Best dinner ever?

This past Christmas, Sally's Mom gave us a wonderfully unique gift. She financed a chef's dinner for the two of us plus Sally's brother, Greg, and his wife, Jennifer. Oh wow, it was amazing.

Our dinner was at a private table in the wine room at Le Mistral, a French bistro in Houston, Texas. Chef David Denis chatted with us for a few minutes to learn about our food preferences shortly after we arrived. He then created a five course dinner menu especially for us. 

I got so caught up enjoying the incredible food and some outstanding wine that I neglected to take pictures of each dish or keep copious notes on the wine. It makes for a less interesting blog, but I know I'll remember every taste each time I read this. 

Here was our menu:

1st course: Mushroom and parmesan risotto
Wine Pairing: 2008 Barattaro Venetia Pinot Nero

2nd course: Hand-made goat cheese ravioli with tarragon olive oil zucchini soup velouté
Wine Pairing: 2005 Chateau des Roques Vacqueyras

3rd course: Braised veal osso bucco
Wine Pairing: 2005 E. Guigal Chateauneuf-du-Pape

4th course: Rack of lamb
Wine Pairing: 2005 E. Guigal Chateauneuf-du-Pape

5th course: Chocolate dessert trio
Wine Pairing: Coffee

The very best way to enjoy wine is by sharing it with family over a special meal.  

Another fun time at Wattle Creek's tasting room

Visiting Wattle Creek’s tasting room in Ghiradelli Square is a must-do activity when you are in San Francisco. Granted, it's not hard to tell we are huge fans of this winery. We've blogged about previous visits (see our 2010 notes), included their wine in our Pinotpalooza and Que Syrah Syrah tasting parties, and yes, that's a photo of us at their winery on Share the Bottle's homepage. 

We dropped in about a week ago to sample some of their latest releases and had a blast. Forrest, our host, was very friendly and was able to answer all our questions with ease. He also allowed us to taste several verticals (multiple vintages of the same grape), which is always a fun way to learn about wine.

Check out Wattle Creek's website to plan your visit. Most of their wine is only sold through the winery.

Here were some of our favorites:

2007 Malbec
This is the reason we joined their wine club. It is a medium-bodied wine with lots of dark fruit and spice on the mouth and lush tannins on the finish.

2006 Cabernet Sauvignon
This is a big cab with deep fruit and stick to your mouth tannins. It’s 93% Cabernet Sauvignon blended with 7% Malbec and just screams “steak dinner” when you taste it.

2009 Shiraz
This is a nicely balanced Syrah with tastes of blackberry on the mouth, light pepper and earthiness mid-palate, and light tannins on the finish. 

CADE ~ great wines, great experience!

photo linked to cadewinery.comPlumpjack has always been a favorite of ours. So, you can imagine our excitement when we learned their sister winery, CADE, opened a new tasting room. With the tagline Live Green, Drink Green, we were intrigued and had to visit ~ what a great discovery!    

The drive to the winery alone is amazing. CADE is located on Howell Mountain, and has views spanning Napa Valley from North to South.  The day we visited it was overcast in the valley, but we sat high above the clouds at CADE.  We enjoyed our tasting in the lounge area, taking in the amazing views while sipping the equally enjoyable wine.  CADE is Napa Valley’s first LEED Gold Certified Winery ~ a distinction earned for their sustainable farming practices, as well as design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. The tasting room showcases their commitment to the environment.  Very cool. 

CADE winery produces four wines, two of which are high on our list:

Cabernet Sauvignon ~ Howell Mountain ($72)

98% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Merlot

This is a big cab ~ with big fruit and big tannins. For those that like a bold red wine, you’ll love this one. The nose has fruits of black cherry and currants, with a hint of smokiness. The flavors carry through in taste, adding in a dash of cocoa powder. There is no question on what to eat when you pop open this bottle ~ meat and cheese...a juicy blue cheese burger would be awesome with this one!  

Sauvignon Blanc ($26)

93% Sauvignon Blanc, 6% Sémillon, 1% Viognier

Another great screw cap wine!  This is a very lovely sauvignon blanc that has an interesting balance of citrus, crispness, and a little bit of oak.  It is a very versatile wine ~ great on own, and pairs well with lighter fare such as salads, grilled chicken/seafood and vegetables, or even herb flavored goat cheese.

If you find either in your local wine store, or on a restaurant list, give them a try.  They also have a list of nationwide distributors available on their website.  And, if you are in the Napa Valley area, visiting the winery is a must ~ it’s an experience you won’t soon forget! 

Wine is hanging out on our new bistro table found on our pizza and wine adventure...thought it appropriate to display on a re-purposed wine barrell!

How to choose wine from a restaurant wine list

Buying a bottle of wine from the restaurant wine list can be intimidating. Bottles prices in restaurants are expensive and you don’t want to make a costly mistake. Fortunately, there are three simple strategies to help you make the right decision.

Strategy #1: Stick with what you know
Start by looking for bottles of wine you know and love. If you spot something you like and it seems like a good price, get it.

Finding something familiar immediately solves two problems. First, you know you like it, so you don’t have to worry about getting stuck with a lousy bottle. Second, you generally have a better idea if a bottle you know is a good deal or not, so you are less likely to feel price anxiety when you pick a favorite bottle that seems reasonably priced.

Strategy #2: Try before you buy
Asking to try before you buy is a great move if you don’t find something familiar on the wine list.

How can you get a free sample? Look for wines that are offered by the glass. The restaurant will have bottles of those wines already open and most will let you taste a wine or two if it helps you choose a bottle. If you try it and like it you can order a full bottle with confidence.

Strategy #3: Tell your server what you like
If all else fails, tell your server what you like and what price point you are comfortable paying.

Servers are typically very familiar with the wines they serve. They can suggest a wine based on your tastes, budget, and the food you order. 

Sharing a bottle of Layer Cake Primitivo, purchased from the wine list, with friends Kurt and Eve.

Going wine tasting? Follow these top 10 tips

Wine tasting can be a little intimidating or even inebriating for inexperienced wine tasters. To help you enjoy your next tasting room visit, we asked some wine professionals to give us the inside scoop. Follow their simple advice and you are sure to have a great time! 

1. Do your homework
Brandye Alexander at Seghesio Family Vineyards says it is a good idea to do a little planning to ensure your visit is a good one. “Double-check hours, tasting fees, etc. Give yourself a realistic itinerary – don’t cram too many wineries into one day.”

2. Keep your group small
Rick Saunders at Elyse Winery recommends that wine tasters avoid traveling in a group larger than four. A smaller group makes it easier for your host to give you more personalized attention.

3. Don’t wear perfume
Alexander warns wine tasters to avoid wearing perfume. “Perfume will interfere with the sensory experience of wine.” A strong perfume may also bother other wine room visitors.

4. Keep an open mind
Chris O’Connell at Cuvaison Estate Winery advises visitors to keep an open mind about what they are tasting. “If you try new wines, you might be surprised by what you actually like. If you taste a wine you don’t like, it’s okay! That’s what the dump bucket is for.”

5. Share a tasting
Monty and Sara Preiser, publishers of The Preiser Key to Napa Valley, suggest that couples split their tastings as a way to limit their intake while enjoying more varietals. “For example, you might be able to choose four wines per person from a list of ten. In these circumstances, we often prefer to each order four different wines, taste each other’s, and thus experience eight different pours.”

6. Use the dump bucket
The Preisers advocate using the tasting room’s dump bucket for pouring out unwanted wine. “Your pourer will not be offended and will recognize your empty glass as a signal to pour the next taste.”

7. Turn off your cell phone
Constantly checking your cell phone won’t endear you to the wine room staff or even other members of your own party. O’Connell reminds visitors to keep a proper perspective. “You’re in wine country. Put the phone down and look around!”

8. Ask questions
O’Connell encourages guests to ask questions. “Most wine professionals are ready and willing to answer questions about the winery, vineyards, wine making process, etc. It’s amazing what you can learn from tasting room employees.”

9. Take notes
According to the Preisers, “taking notes not only helps you remember what you tasted, but it is frequently a signal to the pourers that you are serious about the tasting experience.” Most tasting rooms will give you a copy of their tasting menu to take notes on.

10. Don’t get drunk
It is never a good idea to get drunk while wine tasting. You could ruin your experience, get a DUI, or worse. Saunders offers some simple advice to avoid overindulging. “Do not drink every drop put in your glass.”

Special bonus tip:
A great wine tasting experience often includes tasting a special wine that isn’t on the regular tasting menu. Our wine experts all agreed that the best way to get a special pour is to be nice, act interested in the wine, and ask politely. You may not be in the market for a $150 bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon, but you might end up knowing what it tastes like!

Note:The advice from Monty and Sara Preiser came from their Budbreak, 2011 edition of The Preiser Key to Napa Valley. Brandye Alexander, Rick Saunders, and Chris O’Connell all shared their insights with us directly.