Warm weather & wine

I came home this week twice to find that three bottles in my wine rack had leaked due to the intense heat wave that hit the Bay Area recently. The telltale crimson drops on the linoleum had me frowning since two of the bottles were pretty nice ones I had been looking forward to drinking -- the'04 Mariner from Dry Creek Vineyards and the '06 Cab Franc from Irish Monkey Cellars. So once the weather cooled off enough Friday night we drank them with friends on our back patio for fear they would oxidize if we waited to consume them. The Mariner (46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 6% Malbec, 5% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot)was especially good, a smooth and rich blend that featured prominent berry flavors but was well balanced.

The temperatures of 90+ degrees coincided nicely, however, with an Albariño tasting I went to in San Francisco on Wednesday, given that grape's tendency to produce very refreshing, high-acidity wines that are just what one craves when trying to beat the heat. The Jug Shop put on the event, which featured about 10 reps from importers/distributors at B44 in the charming Belden Place alley in SF. There was a wide variety of styles of Albariño at the event, including some that had spent a bit of time in oak, producing a much rounder wine, but not a style I particularly cared for.


My favorites were (naturally), the two that aren't available in California. The '07 Don Pedro Soutomaior from Adegas Galegas was fresh, lively and zesty with grapefruit on the nose. It was also slightly fizzy, reminding me of how the grape tastes when it's in the form of the Portugese Vinho Verde. The '07 Fulget from Maior de Mendoza was also slightly effervescent, with crisp citrus characteristics and a slight tartness on the finish.




My favorite bottle that is available in CA was 2007 Laxas from Bodega As Laxas, which featured peachy notes and had a clean flavor with wonderful acidity and a medium finish. I had a great time sipping on many "tastes" of the Laxas while talking to Luis, who works for the importer Viños Unico. Given my recent trip, we chatted about his native Cuba as well as the wines he's providing to two soon-to-open spots in Alameda, BarCeluna (which is re-opening) and a Alameda Wine Co., a combo wine bar/retail shop adjacent to the renovated theater. Finally, I won't have to leave the island to go to a wine bar!

A break

No, I didn't disappear forever from the world o' wine... I did take a break, although that wasn't due to a vanishing taste for the juice, but rather since I was outside the realm of good wine for awhile, in Mexico and Cuba for 2 weeks. Sure, it's possible to find wine there, but with the exception of a "welcome-back-to-decent-food" dinner in Cancun where we splurged on a ridiculously overpriced bottle of Italian wine -- La Segreta Rossa (60% Nero d’Avola, 20% Merlot, 20% Syrah), a decent $15ish bottle that was one of the cheapest bottles they had, even with a markup to $60! -- we were vino-free for two weeks. Wow, longest spell in quite a few years.

Oh sure, we saw some Spanish, Argentinian and Chilean wine in some Cuban restaurants, but we couldn't be sure it was stored right in the tropical heat. Besides, 85+ degree days couples with 85%+ humidity doesn't really get the wine jonsening going. I was pretty happy with mojitos (although I was disappointed they weren't as good -- but about 1/3 of the price! -- as the ones you can get at Forbidden Island in Alameda or the Prado in San Diego's Balboa park) and the local Cuban beer, Bucanero and Cristal.

But now I'm back and was sad to come home and eye a partially empty wine rack. Alas, I've got to stop hemorrhaging money on wine, though, so today I stopped by Trader Joe's to take a chance at some of their cheapies. I was lured there by the mention of Red Flyer on the store's Fearless Flyer -- a $2.99 blend of Syrah, Grenache, Mouvedre, Carignane, and Durif (aka Petite Sirah) made for TJ's by Hahn Estates in Monterey County. Being a Rhone fan I figured, even for the rock-bottom price, you can't really screw up a blend of those grapes too bad. Tonight I was surprised at its inky color as I poured it into the decanter for a half-hour or so, and then was impressed by its candied fruit nose, rich flavor with the musty earthiness I expect from a Rhone blend, a nice, round mouthfeel and (now) a smooth finish (at first it had a slightly sharp, chemical aftertaste, but that has subsided). I would have been happy to pay $8.99 for this wine! Hmmm, wonder how much my local TJ's has left...

I also picked up a $4.99 bottle of Gravity Hills Zin from Paso that I am holding out hopes for. Maybe it's time to start giving the uber-cheapies a chance!

Stayin in the 'hood...

Went to the East Bay Vintners Urban Wine Trail Passport event today and was wowed by the Meritage and Cab Franc from Irish Monkey and refreshed by Two Mile's Viognier. Prophetically, the two were located together, in Irish Monkey's HQ on 22nd Ave. in the O, just a hop, jump & skip from my house. The brickhouse HQ had the spread, too, featuring scrum-diddily-umptious cheese from Farmstead, a folk string instrument quartet, and the best vibe of all of the 8 locations of the day. The Meritage was a smoky, earthy, rich blend of Cab Sauv, Cab Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot & a couple "secrets" -- the standout red of the day, IMHO. The Cab Franc on its own was delish as well, with much pepper on the nose, but not the green flavors that sometimes accompany the varietal. Two Mile's Viognier was a lovely change from the red-heavy event, showing off peachy notes with the right amount of acid that begged for a well-crafted seafood dish.

We showed up at Eno in Berkeley to see winemaker Sasha drinking beer -- hey, doesn't every good harvest entail much beer consumption? His Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir was divine, with some cherry and pepper on the nose and smooth silkiness going down, pairing quite nice with the duck raviolis & spinach-and-mushroom frittata on the sunny patio out back.

Tonight is the daddy of all techno monthlies, [KONTROL], with Berlin standouts Pan Pot and local hero Clint Stewart. Caught Clint a few weeks ago at a day party in Golden Gate Park. Despite being severely incapacitated from shenanigans the night before, this guy threw down with a vengeance, making club kids everywhere proud. You can catch him and many others tomorrow, at Oasis, for the free Q, which is serving up gratis BBQ & beats from 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. This place has the best sound and best dancefloor (glide along the smooth concrete) for miles around, so come on down, yo.

Pink for Spring

I'm not a bubbly gal or a rosé chica -- at least that is what I thought before sipping on the '06 Sofia Blanc de Blancs (in two forms) and quaffing some '06 Cline Mouvèdre Rosé. Blame it on the warmer spring weather we've been having, but I'm definitely craving some sparkling, rosé or a combination of the two to quench my thirst when I'm trying to rid my skin of its pale tone these days.

I first had the Sofia in the cans at 222 Hyde, a grungy, graffiti-laced Tenderloin bar in SF where some of the best techno parties go down. It was a nice change to beer or mixed drinks. After doing a Google search, I found out that clubgoers are a main target of the canned sparkling goodie. Voilà!

Then when I couldn't find an already-chilled sparkling rosé in BevMo to take to a techno day party in Golden Gate park, I grabbed the full size Sofia Blanc de Blancs, which comes in a lovely bottle and pink cellophane wrapper. I left the wrapper on to distinguish my bottle from the collection that was stored in the shade behind the speakers. My Freixenet Cordon Brut Negro-drinking friend Chris turned her nose up at the sweeter Sofia, with it's bright flavors of melon, pear and floral notes, but it was far more complex and refreshing to me.

On a jaunt up to wine country last weekend, I stopped in at Cline Cellars, which was packed at 11:15 a.m. but filled with extremely hospitable staff and friendly tasters as well. One of the bottles I took home from there was the '06 Cline Mouvèdre Rosé, which had a fruitier, more robust taste (but enough acidity to provide balance) than many rosés. Cline bills it as "the perfect breakfast wine" -- I like how they think! Mouvèdre is one of my favorite grapes, so I will be looking for more rosés made from that varietal.

Next up on the rose front is Bonny Doon's'06 Vin Gris de Cigare, which incorporates Grenache Blanc into their Southern Rhone GSM red blend. The weather forecast looks pink for the weekend!

On a Ridge at 2,000+ feet

One of the best perks of working at Stanford is that I get to take continuing studies classes for free. This quarter I've been taking Terroir: The Geology and Wines of California, taught by David Howell, which has been a real treat, with the first hour of the weekly class covering the geology of various California wine regions then another hour of tasting with a guest winemaker. We've tasted our way through Anderson Valley in Mendocino, Placer and Amador counties in the Sierra Foothills, Santa Lucia Highlands of Monterey, and various parts of Napa and Sonoma counties.

This past weekend the class went on a field trip to the Santa Cruz mountains and stopped off at the home plot of Woodside Vineyards (a collection of 26 small vineyards scattered around Woodside and managed by the same team), then headed up the hill to Thomas Fogarty and Ridge. The wine makers at each were extremely gracious with their time and patient with our many questions.

We tasted many Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, naturally, since the region falls into Zone 1, the coolest of them all -- alas, no Zins or tasty Rhone varietals here. While I'm not a Chard girl in any way, shape or form, most of the ones my class tasted were blissfully made in the Chablis style, with plenty of acidity, minerality -- these were not the oaky, buttery bombs found all too often in California. I wasn't wowed by any of the Pinots; instead of the earthy cherry aromas and smooth flavors usually associated with the varietal, I found them to be tarter, darker, and less complex than what I'm used to. Entirely quaffable, but lacking that special Pinot quality. The Cabs we sampled at Woodside and Ridge were better, with definite notes of tobacco, pepper and black currant.

Despite some serious winds and chilly temperatures, we were awed by the views from atop the mountain ridge, feeling the love from our hosts and charmed by the crew of pets -- from the tag-team Australian shepherd and German shepherd greeters at Woodside, to Mortimer the cat at Fogarty (who proudly dragged a bird he pounced on into the tasting room and batted it about for the crowd) and several roaming felines at Ridge.

Some interesting tidbits from the day... In the office/ tasting room/ fermentation room adorned with old wine labels and old wine bottles, Brian Caseldon, Woodside's winemaker, debunked the common myth that people are allergic to sulfites in wine. He noted that most canned or jarred foods (let alone dried fruits) contain more sulfur than what results from any use of sulfuric oxide added in the winemaking process to tame wild yeasts and unwanted bacteria. He suggests people who think they have this "allergy" take an antihistamine before tasting instead, just like many wine judges do.

With winemaker Michael Martella of Fogarty, we stood on the high ground overlooking the south and east bays. Here, the vines that face east ripen fastest because as the sun rises, the radiant heat warms the leaves that sit on the ridges above the fog or cloud level. Michael treated us to an alfresco tasting of estate and non-estate Chards & Pinots outside his own garage, a scene which soon turned into a sidewalk social, with classmates mingling and sipping.

At Ridge we met up with legendary septuagenarian Paul Draper, a true scholar of the winemaking process, who was eager to get his own facts about the geology of the area straight. After Professor Howell answered some of his questions, he tackled ours with extremely thorough (and quite technical although accessible) responses, which spanned 5 or 10 minutes and often finished with him graciously apologizing for their length. But who can find fault with such genuine enthusiasm?

What struck me was the rigorous tasting and technical processes that goes into the wines at Ridge, which has a very sophisticated lab. We tasted the '06 Monte Bello Cab from the barrel and it was already showing wonderful hints of rich berries, spice and pepper. In the tasting room we got a sneak preview of the '05 Santa Cruz Mountains Estate Chardonnay and Cab, which will be out in April and oogled a bottle of the 1971 Ridge Monte Bello Cab that won the Judgment of Paris rematch in 2006.

Now that's what I call a field trip!

The beauty of BYOB

The hard thing about liking good wine and good techno is that they are hard to find in the same place -- outside of my house! That's why BYOB parties are probably my best bet. Recently I lugged two bottles to two separate events -- one a legit BYOB party, the other was a bit more of sneak affair (but legitimized by some shady acts by the club owner).

I toted a bottle of the Shannon Ridge '06 Sauvignon Blanc to the indoor/outdoor club Oasis in downtown Oakland for the minimal techno night Bottom Feeder. Its floral, citrus & mineral notes would have been better suited to a warm (OK, mild, after all it IS the Bay Area) summer day, but even on a chilly February night it was refreshing and oh-so quaffable given its handy screw top!

My other pick was just a quick, late-night convenience-store grab of Piper Sonoma Brut to take to a warehouse party in San Francisco. I'm not a big fan of sparkling wine -- it just doesn't have the rich fruit flavors I so love in the still stuff -- but (probably largely thanks to a trough of ice behind the KONTROL dj booth), I thoroughly enjoyed the toasty, earthy smooth flavors of this sparkler.

Not only did I get to drink what I actually liked, I also saved money that would have otherwise been spent on half-wanted beers or overpriced (and poorly mixed) cocktails. A perfect prelude to the outdoor party season coming up. Check pacificsound.net and dirtybirdrecords.com for details in a month or so. Until then, stay dry!

Love those Euros!

Why do some of my most favorite things in life come from Europe? My Spanish wine, my Dutch/French/Italian cheese, my Berlin beats -- ah though I wouldn't trade living in the Bay for much of anything (OK, except a teeny bit more warmth would be nice!). Yeah, it's cold, gray & wet, but Sunset & Dirtybird parties are on the horizon. You can't do much better than a Sunday afternoon/evening in a park listening to some techno & house while sippin' on a bottle of effervescent Txaolina or refreshing rosé (I really want to try this sparkling one, made from my fav Spanish grapes Garnacha & Monastrell) and admiring all the other partiers and the great vibe in the air.

But dammit, those Euros make some tasty stuff.


Case(s) in point. On the techno side I have discovered a new most favorite producer, Funkwerkstatt. The German group's techno gems like "Jack the Box" and "Sputnik" got me thinking about spring and dancing outside. 'Nuf said.

To go with that, I'm drinking the 2003 Gran Viu Tempranillo, which I got out of the sale basket at Spanish Table, one of my favorite wine stores. Another Spanish bargain beauty -- truly my favorite country for >$15 full-bodied, fruity, earthy delights. And on top of that I indulged in some Dutch-made Parrano cheese/oyster mushrooms/smoked paprika quesadillas topped with avocado & kosher salt. (Yes, I'm raiding the pantry, but it's quite tasty!) Maybe it's Euro-1, New World-3 on that recipe, but still, the cheese is the centerpiece. Sigh, isn't it always. So much for my latest "NO-MORE-GOURMET-CHEESE-DINNERS" resolution.

Speaking of vino español, Jeff at Farmstead turned me on to Fillaboa, yet another a muy deliciosa Albariño from Riax Baixas, Spain. Lagar de Cerveras is another outstanding type of this varietal, although Spanish Table is out of it until the new vintage. I'm in the Spanish wine club At Farmstead, benefiting from the "March of Death" wine tour he took with famed Spanish wine importer Jorgé Ordoñez last year. It's so dangerous to live ~5 blocks from Farmstead. Go visit -- cheap/free tastings on Saturday!