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California Dreamin'

2025-06-19T12:34:47-05:00

The Will Cru Team went to California wine country and enjoyed a private tour of The Donum Estate located in Carneros. Carneros is situated on the north side of San Francisco Bay. The area is best known for its Chardonnay and Pinot Noir due to the cooler climate. As you travel north towards Calistoga, the temperatures are generally hotter than the southern region. Donum Estate visits can only be made by reservation only and are extremely difficult to get.

As we approached the entry gate, we were greeted by Ivy Wang, the estate ambassador with a healthy pour of Rosé. We started our tour of the grounds and immediately encountered beautiful sculptures. The owners of the winery, Allan and Mei Warburg, are art collectors and have transformed the winery into a world-class sculpture park.

The tasting was a wonderful experience where Ivy paired four wines with small bites created by their executive chef Fiorella Butron.

2022 CHARDONNAY, CARNEROS
paired with
Estate Cucumbers
Miso "Hollandàise", Estate Blossoms

2022 PINOT NOIR, TFV
paired with
Potato Causa "Picadillo"
Cured Egg Yolk, Olive Aioli, Peanut Crumble

2022 PINOT NOIR, CARNEROS ESTATE
paired with
Maitake Mushroom "Al Pastor"
Charred Pineapple, Pineapple Gel, Hibiscus and Strawberry Glaze

2021 PINOT NOIR, HOME RANCH
paired with
BLT
Sourdough Crouton, Tomato Jam, House Bacon, Micro Arugula, Aioli

It’s clear The Donum Estate takes pride in sharing the beauty of its bounty and art’s ability to uplift and unite.

For a Good Cause - The 30A Wine Festival

2023-02-25T19:00:00-06:00

We had a unique opportunity to attend the 11th Annual 30A Wine Festival in the beautiful beach community of Alys Beach in South Walton Florida. The event spanned five days with the main event, called the GRAND TASTING, was on Saturday afternoon. The festival showcases renowned distillers, vintners, mixologists and culinary favorites from local and regional chefs. All proceeds from the festival benefit the Children’s Volunteer Health Network, a local charity which provides health services to uninsured or underinsured school children in Walton and Okaloosa Counties.

The event was very well attended and was sold out. As industry professionals, we were able to score some tickets. There were 47 tables that featured a variety of wines, gins, rums and vodkas. We connected with some old favorites such as Paul Hobbs, Fess Parker and Nicholson Jones.

The Cobos Cocodrilo Red Blend and Bramare Malbec from Paul Hobbs were amazing finds as most fans of Paul are only familiar with his Crossbarn brand. One winery that really stood out was Tarpon Cellars from Napa Valley. The winery is a very holistic with a peace, love and happiness theme. Many of their wines are called Cambaro. Cambaro means "skin contact". This winemaking style is slightly experimental and includes white grapes that have been treated like red grapes and ferment on the skins for approximately 17 days. The result is a rich and layered white wine that is an on-trend alternative to Chardonnay.

Another great find was Finca Ambrosia from Mendoza (Argentina). This winery has 6 different lines of wine, however the Viña Unica line was featured at the event. The Chardonnay Viña Unica had a wonderful oak notes with hints

of vanilla. The wine was 50% fermented in French oak barrels and 50% in concrete eggs. The 2020 Malbec Viña Unica rocked it with great concentration. This wine was fermented in stainless followed by aging in 15 months in used french oak barrels and 9 months in bottle.

A boutique importer of fine French wines from Miami called "Drink the Rent" showed well. All of the wines had a trick to them. For example the Mille Reves Vouvray is 100% Chenin Blanc aged on fine lees for 6 months. “Sec Tendre” style with 15 g/L RS. The Band de Louve (translation: Band of Wolves) 100% Melon de Bourgogone that was aged on lees for 9 months. The grapes were hand picked and aged 50% stainless steel, 50% French oak barrels. The wine is pesticide free.

The 30A Wine Festival is held on the last weekend of February. Tickets are hard to come by as the home owners of Alys Beach have the first opportunity to purchase tickets on November 1. Tickets open for sale on December 1 to the general public. If you want to attend, purchase your tickets when they go on sale!

An Afternoon at Oliver Winery

2022-09-11T14:10:30-05:00

What started out as a hobby by Indiana University law professor William Oliver, his winery became one of the largest and prestigious in the Midwest. He started his craft in his basement in the 1960s, however, there was no lawful way in Indiana to pursue a Commerical winery. Without being deterred, Professor Oliver worked with lawmakers and successfully passed legislation allowing for the creation of small wineries in Indiana in 1971.

In 1972, Professor Oliver opened the first Commerical winery in the state. The

company just celebrated it's 50th anniversary. Today, Oliver Winery & Vineyards distribute their award-winning, fruit-forward wines to more than 40 states and ship across the country.

The facility is beautiful and designed to impress the visitor. Parking is easily navigated and the walk from the lot to the main tasting building is lined with beautiful foliage, statues and unique rock formations. There are many signs directing the visitor. Once we made our way to the tasting room, we were greeted by Zane, the tasting room manager. Zane explained the tasting and tour options for the day. We settled on a custom tasting where we could choose the wines that we wanted to sample. Our favorite of the bunch was the Crimson Cabernet.

The grape was recently developed by a grape grower in Missouri named Lucian Dressel. The wine is a cross between Norton and Cabernet Sauvignon. This grape creates a medium bodied red wine that tastes like vinifera, however, is more weather-hearty due to the Norton "roots". Oliver Winery sells wines under several different labels. Their flagship brand is Oliver which is responsible for 80% of their total volume. The other 20% is made up of "Apple Pie/Peach Pie" brand, "Pilot Project", and their high end "Creekbend". Oliver also makes a Mead (Honey Wine) and Bean Blossom Hard Cider.

Oliver Winery and Vineyard has a great wine club with several options. For those who like surprises, the Estate Wine Club offers 6 pre-selected wines twice a year at 15%. If you would rather choose your own subscription, you can select 3 bottles to be delivered every one, two, or three months. With each shipment, you'll have the flexibility to select the bottles you’d like to receive. If you can’t decide, they are happy to curate a package for you based on your taste preferences, including some customer favorites. The Creekbend Club is their most exclusive club. Creekbend Club shipments feature Indiana wines from their estate-bottled Creekbend Vineyard collection. These locally grown and crafted wines range from rare varietals such as the dry red Creekbend Chambourcin, to the semi-sweet Catawba. This club membership also comes with benefits such as complimentary tastings and discounts on all purchases.
To learn more about Oliver, head to their website —> https://www.oliverwinery.com

Fire & Fury! Volcano Winery in Hawaii

2022-07-06T20:25:21-05:00

Aloha from the Big Island! When you think about wineries, you rarely think about Hawaii. Yet, minutes from the site of an active volcano, sits a charming little winery and vineyard! The winery was founded in 1986 by a retired veterinarian named "Doc" McKinney from the neighboring island Oahu. Doc chose the property for its unusual climate at 4,000 feet above sea level, and planted 20 Symphony grape vines in the lava-covered land.

Encouraged by the Symphony vines’ ability to grow in Volcano’s climate, the 20 vines were followed by planting 14 acres of Symphony Grape Vines. In the summer of 2000, a fire on the adjacent Volcanoes National Park property, spread to the winery and burned most of the Symphony vines. After the fire, the decision was made to not replant with Symphony, but to look towards other vines appropriate for our specific climate and growing conditions. They decided to replant with the grape Cayuga White, a quick ripening, cool climate hybrid grape developed at Cornell University Then In late 2007 the winery decided to expand the vineyard further to include the vinifera vines Pinot noir and Syrah.

During our visit, we met Pete the tasting room manager and Kean the winemaker. Kean gave a tour of the property where we saw the vineyard, tanks, barrels and enjoyed a sampling of wines under a tent at the end of our wine journey.

The winery features six wines in their tasting room and you can enjoy 1 oz pours of each for $15. The wine menu:

Pinot Noir - 100% Pinot Noir grapes
Medium bodied. fruit forward plum and currant notes. Subtle smoky, peppery tones and French oak finish.
Pairings: Seared ahi, salmon, lamb, mushroom, ribeve

Volcano Red: Fruit Blend 85% Red/White grape blend, 15% whole local iabotiaa berries.
Medium bodied fruit forward cranberry and dark cherry tones with a spicy finish.
Pairings: Roast, turkey, red sauce/cheesy dishes.

Volcano Blush: Fruit Blend 70% Symphony grapes, 30% whole local jaboticaba berries.
Semisweet. Fruit forward berry notes with a dry, spicy finish
Pairings: Smoky and spicy foods; BBQ, grilled meats and veggies.

Hawaiian Guava-Grape: Fruit Blend 40% Symphony grapes, 60% whole local Hawailan yellow guavas
Tropical guava front, smooth nutty and buttery notes on the finish.
Pairings: Pork. curries, Cajun, brunch, dessert.

Macadamia Nut Honey Mead: 100% Big Island macadamia nut honey Hawaiian dessert wine. Sweet honey tones with a lightly nutty/earthy finish. Pairings: Dark chocolate. fresh fruit. ice cream. cinnamon. whiskey. bourbon.

Infusion Tea Wine Mead: 100% Big Island macadamia nut honey, Estate black tea leaves. Roasted estate Japanese black tea, sweet, macadamia honey. Caffeinated.Pairings: Chilled as an aperitif. Japanese. dessert

Boxi Park - Wine Bar and More

2021-11-21T12:57:19-06:00

We traveled to Lake Nola, Florida to check out a new Container/Self Storage Unit entrainment park called BOXI PARK! It's a food truck concept in a stationary environment complete with wine, beer, food, music, volleyball and even a dog park. You are greeted at the entrance with colorfully painted containers stacked on end with the words BOXI PARK.

Visitors are required to enter and exit through this area. The appears to be a ticket booth to be used for private events and ticketed concerts. Once inside you'll notice several beverage and food counter-serve restaurants all cleverly named. There is a main covered area with a bar and stage. Boxi Park advertises live music, yoga and private events in this unique space.

Drinks

Hops and Vine (Beer and Wine)
Bar Nona (Mixed cocktails)
La Cajita (Margaritas)

Food Counter Serve Restaurants

The Grill Next Door (Burgers)
Claw and Order (Seafood)
Fowl Play (buttermilk-breaded fried poultry sandwiches)
SOTO (handrolls/sushi)
Canonita (tacos)
Before it Melts (Ice Cream)

Of course, we made our way to the wine and beer area. Most of the wine and beer offerings center around ease-of-consumption. The focus on wines and beers on tap along with canned beverages. The wines on tap are from Columbia Valley and Australia. The beers on tap are microbrews made across the street at Park Pizza and Brewing Company, There are some premium wines available by the glass and bottle and are from Monterey and the Central Coast. We tried both the wines on tap and by the glass and recommend the upgrade to the wines from Monterey and the Central Coast. The wines on tap were flat with little flavor.

Let's talk food! Boxi Park offers all of the food truck favorites. We enjoyed the Birria Nachos and Carne Asada Our Way. Both were outstanding and was plenty of food for the both of us (thank you Boxi Park for comping us!). Other notables is the Grill Next Door and Before It Melts. We didn't actually try either, but the burgers and ice cream looked amazing.

The stage is really cool and showcases a great covered space. Large speakers line the elevated stage and a large video monitor frames the top. The floor of the covered space is a green astroturf making it warm and friendly. Oscillating fans line the space to keep visitors cool on hot days.

To keep the peace, there are several rules that visitors will want to review prior to entry.

Specifically, rules regarding dogs, attire and large backpacks/bags should be taken seriously. Also note that Boxi Park is only open Thursday through Sunday and can be rented out for private events;

Thursday - Friday 5-11pm
Saturday 11am-11pm
Sunday Noon-9pm

Come see why Boxi Park is USAToday's 10 Best and Orlando's Hottest New Eatery (2019)

Wine Haven in Park City, Utah

2021-07-17T13:50:32-05:00

Founded in 2015, Old Town Cellars (OTC Winery) is everything a town winery should be.

First off, the whole city winery idea is very cool and has a fun, young flair to it. The concept was created by merging their passion for wine with their love for mountain town culture and lifestyle. Most of their social media posts involve skiing, biking or camping with wine. Park City is home to one of North America's premiere skiing resorts and was a site host to the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

When we arrived, we were greeted by winemaker and owner, Stephen MacKay. He showed us around his production area and warehouse. Stephen's passion really showed. We got to try several wines and told the inspiration behind them. The OTC wine list is nicely thought out hitting on many popular taste profiles.

Mountain Town White 2020 - Umpqua OR - an acidic white wine, aromatic and crisp. ($17.99)

Townie Rosé NV- Pinot Gris - Merlot - Umpqua OR - Off-dry with notes of pomegranate and strawberry. ($18.99)

Mountain Town Red NV- Tempranillo, Syrah, Merlot - Umpqua OR - Fruit forward, soft oak, medium tannins. ($19.99)

Elusive Chardonnay 2019 - Horse Haven Hills, Washington - Moderate oak, asian pear, toffee, crisp finish ($35.99)

Perpetual Reserve Pinot Noir 2020 - Russian River Valley - Medium body, earthy, delicate. ($67.99)

Outlaw Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 - Paso Robles - Full body, robust oak profile, dark fruit, velvety. ($79.99)

Bear Fortified Grüner Veltliner Dessert Wine - Honey, stone fruit hibiscus ($49.99)

S.O.M Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2018 - dark fruit, well rounded tannins and complex ($104.99)

Visit https://otcwines.com for more information on visiting OTC Winery. The official wine of Apres!

A recent post from the OTC Winery Facebook page.

A Visit to NOLA Tropical Winery

2021-01-03T13:49:41-06:00

Surprisingly, the NOLA Tropical Winery is located in a mall in the Port of New Orleans. It's in a rather small space, but wines provide a big punch! There's quite a variety of wines and most have a New

Orleans theme to them. One of our favorites was the Voo Doo Zinfandel (#31.99). The wine was fruit-forward with dark cherry notes. One of the wines that was most unique was a wine called Bourbon St. Blueberry Pinot ($25.99). We never thought about blending blueberry flavor with a pinot noir, but it actually worked! The fruit bomb was a great sipper. Same goes with Big Easy Peach Chardonnay ($25.99). The peach flavor blended with the Chardonnay created a welcoming quaffer on a hot day.

NOLA Tropical Winery also featured a full line of fruit smoothie mixes. These mixes come concentrated and to make them, you just add 1 part smoothie mix to 4 parts water (or ice). Favors included:

• Orange Creme
• NOLA Smoothie
• Peachy Passion
• Pinot Colada
• Dreamsickle
• Strawberry Delight
• Mango Madness
• Key Lime

All flavors retail for $13.99 and can be purchased on line through https://nolatropicalwinery.com/collections/smoothies

What stood out the most at NOLA Tropical Winery was the humor in naming the wines. For example, here is the wine "Dah Red"….Dah wine you been askin' for. Another was Hob Nob, however, they were sold out of that one so we didn't get to try it!

Next time you visit NOLA and have a few minutes to burn, stop by their tasting room and enjoy a glass of wine or a smoothie!

The Wines of Washington

2018-07-21T13:16:33-05:00

The Tasting Room is located downtown Seattle, in the middle of the landmark Pike Place Market. This charming and intimate wine bar is operated by several regional wineries. The winery pours vintages by the glass or by the bottle. When we arrived we were greeted by “Lacy” and was directed to the tasting bar. The Tasting Room offered several types of tastings showcasing some of Washington’s best wines and all were uniquely named:

Transcendent Whites (4 white wines) - $12
Rosie’s Rosés (4 rosé wines) - $12
Walking The Line (2 white wines and 2 red wines) - $12
Reap What You Sow (4 red wines) - $12
Charismatic Characters (4 red wines) - $12
Red, White and Bleu (3 wines paired with bleu cheese) - $18

We enjoyed the “Walk The Line” tasting which featured 4 lovely and well balanced wines.

Included were:

2016 Loco Modo White - A blend of 50% Sauvignon Blanc and 50% of Semillion
2014 Wilridge Chardonnay - A lovely oak-aged chardonnay
2014 NHV Syrah - A medium bodied, smooth finish wine
2012 Nota Bene Cabernet Sauvignon - A slightly spicy medium bodied Cab

They called this tasting “Walk The Line” with a narrative of Jessie James and his Gang. The famous bank robber was known for his brutality and known as a type of Robin Hood. He was finally killed by a new recruit to his gang, cementing him as a legend!

The winery has an Argon Gas system that keeps open wine fresh. The wine is poured through individual dispensers and empty bottles an be easily traded out with full ones.

The Tasting Room also offered a variety of light appetizers that paired well with the wines. The Artisanal Cheese plate was only $12 and was a good value. It included 3 lovely cheeses:
1) a Semi-Soft Cow’s Milk from L’Or des Dômes, France.
2) Bermuda Triangle, Goat’s Milk from Cypress Grove, CA and
3) Cabbot Clothbound Cheddar from Jasper Hill Farm, VT.

Of course with every great tasting room, there’s opportunity to purchase wine. The Tasting Room offered discounts on mixed cases and the opportunity to join their wine club. Next time you make it to Seattle, be sure to stop by The Tasting Room!

Historic Grapevine Texas

2017-08-21T16:44:20-05:00

We just got back from a fantastic trip to Grapevine Texas. Grapevine is situated north of Arlington and the DFW Airport. This quaint little town is a throwback to the early 1900s with a vibrant Main Street and town square. They also have several wineries (of course, why else would they call it Grapevine?). Grapevine is home to the premier Urban Wine Trail in Texas, as well as the Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association and GrapeFest®, the largest wine festival in the Southwest, held annually in September. Texas is the fifth-largest wine-producing state in the U.S., and Grapevine has served as a trendsetter and leader with award-winning wineries and winemakers. There are 9 wineries or tasting rooms within just a few blocks.

Our first tasting room stop was at Wine Fusion. Wine Fusion was founded in October 2015 and is the newest addition to the Grapevine Family of Wineries. Wine Fusion was created to help fill the void between novice and experienced wine drinkers. The team is all about the fun experience that wine brings to all social gatherings. We were greeted by Marcin who set us up with a wine tasting. We focused on dry wines and were made from grapes not from Texas. We tasted a very nice Pinot Gris from Clarksburg (CA), a Chardonnay from Lodi, Fusion Red Blend from Russian River Valley, and a delicious Old Vine Zinfandel made from 63 year old vines from Lodi.

Fusion Winery also had a nice “sharable” food menu that ranged from Flatbreads, Chicken Taquitos, Pomme Frites, Texas Style Queso, Hummus and a tasty brownie!

Our next wine adventure was at Bingham Family Vineyards. Bingham Family Vineyards is a multigenerational farming family that planted grapevines in 2004 to help wineries around the state of Texas to produce great wine. With their 2014 Vintage, the Binghams began their own estate wine label to bring you a wide selection of varietal wines to enable you to explore the wine of the Texas High Plains AVA. They are one of only a hand full of Texas wineries that sell only 100% estate bottled wines. They currently own or manage over 200 acres of grapes in production in the Texas High Plains AVA.

BFV currently bottle six blends and thirteen of varietal wines with plans for more in future harvests.

RED GRAPES
Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, Dolcetto, Merlot, Mourvèdre, Petit Verdot, Ruby Cab, Sangiovese, and Tempranillo. New plantings of Teroldego and Graciano spring of 2017.

WHITE GRAPES
Albariño, Gewürztraminer, Malvasia Bianca, Marsanne, Moscato Giallo, Roussanne, Sémillon, Trebbiano, Chardonnay, Vermentino, and Viognier.

Next time you pass through the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex, be sure to visit charming Grapevine Texas!

Carneros Dream

2017-06-29T20:18:47-05:00

One of our favorite wineries in Northern California is Napa’s Starmont Winery. Starmont is a newer winery on the south end of Napa, off of Stanly Road. The winery is a sister winery of Maryvale Winery in St. Helena.

We were met by Gail in the tasting room and she could not have been nicer! She welcomed us and offered us the opportunity to enjoy the Carneros Tasting with include 5 wines fur just $25. However, if you purchase 4 or more bottles, your tasting fee is waived.

Having begun with a single Chardonnay wine 25 years ago, the Starmont portfolio now encompasses the best of Carneros and Napa Valley with the addition of Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Rosé wines. Starmont prides itself in constructing a “green winery” where the it recycles 100% of winery process water, diverts over 98% of waste away from ending up in landfills and generates enough power each day to power over 250 homes.

Wines tasted offered included*:

2015 Pinot Gris, Carneros - This spicy Alsatian grape can set fire to rain and have you rolling in the deep after one sip. $28/bottle 240 cases produced.

2013 Pinot Noir, Lee Vineyard - Tasting is easy with eyes closed, Cherry and strawberry sweep across your palate like the Carneros breeze. Let me take you down, because we’re going to Strawberry Fields Forever. 55/bottle 400 cases produced.

2013 Pinot Noir, Court Clone - This floral and romantic single clone Pinot Noir reminds me of Bill Withers, just one sip and you know it’s going to be a lovely day. The 2013 vintage showcases red licorice, cherry cola and wild flowers. Better get it while you can because there’s no sunshine when it’s gone! $55/bottle 2014 cases produced.

2014 Syrah, Stanly Ranch Estate - Well you can tell by the way I drink Syrah I’m a Starmont man, no time to talk. The Bee Gees were the kings of disco and the godfathers of the falsetto. The 2014 estate Syrah dances with intense blueberry and wild flowers, boldly displaying it’s macho like a proud peacock. Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive. $45/bottle 280 cases produced

2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley - This bold and aerobatic Cabernet Sauvignon smells like teen spirit, tobacco, raspberry, blueberry and ripe plum and is 100 times better that a heart shaped box of pennyroyal tea. A glass shared with a loved one will rule help you find Nirvana. $32/bottle

* Tasting notes provided by Starmont Winery

Wines Down Under

2016-12-23T12:59:56-06:00

To finish off the year, we travelled to south Australia to visit wine country down under and the National Wine Centre of Australia. The National Wine Centre is located in Adelaide in the South Australia territory and is affiliated with the University of Adelaide and is situated on the stunning grounds of the Boantic Gardens.

You can spend an entire day at the National Wine Centre (NWC). The NWC venue combines eye-catching architecture with smooth functionality that showcases the Australian wine industry. Upon entry, you are greeted with a directory showing the wine tasting area called “Wined Bar”, restaurant, multiple concourses, theaters, meeting rooms, trade and exhibition rooms, wedding venues, wine terrace, cellar and “Wine Discovery Journey”.

The NWC’s 'Wined Bar' boasts Australia's largest tasting room experience with visitors able to sample 120 different wines thanks to the installation of state of-the-art Enomatic wine preservation and dispensing machines. The Wined Bar is part of the Centre's Cellar Door where you can choose, pour and taste every wine. Visitors are given a “credit card” that will track the wines tasted. There are also 3 types of pours that can be accessed from the Enomatic machines: a 3/4 ounce, 2 ounce and 5 ounce pour. The charge per pour varies depending on the bottle of wine. We tried several of the wines and price per pour ranged from $1.20 AUS to $20.00+ AUS. With all the best Cellar Doors in the one place, visitors are able to find the perfect wine to suit their taste and budget. Friendly, educated staff are on hand to help you discover the perfect drop.

Wined Bar Dining

The Centre's Cellar Door offers a seasonal menu featuring the finest fresh produce, sourced primarily from South Australia. The Tapas style menu is crafted by the Wined Bar Chef, Judyta Slupnicki, is ideal for the sharing over glass of wine, and is available from midday. We chose to “mix and match to create your own platter”. Included were a choice of three meats and cheeses for $18 AUS. The charcuterie was from Adelaide Hills Artisan Small Goods and the Cheeses were all South Australian Cheese. Our platter was served with house baked bread, quince paste, pate, Adelaide Plains Olives, muscatels and lavish.

Wine Discovery Journey

You can’t miss the free self-guided, interactive Wine Discovery Journey exhibition. The tour is ideal for wine novices and connoisseurs alike. It was very informative and helped us gain an insight into the issues Australian winemakers contend with. One takeaway was the quality vs price perception. Nearly every wine we tasted were very good to outstanding, however, the price per bottle was approximately 20% less than what a comparable bottle of wine from the US. Australian wines taste great and are a great value too!

The South Australia territory (Adelaide) features some of the best wine growing regions of the country including the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale and Coonawarra. Other territories that have notable wine regions are Victoria (King Valley, Yarra Valley) and New South Wales (Hunter Valley and Canberra District).

The Winery Restaurant & Wine Bar - Newport Beach, CA

2016-07-30T12:44:41-05:00

Californians like their wine! We stopped in to visit The Winery Restaurant & Wine Bar located in Newport Beach, California. Newport Beach, located in Orange County, is an upscale costal town and features a beautiful restaurant that boasts an immense wine list.
In addition to the amazing wine list, patrons can purchase a private wine locker to keep their wine at the restaurant. Each locker has a placard with the owner's name on it along with a wine book that is used to document wines that have been drank and with whom they have been enjoyed. A cursory visual indicated that the wine of choice was Kosta Browne. While no wine is actually produced on location, there is wine that was made by the owners on the list.. . . it is a Halter Ranch Syrah from Paso Robles.

We tasted their Chardonnay offerings which included a 2013 Raymond "Reserve", Napa Valley and a 2014 Raeburn, Russian River. The Raymond "Reserve" was by far the superior Chardonnay. The Raymond boasted wonderful citrus and mineral notes. On the other hand, the Raeburn had a lemon zest flavor with aromas of petroleum. If we lived in the OC, we would visit this cool wine experience regularly and "for sure" would own a wine locker!

Carneros Inn And A Stop At Starmont Winery

2016-06-09T12:06:06-05:00

Every so often, we visit Northern California wine country, however this trip we tried a newer resort and winery. Plumpjack Resorts recently launched the Carneros Inn on Highway 12, roughly 5 miles west of Napa. The resort features all the amenities you would expect from a 5 star hotel. The Carneros Inn features the FARM restaurant, the Boon Fly Cafe, a family and adult pool, a full-service spa, a market and a boutique featuring wonderful resort wear. Each "hotel room" is more like a small residence or cabin. When we checked in, we were offered a glass of Plumpjack wine and had a choice of Chardonnay or Cabernet Sauvignon.

On our first day, we took advantage of the complimentary bicycles and took a ride through wine country. Our greatest accomplishment was that we scaled the steep incline to the Artesa Winery. Here's Anne showing her might!

While we visited several wineries and producers, one of note was the Starmont Winery. Starmont used to be located at the Maryvale-Starmont location in St. Helena. Recently, Starmont broke away and moved south about 25 miles and relocated to Napa-Carneros border (they are still jointly owned). We had a wonderful tasting room experience and had the opportunity to try several Starmont wines that are not necessarily available anywhere but the winery. Their reserve selections were out of this world. The winery offered their wine club members a special seating area on their patio. If you get a chance to visit Northern California wine country, make sure you make Carneros a stop.

City Winery - NYC

2016-01-25T19:09:30-06:00

We kicked off 2016 with a trip to New York to visit "The Barrel Room at City Winery" in Soho. When we arrived, we heard a rumble and felt a shake…it was the Number 1 subway train that ran directly under us! We met Diana Kessel from City Winery, who greeted us with a glass of wine poured from the spouts on the wall. Anne enjoyed a rather crisp Rousanne and I had an amazing glass of Petit Syrah. All of the wines sold at the winery are produced at the property by winemaker David Lecomte. They make several wines all made in stainless tanks or oak barrels, while contracting with vineyards nationwide for their grape supply.

The Executive Chef, Michael Jeanty, created a simple but delightful menu. Anne had the "Daily Meat & Cheese Board" which was plenty for two. I have to admit that I did graze some on the cheese board…after she was done, of course. I tried the "Duck Tacos". There were 3 corn street tacos and they were delicious.

Here are some photos of the production area.

Another aspect of the City Winery (that has great appeal to me) is the music aspect of their business model. City Winery bills itself as the "Hard Rock Cafe" for wineries. While we visited the winery, the band "The Bottlerockets" entertained about 300 people with a driving country/rock sound. Melissa Etheridge had played just a few days before and the winery has a great entrainment schedule throughout the year. I encourage you to check out City Winery…you'll have a great experience!

Wine mix:

The Barrel Room at City Winery
155 Varick Street New York, NY 10013
www.citywinery.com

Texas Excellence

2015-10-10T20:24:56-05:00

What is it about Texas? Flair, style, class? Well, Delaney Vineyards & Winery located in Grapevine, Texas, has it all. The beautiful winery was built in 1995 and was crafted tastefully with stone and brick. The stately structure has a small, but elegant lobby and relatively small gift shop. The Delaney wine tasting is focused on sharing a variety of the wines produced by the winery. You can drop in and taste, however, if you have a group of 6 or more, it's recommended that you let them know you are coming so that they will reserve a table for you.

Here is the mix of wines that we tasted:

2011 Sauvignon Blanc
This wine was light with bursts of citrus, grass and mineral notes.

2011 Chardonnay
This delicious Chardonnay was crafted with care. The wine boasts vanilla and butter notes.

Texas Rosé
This tasty blush is a blend of Chardonnay, Muscat Canelli and Petit Verdot. The Muscat Canelli gives the wine some sweetness. A great pleaser on a fall day.

Pinot Noir
The Pinot Noir is light and bright with strawberry and rose petal aromas with a rich deep purple color and a fine bouquet of bing cherry.

Sweet Texas Red
Sweet Texas Red is a unique blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. This mix has a surprising sweet finish.

The wine tasting costs $10.00

Delaney Vineyard & Winery
2000 Champagne Blvd.
Grapevine, TX 76051
817-481-5668

For more information, visit www.delaneyvineyards.com

Orange Coast Vineyards

2015-07-25T17:02:00-05:00

This Corona del Mar tasting room was a delight. The small building was located at 3734 E. Coast Hwy. I was greeted by Colin in the tasting room and tasted through 6 of the 16 wines offered. Each wine had a beach/surf theme.

I started with the Endless Summer Chardonnay which had nice oak notes. 50% of the wine was aged in french oak. The other half was aged in stainless steel. The Endless Summer White Blend had about 1% RS and included varietals of Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc. The Beach Red Blend was offered only in 1.5 Liter and was deemed the "BBQ" wine. The wine was quite nice and was quite tasty on a warm afternoon. Next up was the Endless Summer Red Blend, Primitivo and Big Wave Bordeaux Blend. The Big Wave Bordeaux Blend was the most tasty of all the wines tasted with a flavors of deep dark cherry and red licorice,

All the wines were produced by Orange Coast Winery at their main location located in Temecula, California. Most of the white grapes were grown in the Temecula area, whereas the reds predominately were grown in Lodi, California.

Orange Coast Winery
2724 E. Coast Hwy.
Corona del Mar, CA
949-645-0400

For more information, visit www.orangecoastwinery.com.

A Visit to Loess Hills Vineyard & Winery

2015-07-17T16:34:11-05:00

This was my first time visiting a winery in Iowa. Loess Hills Vineyard and Winery is located in Crescent, Iowa, a very small town just 10 minutes east of Omaha, Nebraska. I met Larry, the owner, in the tasting room on Friday afternoon and tasted through several wines produced on site. LHV produces several hybrid grapes including Frontenac, La Croix and Lacrosse. I particularly enjoyed the SBR dry red wine.

The winery has been operating for several years and was doing well until recent floods and Mother's Day frost damaged their vineyards. The winery has had to purchase nearly all of their grapes from grape growers across the state. With the cooler temps over the weekend, the winery was low on inventory and was literally bottling wine on their 6 bottle filler to be sold the next day.

LHV offers a frequent buyer program where if you purchase 12 bottle of wine, you get 15% off your next purchase. I kept my frequent buyer card so that I can keep adding up the savings on my return.

Loess Hills Vineyard & Winery
1120 Old Lincoln Highway
Crescent, IA 51526
712-545-3054

For more information, visit www.loesshillsvineyardandwinery.com.

Fun at a Florida Winery

2015-03-24T11:43:03-05:00

The Endless Summer Vineyard and Winery near Fort Pierce, Florida, should be called Endless Fun! This winery has a sun and surf theme and specializes in semi-dry to sweet wines. Most of the wines are made from Muscadine or Mango.

The wines have clever names including:

Beach Nut - Semi-Dry White
Webejammin' - Semi Sweet Muscadine
Marlin Monroe - Rosé
Rated ARRR - Semi-Drrry Table Wine (Muscadine and Vinifera)
Rastamon Red - Semi-Sweet Red Wine
That's What She Said - Sweet Red Muscadine
Mango Wine - yep….Mango
Pink Flamingo - Pink Table Wine made from Muscadine and Mango
Not Starboard - Muscadine Port-sytle wine

The property features a pavilion area with long boards as tables, lawn bowling and a oversized chess board. In addition, there are fire pits and a charming dock area. But remember, don't feed the alligators!

Endless Summer Vineyards & Winery
4200 Johnson Road.
Ft. Pierce, FL 34951
772-460-0500

For more information, visit www.endlesssummerwine.com.

What Wines Pair With Baseball?

2015-03-01T17:25:18-06:00

Spring is right around the corner and what I think about most is baseball and spring wines! So, what wines pair best with baseball? Here’s a handy guide. First off, the wine needs to have a screw cap so that you can easily open the bottle without having to “screw around” with a corkscrew. You don’t want to take your eyes off the game! Second, the wines need to be light and fruity (not flabby) so that they refresh you and not slow you down. Third, the SOLO® (Red or Blue) Solid Colored Cups very well with wine. I’m not a particular fan of styrofoam cups, as I detect a slight odor with them and may affect the wine.

J Vineyards Pinot Gris - $15 - There is lots of fruit in this wine. From the nose to the palate, there are hints of gummy bears and wild strawberries throughout – however, it is a surprisingly well balanced wine with good acidity and a slightly oily finish. A Spring wine stands well on its own for lazy days and doubleheaders.

Byron Chardonnay - $15 - Served chilled, this crisp Chardonnay really pleases the palate. Not overly oaked and nice citrus (anjou pear and gala apple) makes a nice quaffer. Sells for $15, but Schnucks has a deal where you purchase 6 bottles or more and 15% off on Wednesdays! Anne’s go-to wine.

Benzinger Family Winery Rosé - $20 - This tasty little gem tastes just like fresh strawberries and maraschino cherries. It’s considered “off-dry”, so it has just a touch of sweetness. For the adventurous baseball fan, you might want to bring some pre-sliced cheese along to the game (Harvarti or Swiss Emmental). Emmentaler has a savory, but not very sharp taste, and of course you’ll need to bring a package of Carr’s Entertainment Cracker Collection.

A to Z Pinot Noir - $15 - While the color is a light bright red, it has a resounding high-pitched strawberry and rose scents. This Pinot Noir from Oregon shows good clarity and picks up spiciness with air. Clean and brisk, in the style of the vintage, but a modicum of sweetness gives the red fruit flavors a sense of depth. The finish closes tangy and slightly firm, with good cut and length. You’ll definitely hit a home run with this one!