Cade 2008 Sauvignon Blanc

Photo courtesy of Cade Winery

Don't let the screw cap fool you! Cade makes an outstanding Sauvignon Blanc that's perfect for summer faire and is very sophisticated. It has an interesting balance of citrus, crispness, with a little oakiness that makes it versatile with many types of food or all by itself on a hot summery day.

Sauvignon Blancs tend to be one of two basic styles. Grapefruity, which comes from stainless steel fermentation or dry, which comes from oak fermentation. We prefer dry, but this adds a bit of a twist since it some of the grapes were fermented in stainless steel drums, some in stainless steel barrels, some were fermented in oak, and some were fermented in concrete "eggs" (whatever those are). The result is a lot of complex flavors that are uncommon for a Sauvignon Blanc.

This one is 93% Sauvignon Blanc, 6% Semillion, and 1% Viogner for good measure. The result is outstanding. We've only seen this at the winery, and $26 isn't cheap for a Sauvignon Blanc, but you're worth it, right?! www.cadewinery.com

Ehlers 2004 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon "1886"

It can be really hard to hold onto a special bottle of wine for awhile. We made it three years with this one, having purchased it in 2007 on our one and only trip to Ehlers Estate. The experience can be summed up in one word: "Wow"!

This was set aside as a special occasion wine, so we made a special occasion by heading out to Donovan's Steak and Chop House for dinner. Donovan's features great steaks and terrific service. They also make a mean veal chop, so I was guaranteed to be happy.

The Ehlers Estate 1886 Cabernet Sauvignon is special for two reasons. First, part of the proceeds are donated to cardiovascular research. The other reason is the taste. It had a lot of concentrated dark fruit on the mouth, predominantly black cherry, with a little earthiness and a hint of tobacco. The finish had a lot of tannins, the kind that coat your mouth and wash down the food perfectly. It was a great compliment to our steaks!

Wattle Creek's tasting room in San Francisco

Sally and I visited Wattle Creek's tasting room in San Francisco last weekend. It was a great time as always, and our new friend Brandy shared a lot of great Wattle Creek wine. Free tastings are one of the perks of being a wine club member, though we bought a few bottles on our way out so I don't know how 'free' it really was!

Here are some highlights.

2009 Sauvignon Blanc. One of the few Wattle Creek wines you can get outside of the winery. This is 100% Sauvignon Blanc fermented in stainless steel -- not our usual style but this one is light on grapefruit with a very refreshing taste.  It's perfect to sip on the patio on a warm summer evening.

2006 Malbec. One of our favorite wines - it's 92% Malbec and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep fruit with complex, well-structured flavors, it goes well with many types of foods. It's also only available to wine club members -- another perk of being 'in'.

2007 Shiraz. Great tobacco smell and bold flavors with that smooth fruit finish you expect from a Shiraz.

2007 Petite Sirah. Lots of dense fruit up front with light tannins and alcohol on the finish.

2006 Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a very solid Cab. Let's this one breathe for at least an hour and you'll be rewarded with stick to your teeth deliciousness. Lighter fruit to start and then a smooth but bold finish.

Clos du Bois 2006 Old Vine Zinfandel

Last month we shared some Ridge Zinfandel with my parents, so they decided to return the favor by bringing a bottle of Clos du Bois 2006 Old Vine Zinfandel to dinner last Saturday night. Zinfandel is a great wine because of its complex flavors and versatility with food and this one certainly didn't disappoint. It starts with a subtle fruitiness followed by a little spice and then a smooth finish.

It was a perfect companion for a great meal at the Mission Inn Restaurant in Riverside, California. The weather was terrific for outdoor dining and the food and service were both very good. The Clos du Bois Zinfandel started us off nicely with a macaroni and cheese bite appetizer and held up throughout our meal. Too bad we didn't have more!!

Markham Cab Franc '05

It's rare to find a California winery that makes a 100% cabernet franc wine, and even more rare to find one who can make it well. But when they do, it's a favorite.

A few years ago, while on a trip to Napa, we popped in to one of our favorites, Markham Vineyard to pick up a bottle of their outstanding Zinfandel. Unfortunately, they were out. We were convinced (ok, didn't have to try hard) to have a taste of their new Cabernet Franc, and boy were we glad, we took a bottle home!

Last night, we finally gave in and opened that 2005 Markham Cab Franc, and it was well worth the wait! The Cabernet Franc grape is the lesser-known parent to the Cabernet Sauvignon grape. It carries the same bold taste as a Cab Sav, but lighter on the tannins, making it drinkable with a variety of foods, or no food at all! We enjoyed this bottle while dining at one of our favorite spots in Hillcrest, Terra. It paired well with both our meals - a hearty pot roast, and flavorful flank steak.

If you enjoy a big red, and haven't given Cab Franc a try, pick up a bottle - you may be surprised! In addition to Markham, here are other wineries that have produced a great Cab Franc: Peju, Artesa, and Kaz.

Enjoy!