Where to begin....summer is my favorite time of year, children are out of school, family vacations and celebration with my dear friends...
I have had so many bottles of amazing juice over the course of the summer, with my family and friends, I will start with my most recent memory and expand.
I recently did the Avon Breast Cancer Walk in San Francisco with my Best Friend, Liz Dressel. It was a cherished time in my life filled with love and compassion for those who have breast cancer, survivors and those who have lost family and loved ones. My family and I flew up North to spend quality time with the Dressel Family for over a week, we hiked, swam, laughed, enjoyed amazing dinners as well as drinking fabulous wine every night. Prior to our departure to San Francisco we had a celebratory dinner that was spectacular. Our very dear friend Keri flew up for one night to toast to our walk and to enjoy an amazing dinning event! We started the evening off very modest with ;
2005 Saint-Aubin 1er Cru, Les Murgers Des Dents De Chien, Marc Colin;
this is a beautiful, well balance Chardonnay. Full body complete with pear, honey, lavender; lovely nose and a very long finish. By far one of my favorites.
After we moved down to the pool house, we enjoyed 3 bottles of Turley Zinfandel with our steaks and poached Halibut..Compliments of Keri
2005, 2006, 2007 Ueberroth Turley Zinfandel, Paso Robles.
this was tons of fun to do and each bottle was so very different and unique. I will say that these stunning vintages all had similar characteristics of a big, rich, bright ruby red, dark berry notes of blackberries and blueberries, cassis, almost a port-ripeness to the palate. Simply put a favorite in my cellar and a gem for a lifetime..very well done Keri.
1996 Harlan Estate, Napa Valley;
We had a great, kind and sweet friend visit us early on that evening who shared a couple of unique and rare wines from his cellar. One being this stupendous wine by Harlan Estate. Founded in 1984, a California's "First Growth" located in the western hills of Oakville in the heart of Napa. An extraordinary and very complex wine. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot grapes with great depth and concentration. I noticed a earthy mineral edge, settle notes of currants and dark berry flesh, this wine was like no other California wine I have tasted. Layers of depth, fine structure and dynamic, could lay down for another 10-15 years.. Although, it sat in my glass for a very short time, I must say, I will look forward to tasting different vintages from this remarkable Producer.
And to the many bottles of 2007 Kistler, Durell Vineyard Chardonnay and 2007 Kistler,Vineyard Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast....that I look forward to writing about!
As always for me, I have many treasured memories of my lovely Liz, great moments in time that I will cherish a life-time...Cheers
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Sunday, May 2, 2010
2008 Ketcham Estate Russian River Valley Viognier
Enjoying a nice Sunday evening....
Purchased this wine exclusively because one of our favorite winemakers, Michael Browne of Kosta Browne Winery, devotes his time into making amazing wines for Ketcham Estate....Kosta Browne is legendary for their amazing Pinot Noir, which makes me very eager to try Michael Browne Pinot Noir made for the Ketcham Estate label..
Knowing this I had to purchase a few bottles, one including this lovely Viognier that I tried this evening with a fantastic spicy dish here at home. Due to the spice that a full body Viognier brings, it usually pairs nicely with many spicy dishes...
The wine is crafted exclusively from Marsha’s Vineyard just off Olivet Lane in Russian River Valley.
2008 Ketcham Estate Viognier: A pale golden yellow in color, full of vibrant aromas to the nose, and to the palate; full body, crisp, perfectly balanced with a long finish and a nice bite to the end...A very lovely California Viognier...
Next, Pinot Noir by Ketcham Estate...cheers!
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Rain, fireplace and Barolo...
When we were in Italy we visited many houses in Monforte D' Alba, the Barolo region, the King of wines...Our dear friend Nino resides there and has the most amazing restaurant and Hotel where we always stay...There have been so many years of great family memories here...When we were here last, we went to Paolo Scavino's Home and had the most beautiful experience....We met his beautiful daughter, that took us on a tour of her property, vineyard and cellar, we tasted many wines and a current vintage that were still in the barrel...Of course we left there with a case of 1999 Bric Del Fiasc, Barolo...
Tonight I am enjoying this wine by the fire and listening to the rain....Dark blackberry stain in color, dark cherries, plum, with a hint of black licorice to the nose....to the palate the most amazing nectar of the earth, perfect balance, acidity, long finish with great depth, full body, fruit and what we all seek the world for, to find the perfect Barolo....Scavino for many generations has produced the most remarkable wine, with true elegance, love and consistency for excellence....Thank you Scavino and thank you Pappa for educating me at a young age to appreciate the simple things in life, nature...
Tonight I am enjoying this wine by the fire and listening to the rain....Dark blackberry stain in color, dark cherries, plum, with a hint of black licorice to the nose....to the palate the most amazing nectar of the earth, perfect balance, acidity, long finish with great depth, full body, fruit and what we all seek the world for, to find the perfect Barolo....Scavino for many generations has produced the most remarkable wine, with true elegance, love and consistency for excellence....Thank you Scavino and thank you Pappa for educating me at a young age to appreciate the simple things in life, nature...
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Shafer
I have not been very active on my blog..not because I am not enjoying amazing wine but because life has been fun and active...This evening I find myself enjoying a beautiful;
2007 Shafer, Red Shoulder Ranch Chardonnay. This is a lovely bottle of wine, I have always enjoyed a good glass of Shafer. This wine does not use malolactic fermentation because chardonnay gets ripe enough in Napa. To the eye the color is a golden hew of a flesh from a pineapple, to the nose an amazing bouquet of lemon curd, pears and vanilla, to the palate, creamy, elegant, a slight hint of oak, great balance and excellent complexity. I am enjoying a great ending to a beautiful day. cheers!
2007 Shafer, Red Shoulder Ranch Chardonnay. This is a lovely bottle of wine, I have always enjoyed a good glass of Shafer. This wine does not use malolactic fermentation because chardonnay gets ripe enough in Napa. To the eye the color is a golden hew of a flesh from a pineapple, to the nose an amazing bouquet of lemon curd, pears and vanilla, to the palate, creamy, elegant, a slight hint of oak, great balance and excellent complexity. I am enjoying a great ending to a beautiful day. cheers!
Sunday, January 10, 2010
New Years Eve 2010
It is due time for me to elaborate on a evening that I shared with my very dear friends, it was a night of pure enjoyment, over-indulgence and complete bliss! When the usual suspects gather for food and wine, we have a tendency to always go over board as you will soon see. We usually treat each night that we spend together filled with lots of laughter, great wine and carefully thought out food preparation. This night being that it is New Years Eve we decided to do our usual but add a few more courses and do the best of the best and we all eagerly obliged, need I say more! We all gather with love and grace by our host Scott and Lynn King at their beautiful home in Olivenhain. Lynn prepared a menu that Daniel Boulud would praise and Eric Ripert would be proud of. Each couple was assigned their course by Lynn, which we prepared at our home in advance with the best and freshest ingredients. We were all responsible for pairing our course with an amazing bottle of wine, that we would be very proud to share with our friends. Hence, a night the heavens embraced the beauty of fresh produce, organic fed animals and well cured for vines that producers pick with the greatest care.
We all put our hearts into each course and had a very memorable night!
We started the evening promptly at 7pm with several bottles of Champagne; Ruinart, Blanc de Blanc, one of Champagne's oldest houses founded in 1792. The bottle is a replica of a 18th century model, the grapes are made from Grand and Premier Cru Chardonnay grapes. This is my favorite Champagne and holds so many special memories dear to my heart. Beautiful pale golden yellow in appearance; soft nose with citrus fruit and lavender; to the palate, beautiful structure, apricots and nectarines, perfect balance, beautiful. Next we popped a 1996 Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame, the prestige cuevee ofVeuve Clicquot Ponsardin . This was an amazing bottle of Champagne, Peter and I made sure we kept it very close to us until it was completely gone! The blend on this wine is predominately Pinot Noir grapes. This wine is rich with honey and vanilla custard, beautifully structured with a long finish, pure elegance.
We moved into the dining room where we enjoyed this lovely menu that Lynn carefully put together like a master piece;
Oysters Rockefeller
Jericho Canyon 2008, JVC, Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley
What an amazing Sauvignon Blanc this was, our first pairing of the night and it blew everyone away. This Producer had a long history of selling their grapes originally to Ramey, Chateau Montelena and Rudd Estate. This wine had tropical flesh, honeydew melon, bright and a very clean, delicate finish.
Cornell Caught Salmon Three Ways (fresh Salmon caught in Alaska by the chef)
King Estate 2008, Pinot Gris Signature Collection, Oregon
Another delicious gem like Oregon only does with Pinot Gris; pears, peaches, mineral and a crisp long finish, wonderful.
Cod with Mussels, Chorizo, Fried Croutons and a Saffron Mayonnaise
Weingart 2007 Bopparder Hamm Ohlenberg, Riesling Spatlese Trocken Gutsabfullung; Riesling is the great white wine in Germany, they do it the best and it is always delicious. This wine was dry, austere, orange notes with a sweet, long finish.
Lobster Mac N Cheese
Mi Sueno 2006 Chardonnay, Pugash Vineyard, Sonoma Mountain
this wine was wonderful, Mi Sueno means "My Dream" in Spanish. Rolando Herrera the owner and wine maker of this beautiful wine which I really loved, I came home and purchased a few bottles..heavy body, complex, round and luscious, beautifully balanced with a lovely finish.
We decided to take a little break and of course we paired this with something as well;
Shafer 2004, Relentless, Napa Valley
John and Dough Shafer, a father son team produce exceptional wines and are always awarded the highest accolades by wine enthusiast every year. This wine is made up of predominately Syrah grapes with a small percentage of Petite Sirah. Dark purple to the eye; with black berries, plums and figs to the nose. To the palate very round, complex with a hint of spice to the long and concentrated finish. This is a big, bold, beautiful and perfectly structured wine. We all enjoyed it and again Peter and I made sure it was well taken care of.
Pork Tenderloin with Caramelized Pears and a Pear-Brandy Cream Sauce
Gary Pisoni 2006, Pinot Noir "Pisoni Estate Vineyard", Santa Lucia Highlands
100% Pinot Noir, the most complex and compelling Pinot Noir, made in very small lots, Gary Pisoni believes wine is made in the vineyard. I must say this wine went considerably fast, after enjoying a small pour, I went for more and all the bottles were consumed. Brilliant cherry red in color, lovely nose of current, and a rich black fruit perfume, a wonderful sit and smell; rich palate, long finish lingered as smooth a velvet. Must go see Peter and Steph for more!
Toast at Midnight
Spiced Muscovy Duck Breast with Roasted Grapes and Cavello Nero with White Truffle Polenta
Chateau Grand Corbin, 1970 Grand Cru, Saint-Emilion
a beautifully aged bordeaux. Deep ruby red clear, the nose was medium open, scents of prunes and ripe cherries, tobacco and cedar. Tannins integrating well with the flavours, fresh acidity gives good intensity to a soft balanced bordeaux. Extremely lovely and very elegant.
Brown Estate Zinfandel Braised Beef Short Ribs with Tawny Port Wine Reduction, Oyster Mushrooms and Crab Potatoes
Pax 2004, Syrah, Cuvee Keltie, North Coast Sonoma
Deep ruby red in color, voluptuous nose with masses of black and red fruit with notes of chocolate. The fruit had great strength to balance with the acidity and perfectly round complex structure of this incredible wine. We sipped on this wine well into the dessert and into the night.
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Fresh Fruit
More wine
This was an over the top night, with great chefs, delicious wine and lots of laughs. Thank you for hosting another epic night Kings.....
We all put our hearts into each course and had a very memorable night!
We started the evening promptly at 7pm with several bottles of Champagne; Ruinart, Blanc de Blanc, one of Champagne's oldest houses founded in 1792. The bottle is a replica of a 18th century model, the grapes are made from Grand and Premier Cru Chardonnay grapes. This is my favorite Champagne and holds so many special memories dear to my heart. Beautiful pale golden yellow in appearance; soft nose with citrus fruit and lavender; to the palate, beautiful structure, apricots and nectarines, perfect balance, beautiful. Next we popped a 1996 Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame, the prestige cuevee ofVeuve Clicquot Ponsardin . This was an amazing bottle of Champagne, Peter and I made sure we kept it very close to us until it was completely gone! The blend on this wine is predominately Pinot Noir grapes. This wine is rich with honey and vanilla custard, beautifully structured with a long finish, pure elegance.
We moved into the dining room where we enjoyed this lovely menu that Lynn carefully put together like a master piece;
Oysters Rockefeller
Jericho Canyon 2008, JVC, Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley
What an amazing Sauvignon Blanc this was, our first pairing of the night and it blew everyone away. This Producer had a long history of selling their grapes originally to Ramey, Chateau Montelena and Rudd Estate. This wine had tropical flesh, honeydew melon, bright and a very clean, delicate finish.
Cornell Caught Salmon Three Ways (fresh Salmon caught in Alaska by the chef)
King Estate 2008, Pinot Gris Signature Collection, Oregon
Another delicious gem like Oregon only does with Pinot Gris; pears, peaches, mineral and a crisp long finish, wonderful.
Cod with Mussels, Chorizo, Fried Croutons and a Saffron Mayonnaise
Weingart 2007 Bopparder Hamm Ohlenberg, Riesling Spatlese Trocken Gutsabfullung; Riesling is the great white wine in Germany, they do it the best and it is always delicious. This wine was dry, austere, orange notes with a sweet, long finish.
Lobster Mac N Cheese
Mi Sueno 2006 Chardonnay, Pugash Vineyard, Sonoma Mountain
this wine was wonderful, Mi Sueno means "My Dream" in Spanish. Rolando Herrera the owner and wine maker of this beautiful wine which I really loved, I came home and purchased a few bottles..heavy body, complex, round and luscious, beautifully balanced with a lovely finish.
We decided to take a little break and of course we paired this with something as well;
Shafer 2004, Relentless, Napa Valley
John and Dough Shafer, a father son team produce exceptional wines and are always awarded the highest accolades by wine enthusiast every year. This wine is made up of predominately Syrah grapes with a small percentage of Petite Sirah. Dark purple to the eye; with black berries, plums and figs to the nose. To the palate very round, complex with a hint of spice to the long and concentrated finish. This is a big, bold, beautiful and perfectly structured wine. We all enjoyed it and again Peter and I made sure it was well taken care of.
Pork Tenderloin with Caramelized Pears and a Pear-Brandy Cream Sauce
Gary Pisoni 2006, Pinot Noir "Pisoni Estate Vineyard", Santa Lucia Highlands
100% Pinot Noir, the most complex and compelling Pinot Noir, made in very small lots, Gary Pisoni believes wine is made in the vineyard. I must say this wine went considerably fast, after enjoying a small pour, I went for more and all the bottles were consumed. Brilliant cherry red in color, lovely nose of current, and a rich black fruit perfume, a wonderful sit and smell; rich palate, long finish lingered as smooth a velvet. Must go see Peter and Steph for more!
Toast at Midnight
Spiced Muscovy Duck Breast with Roasted Grapes and Cavello Nero with White Truffle Polenta
Chateau Grand Corbin, 1970 Grand Cru, Saint-Emilion
a beautifully aged bordeaux. Deep ruby red clear, the nose was medium open, scents of prunes and ripe cherries, tobacco and cedar. Tannins integrating well with the flavours, fresh acidity gives good intensity to a soft balanced bordeaux. Extremely lovely and very elegant.
Brown Estate Zinfandel Braised Beef Short Ribs with Tawny Port Wine Reduction, Oyster Mushrooms and Crab Potatoes
Pax 2004, Syrah, Cuvee Keltie, North Coast Sonoma
Deep ruby red in color, voluptuous nose with masses of black and red fruit with notes of chocolate. The fruit had great strength to balance with the acidity and perfectly round complex structure of this incredible wine. We sipped on this wine well into the dessert and into the night.
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Fresh Fruit
More wine
This was an over the top night, with great chefs, delicious wine and lots of laughs. Thank you for hosting another epic night Kings.....
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
About Me
- The Purple Palate
- Orange County, CA, United States
- I grew up with my Father, who had a great love and passion for wine and food. In the early 70's he collected many of the Grand Cru and wines that we now seek for collecting at a very high price. To my Father and a small group of friends, these wines were not marketed and highly worshiped as they are today, they merely collected them at a small price and educated themselves on each unique bottle. With this passion came a movement that started the wine shock in the early 70's and has continued until today. These same friends are very influential in the wine world today, wine editors, wine shop owners and highly praised collectors that keep us all on a watch for the next great wine of the year. Learning and tasting the great wines of the world at such an early age, forged a great love for admiring and collecting the grape. With this passion I bring to you along with my tasting notes, education and travels to find the grapes that make us all want to collect and experience a new bottle of wine, that dazzles our palate and makes us smile with each sip. I hope to share my love and experiences with you, Cheers!
