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Carmel Valley and Salinas Valley
road trip detour to wineries
Monterey County
Vintners and Growers Association - visit their site and request a
free wine country map. On the week end of Nov 7 - 10, 2002, plan a visit
to experience the 6th ANNUAL GREAT WINE ESCAPE
WEEKEND Taste the wines of over 25 Monterey County wineries. (Tel.
831/ 375-9400).
Some of my favorite personalities in the wine biz
Santa Cruz Wineries notes from the past
- Bonny Doon Vineyard
Turn inland off highway one at Pine
Flat Road, about 10 miles north of Santa Cruz, to taste wine in the verdant countryside.
(831/425-3625)
- Storrs Winery
At Old Sash Mill near River and Potrero Streets in a peaceful and
historical spot. Pamela and Steven Storrs buy grapes and make several
fine wines.
- Tasting Room is open Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday 12 noon to 5pm.
Call for more info or for groups of 8+ (831/458-5030)
- David Bruce Winery
David Bruce once gave a winemaker dinner at Theo's Restaurant
(Aptos, 831/462-3657). Theo's garden was leafy shelter for appetizers and
an appetizing Chardonnay. I won't forget his 1994 Chalone Pinot Noir. The
fruit. The mouth. The essence. David Bruce Winery is on Bear Creek
Road near Skyline Blvd/HWY 35 (831/354-4214)
ZINFANDEL Lion Oaks Vineyard. "The grapes for
this Zinfandel were grown on gnarly, century-old vines on a sunny hillside
of the Lion Oaks Ranch. These dry-farmed, head-trained vines have yielded
intensely flavored grapes which have given forth to a bold wine filled
with ripe flavors of black cherry and olallieberry complemented by a hint
of vanilla." (Santa Clara County 1995)
ON ANOTHER OCCASION
The Lion Oaks Vineyard Zinfandel was big and juicy. Heady stuff on a
summer afternoon of offshore breezes. (1995, $24.00) I have been liking
the hot Zins lately. Really liked Zayante Vineyards Zinfandel (1994,
$?) - another local winery, another Zin.
CHARDONNAY
The Storrs' Christie Vineyard Chardonnay, grown locally, really held my
attention. Perfectly tart and perfectly round. (Santa Cruz Mountains 1994,
$18.00)
W o r l d W i d e W i n e
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Pacific Northwest Wine
Washington
Washington state currently ranks second in the United States in total wine
production, after California and before New York, hosting 170 wineries.
More than 29,000 acres of choice vineyard land are planted to vinifera
grapes in five officially designated American Viticultural Areas (AVA):
the Columbia valley, Yakima valley, Red Mountain, Puget Sound and Walla
Walla appellations.
Oregon
Oregon straddles the temperate 45th North Latitude, along with the
Burgundy region of France. Conditions are ideal for the production of
premium varietal wine grapes, principally Pinot noir, Pinot gris,
Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Müller-Thurgau,
Gewürztraminer and Pinot blanc. Oregon has more than 180 wineries.
Idaho
Idaho, recognized for fine wines in the nineteenth century, today hosts 14
wineries . National and state prohibition from 1919 until 1933 stopped
wine production in Idaho until 1970 when wine grapes were again planted in
Idaho, mostly along the Snake River Valley in the southern part of the
state.
British Columbia
The British Columbia Wine Institute (BCWI) governs the Vintner's Quality
Alliance (VQA) distinction, including designating VQA wines. B.C.'s four
"designated viticultural areas" (DVA) are the Okanagan Valley, Similkameen
Valley, Fraser Valley and Vancouver Island. B.C. is home to about 80
wineries.
Wines Northwest
Tour wine country in British Columbia, Washington, Oregon and Idaho
This Foodie's Favorite Books
 TIME TRAVEL The
Art of Eating and other classics by M.F.K. Fisher. She's at ease in
her world of gourmandise, writing of another time and place to give us
delicious, inspiring, calorie-free escapism. Highly recommended!
GET SERIOUS
Windows on the World Complete Wine Course: 2003
by Kevin Zraly. Easy-reading style, entertaining and very informative. The
Complete Wine Course gives a structured process for tasting wine, history
lessons to exlain the industry, and an adventuresome tour of the world's
wine regions and the reds and whites they produce, including excellent
recent vintages. Highly recommended!
WORLD WIDE WINE
The World Atlas of Wine
by Hugh Johnson, Jancis Robinson.
Excellent arm-chair travel for a wine-loving world-traveling gardener
(moi), this entertaining and educational book gives maps, photos and
concise details on the world's wine regions, their micro-climates,
terroirs and fruit. Starts off with a complete yet simple few pages on
wine making, all the varietal grapes, and the flavor wheel of wine
tasting. Highly recommended!
COOK WITH WINE
John
Sarich at Chateau Ste. Michelle :... for cooks who love wine.
This is my favorite dinner party cook book. At least one dish makes
the perfect final compliment to my menu. Gourmet flavors without numerous
odd ingredients. Highly Recommended!
The
True History of Chocolate -- The true life story of one of my favorite
consumable companions and old friends. Now available on shelves labeled
with cacao content, I've become even more of a purist. Look for the new LU
Petit Ecolier 70% cacao! So rich, you can't eat the whole box.
Favorites for Foodies
French, Italian, Japanese or Thai
Juicer, barbeque, cake and pie
Health diets, entertaining, the inspiration you seek
It's all here please take a peek
Bon Appétit
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