by Christina Waters | Apr 19, 2011 | Wine |
Make plans for a day in the country – this Saturday April 23 – for a visit to the brand new tasting room at Windy Oaks Estate, in Corralitos.
Especially beautiful this time of year, the rolling vineyards above Corralitos now boast a new venue for the Pinot Noirs and estate Chardonnay created by Jim Schultze and his family winemaking team.
From noon to 5pm this Saturday (and every Saturday from now on) the tasting room is open for free pours of new releases—including the 2009 “one-acre” Chardonnay and the 2008 Proprietor’s Reserve Pinot Noir, plus appetizers, cheese, Corralitos sausage and live music.
Bring your favorite easter bunny— please call to RSVP, 831.724-9562, so Jim and Judy can put your name on the list — and come up for this hilltop Grand Opening. ( If you don’t RSVP, there will be a $15 tasting fee.) You can find out how to get to the winery at 550 Hazel Dell Road, by following the directions on the website.
by Christina Waters | Apr 13, 2011 | Home, Wine |
We discovered a great way to have our Pinot and drink it too, so to speak. These half-bottles of Windy Oaks Estate Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains 2007, are available at New Leaf for a mere $18.99. You can enjoy the complex licorice and black cherry spice of winemaker Jim Schultze’s elegant creation for significantly less than the larger, full size bottle. Although, let’s face it, in the case of elegant Pinot Noir, more is always better.
Check out the glass-to-bottle ratio in this image. Rather Alice in Wonderland, no? We enjoyed a demi-bouteille recently with a dinner of homemade chile verde. Sensational combination.
by Christina Waters | Apr 6, 2011 | Home, Wine |
An elegant Sauvignon Blanc, 2009Â by bay area winery La Honda, made from Sonoma grapes. We loved its infusion of stargazer lily and cantaloupe, its middle of grassy minerals and grapefruit, and its crisp citrusy finish.
We loved the way it partners Black Forest ham as well as scallops. And we also loved its $14.99 pricetag. At New Leaf.
by Christina Waters | Mar 17, 2011 | Home, Wine |
Don’t miss next week’s Pinot Paradise festival, March 26-27, which begins with a self-guided tour of the region’s pinot-producing wineries $25, and culminates on Sunday with the Grand Cruz Tasting at Villa Ragusa in Old Town Campbell ($55/65). Find all the details you need at SCMWA website – or by calling (831)685-8463.
by Christina Waters | Mar 9, 2011 | Home, Wine |
Just in case you think that wine tasting is a piece of cake, check out this sea of stemware—and this is only partial snapshot—up at the historic Burrell Schoolhouse, yesterday, where a few dozen of us worked through four flights of Santa Cruz Mountain pinot noirs for ranking at this year’s Pinot Paradise.
(That’s Hallcrest’s John Schumacher at far left and Big Basin’s Bradley Brown right, front.)
by Christina Waters | Mar 7, 2011 | Food, Home, Wine |
Here is something rococo—and delicious—we sampled last week from the hand of Cellar Door chef Jarod Ottley. A froth of tender local squid, accompanied by pink grapefruit and pea sprouts dotted a long mound of quinoa. Brilliant crimson beet puree accompanied and a slick of rich date confit provided the sweet visual accent.
A lot going on. All of it good. We partnered our meal last week with glasses of never-better Nebbiolo and Cigare 2006, from the oeno-mind of Randall Grahm. And yes, Cellar Door service is outstanding.
