Back when I first started drinking wine I had the vision every other person had, Lucy stomping grapes. As a kid, I though how nasty can that be, all the stuff on your feet in the wine? But by the time I was old enough to start trying wine I had been told the whole wine making process that creates alcohol will kill the germs, and that is called fermentation.

I also had been told wine and urine are the two things that are safe to drink if water was not available and I was stranded on an island. I was not thrilled with the prospects of the second choice so I was interested knowing more about these process of wine making.

My best friend Sara gave me a wine making kit for Christmas years ago. I quickly understood she gave me this gift for her. She loves wine and I had not drank any wine since the TJ Swan Easy Nights on a Senior trip to Daytona Beach Florida. She bought the kit through Wine Art. It came with all the gadgets and equipment and in a box came a bag with concentrated juice and some packets of “stuff” to add when the time was right.

First batch ever was Merlot. I got all the stuff sanitized, from the fermentation tank (trash can looking thing) a big 6 gallon carboy, all the hoses and the big spoon (Mixing device, hahaha). And then I poured in the concentrate, next came the water and they said stir until they are blended together and add the yeast. The yeast looks really similar to what you bake bread with. Then it says to cover the tank. No cover came with the kit so I took a garbage bag and covered the little pail and then I ran to the garage and got a bungee cord to keep it in place so I wrapped the bungee around the pail to keep the bag from falling into the wine.

Next It said wait a day or two and you will begin to witness the fermentation. It was making a hissing sound the next day and I could see bubbles and I was thrilled but confused. What the heck was causing this reaction.

Well after a few minutes of research I found out the yeast is eating the sugar and when it eats the sugar that turns in to alcohol. Ta Da!

Well, I have learned a lot since the first batch but since I had no real science or biology glasses in college (totally different degree). I made the connection and had my AH HA moment.

This weekend I tried 12 different sparkling wines. I know it sounds like I am what my friend would call a booze hound, But I am working to expand my palette and I was told by a sommelier that the only way to have a broader palette is to try more wine and then talk through all the sensations and get really comfortable with each trait and so that is my mission.

I never want to be the person who sits around spewing out crazy amounts of info (kinda like Cliff Claven, on the show Cheers). But I would like to take a sip and say, wow, this Pinot is from Willamette Valley or this Cab is from Rutherford. That might be kinda cool.
So I had 2 Champagnes, 4 Cava’s, 3 Prosecco’s, 2 Sparklings from US and 1 Sekt.

So as I tasted I learned a ton. Champagne has to be made in Champagne France and can be a blend of up to three grapes, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meiuner. Prosecco is from Italy and is made from Prosecco grapes. Cava is from Spain and is made of 3 grapes also, Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel-Lo. And the US sparklings I tried where from early harvest Chardonnay (They pick the grapes for Sparkling a little underripe to get the acid levels they want in the finished product). The Sekt from German is short for a massively long word meaning quality sparkling wine. The Sekt I had was made of Riesling.

To break it down on how I tried them, I started with the driest first. Brut is the driest, Extra Brut in a little less dry then, Sec, Demi-Sec and the Deux being the one with the most perceived sweetness. I am not sure I could actually taste any sweetness in any of the wines until I tried the Sekt and really it was not really sweet. But that is the scale from dry to sweet.

I was tasting with 4 friends so each one of us has a different threshold when it comes to dry and sweet and after just taking a first look at the champagne I was drawn to the millions of bubbles and the almost clear slightly golden color. It just looked so perfect, so I tried Henriot’ first. Beautiful mouth feel and the bubbles were like pop rocks in my mouth. That was going to be hard to beat for me! Next was the familiar label of Veuve Clicqout, I but this stuff all the time. It works so well with food and it is just says Let’s celebrate! Of the two champagnes, I liked the Henriot’ but my pals liked the Vevue!

I will not bore you with my tasting notes on everything, but we had a ball trying the wines and trying different foods with them. Biggest surprise for me was the Sekt was not sweet like I expected and it paired beautifully with BBQ ribs. I had the grill going doing this whole process so we were trying everything with anything. Nothing worked with potato salad FYI. Anyway, I learned a little and had some fun, that is all I am about right now. Happy Monday everyone!

A few weeks back in Napa, CA I had the opportunity to meet Marimar Torres. She is the “Winegrower” and Proprietor for her wine Marimar Estate. Her vineyard is in Russian River in Sonoma County. She comes from a family of Spanish winemakers. She also has a fully organic vineyard and I learned they hand pick all the grapes at the estate. She grows Chardonnay and Pinot Noir she said she has about 80 acres planted and she also has a horse stable and Equestrian center. I checked the place out on-line when I got home, AWESOME! I am planning on going up to her place closer to crush time and really get a closer look.

She has a rich family story of wine making and she has a wonderful accent, very positive energy and I just feel that anytime a successful winemaker takes the time to chat it up with a wanna be winemaker, I am always impressed. She started making wine in CA in the mid 1970’s and her pride of her terrior and land just beams from her.

I had the good fortune to try 3 of her wines, in one word elegant. I have to admit, Chardonnay had lost my attention many years ago when Chard was so over oaked and for me it was bitter and they really bothered my throat. I have tasted many since then were I could see being drawn back to the love of Chardonnay and the two Chardonnay’s I tried were totally different.

Acero Chardonnay is fermented in stainless steel and then goes through a second fermentation (malolactic fermentation) and this wine is pretty, you totally get the fruit and nothing else. This is a beautiful and to me a very womanly wine. Not that only girls will like it but it is very delicate and sexy.
Estate Chardonnay from Don Miguel vineyard is whole cluster pressed and french barrels after fermentation. It was a young, crisp and creamy wine with great structure and long finish and mouth feel like velvet.

Marimar Estate Pinot Noir, ok this is a steel fist in a velvet glove. Smooth and sensual and it tastes wealthy, if that makes sense. It tastes expensive and indulgent while being easy to drink and to break down the aromas, like cedar, spices, leather and blackberries (really ripe ones). I love Pinot, I am really drawn to Willamette Valley Pinot, but between Merry Edwards and Marimar Torres, I may only drink Russian River Pinot from this point on!

I have been in Texas for the past couple of weeks and as a winemaker I have always done the expected, order wine almost anywhere I go. I constantly try new wines and new foods so I can get inspired and find perfect pairings. Texas has a fun cuisine (or at least what I have experienced so far). So when coming to a new town I ask my pals where they have eaten and what have they heard. So while in San Antonio, I was told 4 places are a must try. I tried two so far and found out Boudro’s is a very exceptional place. Wine list was extensive, food was very upscale and the service was stellar.

We sat outside and could watch the world go by as well as see what everyone was ordering. And the table side “making” of guacamole was a hit, best I have ever had. But the wine was not working with it, so I switched over to their house margarita, the cayenne rimmed glass and the agave tequila brought this whole experience to a whole new level, The place is hopping the people are joyous and best of all the food was fantastic. The gauc was just a start, we also had shrimp cocktail severed with two dipping sauces and the creamy one was great with the chilled shrimp (this surprised me, because I normally do not like creamy sauces or dressings). The Rosemary chicken was spot on and we also had an filet, it was a little under cooked for my friend but it was perfect for me! There were 4 of us, we did not eat until 9:45 but that was our fault, we did not even get to the Riverwalk until after 8 on a Friday night.

So, I promise to keep a more open mind, it does not have to be wine to make a perfect pairing!

I have had Chimney Rock’s wines many times, my last trip in Napa when we hit the Silverado Trail I bought several (6) bottles of their wines. I have found all of the wines I have had from Chimney Rock to just taste like a great traditional Napa Cab. Big fruit, some heat from the alcohol and after it opens up a silky smoothness with ripe raspberry aromas with a cedar and leather thing going on in my mouth at the finish.

I just returned from a 40^th birthday party in Austin, TX. I love Austin, fun vibe lots of young folks enjoying the vibrant downtown club and music scene and all the while some great places to dine. Our friend who was hosting this shindig, set up all the arrangements so I had no idea where we would eat or what the place would be like but we walked into Truluck’s in Austin and it reminded me of Oceanaire. I like Oceanaire a lot. When I lived in Indianapolis, I used to hit the half price nights and Happy hour oyster bar as often as I could.

Well, I was thinking steak and all I could see was seafood and the place was high end. The King Crab legs were massive and the fancy bottled water was impressive. We grabbed a seat at the bar and one of the party goers said the steak here ROCKS and the crusted halibut was her favorite and another guy said you have to try the chop here, it is to die for. SO as normal the confusion set in, what do I drink?

White with fish, red with steak and blah, blah, blah…this is the biggest complaint with wine, we make it so confusing and set a high standard that if we order the wrong wine, the night is shot.

I had my mind on steak and I stuck with it and when I saw Chimney Rock Alpine Vineyard 04. I knew what I was going to have.
I suppose I fall into that mind-set sorta like when you travel overseas, sometimes you eat at McDonald’s of any place you recognize because you want familiar and you want something you know works together. This is the case for me on Saturday night. We had a great night, the service was stellar, everyone at the table gushing over their food, for me the lobster bisque was the deal….sweet/savory and delicate, just awesome. The birthday boy might be 40 now but he lit up like a little boy when the dessert cart rolled out. (Try the chocolate bag).

If you head to Austin, try Truluck’s and after the great meal head across the street to Maria, Maria, (owned by Carlos Santana), the music was live, the crowd was electric and the music was pure Austin, TX.