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