OTBN Redux

March 3, 2009 by evebushman

When you marry a firefighter you learn that all that all of the “events” don’t actually occur when they are on a 24 hour shift. Valentines Day, birthdays, OTBN don’t take place when your loved one is blissfully laid back in a vinyl recliner in front of a 56 inch screen TV with nothing but a remote to cling to.

So you…pretend…that it didn’t take place for you either.

That was my plan. I’d open something (from the list a couple of posts down) for myself and really dedicate my blog post to the uninterrupted tasting. But…some non-winey people got in the way.

Earlier in the day I had decided to finally see Slumdog Millionaire (only escapist films take place when said firefighter is not on shift) and sent out an e-blast to a few friends. I got two church ladies, one husband and my sister. (The latter formerly of White Zinfandel fame.)

After the film, and so needing a drink, I raced home and pulled out the Joseph Phelps new Freestone label 2006 Pinot Noir. (Jammy at first pour.) Eddie had generously left that choice out for me. Not what I had in mind for OTBN but more than adequate for my guests and my fridge fare of cold pizza, artichoke dip and chips, cheese and crackers, one sliced apple, cut watermelon and some brownies end pieces. (Yes, they were all leftovers from another church party – for the kids that time.)

The guests were gracious about the wine, we discussed the film, all were equally put off by the violence of the film and the…watermelon.

I was left hoping for a redux the next night. I told Eddie what had happened and he agreed to have OTBN again on Sunday just for us. We decided to have a 1998 Silver Oak with dinner. During that morning I went on Facebook and lived through a friend’s OTBN:

“We also made it into a movie night. My husband surprised us all by opening an 02 Hart Cab, an 03 Chateau St Jean Cinq Cepages (which was still massive!!), an 04 Justin Isosceles and topped it off with an 05 Sea Smoke 10..we had a great time enjoying all of the above! We had a small gathering … Michael (the hubs), our oldest daughter, Tawnee, Michael’s mom, Pat, and his Aunt & Uncle, Nikki & Tom…We did however manage to finish all of the bottles! Lots of water was on hand and we started early!”

I read the above to my husband and, unable to wait another minute for the N of night in OTBN, we headed out to a local wine bar and started with Dampierre NV Champagne and Chateau De Candale Bordeaux .

From my iPhone Wine Log program the abbreviated tasting notes were as follows:

Chateau De Candale Bordeaux 2005: Soft nose, soft tannin, subtle fruit, pomegranate, balanced,earthy, Bordeaux character, approachable. (Larry M. contributed to these tasting notes. We both bought a couple of bottles.)

Dampierre Grand Cuvee NV Champagne – perfection as always, and quite the nose tickler.

From the wine bar we went over to Bristol Farms. While Eddie (yes firemen are the best cooks) chose the Filet Mignon, fresh beans, potatoes, bacon, garlic, eggs, lemon, some kind of green leafy looking spice that might have been … tarragon to make my Bearnaise sauce, I ventured into the wine department.

(For you local yocals I found that they are doing Thursday night Wine and Food Tastings starting this Thursday March 5 from 6-8pm with J Lohr wines, Trio of Brie cheese, poached salmon with Bearnaise sauce, roasted sweet potatoes, prosciutto asparagus, fruit sorbet with apricot tartlet. March 12 is Bogle, March 19 is South American – primarily Argentina and Chile – and March 26 will be Sauvignon Blancs. Reserve by calling the catering department: 284-5970.)

When we finally got home for Ed to cook, I decanted my Silver Oak and hungrily waited for the chef to say it was time. (You can see by the photos that the chef was cleansing his palate with Balvenie single malt Scotch and was in no hurry to appease said wife.)

So, after a lot of pretend-helping in the kitchen I had finagled my first glass. More iPhone tasting notes:

Black cherry nose like a rush of a fire engine’s hose, tannin on first taste, long finish, zinfandel qualities, clear garnet color. It was an A+.

And I did manage to save save a glass, or two, for the meal Eddie had prepared. It turned out to be a perfect OTBN. Even though I had to clean up the saddest thing in the world: an empty decanter waiting for the next OTBN…

Premium sushi goes with, you guessed it, Premium wine

February 16, 2009 by evebushman

We are lucky in Santa Clarita to be blessed with many sushi bars offering all forms of spicy rolls to match with hot sake in the winter; cold sake in the summer.

But there is only one here that boasts a wine list with not only over a dozen Sakes, champagnes, dessert and port wines, but also the unexpected: over 70 bottles of red, and over 40 of white wines. Each shows the vintage date and an amazing 45 are available by the glass.

I would tell you that this is not a food review blog, it’s a wine review. But, a little segue if I may, the menu is incomparable. Some of my favorites are the minimum daily offerings of at least 4 different Toro (Hard-to-find at most sushi bars, this belly section of different tunas is the most buttery of all sushi to me), anything with a Miso reduction sauce and, they are known to have the best cuts of steak in town. Yes, it’s a sushi bar. Google it: Maru SUSHI, Towne Center Drive, Valencia.

So, back to the wine. Our server told us that the executive chef, Jason Park, offers a tasting of every new wine when added to the menu. I have ordered and enjoyed the following, listed in ascending order of price starting at $14 a bottle on the white, $36 on the reds, *’d were server recommendations the last time I was there, **are both. And keep in mind this is only a section of the list:

Reds:

2005 Ravenswood Zinfandel

2006 Estancia Pinot Noir

2005 Rodney Strong Pinot Noir

2005 David Bruce Pinot Noir

2003 Markham Merlot

2004 Twomey Merlot

2005 Wolf Blass Shiraz Gold Label

2004 Stag’s Leap Petite Syrah

2004 Spencer Roloson Tempranillo *

2003 Mount Veeder Cabernet **

2004 Groth Cabernet Sauvignon

2004 Cloud View Cabernet Sauvignon *

2002 Brown Estate Cabernet Sauvignon *

2000 Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

2005 Caymus Cabernet

2002-2003 Silver Oaks Napa & Alexander Valley Cabernet

2004 Joseph Phelps La Mistral (our house wine, see previous post)

2003-2004 Opus One

Whites:

2004-2006 Chateau Saint Michelle Gewurztraminer, Semillion, Chardonnay and Riesling

2006 Chimney Rock Fume Blanc

2005 & 2006 Ferrari Carani Chardonnay and Fume Blanc

2005 Wold Blass Chardonnay

2005 Geyser Peak Chardonnay

2005 Stag’s leap Chardonnay

2004 Simi Winery Reserve Chardonnay

Sake, Champagne, Port and Miscellaneous:

Sho Chiku Bai 300 Ginjyo

Kikusui Junmai Ginjyo

Hakutsuru Plum Wine

Sho Chiku Bai Nigori (unfiltered)

Dom Perignon 1998

Taylor Fladgate

So there you have it. And you have to go to see how well it pairs with the Park’s nightly menu. You will never view sushi bars the same way after just one trip through Maru’s doors. I’ll flip you a Toro over it. (Their website links to my last article on them and the event the photos from above were taken: http://www.maruvalencia.com/press/0707-thesignal.pdf)

TPC 2009 Wine Classes Taught by Certified Wine Sommelier

November 28, 2008 by evebushman

Host and Certified Sommelier instructor, DiMaggio Washington, is announcing his wine tasting classes at TPC Valencia for 2009. Lunch is provided, class runs 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. and events cost $84 / per day:

“At TPC we are offering informal wine classes for anyone wishing to sharpen their understanding of wine. These classes are designed to inspire our passion for wine. Come as a couple and explore new wines and regions, or come as a group for a classy and decadent day out with wonderful company, panoramic views and gorgeous surroundings. Better yet, come alone and make new friends who share the same desire. Our classroom and Patio dining overlooks a majestic golf course with studded oak tree and rolling hills.”

February 7th, Wines of France, Part 1, covers Bordeaux, Alsace, Loire Valley and Champagne. February 21 France Part 2 covers Burgundy, Rhone Valley, Languedoc / Roussillon, Jura, Savoie and Jurançon.

March 7th Wines of Italy Part 1 covers Piedmont Friuli Venezia Guilia, Trentino–Alto Adige, Veneto, Valle d’ Aosta, Liguria and Emilia-Romagna. March 21st, Italy Part 2 covers Tuscany, Lombardy, Umbria, Sicily, Sardinia, Puglia, Abruzzo, La Marche and Lazio.

April 11th Wines of Spain Part 1 covers Rioja, Rueda, Galicia, Rias Baixas and Navarra. April 25th Wines of Spain Part 2 will cover Ribera del Duero, Penedez, Priorat, La Mancha and Jerez.

TPC 26550 Heritage View Lane Valencia, CA 91381 661.288.1995
Prerequisite: Students must be 21 years of age or older to enroll.

Turkey Time Cocktails

November 26, 2008 by evebushman

Cabana Cranberry Cosmo (Created by Anthony Dias Blue)

2 parts Cabana Cachaça
1 part triple sec
1 part fresh lime juice
1 part cranberry juice

Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice. Pour into a martini glass. Garnish with lime.

Cranberry Spice (Created by Dominik Chrzaszcz)

1 oz Domaine de Canton
½ oz Cabernet Sauvignon
½ oz Chambord
2 oz Cranberry juice

Shake well with ice and strain into a martini glass. Use 3 cranberries for garnish on the rim of the glass.

Brazilian Pumpkin (Created by Tim Cooper)

1 ½ oz Cabana Cachaça
½ oz Navan
1 ½ oz Egg Nog
½ oz Spiced Cordial
Heaping spoon of pumpkin purée

Shake and strained into martini glass. Top with grated cinnamon.

=====

Besides the above I asked Wine 101 readers to share some of their favorite Turkey Time cocktails:
Responses:

Now that’s a silly question for a Wine Proprietor. Phifer Pavitt ‘Datenight’ Cabernet. Cheers,Suzanne Phifer Pavitthttp://www.phiferpavittwine.com/

Our family has long enjoyed Richard’s Red and Cranberry wine during our turkey feasts over the holidays. Both wines are products of Wilson Winery of Modoc, Indiana. Betsy & Roger Donley

Cranberry Margarita recipe 1 ½ oz Jose Cuervo Especial gold tequila 1 oz Lime Juice 1 1/2 oz Triple Sec 1 ½ oz Sweet and Sour Mix 2 oz Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice Add ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Steve Roth , EMG (Ethnic Marketing Group, Inc),
Culturally Relevant Hispanic Advertising and Promotions.

Vintage Eve Circa 12/2008: From Wine Bordeaux To Eve

October 12, 2008 by evebushman

After Sunset in the Vineyard, hosted by Jeannie Carpenter for the Assistance League, I kept in touch with a few of our local winemakers. One, Roman Weiser, aka “Wine Bordeaux”, suggested an idea for my readers. Wade through our wine soaked journey below and send me your thoughts.

From: Wine Bordeaux To: Eve

Director Roman Weiser (a winemaker of many talents) and videographer John Dickey, hard at work!

At this time of a year the newly made wine is already resting in barrels, but there is plenty of other fun stuff to do. For example the ‘chores’ like tasting barrel samples or racking (separating wine from the lees sediment). This is also the time to think about the name for our wines and design the label. Every wine has a story behind it and the label usually reflects just that. It’s like finding the right name for a newborn; home wine makers are funny that way.

Vineyards are getting ready for dormant stage. The leaves will soon fall and vine growers sharpen their pruners as this will be time to give our beloved vines a healthy ‘haircut’. And then we wait while continue racking the wines and taste them carefully to see if the oak is at bay and the wine continues healthy upbringing.

Eve, we are planning many new things and we will inform you about them as they crystallize.

In the mean time, I have a suggestion for your column. This would involve local wine merchants, exciting reviews, great fun source of wine educations for your readers, promote local business and interest in wine in general … let me know if you are interested to hear more

To: Wine Bordeaux From: Eve

Wow Roman, lots of food for thought here. I would be interested in any phase of the wine making process and hearing more of what you have to say! My column runs every week, lots of events to cover…am also interested in non-event news. So, what was your idea?

From: Wine Bordeaux To: Eve

Peak into your cellar.

This little idea could be a fun theme for a weekly column don’t you think? Your readers would write in about the wines they believe people don’t have in their cellar with brief, geographic info about the region, description and maybe few tasting notes? Your readers will be surely compelled to write in and show off a little. This could be a great fun source of wine education as well! Good thinking Eve. Let’s give it a little test:

I think you don’t have any Alsatian wines… Am I right?

Alsace is located in North East of France, between the Vosges and the Rhine river. All wines planted are white. The grapes in Alsace are: Riesling (23% of Alsace wines), Pinot Blanc (20%), Gewurztraminer (18%), Tokay Pinot Gris (13%), Sylvaner (12%).

The best producers: Albert Mann, Zind Humbrecht, Barmes-Buecher among others. I love Albert Mann’s Riesling and Gewürztraminer. They are semisweet and oh so seductive!

OK, you are on – what wines do you think you have that I don’t?

From Eve to Wine Bordeaux:

Splendid idea.

No, I don’t have any Alsace in my cellar, I think, at the moment. But I’ve had them! Does that count?

I bet you don’t have the inaugural year of Agua Dulce’s (AD) champagne! I have a list…wait…ok so my husband has it hidden from me…don’t know why…but I know for a fact I have an 1986 Lynch Bages (LB)…the rest I’d have to look up. Gee talking to you is like talking to COC’s Wine Classic wine chair Jeff Jacobson.

From: Wine Bordeaux To: Eve

Very well! See, this was fun for us two – it surely will be fun for your readers. I am sure the idea can be taken bit further, to bring a little of competition into it!

LB 1986 scored well on Parker – 92 pts and it can be a good bottle to open now, and next 10 years. I have large collection of Bordeaux wines, they are my passion.

I didn’t even know AD makes sparkling wines (Champagne only comes from Champagne France)

Oh yes I do know Jeff Jacobson. We are friends. I always assist him pouring wines at the Wine Classic.

From Eve to Wine Bordeaux:

We’ve been buying Bordeaux futures since 2000. But we can’t open the LB as it’s the year we were married (yes, that’s how I remembered it). So I’m guessing that we better drink it by our 30th – thanks for the advice!

Yes, I know AD’s is a Sparkling, damn!

From: Wine Bordeaux To: Eve

Good luck and let me know if you need my assistance in the future.

Golf Balls and Two Glasses of Wine – From a Reader

August 31, 2008 by evebushman

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the golf balls and two glasses of wine…

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into open spaces between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everywhere else.

He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous “yes”.

The professor then produced two glasses of wine from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

“Now,” said the professor, as the laughter subsided, “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things; your family, your children, your health, your friends, and your favorite passions; things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.””The pebbles are the other things that matter; like your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else. The small stuff.”

“If you put the sand into the jar first,” he continued, “there is no room for the golf balls or pebbles. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you”.

“Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18. Do one more run down the ski slope. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first; the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand”.

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the wine represented.The professor smiled. “I’m glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a couple of glasses of wine with a friend.

“Share this with a friend. I just did.