Tamber Bey, Napa Valley -- Wine and Cookie Tasting

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On a recent trip to Napa Valley, the boys and I stopped by the Tamber Bey tasting room in St. Helena. It was a real treat and a rather nice way to end the day in the Valley.  We had some promotional coupons and originally entered with the intent to taste just their wines but once we found out that we could have a side-by-side cookie-wine tasting, it was an idea too sweet to resist. ;)
Apparently they have a chef who created the cookie recipes exclusively for Tamber Bey's wines to create a perfect cookie-wine pairing.  While I'm all for pairing food and wine, (see here) the cookies were unbelievably tiny, I almost felt teased by the bite-sized portions. Then again, maybe I just have a big sweet tooth!

 {Our wine tasting line-up. Click for larger view}

I'm always a fan of a big, bold Napa Cab so naturally one of my favorites was their

 2008 Oakville Estate Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon.

 {Small stack of gourmet cookies - 

the bacon cookie was unexpectedly delish!}

{Jeroboam-sized bottles in the tasting room- fun!}

Cheers,

B

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Winery Visit--Hess: When Wine & Art Meet

Hess is one pretty cool winery.

It is known in the Valley as the winery with the most extensive art collection - and it is open to the public.  Pictures are not allowed in the extensive modern-contemporary art gallery, so you'll have to see it yourself.  Mr. Donald Hess of the Hess Collection Winery chooses unique pieces from a select number of living artists whose work he supports long-term.

 

If you go, I recommend that you take a tour + tasting and peruse the gallery and even their gorgeous property. I've written a review on one of their wines I enjoyed (see this post) which is distributed widely throughout California.

Cheers,

B

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Alpha Omega Winery

After a busy week of schoolwork, last week's spontaneous decision to visit Napa on a sunny weekend afternoon felt just right. It was a nice escape from the usual - and a well-deserved treat!

This time we went to three wineries, Alpha Omega being one of them.  This boutique winery is a relatively new establishment, located just off Highway 29 in Rutherford - the heart of Napa Valley.  The grounds are absolutely amazing with ample amounts of outdoor seating - perfect for kicking back outdoors with a glass of wine while overlooking stunning Napa Valley landscapes.  

A tasting at Alpha Omega includes a flight of four wines.   I tasted the 1155 Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley 2010, Chardonnay Napa Valley 2009, Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2009, and the Proprietary Red Napa Valley 2009, which is a Bordeaux-style blend ... a common trend I am starting to see among many wineries in Napa Valley.  I enjoyed trying them all but their Sauvignon Blanc stood out to me most.  I really liked how it was crisp, dry and fresh with citrus and honeysuckle flavors yet not too much acid on the tongue.  Tasting fee was $20 and is comped if you buy a bottle of their wine.

I'd go again just so I could chill outside in A/O's comfy couches with a glass of their wine!

Cheers,

B

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Winery Visit--Darioush

{18-foot tall columns that grace the entrance of the winery}

"Am I in Persia..or is part of Persia in Napa?" was my first question upon arriving to Darioush Winery. With its extravagance and ornate detailing, the winery resembles Persepolis, the ancient capital of Persia. Let's just say that the property is... a bit over-the-top... (to say the least.) Nonetheless, the property grounds and architecture are stunning--a visit to Darioush is truly a unique experience.

The winery is set along the Silverado Trail, a road lined with many well-known wineries in Napa Vally. With a fine focus on producing their notable Bordeaux-style wines, (Side note: permitted grapes in Bordeaux are Cab Sauv, Cab Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Carmenere) the winemaker at Darioush also produces wines from Chardonnay, Viognier, and Shiraz. Try the Signature Flight if you do a tasting--it includes five current release wines. The gem in that flight is definitely their Cab Sauv. Even Wine Spectator gives the 2007 Signature Cabernet Sauvingon 94 points, noting that the wine "tastes important right off the bat, although obviously young, with tannins hard as nails. New, smoky oak dominates, with themes of ripe concentrated blackberries and cassis. Needs time. best well after 2013, and should develop for years beyond." I say, cheers to that!

:)

-B

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Chandon Tasting

"Life Needs Bubbles" 

 

I tasted at Domaine Chandon for the first time this week. (Oh, and in case you were wondering, I'm still stoked about  being 21).  I have of course tried Domaine's bubbly before, (huge fan of their Blanc de Noirs) but this time was different because I was able to taste certain blends that are only available at the winery.  Plus I met  with my good friend whom I met while studying abroad in France that day, which made it even more special. 

I had an excellent experience in the Chandon tasting room. I tried the Prestige flight--one of 4 possible flights to choose from--plus some of the Vintages. Among the ones that I tasted, my favorite was  a wine from the Vintage collection.  I recommend that anyone who is a true fan of bubbly try this collection... and I promise I'm not getting paid to say this! :) It reminded me of a very special French Champagne I've tasted before. I loved it so much I had to buy a bottle of it myself!

{Chandon Bubbles.}

{Tasting wine together again--but this time in the U.S. instead of France}

Cheers,

B

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Temecula

We had a great time in Temecula yesterday. Our trip began with a visit to Thornton Winery. I was thrilled at the vast variety of wines they produce. My brother and Dad were the ones doing the tasting, while I was evaluating the wine as much as possible via the aroma and taking notes on the nose. Max especially liked the 2010 Huis Vineyard Zinfandel from the reds that he tasted. And of the sparkling wines, my dad seemed to like the Blanc de Noirs.

Positioned atop a hill that overlooks an enchanting view of the valley, we knew we were in for a treat at Falkner Winery. Upon arrival inside, we were greeted by friendly staff. When handed the wine list, my eyes somehow immediately landed on their Luscious Lips Red Table wine- a quirky addition to an otherwise serious list of wine. 

{"Winemaker's Choice" flight}

 {Sparkling wine flight}

{Temecula terrain}

    

 

 {Incredible fish taco from dinner at Rosa's Cantina}

Cheers!

B

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