Hidden Wine Gems of California

If you do most of your wine shopping while also buying groceries, you might notice that most of the major grocery chains seem to sell the same wines.  It’s not uncommon to find respectable offerings from the likes of Columbia Crest and Chateau Ste Michelle from Washington, or Sterling and Robert Mondavi from Napa Valley, or Yellow Tail from Australia.  All of the above wineries certainly have something delicious to offer for every taste; finding similar wines in multiple locations also gives you the option of comparing prices and looking for the best deal. 

But, what if you want to try something new?

At this point, you have a couple of options.  You can start with the internet and go to a website such as Wine.com or Bevmo.com.  Surely, these sites give you some flexible browsing and shopping options as well as some general descriptions and ratings of various wines.  In various regions of the country, there are some wine warehouses that also have websites.  In Southern California, for example, I like browsing the inventories at Napa Cabs, The Wine Club, The Wine Exchange, and KL Wines. 

There is another option as well.

Hit the road.  Go wine tasting and pick something unfamiliar.  Now; the upside of this approach is that you may find a wine that you never even considered and discover that you really enjoy it.  The downside is that you may find some wines that you never want to taste again.  Truly both experiences are possible on any wine trail. 

What I’d like to do is suggest a few wineries that I’ve visited and share what I enjoyed most about their wines.  Take note that these are mostly wines that you are unlikely to find in the local market, although you might get lucky shopping at a store nearby these wineries.  Also, each has offerings that are only available directly through the winery.  All have websites to assist you with buying wine and even joining their wine clubs in order to receive regular shipments of new releases.

In no particular order, here are some of the wineries in California that I’ve discovered; some more easy to find than others, but all with very tasty wines.

Terra Valentine (www.terravalentine.com)

Terra Valentine is located about 2,100 feet above Napa Valley.  The location is quite secluded but worth the drive west of St. Helena.  They only offer tastings by appointment but we were able to get a same-day appointment.  They offer up an array of delicious wines including a magnificent Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir.  Their Sangiovese just cries out for some pasta with red sauce.  That said, their Cabernets are elegant and such a pleasure to taste.  I’ve also had the great delight of pairing their Spring Mountain Cabernet with some grilled rib-eye steak on two occasions and I’m already looking forward to the third.
 

Topel (www.topelwines.com)

I discovered Topel during a visit to Healdsburg in Sonoma County.  I actually found their tasting room during a walk around central Healdsburg, a very charming and even somewhat vibrant small town that is developing a beautiful blend of country living and culinary sophistication.  Anyway, at Topel I found some really great wines from a winery I’d not heard of until my visit.  At the winery, it was explained to me that that Topel was known for its' Cabernet.  The bonus for me was tasting their 2007 Serendipity Monterey Pinot Noir. This wine tastes in two waves: the first filled with soft fruit, then 2nd wave with the spicy characteristics that give it enough structure to be diversely food friendly.  They also make some very nice Syrah.  Topel’s wines aren’t as easy to find as some of the others on this list, but if you are in Healdsburg, CA, it’s worth a visit.

Denner (www.dennervineyards.com)

About 2 hours south of San Francisco, west of the quaint and upcoming town of Paso Robles, are some of my favorite wineries.  Many of these wineries are starting to gain popularity and you may find several wines from this region on your grocer’s shelves.  Names such as Justin, Wild Horse, Tobin James, and J. Lohr are just a few of the more popular wineries.  However, on Vineyard road, just about 2 miles north of Highway 46 west, is one of my all-time favorite wineries, Denner. 

I cannot sing Denner’s praises enough.  They wide array of varietals including Viognier, Mourvedre, Syrah, and Grenache are splendid across the board.  A few of their wines have some really interesting names, such as the Ditch Digger, which is a GSM (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre) blend or the Dirt Worshipper (Syrah and Viognier).  Tastings are done by appointment only, however and I recommend calling ahead.  Many of the Denner wines are starting to gain recognition with several accolades in the popular wine trade magazines. 

Jaffurs (www.jaffurswine.com)

Santa Barbara County is generating quite a local buzz with the quality of wines being produced there.  In fact, that buzz is starting to go national.  I’m just waiting for some of them to show up at the grocery store around the corner.  However, the fact that they haven’t, simply means it’s another reason for a road trip. 

Jaffurs makes wines in the Rhone tradition similar to those of Denner with a bit more subtlety.  One of my favorites here is their Grenache Blanc with its’ refreshing and zesty tropical flavors.  One cannot dismiss their Petite Syrah or Grenache – both elegant and filled with aromas and tastes of brilliant and haunting dark fruit.  The structure of these wines is quite a thrill.  This brings me to their Syrah. 

From Jaffurs 2008 vintage, they offer up 6 vineyard-specific Syrah bottling.  It is easy to find a good one because they are all good.  It will be quite a bit more difficult to just walk out with one, however, Jaffurs makes this decision a bit easier by only offering them to wine club members.  I assure you; once you taste their wines, the decision to be a club member will seem like a natural next step in the process.

Leonesse (www.leonessecellars.com)

About 80 miles Southeast of Los Angeles is the town of Temecula.  Just East of Temecula are several wineries, many whose wines are readily available throughout Southern California.  In my opinion, Temecula is an up-and-coming wine region that is still carving out its identity as a serious player in the world of wine.  Clearly, they are moving closer to that with each vintage. A great example of this is Leonesse. 

I highly recommend their vineyard selection Syrah offerings as well as their signature selection Merlot.  Before even tasting these wines, the nose will let you know that you’re in for a treat!  They also make a fantastic and surprisingly complex Zinfandel from their signature selection as well.  What’s more, you can enjoy the Leonesse wines amidst a beautiful hillside setting with a scenic view of Palomar Mountain.  There is plenty of room to walk around and find your own “perfect tasting spot”.

For our purposes here, I’ve only mentioned a few wineries.  I discovered these mostly by accident or sheer curiosity.  There are many more than this on my list of recommendations.  My best recommendation, however, is to take wine tasting with a sense of adventure and discovery.  Aside from drinking plenty of water, don’t rush.  Give yourself time to explore and take in each wine that you taste.  Ask questions.  Have fun.  You may just find something that you can take back home and surprise your friends with. 

Be safe.

Cheers!

Live from LA.... Fleming's Steak House!

On the corner of Olympic and Figueroa in Los Angeles is one of the finest steak houses I've had the pleasure of visiting.  In fact, about 10 days ago, my wife and I visited after receiving gift cards from her dad.  He said it was a great place for steak. 

It IS a great place for steak... and wine... and dessert.... and hospitality... and in a great location for a special and memorable evening out in one of the greatest cities on the planet. 

It's hard not to write something like this and have it sound like a restaurant review of sorts but, in a way, that's what it is. An it's also a bit of a journal entry - for two really great nights out. 

Our first night was scheduled to coincide with a Prime Rib dinner offering that Fleming's is promoting during Sundays in January only and it's quite the deal.  It included a salad, a 12 oz cut of Prime Rib, a Side and a Dessert all for under thirty bucks.  Here's the deal - my wife and I could have shared one and been completely satisfied.  That is how much food this amounts to.  But we each ordered our own.  And took home leftovers.  And ate them the next evening.

We brought our own bottle, as is usually the case; a bottle of 2006 Sea Smoke Southing to be specific and it worked perfectly with the food - and the seasonings.  Our server was Elizabeth - a genuinely friendly individual who welcomed us as if we were a guest in her home.  We were also greeted by David Shelton, who usually manages at the El Segundo store but happened to be standing in during this particular evening.  If the friendly professionalism of David and Elizabeth are an indicator, I would stand here and recommend any Fleming's to my readers.

The first experience was so delightful, that we invited friends to join us again this week.  We were greeted, seated, and again made to feel right at home by Kent - a person who paid close attention to every detail in our experience but also ensured that we had the space to enjoy our evening as if there was nobody else in the room.  We were also visited by Michael DiGiambattista, an operating partner, and whose name I recognized from his signature at the bottom of an e-mail thanking us for joining the "Friend of Fleming's" club.  Michael was hospitable enough to thank us for coming back - acknowledging that we had visited previously just over a week before.  The warm greetings and friendly, top notch service set the tone at Fleming's. 

The food kicks things to another level altogether. 

I'll be brief and to the point.... Salads... Oysters... Fillet Mignon... New York Pepper Steak... Lamb Chops... Mac and Cheese (yup), Mushrooms.... Chocolate Lava Cake... Creme Brulee... Espresso... Cappuccino... all paired wonderfully with the two bottles we brought with us: the 2008 Denner Syrah and 2007 Columbia Crest Reserve Cabernet. 

Are you hungry yet?

To top things off, the receipt had a web link to a survey at the bottom and the customer receives a $25 credit toward their next visit just by completing it.  And it only takes about 5 minutes. 

Fleming's is a place that seriously wants its' customers to come back again and again.  And they live up to their own high standards by making frequent visits very enticing and something to look forward to. 

We'll be back.

Cheers!

Dinner in Santa Barbara...

Last night, my youngest daughter, Jamie and I drove to Santa Barbara with our Honda Odyssey filled with a mattress, computer desk, clothes, etc to move my oldest daughter, Michelle into her new apartment.  One of Michelle's roommates met us at the door and soon after Michelle arrived with another friend.  The van was unloaded very quickly and food became the top item on our to do list.  We invited Michelle's roommate; her other friend left for work.

We went to Ruth's Chris Steak House at the La Cumbre Plaza and have a fantastic evening.  For one, I was in the company of three very bright young ladies who, we learned later, had garnered quite a bit of attention from the males working at the restaurant.

We were greeted by manager Kris and our very attentive and friendly server, Nicole.  Upon request, Chris was gracious enough to waive the corkage fee for the 2006 Denner Ditch Digger that we brought along.  Hospitable folks indeed!

Rather than order separate dinners, we decided to get several items and share.  This way, we could sample a variety of flavors and not walk out completely stuffed - easy to do here because the portions are very generous and the food so tasty that it's hard to stop eating it!

We started with the shoestring potatoes... a nice crunchy beginning to go with the first pour of the Ditch Digger - a fabulous wine, by the way - one that is filled with spicy, peppery, and dark fruit on the nose... tastes amazingly smooth just out of the bottle, then wham! - boysenberries and heck... I don't know... the wine simply explodes and seethes with flavors so mouth watering, almost Gothic, flavors of dark chocolate, pepper, mocha, and boysenberry pie!

Oh, back to the food.

We shared the seared ahi tuna - so tender and flavorful in a nice bed of ginger sauce... so refreshing... and a side note: the wine didn't back down for a second.

All the while, Nicole mentioned that we were the fun table and the one that the male servers wished they had.  Imagine me, two of my daughters and one of their friends... and I was completely enchanted listening to the three of them converse - oh yeah, I chimed in now and then but they have such incredible imaginations and were smiling all around... this is what great meals are made of.... the food is the soundtrack to the conversation!

Three of us ordered salads, with Jamie declaring that she would just help with what we couldn't finish... smart move.  These are man-sized salads with plenty of garden fare along with some nice touches around the fringe with miniature onion rings, or even Cajun spiced pecans.  Yummy!

Then came a single - what looked like 20oz - rib eye steak and the mushroom caps.  I challenge anyone to pair something like this with a big bold and elegant red from Paso Robles, such as the Denner Ditch Digger, and not moan in ecstacy!  Unless you really need to, there's no reason to buy steaks for every person (NFL players and others who burn calories on a sub-atomic level excepted) - each bite goes a long way.  The taste is incredible... for lack of a more explosive term... culinary bliss-ness!

The grand finale?  Two desserts - Chocolate Explosion (not on the menu) - an indescribable chocolate cake oozing melted dark chocolate, decorated with caramel and vanilla ice cream.... heck, I hope I remembered it well enough... then the Cheesecake... one of the best I've ever tasted... so creamy... and with a raspberry drizzle... drizzle... drizzle... (okay, it's nine a.m. the following day and I'm ready to go back already... )

Alas, the wine was gone... the dessert half gone... the smiles still there, the conversation still there, and a wonderful sense of.... wow!  What a fantastic way to celebrate or even just hang with family and friends.  Yeah, it's about the food, but it's more about the people. 

After dropping Michelle and Arielle off at their new apartment, Jamie and I drove back to Los Angeles and got home at midnight... and that was it... lights out... sweet dreams...

And here I am writing about it.

Thank you Kris, Nicole, and Ruth's Chris for a fantastic evening. 

You rock!

Cheers :)

Denner

Paso Robles would be nothing but a roadside truck stop if not for the wineries and vineyards there. And it would be just a bit more than nothing if the wine wasn't any good. Fortunately, neither is the case.

I know there are people who pride themselves on finding those subtle little wines whose flavors and nuances are buried beneath the surface and are more difficult to detect than Waldo but I'm not one of 'em.

I like flavor. I like complexity. And I'm of the opinion that if I have to spend minutes trying to figure out the little essences that make a wine special, then it probably isn't very special and I'm diluting myself into believing that the price I paid for it was justified.

This is why I like Denner. They make great wines. They make flavorful wines. They make complex wines. They make several wines that age nicely. They make wines that I keep coming back to.

They make wines that taste like wine. These wines have fruit flavors without being overly ripe and obvious but generously enough so that I don't have to hunt and peck to taste them. These wines also finish nicely.

And the go great with food.

I'm not going to go into many details but the Ditch Digger, Dirt Worshipper, and Syrah are fantastic. And, although I tend to focus on reds more often than not, their Theresa and Viognier are wonderful.

For the person used to dropping $10-15 per bottle on wine, Denner might seem a bit pricey, generally falling between $30-45. But I've paid $70-80 on wine that isn't even in the same league as the Denner wines.

Of course, we're not talking about everyday drinking wines (although to drink them everyday would be a distinct pleasure). We're talking about wines for special occasions, friends coming over for dinner, Valentine's day, birthdays, graduations, etc. (College graduations that is)

Denner. It's one of the reasons that Paso Robles is much more than a truck stop. It's one of the reasons that I keep going back to Paso Robles.

Cheers!

Que Syrah Shiraz....

... whatever will be will be... etc etc...

This is the feeling I get when drinking wine... good wine... tasty wine... wine that says 'drink more'... no, not to get drunk.

It just tastes so good! Note that I left out the f-word for those of you who like the movie Sideways. I still don't think Miles knew much about wine.... hence his ongoing dislike of Merlot and Cab Franc.

Anyway.

Last week, while visiting an old friend (and former boss - how many of you can say that!) we found, in his son's cellar, a 2006 Mollydooker Shiraz...

Temptation and a love for wine as it is, we opened it. And drank it. And wanted more. It's good... really good. The 2007 is good too. The 2008... haven't tried it. Want to.

Monday this week, I opened a 2006 Columbia Crest Shiraz. It was $7.99 at Bevmo. Good incentive. Columbia Crest wines are very reliable.

The CC Shiraz is tasty... a bit of pepper on the finish.. almost a white pepper, I think... and a caramel mouth feel...

Then, tonight, we open a bottle of 2005 Zaca Mesa Syrah. I've written about this before. It's good. Really good.

It reminds me of some of the best in Australian Shiraz that I've had... deep dark fruit... black licorice... cocoa... and a black peppery finish laced with soft tannins.

Never mind.

It's freaking good. Like the Mollydooker. Like Henry's Drive. Like Andrew Murray. Like Denner.

So, whether you speak Syrah or Shiraz... doesn't matter. Give these wines a test drive and you'll find yourself casting away the day and relishing in the sensations that only a yummy wine like these can deliver.

Cheers!

Wine notes from the road....

Let's start with a visit to Barnes And Nobles in Chico, CA... walking around during a rare visit with mom... not because mom and I aren't close, but because of geography... I find the Twinkies Cookbook. Something is very wrong here!Anyway, later that evening, I visited my dad... and we grilled up some rib-eye steaks - purchased at Costco for the bold price of only $7.99/lb. I've not found better meat at a lower price anywhere.

The wine we enjoyed was the 2007 Mollydooker Two Left Feet. I really like this wine and wanted to turn my dad onto it as he's a big fan of Australian Shiraz - the cheap stuff - because it's good and cheap. The Mollydooker is bold and full of flavor... dark berries, licorice, mocha, and holds up very well rib-eye steaks. Oh, did I mention that we cooked over oak and manzaneta?

Well, my journey had a few other detours as well. I had the distinct pleasure of visiting The Wine Room in Paradise, CA. This is a charming little boutique with quite an inventory of gifts, cards, and various trinkets that my wife might be more familiar with than I am.... but they have a very nice little wine inventory.... in fact, I found the magnificent 2005 Columbia Crest Reserve Cabernet here and bought one.... I think they have 3 or 4 left. It paired very nicely with grilled slightly Cajun-spiced salmon - again cooked over oak.
Of course no visit to the Chico/Paradise area is complete without a stop by the Sierra Nevada Brewery. Dad and I enjoyed a nice lunch - a nice hoppy Torpedo IPA - and a small tour of the facility. If you're ever in town, visit the Sierra Nevada brewery. The food is great, the building is beautiful, the people are honestly friendly, and the concert hall deserves a peek as well. Oh, the tour area smells like fresh hops!

After leaving Paradise, I made my way down to Moss Beach to visit family and enjoy more wine and food. The Seal Cove Inn is a wonderfully charming chateau located within walking distance from the ocean, a bunch of seals, and a fantastic sunset! Looking over this while enjoying the 2006 Rosenblum Lyons Reserve Zinfandel from Napa Valley is a pleasure all by itself.

Well, two days at Moss Beach and we were back on the road, stopping in Paso Robles at the Denner Winery to check out their new member facility. It's beautiful. The view is sensational. The people are very nice. The wines are great. Enough said.

The trip culminated with a visit to friends in our local area to enjoy some homemade pizza and a nice bottle of 2004 Columbia Crest Walter Clore Reserve. Well, we also opened a bottle of 2005 Turnbull Cabernet and a bottle of 2006 Provenance Cabernet and.... needless to say, we slept very well that night.

When all is said and done, a couple of nights ago, an old friend visited and we duplicated menu items from the Morton's Steak Bible - bacon-wrapped scallops, Cajun rib-eye steaks (I'm a big fan of rib-eye)... their signature spinach salad (in the cook book but no longer on their regular menu)... and washed it all down with a bottle of 2005 Domaine Serene Pinot Noir and a 2006 Justin Isosceles.
It's been a great month... a tasty month.... and one filled with good food, tasty wine, and, most of all, great friends and close family. It doesn't get much better than this.

California Road Trip

I've been saying that being an unemployed musician who loves wine has been the best thing to happen to me in a long time! While taking my job for granted - assuming it would always be there - I began to develop some fear about not working... or at least not working at the job I'd become so used to. Interestingly enough, so many great things have happened since then, I wouldn't go back. Time is more valuable than money.



With that, on Sunday Morning (June 21), I left with my daughter to drive her back to Berkeley... she actually has a job... and help her into her new apartment. Our time together is precious and, not possible on the level it has been had I been in the precarious position of asking someone (i.e. a 'boss') for 'permission' to leave for such an important endeavor. Again - time over money.

After moving into the apartment (thanks for your help, Jacob) - we digressed toward Moss Beach to hang out at the Seal Cove Inn with family. This is a beautiful bed and breakfast that I highly recommend to anyone who has an affinity for the coast of California.

That evening, we promptly opened a bottle of 2006 Denner Ditch Digger while my brother-in-law, Ray, grilled some redskin potatos and tri-tip marinated in some Basque Norte sauce. The Ditch Digger - a GSM from Paso Robles, was so delicious and refreshing. It's a very flavorful wine that is like a vocalist with a 3octave range.... nice acidity, great structure, and a fantastic finish. But, that was just the warm-up!

During our meal, we opened the 2006 Fetish Watcher Barossa Shiraz. I love this wine. It's just delicious - and, being a big fan of black licorice, well - talk about a terrific pairing with the tri-tip!

Of course, we ran out of wine just as dinner was finished. There's only one solution when that happens - get more wine! So, we drove across the street (PCH to be exact) and picked up a bottle of 2006 Rosenblum Heritage Clones Petite Sirah. Because our wine consumption progressed from gentle to bold, we thought we'd just crash and burn like Led Zeppelin and down the Rosenblum - think Kashmir on 10!!!! This wine rocks.... a lot of bang for the buck.

After watching Bottle Shock (see it!) while enjoying our Rosenblum, the evening ended with a very nice crash on the sofa.

Monday began early with driving my daughter back to Berkeley so that she could go to work, and running some errands for her before her noon lunch break. We spent lunch at Crepes a GoGo on University Avenue in Berkeley. This place does a great job on their Crepes... and the variety pretty much can cover all three meals - Breakfast, Lunch, and - if you like - Dinner!

After lunch, I took her back to work and got on the freeway... North to the 101 toward Healdsburg. I had no plan in mind except to check out this little town. No exit strategy... just running on gasoline, ambition, and curiosity.

I arrived in Healdsburg around 3:00 p.m., parking on the street in the downtown area near the very charming and quaint tree-lined park in the center of the city. My goal was to first visit Murphy Goode.... very easy to find. In fact, finding places to eat or taste wine in downtown Healdsburg is so easy, for someone like me, it's tempting to never leave. I was 5 minutes into my visit and ready to call my wife and tell her to rent a u-haul, empty out the house, and come up. The people in this town are not only friendly, they are warm and hospitable to the point where I felt immediately like I was among old friends.

At Murphy Goode, Kim welcomed me with that Healdsburg warmth and, of course I immediately agreed to the $5 tasting fee. Never tasting their wines before, I was pleasantly surprised and the variety of tastes I encountered. Buying a couple of cases would have been easy but it was warm outside and I would be doing much driving for a couple of days. Not wanting to cook an investment in wine, I opted for a single bottle of the 2004 Adams Knoll Cabernet. This is such a soft and balanced cab, I'm looking forward to some fillet Mignon or grilled salmon to pair with it.


During our conversation, Kim and I arrived at a mutual taste for Syrah. At this point, she immediately recommended that I walk to the opposite corner of the 'square' and visit Topel.

I was greeted by Ryan - not only a genuinely friendly chap but, I found out, a fellow musician. Check out his stuff here: http://www.myspace.com/livingamongtrialsmusic. Anyway, Ryan explained that Topel was known for its' Cabernet, but we opened the tasting experience with their 2007 Serendipity Monterey Pinot Noir. This wine tastes in two waves... the first filled with soft fruit, then 2nd wave with the spicy characteristics that give it enough structure to be diversely food friendly.

I enjoyed all of the wines that I tasted at Topel... and, yes, the Syrah was very good! Kim and I do share the same tastes in Syrah. Alas, however, I bought the Pinot. I was unique enough to stay with me throughout the other wines.... but I'll definitely be back to buy some of the others when the weather is cooler.

I left Topel and walked across the street to.... Rosenblum! I immediately called Ray at the Seal Cove Inn and told him where I was - at which we both had a good laugh because of our encounter with the Petite Sirah the previous evening. Anyway, I was once again warmly and heartily greeted, this time by Sean who invited me to taste the Rosenblum reserve wines.

I'm a fan. I love Zinfandel and Syrah and Rosenblum is not short on either, although Zin is their specialty. They even had 4 displays of spices and aromas matched with 4 of the wines that I tasted - this was a great idea! It enabled me to more definitively identify some of the characteristics of their wine and appreciate their subtlety even more. What I was most impressed with was Rosenblum's ability to create wines that are typically fruit bombs, but do so in a subtle and complex way. These are wonderful wines and for one winery to produce such a large number of great tasting varietals - not to mention the numerous Zinfandels - all of which stand on their own unique character is profoundly impressive!

I left Rosenblum with more wine and decided it would be good to eat before driving to a cousins' house in Santa Rosa. Ryan recommended the Bear Republic Brewing Company for it's great selection of micro brews and their fantastic burgers.

I agree. They have great micro brews and fantastic burgers. I had Racer X and a bacon cheeseburger with garlic fries. How's that for ending an excursion?


The next day began with a road trip south... across the golden gate bridge, through San Francisco (what a beautiful city), and back to Berkeley to once again enjoy lunch with my daughter before heading back home.


I left Berkeley around 1:30 and, after gassing up in Gilroy, I headed down the 101 merrily... excited about my road trip. Just south of Gonzalez, I saw the Blackstone Winery and decided to stop in. I tasted 4 wines - 2 Pinot Noir's, 1 Zinfandel, and 1 Syrah. C'mon Blackstone - you can do better than this. Don't blend your Pinot with Syrah or anything else.... your Zin is okay and the Syrah is typical middle of the road Syrah with some nice peppery spice to round it out but, you're the only game within miles of Gonzalez.... take your time. You could be a great place to stop - but folks are not going to come back to taste if the competition north and south of you continue to make far better wines.


I left Blackstone and drove south... south... south, stopping in Buellton to consider perhaps staying for the night... it was now almost 7:00 and I was a bit tired. I also had my Sea Smoke order to pick up in Lompoc.... but I was ready to go home and didn't feel like staying alone in a hotel room... even for $59 via hotwire.

I got home at around 10:30 p.m. and my wife asked "More Wine????" I said yup... and loaded up the vinotemps with my new familial additions. I grabbed a beer, sat down and watched some mindless TV, and went to sleep.

Cheers!

Denner Syrah.... Ruth's Chris Anaheim...

What a combination... last night, one of our daughters flew in from Berkeley to be with her sisters for the youngest 8th grade graduation.... upon leaving the airport, we stopped at Ruth's Chris in Anaheim....

And I just 'happened' to have a bottle of 2006 Denner Syrah with me.... go figure!!!

First off, high compliments to the folks at Ruth's Chris.... we arrived at 8:30 p.m. and didn't leave until almost 10:30.... and, amidst what was obviously a very busy evening at the restaurant, the level of service and hospitality bestowed on us was top notch all the way. Not to mention the wonderful food.... shoestring potatoes, grilled ahi tuna, new york steak, stuffed mushrooms... and on and on... the flavors were incredible....

... and the 2006 Denner Syrah went perfectly with the meal. It's such a big jammy wine that, at first, one might wonder if there's anything but an over the top fruit bomb... but the finesse is exemplary... the finish just keeps on giving... delicious!

Kudos to both Ruth's Chris and Denner Vineyards for contributing to a wonderful evening out for our family.

Cheers!

Justin and Denner...

Hi. Just for fun, I thought I'd take a couple of pictures for this post.... a 6 year vertical of Justin Isosceles - 2001-2006.... and 4 of my favorite wines from Denner... The Dirt Worshipper, Ditch Digger, Syrah, and Zinfandel...

Denner Zinfandel.... boom!

I opened the 2007 Denner Zinfandel 2 nights ago. The nose, smell, aroma, whatever... was sweet and spicy... nutmeg? cinnamon? not sure.. but it was very pleasant.

I swirled my glass a bit... and the wine coated the inside of the glass like lacquer... paint...

I tasted it.

I digress here: this wine is 16% alcohol. 16%. It's freaking HUGE! And here I was trying to drink it without any food pairing....

I've had port wines before... liked 'em. The Denner Zinfandel needs food... or 99% Cacao. So, I broke out the darkest chocolate I could find.

.........aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah..... much better.

This wine is not for the faint of heart. It's bold, fruity, spicy, and it will get you freaking wasted if you sit down and drink the whole bottle. It's good that it's such a full-bodied bold and fruit-forward wine... you don't need much... a glass or two will do it.

I'm thinking it's a nice wine to pair with the Arnie Morton's Hot Chocolate Cake... but that's just my opinion.

Not what I expected but, delicious all the same!

Cheers!

Paso Robles.... quick trip...

Okay. Visited Denner Vineyards on Wednesday. I had much driving to do so I decided that one wine-tasting visit was all that was appropriate... stopped at Denner and tasted their 2007 Zinfandel, 2005 Syrah, and 2006 Ditch Digger.

Damn, these guys do a nice job! The Zinfandel is phenomenal... just wildly spicy and filled with wild berry flavors... and the finish hung around like someone in line for ride a Disneyland. Exciting wine!

From there, I dropped off a couple of bottles (from my cellar) as a gift to a friend, and continued my journey to Berkeley to pick up my daughter.

That's it. I love what they are doing at Denner; if you're in the Paso area, check 'em out.

Cheers!

Passing through Paso...

This week I drive up to Berkeley to pick up my daughter.... this is always a joyful occasion as we are a very close family and we're looking forward to a few days together. Meanwhile, driving from Los Angeles to the Bay Area also presents another opportunity... to cruise on up the 101...

This charts a course through Santa Barbara and Paso Robles... certainly presenting opportunities to stop in and see what's going on at some of the local wineries...

On this trip, I will most likely stop at Denner and Justin... two of my favorite wineries. The folks there are as hospitable as can be and the wines are always fun and tasty. It's also possible that I'll make a stop in Los Olivos... perhaps taste some Andrew Murray (in the words of Miles from Sideways, "Well Okay").

The highlight, of course, is picking up my daughter. But along the way, stopping by wineries is much more fun than just cruising non-stop on the freeway.... maybe I'll check hotwire.com or priceline.com and book a room - turn the whole thing into a mini-vacation.

Cheers!

Denner Vineyards in Paso Robles

Okay. Nobody pays me to say this, but I love Denner wines. I just opened a bottle of their 2007 Viognier and it was spectacular.... tasted like - well, fruit... peaches, maybe some nectarine, nice acidity... didn't even have it with food... but that's not all... the Denner Syrah from 06 is really wonderful - balanced - white peppery and blackberrish... (how's that for a word)... of course, I also recommend their Ditch Digger and Dirt Worshiper... great with steak... damn, I love a good steak... oh, and their Zinfandel. I've had the 05, and 06, and I can hardly wait to taste the 07. Paso Robles is the perfect breeding ground for Zin and Denner does a fine job of producing a silky smooth, somewhat spicey - cinnamon, clove, and nutmet anyone?

Just buy it.