Eve's Wine 101

California Chardonnay Grows Up – link

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and commented: It’s hard to imagine any region outdoing Santa Barbara for the sheer variety of chardonnay styles it offers.

I told him that I had always preferred Santa Ynez Chards to Santa Barbara but I will now be researching the Santa Rita Hills area…and seeing what our local vendors might be offering from that venue. (Most times people send me Chard articles it’s about how we in CA “over-oak” them…so this was a welcome change.)

From the Santa Clarita Vintners and Growers Association, a Dragonfly Update:

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Dragonfly is glad to be a part of the newly forming Santa Clarita Vintners and Growers Association. This group of winemakers and growers really know their craft and are not only all very good friends but inspiration to each other as well. Dragonfly couldn’t have taken the next step without the involvement of this group of very passionate professionals.

Just a quick introduction to the winery and what the production focus will be for the Santa Clarita Valley to enjoy:

A tremendous passion for wine…this is what drives Dragonfly Winery’s Steve Lemley and Nate Hasper to dedicate countless hours producing what they believe are truly extraordinary wines. For years, these two winemakers perfected their craft from home. Now, they are taking their wine-making expertise to the next level, launching the Dragonfly Winery to share their passion with wine lovers everywhere.

What makes Steve and Nate’s wines so unique? They aren’t afraid to bend the rules. Indeed, after producing many award-winning wines, they learned the rules. And they also learned how to break tradition to produce wines that truly stand alone.

They started their business in the Santa Clarita Valley, a community known for their incredible love of wine. Determined to keep the local spirit of their wines, they are proud to be Santa Clarita’s first commercial wine producers.
Through the support of their friends, family and community, their love and dedication for making wine has been a success. They hope this support continues as they produce future wines now that the rest of the Santa Clarita community can purchase and enjoy soon.

Dragonfly Winery is focused on producing very small quantities of ultra premium terrior driven wines. There is no expense spared in finding the highest quality grapes and showcasing small vineyards that offer unique characteristics that would normally be overlooked by larger producing wineries.

Each vintage’s lot has a limited production of 50 cases or less. This philosophy allows them to manage the very complex tasks that are required to make world class wines. They believe in offering a true vision of the vineyard’s terrior paired with a unique winemaking style. The wines are kept in their truest form and free from any blending, fining or filtering.

This year’s releases will be lots of 25 cases or less and will more than likely only be available on the website and for wine club members through shipments. The club is building very fast and given the small amounts of wine that will be available, a waiting list may be made available for the club in the next few months.

To show appreciation for all of the support received, Dragonfly is offering a free bottle of wine shipped to new club members if they join by the end of March. They will also be working with the premier wine bars and restaurants in Santa Clarita to provide a small amount of wine.

Dragonfly is proud to be a part of this great cause and will be pouring some of their upcoming releases at the Wine Classic on May 30th. (Your favorite SCV wine writer will be hovering…)

The web address is http://www.dragonflywineries.com/. The link below will take you straight to the Club Membership page to join if anyone is interested in joining the club before it’s full. http://www.site.dragonflywineries.com/Location.php

The Young Wine

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I am drinking while writing, like Stephen King’s early years: scary but with spell check!

Anyway, been contemplating the new “youth factor” of my Facebook Eve’s Wine 101 group that grows by over a dozen new members a day. They’re young. And extremely attractive. Drive motorcycles. Into beer and wine. Former bartenders. And for some reason, a lot of Realtors and leasers, toe ring bling and bikini designers…

Got me to thinking of what wine I had when I was young. Go back with me for a minute if you are an old friend…or a new one.

We had Reunite on ice because it’s nice. The only reason to ice a wine is to make it taste better. Beware of all labels that read. “Serve well chilled”. It’s a rouse, not a Champagne.
We also were blessed with Boone’s Farm fruit flavored strawberry wine. Mateus’s big squat green bottle. Boxed wine was a new concept in convenience. Manishevitz because somebody had a bar mizpah ten years earlier. Where a Carlo Rossi Burgundy was a blend, not a wine from Burgundy, France. Think on that…and how 2 buck chuck would have been a welcome respite.

Now, if you’re just starting out with wine…or 5-15 years into it…your choices are way cooler than ours ever were. You have Trader Joe’s, Costco, World Market and the friggin’ recession bringing down prices so that everyone can drink for less at the best things we never had: wine bars.

But, more importantly, your young palates are much more educated that ours were. Why? Because your forefathers (me and my friends) have demanded it!
So, what’s your wine story?

Everybody Knows Your Name

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Our parents had neighborhood bars. If you entered one the day you turned 21 your eyes would have had to adjust to the darkness and the clouds of stale cigarette smoke. One long row of swivel bar stools turned just enough to view neighbors on either side hunched over grimy glassware. Cracked red vinyl made a valiant attempt to stretch over the short row of booth seating, each centered by the brown Formica table and its single adornment: a glass ashtray filled with wet butts.
How could that have been attractive? What did our parents want with that? It was a place for drunks.
By the time we were ready for bars, lucky for us, John Travolta brought us neighborhood discos instead. Harvey Wallbangers and Tequila Sunrise and the Sloe Comfortable…forgettaboutit. The only reason to order a glass of white wine was because it would last longer if mixed with soda over ice; as the white wine spritzer was what all the serious disco ladies drank. (At least those of us that only rested between sets.)
Fast forward to the wine bars we now enjoy. No need to adjust our eyesight. We can look at an array of wines brightly lit by our educated proprietors. Bar stools matched by equally tall clean glass or real wood tables. No dark booths hidden away but instead, open, patio seating. Ash trays were replaced by bud vases.
I’d like to believe that drinkers, and drinking, has evolved. Even 21 year olds just starting out seem to be mesmerized by educating themselves about wine. It’s not remotely tacky to have enjoyed a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon when you compare it to a bottle of rum. Yo – Ho.
But, have we, the drinking consumer changed? Do we still have a Kirstie Alley managing the place? A Ted Danson breezing about? Have I morphed into a postal worker or, gasp, resident psychiatrist? I’m curious Dear Wine Friends: Are we the same and our bars have changed or, have we both grown up?

OTBN Redux

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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…

Click me baby

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I would bet that there has never been a post, on a blog or website, about…Google Adsense. Never mind that I now have carpal tunnel clicking on my own Google ads so that I can earn a buck. Never mind that they are tucked way down deep at the bottom of this page. What I want to know is how in the heck they know, in this huge world wide web, my demographic? And, that I’d be the first to buy what they are selling?

First is Culinary Career Schools .net. Of course everyone reading a Wine 101 blog would want to be a sommelier! And in three months. I jest you not. I would love this. I would love all my readers to click on the ad so that I could afford it. How cool would that be?

Next up is The Perfect Glass .com. that “Host Wine 101 tastings”! I’m about to knock over my stemless glass! They do bachelorette, champagne and pairing parties. 1-25 guests for private consultation to public parties. I’m so there!

Burdick Vineyard Tours .com has sommelier lead vineyard tours, meet winemaker tours, catered lunches, Napa and Sonoma tours. Can you see why I need you to start clicking? I get my degree from Culinary Career Schools and I’m getting a gig at Burdick!

And finally, The Wine Coach .biz , Private wine tastings Elegant Corporate & Private Events Great wines and and artisanal cheeses. Yes, we all need cheese, every day. My mouth is a-watering (hole).

(I lied, actually they have a wrinkle cream ad that I didn’t want you to know about. There’s not enough for all of us. I’ll be 50 in a month and I’ve just recently stopped getting the “No, you don’t look 48.” or “Wow, you sure look great for 49.” When I tell people that I’ll be 50 they just say…nothing. But at least they have the decency to offer me a wrinkle cream to enjoy…after I enjoy my wine.)

Don’t Wait for a Birthday…do OTBN

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It’s a wine holiday! Since 2000, a special Saturday night in February has been designated Open That Bottle Night. This year, the special day falls on February 28.

A little bit of History about Open That Bottle Night: Most winos have a bottle of wine sitting around that is too fancy or expensive to open on just any old Saturday night. After years of saving, the perfect moment never seemed to come and the bottle is just collecting dust in your ‘under the sink wine cellar.’

That’s why two Wall Street Journal wine reporters* created Open That Bottle Night eight years ago. Open That Bottle Night becomes the reason to pop open a bottle that, for one reason or another, you just have not gotten around to drinking. So dust off that gem you’ve been saving and Open That Bottle!
*Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher of WSJ

So here’s the dilemma…what to open? And…make it a party or a party for two?

I e-mailed a wine guru to suggest he make an evening out of it. No response – so I guess he’s not sharing.

Today’s my sister-in-law’s birthday…do I ask her to hold off a week before she opens that second bottle of her new favorite: Duckhorn Migration 2006 Pinot Noir?

Do I take a nice ready-to-drink bottle from my mini storage, formerly the garbage-compactor space in my kitchen, or from my sub-zero sized cellar in the garage? (The second option means I have to TELL MY HUSBAND.)

Can I even convince my husband?

I have a week to make decision…but here are some choices:

Joseph Phelps Insignia 2001
Silver Oaks 2001
Pride Mountain Merlot 2002
Phifer Pavitt Cabernet Sauvignon 2003
Lynch Bages Bordeaux 2000, 2003
Banfi Brunello 1999
Poggio Antico Brunello 1997
Costello Banfi Brunello 1997
Chateau Ducro Bordeaux 2000
Marcarini Barolo 2000
I’m stopping here as instead of OTBN it’s going to become OTB(EVERY SINGLE)N! I await your comments…with thirsty palate, empty wine glass and an-ti-ci-pation.

Yes, we have a SCV Vintners & Growers Association!

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And here is the report to prove it:
The Santa Clarita Vintners and Growers Association held their first meeting of the new year at Ristorante Cavi on Thursday, February 12th.
Twenty local growers and wine makers were in attendance all with their hand-crafted wines in “tote.” The excitement level was high as the group had not been all together since our Christmas meeting and dinner held at the home of Chris and Jeannie Carpenter.
As members arrived hugs and hand-shakes were shared, the excitement and energy of the group’s combined passion for making wine was felt throughout the room. The evening started with sharing their wines with one another and commenting on the characteristics of the wine.
The group finally settled down at the long table for a family style dinner prepared by Cavi owner and chef Tonino. As the night prolonged, wine flowed and the energy increased.

With business at hand, the group scheduled to help with pruning at two of the members vineyards, the next two Sundays (22 February & 01 March) in longing for good fruit for picking in the fall.
The next meeting will be held in late March at the home vineyard of members Darrin & Lisa Fetterolf.
Respectfully submitted, Jenny Lukas. (Hello Eve, Sharing report from the evening. It was a fun evening. Sorry you missed it…maybe next time.)
Last year, as Jenny mentioned above, these local winemakers had the opportunity, for the first time, to meet and pour for an event that benefited our local Assistance League.
The mood, again as Jenny so aptly described above in this week’s meeting, was equally charged last year at the wine event. Many attendees were stunned to find such an array of local winemaking talent. And I don’t think there is anything better at a tasting than actually having an opportunity to listen, and learn, from winemakers.
For myself, having attended so many wine-tasting events I was charmed by the uniqueness of this one and am compelled to follow this group…next time!

Premium sushi goes with, you guessed it, Premium wine

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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)

A Wine E-Newsletter (That’s not selling anything but me)

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Help! I have hundreds of readers that I currently send my weekly e-blasts to. I need to get more sophisticated and that means sending an e-newsletter instead. But I also want to keep it short, and most importantly, palatable. The first below (A) is what I sent this past week. The second (B) has some changes that include some possible artwork, subscription information and copyright – I’m open to more. Maybe even some – gasp – columns.

All I need is for you to tell me what in the heck you want.

The goals are:
1. Direct people to this blog and the West Ranch Beacon blog.
2. Raise my presence so that newspaper readers will find me.
4. Make sure wine contacts keep me updated with their events for my SCV Wine Calendar and suggestions for my columns.
3. Tease you just enough to drive you wild with, in the immortal words of Dr. Frank-N-Furter from the Rocky Horror Picture Show, An-Ti-Ci-Pa—tion.

So please comment or you get whatever Dr Frank and I decide on…
A:
Dear Wine Friends,

Three short items on my blog this week: The Drunk Suit, Some Recession Priced Wines and a little teaser of my article for the Beacon tomorrow. Also, see a ton of sweet choices from the SCV Wine Calendar for Valentine’s Day and beyond: http://evewine101.blogspot.com/

At about 9am Friday my weekly Wine 101 column will be up at the West Ranch Beacon’s blog. This week I did a round-up of some of our local wine experts on their favorite wine and what made it memorable: http://westranchbeacon.com/blog/

And finally, thanks to all of you that have joined, and promoted to your contacts, my Eve’s Wine 101 group on Facebook! I really appreciate your support in keeping me alive and well on the world wide web.

Yours, in wine and out,
Eve

(maybe some art to go with content)
To ensure the delivery of your Dear Wine Friend newsletter
add ebushman@earthlink.net to your address book.
Dear Wine Friends,
Text

Yours, in wine and out,
Eve

Eve’s Wine 101
Eve Bushman
Freelance Writer
ebushman@earthlink.net
http://evewine101.blogspot.com
http://westranchbeacon.com/blog

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