Napa

Music and Wine … Sounds So Fine!

Ah … music and wine. They go together almost as well as food and wine. There’s nothing more relaxing after a tough day than to pour a nice glass of wine, sit back and put on some of your favorite music.

There are many parallels between music and wine. A song, like a glass of wine, will have a different effect on you depending on when you’re experiencing it. A bottle of wine will, of course, taste differently from one day of opening it to the next, but it’s more than just that. With whom are you enjoying this specific bottle or song? Are you picking the music and/or wine due to a special occasion? Are you stressed out and needing to relax, or are you happy and just want to have some fun???

Last week my husband and I were invited by some friends to join them in their Loge seats at the Amway Arena in Orlando for the performance of Fleetwood Mac’s “On With The Show” tour.

To repay them we wanted to treat them to some nice wines, so we had them stop over before leaving for the concert where we had a decanting 2007 Quintessa waiting. After having a quick glass of sparkling wine (it’s very difficult for me to start a fun evening without some bubbly!) we poured the fabulous Napa Left Bank Bordeaux blend from Rutherford.  Silky and elegant, the ’07 Quintessa has lots of mocha and black cherry on the nose, with cola, baking spices and dark fruit on the palate.  It’s drinking beautifully right now after being decanted, and I expect that it will last another 10 or more years.

After enjoying the wine, we headed to the arena. We are used to seeing concerts from the floor, while juggling our plastic glass of often less than adequate wine while jumping up and down and swooning to the music. Heck, I saw Fleetwood Mac’s Tusk Tour back on May 11th of 1980 (yes I know, I’m aging myself) undoubtedly drinking a Miller Light. Hmm. Come to think of it, I wasn’t of age yet, so I probably was drinking a Diet Coke! The beauty of the Loge seats is that we had a server who brought us a menu and a wine list. Yes … an actual wine list!

We picked the 2012 Franciscan Estate Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley.  Okay, we were definitely paying restaurant prices, but what fun it was to have a nice glass of wine (in an actual wine glass), along with some food, AND to have a table in front of us on which to set it! Although not in the same league as the Quintessa, The Franciscan was really nice. Made of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 3% Malbec, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc, they used all of the Bordeaux varietals in this one. Big dark fruit, violets and vanilla greet you on the nose.  It has a big mouth feel with baking spices, black cherry, cassis and plum! This is definitely a nice wine for the price.

Back in 2007, when the Quintessa was being harvested, “The Essential Fleetwood Mac” (a comprehensive compilation for Fleetwood Mac’s blues recordings) was released. That year also brought Stevie Nicks giving a great interview describing her survival of the craziness of the preceding couple of decades filled with way too much fun. In another interview she stated that she didn’t want to carry on with the band if Christine wasn’t onboard.

They did, however. In 2012, when the Franciscan grapes began their fermentation, it was announced that Fleetwood Mac (sans Christine McVie) would begin a world tour in April of the next year.

I, for one, am thankful that a few years have passed and that they are once again back together. Like a great wine, Fleetwood Mac has gotten better with time! Their voices and musical skills remind me of a beautiful bottle of Bordeaux with some age on it. The varietals are not only blended together to create a well-balanced product, but time has set in and done its magic so that the wine has reached maximum enjoyment. Stevie Nicks’ voice is still amazing, Lindsey Buckingham can still play the crap out of the guitar, Mick Fleetwood is one of the best drummers ever (as well as a hoot and a half on stage!) and John McVie is the same backbone of the band after beating cancer.  Their beautiful “Songbird” Christine McVie is finally back with them, adding magic to that final blend.

We couldn’t stop there, of course. Upon returning to our house we had one more wine waiting, a 2007 Caymus Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon. Time has also been kind to this wine. After decanting, the wine doesn’t scream all of the vanilla oak that is present in its youth. It still has some vanilla, but is now lush with lots of well-integrated black cherry, currant, plum, licorice and tobacco.  This is another example of time doing wonderful things, and this ’07 still has lots of time left!

What a memorable night it was. We appreciated the time spent with great friends. We loved the chance to see (and hear!) an iconic band playing music from our youth. Adding the exclamation point onto the whole evening was the chance to include some fabulous wines to enjoy with it all! The wine took the night to another level, and we can’t wait to share another bottle or two with some more music and some more friends.

“Taken” Me Away …

I’ve been looking for a wine at a fair price to “take me away” … and I’ve found it! I’d heard of the Bordeaux blend Taken, but had yet to find a bottle to purchase. Well the other day I was fortunate enough to find a bottle and I grabbed it. Now I wish I’d grabbed a case!

Taken is the brainchild of two childhood friends, both of whom are from Napa wine families. Josh Phelps is the son of Chris Phelps (former winemaker for Dominus, Caymus & Swanson) and Carlo Trinchero’s family runs Trinchero Family Estates. Let me tell you something, these two young men have got it going on!

The 2012 Taken is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot. It is already drinking so well, and some time in the bottle will only bring out more of its earthy qualities.

The wine’s color is deep garnet red with a rim variation of bright purple. On the nose are blackberry and black cherry. The velvety mouth feel provides flavors of chocolate covered cherry, blackberry and coffee. The fruit isn’t overbearing, and there is a wonderful earthiness that follows with smooth tannins on the finish. This wine has nice complexity and rocks, especially for the $30 price tag. Now I just need to find more!

Phelps and Trinchero have two brands under the Taken Label (Taken and another called Complicated) and are about to launch a third, which they’ve named Available! I sure am looking forward to trying them as well.

So … if YOU’RE ready to be Taken away … give this lovely wine a try. Here’s their website:  http://takenwine.com

 

Good Friends, Great Chardonnay!

I love my friends!!!!  Friends get you through rough spots in life, and can also help you celebrate the highs.  Sometimes, friends also share really good wine!

My friend Lisa, (whose husband Michael chose the wine and even chilled it for us, so big kudos to Michael!) brought us a dynamite Chardonnay the other night to a “Girls” gathering.  Yes, this Chard is big and oaky, but it’s balanced and yummy too!

I enjoy a lot of different styles of wine.  Many “wine pros” hate Chardonnay.  Many “wine drinkers” love Chardonnay.  There are two sides to this story.

Chardonnay is a neutral grape.  It is often called the “winemakers grape”, because it can be influenced greatly by the people producing the end product.  It can sometimes be manipulated in a way that is not flattering, and in my opinion this is when Chardonnay gets a bad rap.  Chardonnay can also be LOVELY.  Some of my favorite wines in the world are Chardonnay, especially from the Burgundy region of France.

There are also great examples from other regions, including the New World.  A great example of a fun Chardonnay from the New World (Napa specifically) is the 2012 Staglin Family Salus Chardonnay.  Now would I want to drink this wine every night???  No, but then I wouldn’t want to drink ANY wine every night.  Well, except for Champagne, but that’s another story for another day!

This Staglin Salus Chardonnay is not pretending to be from Burgundy.  It is big and buttery.  It has a good amount of oak on the nose and palate.  It also, however, has some lovely acidity, with pear, green apple, and Meyer lemon to balance the whole thing out.  And the finish is long and lovely.

For me, there are times when I relish a big, buttery Chardonnay like this.  Personally, I think that it’s snobby to say that this is wrong.  If you are a lobster lover, this would be a great pairing.  Personally, I love some good old-fashioned buttered popcorn with this wine!

So whether you’re sitting down to a nice meal of rich seafood, or you’re sitting in front of the TV watching a fun chick flick and devouring some buttery popcorn, grab a bottle of the 2012 Staglin Family Salus Chardonnay.  Let me know what you think!  I can’t imagine you’d be disappointed.

http://www.staglinfamily.com

Macauley Vineyard Winery

Originally established by Ann Macauley Watson in the early 1980s, Macauley Vineyard Winery went through a short hiatus after her death in 1994.  Always knowing deep down that the winery business was for him, her son, Mac Watson, spent some time at Rudd Oakville Estate and decided to re-establish the Macauley label in 2000.  Along with his wife, Amy Baxter Watson, and his childhood friend Kirk Venge, son of legendary Napa Valley winemaker Nils Venge and now full owner of his family’s Venge Vineyards, Watson is producing some fabulous wines.

A couple of nights ago my husband and I cracked open a 2007 Macauley Cabernet Sauvignon.  We decanted it for about an hour before pouring our first glass.  Oh wow, what a lovely Napa Cab.

The ’07 is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and is sourced from three renowned Napa Valley vineyards, Star (in the Rutherford AVA), Stagecoach (from the Atlas Peak AVA), and Beckstoffer To Kalon.

On the nose are dark fruits and black licorice.  On the palate are dark cherry, cassis, and some chocolate.  This wine has very nice structure and is beautifully balanced, a sure sign of a winner.  Oh … have I mentioned the finish????  Oh my.  The finish is full of sweet, velvety tannins and goes on and on and on.

If you run across any Macauley wines on a restaurant wine list or in a wine store, don’t be afraid to buy!  I know that I’ll definitely be seeking out more Macauley wines.

Mac Watson, along with “a little help from his friends”, is honoring his mother’s memory in a very lovely way.

Tasting at Failla

Failla has got it going on!!!!!  Not only do their wines rock, but they have an adorable tasting room in which to try them!

I was in Napa a couple of weeks ago, tasting my way around the valley.  I’ve heard a lot about Failla’s wines (they’ve had top 100 wines in several recent years), but have never paid them a visit.  I did just that on February 7th!

The tasting room is located in a charming yellow house.  One enters into a library type room which leads into a parlor and quaint sitting room, complete with a wood-burning stove.  Two comfy chairs and a sofa invited us to sit, with wine glasses placed on a coffee table between!  Who wouldn’t want to delve into their lovely wines???

Our tasting room attendant first brought us the 2011 Hudson Vineyard Chardonnay from Napa.  Wow, did I love this wine!!!  On the nose is passion fruit galore!  This is a rich Chardonnay with lots of lush tropical fruit, but it’s beautifully balanced with bright acidity.   I’m kicking myself for not buying a case of this!

Next up was the 2012 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir.  This is an outstanding wine for a great value!  On the nose is plum and some herbs, perhaps oregano or sage.  There is also a hint of watermelon!  Loaded with cherry and a lovely old-world style earthiness, this wine rocks for $34.  Finding a well-made Pinot at this price is a definite treat!  In fact, I cracked open a bottle of this and am drinking a glass while I write this blog

The 2012 Keefer Ranch Vineyard Pinot Noir from Russian River was the third wine we tried.  Very different from the Sonoma Coast, this wine has some cherry cola and root beer on the nose, along with violet.   Blackberry explodes on the palate, with some earthy mushrooms.  This wine is another winner!

The 2012 Savoy Vineyard Pinot Noir from Anderson Valley was the last wine we tasted.   This is a bigger Pinot, with lots of dark fruit and vanilla, along with some spiciness.  This is their inaugural vintage of wine sourced from the Savoy Vineyard

Failla is a joint effort, owned by Anne-Marie Failla and her husband Ehren Jordan, who is also the winemaker.  Jordan’s resume is impressive indeed, having worked for Bruce Neyers at Neyers Vineyards, Helen Turley and her husband Jon Wetlaufer at Marcassin and Larry Turley at Turley Wine cellars.  The San Francisco Chronicle named Jordan the Winemaker of the Year in 2008!

Being a Francophile since my youth, I’m very fond of Jordan’s winemaking.  His Chardonnay and most of his Pinot Noir wines are done in a Burgundian style, and he also makes some lovely wines in the Northern Rhone style

If you haven’t tried Failla’s wines, do yourself a favor and seek them out.  They are truly outstanding.  The next time you get to Napa, be sure to call them to set up a tasting appointment.  You won’t be disappointed!

www.faillawines.com

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