 Merlot  -  $10. Pairing: Todd provided a hearty plate of Charcuterie (e.g. pâtés, terrines and salamis) which actually went with several of the wines on the table. Wine: Produced from a blend of North Coast and Central Coast grapes this wine delivered a sultry Merlot with characteristics of dried berries and a hint of mint. Earthy and rich, this wine has a long, flavorful finish. It pairs especially well with grilled red meats, herb roasted chicken, pork chops, red-sauced pastas and flavorful hard cheeses. This was the group’s favorite red. If you search around, you may be able to find this wine as low as $5.99.

Red wine stewed fig tarts

4. Red Blend –$11: Pairing: Karsten scored big time in the culinarydepartment providing the group with  red wine stewed figs tarts. Wine: Produced from grapes sourced mostly from vineyards in the Lodi appellation the tasting notes called for a triple play of Zinfandel, Merlot and Petite Sirah.  While each grape promised a beautiful blend, this wine fell short of expectations.  Out of the six wines, this one came in last.

5. 2011 Cabernet – $10. Pairing: I brought in a  Fantasy Chocolate Platter

( Salted Chocolate  Carmel Nut Delights, Tahitian Vanilla Caramels, Chocolate Covered Wine Grapes, Dark  sweet dried , cherries, Cocoa Truffles,Blackberries).Wine:  Produced from grapes primarily grown in California’s cool coastal regions this wine was much lighter in body and flavor than we expected. Still, for those guests who proclaim they hate all Cabs because they are just “too big and woody,” this wine could and should be used as a Cab trainer.  At $10 (or less if you really search) how can you lose?

Chocolate Fantasy Plate

6. 2011 Zinfandel – $12: Mad Mike’s Tri-Pepper sausage, courtesy of Mad Mike – https://www.madmikesstore.com/. Wine: Produced from grapes 100% grown in the Lodi appellation their were very light notes of  juicy strawberry, and dried cherry. Tin Roof Zinfandel is a terrific wine for “Zin beginners”  however your guests who love a big jammy Zin will likely pass on a second glass.  Enjoy in your backyard, and will pair up to all smoked and BBQ meats.

OWC members
Tom, Coletta, Todd

*OWC Members:  Coletta Boone  (consumer) & Karsten Boone (writer ), Sue & Todd Montgomery (Writers & the event host), Linda Kissam (Writer), Tom Plant (writer).

The February 2013 Ocassional Wine Council
Tin Roof Wines reviewed

Karsten Boone

Food & Wine Pairings

Unlike Ponce de Leon’s fountain of youth, exist and are discoverable. Last night, at Linda Kissam’s Occasional Wine Council, we discovered Tin Roof Cellars’s wide range of good, sometimes very good, red and …white wines.Paired with a wide variety of appetizers (from delectable prosciutto wrapped asparagus to tarts with figs stewed in red winetopping goat cheese to Mad Mike’s sweet and sassy not too spicy sausage, rounded out with cheeses and ever necessary and welcome chocolate, among others), Tin Roof was a fine example of what is available at very affordable prices.

Wine & Food Pairings

The stars of the evening were the 2011 Sauvignon Blanc, a clean, crisp, summer day quencher with hints of lime and pink grapefruit and the 2009 Merlot, smooth, slightly fruity/berrylicious. The lineup included Chardonnay, a Red Wine blend, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Zinfandel. We found the reds opened up over time, and all were easy to open, with screw tops. New discoveries of good, drinkable wines that don’t break the bank are forever welcome.

Thanks to Sue and Todd Montgomery for hosting this evening.

Photos by Karsten Boone.