Let's Get Naked...

Every June in Des Moines, Iowa, there is a one weekend event we call "Wine Fest Des Moines." I try to attend every year because the ticket prices are nominal (in comparison to similar events in bigger cities) and there are some outstanding and interesting wines that are showcased. Of all the years I have attended, 2008 stood out for me. It was the year that I was introduced to so many new wineries. I remember walking up to one particular winery booth and noticing some very interesting titles on their wine bottles.

The word "innuendo" came to mind as I read the names of these wines, "Escort Pinot Gris," "Foreplay Chardonnay," "Missionary Cabernet Sauvignon" and the killer "Penetration Cabernet Sauvignon." It was enough to make even a budding "Cellarmistress" blush!

Seeing that it's Valentine's Day soon, I thought a little naughtiness would be in order so I'd like to introduce you to this sexy winery I encountered...

Naked Winery is a small, family-owned winery located in Hood River, Oregon, which is east of Portland where the Columbia River divides Oregon and Washington. They specialize in wines from both states. Their wines run the gamut when it comes to the various varietals they use and their fun, infectious banter and slogans keep fans coming (pardon the pun) for more! They even joke that their grapes are "orgasmically" grown, their wines are made by naked nymphs and will not disclose the name of their winemaker. Cute. In a nutshell, they call themselves the "World's Sexiest Winery." I decided I need to delve further into this phenomenon and find out more for myself. Short of visiting Oregon, I didn't have good access to many of their wines at the retail level here, so I contacted the winery and they were gracious enough to send me a box of samples and a cute t-shirt with their slogan on it. I also received a note stating they would be attending the Wine Bloggers' Conference in Walla Walla this Summer so I am really looking forward to meeting them!

Can a winery, in spite of all this sexiness and joking around, come up with a winning formula--great wines at a great price? Is it just a gimmick to entice wine drinkers? I believe the answer is yes to the winning formula and no to the gimmick. I would like to share some notes because I truly enjoyed every single wine I sampled and each wine could sell itself without any added "tricks." But who's to say we can't have some fun with the "tricks!"

2008 "Tease" Riesling-Hails from Oregon and a nice, dry Riesling to boot. I really enjoyed the stone fruit of honey-rich apricots followed by a citrus kick and really nice acidity. Perfect with my sushi. (You'll hear me talk about sushi a lot. It's my new favorite food...) Thumbs up! $18.00.


2007 "Naked" Pinot Gris--This one originates in Rogue Valley of Oregon. It was absolutely wonderful. Just an easy drinking, fruit-forward, crisp Pinot Gris. You don't have to put much thought into it. Just enjoy it. Pears. It's all about pears...
$18.00.

2005 Columbia Valley Merlot--This one doesn't really have a sexy nickname, though it should...I'm thinking they should re-name it "The Seductress" because that is exactly what she is...Luscious dark berries, a ton of spice, smooth and velvety...I could go on and on...Yow-za... You will be enticed, seduced and satisfied with this beautiful Merlot. She is voluptuous and "Va-Va-Va-Voom!" $22.00.



2004 Columbia Valley "Penetration" Cabernet Sauvignon--Yes, folks you're hearing it from my "Virgin" (heh!) lips, the name of this wine had me blushing all over the festival...It is HUGE! The "Big Daddy" of their Cabernet Sauvignons. It is FULL of dark berries, meaty and earth-shaking! Bring it on!! $30.00.

With these and so many more enticing wines,who wouldn't want to further explore the possibilities? They're on to something so if you happen to be in the Hood River, Oregon area, please visit their tasting room and experience it for yourselves! And if not, please visit their website, www.nakedwinery.com for more enticing wines and sexy fun! Who needs to sing about "Bringing Sexy Back"? As far as the Naked Winery is concerned, it has been in Oregon this entire time! Happy early Valentine's Day! Be good to your loved ones and MAKE IT "NAKED"!!!

Chateau Ste. Michelle's Extraordinary Riesling Power

As Washington state's founding winery, Chateau Ste. Michelle, located just outside Seattle in Woodinville, has been instrumental in pioneering and paving the way for Washington's booming wine industry. With history leading all the way back to the repeal of Prohibition, the winery had a defining moment in 1967. Assisted by one of California's premier winemakers, Andre Tchelistcheff, the winery began producing a line of premium wines beginning their ascent into stardom. Throughout the years, their dedication to innovation and quality has proven to be a winning formula. One of their largest feats to date was their instrumental involvement in a quest to bring the Columbia Valley (which provides us with many of the state's great wines) into the limelight and be recognized as an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in 1984. With many awards and accolades under its belt, Chateau Ste. Michelle continues its commitment to giving consumers a choice--something for everyone at every price point without ever sacrificing quality.

Recently, I sampled three of their Rieslings, which I purchased at different times and in doing so, I received another valuable history lesson. Chateau Ste. Michelle is known as one of the leading North American Riesling producers and was among the first to plant the Riesling grape in the state of Washington. A 1974 contest held by the Los Angeles Times brought attention to the winery as their 1972 vintage of Johannisberg Riesling was the first place winner. Today, the winery produces eight Riesling-based wines, from simple to ultra-premium.


The 2008 Columbia Valley Riesling is perhaps the most simple of the three I sampled. It is chock full of apples and peaches with a flinty backbone and a nice, crisp finish. Easy to drink and off dry (alcohol level clocking in at 12.0%), it pairs nicely with spicy foods, asian foods and sushi. At $9.99 a bottle, the price is hard to beat. It can be found at most grocery stores and markets.


The 2008 Columbia Valley Dry Riesling is exceptional. As I was sampling it last night with my Thai Chicken (a great pairing by the way), I learned that the wine had recently received a wonderful accolade-- a "Best Of Show-White" award in the 2010 International Winemaker's Challenge Wine Competition. A more refined and elegant version of its Columbia Valley counterpart mentioned previously, this wine is all stone fruit-peaches and apricots and finishes minerally crisp. With 13.0% alcohol, it is bone-dry yet fruit-forward and flavorful. $9.99. This one can also be easily found in grocery stores and markets.


The 2008 Eroica Riesling I picked up was supposed to be a "special occasion" wine for me. I stepped out of my comfort zone for the greater good of my love for wine blogging and I am so happy that I did. Every day is a special occasion as far as wine is concerned. I chose to open this one right away and was swept off my feet! The brainchild of Chateau Ste. Michelle's winemaker, Bob Bertheau and famous German winemaker, Dr. Ernst Loosen, this exotic and beautiful example of prime winemaking had me literally drooling for more! Tangy lime and mandarin orange lead to a lush and tropical midpalate and finishes crisp. It oozes fruit and a bit of natural sweetness (alcohol content 11.5%). Made from small lots of grapes sourced in many areas of Washington, including Yakima Valley and Horse Heaven Hills. Just heavenly! $24.99 and so worth it! (I am actually lamenting the fact that I missed out on meeting Dr. Ernst Loosen awhile back. He made an appearance at a wine store here in my town. Darn!) Find this wine at your local wine shop or order online at www.ste-michelle.com.

Overall, the 2008 vintage of their Rieslings is proving to be one of the winery's finest to date. Cooler weather delayed harvest by nearly two weeks, resulting in these outstanding, richly-flavored wines. At any tier level, these wines are worth seeking out! I am really looking forward to coming out to Washington this Summer and educating myself further when it comes to Chateau Ste. Michelle! I am confident they will continue producing great wines for many years to come.

Krazy For Kaz

This has been a really rough winter, weather-wise. When rough weather hits, I always think about our nation’s farmers who are out toiling and working hard to bring us our fruits, vegetables, grains, meats and everything else we need to sustain life. Winemaking is farming, too and this past week, the El Niño has crept up on us. California has been slammed with torrential rains and potential mudslides. It has made me think of all those small, family wineries out there--the ones I consider the backbone of the American wine industry. I had a chance to meet many of these winemakers at the 2009 Wine Bloggers Conference. My heart goes out to each and every one of them and all the hard work they’re putting in to live the American dream and run a successful winery.

One such person is Rick Kasmier, affectionately known as “Kaz” to his loyal followers and friends. He and his family own a small winery called Kaz Winery, located near Kenwood in Sonoma County, California. He was one of the many I met at the conference and his fun, infectious personality made me want to get to know him and the winery better. We spoke outside after the conference and he let me know he was interested in bringing attention to his wines in my home state of Iowa. I had never visited the winery and/or tried any of his wines before. Rick runs an organic winery and produces his wines in very small lots—one to four barrels per. Some of his wines are made from rare varietals, one of which I will discuss later in this story. The winery itself has been open since 2003 and his cult of devoted followers have been dubbed “Kazoholics”. This unique winery had me so intrigued, I contacted Rick and shortly thereafter, I received a small box of samples. And I mean small. At first, I thought it was a joke because Kaz is a really funny guy! I opened up the small parcel to find some tiny little generic sample bottes of wine, all hand-labeled. I thought they were barrel samples. In a way, they were. After a short explanation, I finally understood. You can’t give away your product when you don’t have a lot to give. But he wanted me to try it and that was the important part. This was the “Kaz” way of doing it. Call it “Kooky” or “Krazy”. I happily went along with it…

I was amazed at how delicious they all were for being organic wines---made with the use of wild yeasts and without the use of preservatives, using the wines’ acidity to preserve them. I sampled them over the span of a week’s time, making sure I didn’t wait too long. Below were some of my favorites:

2007 Bullseye Petit Sirah—This wine was rich, full-bodied and dark berry delicious! I detected a bit of mocha in it.

2005 Red Said Fred—A blend of Zinfandel, Petit Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. A very unusual blend but it works! Elegant without being over the top. The Zinfandel adds a bit of sweetness I adored.

2006 Machismo Counoise—“What in the world is that?” you ask? Counoise(pronounced “Koon Waz”) is a Rhône varietal mostly used as a blending grape but nice on its own as in Kaz’ rendition. Pinot Noir-like but with a kick—peppery and spicy.

Bodega Bay Portworks White Port---Oh my God! When I tasted this, I thought I died and went to heaven. I was never a big fan of dessert wines or port, but this “white port” made of Chardonnay tasted so nutty and delicious! Like a big bowl of hazelnut cream! Highly recommended!

What fun wines and what a fun place this would be to visit. They even have something they call “Barrel Sample Of The Month” where you can bottle it or jug it and take it home. (see photo below)

I personally cannot wait to visit and sample some more! In the meantime, I will keep listening to his weekly radio show (taped live every Wednesday evening on http://www.winebizradio.com/ with co-host Randy Hall) and tuning in for the wine-related mayhem and madness each week. I was fortunate enough to be a guest on the show back in September and had a great time chatting with them! For a current list of wines and and more info on the winery, please go to www.kazwinery.com.

So if you’re in the Sonoma Valley and want somewhere fun to visit, I would recommend visiting this man and learning more about his legacy. He’s doing a fantastic job!

A Tale Of Famous Firsts

On a lazy Saturday afternoon a few years ago, I found myself in Barnes And Noble, perusing books in their food and wine department. I ran across a beautiful book called "Napa Stories" written by famed Napa Valley chef Michael Chiarello (now owner of Bottega Restaurant in Yountville). The book was spectacular--a large coffee table-style book with gorgeous photographs of different wineries and vineyards in Napa Valley, tales of winemakers, magical practices, lovely recipes and stories of food and wine get-togethers. Since I was having trouble putting it down, I purchased the book and took it home with me to continue reading it. There were many stories in this book, but the one that intrigued me the most was a tale of a magical, almost fairy tale-like medieval castle-winery and its owners: Chateau Montelena and the story of Jim and Bo Barrett. I received an important history lesson that day. Up until that point, I had never heard of the winery nor of the 1976 Paris Tasting, the wine contest that put Napa Valley on the map etcetera. I would never forget this history lesson as I forged through my fledgling wine experiences because each one of the "famous firsts" I will be discussing today has to do with the moment I became of aware of their story. For me, somehow it has all come full circle in a strange way. Please read on...



The more I read about this interesting winery and the tale of its 1973 vintage of Chardonnay, the more I couldn't wait to visit them! As luck would have it, I was invited to partake in a wine country trip with friends I had recently met and I jumped at the chance to go! This would be my first trip to Napa Valley. And-- as luck would take me further, our hotel just happened to be in Calistoga--just a few miles from Chateau Montelena. So on September 20, 2006, I set off to visit the winery and see if it was all I had imagined! We had an hour before we had to be at another appointment so I took advantage of the time and checked out everything I could. We tasted their current releases at the tasting bar--all very nice wines (I remember sampling a Potter Valley Riesling, which I loved and purchased.) The gardens were spectacular with a long bridge ending at a gazebo. (The gazebo was off limits.) Everyone was very nice. Inside, we took photos of the famed bottle of Chardonnay encased in glass and were given a copy of the infamous Time Magazine article to take with us! It was a great time. As we left, I said to everyone in our group, "They are making a movie about this story. We are fortunate to visit this winery beforehand." Fortunate indeed!



When I arrived back home, I went back to Barnes And Noble to purchase another book. This book, called "Judgment of Paris" by George M. Taber, told the story leading up to the 1976 Paris tasting and taught me so much more about the large cast of characters I would encounter in my near future! Shortly after I joined Facebook in 2008, the creators of the "Wine Beagles" application approached me about promoting the movie, "Bottle Shock". Filmed in and around Sonoma Country, "Bottle Shock" is the story of Chateau Montelena and the 1976 Paris Tasting. Without having seen the film yet, I began a grass roots campaign to bring the film to my home town of Des Moines, IA and promote it with a before and after premiere party at a wine bar and wine shop. (see photos below) I along with my friend Jennifer put up flyers and posters and spread the word about the premiere parties. All in all, we put together a very nice evening for wine lovers here in town. It was a huge success!





All our hard work seemed to pay off as it caught the attention of two of the film's producers, Marc Lhormer and his wife Brenda. I was planning another trip to wine country and Marc suggested meeting my group for drinks at El Dorado Kitchen in Sonoma. It was great meeting them and getting the inside scoop on the film!! Afterwards, at Brenda's suggestion, we had dinner at Della Santina's, a restaurant featured in the movie. The more I walked around, the more I recognized different spots where the movie was shot. A neat way to experience it!



The next day, Brenda arranged a private tasting for us at Kunde Estates, a winery in Kenwood. Some of the films outdoor shots were filmed on this property and it was beautiful to visit with great wines! We ended up sampling pretty much everything they had to offer and had a wonderful time doing it! The infamous boxing ring scene was filmed atop a hill on their property and though I didn't actually go up there, I could see it from where I was standing!



Each evening when we were done, we'd come back to the town of Napa and walk around downtown. One of the things I had hoped to do was visit the Gustavo Thrace tasting room. Gustavo Brambila, one of the winemakers, had worked at Montelena during the time of the contest and now co-owned this quaint little tasting room with his partner, Thrace Bromberger. We never made it on time. It was always closed by the time we got back. So this part of the story is still open for the next time I visit! (We also visited Grgich Hills which I will talk about in part two of this story. Mike Grgich, the winemaker, was the person who made the 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay. I felt he deserved his own segment!)



So how does this all come full circle, you ask? Out of the blue one afternoon last Spring, I found out that Bo Barrett of Chateau Montelena would be visiting my home town and doing a wine tasting at a local shop. I was able to meet him and sample several of Chateau Montelena's current vintages of Chardonnay, Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon. All exceeded my expectations for being great, solid examples of Napa Valley's finest wines. Bo was charming as can be and his stories about the filming of the movie were interesting. It was a great afternoon! I feel honored to have met him. I came home with his autograph on my "Bottle Shock" movie poster, which hangs proudly framed in my hallway to this day!



A couple months after the meeting, I attended the Wine Bloggers' Conference in wine country and met a couple ladies who had been contacts with me on Facebook--Katey and Nicole Bacigalupi of John Tyler Wines in Healdsburg. Their family owns Bacigalupi Vineyards, and some of the Chardonnay grapes from their Alexander Valley vineyard were used in the infamous 1973 Chardonnay! I got to see some of the original paperwork and it was amazing!



I plan on revisiting Chateau Montelena sometime this year and start the process all over again! To this day, "Bottle Shock" remains one of my all-time favorite movies and I watch it frequently. I get goosebumps everytime I watch it! To purchase or learn more about the film, please scroll down to the very bottom of this page and click on the banner! Thank you to all involved for creating such a beautiful history lesson for us! Stay tuned for part two of this story...

The WBC Scholarship And What It Means To Wine Bloggers Like Me...

In 2009, I found myself staring at an ad for the North American Wine Bloggers’ Conference, which took place in the heart of Napa and Sonoma wine country. WBC09 was an event which would bring together members of the wine industry with the average citizen wine blogger. The event would provide an excellent opportunity for each wine blogger to interact with winery sponsors and other bloggers, sample and blog about wines, soak in the atmosphere and perhaps gain the knowledge (through presentations and break-out sessions) to start and run a successful wine blog on the internet. As a fledgling wine blogger, I wanted to attend but it was already May and the conference was taking place in July. I had absolutely no time to budget for such a trip and I panicked as I looked at my finances and realized it would not be happening for me. Then, I found a link on their website for the WBC Scholarship.

The WBC Scholarship fund was started in 2009. It gives needy citizen bloggers the financial assistance to be able to attend such a great and unique function. I applied with my short essay basically spelling out my needs and a month later, I received word that I would be receiving assistance. The 2010 conference will take place June 25-27 in Walla Walla, Washington. Bloggers will be traveling from all over the world to experience this conference. Some bloggers will need financial help to be able to achieve this goal.

Our tough economic times can be even tougher on a citizen blogger. I blog about wine as a hobby, for the sheer love of it, with the goal that someday I may be able to make a living at it or something similar. But for now, I am just like most other bloggers. Most citizen wine bloggers have regular, non-wine related jobs, or are students. Some may have lost their jobs. With the success of social media comes awareness and as we forge on through this decade, the need to help out citizen bloggers will become larger. Social media is becoming the norm and wine blogging on the internet is the wave of the future.

The WBC Scholarship has impacted my life in so many ways it would take hours for me to thank everyone. Since the conference took place, I have forged friendships and relationships with many wineries, winemakers, citizen bloggers and other industry people. I am getting more comfortable in being able to successfully blog about my favorite subject—wine. My blog has become popular with many followers and appreciative wineries. The experience has proven invaluable. Their generosity gave me the extra boost I needed to forge forward. What more can I say? I wish every wine blogger could experience this! The WBC Scholarship Fund appreciates and needs your help so they can assist all the needy bloggers who apply this year! You can make a difference that will come back to you hundreds of times over!

To make a donation to the fund (whether you are a winemaker, winery, wine industry professional, citizen blogger or just enjoy great wine and great reading!), please go to http://wbcscholarship.wordpress.com/. For more information on the conference, please check out their website at http://winebloggersconference.org/america/. Only five more months to go! As a citizen wine blogger, I thank you in advance for your help and hope to see you in Walla Walla in June!

A Bubbly Wonderland of Rosé

I am a pink lady... No--not like the characters in "Grease" or Hugh Hefner's Playboy bunnies who always wear pink. I am a pink lady as in I love my sparkling wines and Champagnes sporting the pink look. It's stylin'!!! All jokes aside, I've spent quite a bit of time in the last few weeks sampling all kinds of bubbly at local tastings and parties here in town---domestic and foreign--American, French, Australian, Spanish, Italian...More often than not though, I find myself gravitating toward the sparklers with the pink hue. Why is this? Why am I so obsessed with that lovely color? I figured out it was more about the flavor than the color. Don't get me wrong--I often enjoy a yeasty Champagne whose nose reminds me of fresh baked bread. But something about that pink hue and rich fruit flavor invites festivity, smiles, fun!! I love fun! And we all desperately need fun because in the dead of winter, nothing motivates us more than a little fun.

New Year's Eve is inevitably creeping upon us, faster than you can say "FUN!". So I've decided to compile a list of five sparklers I've tried lately--all pink, all fun, all price points. None of which will kill your pocketbook. You decide...



I found an Aussie sparkler recently, appropriately named "Pink". It is from a company called Yellowglen. (They also make one called "Yellow".) A beautiful pink hue, everything about this wine spells "BARGAIN". Part Pinot Noir, part Chardonnay, it is no muss, no fuss for the bargain hunter looking for an easy sparkler with a pink hue. It's delicious, barely sweet, inexpensive (around $10) and very easy to drink. Reminds me of a fun Jolly Rancher kind of fruity. So if you don't want to spend a lot, have lots of friends coming over etcetera, this wine can be found at your local grocery store. Easy enough.



Next up is Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Noirs. Gloria Ferrer Champagne Caves are located in the heart of Sonoma County, California and are producers of some fine sparkling wines. This one is no exception. Many years in a row, I have purchased this wine knowing I would be getting a great staple, well-rated, value sparkler and crowd pleaser. Predominantly Pinot Noir with a small amount of Chardonnay blended in, it gets its off-pink hue from a bit of Vin Gris thrown in. It's a beauty, it's a bargain at $20. (I got one on sale last night for around $15--pretty happy about that!) I will be opening one of these on New Year's Eve. How about you?



Ah, Mumm Napa...My first experience with them was in the Fall of 2006, when I visited their tasting room on the Silverado Trail in Napa. They sat me down and put a nice sampler of three sparklers in front of me and all "H***" broke loose. Kidding... I was feeling pretty good after that visit and when I went to shop their tasting room, I was faced with a menagerie of choices but the Blanc de Noirs went home with me. I noticed recently that they have changed the name of this wine to Brut Rosé. That's fine with me. I've always been impressed with the color of this wine. It's darker than most Brut Rosés. A very beautiful dark pink hue. The flavor is incredible. Lots of raspberries, strawberries, berry explosions! And at $24, it's still in the running as a great bargain--if you can find it. It disappears fast. I'm hiding one right now. For my eyes only... But I could be talked into opening it...



Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Rosé. What can I say? I had it for the first time at a tasting last night and I kept going back to retry it. I was pretty impressed with it. It had a beautiful hue of light to medium pink, delicate berry flavor, a moderate amount of bubbles and no funk. It's French, it's really Champagne (from Epernay in the Champagne region of France) and the bottom line is, at around $42 a bottle, this is a great deal, folks. So if you can find this wine in your local wine shop, go for it. Very enjoyable. Your friends will thank you!



OK, I left my favorite of the season for last...Taittinger Brut Prestige Rosé. I've never loved a bottle of bubbly so much in my entire life!! At around $60 a bottle, I still consider this sparkler a bargain from one of the top Champagne houses in France. Located in Reims, they churn out some top of the line Champagnes in the world! A vibrant shade of pink, full of delicate berries and slightly floral notes (such as roses), it's enjoyable and such a beautiful wine. Highly recommended!

Happy New Year everyone! Here's to a great 2010! May it be even better than 2009!

A Little Bit Of (Horse) Heaven...

Washington’s Columbia Crest Winery has been in the spotlight a lot lately and it has been well-deserved. Starting off with many of their wines earning top scores year round to earning the “Top Accolade” of having the Number One Wine of the Year in Wine Spectator Magazine, it is their time to really shine!


I was at a tasting recently (yes—another one. I do this often!) and I spied a bottle of 2007 Columbia Crest H3 Cabernet Sauvignon. I couldn’t wait to get a sampling of it. You see, in my fair state of Iowa, the H3 tier of their wines has been relatively difficult to get hold of. So, the excitement mounted as I made my way toward the table and happily over-extended my stay. This wine is a great find and not to be missed!

Horse Heaven Hills is an AVA (American Viticultural Area), located southeast of Yakima Valley, southwest of Red Mountain and stretches to the Oregon border. 570,000 acres (6000 used for grapes-growing) of gorgeous land located east of the Cascade Mountains at a 14,000 ft. elevation. Why is this terroir perfect for grape growing? Because its southern exposure allows the grapes to get a lot of sunlight, making for very intensely-flavored grapes. And it is this intense flavor that shines in the H3 Cabernet Sauvignon.

It is a jammy, earthy animal! Huge, bursting cherry fruit, firm tannins and chocolate-y, smooth finish! My mouth is watering just thinking about this wine! Your pocketbook will thank you too! At $15.00 a bottle, I don’t foresee many bottles of this wine sticking around for very long! In fact, at the tasting I was at, they disappeared faster than you can say “H3”!!! I was lucky to get a bottle but I did take one home. Lucky me!

The 2007 vintage is relatively new so I’m expecting to read great things about it going forward. At least I hope so. It is a really nice buy. When I visit Washington in the Summer of 2010, I hope I can experience a bit of Horse Heaven for myself! I am looking forward to it!