Cellarmistress Tastes Live With Rodney Strong Vineyards!

Yes!!! TasteLive is back for 2011 and what a great way to begin my new season with them by tasting some of Sonoma County's finest with Rodney Strong Vineyards! The event took place on April 12th and was called "Wining, Dining and Spooning with Rodney Strong." In addition to the actual event taking place at the Spoonbar in Healdsburg, California, selected bloggers were chosen to taste and sample out in the field.

Rodney Strong Vineyards is the 13th bonded winery in Sonoma County, founded in 1959. It is committed to quality and earth-friendly, sustainable practices and although they are a large case production winery (250,000+), I believe it is this commitment that makes them special and sets them apart. They truly seem like a small family winery rolled into a big one. I love it! And the wines speak for themselves. I have been drinking Rodney Strong wines for a very long time. They are widely available and if you have yet to try them, go out and get some! You will be pleasantly surprised!

For the event, we bloggers were each sent a set of four wine samples, a very nice media package and a CFL light bulb in conjunction with their "Green Light Pledge". The light bulb emits the same amount of light as a classic incandescent bulb while using 75-80% less electricity, making it more efficient. So I did my part and switched out one bulb as they had asked.

Now on to the wines...These wines were fabulous!!! I truly enjoyed all four of them and would highly recommend them to everyone!



The first wine we sampled was the 2009 Charlotte's Home Sauvignon Blanc. This wine was named for a vineyard that Rodney established in 1971 and named after his wife Charlotte. Being a Sauvignon Blanc fanatic, I enjoyed the mineral and herbaceous nuances in this wine. 90% stainless steel fermented with 10% fermented in French oak. It was crisp, clean, refreshing and would be the perfect accompaniment for light salads and seafood dishes on a hot Summer day! And what a great price! $13.50. It is a steal!



Next was the 2009 Chalk Hill Estate Vineyards Chardonnay. As of late, I've had a tendency to shy away from Chardonnay because the market is just saturated with them. However, this Chardonnay has made me change my mind. When I want a reasonably-priced, beautifully rich one, this is where I will go to find it. I really did not want to stop drinking this one! It was creamy, balanced with some vanilla and spice nuances and a crisp, mineral-laden finish! Very nice. $20. (Yes, I couldn't believe the price point!)



Now on to the reds...First up was the 2008 Reserve Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley. My first thought was to call this wine a powerhouse because it definitely wasn't wimpy that's for sure! However, the more I tried it, the more I realized how elegant it was. It has both a masculine and a feminine side to it. The flavors are huge, powerful, yet the finish was soft and a bit voluptuous! Rasberry, cola, spiciness...A really beautiful but rich wine. I still have so much to learn about Pinot Noir but what I'm learning, I am liking a lot! $40.



And now for the best of the best: 2007 Symmetry Red Meritage from Alexander Valley. Oh my!! This is where they select the best of the best grapes to make a red blend and a lot of thought and care goes into the production of this wine. Once you taste it, you will know why! It is absolutely amazing! I was completely blown away! It is elegance and perfection in a bottle. Silky and rich with medium tannins and a very long finish. It is like a river of dark chocolate, blackberry and spice! $55.

With their wonderful philosophy and commitment to quality, it is for certain that Rodney Strong's legacy will live on for future generations to behold. I hope to see all this for myself as I travel to Sonoma County later this year. I am definitely looking forward to a visit!

Rodney Strong Vineyards is located at 11455 Old Redwood Highway, Healdsburg, California. They are open to the public seven days a week. Rodney Strong wines are widely available in markets all over the US. I encourage you to seek them out! I would like to thank the team at Rodney Strong and at TasteLive for putting on such a wonderful event and for choosing me to participate! See you all very soon!

"You Saw It Here First"...This post was created solely for "Cellarmistress' Cellar Talk" by Grace Hoffman. Grace is an Italian-born, American-bred wine blogger/educator with an all-consuming passion for wine and all it encompasses.

Cellarmistress Visits Broman Cellars!!!

One of the things I love the most about wine blogging is meeting all the special people that make this hobby I have so intriguing and fulfilling! Back in 2009, I posted a story about Broman Cellars. I had met Lisa Broman Augustine on Facebook and we happened to be having dinner at the same winery during the 2009 North American Wine Bloggers Conference in Napa. On my latest trip to Napa, Lisa invited me to visit the Broman Cellars property and do a private tasting in her parents' home near Howell Mountain.



I was a little skittish about driving up Deer Park Road as I come from the flat land of Iowa with absolutely no mountain driving experience. I thought I'd be riding up with her but instead she was (thankfully) a little sneaky and made me follow her up. So I have to thank her for helping me get over my fear of mountain driving--for now!



The picturesque 11.5 acre Broman property is located just below Howell Mountain and the first thing I saw on the property was an old white tower that Lisa said would some day be their tasting room. Cool! (Awhile back, I had read on Facebook that they had to shut down part of the Silverado Trail in order to move their tasting room. I had no idea what that meant until I saw the tower!) The Broman family was very accomodating and it felt really special visiting them. Lisa introduced me her mom, Deborah Russell Broman, a real estate agent and journalist in St. Helena. Deborah is very active in the community and was cooking up treats for an Oscar night benefit being held at a local movie theatre that evening. The house smelled wonderful and we sat in the dining room and held a formal tasting with Lisa's step dad, winemaker Bob Broman.



Bob's story is an interesting one. He has a very long, illustrious history in the business--with stints at Louis Martini, Concannon, Stags Leap and St. Supery. Sitting across the table from him and listening to him speak of his winemaking and the wines, I was just in awe. We sampled wine, laughed and joked and had a wonderful time. He entertained me with stories and photos of his first trip to China. These are the experiences I treasure the most. They really make what I do worthwhile! All of Bob's hard work has paid off and he now produces about 1400 cases of three wines: Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon.



We sat and slowly sampled all three wines, paired with cheeses that Lisa personally selected for the tasting from the Oxbow Cheese Merchant in Napa. The 2009 Broman Cellars Sauvignon Blanc is hands down one of my favorite Sauvignon Blancs ever! Unbelievably flavorful and juicy, this wine is hard to beat! The grapes were sourced from the Beckstoffer Melrose Vineyard in Rutherford. With its fruit-forward style, this wine will be the perfect accompaniment for Summer and I personally cannot wait to be popping open one of these on a patio sometime soon! I'm drooling as I think about it! It's hard to beat this value for $17 a bottle!
397 cases produced.

The 2005 Broman Cellars Syrah was next. You've heard it all before. I'm Syrah-challenged, I rarely keep Syrah in the house and in general, Syrah in Napa Valley is a tough sell. I'm here to say that I seriously have not stopped thinking about this Syrah since I got back from Napa. I liken it to a new love getting under my skin. It is unbelievable! Sourced from vineyards in the Oak Knoll district (known for Syrah) this wine is huge, fiery, smoky and bold! It knocked me off my feet! (Not literally but you understand the point.) Deborah was cooking up some bacon and Bob brought some over to the table to have with the Syrah. Bacon and Syrah--the ultimate powerhouse couple! You must try this amazing wine! $24. 229 cases produced.


Next up was the 2005 Broman Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon. When it comes to Napa Valley, Cabernet is king. And there are so many Napa Cabs and styles out there! Bob's Cabernet is exquisite! Sourced from prime Napa Valley vineyards: Beckstoffer Dr. Crane in St. Helena and Beckstoffer Georges III in Rutherford and aged in French oak for 30 months!!! Bold dark berries with a little leathery dust and the finish never ends. Simply a wonderful buy for $48! 626 cases produced.

Broman Cellars wines are available in limited distribution and directly from their website at Bromancellars.com. These wines are a great find and such a deal! I want to thank Lisa for being such a great friend and introducing me to Bob and Deborah. Thank you to Bob and Deborah for graciously hosting me in your home and allowing me to get a feel for what its really like to be a small family producer in Napa Valley. You are all so wonderful! I hope to visit again sometime!

"You Saw It Here First"...This post was created solely for "Cellarmistress' Cellar Talk" by Grace Hoffman. Grace is an Italian-born, American-bred wine blogger/educator with an all-consuming passion for wine and all it encompasses.

Cellarmistress Cracks "The Whip" and Other Delights...

Wow! I've done a lot of tasting lately and boy--am I ever ready to be able to just sit outside and enjoy a nice glass of white wine. Spring is coming, my dears, and we must be prepared! Backyard deck time is just around the corner! A couple days ago, I attended the 24th Anniversary Wine Tasting of Ingersoll Wine & Spirits--a local wine shop that puts on some really great events. I was on the hunt for some good white wines that would knock my socks off. Guess what? I found plenty of that! Here are my top three "Best In Show" whites and why you should be sampling these wines on a patio near you!

2009 Murietta's Well "The Whip" (Livermore Valley)--Move over, Conundrum! There's a new kid in town and he's taking over! A sophisticated blend of six varietals (Semillon, Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat Canelli, Gewurztraminer and Orange Muscat), this extremely approachable quaffer is so nice! Be careful though...Before you know it, the bottle will be empty! It's extremely addictive with its white peach and butterscotch flavors! $16



2009 Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc/Viognier (Clarksburg)--Pine Ridge Vineyards is located high up in what I believe is one of the most beautiful locations in Napa Valley--the Stags Leap District. This blend of Chenin Blanc and Viognier received a 90 point Parker score and is one of the nicest, most easy drinking white wines out there. A great value to be enjoyed over and over!
$14.



2009 Honig Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc---I was just at Honig (located in Rutherford) visiting them a little over a week ago and was in Sauvignon Blanc heaven! So much to my surprise, I was able to once again sample the bottle I brought home (which I am saving for warmer weather). This wine, made by winemaker extraordinaire Kristin Belair, is scrumptious! A melange of lime, mango and grapefruit in a beautiful hologram-style bottle worthy of display. You need to get this wine!! $16.

All of the above wines are available at fine wine shops across the United States or through direct shipping on the following websites:

www.muriettaswell.com
www.pineridgewinery.com
www.honigwine.com

Stay tuned for my "Best In Show" red wine segment later this week! Cheers!

Cellarmistress Does the Pinot Noir Summit!

As you all probably know, I attended the 9th Annual Pinot Noir Summit in San Francisco on Saturday February 26th. I blind tasted Pinot Noirs from all over, took part in a workshop and savored some really great wines during a sparkling wine tasting and the Grand Tasting of the evening. What a great event! I want to thank all the winemakers and winery representatives who were present for the Grand Tasting! Meeting you was wonderful! Thank you for sharing such spectacular wines with us! And to Barbara Drady--she is a Saint!! This remarkable woman put on one heck of a show this year and has made it her goal to make me love Pinot Noir even more than I did before she brought this event to my attention!! Thank you! Thank you!

The first thing I got to do that day was attend a workshop about the styles of Pinot Noir. There I discovered three wonderful wines and three equally wonderful winemakers who were eager to tell us all about them: Mark Goldberg, winemaker and owner of Windward Vineyard in Paso Robles, Philip Krumal, chef/winemaker/owner of Ascuncion Ridge Inn & Vineyard in Paso Robles and Kerry Damskey, consulting winemaker for TR Elliott Winery in Sonoma. Those of you who didn't attend this session missed out on some fabulosity!!! Everyone knows I love big flavors, but if I came away with anything from this event, it would be that Pinot Noir is delicate and there are so many styles--it's graceful, beautiful and something to really embrace!

The next thing I did was blind taste 32 Pinot Noirs and rank them. Here are my top 15:

15. Firesteed 2006 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, $29.99 2146 cases produced

14. Coghlan Vineyard 2009 Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills, $47.00 300 cases produced

13. Bianchi Winery 2007 Signature Selection Edna Ranch Pinot Noir, Edna Valley, $24.99 989 cases produced

12. CRU 2008 Appellation Series Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley, $35.00 332 cases produced

11. Ampelos Cellars 2007 Lambda Ampelos Vineyard Pinot Noir, Sta Rita Hills, $35.00 850 cases produced

10. Pacific Coast Vineyards 2007 Babcock Vineyards Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills, $62.50 300 cases produced

9. Tondre 2007 Tondre Grapefield Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands, $40.00 600 cases produced

8. Tarras Vineyard 2008 The Steppes Vineyard Pinot Noir, Central Otago, New Zealand, $29.99 600 cases produced

7. Mueller 2008 Emily’s Cuvee Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, $44.00 800 cases produced

6. Sequana Vineyards 2008 Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir, Green Valley of Russian River Valley, $40.00 1300 cases produced

5. McIntyre vineyards 2008 Estate Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands, $36.00 390 cases produced

4. Davis Family Vineyards 2008 Horseshoe Bend Pinot Noir, Russian River, $42.00 350 cases prod.

3. SCV 2007 Balistreri Family Vineyard – Freestone View Block Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, $75.00 342 cases produced

2. Steele 2008 Bien Nacido Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara County, $40.00 200 cases produced

and my #1 favorite!!! Bonneau 2008 Sangiacomo Vineyard Pinot Noir, Los Carneros, $34.00 300 cases produced

Honorable Mentions: Pinot Noirs I loved that weren't in my blind tasting!

Asuncion Ridge Vineyards 2007 Barrel Select Pinot Noir, San Luis Obispo County, $54.00

Graton Ridge Cellars 2008 Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, $35.00



Gioia 2008 Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara County, $38.00

Windward Vineyard 2008 Barrel Select Gold Windward Vineyard (Estate) Pinot Noir, Paso Robles, CA, $62.00

Handley 2007 Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley, $30.00



Laetitia 2007 Single Vineyard Les Galets Pinot Noir, Arroyo Grande Valley, $60.00

Chamisal Vineyards 2008 Califa Pinot Noir, Edna Valley, $60.00

TR Elliott 2007 Burgonet O’Connell Vineyard Pinot Noir, Russian River Vallley, $40.00

A great time was had by all! I strongly encourage all Pinot lovers to attend this event! 'Til next year!!!

The Jewel of Carneros

Domaine Carneros is the jewel of Carneros. I have dubbed it this because to drive up to it simply takes your breath away. It is a truly beautiful sight to behold! As you stand in front of it, the staircase leading up to it may look a bit intimidating but it is worth the climb to reach the terrace and sample the wonderful wines that await you inside.



I have visited several times and the gorgeous view and world class wines keep bringing me back. How did this spectacular palace come to be? Domaine Carneros is owned by the renowned Taittinger family of Champagne, France. The winery was founded in 1987 in the Carneros appellation south of the town of Napa--the perfect area for the cultivation of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes. The cool climate and proximity to the San Pablo Bay make for the perfect scenario when it comes to making sparkling wines and amazing Pinot Noirs! To date, Domaine Carneros produces a wide variety of well-loved sparkling and still wines. Their portfolio is amazing. As a veteran of many a day of sitting on their terrace tasting sparkling and still samplers, I can’t say enough great things about the place! And its allure keeps me coming back for more!



Recently, I decided to recreate the experience at home, tasting two of their famed wines--the 2006 Estate Brut Cuvee and the 2007 Estate Pinot Noir. I’d been hanging on to the 2006 Estate Brut Cuvee for awhile, having purchased it last year. A blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, this sparkling wine is crisp, simple, beautiful! And if you will notice, it is one of the few American sparkling wines that actually has a vintage year on it. It was bottle aged three years before its release in 2009. And at $26 a bottle, it’s a great representation of the quality this winery offers.



The 2007 Estate Pinot Noir is their “entry-level” Pinot Noir. I received this bottle as a sample and was amazed at the complexity of this wine. Multi-layered with dark cherry, raspberry, cloves, and chocolate. Super silky, smooth finish. At $35, this wine is such a value and really delicious!



I highly recommend spending an afternoon here, sampling different wines on their terrace. It’s romantic, it’s fun, and it’s an unforgettable experience! And if you can't make it in person, Domaine Carneros wines are distributed nationwide and are also available for direct shipping through their website, domainecarneros.com.


Domaine Carneros is located at 1240 Duhig Road in the Carneros region of southern Napa. They are open daily for tastings from 10-6. They also offer tours. Do yourself a big favor: visit them! It's a wonderful addiction!!

"You Saw It Here First"...This post was created solely for "Cellarmistress' Cellar Talk" by Grace Hoffman. Grace is an Italian-born, American-bred wine blogger/educator with an all-consuming passion for wine and all it encompasses.

Three Sticks and the Magic of Durell Vineyard

For the past year and a half, I’ve been a member of a tasting panel participating in a series of live events on Twitter. These events for TasteLive, offer an opportunity for wineries and winemakers to interact live with wine bloggers and share their wines with us. I have been fortunate to participate in three events for a winery named Three Sticks. This winery, based in Sonoma County, produces some phenomenal wines! For three events I particpated in, I received samples of the wines and had opportunity to interact with the Three Sticks team via live feed. I'd like to take this opportunity to share some information regarding this winery and what I learned from my experience!

Three Sticks is the brainchild of proprietor Bill Price. Having worked with such award winning wineries as Kistler, Chateau St. Jean and Kosta Browne in the past, he founded Three Sticks in 2002 with the goal to make world class wines from Durell Vineyard, a small vineyard now considered one of the best in Sonoma County. The land bisects three AVAs (American Viticultural Areas)--Sonoma Valley, Sonoma Coast and Carneros. Elements from all three of these AVAs work together perfectly and in the past years, the rocky soils and cool climate have produced many award-winning wines. The wines coming out of this vineyard are pure magic! To make the wines, Bill hired a winemaker whose familiarity with this vineyard was key--Don Van Staaveren. Don brings twenty five years of experience to the table and is best known for being the mastermind behind Chateau St. Jean’s 1996 Cinq Cepages, which was Wine Spectator Magazine’s 1999 Wine of the Year! His reputation for making top notch wines is unbeatable!

Both these men lead a team (which includes winemaker and enologist, Tracey Bledsoe) dedicated to making the best wines possible. I am here to tell you, these wines are superb! You’ll be hearing a lot more from this winery in the future! They have what it takes to conquer the world!!



The 2008 Three Sticks Durell Chardonnay is wonderful! Typically, Chardonnays made from Durell Vineyard grapes are vibrant and full-bodied! This one is unbeatable! Layered and full of bright fruit with just the right amount of acidity and a long finish. It was difficult for me to put this one down and move on to the next wine during each TasteLive session! $45.

The 2007 Three Sticks Durell Pinot Noir is so rich and powerful! Huge, full-bodied, amazing flavors of dark cherry, raspberry, cinnamon spice, even a little floral quality. Very long, smooth finish. It’s tough to beat this velvety dream! I’ll have some more, thank you! $55.

Three Sticks also makes a Cabernet Sauvignon from their vineyards high up above the Sonoma Valley. The 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon is a nice blend of the Bordeaux varietals (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec). Well-structured with huge dark fruit flavors and floral components (violets come to mind) this wine will age nicely if you want to lay it down for a few years. It should retain its flavors very nicely. $65.

All of the wines above are very small production. Less than 300 cases of each were made. Isn’t it time you experienced these for yourselves?

Three Sticks wines are available for purchase in lots of 3,6 or 12 bottles by accessing their online store at threestickswines.com. They also do a limited amount of distribution and are available on restaurant wine lists in the bay area.



I’d like to thank the team at TasteLive and at Three Sticks Winery for sharing such lovely wines with me and allowing me to share the story! Hopefully some day I will be able to visit the Durell Vineyard and see all the magic firsthand! And a big thanks to photographer Michael Wright for taking such beautiful photos and allowing me permission to use them for this story! For more information about TasteLive please check out their website, tastelive.com.

"You Saw It Here First"...This post was created solely for "Cellarmistress' Cellar Talk" by Grace Hoffman. Grace is an Italian-born, American-bred wine blogger/educator with an all-consuming passion for wine and all it encompasses.

Saint Laurent Winery: A Washington State Beauty

Last Summer, while traveling through Washington state for the WBCorBust contest, I had the pleasure of learning about a small, family-owned winery in eastern Washington. The winery was named Saint Laurent Winery and the wines would leave a lasting impression on me. On the second day of the contest, I visited a beautiful place called the Cave B Inn. There I met Sarah Bagdon and Emily Mrachek, two great ladies who work at Saint Laurent! Sarah is the winery's Sales Director and Emily, whose family owns the winery, is their tasting room manager. They introduced me to the wonderful world of Saint Laurent wines and I’m here to tell you, these wines are some of the best that Washington State has to offer!


The winery, located in Malaga, Washington, is so picturesque and immediately I was smitten with what I saw in the photos. The winery produces 4200 cases annually and really epitomizes a small-family winery. When I got back home, I contacted Sarah and she sent me three samples of their wines—the 2009 Riesling, 2006 Syrah and 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon. These wines, all under $30.00, are values that simply should not be missed. They have incredible flavors and I can honestly say, they are truly some of the best wines I have ever sampled. The labels on the bottles depict beautiful flowers and everything about the place and its wines evokes a vision of beauty! Their price points are unbelievable. I am so excited to have found this winery!



The 2009 Columbia Valley Riesling is a demi-sec style Riesling (meaning 2.4% residual sugar) with huge tropical and floral flavors and characteristics such as mango and honeysuckle. It was amazingly good and paired well with the spicy Thai food I was dining on. At $12.00, this wine is huge deal and my goodness--I'm really not a sweeter Riesling fan but this Riesling is just dry enough and flavorful that I didn't even notice. Outstanding!

The two reds I sampled come from vineyards located in the Wahluke Slope appellation of Washington. It's a really small strip of land in central Washington, one of the driest and warmest regions, making for intensely flavored wines. I actually got to see the region and it was beautiful--out in the middle of nowhere but really surreal!


The 2006 Wahluke Slope Syrah made me melt! It is simply wonderful! Every drop of it! It had a lush blackberry flavor with a small amount of smokiness. I wanted more more more! My jaw dropped when I saw the price--$22.00. It is worth so much more than that! This wine has helped me inch that much closer to being a Syrah-lover! I’m getting there! This wine received 91 points in Wine Spectator Magazine.


Last but not least, I sampled the 2006Wahluke Slope Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine has won many accolades including a 92 point rating in Wine Spectator Magazine. And rightfully so! It has a great backbone, lots of dark berry flavor and a smooth finish. And wait til you hear the price point---$28.00!! This is why Washington state wines are such a well-kept secret! Unbelievable and wonderful! You really need to try this!

I truly hope I can visit the winery someday and see all this splendor for myself! The grounds are beautiful and scenic. It’s almost like a little piece of paradise in Washington!

Saint Laurent wines are available on their on-line store at saintlaurent.net. They also do a small amount of distribution in several states. Please visit their tasting room in Malaga, WA when they open again soon! (They are currently closed for the Winter season) They are located at 4147 Hamlin Road. To schedule a private tasting, please call ahead at 509-888-9463.

Please discover Saint Laurent Winery for yourselves! You will love them!

I want thank Sarah Bagdon and Emily Mrachek for their wonderful hospitality and friendship! See you ladies very soon hopefully!

"You Saw It Here First"...This post was created solely for "Cellarmistress' Cellar Talk" by Grace Hoffman. Grace is an Italian-born, American-bred wine blogger/educator with an all-consuming passion for wine and all it encompasses.