This article is one in a series of articles about our recent tour of California Wine Country. You can read about Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, the Summary, the Winery Dogs and the Restaurants as well.  

California Wine Country holds a very strong appeal for many. And for many, that typically means going to Napa Valley and taking in the traditional tourist atmosphere. Every California wine aficionado should do this at least once. But once you’ve done that, your best bet is to take your tourist experience and then delve deeper into the culture, the wine, and the region.

After numerous trips to California wine country, we honed in on Sonoma County and, specifically, the Dry Creek area near Healdsburg.   This is the first of a four part series recounting our recent trip to this area.

On one of our previous trips we had spent an afternoon cruising the tasting rooms and downtown area of Healdsburg. It became clear that this was nowhere near enough time to do justice to the many wineries and excellent restaurants there. Therefore, when we were planning our latest trip, we decided to make Healdsburg our base and take advantage of what the area offers.

Healdsburg sits at the confluence of three major wine growing areas, the Dry Creek Valley, Russian River, and Alexander Valley. There must be at least a hundred wineries within twenty minutes of the city. Though other varieties are grown, Zinfandel is the signature wine of the area. As we are both big fans of Zinfandel, it’s are kind of place.

The city of Healdsburg is in a word “charming.” It is centered around a pleasant city square which is dominated by lots of large trees. Surrounding the square is a small downtown which is filled with shops and a surprisingly large number of very good restaurants.

Upper Sonoma County is a largely rural, agricultural area with grapes and wine being the major product. Despite a viticultural tradition as long and deep as it’s glitzier neighbor to the east, the approach to wine is more laid back and relaxed, though just as serious. The people in the wine business that we met were friendly and outgoing. Major topics of conversation were the wines, the weather (which was unusually hot when we arrived), and the best places to eat locally (Cena Luna seemed to be a favorite). When they discovered we were from Wisconsin, they also were interested in our reaction to Aaron Rogers and the Packers.

The wineries around Healdsburg are, for the most part, smaller than those in Napa. Many are family owned, in some cases for three or more generations, and reflect the Italian heritage of the immigrants that supplied the labor during the late 1800′s and early 1900′s. This heritage is reflected in the wines which are dominated by Zinfandel, but also include Petite Sirah, Barbera, and Sangiovese.

The tasting rooms tend to be simpler and less pretentious as well. There are no sky trams or huge parking lots full of tour buses. Most are located in fairly simple buildings surrounded by production facilities and vineyards. A few are down right rustic. As our trip was off season and during the middle of the week, we often had the tasting room to ourselves. Also, most of the wineries open to the general public have a picnic area. These range from a few tables adjacent to the tasting room to nice garden settings with great views of the vineyard. As there are a number of places in Healdsburg to pick up supplies or premade sandwiches, this is a convenient option for lunch. The wineries request that if you have wine with lunch, that it be one of theirs, but this seems only fair. On the two occasions that we took advantage of this, the wineries graciously lent us glassware.

But on to the wines:

Kendall-Jackson

Our first stop was at the Kendall-Jackson Wine Center located just out side of Santa Rosa. We had planned to stop at Tex Wasabi’s for lunch on the drive up from San Francisco, and having a little extra time decided use it to good advantage.

The Wine Center is in a handsome building just off the road. The person who conducted our tasting was both knowledgeable and enthusiastic, eager to recommend places that we should make sure to visit during our stay.  Our previous exposure to Kendall-Jackson was through their Vintner’s Reserve series which are competent, mid level sort of wines which are the wines that tend to show up in our local restaurants and wine stores, but we were unfamiliar with their Grand Reserve wines which are definitely a step up.

Wines sampled:
2008 Grand Reserve Malbec Rose
2007 Grand Reserve Late Harvest Riesling
2005 Grand Reserve Pinot Noir
2006 Grand Reserve Zinfandel
2006 Grand Reserve Syrah
2004 Highland Estates Taylor Peak Merlot – Bennett Valley
Piner Hills Grand Reserve Port

We were particularly taken with two of their dessert wines, the Late Harvest Riesling and the Grand Reserve Port.

After lunch, we continued up to Healdsburg, arriving in the early afternoon. There are a number of tasting rooms clustered around the central square, so we chose to sample these while we walked around the square to get our bearings.

Souverain
The first tasting room we went to was that of Souverain, previously known as Chateau Souverain, which is on the east side of the square.  This tasting room experience wasn’t spectacular.  The wine was all right, but tasting room decor was fine, and the young lady behind the counter was friendly.  Still, it was somewhat of an uninspiring event.

Wines sampled were
2007 Alexander Valley Sauvignon Blanc
2006 Winemaker’s Reserve Chardonnay
2006 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
2005 Alexander Valley Syrah
2004 Winemaker’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Ferrari-Carano Season’s of the Vineyard Tasting Bar and Boutique

On our previous trip to the area we had stopped at the Ferrari-Carano winery which is at the northern end of Dry Creek Valley. They also have a tasting room on the north side of the square. We decided that if we stopped at the tasting room we would have more time the next day to hit other wineries. The tasting room shares space with a small boutique shop, which did nothing to detract from the wines. It was also pleasantly cool which offered relief from the 90 degree weather outside.

The Ferrari-Carano Wine Center, which we had visited before, consists of an attractive Villa surrounded by some very nice gardens. A short drive up Dry Creek Road, it is worth seeing in it’s own right.

Wines sampled:
2007 Sonoma County Siena, a blend of Sangiovese & Malbec
2006 Lazy Creek Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir
2008 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
2007 Russian River Valley Eldorado Noir Late Harvest Black Muscat

Lake Sonoma Winery
This tasting room occupies a corner store front a block off the square. As it turned out, the person conducting the tasting was from Michigan, and the conversation was as much about the weather, living in wine country and football as it was about the wine, though the wine was quite good. Their specialty is Zinfandel, of which they offer several. We were also given suggestions for other wineries with good Zins, which is a good example of the collegial attitude that we met a number of places.

Wines sampled:
2005 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
2006 Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel
2006 Saini Farms Dry Creek Valley Old Vine Zinfandel
Port

Kendall-Jackson Tasting Room
 

While at the Kendall-Jackson Wine Center we had been given a coupon for a free tasting at the tasting room in Healdsburg. This is on the north-west side of the square. The discussion shifted to places to eat with a hearty recommendation of the Carbonara at Cena Luna, one of several recommendations for this restaurant. Several other restaurants were also given favorable mention, bu unfortunately, we didn’t have time to try them all. The tasting menu was similar to that at the Wine Center with the addition of the 2005 Grand Reserve Red Meritage which was quite good.

We finished off the day with a light dinner at Willi’s Seafood & Raw Bar which is just up the street from the Kendall-Jackson Tasting Room.  We’ve been to Willi’s before.  It is a casual, tapas style restaurant that features very popular outdoor dining on the patio.  This is a place where the locals come and hang out, and they bring their dogs along.  Healdsburg loves their dogs, and the dogs are a very accepted part of the social scene.  On this night we dined with Louman, a pretty cool retriever mix with a mohawk hairdo, and with Gus, a mellow lab who snoozed through most of dinner.

Little did we know while we were dining at Willi’s that we were in the presence of a local celebrity.  We were to find that out a few days later.  But more of that to come.

Farro is not one of those ingredients that most people have laying around in their kitchens.  That’s a pity.  It has become a staple in my house due to its versitility, texture, flavor and health benefits.  I know, I know.  People are going to say, I don’t know what farro is.  I can’t pronounce it, I can’t cook it, and I sure as heck can’t find it in the grocery store.  Ha!  Only three out of those four points is true.  Unfortunately it is the latter point that will more than likely provide you with the most difficulty.   But I will take each point one by one.

1. I don’t know what farro is.  Easy!  Farro is an ancient grain that originates in the Mediterranean and the Near East.  Some claim that farro is the original grain from which all other grains were derived.  These days farro is most commonly produced in Italy.  While some may try to tell you that farro and spelt are the same thing, don’t believe them.  It simply isn’t true.  If you are looking for a farro substitute, you can try barley, but you’ll be disappointed.
2. I don’t know how to pronounce farro.  Mystery solved.  It is pronounced FAHR-roe.
3. I can’t cook farro.  Yes, you can.  You just need time to cook farro.  First, you need to soak farro for about 4 hours in cold water to soften it.  Then you need to cook it for about 30 minutes in liquid.  The ratio of farro to liquid is 1:2.  In other words, you need one part farro to every 2 parts liquid.  Cooking time can range from between 20 - 30 minutes, depending on how “toothsome” you prefer your whole grains.
4. I sure as heck can’t find farro in my grocery store.   I have to admit, I don’t have much to combat that point.  I mean, I can’t find farro in my grocery store(s).  I went to the health food sections, the grains sections, the bulk sections and everywhere else I could think of to find farro in my neighborhood stores.  Ok, to be honest, I didn’t really expect to find it there.  So I drove across town to find it in a more upscale grocery store.   To my chagrin, no farro.  Finally, I broke down and went to Whole Foods.  They didn’t have it in the bulk section, but they did have it pre-packaged by the barley and the rye on the shelves.  And they had only three packages.  But, if you don’t have a Whole Foods near you, or if the one near you is as awful as the one near me, you can find it on Amazon.comof all places. 

 But on to the recipe.  Or the non-recipe, which is most often the case for me.  My Farro and Arugula Salad was served with sliced, grilled flank steak atop.  The farro was soaked for around four hours in cold water, then drained.  Then the farro was cooked, 1 part farro to 2.5 parts chicken stock.  First it was brought to a boil, then gently simmered for about 30 minutes.

The farro was cooled down to room temperature and then tossed with some of the fresh, “salady” produce that I had gotten in my produce box for the week.  As it was early spring, that meant arugula, radishes, ramps, scallions.  I also added hot house tomatoes and hot house cucumbers from the farmers market.  Before adding the produce, I tossed the farro with some olive oil and red wine vinegar.  Then, after combining the produce, I again tossed with olive oil, red wine vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.

When you make farro, I recommend that you make enough to be used throughout the week.  Farro makes a great grainy side dish, and it is so versatile that you won’t get bored with it.

Spring brings asparagus season, and asparagus just screams for two of my favorite ways to prepare food… grilled, and with an egg on top.  Recently, Bon Appetit called “anything with an egg on it” one of the hottest trends.  Trendy or not, we’ve been putting egg on “stuff” for a while, and we love it. 

Grilled Asparagus Milanese is simple to prepare, and an oddly rustic yet elegant addition to your spring meal.

Ingredients:

1 bunch asparagus
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp garlic powder
Salt and Pepper to taste
Balsamic Vinegar to taste
2 eggs

Grated Parmesan cheese

Snap the tough ends off of each asparagus stalk.  Lay on a single layer on a plate and coat with olive oil.  Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt and pepper.  Grill on direct heat until slightly charred, about 10 minutes.  Remove from grill and divide onto two plates.

Fry eggs in light coating of olive oil, sunny side up.  Sprinkle with coarse salt and pepper.  Place one egg atop each pile of asparagus.  If desired, spray lightly with balsamic vinegar.  Grate parmesan cheeses on top of egg yolk before serving.

Adding an egg on top of produce does not always seem to be an intuitive thing to do. But the egg yolk oozes onto the asparagus like a rich dressing, adding a complexity to the flavor that is hard to beat. Served with a perfectly grilled tenderloin aside a salad of arugula, tomato and cucumber, this meal serves as a early, healthy introduction into the grilling season.

 I may have mentioned a time or two how much I like ramps.  As it is now high ramp season, much of what I am cooking has a ramp component to it in one way or another. 

Ramps are not a very well known vegetable these days, so imagine my surprise when I was browsing through one of the latest books that a publisher had sent me for review and stumbled across a ramp recipe!  (I’ll link to the book review once I actually finish the review!)   Olives and Oranges: Recipes and Flavor Secrets from Italy, Spain, Cyprus, and Beyond actually had a recipe for White Bean Soup with Ramps, and it became pretty clear that  I was going to need to give it a try.

As spring can go in Wisconsin, it was inevitable that a cold, damp, dreary day would come along, and as soon as it did, I headed for the kitchen to make this soup.  In the end, it was perfect for the day – warming, filling, and flavorful.  While I veered away from the original recipe that was in the book, the spirit of the recipe remained.  What follows below is my rendition of White Bean Soup with Ramps.
Ingredients:

• 2  tablespoons Olive Oil
• 10 Ramp Bulbs, chopped, with greens saved
• 1 Carrot, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 4 yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 can cannelloni beans, drained
• More chicken stock, as needed
• Reserved Ramp greens, chopped
• 1 lb bulk Italian sausage, cooked to doneness
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• Chives, chopped

In heavy stock pot, slowly sautee ramps, carrot, and celery in olive oil until softened.  Add garlic and sautee 2 minutes further.    Add potatoes and stir ingredients together.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add chicken stock, ensuring that potatoes are covered with liquid.  Bring pot to boil, then reduce and allow to simmer for 30 minutes.  Add cannelloni beans.  If needed add more stock to cover ingredients in pot.  Allow to simmer 30 more minutes.

With immersion blender, blend all ingredients in pot until smooth and creamy.  If you do not have an immersion blender, use a normal blender or food processor.  If soup is too thick, add more stock to desired consistency.   Add pre-cooked Italian Sausage,  stir.  Add reserved ramp greens and parmesan cheese, stir, and remove from heat.

Serve with chopped chives and grated parmesan cheese garnish.

Ramps were one of the finds that made our first CSA Produce season worthwhile. I had never heard of a ramp before I first started getting our produce box from Harmony Valley Farm. Now they have become a passion. They came in the very first box, and I looked at them with intrigue.

On the surface, they looked like a scallion, but the aroma was so much more intense. We chopped them up and sauteed them and were surprised to find that the aroma sharpened with cooking. Research later showed that ramps have a very big reputation for “stinking”!

Some might think that is a bad thing. I do not. Ramps may not necessarily be for the faint of heart, but if you love garlic and onion, you can not go wrong with ramps.

The flavor is sharp, and seems to be a cross between onion and garlic. I was an instant fan. My only disappointment was in discovering how short the ramp season is.

Ramps (Allium tricoccum), also known as wild leeks, were native to North America. White bulbs are topped by green leaves. The stems leading up to the leaves are burgandy in color. Native Americans held ramps in high esteem for medicinal purposes, and it turns out that they were right on target. Ramps are high in Vitamins A and C, and they fight high cholesteral just like their cousin, the garlic.

Ramps are simple to use, and add flavor to almost any dish. Simply sautee them as you would onion or garlic, tear the greens up and add them to salad, or even sautee the greens as well. In addition, here are some recipes that feature ramps:

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Ramps and Scallions in Mustard Sauce

Ramp, Scallion and Green Garlic Pesto

Carbonara with Pancetta, Peas, and Ramps

 The first CSA produce box of the season has arrived!  As with previous years, our membership is with Harmony Valley Farm.  We’ve been memberof this farm’s community supported agriculture for a number of years, and we can’t imagine a better program to join.

As in past years, I am going to kick this season off with a vow to use everything that we get in the produce box.  It can be a challenge at times.  I mean… burdock.  What do you do with burdock?  I haven’t gone out of my way in past years to find out, but this year I am going to!

And so, without further ado, here’s the produce that I got from the CSA on week one.

• Overwintered Parsnips
• Asparagus
• Sunchokes, aka Jerusalem Artichokes
• Ramps
• Sorrel
• Overwintered Spinach
• Rhubarb
• Burdock
• Chives
• Black Radishes

But, of course, I didn’t stop there.  I also had to hit the Westside Farmers’ Market and pick up more.  And do I also need to use this:

• Mixed Spring Greens
• Scallions
• Radishes

Wish me luck!

It’s that time of year again! The Farmers’ Market season kicks off in high gear in the upcoming weeks. Madison, WI and Dane County provide an amazing array of Farmers’ Markets around the area, giving locals the opportunity to buy fresh, buy local, and to meet their food suppliers in person!

Between Farmers’ Markets and CSA programs, many people abandon their mass grocery stores at this time of year and turn to the plethora of local food producers who deliver high quality, seasonal food. To make it easy, we’ve complied a list of local Farmers’ Markets. With a markets available almost every day of the week, there’s no excuse to not support your local farmer!

Madison-based Markets

• Dane County Farmers’ Market: Saturday, 6 AM to 2 PM, April 19th to November 1st, Madison Capital Square
• Eastside Farmers’ Market: Tuesdays, 4 PM to 7 PM, May 13th through October 14th, 201 S. Ingersol St.
• Fitchburg Farmers’ Market: Thursday, 3 PM to 6 PM, May through October, Agora Pavilion on E. Cheryl Parkway
• Hilldale Farmers’ Market: Wednesday & Saturday, April 26th through November 1st, Hilldale Shopping Center
• Northside Farmers’ Market: Sunday, 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM, May through October, Pierce’s Northside Market parking lot
• South Madison Farmers’ Market: Tuesday, 2 PM to 6 PM, April 26th through October, Labor Temple and Thursdays, 2 PM to 6 PM, Park St. at Villager Mall
• Westside Community Market: Saturday, 7 AM to 1 PM, April 19th through November 8th, Hill Farms Department of Trans. parking lot
• McFarland Farmers’ Market: Thursday, 2 PM to 6 PM, May – October, 5100 Farwell St
• Middleton Farmers’ Market: Thursday, 7:30 AM to 1:30 PM, May – October, Greenway Station
• Monona Farmers’ Market: Sunday, 9 AM to 1 PM, May – October, Ahuska Park, E. Broadway

Area Markets 

• Belleville Farmers’ Market: Saturday, 8 AM to 12 PM, May – November, Library Park
  Brooklyn Farmers’ Market: Wednesday, 3 PM to 7 PM, May – October, Douglas Drive and Rutland Avenue
• Columbus Farmers’ Market: Sunday, 9AM to 1 PM, May – October, Julie’s Java
  Darlington Farmers’ Market: Saturday, 8 AM to 12 PM, May – October, Darlington Festival Park, Main St.
• Janesville Farmers’ Market: Saturdays, 8 AM to 1 PM, May 10th – October 25th, 100 block of Main St.
• Lake Mills Farmers’ Market: Wednesday, 4 PM to 8 PM, May through October, Commons Park
• Mt. Horeb Farmers’ Market: Thursday, 3 PM to 6:30 PM, May – September, Heritage Park
  Paoli Farmers’ Market: Saturday, 8 AM to 12 PM, May – October, Paoli Park
• Stoughton Farmers’ Market: Fridays, 7 AM to 1 PM, May – October, Stoughton Plaza Shopping Center
• Sun Prairie Farmers’ Market: Fridays, 7 AM to 1 PM, May – October, 300 E. Main
• Waunakee Farmers’ Market: Wednesday, 3 PM to 6 PM, May – October, Waun-A-Bowl parking lot

If we’ve missed one, let us know by leaving a comment!

Spinach and Egg Pizza on Whole Wheat Crust

Everyone that I’ve mentioned this recipe to is a little bit put off by it.  Spinach?  Egg?  Whole wheat crust? PIZZA?!?!?

Yes.  Spinach and Egg Pizza on Whole Wheat Crust might sound a bit off-putting, but it is one of the more tasty, healthy recipes that I’ve played around with lately.  I’ve made it a couple of times now, and have perfected the recipe to the point where it will probably turn into one of those “go-to” dinners because it is healthy, quick, and flavorful.

Normally when I make a pizza at home, I buy some frozen dough at the local Italian deli and start with that as the base.  This recipe, though, starts with a pre-made crust.  It adds to that “fast convenience” factor that you’ve just got to have mid-week.  Baboli makes some reasonable, bread-like crusts, and they even come in whole wheat! 

After brushing the crust lightly with some olive oil, it’s ready to pile on the spinach!

Another reason this is fast and convenient is because it uses bagged, pre-washed spinach from the store in the winter, or from our CSA in the summer.  About half the bag, chopped, works perfectly for this crust.  Also added is some salt, pepper, garlic, parmesan cheese, basil, bruschetta and sliced prosciutto.  Just a word of warning – you may want to be very careful about actually saying those last two ingredients out loud in grocery stores – it has been known to raise a ruckus… 

This gets tossed into a 450 degree oven for about 12 minutes.  Once in the oven, you’re ready to fry up some eggs, which get placed on the pizza when it comes out of the oven.

Yes, egg on pizza.  Long before Bon Appetit magazine named “Eggs on top of anything” one of the top 100 trends of 2009, we were putting eggs on top of things.  Eggs on a bed of spring greens that have been tossed with a light vinaigrette is spectacular!  Try it!

But I digress. Put the cooked egg on the pizza, sprinkle with some parmesan cheese, salt and pepper and enjoy!

If you are going to be in Northern California or in the San Francisco area, a trip to the wine country is certainly something to consider. Napa and Sonoma counties are, traffic permitting, only a several hour drive north from San Francisco. While this can be done as a day trip, it’s better done as a two to four day excursion. A variety of accomodations can be found in either county, and it is certainly more relaxing to not have to make a long drive after sampling wine all day.

The wineries are mostly concentrated in three areas, the Napa valley, southern Sonoma county, and the area around Healdsburg. Unfortunately, because of the mountains, it is not that easy to get from one area to the other, so its best to concentrate on only one of the areas in a day. There are plenty of wineries in each, and each region has it’s own unique character.

Wineries offer a wide variety of facilities for visitors, ranging from simple tasting rooms in converted agricultural buildings to grand chateaus. Some of the larger wineries have extensive grounds open to visitors and can provide a complete wine experience including tram rides over the vineyards.

If you’ve never been to wine country, you should plan to make a stop at one or more of the larger facilities in the Napa valley such as Coppola’s, Beringer, or Sterling. In addition to the tasting room, these have tours and educational exhibits for those unfamiliar with wine making. Beringer has an extensive garden and the tasting room is in an elegant Victorian mansion. Sterling offers a tram ride up to the tasting room. If you’ve done the winery tour thing before and are more interested in the wine, then you can visit any of the numerous tasting rooms.

Many of the major wineries in Napa valley are right along the main highway, 29. A few miles to the east lies the Silverado Trail which has it’s share of wineries, many of which produce excellent wines, while providing a less touristy wine experience. Side roads connect the two highways every few miles, making it easy to get back and forth.

In southern Sonoma County many of the wineries lie along Highway 12. The area around Healdsburg has a large number of wineries with tasting rooms right in town or within a short drive. This clustering of wineries makes it easy to visit a number of wineries without having to spend a lot of time driving.

A typical tasting room will offer tastes of up to a half dozen wines. There is usually a small charge of $5-$15 depending on the quality of the wines. A souvenier glass is sometimes included in the tasting fee. Some wineries will also offer a special or reserve tasting at around $20 that feature some of their more expensive or older wines. This can be a good deal if you are really interested in good wine. Most tasting rooms will allow for the purchase of wine. Arrangements can usually be made for shipping wine back which is a good idea if you are looking at more than one or two bottles. It only makes sense to buy wine at the winery if you are interested in a limited release or something that is not normally available locally as the price will be about the same as in a liquor store.

It is a good idea to have a game plan before a days tasting. There are numerous guides, maps, web sites, etc. that provide information. Most hotels in the region will have maps available at the front desk. Four or five wineries a day is probably the optimum number. I’ve done more, but you tend to lose focus by the end of the day.

Another thing to consider is lunch. This can provide a welcome break between tastings. Wine country is largely rural and land is valuable so there aren’t that many places to have a modest lunch. The best idea is to purchase a loaf of bread and some cheese and cold cuts for a picnic lunch. Don’t forget the bottled water and a corkscrew. A number of the wineries provide a picnic area but you should plan ahead so you hit them at the right time of day.

There are some good dining opportunities in some of the towns. Calistoga has several nice restaurants and Healdsburg has a good selection of bistros and restaurants clustered around the town center. There are also a number of well regarded fine dining establishements throughout the area. Needless to say, these offer a selection of locally produced wines.

Weekends and any time in the summer can be pretty busy. This is particularly true of Napa valley. Going during the off season, particularly during the week can be more relaxing. During the harvest, there will be lots of large trucks hauling trailers taking up most of the roads. The best time is probably in October when the weather is still good and the vines haven’t been trimmed. Late spring is also a good time.

If you are going to be in the area for an extended stay, there are other attractions besides the wineries. There are a number of historic sites and state parks. The coast is only a short distance away with a scenic drive up Highway 1. Whether for a day trip or a longer stay a trip to wine country will be an enjoyable experience.

The Subjective Response

The appreciation of wine is in it’s essence is a subjective response.  While with exposure and experience one can make learned comments about the “nose” or the color or expound on the presence or absence of any one of those various wine speak attributes one hears at wine tastings, at the core, you have a very personal reaction to wine that may have very little to do with the inate qualities of the wine itself.  And there is nothing wrong with this.

Wine, particularly red wine, is often consumed with a meal in the presence of friends.  The purpose is not to get a buzz on, but to slow down, to relax, to savor the moment, the companionship.  At the end of the meal you savor the last sips of wine in the glass, your tummy is full, you feel a nice glow that has nothing to do with inebriation.  As much as I enjoy beer or a good scotch, they never quite give me the same feeling that I get after a good meal and a good bottle of wine.

I freely admit that there are some wines that I like not because of the wine, but because of a very positive experience or association with the first time I drank the wine.

Some years ago, while attending a wine tasting at the Porta Bella Wine Bar, I had a lengthy and pleasant conversation with a young man representing the Cosentino winery.  It turns out he was a nephew of the owner of the winery who was attending college in Illinois and making a little money on the side by acting as the winery spokesman at wine tastings in the area.  He obviously knew a lot about the wine and the winery from a different perspective than your average wine distributor.  To this day I view Cosentino’s wines with a friendly eye.  Don’t get me wrong, Cosentino makes some fine wines, but my personal reaction goes beyond what is in the glass.

On a trip to wine country several years ago, we were looking for a place to have a picnic lunch.  At a tasting at Sinskey Vineyards they mentioned that there was a winery just down the road with a nice picnic area.  This was Pine Ridge which we had never heard of before.  We went, did the tasting, bought a bottle of wine and had our lunch of cheese and bread overlooking the vinyard and the Silverado highway.  It was a very pleasant experience.  Pine Ridge makes some very well regarded Cabernet Sauvignon which we drink with some regularity, and which still brings an image of  the sunny hillside where we had lunch.

Sometimes, it is the memory of finding a particularly nice wine and at a good price that gives you a warm feeling.  One of my first real “discoveries” was the Zinfandel of Ridge.  This was the 1989 Sonoma County Ridge.  It was $8, which at the time was a couple of bucks more than we had been spending on a bottle of wine (this was a long time ago).  We fell in love with he big bold flavors and finally ended up buying four and a half cases over the course of a year before the liquor store ran out of that particular vintage.  Now there are a number of good Zin’s out there, some of which we drink regularly, but when I think of Zin I think of Ridge.  Of course, it’s now single vinyard bottlings and the price is $30 a bottle, but the affect is the same.

There are other wines that have associations beyond the qualities of the wine itself, Penfolds Bin Number 2, Matanzas Creek Merlot, Cline Ancient Vine Mourvedre.  Each has a personal story for me.  They are all good wines, though not necessarily great wines, but they cause reactions that I don’t necessarily get from wines that I know are “better”.

So, it’s ok to like a wine for reasons other than what’s in the bottle.  A memory, a shared dinner, even a touch of sadness can make a wine special.  And, this may explain why you just don’t get a certain wine that a friend raves about.  It may just be their memory and not yours.

There is a reason that poets have written about wine for eons in a way they never do about beer of spirits.  Wine is a very personal experience.  The best thing to do is enjoy it until the bottle is empty and the glass is dry.