I was given some rather vague marching orders when asked to talk to you.1 Something something something about what was interesting to me about the Napa Valley. (Pregnant silence….)
Niche Wine Blog
with Adrianne Hanusek, CS, WSET Certified
February 25, 2011
Red Wine, White Wine, Blue Ocean | Been Doon So Long
February 06, 2011
20th Anniversary ZAP Recap
The 20th Anniversary ZAP zinfandel festival was a big hit this year, as always. While I wasn't able to attend all events, I did make my way through the grand tasting. It's the first wine event I've attended since being back in the Bay Area and it was a great way to get back into the wine groove after living in Tucson, AZ for the last three years and being a stay-at-home mom for the last 15 months. If you would like a recap of the event, click here for the press release. I'm not going to regurgitate what other bloggers will probably say. Instead, I would like to highlight wines from three estates I liked the best. Why only three, you ask? Well, I thought about listing five or ten, but I think three is a nice number. There were so many wines and there's no way I was able to taste all of them due to time restraints. But of the ones I did taste, I think three really stood out to me in terms of quality and value.
Brown Estate, in Napa Valley is one that I really enjoyed. They poured the 2009 Napa Valley Zin, the 2009 Chile's Valley Zin and the 2009 Micky's Block. While they were all good, I liked the quality of the 2009 Napa Valley Zin for the $36 price. The others go for $55, and while that's not necessarily bank-breaking, they didn't stand out to me as much. Here's the link to the tasting notes for the Napa Valley Zin, and you can also purchase if you're interested.
Another winery I enjoyed tasting was Fritz Winery, from northern Sonoma. They poured their 2007 Estate, Dry Creek Valley, their 2008 Estate Reserve, Dry Creek Valley and finally their 2008 Estate Late Harvest, Dry Creek Valley. Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to taste the late harvest, but the two others were great. If you're looking for value, the 2007 Estate goes for $25 and tastes very nice. However, if you're willing to spend a little more, the 2008 Estate Reserve is fantastic and goes for $40. Unfortunatly, they don't have the 2008 on their website, but here's the link for tasting and purchasing information for the 2007.
Last, but most possibly my favorite is the wine I tasted from Black Sears Vineyard and Winery located in the Howell Mountain AVA of Napa Valley. They poured their 2008 Estate, Howell Mountain Zin and it was fantastic, with traditional black pepper, brambly and fruit-forward. There's definitely notes of all spice, cinnamon and clove. There's also some hints of savory spices. It is a little higher in price at $45, but I think the quality makes it a great value.
I hope you all were able to attend the event and find wines that were your favorites. I also hope these three wineries give you something new to try if you don't know about them already.
Cheers!
October 08, 2010
Harvest Report: 2010 harvest is 'not for the faint of heart'
Chimney Rock winemaker Elizabeth Vianna says this year’s harvest is not for the faint of heart. But, as the Indian summer continues, winemaker Chris Dearden said workers are harvesting all the varieties, the last of the whites and the first of the cabernets in the St. Helena Appellation.
October 04, 2010
THE WINES OF CHILE EXPERIENCE COMMEMORATES CHILEAN BICENTENNIAL
One Wine Enthusiast and a Friend Will Spend a Week Exploring Chile's Wine Regions
NEW YORK, NY (September 22, 2010)--In honor of the nation's bicentennial, the Wines of Chile Experience, supported by Chile Brands, Enotour and Puro Chile, announces Tweet, Tweet, Chile, a competition in which one passionate wine enthusiast and a friend will win a dream journey to Chile to tweet their experiences to the world. By planning their ideal seven-day itinerary, applicants to Tweet, Tweet, Chile will have the chance to discover the vast wine, food, and exploration opportunities throughout the beautiful South American country.
"Chile's wine regions are the perfect setting for exploration and adventure," says Lori Tieszen, Executive Director of Wines of Chile USA. "The rich diversity of Chile and the endless epicurean, travel, culture and wine-drinking opportunities are largely unknown to American travelers and the experience of the Tweet, Tweet, Chile winner will help to create awareness for an incredibly untapped destination."
Chile's wine country is a destination waiting to be discovered--ripe with opportunities for epicurean travel. The fourteen wine regions have a 450-year history and produce distinct, high-quality wines, while the nearly 4,000 miles of coastline yield a bounty of seafood. The diverse and pristine landscape that encompasses snow-capped mountains, picturesque beaches and dramatic Antarctic glaciers will serve as the backdrop for the winner of Tweet, Tweet, Chile, as they travel and tweet throughout the country.
Applicants to Tweet, Tweet, Chile will be asked to create an itinerary for their own Chilean adventure, showcasing their passion, curiosity and desire to explore the country, as well as share how they would use Twitter along the way. The winner and a friend will travel to Chile and discover the bounty of the country's wine regions during their trip of a lifetime.
Applications for Tweet, Tweet, Chile will be accepted from September 22, 2010 until October 15, 2010. The top five itineraries will be posted on tweet.winesofchile.org for public voting beginning on October 26, 2010. The applicant whose itinerary receives the most votes will work with the Wines of Chile Experience to book their planned itinerary and turn their dream vacation into a reality.
To learn more about the Wines of Chile Experience and to apply to Tweet, Tweet, Chile, please visit tweet.winesofchile.org.
ABOUT THE WINES OF CHILE EXPERIENCE
The Wines of Chile Experience promotes wine tourism in Chile. A destination that offers endless opportunities for real exploration, wine country in Chile is poised to become the next true discovery. Based in New York City, the Wines of Chile Experience is part of Wines of Chile and supported by Chile Brands, Enotour and Puro Chile. For more information on the Wines of Chile Experience, please visit www.chilewinetourism.com.
Tweet, Tweet Chile
If wine is your passion, you and a friend may find yourselves traveling on your dream journey of food and wine exploration, tweeting your experiences along the way.
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