Good morning from sunny Napa Californ-i-a!
The clouds went away I was blessed to experience some of that warm California sun! While I had thought about sticking close to home and thinking I had missed Kathleen Inman, I sent her an email to let her know that I was a complete bonehead and had gotten my days confused. I thought she would be at the winery on Sunday, not Saturday. And a few minutes later she replied stating she would be at the winery until noon that day, as she had to take care of her two newly adopted cats, Brett and Stella. So, I replied I'd be there when they opened! While surfing the web I discovered that Siduri/Novy was out near her as well, but they only do tastings by appointment. So I shot them an email and hoped for the best. I got a phone call - could I be there at noon? Well, heck yeah I could.
So with Starbucks coffee and a breakfast sandwich in my belly I hit the road for the hour drive. I have to tell you about driving in northern CA. The people are polite. They don't really speed. If you turn on your blinker to change lanes they let you in and don't speed up in an attempt to pass you before you get over. I think it has something to do with the scenery around here. You drive past huge rolling hills, some covered with trees and cattle, some covered with rows of grape vines, some just covered with a warm golden short grass. Sort of hard to get road rage, ya know? I would take pictures, but that's hard to do while driving. :) I will try to get some shots for ya. Oh, and cell phone use in the car, unless its hands free, is illegal in CA.
I arrived at Inman Family Wineries and was greeted by Erin, Mary and Kathleen. They were so friendly and so gracious and allowed me to taste through the entire portfolio. To me, her chardonnay and the 3 pinot noirs I tasted are very much in keeping with the Burgundian style of winemaking. They are crisp, clean, good acidity and just a delight to drink. And Great Wines and Spirits should be carrying them soon! But the highlight of the tasting for me was to try the 2010 Endless Cruss Pinot Noir Rose. Slightly effervescent, a deep cotton candy pink color, and tastes of almost ripe strawberries and a slight hint of citrus. it's so good that I bought two bottles - one to bring home and a chilled one to enjoy later that day.
Next up was Siduri and Novy. Now Siduri is well known for its luscious pinot noirs sourced from some of the best growing regions in the state for pinot, such as Santa Lucia Highlands, Rosella's Vineyard, Willamette Valley (yes, the one in Oregon), Sonoma Coast, etc. . . The Siduri Pinot Noirs show what talented and passionate winemakers can do with a most difficult grape to grow. Their pinots range from delicate and soft to "big and sexy" as they call it. They really show off the versatility of the grape. And all were fabulous and at great prices! With the Novy line, they produce everything except Pinot Noir. And again, all of them were just fabulous. In fact, I'd venture to say that the Sauvignon Blanc and the Zinfandel I had (this is the red one folks, not the pink stuff :}) were among the best I've EVER had. The sauvignon blanc was all stone fruit and honey, and the zin was black cherry and just a hint of pepper. Divine!
And they will ship to Tennessee folks so I suggest you visit their web site, www.siduri.com or call them and place your orders TODAY! All of there wines are available for shipment. I am bringing home a sauvignon blanc, a zinfandel and a viognier. I didn't get to sample the viognier, but with the quality of their wines I don't think I'll be dissapointed!
Figuring I had really done well for the day, I headed back to the hotel, got in some walking for exercise, and then after a snack headed to the pool with my Endless Crush in tow. Sitting in a chaise lounge, feeling the warm sun beating down on me and sipping that wine was one of the most relaxed, peacful feelings I've had in a while. Eventually I went from poolside into the pool to cool off. And then for a soak in the hot tub before dinner. And that was also a remarkable experience.
A glass of Mumm Napa bubbly to start. I ordered the Calamari for an appetizer, but had I realized how huge the serving was, I would've made it my meal. It was fantastic - light and crispy and the garlic aoli was perfect. When I saw the grilled lamb on the menu it was a slam dunk decision for dinner. They understood completely what medium rare means and it was served with a spicy ginger and balsalmic vinegar reduction that almost brought me to tears. Yes, it really was that good. And the grilled asparagus and roasted red peppers rounded out the meal nicely. But the star of the evening was indeed the wine. At a bargain price of $40 for a restaurant, I had the privilege of pairing the lamb with 2007 Elyse "Nero Misto" Petite Syrah blend. Again, I have had few meals in my life that have brought tears to my eyes, but this was one of them. The nose on this wine was one of dark fruits and just a hint of toasted oak. And the taste - well - it was just so soft and luscious with blackberries, black currant and boysenberry. A nice long finish that hangs around to bring out the best in the bite of lamb grilled to perfection and lightly coated with the reduction. I'm no matching expert by any means, so I can say that I got very lucky with this one.
After that, yes, I was done. Full in body, full in spirit.
And for day 4 - a tour and tasting at Chappellet! Gotta go get ready!
Cheers!
Dee
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