February 10th - Wine & Chocolate - hosted by Steve and Crissy

February 10th - Wine & Chocolate - hosted by Steve and Crissy

This next event already has my mouth watering in anticipation.  Crissy & Steve have just returned from Napa, and they are hosting a Wine & Chocolate pairing tasting.   There will be at least 5, possibly 6 wines which they have curated, with pairings for each course.

WHEN:  Saturday February 10th, 2018  @ 7:30pm ET

THEME:  Wine & Chocolate Pairings

BRING:  TWITs should bring $20/per person

We learned a few helpful tips for pairing wine with chocolate:
1) The wine should be sweeter than the food with which it is being paired.
2) One should taste the wine, take a bite of the food pairing, and then taste the wine again.  This is to see if the food changes the wine on the palate in any way.

Fun Fact:  White Chocolate isn't really Chocolate.  White chocolate doesn't qualify as genuine chocolate because it doesn't contain chocolate solids (a.k.a. cocoa powder). White chocolate is typically made from a blend of cocoa butter, milk solids, sugar, milk fat and lecithin — a fatty emulsifier that holds it all together.  Who knew?

TWITs had a fabulous time tasting the wine and glorious pairings along with them.  I think my personal favorite of the courses was the flourless chocolate cake paired with the Biale Petite Sirah.  Yum!  Crissy is a fanTAStic cook!  However, the most unusual dish was the Dukkah.  I'd never had Dukkah before, and now I think I'm in love.  Crissy and Steve did a wonderful job of designing an exquisite menu to pair with the wines.  Each pairing was spot on, and absolutely delicious.

Welcome Wine:  2016 Ehlers Estate Sauvignon Blanc

~

Course 1:  

2015 Amici Sauvignon Blanc

and

White Chocolate Baba Ganoush

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Course 2:

Chocolate Dukkah w Olive Oil & Bread

(this also paired with the Amici Sauvignon Blanc AND with the first red wine)

2016 Mollydooker "The Boxer" Shiraz

Course 3:

Chocolate Dukkah Dusted Chicken Breast & Carrots

and

2016 Mollydooker "The Boxer" Shiraz

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Course 4:

Mole Chili

&

2015 The Seventy Five Wine Company Cabernet Sauvignon

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Course 5:

Flourless Chocolate Cake with Freshly Whipped Cream

and

2015 Robert Biale Vineyards "Royal Punishers" Petite Sirah

~

Course 6: 

White Chocolate Chunk Macadamia Nut Cookies

and

2015 Ferrari-Carano "Eldorado Gold" Semillon

~

Course 7: 

"PBJ"

Chocolate & Peanut Butter Bites

and

2016 Bella Vineyards "Late Harvest" Zinfandel 

Man (or Woman) vs. Wine - Sommelier Smackdown at Vino Venue

The 7th Annual "Man (or Woman) vs. Wine - Sommelier Smackdown" at Vino Venue
Monday, January 15th, 2018 7pm - 9pm

Professional Sommeliers and Wine Professionals came together in a challenge for sharpest palate! When it comes to tasting blind, who would be the best?  But that's not all. Not only did we get to watch, learn, and absorb how the Pro's do it--we got to taste the SAME WINES blind right along with them!

Class included:
A series of blind tastings (6 - 8) with commentary from Master Sommelier, Michael McNeill
Top-notch wines
Light nibbles such as cheeses, salumi, olives, nuts, and a selection of crackers and fresh breads (some were Gluten-Free options)

Winners from Previous Years
2011 - The first year's winner was Ryan Mullins of Quality Wine & Spirits
2012 - Year two saw Justin Amick of The Painted Pin claim braggin' rights
2013 - Third year's winner was Ryan Mullins of Quality Wine & Spirits again
2014 - Fourth year's winner was ???
2015 - Caleb Hopkins of The Druid Hills Country Club took top honors
2016 - Juan Cortes was the champ.
2017 - Ryan Mullins of Quality Wine & Spirits won again.

Competitors for 2018:
Jim Cumiskey, Highland Fine Wines
Laura Engle, Empire
Jacob Gragg, Cru Artisan Wines
Joe Herrig, Georgia Crown
Kacey Ivey, Quality Wines
Ahry Ko, pH Wine Merchant
Ryan Mullins, Quality Wine & Spirits
Adam Pucillo, American Cut
Caitlin Taglia, One Midtown Kitchen
Rob Van Leer, Vino Venue
Brian White, Ritz Carlton

2018 winner was Brian White of Ritz Carlton.  Congratulations Brian!

Scoring:
Points were awarded for each section - if they guessed correctly.
Old or New World?
Varietal or Blend?
Country?
Region?
Appellation?
Quality Level (if appropriate)
Vintage?
There were 2 wines in each round. After each round, they eliminated the competitors who had 0 points, or the lowest points, and so on. However, the attendees (not competing at the head table) just tried to get the most points.

Tasting Notes:
Round 1
Wine #1 - White Wine
stone fruits, pear, slightly dry finish,
My Guess:  Old world, Varietal Sauvignon Blanc, France, Bordeaux, ?, ?, 2013
Actual Wine:  New World, Riesling, Australia, Clare Valley, 2016

Wine #2 - White Wine
more oaked, funky, tropical fruits, flimsy finish, so maybe new world
My Guess:  Old world, Varietal Muscadet, France, Loire, ?, ?, 2012
Actual Wine:  New World, Semillon, South Australia, 2013
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Round 2
Wine #3 - White Wine
green, herbacious, pineapple, viscous,
My Guess:  New world, Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand, Hobbitown ?, ?, 2014
Actual Wine:  Old World, Chenin Blanc, French, Loire, Anjou 2014
(yay I got 2 pts)

Wine #4 - Red Wine
dry finish, heavy tannins, thick, has grip, flimsy fast finish though
My Guess:  Old World, Sangiovese, Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, IGT, 2015
Actual Wine: Old World, Cabernet Franc, Saumer, Champange, 2016
(yay I got 2 more points)
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Round 3
Wine #5 - Red Wine
perfumey, elegant palate, flimsy finish,
My Guess:  Old World, Valpolicella, Italy, Verona, Valpolicella, IGT, 2015
Actual Wine: Old World, Syrah, Northern Rhone, Crozes-Hermitage, 2014
(yay I got 2 more points)

Wine #6 - Red Wine
Chocolate, Silk, Higher Alcohol
My Guess:  New World, Pinot Noir, USA, California, Russian River Valley, 2012
Actual Wine: New World, GSM, Australia, Barossa Valley, 2013
(yay I got 2 more points)
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Round 4
Wine #7 - Red Wine
high alcohol, inky, pepper, greenness, dry finish, grip, no oak or neutral oak
My Guess:  New World, Syrah or Zinfandel, Australia, McClarenvale,  2012
Actual Wine: New World, Cabernet Sauvignon, USA, California, Spring Mountain 2013
(yay I got 2 more points)

Wine #8 - Red Wine
heat, rusty, dried fruits, forest floor
My Guess:  Old World, Sangiovese, Italy, Tuscany, Brunello, 2010
Actual Wine: Old World, Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot Blend, France, Bordeaux left bank, Haut-Medoc, they didnt' say the vintage?
(yay I got 2 more points)

Tie Breaker: (Brian had already won at this point.
Dessert Wine: Barollo Chinato, tastes a lot like a Negroni.

My Score:
I got 12 total points for the whole tasting out of a possible 104.  Yeah, I have some work to do.

Wine Country Travels - Dry Creek Valley

Wine Country Travels - Dry Creek Valley 

Wednesday, December 27th
We had basically a repeat of the same amazing breakfast at Caffe Sunflower - it was just SO good.  this time I didn't get the green dream, but I did get the Monster Mimosa.  It just so happened that there was an older lady sitting nearby our table with a 4 month old French Bulldog named Chloe.  And then a few moments later, another woman with a 4 month old French Bulldog of the same coloring, named Baron sat down.  Of course the two doggies HAD to meet.  It was just too much adorable in one place. awww!

Then it was back in the car to drive to Dry Creek Valley.

Our first winery visit of the day, was to Michel-Schlumberger.  We had friends who were previous wine club members here, and thus we had tasted some of their wines before.  However, we hadn't tried their current production and we were interested in seeing their beautiful property.  I decided this was my favorite tasting of the trip with regards to the quality of wine, and the lovely setting.  We sat outside at a table with a lovely view of the gardens and vineyard.  There was only one tasting person there, so he would come and go, but we had the chance to sit quietly and enjoy our wine tasting privately.  I really prefer this to the stand & sales pitch method.
Every wine was absolutely delicious. Not a "meh" one in the bunch.  If we hadn't already made a pact to NOT join any wine clubs this trip, I might have been tempted to join this one.
We tasted the first line up, and then they escorted us to the barrel room to taste 3 barrel wines.  Before we left w purchased 1 bottle 2014 Michel-Schlumberger Cabernet Franc  - $45, and 2 bottles 2014 Michel-Schlumberger 'Deux Terres' Cabernet Sauvignon - $75 each.

Next stop was Kokomo Winery.  I had met the winemaker twice in Atlanta before, but he wasn't in the tasting room this trip.  We love their wines, and once again they showed beautifully.  We left with a bottle of Chardonnay and a bottle of Claret.  Their wine club is more affordable than some, and I also considered joining this one.

Right next door was the Family Wineries building, so we did a small tasting of Dashe Cellars wine.  We'd met Anne Dashe before, and her wines are superb as well.  My hubby was getting hungry so we "dashed" off (ha ha pun intended) to Dry Creek General Store for one of their famed sandwiches.  I had the Dry Creek Stacker - Cremenelli toscano salami, imported mortadella, turkey, provolone cheese, pepperoncini, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, oregano, mustard, olive oil, golden balsamic vinegar and roasted garlic mayo on a sourdough roll.  It was to DIE for.  I only ate half of it, but my goodness, we saved the other half for later!  He had the Reuben - pastrami, gruyere cheese and Sonoma Brinery sauerkraut on toasted rye bread with your choice of mustard, Thousand Island dressing or both.

Last winery of the day was Ridge Vineyards Lytton Springs.  We had a special memory with Ridge Vineyards wine in our past.  We once celebrated Thanksgiving in Manhattan at Bar Boulud, and they were serving a magnum of 2005 Ridge Geyserville Zinfandel.  It was so good, it left a lasting impression.  So here we are, 12 years later at Ridge!  The grounds and view were quite pretty.  We did the tasting, and bought the holiday gift pack which had a bottle of the 2015 - 50th anniversary - Ridge Geyserville Zinfandel, and a bottle of the 2015 Pagani Ranch Zinfandel.  Both were just exquisite.  We enjoyed those 2 bottles on New Years Day.

We drove back to our BnB for a well-deserved nap, and then we went out to dinner in Sonoma square at at Oso.  We had the Caesar Salad, Deviled Eggs with Dungeness crab, Moroccan Squash, and Salmon with Kale and Sweet Potatoes.  Delightful per usual.

Thoughts about this trip:
I prefer to sit down with a bottle of wine, and relax while tasting it.  Having a wine tasting, while standing up is not the same experience. Neither is going quickly through many different wines while someone is pouring them as fast as you can drink them AND giving you the sales pitch about their wine club at the same time.  Even when we had time to stand and reflect on the wine, it was difficult as the sales person was always nearby, and you couldn't chat with your spouse about the experience privately while there.  This was probably why I enjoyed Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and Michel-Schlumberger experiences the best - we had a moment to sit DOWN and really enjoy the wines.

Apart from those, I really loved Imagery winery.  The whole concept is so interesting, and I love that there is an art gallery there.  Their wines are truly lovely.  You cannot buy them in stores.

If you do this trip, you will need to go to the restroom a LOT!  Every stop, I had to go when we arrived, and before we left.  Think about it, you're drinking wine, and then water, and then coffee, and then more water, and more wine, in a cycle.  It's a lot of liquid to process.  And then the food.  You don't realize it, but you end up eating quite a bit of food.  Don't forget your greens! Trust me.

Wine Country Travels - Calistoga & Napa

Wine Country Travels - Calistoga & Napa

Tuesday, December 26th
Up early for some delicious breakfast at Sunflower Caffe.  This time I ate The California Sandwich (folded eggs, arugula, avocado crush, bacon, chevre goat cheese sauce, organic brioche bun, dressed organic greens).  I can't explain what they do to their bacon, but it has essence of rosemary and is just divine!  and coffee of course.  Matt got the Breakfast Pot Pie (rosemary sausage "red eye gravy", roasted mushrooms, flaky pie crust, soft poached egg) and a cappuccino.  Matt says this was one of the best breakfast meals he has ever had. I took my Green Dream smoothie to go.

Then we were off and vrooming through the Petrified Forest, and up to Calistoga to see the infamous Chateau Montelena.  Their 1973 Chardonnay won the 1976 Judgement of Paris. Watch that movie Bottle Shock for reference. Delicious wines, and prices not too shabby.  We bought 2 bottles of 2014 Chateau Montelena Napa Valley Zinfandel - $39 each, and 1 bottle of 2016 Chateau Montelena Potter Valley Riesling - $27.
The grounds are definitely interesting. The Chateau looks like a castle, but the Jade Lake to the front right of the castle is more of a Chinese Garden vibe.  We asked about the history, and so the story goes:

"Chateau Montelena's rich history began on a chilly fall morning when Alfred L. Tubbs spaded over and inspected the soil where he thought of planting estate vineyards. He had heard the Napa Valley was the best place to grow grapes in California. A deal was struck, and in January of 1882 the San Francisco entrepreneur owned 254 acres of rugged land just two miles north of Calistoga at the base of Mount Saint Helena. The soils are well drained, stony and loose - perfect for the vines he would plant.

It took less than a decade to turn his dream into reality. First Tubbs planted his vineyards, then he built his Chateau, and in 1886 he imported a French-born winemaker. By 1896 his winery, then called A.L. Tubbs Winery, was the seventh largest in the Napa Valley. Like many other wineries in the area, winemaking at the Chateau came to an end with Prohibition. After Prohibition was repealed in 1933, Tubbs' grandson, Chapin Tubbs, continued the family's venture harvesting the vineyard, making some wines and selling grapes to other wineries and home winemakers. In 1940, Chapin rechristened the winery as Chateau Montelena Winery, a contraction of Mount St. Helena.

Two years after Chapin Tubbs' death in 1947, winemaking was discontinued, and Chateau Montelena would not function as a winery for nearly two decades. The Tubbs family sold the Chateau in 1958, at which time the stone building and its overgrown grounds passed into the hands of Yort and Jeanie Frank who were looking for a peaceful spot to retire. The Franks emigrated from Hong Kong prior to World War II and had been living in Southern California where Frank was an electrical engineer. The Chateau inspired Frank to excavate a lake and landscape the grounds to reflect the Chinese gardens of his homeland. Today, Jade Lake is considered one of Napa Valley's most beautiful sanctuaries, home to a variety of fish and wildlife, and surrounded by weeping willows and native fauna."

Did a modest tasting in one of the most beautiful settings at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars (not to be confused w the other Stags’ Leap - read about that here.). The Stag's Leap Wine Cellars 1973 Cabernet won for red wines in the 1976 Judgement of Paris. I would LOVE to taste it someday but, ha, that’s a pipe dream I’m sure. Anyhoo, the winery and property are just gorgeous.  They sat us outside on the patio, in the sunshine.  We had an unobstructed view of the vineyards and mountains.  Simply a FANTASTIC view!  Of all the tasting experiences we had thus far, I would say this was one of my favorites for the ambiance alone!  Their Cabernets were a bit out of our price range, but we will definitely keep our eyes open for any deals if they go on sale, they were very good.

We ate lunch at C Casa in the Oxbow Market.  I had a skirt steak salad, and he had the tacos.  All the food was absolutely delicious, It was rather a busy mad house getting in and out of the place though.  Sort of like Atlanta's Krog Street Market on crack!  Difficult to find parking, and once inside there were lines for every vendor or restaurant.  It has a lovely variety of choices for dining.

A must see on my list was Darioush - a Persian owned winery - something a little different for Napa. We had tasted their wines with a friend years ago, but I had not yet been to their property.  They have absolutely fantastic wines, that remind me a lot of the Lebanese wines I have tasted.  I was most impressed with their Merlot. Completely different expression of the terroir than one would expect. Lots of spice on the finish. Yum!  We purchased 3 bottles of the Merlot.  They provided pistachios in the tasting room, which I felt was a nice touch.

Next, we jetted off to Concord to visit a friend for his Boxing Day party, before heading back to our Sonoma BnB to sleep.

Wine Country Travels - Sonoma

Wine Country Travels - Sonoma

Sunday, December 24th, 2017 - Christmas Eve
If a winery was open on this day, they were closing early at 1:30pm, so we had to hustle if we were going to taste anything.  We checked out of our AirBNB (Lemon Moon Cottage) as quickly as possible and vroomed over to Imagery Estate Winery. Passing some of the wildfire damage along the way was heartbreaking.  Imagery was singed but thankfully not badly, and was still open.  Imagery is the sister winery to Benziger.  Benziger makes more traditional wines, whereas Imagery makes more creative wines with uncommon varietals and blends.

We met my FAVORITE tasting lady Kay.  Kay was just a joy to chat with, and she was definitely passionate about Imagery wines.  Imagery is not just a winery, it is an art gallery!  I had not remembered, until this point, realized that their labels were done by artists, and different for each wine.
"Imagery Winery prides itself on quality and taste. So much so that it has informed one of our most important pairings yet, wine and art. Imagery Winery infuses art throughout your experience, from unique artwork replicated on every label, to the tasting room, and the dedicated on-site art gallery, featuring label artwork commissioned from some of the world’s most notable contemporary artists. The entire collection has over 500 artworks by over 300 artists. Currently, around 60 pieces are on view in the gallery.
At any given time, as many as 35 artists are working – without a deadline – on pieces that will appear on future Imagery wine labels. The artists are not limited by size, medium or content – the only exception is: The work must include a likeness of the Parthenon (or section there of) replica on the Benziger Estate, which serves as the winery’s signature."

It was a little bit like a wino's "Where's Waldo" trying to find the Parthenon hidden in the artist's work.  I was so inspired, I bought their book, which features many of the labels and has information about each artist.

Kay, our tasting lady, had also lived in San Francisco (which we were going to be visiting for a later portion of our trip), and she had lots of wonderful tips on where to go for views and delicious food.

Next, it was off to Benziger Family Winery, a Demeter certified biodynamic winery.  Biodynamic wine uses organic farming methods and aims at the ecological self-sufficiency of farming as a cohesive, interconnected living system. Benziger has 2 Highland Coos on the property (great mowers, and they provide manure for compost), and sheep which graze, fertilize, and till the land (three times faster than the tractor method).  They also planted plants to attract "good bugs" which eat the "bad bugs" or pests, keeping the vines healthy, etc.  I absolutely love the sustainability of their vineyards, and the wines are delicious too!

We skipped over to downtown Sonoma to get a quick bite.  We had some coffee at Caffe Sunflower, and then wandered over to Oso for some snacks and a drink.  I tried the Champagne Cocktail (Raspberry Framboise, Cane Sugar, Cava, Lemon Peel), he had a Negroni.  We tasted a dozen oysters on the half-shell and the Mole Braised Pork Shoulder Tacos.  Fabulous!

We checked into our next AirBnB, The Loft at Palmer.  At $99/night we thought that was a pretty sweet deal.  After a refreshing nap, we popped on over to The Girl and The Fig for dinner.   We had lovely green olives as an appetizer, then the Bistro Plats du Jour (3 plate special with wine pairings) Grilled Mano Formate mortadella, camembert, chicories, pickled shallots, mustard vinaigrette, paired with the Qupe, 2013 Marsanne.  Then the smoked trout with sunchoke puree, cauliflower, and salsa verde, paired with Passaggio, 2016 Rousanne. and finally the baked alaska, fig and port ice cream, almond brown butter cake, port reduction, fig kiss, paired with Loxton Cellars, 2013 Syrah Port (that last course was much too sweet for me).  Beet Soup and Cider-braised pork shoulder with stone ground polenta, charred cabbage, and pickled mustard seed.  Everything overall was amazing.

Monday, December 25th, 2017 - Christmas Day
All nearby wineries are closed on Christmas Day, so we drove up the Coastal Highway, via Bodega Bay, through Jenner, over the Russian River, and up to Sea Ranch.  We dined for lunch at the Sea Ranch Lodge.  Christmas Lunch was: Cajun fried oysters, smoked salmon chowder, Dungeness crab Mac n cheese (because I had to!), roasted NY sirloin, Kokomo Sauvignon Blanc, Husch Sauvignon Blanc, Husch Cabernet Sauvignon, maybe it’s just my palate but I was not impressed w the Husch wines, we took dessert to go but never ate it (too full). Lovely place, you must visit sometime!

After dinner we walked past the lodge out to the ocean cliffs to see the views.  The wild waves were crashing forcefully on the jagged shores, such a beautiful bit of nature.

Wine Country Travels - Sebastopol - Russian River Valley

Wine Country Travels - Sebastopol & Sonoma

Friday, December 22nd 2017 - We flew direct to San Francisco.  Our flight landed rather late (10:30pm their time, which would translate to 1:30am our time).  We stayed in the Hilton San Francisco Airport Bayfront hotel just to rest up, before planning to retrieve our rental car from the Airport in the morning.  The room service was tasty, and quick (30 mins or less for food delivery) I highly recommend this hotel!

Saturday, December 23rd 2017 - The SFO Rental Car facility is a nightmare.  I am SO glad we left the hotel with a good 45 mins extra time padded on our trip.  If we hadn't we would have been late to our first tasting.  There isn't good signage directing you where to enter the facility.  Our Lyft Driver was just as lost as we were and he WORKS in the area!  And once we found the right building, we still couldn't figure out where to go, there were all these down escalators, but none going up, etc.  We finally got to the 4th floor via an elevator by the bathrooms, and found the Alamo desk.  We were prepaid, so I had hoped we could just walk out to the car, but NO.  So we went to the automated kiosk to register, the machine took me all the way through the registration, and then just before it printed my paperwork, it froze up and got an error message.  Considering that process had already taken us 10-15 minutes, we sucked it up and stood in the ridiculously long line to talk to a real live person.   Thankfully, they were quicker than expected, and soon we were in a White Ford Mustang Convertible, and vrooming up to San Francisco.  We opted to cross the Bay Bridge, since this was our first time ever crossing it, and then up through Sebastopol we went!

First stop was our 11am appointment at Iron Horse Vineyards.  They serve their tastings in a rustic, outdoor setting, with overhead heaters to keep you warm.  You have a lovely view of the vineyard hills below, and the palm tree-lined drive to the side.  Iron Horse is known for their sparkling wines, so we started with those straight away.  For now I recommend the Sparkling (Winter Cuvée is my fave - We took a bottle with us to enjoy on Christmas Day), and the Native Yeast Chardonnay. Wait a bit on those Pinot Noirs.

Considering it was so close to lunch time, we stopped at the Underwood Bar & Bistro for a light lunch.  Maybe I'm a bit of a Southern Girl, but all the ladies working there were NOT wearing any make-up at all. Not that there is anything wrong with that, we started to realize this is a trend in California I guess.  However, I never leave the house without my makeup on, unless I have my huge "Edna Mode" Sunglasses on.  I guess it's just me.  LOL  Anyhoo, they were very cheerful and friendly.  The service was impeccable and the food was delicious. Lovely lunch of Lentil soup, French onion soup, the Marin gems (oysters) on the half shell, and tuna tartare.

Second stop was a 1:30pm appointment at Lynmar Estate.  We were lucky to have friends who were members of their club, so they had setup an appointment for us.  It's rather fancy.  You drive up to a gate, and you must have a 4 digit code to get inside the property for the tasting.  The grounds were just beautiful, and there was a distinct aroma of scrub brush and herbs.  It smelled divine!  Their bathroom even had a lovely rose scented hand lotion.  Lynmar makes Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines.  They were truly delicious.  For some reason I was very much in love with their Chardonnay, so I bought a bottle to take with me.  We also snacked on a light cheese platter.  Everything was just spectacularly delicious.

Our last visit was a 3:30pm appointment at Dutton-Goldfield Winery.  This location was seemingly casual, as it was in a cluster of buildings housing other tasting rooms, and there was a convenience store across the street.  However, once we entered their garden grounds we were pleasantly surprised to see an enchanting scene of potted succulents and beautiful plants.  Their tasting room was lush with leather couches, and warm lighting.  They had a sign welcoming us to their tasting room.  The wines were good, but I was not ready to buy anything here.

We stayed in a lovely Air BNB called Lemon Moon Cottage.  It was only $119 per night, which is much more affordable than any decent hotel in the area. I loved the view of the lemon tree and the nearby horse farm from our cottage.  It was a lovely retreat.

We were told in advance, that driving in wine country can be a bit challenging.  It really is farm country, only the crops are mostly grape vines.  The roads are winding, narrow, and sometimes there is only room for 1 car at a time.  However, given that we were visiting during a slower season, it was nice and quiet.  We felt like nearly the only people there.

For dinner that evening, we went to Zazu Kitchen and Farm in The Barlow.  It was absolutely yummy!  We had Creme of Chanterelle Mushroom Soup, Lacinato Kale & Romaine Caesar Salad, Porcini Noodles, Beet & Buratta salad.  Then back to the Lemon Moon Cottage for some R&R before we headed off to Sonoma.  We ate the lemon bars for breakfast. YUMMY!

Outlander Wines - Dec 10th, 2017

Outlander Wines - Dec 10th, 2017

As any good Obsession-nach Wino would do, I had to try the Outlander Wines.

There are six wines total in the set, with three devoted to Claire's monikers (Sassenach, Mo Nighean Donn, and La Dame Blach) and three to Jamie's (Red Jamie, Mac Dubh, and A. Malcolm).

I'm picky when it comes to my wine, and I have thus far avoided trying "themed" wines for TV shows.  However, these wines were mostly French (with the exception of the California Pinot Noir), which gave me better confidence that they would be tasty.

We opted to share the La Dame Blanch Pays d'Oc Viognier and the Sassenach Languedoc-la-clape Rose with my husband's family for Thanksgiving.  These were both delicious and showed well.  Later one night, we opened up the Mo Nighean Donn California Pinot Noir, and this was also quite tasty. 

We saved the Jamie-named wines for the Outlander Season 3 Finale episode viewing.  I would say of these three wines, only 1 was decent, and I was verra disappointed in the quality.  I buy Red French wines regularly, and these could have been SO delicious, given the regions the grapes were grown in.  However, they tasted more like a Trader Joes Charles Shaw wine.  We still drank them, but I wasn't moved.  I feel they "done Jamie wrong" with these wines.

La Dame Blanche Pays d’Oc Viognier
Description: “She is given the name La Dame Blanche by her husband as a clever ruse, but in truth Claire does possess some of the cunning powers of this mythological figure, using them to turn fortunes her way. This French Viognier is similarly persuasive in its nature, with a heady floral aroma that leads to peach and apricot flavors on the palate, all lifted by a vein of acidity. Upon first sip, you’ll find yourself hopelessly enchanted.”

Sassenach Languedoc-la-clape Rosé
Description: “As a visitor of a time and place that’s not her own, Claire is a true outsider until Jamie Fraser draws her into his world and bestows upon her the playful nickname Sassenach. This rosé is Provençal in style, but, like Claire, it comes from an unexpected place — Languedoc-la-clape, where the limestone-rich soil lends the wine its flavors of strawberry, white peach, and grapefruit, racy minerality, and clean finish. Sometimes a fresh new perspective is exactly what’s needed.”

Mo Nighean Donn California Pinot Noir
Description: “‘My brown-haired lass’ is what Jamie affectionately calls his charming new bride in Gaelic, and there’s no better wine to embody that side of Claire than this earthy, seductive Pinot Noir. Exhibiting flavors of black raspberry, forest floor, and tea, this complex and balanced wine will make anyone fall in love with its alluring qualities immediately. Don’t bother attempting to resist its delightful and immensely appealing ways.”

Mac Dubh Pays d’Oc Syrah
Description: “Even as a prisoner at Ardsmuir, Jamie retains a commanding presence, rallying the other prisoners and earning their respect as a leader. They give him the nickname Mac Dubh, or ‘son of the black’ — and it’s this earthy, brooding French Syrah that embodies this dark version of Jamie. With plenty of concentration and blueberry flavor, this is an intense wine that grabs your attention and doesn’t let go.”

A. Malcolm Languedoc-la-clape Rouge
Description: “A fugitive after the Jacobite rising, Jamie Fraser must become Alex Malcolm and begin anew as a printer in Edinburgh… yet under this simple facade lies the same complex and passionate man who captured Claire’s heart. Equally unassuming, at first, is this red wine from a small appellation in southern France. It becomes clear after experiencing the pure, black-red fruit nuances, however, that this is a charming, formidable wine — one you won’t easily forget.”

Red Jamie Côtes du Rhône Rouge
Description: “Whether he’s fiercely defending the love of his life or charging off to war alongside his clansmen, the notorious Jacobite Red Jamie is a force to be reckoned with — as is this dynamic Côtes du Rhône named in his honor. With a vibrant acidity and tannic structure keeping the flavors of red plum and blueberry in check, this red blend of 70% Syrah, 15% Carignan, and 15% Grenache will have you surrendering after just a taste.”

Another review, if you are interested:
https://media.bookbub.com/blog/2017/11/09/outlander-wine-collection-review/