Wine Notes & Wine Blending

Today was an exciting day in the University winery. In my Wine Production and Analysis class, we usually have several projects we simultaneously work on and monitor each day. We are currently focusing on the effects of SO2 additions at different concentrations, ML additions, and various temperature treatments for fermentation.  

But today was a change of pace: we were given the opportunity to create our own blends of wine. (So cool, right??)

{Blending our groups' white wine}

A lot of our decision-making for blending choices relied on 

our sense of smell and what we picked up in the aromas of the available wines.
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 {Casey proudly holding our final product}

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{Red Blend}  

Did I mention that this is a contest, too? Ohh yeah. :)

 This is an in-class competition to see who can make the best wine while following all guidelines:

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Five things--All Things Bubbly

This week was filled with lab reports, quizzes, long hours of winery work on campus:  punch-downs and pump-overs, yeast inoculations, grape-pressings, Brix readings, wine showers (I literally sprayed my TA all-over with Grenache...haha oops!), a trip to the doctor (cold season came early this year)... I definitely experienced some highs and lows this week. But I’m ready for a carefree weekend, which I hope can include lots of catching-up on rest and chillaxing. :) 

I thought a post with five things to feel bubbly about would be a good way to celebrate the weekend. These images are ones I found on Pinterest that have served as inspiration. 

Happy weekend!

1.  Bubble Parties:

2. Nice additions to an office:

3. Popsicle cocktails:

4. Champagne towers:

5. Great Quotes:

 {...I second that}

Cheers!

-B

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TASTING NOTES—2006 Yountville Vintage Brut-Domaine Chandon

This week, I want to feature a wine from Domaine Chandon. Chandon was my first-ever winery experience in Napa. Team Chandon and all of its players taught me so much valuable information (more than I ever imagined) this summer during the 2011 Sparkling Summer Harvest. I already miss it! ♥

{TASTING NOTES TUESDAY}

This '06 Yountville Vintage Brut is my absolute favorite wine from Domaine Chandon—hands down. (AND I have been to the winery's tasting room several times to taste their entire wine selection!) I have only bottle for myself in my personal collection and I'm definitely saving it for a special occasion. :)

This is the wine I referred to in one of my previous posts here. It actually reminds me of a particular type of Veuve Clicquot I have tasted before. Aromas of peach, granny apples and cinnamon on the nose play with my senses and finish on the tongue with flavors of delicate amaretto and crisp nectarine. Its mouth feel is described as "extremely rich and creamy, combined with bright acidity [which] make this interesting, well-balanced sparkling wine an appealing choice" (via Chandon)—couldn't have described it any better. 

Have you ever tried this wine or have any favorite Chandon wines of your own? I'd like to know! 

Cheers,

B

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Study Shows That Most Wine is NOT consumed with food

When a good pairing is made, food and wine work to compliment one another, enhancing both the flavors of the wine and the meal its served with. The pairing of food and wine is even considered an art by some--experience with the flavors, acidity, tannins, alcohol levels, and unique varietal attributes of the wine are all things that are carefully thought of in order to make the perfect food-wine match. Master sommeliers do it for a living. Winemakers will often rate their own masterpieces with accompaniments of food as to bring out the taste of the vino.

{love your food love your wine}

However, recent studies from Wine Opinions show that an increasing amount of wine consumers are drinking wine without food.  I even found articles in both the  Napa Valley Register AND in The New York Times, validating this wine sans food trend.  While I do not find this surprising for people of my generation, I still find this study to be quite interesting as it spans people of all ages. I have always been taught that wine is always to be properly consumed with at least a little bite to eat on the side. Then again, I am sort of a wine nerd, and I definitely enjoy doing as the French do. Plus, I always love a good wine-food pairing--each acts to bring out different qualities from one another. BUT, I know that wine has become a more casual beverage than it has been in the past, especially in the U.S. This has been great news to certain wine manufacturers and had shown an increase in wine sales from younger age groups. 

{Wine and Dine}

So if wine is becoming increasingly popular to drink by itself,  I think this brings those in the wine industry something new to consider. A winemaker's decision may now be influenced with the the mind frame of serving the drink on its own. This can definitely bring a new challenge for the wine industry, especially because certain wines don't even stand a chance on their own.

Read articles on the Food and Wine Divorce here and here.

What do you think? Are you at all surprised by this?

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Farmers Market

I’m a sucker for farmers markets. The atmosphere buzzes with energy: local produce, live music, fresh food, good smells, and pretty much good vibes all-around.  I'm a huge fan of the Wednesday night farmers market in Davis. (We call it the "far mar"). And since Napa had been my home-away-from-home for the last couple months of summer, I needed local far mar fix--so I decided to check out the scene outside the Oxbow market in downtown Napa:

 {Hitting up Mark's the Spot food truck for a yummy breakfast slider--trying to see if I can catch where Mark and his truck will be next to get my next dose of yum here.}

{Outside the Oxbow Public Market}

What is your favorite thing about your local farmers market?

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Cheers,

B

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TASTING NOTES—2010 Singature Viognier: Darioush

{TASTING NOTES TUESDAY}

{photo property of Darioush Winery, Napa Valley. Click for larger view}

I went back to Napa last weekend for a fun day trip with some of my girlfriends. And as we were driving along Silverado Trail, Darioush was a winery we simply couldn't pass up. I tasted their Signature Flight, which included five of their signature wines: Viognier, Chardonnay, Merlot, and two vintages of Cabernet Sauvignon.
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This week I wanted to feature the Darioush 2010 Signature Viognier, mostly because this wine really stood out to me and I don't think I have had anything like it. One of the employees behind the bar even told me that people who come into Darioush who are not huge fans of white wines and choose usually to be red-wine drinkers end up leaving with a bottle or two with this Viognier--I definitely see this happening because this wine has so much complexity, is not sweet yet has a wonderful balance of acidity and floral, peach-cream and honey-suckle taste to it. AND, I totally regret not taking a bottle home with me! But you have to save something for next time, right? ;)
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Wine Spectator even said this wine is "very refreshing, showing a lip-smacking acidity that gives a fresh, vibrant feel to the apricot, peach, nectarine and citrus flavors. Wonderful purity and persistence mark the finish, punctuated by a terrific sleekness. Drink now." Gotta love it.
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Cheers,
B

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From Bubbles to Books

Back to School

The 2011 Sparkling Harvest is complete! I have left beautiful Napa and have returned to Davis to begin my last year as an undergrad.  I am sad that the sparkling harvest season is already over, but interning at Domaine Chandon was an amazing learning experience for me. PLUS, I still have more photos and stories to share--so the blog continues! :)

Below is a clip I took while observing a vineyard in Napa. I noticed that the workers in the vineyard had been dropping crop, or selectively picking certain clusters from the vines, while strategically leaving others still on the vine before harvest. The video answers why removing grape clusters can actually serve to favor the health and quality of the fruit. Because in the end, the main goal is to yield high-quality grapes for a high-quality wine. See more here:

Sparking Harvest is complete but the Still-wine Harvest is right around the corner! Have you ever been in Napa during Harvest? 

Cheers,

B

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TASTING NOTES—Left Coast Cellars: 2006 Cali's Cuvee Pinot Noir

 Today is Tuesday and you know what that means...

...TASTING NOTES TUESDAY!!! (whohoo!)

I have a really good wine to share with you all—this time, its a Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley:
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{The Left Coast Cellars Willamette Valley Pinot we enjoyed with dinner}-

{TASTING NOTES}

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