Napa continued... A Novice's Experience (Producer Laura Smailes)

Stags Leap Winery is absolutely breathtaking.

When we called for an appointment, we decided to go with an informal porch tasting.  We took a few minutes to look around the grounds and then headed to our tasting.  It was casual with about six other people in our group.   With each pour, we were given a brief explanation and background.  We sat on the porch and visited with others in the group and went up on our own to get the next pour.  It was on our time, and we were in no rush.  We tasted five wines, working from white, to rose and finishing with a cabernet.  This was a different experience because we listened to others ask questions and discuss the wine.  During these types of tastings you will often meet others who are excited to talk about their preferences and history with wine.  This is an aspect that I love taking in with a visit.  Always remember to take your time with the tasting, not only with your wine, but with those in your group and enjoy the scenery.  After the wine tasting our guide gave us background on the winery.   Stags Leap has a great history, so we decided to walk through the main house by ourselveshouse taking it all in.   This was a completely different experience than our first stop at Saintsbury.  We were a little more on our own at Stags.  I did enjoy visiting with the others in our group and hearing their experiences, but we felt that we learned a little more at Saintsbury.  This is why you should try different types of tours and tastings.  The variety keeps it enjoyable and you can find the type of tour you prefer.   

Next stop.... Dinner...with a little detour.

MyTrip to Wine Country... A novice's perspective (Producer Laura Smailes)

I visited California Wine Country a few weeks ago and have never learned so much in a few days.  Yes, I produce a wine show, but I walked into this radio show a wine novice. 

 I went to California last year and was introduced to an entirely new world, one where I was slightly uncomfortable and visited vineyards that were recommended.  This year was a different story.  I knew that I was going to be traveling to California in June, so I began looking in late April/early May at different vineyards that I was interested in visiting.  You must first decide is if you want to visit Napa or Sonoma.  I was interested in both so I planned for Napa one day and Sonoma the other.  I looked at a map and wrote down which vineyards I really wanted to visit.  I picked my top five in both Napa and Sonoma and then began my research.  On each vineyard’s website, you are able to find out if they give a tour, tasting or both.   I called each of the vineyards and asked for an appointment.  The people at the vineyards have always been very kind and helpful.  They will let you know how long to plan for your visit and will usually e-mail directions and any other information that you may need. 

I planned two tours each day.  This allows you to enjoy your experience at each vineyard and not be rushed at each stop.  It also gives you time to stop at any winery you may pass along the way … and stop at their tasting room for a quick taste (no appointments needed for tasting rooms).  There are several types of experiences you can have at each place.  All of my visits were unique and I will share those with you over the next few weeks.

My first stop was at Saintsbury Vineyards.  I have to say, this was one of my absolute favorites.  It was very personal and took place out on the lawn under beautiful trees for shade.  Libby was our guide and spent a lot of time with us.  We started off with the Rose, then went to the Chardonnays and wrapped up with the Pinot Noirs.  Libby took her time with us and made us feel comfortable to ask any questions that came to mind.  I will say, when I got on the plane to fly to California, I was strictly a white wine drinker.  But I made a promise to myself that I would try some reds.  I shared this with Libby and she was more than happy to walk me through the red wine experience.  I am now a huge fan of Saintsbury Pinot Noir and bought a few bottles to take with me.  With each wine, she also brought along a story of how it was made, where the grapes came from, how long it took to make and why it was chosen for Saintsbury.  I was fascinated and truly began to understand the winemaking process. 

As our time wrapped up at Saintsbury, we asked Libby for some suggestions for lunch.  She gave us a variation of places to choose from and we found a great place right down the road, Boon Fly Café.  What a great menu with a variety of prices and wonderful ambiance.  Always listen to the locals … they do know what they are talking about!

Time was working in our favor, so right after we ate we headed to Stags Leap Winery. 

More to come…

Competitive Nature of WIne

Laura Lawson

Whether it is in the ratings, in your shopping cart, or on the local mega mart's shelf, there is always some kind of angle when it comes to buying and selling wine.

As Americans, we are highly competitive.  Yes, we all like to say that we whish well for our neighbors and that we want the best for others, but let's face facts...we are all capitalists, we like to go after it, and we want to win. 

One exception... wine contests.  We have highlighted a few on the show, and these are a win win for everybody.  Something I would like to point out, whether we are talking about the Biltmore or Build a Better Burger contests, there is no purchased required to enter.  The legalities aside, I think it is  a great that they are looking at brining you something besides the bottle.  They are making you think about the brand, the background.

So often, what we end up doing is walking down the aisle at the mega mart and just looking at the label, vitner, or year and saying "okay, I will buy it on that."  It is contests like these that make you truly investigate what is behind the wine and the stories that come with each bottle.  This is what I think is key if you are going to learn about wine. 

Vacation for the Wine Lover

Laura Lawson

As we all begin to contemplate our summer bacations, I want to put a small bug in your ear

about what to expect as you travel around as a wine lover and experience different things in great restaurants.   For those traveling to to tourist destination, please do not have your heart set on one brand of wine or varietal...you may have your heart crushed.  For those wanting to consume some wine on your vacation, I have two pieces of advice...

1)   If you are not able to live without a certain wine, pack it in your bag or have it shipped to you.  This way you know that you will not have to do without.

2)   More imporanty, before you travel, do some research.  Check out the area you are visiting and search for wine friendly places.  There is nothing worse than being thirsty and walking around a desert of commercial enterprises that offers nothing you enjoy. 

So, as you prepare for vacation, make sure you prepare at least a week in advance to ensure you will have those things you enjoy readily available on your trip. 

A Matter of Your Taste

Laura Lawson

What is topping off your wine?

Whether it is a cork or screw cap, you can discuss the benefits and disadvantages of each, but it all comes down to a matter of your taste.  What does the wine taste like?  What closures gives you the best expression of the wine?  What closure lets you taste the wine as the winemaker intended?  These are the questions that matter. 

Find a closure you are behind, that you love and appreciate.  Maybe you want a screw cap when you are in a hurry, or you like the idea of a cork coming out of a bottle and making its distinctive sound....it is what your like and not about history or tradition.  What gives you the personnal taste you deserve. 

State of Riesling

Laura Lawson

The Riesling grape is the perfect place to start investigating how seriously you should start taking wine.

Ultimately, if you want to take Riesling seriously, if you want to investigate what is over the pond, looking at Germany and Austria (the true home of this grape), you must understand certain terms.  Do you like petrol in your wine? Slate? If you do not understand what these terms truly mean, you will not find it appealing when somebody is recommending it to you. This is what the history and foundation of Riesling is about- the minerality and petrol characteristics.  Does this translate well onto a label?  Into a wine recommendation?  No.  Which is why we are seeing more blogs and wine radio programs making wine more approachable.  For me to convince you that the idea of smelling petrol and butane is a good thing, you will have to have an open mind.  The only way to do this, to make wine approachable, is to have an open mind and try.  It is all about what you are WILLING to know.

Top Ten Tell Tale Signs that you know more about wine than you think

Laura Lawson

Yes, you do know more about wine than you give yourself credit for..... You know that

1)     White zinfindel or anything pink in the bottle is based on the red grape.

2)     Kendell Jackson is the winery, not a type of wine.

3)     You can pronounce merlot.

4)     Fume-blanc is not the name of the grape.

5)     It is acceptable to drink what color of wine you want regardless of the meal.

6)     It is recommended to chill your reds at room temperature.

7)     When you have ordered a cabernet that your have shortened the grape name.

8)     French labels do not give you the varietal.

9)     You know a little more about wine because you listen to the Wine Crush.

10)   You may know a little less about wine than others, but do not care... You are going to drink what you like and nt what you are told.

Time to plan for the summer

Laura Lawson

It is that time of year when we all start to plan our vacation.  Where do you want to go and what do you want to see?  For those of you headed out west to the wineries, I have some advice that you may not have heard.

1)     Plan ahead.  Aim for 45 days out, because if you don't, you may not  get to do everything you want to do.

2)     Always, Always, pick one valley.  Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino..choose one direction and focus on that area.  If you plan too many wineries in different valleys, you will spend most of your trip in a car stuck in traffic.

3)     You must give to receive.  Whether you are visiting a small or large winery, walk in with a great attitude.  The attitude that you bring dictates how you will be treated.   

The Best Advice the Wine Crush Can Give You

Laura Lawson

Things can get hectic in this industry.  It does not matter if you are on your first bottle of wine or your 100,000 bottle,

you have to realize that so much goes into the production of that wine and what goes on behind it affect so many different levels of society.  Whether you are buying it at your local mega mart, worrying about whether the production is green, if a moth is going to disappear or come back, concerned about the people who are taking care of the winery, or whether the government will let you ship wine and telling you what you can and can not drink.....something like this will come up each day and impact our lives.  Whichever one of these begins to frazzle you, there is always an aspect to wine that you can take.  People who say they do not drink wine because it does not affect their daily life- think of the "Kevin Bacon/ Six Degrees of Separation"....someway, somehow, there is a little bit of wine that affects all of us and the best way to get through it is to drink more of it.

Restaurant Wine Selections

Laura Lawson

I just read a survey where 2,000 people were questioned about their wine views and 84% felt that are being ripped off with wine selections in restaurants.

 Well, I have one finger to point ..... and that finger is pointed at you.  Ulitimately we are living in the time of the perfect storm of great wine drinking and wine value.  Everybody has an excess of juice and grapes- most wineries have wine that they need to get out of the door before the vintages change.  What does this mean for the consumer?

All the wine that we have enjoyed that run from $30-$60, you can now find them for almost half the price.  So if you have this great value and are presented this wonderful opportunity, why did 84% of those polled believe they are being ripped off at restaurants?  Study, listen and learn a little about wine.  There has never been a better time to do it and it has never been easier to learn.  Whether it is this wine show, a book, or all the wonderful websites available.....do a little research.  Make this the time to learn about wine so the next time you go to a restaurant you can realize what great values the restaurant and industry is giving