by Christina Waters | Oct 3, 2009 | Home, Wine |
As always, providing crucial melodious background for the Alfaro Tasting room festivities during Corralitos Wine Trail weekend, was attorney Joe Haselton, whose operatic pipes regaled the pinot-samplers with the entire oeuvre of Elton John, with sprinklings of The Beatles and Phil Collins to boot.
The metaphorical presence of vintner Richard Alfaro kept watch over the proceedings, even though the physical Alfaro was out in the 100 degree heat working the parking lot logistics.
by Christina Waters | Sep 30, 2009 | Home, Wine |
Like many inquiring wine-lovers, I found myself in the gorgeous back country of Corralitos last Saturday, tasting wine at a quartet of impossibly scenic wineries. Yes it was hot! At Pleasant Valley Vineyards, the grapes were within hours (HOURS) of being harvested, and at Alfaro Family Vineyards the grapes were coming in even during the afternoon festivities.
Seriously, you need to make sure you join next year’s Corralitos Wine Trail harvest taste-trek. Lots of music, good vibes, delightful finger food, and terrific new releases being poured. A delightful Syrah at Pleasant Valley, several notable Pinots at Alfaro, and a remarkable new release (more…)
by Christina Waters | Sep 22, 2009 | Home, Wine |
You bet I absolutely believe that $7.99 is a true deal for a better-than-decent bottle of refreshing, low-oak French Chardonnay.
So I loaded up at New Leaf last week on my new favorite easy-sippin’ late summer white – a 2007 Loire Chardonnay from Domaine Roc de Châteauvieux. Light – 12.5% – but still nuanced, this minerally beauty offers nose of white flowers (maybe some jasmine, perhaps alyssum) followed by salt and a lemony finish. Completely likeable, it works equally well with halibut and aged sheep cheese.
HOWEVER – I went out today and checked the wine racks at New Leaf and…the price is now $9.99 for this lovely white wine.
Yes, it IS still a very good deal. But I think there must be some sort of pre-emptive cliché for this situation….something like “carpe diem,” or “she who hesitates pays two dollars more.”
Worth a try, even at $9.99.
by Christina Waters | Sep 9, 2009 | Food, Home, Wine |
No longer just a gorgeous place in Spain, Mundaka is also the name of a hot new tapas restaurant in the center of Carmel. Gabe Georis and his partners have worked interior design miracles with burnished, distressed and time-worn recycled materials, all of which give a distinctive patina to the two spacious dining rooms of this chic new spot.
Last week, armed with graceful tumblers of Spanish varietals — a white Txakoli and a mighty Rioja from M. de Legarda crianza, both loaded with minerals, fruit and a perfume of sea salt — we worked our way through several rounds of $2 pintxos. These tiny tastes, maybe three bites each, included a brandade on sliced potato, stacks of salmon, pink beets and caper berries, an outrageously garlicky baguette topped with fresh tomatoes and (I know, I just said it) garlic, plus duxelles topped with air-dried beef. Major flavor intensity in every bite.
The central room, with its upright piano, steep stairway to a mysterious (more…)
by Christina Waters | Sep 8, 2009 | Wine |
Big Basin Vineyards celebrates the crush of 2009 this weekend, September 12 & 13, from noon til 5pm at the scenic winery property above Boulder Creek.
Join winemaker Bradley Brown for the annual celebration of harvest at Big Basin Vineyards, famed for its Rhone varietals and earth-shaking Syrahs.
A variety of Big Basin’s new releases, along with library wines and barrel samples, will be available for tasting – seven syrahs, three pinot noirs and a few select blends! Plus taste treats from Vino Locale.
The Harvest event is free for Friends of the Vineyard (up to two passes), $10 for those picking up wines and $20 for others. Everybody gets a 22 oz. crystal Big Basin wine glass.
Music by 3hree Bro’s Down. Contact Big Basin Vineyards, or call 831-621-8028, for all details.
by Christina Waters | Aug 24, 2009 | Home, Wine |
The best white wine you’ve never heard of. The initial opening of jasmine and mineral salts, continues into a center of golden delicious apples, green and crisp. The piquant finish offers hints of tangerine and lime. At 13% alcohol you could drink this all day long.
Made from central coast grapes by oeno-gurus John Locke and Alex Krause, this mysteriously perfumed yet utterly dry wine is so far available only in Canada (there’s a long story here), and at Soif. But soon, it will be all over your neighborhood. And in your glass.
