Another great dinner at home....

We do enjoy going out and tasting culinary delights from local area restaurants, but we really enjoy staying at home - especially when we want to relax and open several bottles of wine....

Last night we had some newer friends over for the first time. It's always craziness at our house - two kids, two dogs, two cats and a bird will do that! So, it is with caution that we invite new friends over for dinner because you never know what's going to happen.

But when friends (new or long-time) come over, it's always an excuse to go digging in the cellar. Tonight I grabbed a 2007 Quivira Sauvignon Blanc to have with some cheese and sourdough before dinner. This particular one is very small production and was barrel fermented and aged in French Oak. That is rare with Sauvignon Blanc. Most of the time it's fermented in stainless steel tanks and then filtered and bottled with no oak ageing at all.The qualities of the wine were awesome with the Bellwether Farms Carmody cheese. The cheese was creamy and light with good acid and was a great pairing with the wine and its rich qualities and weighty mouthfeel. I think the 'thumbs up' says it all.

The second bottle we opened up was a 2004 Louis Martini Lot 1. I received this wine from the assistant winemaker a couple of years ago. He told me to hang onto it for a little while. I did, but not as long as I could have. Lot 1 represents the best barrels from the mountain vineyards around Napa. It's not often that I rave about a Napa wine, but this 100% Cabernet was outstanding. The aromas coming out of the glass were so complex it was hard to identify just one. Then, when the wine hit my mouth it was like the smells were intensified. The concentration of fruit with hints of oak (not overpowering at all) were just downright amazing.

We paired it with this hearty meal....

Chicken Parmesan, garlic mashed potatoes, pasta, and salad with cranberries and Pt. Reyes Blue Cheese. It was perfectly balanced.


This would probably be enough for most people. But there was more. My lovely wife makes killer creme brulee. And her milk chocolate variation is my favorite....Our guests brought over a Jodar port from El Dorado County (in the Sierra Foothills). We're not sure exactly what was in it, but likely there was Syrah, Zinfandel, Grenache, Petite Sirah or all of the above. Whatever it was the fruit was sweet without being overly so and the flavors from the barrel (think cocoa and cinnamon), along with the palate coating texture were matched flawlessly with the creme brulee. The conversation continued after all the food had been consumed (and most of the wine). And I think this is the most important part. The food was great on its own. The wine would have been as well. But it's not until the food, wine and company came together that there is a true sense of how these particular components join together to create a nearly perfect evening.

Cheers!

Quivira

Quivira Winery is located in Dry Creek Valley. It is known for crisp Sauvignon Blancs and stunning Zinfandels. But they do some other interesting wines as well. From Petite Syrah and Grenache to a dry Rose and this little beauty....
Mourvedre traces it's roots back to Spain, but it wasn't until it reached France's Rhone Valley in the 16th century that it found its true home. Often blended with a little Grenache to soften it, but this particular one is 100%.

Wine Creek Ranch is Quivira's home vineyard and it is farmed not just organically, but biodynamically. Biodynamic farming is all about putting back in the vineyard (and land) what you take out, but it goes so much further than that. It's a mix of science, farming and spiritual awareness. Based on moon phases, there may be many different things that need to happen, including: certain ways to stir, cow horns buried in the vineyard and making fertilizer.

But what does this all mean to you? I believe that all wineries are striving to make the best wine they can. Some do it in this biodynamic way, others choose different paths. To me, I choose to take the path of let's try it and see how it tastes. Because after all, if I like it, I'll buy it and I believe Quivira does a great job. You can read more about Demeter Biodynamic Certification here.

The winery itself is powered by solar panels and everything they do is in a conservation manner. They have estate gardens, a chicken coup, honey bees, and Ruby....

Isn't she cute? They do a pig roast every year (because their wines go so well with pork), but I was informed that Ruby is here to stay. Good news, because my kids would be disappointed if we showed up and she wasn't there.

The Mourvedre that I'm drinking tonight has beautiful bright fruit flavors like blueberry, blackberry, plums and bramble. In addition, there's this underlying spicy character followed by a nice weightiness, soft tannins and a pleasant black licorice finish that goes on and on....


I would consider this a rare varietal on its own, which makes it fun and interesting. If you find a bottle, snatch it up and throw some pork chops on the BBQ. I can almost guarantee you a good time.


Cheers!

The Super Bowl

I'm not a big football fan. I never really have been. Sure, I know some key names, know how the game is played and can get into it when it's called upon me. But if I miss the 'big' game I won't be disappointed.

However, this year we were invited to a Super Bowl party which made the game not only a game, but a social event too. And what happens at social events? We drink wine! And eat lots of food. Now this sounds like fun.

Here's what I brought to the game....For starters, we opened the Tandem Pinot Noir, 2006 Sonoma County. It was typically light, but did not disappoint on the nose or palate. Pinot loves cool climate and lots of fog and wind (sounds a lot like Chardonnay). When it's grown in colder climates, generally the result is more earth and less fruit. I like my Pinot Noir earthy, not fruity. This one was all barnyard and forest floor and made for a perfect sipping wine while dining on pre-game food.

We also opened up a 2006 Matanzas Creek Syrah, Sonoma County and an 05 Quivira Grenache. Both we're bigger, bolder wines with tons of fruit and character. In my opinion, these bigger, bolder wines were the perfect pairing for the Super Bowl. After all, is there a bigger game in the season than the Super Bowl?

Game day foods included chips and dips, chicken wings and bread bowls filled with homemade chili. All the wines worked well with the food, but the Syrah and the chili seemed to be the best pairing.

I know what you're thinking, "shouldn't you be drinking beer on game day?" But I'm not a beer drinker and never have been. Guinness is my beer of choice when I do drink it, but wine is generally my drink of choice.

The game is over now (and the social event is too), but maybe I'll look forward to the Super Bowl next year to see if I can better the pairings. But for now, I'm content.

Cheers!

Rain

For three Winters now we (that's a collective wine country / California we) have been praying to the rain gods, hoping they were listening. Apparently, they all decided to get together over the last 12 days. It's been non-stop downpours here in Northern California. It seams as if we've received more rain over the last 2 weeks than we have in all of the last 3 years combined.

The rain is much needed, as is the snow-pack in the Sierra. This past Spring and Summer there was a lot of water rationing. So much that some vineyard managers had to choose early on whether they were going to frost protect (early in the season) or irrigate (later in the season).

Frost protection can happen a number of different ways, but one of the most cost effective ways is through a sprinkler system that coats the grapes with water which then freezes. The frozen water acts to protect the grapes and keeps them from freezing. Seams kind of strange and counter-intuitive, but it works. Many vineyards are set up this way.

Irrigation is the norm around here, although there are some vineyards that are still "dry farmed". That is, they don't use any water at all. It's pretty risky, but the grapes can be amazing.

When you have to choose, it's not a good year. Most would choose irrigation and take their chances that the frost event (if there was one) wouldn't cause too much damage.

The good news? If, and I mean if, it keeps raining there should be enough water this year that having to choose won't be an issue.

So, while the sun was a beautiful warm distraction from the rain today, we need more of the wet stuff. I admit, I really enjoyed the sun: windows down, sunroof open and sunglasses on, but bring on the rain for at least a few more weeks. Please.

Oh, and while I'm writing this, I'm drinking an 05 Quivira Wine Creek Ranch Zinfandel and it is awesome!

Cheers!