Happy Valentine's Day!

Hope you all have a wonderful Valentine's day.

xx

Cheers,

B

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Wine & Monkeys: Vino is Not Just for Humans Anymore

Yep, you heard it right. Sounds bananas at first but according the latest news, the Telegraph reports that the Kazakhstan zoo feeds a diluted red wine mixture to monkeys.  The alcohol soothes and relaxes while wine's other components help ward off the flu, thus "protect[ing] them from respiratory infections" (Svetlana Pilyuk, the chief animal specialist).

{image source}

To me, zoologist Pilyuk just confirms what we already suspected -- red wine has its health benefits.

Another reason to feel good about enjoying a glass of red wine this weekend!

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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Whine and Pale Ale

I got a giggle out of this:

Cheers,
B

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TASTING NOTES—2008 Ehler's Estate: One Twenty Over Eighty

I'm a big fan of this 2008 Ehler's Estate: One Twenty Over Eighty.

We bought this Cab on a trip to Napa on my birthday weekend in Napa (seen in this post), and waited for another special occasion to enjoy it together with the family. Sadly this 2008 vintage is now sold out, but it is available on wine.com as of today.

Tasting Notes

This Bordeaux blend is comprised of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with just 4% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc.  The name, 120/80,  is the 'ideal' blood pressure and is a playful reminder of this fully non-profit winery--all proceeds go toward cardiovascular research.  It is a nice, full-bodied and balanced wine with notes of raspberry, dark berry and spicy oak on the palette and ends with a bold, tannic finish. 

My rating: A-

Wine Profile:

Final Blend: 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc

Harvest Date:  September 21st – October 15th, 2008

Bottling Date: August 18, 2010

Alcohol %: 14.5%

Fruit source: 100% estate grown Farming: California Certified Organic Farmer since July

2008 Oak Regime: 100% French Oak, 50% New 

Primary Coopers: Nadalie, St. Martin, de Jarnac, Baron, Demptos

Cheers,
B

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For those that kick it old school

With so many ways to take and share photos (via iphones, ipads, digital cameras), virtually anyone can share high-quality photos in a snap. Remember when it wasn't always that easy? I have memories of going to the local photo store (which has since gone out of business) with my mom to get her twenty-something rolls of film developed after family trips and vacations. It was always exciting getting the photos back. Our family had this thing where we wouldn't peek at a single picture until we returned home and looked at them together, during which we reminisced about all the fun times.

A sneak peak of what I'll be posting this week...
-

{Clockwise from top left: My old-school camera, Cakepops: my latest food obsession (I'll share how I made them!), a visit to Napa, & a mention-worthy wine soon to be reviewed.}

Lately I've been playing around with an old film camera (pictured above) and I seriously cannot wait to see how my photos turned out! I'll be sure to share the best ones with you.

Happy weekend!

Cheers,
B

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Brewery Visit--Stone: Escondido, CA

Stone Brewery

 {Kicking back in an adirondack, soaking up sunshine and sipping on beer....aah :)}

San Diego has a growing reputation for some of the best microbreweries in California, and Stone Brewery is one of them.  I know what you're thinking: why am I writing a review about a brewery on a wine blog? It's all relative. (Plus, beer is cool! Why not?) In fact, this quarter I am taking a beer brewing course, titled "Malting and Brewing Science"--more on that later.  To me, I am fascinated with how things are made, and it is interesting to compare the science of winemaking to the practice of making beer.  

Stone Brewery has a cool, hip vibe with all sorts of yummy ales to enjoy and bring outside in the beer garden, or even inside paired with food at the bistro.  And if you are not a huge beer fan, not to worry! They have a great wine list (yes, I approve!) available at the bistro.

If you go to Stone, I would definitely recommend that you try to catch one of their tours--I found them to be very informative plus it included a complimentary tasting of four beers. 

 

{Loving the unusually warm winter weather outside in the garden}

 

{Soft pretzels +  IPA = awesome pairing}

Prost,

B

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Back to School

{A beautiful afternoon in Davis makes me happy to return to this college town}

Today marks the first day of Winter quarter this year.

Returning to UC Davis means more bike rides, new classes, ample amounts of coffee shops, double-decker bus rides, great friends, delicious Thai food, hot cocoa, and rain boots, to name a few.  Plus there's something about the beginning of a new term that makes me giddy: visiting the campus bookstore to buy textbooks, finding out how my classes are, reuniting with classmates after the holiday break (or meeting new ones), new professors...its an exciting fresh start and I look forward to beginning it right! 

:)

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