Mood: Unnerved

Wine Selection: Chronic Cellars 2006 “Sofa King Bueno”

I have been in the Napa Valley almost a month. I have been wine tasting in the Napa Valley once. My experience? UNNERVING! I don’t want to pat my own back, but I know some things about wine. Let me rephrase, I know enough to where I have never been embarrassed in a conversation with someone who knows a lot about wine.

The story…

I walked into a tasting room with a group of 5 people and bellied up to the tasting bar. The man working the counter looked at us and asked what we were up to. We told him that we wanted to do some tasting. He proceeded to pour us the first wine and asked where we were from. I took out my business card for my blog and was about to tell him that I was new in town and this is the blog that I have created, but before I could say anything, he picks up my card and lifts it to the light?! I thought it was odd. He proceeded to flick the card as though he was testing the card stock and authenticity of the card and said, “So, I suppose you want a free tasting????” I couldn’t believe it! I hadn’t had a sip of wine and I already had a bad taste in my mouth! I mean, these people are in CUSTOMER SERVICE! They are there to serve me! I couldn’t believe his attitude! To think that if I liked the wine, I was going to buy some! Well not after that! I wouldn’t buy wine from that guy if it was the best wine I had ever tasted. What bothers me even more is that I am in the same industry as this guy and I was hoping to strike some decent conversation about his wine and the region. Should I be punished for that? Plus, I not only host a blog, but I also work for a neighbor winery. Should I get thrown to the gutter because of that? So I have created a guide for all tasting room staff to follow:

1. When someone comes into your establishment looking for wine, smile.
2. When the person asks for a tasting, other than checking their I.D., get a glass.
3. As you are describing the wine, try to acknowledge the possible sale of wine and give them the information that they seem to want.
4. No matter if the person is 21 or 79, wearing sweat pants or a tuxedo, never act like they aren’t good enough for your establishment, wine, or time…you NEVER KNOW when you are talking to someone with money or an opinion that people care about.
5. Lastly, thank them for their visit and ask them to come again.

This should seem like common sense to anyone who has worked in a customer service position. You would never expect to be treated like that in Starbucks, the grocery store, or even a doctors office. Why is it accepted behavior in a winery? I mean, the point of a tasting room is supposed to be to educate people about your wine and the story of the winery. I understand that people take advantage of the system and print their own cards to get a free tasting, but it goes with the territory. If you are too bitter, after serving in a tasting room for too long, find a new career, don’t give me attitude.

Ok, off my soap box On the Sunday after this “lovely” wine tasting experience, I decided to improve my mood with a glass of wine and some good ol’ fashioned pumpkin carving. The Chronic Cellars “Sofa King Bueno,” is a Rhone style blend of Syrah, Grenache and Petite Sirah.

“Bright fruit flavors and aromas. Dark fruits followed by a hint of the tropics. Herbs and spice are plentiful along with some floral/violet highlights.” In other words it’s got fruit, it’s got a smooth mouth feel, and a finish that keeps going and going. This is a crowd pleasing wine, fun label, and a perfect pick for Halloween!

The result of my pumpkin carving and wine down, was obviously a happy one! What do you think?

Cheers!

Erica Lauesen

The Moody Wine Drinker

Mood: Unstoppable

Wine Selection: Armida 2005 Sauvignon Blanc

SO much has happened! I moved to St. Helena. Started a new job. Brilliantly set up the internet, after only 400-500 attempts. I am UNSTOPPABLE! I have left my home and everyone I know to embark on a new journey I call “Erica becoming an adult.” I know, 25 years old and already becoming an adult? YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Alright, down to business. I stumbled upon the cutest little wine destination. You are all probably thinking that the destination is going to be in the Napa Valley, the heart of California wine country, but you are mistaken. I found this place before I moved, on the Santa Cruz Wharf. Its name is Vino Prima and many of you may know the location…it is at the end of the wharf, where Beauregard’s tasting room used to be. I LOVE what they have done to it! This couple has their priorities straight with wine and the spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean as the main events here. This couple, that has opened it, isn’t formally trained, but they have a refreshing passion for wine. The wines that they have in the store are mostly small production, boutique style wines, however they do have the typical “crowd-pleasers” like: Rombauer Chardonnay, Silver Oak Cab, etc.

The wine that I have chosen for my mood is Armida Sauvignon Blanc. It has so much flavor, while still holding up the crisp acidity and dry finish that I look for in a SB. This wine has ripe apple and pear on the nose, then it hits your palate with more tropical fruit like nectarine and pineapple. Finishing with a clean citrus punch. I assume that this Sauv. Blanc has seen some oak, with its full and rounded features, but I could be wrong (though I’ll never admit to it!).

This wine has really soothed my nerves after a long day of training in a new job. My favorite time to partake, in this Armida experience, is while the sun is setting and the hot day (hot for my standards), just starts to cool off in the early evening. Go to Vino Prima and get yourself a bottle before the last warm days of Fall are no longer!

Cheers!

Erica Lauesen

The Moody Wine Drinker

Mood: Toasty

Wine Selection: Merryvale’s 2005 “Hyde Vineyard” Chardonnay

Well, it’s Indian Summer alright. We are getting hot hot hot in Santa Cruz County and I’m in a cool wine mood. Merryvale, my new employer as of Oct 1., makes one of the best Chardonnays that I’ve tasted this year. No, it’s not because I’m biased, it’s because it’s true. After my interview, I was able to taste their wines and I started with the ’05 Carneros Chardonnay and I knew right then and there that I wanted to work for this winery!

This wine contains a full blown sensory experience starting with the tropical fruit nose! I could smell this wine all day. Maybe this should be made into a perfume:) On a serious note, you taste it and the beautiful balance of butter, oak, and citrus, comes full circle with the dry finish. This wine is a great example of a round Chardonnay. There isn’t one characteristic that stands out more than the other. It’s a delightful medley of experiences in just one sip!

 

Can you understand why I want to work at Merryvale winery? It’s simple to see. Plus, I’m not very good at lying, so it’s a good thing I can talk to people favorably about the wine made there. Check it out for yourself at the Merryvale website!

Mood: Tired

Wine Selection: Storrs 2004 “Petite Sirah”

That’s right, I worked 8 days in a row and all I wanted was a nice glass of wine and a mellow evening at home. I was in need of a ‘wine down.’ Storrs Petite Sirah wine was just the thing…

“Jam packed with ripe black raspberry and cherry fruit, with accents of pepper, spice and moderate oak. Full-bodied, with a lush texture and generous flavors of black cherry, ollallieberry and notes of vanilla. Supple tannins under the fruit promise a long life ahead.”

 

I read the tasting notes (above) and took a sip of the inky black liquid and BAM! The full-body character of this wine awakened my senses and I was ready to rock and roll. As it turned out, the “rock and roll” part of my evening was going to be the new Batman movie, “The Dark Knight” at Green Valley Cinema 8, in Watsonville. Yes, that’s right, I went to watch Batman battle head to head with the Joker. The explosive Petite Sirah was fresh on my palate and good thing because I needed a warm up for this intense movie. I have a very different type of wine pairing this week: Storrs’ Petite Sirah and Heath Ledger’s “The Joker.”

Cheers!

The Moody Wine Drinker

Erica Lauesen

**If you go see this movie, after having a glass of wine, make sure to have a designated driver.**

Mood: Thankful

Wine Selection: Sorry, you’re going to have to read on for that!

The scoop:

So, this may come as a shocker, but I’m moody. I know….the Moody Wine Drinker is moody? Who would have thought. My moodiness is the culprit for my lack of posts lately. Many of my loyal readers have probably been a little disappointed in my lack of writing. Don’t despair. I’m back! My most convincing excuse is that I’ve been moving and had a lack of time with my computer. My lame excuse is that I’ve also had a lack of enthusiasm about wine. I just haven’t had it in me. I’ve been exhausted and irritated and no one wants to read about that, so I’ll cut to the chase. I was auctioned off at a school fundraiser, for the first time, and I fulfilled my commitment today. I was able to taste some fantastic Santa Cruz Mountain wine and have some fantastic conversations. The result? I’m back in the wine saddle again!

 

 

This posting is in a little different format than usual. I’m going to list the wines tasted and give you a little tasting info, then give you some conversation points that were discussed. Sound good? Read on….

Alfaro Family Vineyard 2006 Lindsay Paige Vineyard Chardonnay
This is a big full bore Chardonnay that is ultra rich and incredibly deep and focused with lovely flavors and a long lush finish. Hazelnuts and white flowers lead to pure pear and apple fruit, with touches of clove, mineral, honey and vanilla.
Silver Mountain Vineyard 2004 Miller Hill Pinot Noir This wine is beautifully composed, balanced and sleek. The wine was aged 16 months in tight grained Hungarian oak, a barrel choice that complements the delicate Pinot Noir fruit, lends a light toasty, smoky character, and produces a smooth, silky mouthfeel.
Clos Tita 2004 Gironde
Named after the Southwestern French Department which contains Bordeaux. This wine contains Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. Rich, round, smokey, plenty of mountain fruit stuffing. Drink now until 2015
Stroth-Hall 2005 Nelson Family Vineyard Syrah
The hallmark of this wine: spice! This Syrah out of the fermenters has a greater resemblance to a spice cabinet than to wine. A pronounced black pepper and coriander nose lead to a mouthful of black cherry, licorice, wet earth and more spice than Martha Stewart’s spice rack.
River Runs Late Harvest Zinfandel
This stunner of a wine is truly unique. sweet odors of ripe raspberries exude from the bottle. picture lush velvet berry swirls in your mouth. The vineyard is over 110 years old. Harvest of five acres picked at 37brix yielded only one hundred and seventy gallons of wine with a residual sugar of 6.1%. the total acidity of .84 and alcohol of 15.1% indicate a long life and the magnificent fruit characteristics make it a wine to have and to hold.

There were a number of great questions and conversations that went on. Some highlights for me were…

Why do you say that these wines taste like pineapple and oak? I just taste wine…

I applaud the honesty here. I mean, who cares if we taste butter or wine? All that matters is, do you like it or not? It doesn’t have to be a long list of things that you taste, it just has to appeal to you.

Is there a difference between “Petite Syrah” and “Syrah?”

Yup! They are actually two totally different varietals. Like comparing a fuji apple and a granny smith apple. They are very similar in flavor components, but Petite Syrah has noticeably smaller grapes, giving it more skin to juice ratio. The result? A peppery, tannic, full bodied wine that is delish!

Is there a reason why some bottles of wine are supposed to age before you drink them?

Absolutely! If you buy a big, full bodied, tannic bottle of cabernet sauvignon, you should “lie it down” for 5-10 years before opening it. That may sound crazy to some people, but that’s why the wine maker made the wine that way. Over time, the tannins really smooth out and the jammy fruit softens, and you get an end result that was worth waiting for.

Mood: Exhausted

Wine Selection: Trinity Oaks 2006 Chardonnay

Allow me to set the mood for you:

I don’t have that many days in which I have no agenda. I work two jobs, so the days off are few and far between, but when they do happen, I try to fit everything into that one day. Last Sunday wasn’t the case, all I had planned was the Lumberjack Breakfast in Corralitos. I knew that I didn’t want to sit around all day, I knew I didn’t want to go to the beach (the beach has turned into a depressing place since my shoulder injury), but other than that, I had no idea. After breakfast, Mark and I decided to go for a hike in Big Sur. Sweet! I love hikes! Well, this hike was 4.5 miles long and three quarters of it felt like it was uphill. I enjoy hiking as much as the next person, but give me something to look at other than redwoods, caterpillars, redwoods and more caterpillars. The redwoods and caterpillars were interesting for the first thirty minutes, but then, I was bored and I knew it was going to take around 3 hours round trip…SHOOT! I kept most of my boredom to myself and then finally we reached the top! It was absolutely beautiful. I don’t know about you, but I have always looked up at the golden hills while driving the coast.  At an early age I wondered if anyone walked up those hills. Now I know! I did it and the few is spectacular and so worth the down time of the journey up.

After the hike, I felt as though I deserved a decent meal and some golden vino to go with my golden conquered hills, so we stopped at the store on the way back into town and I picked up some Chardonnay that was on sale that I had never heard of from Trinity Oaks. I got home, uncorked the bottle took a sip and wow! I don’t know if it was the thirst, the exhaustion or the wine itself, but it was exactly what I wanted!

With a hint of oak on the nose and a nice, cool, tart, citrus flavor up front, this was the perfect wine for that moment. As the wine moves towards the middle-back of you mouth, the wine rounds out on your palate to give you a hint of pineapple and lemon and the only lingering taste is the barely there oak and mineral. Refreshing and flavorful. YUM!

Go to your local supermarket and pick up a bottle!

Cheers!

Erica

The Moody Wine Drinker

(To get a great recipe idea to pair with this wine, see the “Set the Mood” tab.)

Mood: Reflecting

Wine Selection: Bishops Peak Cabernet Franc

Ok, so I didn’t exactly drink any wine during the “Bay to Breakers” run/walk, but the day after, I was dying for a glass. What did I have? Bishops Peak’s Cabernet Franc. The wine is perfect for a foggy evening, Gorgonzola stuffed hamburgers that I grilled, and the “picture review” from the day before.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the “Bay to Breakers” run/walk/party in San Francisco, you are missing out. This is a crazy event with costume wearing, keg pulling, dancing, walkers. I was dressed as the famous Wonder Woman and Sara, my adorable cousin, dressed as Amy Winehouse, the award winning singer. Our groups havoc began on the corner of 7th and Howard at 8am and ended somewhere by Golden Gate park around 11am. This was not even close to the 12 or so miles that we were supposed to complete, but considering that distance took 2 hours, you should understand why.

All in all I have to say, this event was fantastic and just as bold as the Cab Franc in my glass. With the smooth, rich fruit up front and just a hint of violet and sage. The finish denotes the classic earthy quality you expect from the varietal, but there is something more…almost a minerality or granite taste. All together makes the perfect pair to a rich meat or cheese dish.

My cousin and I...

Cheers!

Wonder Woman…

aka The Moody Wine Drinker

Mood: Disappointed

Wine Selection: Alfaro Family’s 2006 “Lindsey Paige Chardonnay”

The first Harbor Beach Open volleyball tournament was May 3rd. I was excited to play with Melissa, there was no wind, and it was shaping up to be a great day. We lost our first game, working out the jitters and kinks, then our second game was underway and we came into our own. It was the Melissa and Erica duo of last year….we were on FIRE!!!! Finally, the score was 14 to 3, we were ahead and we were playing “side-out” scoring to 15. We served the ball, they had a decent play, the ball came back, Melissa got the wirey ball and passed it just out of my reach I thought I could get it, so I dove for it. I mean, if I get this ball, that’s game point! I can finish this right here! Right now! I dive for the ball, right arm extended and BAM! Before I know it, I feel my shoulder dislocate. Before I can think, I pull my shoulder back into the socket and right then, I knew I was done. We had to forfeit the game and just like that, Melissa and I were done for the rest of the day. To make matters worse, I have been in a sling ever since.

There is nothing that I can say to make you understand the pain of a dislocated joint and there is nothing I can say to make you understand the disappointment of losing a game like that. On top of everything, I went to the doctor yesterday and he told me I have to keep my shoulder totally immobile for two days, which means no work. AND we don’t have sick time separate from vacation time, so I had to waste PTO on this stupid injury. Plus, typing this blog with my left hand sucks! Like the Italians say, “In Vino Veritas,” in wine is truth, and the truth is Alfaro Family’s Chardonnay brings me back to center.

This is a perfectly balanced Chardonnay. The nice citrus, tropical fruit notes hit the tip of you tongue, then you get the creamy mouth feel of the perfect amount of malolactic fermentation, and finally, with the hint of oak in the finish. This is the Chardonnay of the year! Reminds you of all the simple pleasures in life.

When you get down on yourself, you need to get back up, drink this. Don’t go overboard, have a glass. Savor every taste and welcome back to the brighter side of life. For example, I didn’t tear anything in my shoulder. The x-rays will be fine. I should only be out of action for a couple more days. I will strengthen my shoulder and get it back to better than before! YAY! The light at the end of the tunnel is the CHARDONNAY! Alfaro Family Vineyard is the beacon of truth! Thank you Richard for making this and bringing me back to my optimistic self.

CIAO!

Erica Lauesen

The Moody Wine Drinker

Mood: Restless

Wine: Leal’s “Threesome”

Do you ever wake up and need to do something? Not just your normal everyday routine, but something different. Well, I’ve been feeling that for two weeks and it just hit me today…I work all the time and or have beach volleyball commitments, so I can’t get out of town for more than a day. The answer to my dilema? Leal Vineyards. This centrally located winery is in the heart of Hollister’s wine country. You didn’t know that Hollister had anything other than dirt biking? Well, they do. They have fantastic wineries that are making eccentric and interesting wine. In addition to great wine, Leal, though only an hour from Capitola, felt like I was really far away. In fact, it’s the perfect day trip.

Their “Threesome” wine is one of the stand out current releases, not only because of the naughty name, but because this blend of Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvedre is a smokey, spicy, fruity combination that is perfect for any rich meat dinner or rich cheese dish.

My recommendation is to go to this winery that is tucked neatly away in the Hollister wine country and then follow up with some Texas style BBQ from Mavericks (35 5th St, in town).

Enjoy!

Erica Lauesen

The Moody Wine Drinker

Mood: Relaxed

Wine Selection: Salisbury’s “Pinot Naturale”

Allow me to set the mood…

It’s 7 p.m. and I just got home. Thank goodness for Day Light Saving’s time because it’s still light outside. I’m tired from a long day on the road. There is a little chill in the air, but just enough to be refreshing. I’m sitting on my deck, looking down at the ocean/river and I take the first smell of my “Pinot Naturale” and my mouth already starts to water.

My nose is filled with fresh peaches and just a hint of, what smells like, acidic tangerines. Then, when I don’t think I can take it anymore, I take my first sip and my first thought is, “Yup, tangerines.” That first bang of acid hits the tip of my tongue (in a good way), then it smooths out to velvet peach, with just a hint of lingering sweetness.

This is the ultimate spring time wine. As the story goes, the wine maker for Salisbury, John Salisbury, set out on a mission to make sparkling wine, so he got his Pinot Noir grapes and did his first fermentation (more on how to make sparkling in the “Set the Mood” link). Just before he started the secondary fermentation, John tasted the wine and it was GREAT! They decided to bottle it as is. The result? A higher acid, fruit forward, complex wine that appears to come from a white wine grape variety, but actually comes from Pinot Noir grapes! Yummo!

I recommend having this on hand starting now, through the end of summer and into early fall. It’s a refreshing burst of flavor that red and white wine lovers will enjoy!

Cheers!

Erica Lauesen

The Moody Wine Drinker