Tag: wine tasting

Sipping a Cambria Moonstone Cellars Tempranillo

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TalesoftheCork wine reviews

moonstone1Visitors planning a trip to Cambria, California, often stroll along the wooden boardwalk, go whale and elephant seal watching, visit Hearst Castle and dine at one of Moonstone’s beach-side restaurants.

But in downtown Cambria, a small boutique winery and wine shop should be on your list, besides window shopping. Pencil in Moonstone Cellars.

While we don’t get over to Cambria very often, a leisurely walk in the picturesque town and nearby ocean boardwalk, visitors will find boutique and antique shops, mom and pop cafes and restaurants and the local wine shop and winery: Moonstone Cellars.

Located in West Village on the corner of Main and Sheffield streets, Todd Clift and his dad, Muril, opened the family-owned winery and began producing wines since 1998. Todd proudly creates his wines made from Central Coast grapes.  Moonstone Cellars offers a wide variety of varietals. From a lighter style Grenache to a full bodied Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon, or a crisp Sauvignon Blanc to a dry Riesling, there is bound to be something for everyone.

While I did not travel this week, I sat down to post with a glass of Moonstone Cellars 2009 Paso Robles Tempranillo beside me. The Spanish varietal and Central Coast grown was splendid. With notes of cherry, ripe plum, cracked pepper, spice and a rivulet of vanilla flowing through it, the medium bodied wine and tannins lingered.

moonstonetempranilloWhile I sipping the wine, purposely on #TempranilloDay, I soon wanted an afternoon snack to pair it with. The point of this is I did not plan this particular pairing or ‘event’ but rather just quickly looked what we had in the fridge. We had some Asiago, Manchego and a blue Camembert, olives, salami, grapes and pistachios in the pantry. I quickly put them on a black serving dish beside me and I continued writing.

While most of these appetizers went well with the Tempranillo, I hold and share a common wine lovers phase often: “Drink what you like.” For me these cheeses pair well with the terroir and flavors of the wine.

My point is simple: Take the time to explore the wineries in the places you visit and taste the wines they are pouring in the tasting rooms. And while you may not like all you try, purchase a bottle or three of the variety you like to take home. Then later at home, if you’ve kept the notes you were given or wrote down your own, open the bottle and imagine what food will go well with it. And if you need help, follow a blogger, Instagramer or Twitter feed of someone you trust and ask or email them. You might even follow this feed or keep TalesoftheCork a favorite on your device.

The Moonstone Cellars Tempranillo will also go very well with beef stew or a backyard BBQ. The wine will go very well with tacos, burritos, pizza, polenta dishes. Heck, I could have even served it with our lasagna the other night. Take the time to try wine with the foods you like. Some will go better than others.

It’s your table. You create the food. Own the right to serve what you like.

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Moonstone Cellars is moving from its location on Main Street. Go around their former location to a building just behind them on 812 Cornwall Street in Cambria (as pictured).

Moonstone Cellars can be found at 812 Cornwall Street in Cambria’s West Village. The staff welcomes walk-ins daily between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Walk right up to their U-shaped bar and ask Todd for a tasting, which cost $8 for 6 wine pours of varying varietals. Moonstone Cellars wines are also available online or call them at 805.927.9466 or 877.517.9463. Or just send them a note via their contact page. Moonstone Cellars also belongs to the Pacific Coast Wine Trail whose organization stretches from Morro Bay up to San Simeon.

Be sure to read the previous TalesoftheCork blog post: “Rigatoni à la Bordelaise with Bordeaux.” And if winemakers, wineries or restaurants are interested in a TalesoftheCork wine and/or food review on the blog, Instagram, Twitter and/or Facebook, please send us a request via email: talesofthecork@gmail.com or use DM on social media. TalesoftheCork also offers social media seminars for businesses.

Rigatoni à la Bordelaise with Bordeaux

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TalesoftheCork wine reviews

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After reading about the Chateau Haut-Sorillon Bordeaux Superieur online, I decided to try the 2014 version with a classic French dish.

While I often shop at Trader Joe’s for staples, I rarely purchase wine from them. However, after repeatedly hearing from a number of followers and seeing a few of their choices on blogs online, a bottle of Chateau Haut Sorillon Bordeaux Superieur 2014 ended up on our table last night.

A Trader Joe’s find at $8.95, the Chateau Haut Sorillon Bordeaux Supérieur 2014 medium bodied dry Bordeaux is not a special occasion or weekend wine per se, but it seemed to fit what I was looking for as Geena and I were preparing a French inspired dinner: Rigatoni à la Bordelaise with mushrooms.

While the wine is not as rich and lush as a classic Bordeaux, my intent was to pair our Rigatoni with a wine that might match up with an “everyday dish” that folks could make without a lot of pretense. And, for the most part, this value wine fits the bill.

Now, I’m not saying I’d skip on the opportunity for a higher value Merlot, but for the simple, earthy one pan meal, we enjoyed the Chateau Haut Sorillon Bordeaux Supérieur 2014.

However, here’s a TalesoftheCork tip: Definitely open your bottle hours in advance as the wine will be tight and needs to open up. We gave it three hours but as the evening went on, the Merlot blend got smoother and allowed the dark fruit flavors to advance. Patience helps. Open early. I might even try the night before next time.

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Rigatoni à la Bordelaise and mushrooms.

The light style 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet blend is from a family estate 5 km from St. Emilion, France, will show its fresh dark fruit, pepper and spices and a dry finish, highlighting a good but thin blackberry and smoky finish. It is a value buy but went well with our Tuesday Rigatoni à la Bordelaise and mushrooms.

While we looked up a few recipes, Geena and I created our own version of the dish based on the  Manger site recipe by Mimi Thorisson.

Heat 2 table spoons of olive oil add cook one finely chopped leek and 3 cloves of minced garlic in a hot pan. Cook 3 minutes or until golden.

In a separate pan fry the pancetta and/or thickly sliced bacon to crisp them until brown.  Then add a tablespoon of flour to the leeks, garlic and the bacon bits to help thicken.

Add tomato passata (ready cut plain diced tomatoes) to the leeks, garlic and bacon mixture. Cook on low heat for 10-15 minutes.

Later we added 1/3 cup chicken broth and 3/4 cup red wine (the Chateau Haut-Sorillon Bordeaux) along with butter, pepper, salt and a pinch of Chipotle chili pepper to create a saucy soup-like mixture. But it is important to reduce the mixture over medium to low heat up and simmer for 30 minutes so it is lush but not runny.

Many will fry or cook the mushrooms (we used dried porcini and shiitake mushrooms) in a separate hot pan with butter and garlic to sear and cook those earthy items until golden and add to the other mixture.

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The earthy flavors of the Rigatoni à la Bordelaise with mushrooms pairs well with the Chateau Haut Sorillon.

As the mixture is reducing, boil your water and cook the rigatoni. While you are waiting, you might start your meal with a garden salad. Dry the rigatoni and dish the mixture over the pasta, stirring the sauce in. Sprinkle with Parmesan, fresh parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

With a long decant the Chateau Haut Sorillon Bordeaux Superior 2014 wine will pair well with chicken and meat dishes as well as cheese and charcuterie plates. This is a good party wine with finger foods as well. A Trader Joe’s value wine from $7-9.

Be sure to read the previous TalesoftheCork blog post: Simple Caprese lunch with Emmolo SauvBlanc. And if winemakers, wineries or restaurants are interested in a TalesoftheCork wine and/or food review on the blog, Instagram, Twitter and/or Facebook, please send us a request via email: talesofthecork@gmail.com or use DM on social media. TalesoftheCork also offers social media seminars for businesses.

Grocery list for Rigatoni à la Bordelaise with mushrooms:

1 pound of rigatoni pasta
7 slices of thick bacon or pancetta (diced)
8 ounces of porcini mushrooms,
8 ounces of shiitake mushrooms
2 leeks (finely chopped)
4 garlic cloves (finely minced, 2 for the sauce, 2 for the mushrooms)
1 15-ounce can of ready cut plain diced tomatoes
3/4 cup red wine (I used the Chateau Haut Sorillon Bordeaux Superior 2014)
14 ounce can of chicken broth
1 tbsp plain flour
Olive oil (for frying)
1 tbsp butter (for mushrooms)
1 tbsp butter (for pasta)
Salt and pepper (for seasoning)
1 pinch chilli powder
Grated parmesan cheese (for topping)
Parsley to garnish

 

Simple Caprese lunch with Emmolo SauvBlanc

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Young winemaker Jenny Wagner continues the family tradition established by her great-grandfather as she creates Emmolo Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot.

TalesoftheCork wine reviews

Whether busyness takes you away from what it is otherwise important or too much has already gone under the bridge, take a moment for yourself soon. A 30 to 60-minute vacation from all that is distracting you is necessary to regroup, rebuild and refocus.

Today that is exactly what I needed and created a simple side dish that became a Caprese salad lunch and glass of Emmolo Sauvignon Blanc with my wife after a busy week for both of us. I needed a ‘place’ to forget about a couple of issues and took advantage of a sunny moment in the kitchen.

Fresh home grown tomatoes were on the counter and a quick trip to a market served to add a couple of whole milk fresh Mozzarella balls and some lush, sweet smelling basil. In this case, Trader Joe’s a half mile away had me in and out of the store fast.

We love the aroma of fresh cut tomatoes and basil and the addition of lush Mozzarella coated with extra virgin olive oil and a drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar as hits the spot like no other. A little cracked pepper sprinkled over the plate adds a final layer of spice to an amazing lunch.

Today’s choice to whet our whistle is a small glass of Emmolo 2014 Sauvignon Blanc from Rutherford in the Napa Valley. Pour yourself a small glass of EmmoloWines 2014 #NapaValley Sauvignon Blanc to sip and appreciate what Jenny Wagner is creating, adding to her great-grandfather’s winemaking tradition.

With just a quick stop at the market, a caprese salad can be created in just minutes.
With just a quick stop at the market, a Caprese salad can be created in just minutes.

According to their Wagner Family website, “the Emmolos have a long history in Napa Valley with Jenny’s great-grandfather, Salvatore Emmolo, starting the family’s grapevine rootstock nursery in St. Helena in 1923. Her grandfather, Frank Emmolo, not only managed the nursery, but also grew Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot on their family property.”

The Emmolo #SauvBlanc is dry, refreshing, crisp and tart. The light wine is smooth and balanced with a hint of peach & Kiwi with melon and and lime notes. Love the minerality and herbal overtones and allow the pear and and citrus aromas tempt you. This is a winner!

We’ve enjoyed this wine with oysters and scallops in the past but would also love it with shellfish pasta and chicken salads. While their website is not yet complete, check out EmmoloWines soon. #TalesoftheCork loving their simple elegance.

Wagner Family Wines and Emmolo Wines can be tasted and purchased at Camus Vineyards, 8700 Conn Creek Rd., Rutherford, CA 94573. However, it is not always on the tasting flight menu. Call ahead at 1.707.967.3010 to check for availability. If a trip to Napa is not in the works, try their Wagner Family Wines finder.

Be sure to read the previous TalesoftheCork blog post: Pre travel checklist for overseas visit. And if winemakers, wineries or restaurants are interested in a TalesoftheCork wine and/or food review on the blog, Instagram, Twitter and/or Facebook, please send us a request via email: talesofthecork@gmail.com or use DM on social media. TalesoftheCork also offers social media seminars for businesses.

Grocery list for Caprese salad:

One ball from an 8-ounce container of Whole Milk Fresh Mozzarella in lightly salted water

One container of fresh leaf basil or one sprig of basil

Two vine ripe whole tomatoes

Cracked pepper to taste

Olive oil and Aged Balsamic Vinegar of Modena to taste

Burgundy winemaker designs new path

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A trip to France is not complete without a food and wine experience. I don’t just mean a lunch or dinner at a village or Parisian cafe, bistro or brasserie, enjoying local cuisine and wine. While that is a large part of the equation, I wanted to meet and learn more about the winemakers and their passion to create the bottles of juice the world has on their tables.

So in June I traveled to Burgundy, France, for a week and spent three days wine tasting, talking with vignerons and wine merchants. I decided to hire Burgundy Discovery’s Robert and Joy Pygott to reacquaint me with the area. My visit five years ago gave me a wonderful overview to the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits, but I wanted the perspective of someone who lived in the region to reeducate me with the Burgundian appellations and regions.

After studying adult handicap education, Parisian-born Ulrich Dujardin became a respected Burgundy winemaker through personal courage, fortitude and vision. His new wine label broke new ground into the often closed community.

During my 2007 visit to Burgundy, my wife and I met Ulrich Dujardin at Domain Bouzerand-Dujardin. This winemaker exuded excitement and passion for his craft and I was moved by his story. He was not a local landowner nor did his family’s history include winemaking. But Ulrich’s enthusiasm and vision for the craft sparked a cord within me. I wanted to meet Ulrich again and learn more about the outsider who became a winemaker in the tiny village of Monthelie, 5 km or 3.5 miles from Beaune.

This year’s visit included an hour presentation of Domain Dujardin’s winemaking process from beginning to end, including Ulrich’s personal attention to an all hand-harvest and natural wine process. But as he spoke about his passion for winemaking, I heard something I did not catch when I spent an hour with him in 2007. Ulrich’s passionate presentation invigorated me because he obviously cared about the process. But I almost missed his side comments on how he hires disabled or handicapped people to help him in the vineyards. And when I checked on his family heritage, it did not include winemaking.

How did an outsider become a winemaker in a region which favors tradition and heritage over the new and upstart?

My first Burgundian TalesoftheCork will post tomorrow. I want to introduce Domain Dujardin and its owner: Ulrich Dujardin. Please return to read “Outsider impacts Burgundy winemaking tradition, Part I.”

Salut!

Burgundy: First things first

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Despite London getting a large share of the holiday and travel press this year, I decided to kick off Tales of the Cork with a visit to Burgundy, France, in June. But before a visit to taste Burgundian wine or savor a local, traditional meal, some planning is in order. I begin this segment with some tips for anyone looking to create a trip to the French Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wine growing region.

The following is the first post in a series meant to help everyone prepare for a trip to Burgundy, France. The first steps include flights, rental car and international phone service.

A trip to Burgundy must include the village of Meursault: the center of the wine white world. Tools of the trade? A bottle of white and two 100-year-old instruments.

Getting started: Flights

Assuming France is the country of choice, and wine and food are the reason to travel, I found my trip to Burgundy made easier by flying into Paris-Orly Airport rather than into Charles de Gaulle (CDG). While CDG is often the airport of choice, it is located 16 miles northeast of the city. A better choice for Burgundy-bound travelers is Orly, as it is 11 miles south of Paris.

Orly however, can only be reached via other European airports, so your flight path will include places like London’s Heathrow, Germany’s Frankfurt or Munich and the Netherlands’ Amsterdam airports; however, most of the time, layovers are only 90 minutes. This is easily made up on the other end, traveling to and from the airports via rail links, rental car or cabs (A cab ride to Paris from Orly is about 30 Euros). Also when booking your flights, it may be a good idea to choose your seat immediately, but you will have to pay a premium for this option. I did and was able to choose a “twin” seat in coach with more room (also opt for an exit row or bulkhead seat). I figured comfort was worth the extra money on long flights.

With Orly already south of Paris, traffic snarls and delays are less traveling south. The bonus is that car rental and pick up is within a minute walk of Orly’s front doors.

Getting started: Rental car

Like most metropolises in the world, traffic and navigation are always an issue for a newcomer. I was required to present an International Driver’s License/Permit at the rental counter. These only cost about $15 and need to be obtained at your local AAA office. (Make sure you bring along recent standard passport photos, as they will be needed for the permit) I added a GPS system to my rental car and was out of the airport, traveling south, within the hour of arrival. I found this extra $12 expense worth it because, even when adding an international plan, overseas cellphone roaming charges can be expensive. Plus it is comforting to know I would be “told” in advance by the GPS when and where to turn. This is a good option for a newbie visitor, and driver, in a foreign country.

NOTE: Smartphones can use data for free if used in Wi-Fi hotspots. But good luck getting that option when you are in the middle of nowhere. (See International cell phone plans*)

I rented a Renault Megane from Europcar. Perfect compact 4-door hatchback for my wife and I for an 8-day trip to Burgundy.

A few notes about rental cars though: Be sure to prebook the car before leaving the U.S. and confirm it is for unlimited milage. Also, check with your credit card company that they will cover collision and theft so there is no need to add an extra policy at the rental counter. Plus, if you add coverage, make sure the credit company is listed first on the policy.

In fact, it would be prudent of you to print a copy of your credit card Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver page and note their phone number. In fact often the travel service number should also be noted. The rental company should cover liability.

When booking the car rental from home, be sure to bring along your pre-paid voucher that the agency emailed you. You will need to present it when you check in. You will most likely also have to show your passport and it must match your name on the voucher. Simply presenting your credit card may not be enough and could cause a delay in receiving your car.

Finally, walk around the car with a rental agency person. Make sure any and all dings, scratches or marks are noted. I found multiple errors on the contract. The company quickly corrected the forms upon my inspection.

NEW POLICY: As of July 1, 2012, each car driven in France must carry two breathalyzer kits. The new law is meant to keep inebriated drivers off the road. There will be a four-month grace period before fines the equivalent of $14 will be assessed if drivers are found not to carry them. France also has very strict and harsh penalties for drinking and driving.

Rail Europe to Beaune or Dijon

For those of you who wish to take the TGV from Paris to Burgundy the trip is made effortless by Rail Europe. For as little as $114 return, you can have an airline-style seat (with more legroom) and access to a bar-buffet car, taking in the French countryside through its large windows. If you want more comfort you might check out the first class cabin. Depending on the time you choose to leave, comfort level and number of stops, the trip will take from 1 hour, 37 minutes to 2 hours, 52 minutes. You can rent a car near each station.

Getting started: International cell phone plans

Before a trip overseas, I added three additional items to my cell phone plan. While service providers vary, I use AT&T. The plans are as follows: WORLD TRAVELER (monthly service $5.99). This brings the cost of calling to $.99 per minute. When traveling outside the U.S., I alter my texting plan to 200 texts per month for $30.00 (Overage $0.35 per message). Under this plan, picture/video messages were sent for $0.50 and I also increased my data plan to 120MB per month for $30. Just remember to cancel this service when you return. Now, in the months and weeks to come, this cost vary and may not be needed if you only use your phone in Wi-Fi hot spots.

The village and 11th century Château de la Rochepot is just a short drive south of Beaune. It just goes to show that you never know what is just around the corner in Burgundy.

If you have further questions about your ATT account, please refer to ATT Global or call 1-800-335-4685. Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile customers should contact their providers. I do not promote any particular plan but also want to point out that renting a European mobile phone from companies like Mobal.com may be a good alternative. The company touts recommendations from a variety of sources.

While the decision to travel and setting side time for a vacation is the first step, scheduling the dates and flights are the most important. In my next post on or before July 13, hotel, house and/or apartment rental will require most of our attention. I look forward to sharing behind the scenes stories of those who bring food and wine to us soon.

Salut!