Good Morning!

I was headed to Costco this weekend to start to load up on all the supplies I need for all the company we get on these summer weekends. We have a massive pools and outdoor kitchen and I hate having to run in and out of the house all the time…it must be a leftover memory from childhood, I can remember hearing my grandmother say, your getting the carpet all wet and stop leaving your towels laying all over the place!

Going to Costco is a trip no matter why you go in there. The TV’s, tires, laptops, clothes and then you have the wine area (my personal favorite). After trying red velvet cake, turkey, tri tip, hummus and some sorta smoothie thing, I had made it to the wine and beer section. I had 2 cases of Corona, a massive bag of limes and now to find out what’s new in the wine section. I am always surprised by the amount of wine people are loading into their carts.

Sometimes I recognize the wine labels and many times I have to read quite a bit because the labels are obscure and you can not tell what grape, where was it grown, how much etc… I can easily spend an hour in this section. I picked up 12 bottles of wine in total. 4 french wines, 4 Washington state wines and 2 Italian wines and 2 Spanish wines. I am not sure I had a plan when I went to get the wine…I was being adventurous and reading about the areas the grapes were grown and looking to see if I recognized the producers.

I was struck by some of the artwork on some of the bottles and I was intrigued by the selling price points from some of the producers. I have my limits on buying wine, unless it is bottle I have done some research on I will not spend more than $25. But most of the wine I bought yesterday was under $15-18.

I am constantly inspired by the wines of Washington and Oregon, they are so rich and in general, for me they are easier to drink have the young California reds. One of the bottles I brought home last night was Milbrandt Vineyards The Estates 2006 Merlot Wahluke Slope, 14.2% Alcohol by volume. After unloading all my treasures and I did what most folks do opened this bottle to let it breath a bit while we grilled up some t-bones and waited for the Mavs and Heat game to start.

I am sometimes on the fence about Merlot, Merlot is either ok or very elegant….This one was round, fruity, smooth and robust all together. It had a smoky almost woody aroma and I was worried it would be too young to enjoy, but the more it opened up the more balanced it became and the happier we became.

I did some research about Costco and how much wine they sell on a yearly basis and they are considered to be the number 1 or number 2 retailer in the country (depending on who’s list you check out)…They have huge selections of wines from every country, huge selection of wines at all price points, I saw bottles for $7.49 up to a bottle for $142…I saw reds, whites, pinks and bubbles…I keep a list of all the wines I buy and all my tasting notes, because once I like something I go back and get a case…the Milbrandt Vineyards Merlot, I will go back and pick up a case!

I hope you are prepping for summer and all the days and nights with friends and family, if you are like me head to Costco and take a van!

Much LOVE and wine,

Tammi

Good Morning!

I think one of the most underrated wines in the world is Chardonnay. I got sad last night while following Twitter and I read a bunch of folks were calling it “Cougar” juice. If you care not familiar with the term Cougar…it is a woman who likes younger men. I think women with a flare for younger men are looking for more excitement and less predictability, maybe that translates into their favorite white wines too, No or Yes?

I started doing a bit of research and when you do find the data it does support the this stereotype to some degree. Most consistent Chardonnay consumers are at least 40, female and have college degree. I then read that Chardonnay is the number one planted white wine grape varietal in the US, that makes sense because Americans do not plant what they can not sell. Then I read many other whites are starting to sell like wildfire here in the states, like, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc just to name a few.

I was reading that Chardonnay got really popular when Kendall-Jackson changed up their Chardonnay when started calling it Vinter’s Reserve and they would make sure the wine was fermented with just a hint of residual sugar so it had a softer almost sweet finish. I also read that all Chardonnay really went over the top for most palates when the California winemakers started fermenting and finishing their wines in oak barrels and the wine had become soooo overoaked, it was not what the average drinker wanted out of a Chardonnay.

Many of the big buttery oaky Chardonnay’s still sell very well and people love them. Chardonnay is not going anywhere, people drink it up! But the trend is for more tasting the grapes not the barrel. Another way to impart new flavors in a wine is by the yeast the winemakers decide to use in each batch of wine. I learned a lot years back about using yeast with very specific characteristics. Keep in mind many winemakers use the natural yeasts that are already on the grapes, but some choose the yeasts for different reasons. As a winemaker you can better perdict how the yeast will perform if you choose a yeast instead of relying on the natural yeasts and you can also pick the yeasts to really complement your wine.

I spent some time with my friends at Scott Labs and they are the experts in yeast. I found out I could find a yeast that might bring in a really banana aroma, or a yeast I choose can really add structure and flavors that might be lacking in a weaker vintage of grapes. One year I bought several tons of grapes that were not as ripe as I was originally lead to believe, but once Scott labs and I sat down we discussed what was missing in the wine and found a yeast that would at least not highlight the weakness in my grapes.

The new wave of Chardonnay winemakers are going au natural. They are fermenting and aging in stainless steel and all you get is the naked truth of the Chardonnay grapes. It is crisp, clean and really is perfect for any occasion. I hope you will look for unoaked Chardonnay and give it a try. I just did not want everyone to think Chardonnay was for ladies looking for fun, but I do admire a woman who knows what she likes and goes for it!

Much LOVE and wine,

Tammi

What's wrong with this glass? It's Empty!

Good Morning!

I receive tons of emails each week and since I have been ask about this several times I thought I would discuss it today. I have been ask how to become a “red” wine drinker?

Some of you may not understand this because reds are your thing, but I understand. When I first started drinking wine, it was pink, cold, sweet and came in a box with a super cool spigot on the side and it tasted good. I was a beer drinker for years. I use the term “beer” loosely because today you have millions of choices, Ales, Stouts, imports, crafted beers, you name it they have it. When I drank beer it was Bud, Bud Light and if I were being fancy, Michelob.

I drank beer for two reasons. It tasted better than fruity or strong boozy cocktails and beer was easy to order. When I started to drink beer, I did not like the taste either. My folks did not drink at our house but my grandparents all had beer and booze around so it kinda intrigued me as something you can only have when you grow up thing. In high school of course we all tried anything we could get our hands on and if you did not like something, we drank it anyway for the buzz.

I still like an ice cold beer after mowing the lawn or some outdoor activity, but other than that, it has become complicated so I just keep Miller Lite in the house for the rare occasions when I want one. So what does this have to do with becoming a red wine drinker? Hang on…

I started hanging out with a group of women who drank red wine. The LOVED it and would sit for hours and drink and chat it up. They looked so much happier than me sitting there drinking my brown bottle of beer. They looked sexier, the laughed more and they wore sundresses and I wanted to be just like them. I was ask to dinner and a friend said let’s have wine and ordered a bottle of red. YUCK…but when she went to the bathroom, I put a couple of ice cubes in the wine and then it seemed at least drinkable.

If I were smarter, I would have said to myself right now with the wine being colder it tastes less alcoholic and it seems to have less acidic taste, but I liked the lift the wine seem to give me. The next week I was at the store I bought a bottle of the same wine Chianti and I put it in the frig. It sat there for 3-4 days and I decided one night to open it and try to find something to eat. I found a box of Triscuits and a log of goat cheese. I opened the bottle of wine and I loved these things together. Now I understand that chilling the wine took the heat of the alcohol away from my mouth and the tangy goat cheese really smoothed out the strong tannins. But I liked it and was so happy I was now in the “Red” wine group.

Later on I was at someone’s house and they had a bottle of Merlot and I poured a glass, but it was room temperature and it tasted so powerful to me. (Keep in mind, I was soooo silly that I thought all red wines were the same grapes, just the different producers had different labels…UGH, I still embarrass myself thinking about how much I did not know). So I found the same bottle at the store and chilled the wine a few days and got out the Triscuits and goat cheese. Merlot was good, but I ran out of goat cheese and had Vermont cheddar….OK, so that was WAY better…you can see where this is going.

Loving red wine or anything with a strong flavor takes some time. Some people love spicy hot peppers, some folks like cilantro, it is an acquired taste, wine is the same. If you were raised drinking it, you might love it right away, if not, your gonna have to try some new ideas. I find if someone tells me the hate red wines, they do not like the dry feeling from the tannins after they have a sip. Try a sweeter red, they are everywhere in the stores now. You might tend to like higher residual sugar in your wine…

My number one rule, Trust you palate!

Much LOVE and wine,

Tammi

Beautiful White Chardonnay grapes ready to be crushed!

Good Morning!

When I woke up this morning at 5 AM, it was 79 degrees. The high today will be 99 and with the heat factor will make it feel like 110-115 by 6 PM tonight. I am not complaining, just stating facts. I have received many emails asking me what to drink to cool down with. I have to say sometimes wine does not cut the heat for me. But many times is does so here is what I might drink on a day like today!

I would not bust out a big, bold powerful red in this heat I have my go to wines to enjoy during this blast of summer weather.

Cava: Bubbles and lots of fruit make this dry sparkling wine taste like it is a wee bit sweet! Very refreshing!

Albarino: This is a crisp, young fresh wine and it can help me “chill” in the afternoon.

Pinot Gris: Sometimes white wines have tons of acid and the sharpness but this is low alcohol and is just a clean, fun wine.

Torrontes:Light and lovely with a real mineral kick and when I enjoy this wine, I find the crispness is perfect while wearing flip flops.

Vinho Verde: This wine rocks with salads, it plays well with salad dressing, I am trying to eat lighter and still have wine!

But the best wine ever for my hours with friends and family is my wine…The Sauvignon Blanc I have been making for years from Lake County, CA. I call my wine Patio….I love it, I drink it all the time and I can not wait until you try the citrus bursting, pineapple and tropical feel of this wine. I know you have not tried it yet…but you will soon and I hope you love the experience as much as I do!

These are my summer go to wines and of course I chill tons of Rose’ for enjoyment too. But I have to say sometimes a glass of ice filled with Malibu Rum and a splash of pineapple juice, tastes like a beach vacation in a glass.

Let me know what you are drinking to stay cool!

Much LOVE and wine,

Tammi

Cool refreshing "Patio" Sauvingnon Blanc

Good Morning!

I am always surprised by the power of social media. I never know who or what people find interesting and who is actually paying attention to what is being said about anything or being said about themselves. I bring this up because I always post a “tweet” or maybe a few when I try new wines.

Recently on a Saturday we were in Fredericksburg, TX and went from winery to winery and one of the places we went was Rancho Ponte, I had heard great things about their wines. When we pulled up I was impressed with the grounds and the building looked to be pretty new. It looked kinda like a upscale pole barn with a porch that was filled with tables, and lots of folks sitting in the Texas heat enjoying their wines and friends.

We went inside and it was spotless and very orderly. There were 3 folks hosting the tastings and there were many folks standing at the bar. I also keep track of tasting room experiences, I think because I connect human interaction and energy with the whole experience of drinking wine. If I have fun or am treated well, I seem to like the wines more! Our host was a nice guy but he was overwhelmed with the amount of excited tasters. He was quick to pour and the explanations of the wines were quick and he was off to the next guest. I don’t blame him, people react to crowds differently. I am kinda spoiled because I have tasted wines all over the world and been in tasting rooms with hundreds and hundreds of folks and still have had a relaxed and great time.

I liked, really liked the Syrah and ended up buying 3 bottles of wine, but the rushed experience left me a bit flat. So when we go back in the car, I “tweeted” about the great wine but service was a bit lame….In less than an hour I got a message saying someone had called in sick and it put them behind the 8-ball with the tasting room. I was so surprised. I was also thrilled that a small winery in Texas was so on top of their PR game.

Whoever “tweeted” me back thanked me for my patience and thanked me for enjoying the wine and ask me to give them another try in the future and let them know how the next trip to Rancho Ponte turns out. I will go back and I will “tweet” about how it is…I want to thank Rancho Ponte for taking customer service so seriously. Also, I applaud your social media savvy and I will be back and I love your Syrah.

I knew social media is a game changer, I think the folks at Rancho Ponte are on target with growing their business, taking care of their customers and really caring at a deep level. I have read Gary V’s book The Thank You Economy and I have no idea if they have read it…but they followed all the steps in making me want to love them and come back and visit again!

If you get the chance and are in Fredericksburg, Texas, stop in and try the Syrah!

Much LOVE and wine,

Tammi