2009 Arthur Chardonnay - new year, still good

Last January, we wrote a post about 2008 Domaine Drouhin "Arthur" Chardonnay (a Chardonnay for everyone). We quickly became huge fans with Sally even giving it the vaunted "ingredients to dessert" label. There was only one problem...

One bottle.

A short while later, we spotted the next vintage on sale at the San Diego Wine Company. They specialize in finding really good wine and selling it at really good prices, so of course we snatched up a couple of bottles. The big question was, would the 2009 vintage be just as good as the 2008?

In a word, Yes!

Comparing the notes between the two, the taste was very similar. 

2008:  Very consistent flavors of straw, apricot, and apple with light acidity.

2009: Light minerality with a floral nose. Consistent flavors of straw and apricot with very light acidity.

Our pairing this time was with chicken baked with honey, lemon, and thyme, butternut squash, and a spinach and arugula salad. Very fall, but light fall.

We opened the bottle while Sally was cooking (ingredients) and liked it so much we finished it off for dessert. Truth be told, we paused for a small bowl of ice cream, but ice cream and Chardonnay really don't mix very well.

“Drink Yourself Blind” and Discover New Wine

One of my favorite ways to discover new wines is with unique tasting experiences.  It’s a fun way to share wine with friends and try something you may not otherwise.  This week, co-workers were in town and our friends at Bacchus Wine Market & Tasting Room set up a very fun tasting experience for us, “Drink Yourself Blind”. 

For the tasting, we were served 8 mystery wines ~ 4 white, 4 red.  We were provided a list of possible wines.  Of course, they didn’t make it easy, as each list had an extra wine that was not part of the tasting.  We were also provided grape descriptions to help us along.  Here’s the list of our potential wines with actual selections marked with (x):

WHITE:

(x) Le Capitaine Vouvray Chenin Blanc, France

(x) Cavallotto Chardonnay, Italy

(x) J. Rickards Sauvignon Blanc, California

(x) Trefethen Riesling, California

Lagar de Cervera Albarino, Spain

RED:

(x) Medlock Ames Merlot, California

(x) White Hawk Syrah, California

(x) In Situ Cabernet Sauvignon, Chile

J. Rickards Zinfandel, California

(x) Aster Ribera del Duero Tempranillo, Spain

The wines were served one at a time, starting with the whites.  After every taste, we each made a guess and then took the most common answer as our ‘team pick’.  After tasting all the whites, I learned, well… I really suck at this ~ it was hard!  I only got 2 correct.  Our collective team pick scored the same, and we gave mad props to our co-worker who successfully picked three.  I was confident I’d do better with the reds.  Not so much.  I didn’t get any correct (ouch!), and I once again matched our team score.  The best among our group was a total of 4 correct picks. 

I have convinced myself I would do better if the wines were tasted all together and I could compare side by side.  Then again, maybe I just need the practice, and should take it as a sign to share more wine!

Bacchus is holding the "Drink Yourself Blind" event on Friday, Oct 12, 4-8:30pm and Saturday, Oct 13, 2-8:30pm.  Tickets are only $20. If you are in San Diego during this time, I highly recommend it ~ tons of fun!

Sharing a fun wine tasting experience with co-workers at Bacchus Wine Market, downtown San Diego

More Fun White Wines to Beat the Heat

A refreshing glass of white wine is an excellent way to cool off during the summer.  Last year we shared some of our favorite fun white wines to beat the heat discovered while exploring California wine regions.  Here are a few more of our favorites ~ all under $20, and available at stores like BevMo and Specs.  Grab a bottle, and relax in the summer sun! 

Sokol Blosser Evolution 15^th Edition ($14)

One of my favorite wines this summer.  Intense tropical fruit notes up front, with a nice crisp, clean finish.  Blended from 9 grapes, this smooth, layered white is an excellent food wine, and is great all on its own. 

Conundrum by Caymus ($19)

Silky smooth with a lit bit of sweetness that is mighty tasty.  This California blend pairs so well with so many foods, it’s a conundrum deciding whether to enjoy with a sampling of cheeses, chicken and veggies right off the grill, or all of the above!

Miner Viognier ($20)

Aromatic, creamy with a crisp finish of tropical and stone fruits.  This is an excellent pre-dinner wine to enjoy with appetizers out on the patio, and would pair well with a creamy pasta dish, with chicken or seafood.  This wine is sold out through the winery, so if you find a bottle in your local store, snag it!

Rusack Chardonnay ($20)

Crisp, refreshing wine with flavors of honeydew melon and pear.  Well-balanced with light acidity, and dry finish.  The summer months can be busy, and this is an excellent wine to pair with Chinese take-out!  

Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio ($20)

Dry white wine with hints of apple.  Pack up a picnic ~ this versatile white pairs well with soft cheeses (especially goat), pasta, salads, seafood, even fried chicken!

What wine are you enjoying this summer?

Our Summer Line Up

Santa Ynez Valley Wine Adventure

Last June we made our first trip to the Santa Ynez Valley as part of our California Wine Adventure.  We only had a half day to explore the region, so we knew a return trip was a must. This weekend, we made finally made it back, extending our time and travelling with family (Jeff’s parents, Kathy & Bob) ~ both making it an even better trip than the last!    

In planning our adventure, each couple chose three wineries to visit. Selections were based on recommendations from friends, wines that had been tried before and wanted to learn more about, as well as old favorites.  This gave us a wide variety of wines, and tasting experiences ~ here’s a recap of our discoveries:

Firestone Winery

We opted for the reserve flight, which included a tasting of 6 wines, and one bonus pour.  They served a mix of white and reds, all from their reserve and Chairman Series. The tasting room has great views of the valley. Overall, the wines had muted flavors and heavy tannins, and were generally not to our liking.  But, we were glad we gave it a try. 

Andrew Murray

We first discovered their tasting room in Los Olivos on our first trip.  We enjoyed the experience and the wine so much that we wanted to introduce it to Kathy & Bob.  Once again, the crew, and wine, at Andrew Murray did not disappoint!  We had a wonderful time with Stephanie and Tracy, tasting wines from the Eleven series, as well as a number of their great Syrah wines produced under the Andrew Murray label.  We all left with smiles on our faces (and purple teeth)!

Gainey Vineyard

This winery was a recommendation of our friends, Sarah and David.  The winery grounds were beautiful, and the tasting room setting was great ~ located just off the barrel room, and among walls of strategically placed bottles.  The atmosphere added to the fun, and all the wines we tasted were really good.  Drew navigated us through a couple of whites, and select reds for the Gainey Vineyard and Even’s Ranch.  I was excited to see a Cab Franc!

Cambria

Located in the Santa Maria Bench, Cambria specializes in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.  During our visit, we tasted a number of their Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, as well as a Pinot Gris, Syrah, and a Late Harvest Viognier.  All wines were quite good, but with their slightly higher than average prices, we left empty handed.  A number of the wines are well distributed, and we will keep an eye out for special deals in our local wine shops. 

Foxen – Foxen 7200

This was a unique experience, as they have two wine tasting rooms ~ Foxen is served at a more modern tasting room located just slightly up the road from the original shack where they serve up Foxen 7200.  We sampled several great Pinot Noirs, a tasty Sangiovese, and another excellent Cab Franc!

Zaca Mesa

This tasting room was more commercial than the others, bringing in higher crowds than the others we had visited on the trip.  With that said, the staff was very helpful in securing us a spot, and were very attentive during the tasting.  We had the chance to sip a few different varieties than we had been tasting around the valley, including a granache, a roussanne, and several tasty syrahs.  All the wines would be great with food, but few stood out to enjoy on their own.

Rusack

Even with the heavy clouds and rain rolling in, the views from the winery were still stunning.  The wines had big flavors, and were quite enjoyable.  A number of them are distributed at BevMo and our favorite wine shop, San Diego Wine Company.  We still walked out with a couple of bottles of ones with limited distribution or hard to find. 

Wineries in the Santa Ynez Valley are producing some tasty treats!  If you come across one, especially Pinot Noir or Syrah, give it a try!

Not in to green beer? Celebrate with Wine from an Irish American Winery

I just can’t get in to green beer, especially when paired with foods unnaturally converted green to “celebrate” St. Patrick’s Day. Fortunately, there are other options to choose ~ Irish whiskey, and even wine!  Toast our Irish friends by raising a glass with one of these favorite wines from Irish American vineyards/wine producers.  Slainte!

Mayacamas Vineyards – Travers Family

Mayacamas is currently owned by the Travers family, which they purchased in 1968.  Their ’71 Vintage Cabernet Sauvignon was selected for the “Judgement of Paris” tasting.  They also produce an excellent  Chardonnay.  It is crisp, light & fruity, and balances really well with food.  My personal favorite is their ripe and refreshing Sauvignon Blanc. 

Chateau Montelena Winery – Barrett Family

Jim Barrett restored most of the original vineyards and completely refurbished the winery after he purchased in 1972.  This winery also competed in the famous ’76 Paris Tasting, and took home the win for their ’73 Chardonnay.  When we visited the winery, we unfortunately were not able to taste the Chardonnay due to limited supply.  We really enjoy the Riesling, which is an off dry, refreshing wine that has great balance with a long clean finish ~ very refreshing.