An Affordable Bordeaux That's Only Getting Better: Château de Camensac

I love French wine. Why? Because the wines from there really do taste like the land in which they grow and that's not the case with all wine. I can never mistake what I call "the Bordeaux stink," the funky, earthy character of every red Bordeaux I've ever had. A friend of mine always teases me that I like my wines dirty...ok, I'm guilty.

I've covered Bordeaux in my Bordeaux Primer, so I'm not going to go into lots of detail on the region, but I will say that whenever I talk Bordeaux in my classes people seem to think that it's a place that exclusively churns out really expensive wines.

Nope. I've had lots of good Bordeaux for $15. Bordeaux creates a virtual sea of wine. The area is about 290,000 acres. It creates 38% of all still wine (not bubbly or dessert) made. Four out of 10 people who live in the area are employed in wine. Most of that wine is not part of the 1855 classification (see the primer for what the heck this is)...

But then again, some of it is. And I got a chance to pop open a fifth growth the other night and was in heaven. Lest you think all this stuff is ridiculously expensive, the bottle, from one of the best vintages in recent Bordeaux history, was $25. It's from one of the "lesser" Châteaux in the classification, one that people frown on and think shouldn't be in the classification. I'm not going to make a judgment either way, but I will tell you that the 2005 from Château de Camensac was amazing and I'd drink it all day long!

Part of the reason people are jerky about Camensac is that it's not located in the communes where most of the top wines are located: Pauilliac, St-Julien, Margaux, and St-Estephe (on the left side of the map). It's in an area called the Haut-Médoc, specifically in St. Laurent-Médoc. Close to the best areas, but not quite there.

Still, this place is amazing for wine. It's got perfect stony soils with great drainage (a must for grapes) and the Château grows Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot only (most places also grow Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec for the blend too).

The Château has been around since the early 1800s and was outrageously high quality through the 1800s, but it languished for the first part of the 1900s and in 1964 it was taken over by the Forner brothers, who owned Marques de Caceres in Rioja. Despite owners that knew what they were doing, Camensac still didn't really get the love it needed to get acclaim.

But all isn't lost. In 2005 the owners of the very awesome second growth, Gruaud Larose, bought the property and there are high hopes this may mean that things are about to take a turn for the delicious at Camensac. If the 2005 vintage is any indication of where they are going with this new acquisition, we're all in good shape (although I'll say that 2005 is considered one of the top vintages in the last 30 years, and it would be hard to mess up in that year, there's no denying that the Château is in good hands). I'll give a full review, but let me give you a hint: It's definitely a "DRINK"!

The Wine: Château de Camensac
The Grape: 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot
Where it's from: The Left Bank (south side) of Bordeaux
Alcohol: 13%
Vintage: 2005
Price: $25.99

Color: With a majority of the dark Cabernet Sauvignon and a year with good ripeness on the grapes, this was a darker color than most Bordeaux I drink. It was a brownish maroon -- like prune juice. Totally opaque with a watery edge when I tilted the glass. It looked like it was going to pack a punch of flavor.

Smell: Oh, yeah. The Bordeaux stink was kicking. There was a real note of gravel and soil -- this was a deliciously dirty wine, with a real feeling that it was from the land. Under a dark cherry and ripe plum fruit note, there was also a sweet spice flavor like a combo of cinnamon with some cocoa powder. Cabernet can smell like herbs or vegetables, and this had a real pronounced minty smell that was super fresh.

Taste: Reminded me of sipping an espresso or coffee, and since I love both these beverages, this was a great wine for me. There was a distinct bitter note and with the prominent but not overbearing mouth-drying tannins and some refreshing acid, it could have been a Starbucks blend. It had that earthy, gravelly flavor but with red and black cherry, dried plum, vanilla, and cinnamon flavors. This was a rich, flavorful wine with lots going on.

Pairing: I am not a red meat eater, however M.C. Ice has told me that I have an uncanny ability to pair wine with it and this time was par for the course. He had a filet with this wine and was in seventh heaven. The tannins of the wine and the protein in the meat combine to make the meat a velvety, soft, and fruity treat that had M.C. Ice giddy and still talking about the next day. For you non red meat eaters, you can simulate this sensation with a portabella mushroom -- you just need something kind of meaty in texture and you're good to go.

Drink or Down the Sink?: Drink. This is an affordable way to enjoy a quality Bordeaux. 2005 was an exceptional year for Bordeaux, and it was also the year that new ownership took over at Camensac. I think this is a good indication of where this Château is heading and I love what I see. I can't wait to try it again -- an excellent wine.
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Wines from the Outstanding Oakville Area in Napa: Swanson Vineyards' Best and Brightest

Wine regions are a little like Russian nesting dolls. I think that's why the topic is so freaking complicated.

The big doll is like the country (U.S., France). The next one is the state/region (California, Loire Valley). Then you get to a specific county or area (Napa, Sancerre), then a town within it (Oakville, Bué) and then a vineyard. Like the dolls, as the areas get smaller the details become more and more intricate and impressive.

If you read the blog regularly, you know that I'm much more of an advocate of knowing a place rather than knowing a producer. It's far more valuable to be able to identify the characteristics of a place than it is of a specific brand, since you may not always be able to find a wine from a specific winery, but you should be able to find something you like you if you know the place it's from.

More practically, frequently I talk in broad terms about place for a simple reason: wines from specific towns or vineyards tend to cost a lot of money and I don't like to pony up for it (I'm just a normal person after all). So likely, I'll have a wine from Napa rather than one from one of the prestigious sub-appellations (smaller areas, also called American Viticultural Areas or AVAs) unless I'm in wine country tasting, it's a special occasion, I'm at an industry tasting, or I'm lucky enough to have a winery send me a bottle for review.

I'm fortunate in that I lived in California and took advantage of my time there, really getting to know the sub-AVAs of Napa and Sonoma in particular. And one of the AVAs I've had the fortunate experience of visiting lots of times is Oakville in Napa -- arguably the best and most prestigious winegrowing area in all of California.

Oakville is home of the "cult Cabs" -- super expensive, small production, exclusive Cabernet Sauvignon that wine snobs love to tell you they've tried. Getting on the mailing list (they aren't sold any other way) for Screaming Eagle, Harlan, and Dalla Valle is the wine world's version of winning the PowerBall Jackpot. All these wineries are in Oakville.

If that's not enough evidence this place is pretty special, know that here lies historic vineyards like To Kalon, which means "most beautiful" in Greek, established in 1868 (it's owned by Beckstoffer and Mondavi, but they sell fruit to lots of producers) and Martha's Vineyard (heh heh. Nice allusion to the MA island. Heitz's wine from here is outstanding). They make amazing wine.

For all this prestige, it's a super small area -- to continue the analogy, it's about the size of the smallest nesting doll, relative to Napa at large. It's just 2 miles wide between the Vaca Mountains in the east and the Mayacamas mountains on the western border with Sonoma.

The geology of Napa is very cool -- lots of plate movement (hence earthquakes) so the valley floor and the foothills, where the vineyards are, have a range of soils, altitudes, and sun exposures that make each wine really unique depending on the part of the area in which it's grown. Oakville is a warmer area of Napa but isn't blistering -- it has cool, foggy mornings that preserve acidity and warm afternoons that ripen the grapes. It's grape growing nirvana.

What does this mean? If you get a wine from Oakville -- especially a Cabernet or Merlot -- it's probably going to be great.

As a total non sequitur, I love Oakville for it's wines, but also for it's fabulous gourmet grocery store -- the Oakville Grocery. You have to go there if you go to Napa. The sandwiches and coffee (after a long day of tasting) are amazing and it's a throw back to a 1920s grocery store.

But back to the wine...

Recently Swanson Vineyards sent me 3 bottles to sample and I was excited. Yes, it's the same family as the TV dinner fame, but since 1985 this Winery has been making some pretty exceptional wines. The offshoot of the packaged food family has made major investment in wine and it's paid off. They hired a string of highly capable winemakers -- most recently Chris Phelps, who has studied under the best winemakers in Bordeaux, including Christian Moueix at Petrus, and at the hoity Dominus and Caymus Wineries in Napa -- and the result is great Merlot and Cabernet. Here's the rundown:

The Wine: Swanson Merlot
Where It's From: Oakville, Napa, California
The Grape: 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon
Alcohol: 14.8% (on the high side)
Vintage: 2007
Price: $38

Color: Very dark for a Merlot, this baby did not look like the "medium" wine I always associate with the grape -- probably owing to the 20% of the pretty dark Cabernet Sauvignon. It was the color of blackberry or prune juice. I assumed big flavor from the looks of this.

Smell: I love when California Merlot is more than just a pleasant sipping wine and this fit the bill! It wasn't overpowering, but it had a real woodsy component that I liked. It reminded me of Christmas -- baked red apples, cinnamon stick, allspice, and a little tree bark were strong supporting roles behind the lead scent of blackberries and boysenberries. The smell was a little tangy -- there was an orange peel note that I think made it so. Pretty interesting.

Taste: Much more standard than it smelled. It was a very good wine, but extremely medium all around -- in tannin, in acid, in flavor. There was a pleasant black cherry taste and the cinnamon stick I smelled was certainly in the flavor, but it was simpler than I expected. It didn't hang around to savor -- the flavor disappeared quickly on the finish.

Pairing: Roast veggies or meats with shallots, thyme, or tarragon flavors. This is a nice but medium textured and flavored wine that could be given more umph with the help of sauteed herbs with roasted potatoes, vegetables, or meats like lamb, duck, or chicken.

Drink or Down the Sink?: Drink. This wine is good, but it's milder than I would expect from the look and smell of it. It's a very well-made wine but less powerful than I had hoped. I think this is probably because 2007 was a vintage marked by cool weather and a less ripe crop. I'd like to try this in another year, but I still think this is a solid wine and I'd drink it any day of the week.


The Wine: Swanson "Alexis" Cabernet Sauvignon
Where It's From: Oakville, Napa, California
The Grape: 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot
Alcohol: 14.8%
Vintage: 2007
Price: $75

Color: A crimson, similar to the Merlot in color, the wine was not as dark as I'd expect from an Oakville Cabernet -- which can often be almost purple in color from being so ripe. I looked at this as a good sign that the wine may have some balance and may not be over-the-top, as many Napa Cabs are. What does "over-the-top" mean? The wine is so full of fruit flavor, alcohol, and tannin that your mouth becomes overwhelmed and can't even distinguish flavors or think about the wine -- it's too much for me to process.

Smell: This is everything I'd expect a Napa Cab to smell like. Black cherry was overlain with tobacco, leather, and coffee smells from oak aging. There was a delicious floral/perfume note that went well with the mocha thing going on. The only drawback -- it was a cilia singer: I coughed from the "hot" alcohol smell that wafted up my snout on the sniff (which is strange because the Merlot had the same alcohol level and it didn't do that to me).

Taste: Wow. This was amazing. Licorice and nutmeg with a big hit of espresso flavor reminded me of drinking a great cup of coffee. The wine tasted like black raspberries, black cherry, with some fresh orange peel. It was cola like too -- almost similar to a Dr. Pepper. The texture was perfect. The tannin wasn't too harsh and the alcohol was completely in check and not burning my esophagus as it went down. The wine had great balance between the alcohol, tannin, acid, and fruit flavors -- it was powerful, but not overwhelming.

Pairing: No question about it -- steak, portabella mushrooms, beef stews, and any other heavy, hearty dishes with mushroom, au jus, or brown butter sauces with flavorful savory herbs. This is a great wine for food because of its balance -- it won't overwhelm what you're eating.

Drink or Down the Sink?: Drink. It's expensive but worth it. This is a great wine. I give Swanson tons of credit for restraining their style and making it food friendly, while still being fruity and very typical of Oakville. A very impressive, delicious, balanced wine -- I love it!


The Wine: Swanson Pinot Grigio
Where It's From: Napa Valley, California
The Grape:100% Pinot Grigio
Alcohol: 13.6%
Vintage: 2009
Price: $21

Color: A super pale straw, this wine looks like it's never seen the inside of an oak barrel...because it hasn't. On the downside, I love a Pinot Gris that has lots of fruit flavor -- Pinot Gris (same grape) from Alsace, France, for instance is rich in color from ripeness -- so I was wary of something so light.

Smell: Super pretty. There were some unique things going on here. First there was a spicy pear smell -- like a pear soaked in Chai tea. Then there was something akin to suntan lotion -- a creamy coconut milk smell. There were lovely floral scents too -- like jasmine and tropical flowers. The wine reminded me of a tropical tree flower called a frangipani. I lived in St. John for a while (story for another time) and had a tree outside my house that smelled delicious when it was in bloom. The wine reminded me of that tree.

Taste: A lot lighter than what I'd hoped, the wine had some nice honey, pear, and red apple flavors. On the downside, it was slightly bitter, like the skin of an almond. There wasn't a whole lot going on in the glass. The acid was nice but very average. It was a simple, easy to drink wine but not much there to analyze.

Pairing: Best as a pre-food sipper or with a baguette and a hard cheese like Parmesan. You could do a light fish with it, but you'd have to be careful that the seasoning wasn't too bold or it would wipe out the wine.

Drink or Down the Sink?: Meh. I reviewed this last because it was my least favorite of the three wines I had. It's just an ok wine. For $21 I'd rather buy a Pinot Gris from Alsace, France, which is layered with flavor and absolutely fabulous. This wine is good, but it's too light for my liking and not something I'd go out of my way for...unlike the Cab or the Merlot, which I thought were great.

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Wine For Normal People Radio : Episode 018 The Grape Mini-Series: Merlot

This week we talk about the Goldilocks of red wine -- Merlot. The crowd pleaser of the reds, this versatile grape has a style for just about everyone. There are haters out there, but keep in mind, this is a main grape of Bordeaux and is responsible for one of the finest, most expensive wines in the world from there...it deserves some respect!

Show notes:

Shoutouts to friends on Twitter, Facebook, iTunes, and commenters on email (elizabeth(at) winefornormalpeople (dot)com) and on the blog

Main Topic: Merlot (yes, the "t" is silent)

• The Goldilocks wine -- medium and great because of it!
• Descriptions of different styles of Merlot and why some of it is kind of bad and some is outstanding
• Merlot's relationship with Cabernet Sauvignon
• A bit of background on this lovely grape -- where it came from
• Growing regions and styles: France (Bordeaux), Italy, the Baltic states, New Zealand, Australia, and US (Washington State and CA)
• A little on food pairing
• Prestigious producers of Merlot
  

Click here or download the 'cast below...

Wine For Normal People Radio : Episode 018 The Grape Mini-Series: Merlot

Please leave us your feedback here (including show suggestions!), on the Wine For Normal People Facebook Page, and on Twitter @normalwine

Thanks for listening!

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Wine For Normal People Radio: Episode 12, Wine Etiquette...Approving, Tasting, and Spitting, Oh My!

Building on last week's episode of "How to Speak to a Sommelier," we get into it on wine etiquette basics. Thanks to Matt M. and Brandy for leaving comments on the blog and giving us the idea for this show topic! We love when you suggest stuff for us to talk about!

• Shout-outs - Awesome reviews on iTunes, the blog, and the Facebook page. Thank you so much for engaging with us and for giving us great feedback. The motivation is huge for us to keep doing cool stuff and making the 'cast better and better! You are awesome!
  
• Huge props to Steve Paulo at Notes from the Cellar - a wine blog that previously covered 8 Rules for Visiting Tasting Rooms, some of which we covered and some that we didn't!
  
  
• Main Topic - Wine Etiquette
  1. We go through the whole presentation schtik in a restaurant -- and tell you what to do with the cork (don't bite it PLEASE!).
     
  2. I don't mention my pet peeve about fingerprints on the bowl of glass, but instead we tell you the real reason why you should hold a glass by the stem or the base.
     
  3. We discuss the spit or swallow controversy...in a tasting of course (you didn't think we were going X-rated on you, did you?)
     
  4. I can't help myself and discuss the dos and don'ts when you attend a wine class with an expert (I may sound rude, but from my angle, if you don't want to learn, don't go!).
  5. Rick and I explore the etiquette of wine tasting rooms and what you can expect when visiting...including the burning question: When visiting a tasting room, are you obligated to buy a bottle of wine?
  6. And lots more!
     
     
• Grape of the Week - Merlot (I don't know if we did a great job explaining this one, to be honest so if you have questions, pop 'em over. At least I admit it...)
  
  
• We didn't say it, but next week is Food & Wine Pairing...it's my take on it, so a little different than the usual spiel. Tune in for more!
  
  
  Wine Etiquette
  

To listen, download the podcast from the iTunes store (and if you like it please add a comment or rate it so we can make sure to stay on the radar, which helps other folks find us easily that would be great!), click the link above, or use the player below! Thanks for listening!

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Michel-Schlumberger: An Awesome Taste of France in a Corner of Sonoma

With my memory of my Sonoma trip from 6 weeks ago fading fast, I've decided to skip doing a negative review of Bella Winery (which used to produce stellar Zinfandel and has since declined in quality to a point that I can't even recommend going there for the awesome ambiance -- the tasting area is a in a beautiful cave) and spend the next week and a half sharing the last 5 amazing experiences MC Ice and I had at some kick ass wineries.

Today, I'll talk about a total gem that I'd heard about but had never tried or visited -- Michel-Schlumberger. It was highly recommended by some folks who worked in tasting rooms around Sonoma, which is, incidentally, a great way to plan your route if you aren't set on going to specific wineries before you arrive.

Before we go any further, this is how you pronounce this Winery:

Michelle Shlum-burr-ZHEY

Ok, with that out of the way, let's discuss this very French sounding place that is housed in a gorgeous, white, Spanish/Mission style building.


The Winery was actually started by a Swiss gentleman, Jean-Jacques Michel, in 1979. He loved the Dry Creek Valley, where he set up the estate, mostly because it was full of cool weather pockets and benchlands that could produce very unique flavors, especially in the red wines. In 1993, Jacques Pierre Schlumberger, whose family has a 400 year history of making wine in Alsace, France (Domaine Viticoles Schlumberger, if you were wondering), came on as a partner. (As an aside, no one mentioned while we were there and nothing is said on the Web site about what happened to Mr. Michel but I don't think he's part of the operation anymore...or maybe he's just not promoting himself because he's Swiss. You know how they love their neutrality!).

Given its ownership, it wasn't surprising to me that the Winery has a very French orientation about quality, grapes they grow, and wine style. These wines are amazing examples of what can be produced when you draw out the best from the vineyard and don't rely on winemaking to create flavor. The Domaine is really dedicated to this idea of terroir, as the French call all the natural elements of a vineyard that contribute to the flavor of the grapes. They have planted their main varieties -- Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, and Chardonnay -- on knolls and ridges that optimize the flavors of the grapes to give them complexity so the winemaker doesn't have to monkey around too much in the cellar.

Their philosophy is best summed up by this line on their site: "One can nudge a wine here and there in the cellar, but the quality and personality come from the vineyard."

The other HUGE bonus for me: The vineyards are 100% organically farmed and the estate is a Certified Wildlife Habitat. It was clear from speaking to their representatives that everyone at Michel-Schlumberger is very proud of this dedication to the environment. Kudos to them. Organic farming plows nutrients back into the soil and allows for the grapes to flourish in the way that nature intended. It's not cheap and it takes a lot of commitment. I'm a big supporter because I think ultimately it makes the wine taste better.

So now to the experience that M.C. Ice and I had there...although only producing 6,000 - 8,000 cases of wine a year (depending on the crop), this Winery was mega popular on the rainy day we got there. We pulled in to the parking lot (you have to keep your eyes peeled if you visit, it's nestled in a corner of the Dry Creek) and there were buses taking up all the parking, but we managed to squeeze in with our sweet Hyundai Elantra-with-no-power-steering regardless. Although it says on the sign that it's appointment only, we were able to weasel our way in.

Michel-Schlumberger doesn't do a tasting like you'd find in other places, they do a full education session. This place has a true interest in hospitality, in wine, and in teaching its visitors something about what they're drinking. If you're looking to get hammered, this isn't the place for you, and they make that clear -- which I just love.

We were assigned an educator, who, upon learning that I was a blogger, was completely turned off...and for this I love her! This was not Samantha's first rodeo with a wine blogger and although she was completely willing to do her job and explain the wines, she wanted nothing to do with me at first. I tried to explain to her that I wasn't a regular wine blogger and I was just there to try the wines and learn. M.C. Ice helped to back me up (the name of the blog didn't hurt either) and then Samantha confessed that her run-ins with many a blogger had been negative - mostly owing to snotty dispositions and an expectation that they would be getting free wine as they walked out of the winery. This shocked and amazed me (ok, so I'm naive I guess).

Thankfully, after showing us two wines, I think we won her over and made her realize that we weren't trying to get anything out of her except a taste of some of the yummy wine and the great stuff that was in her brain about it! She confessed that we were normal and not typical, which did my heart good. If you're reading this, Samantha, we loved you and were so happy to have you as our guide to these delicious wines! You're officially a Normal Wine Person too -- not snotty, just passionate, and very down-to-earth. You're the best!

To the lineup. We tried 5 wines, all that I seemed to have written the same comment about -- "would be great with food." Such a French attribute, and a real asset in my opinion, since wine that isn't enhanced by food is a snack on its own and not always the most versatile drink!
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Wine 1: La Brume Chardonnay
Where It's From: Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County, California
The Grapes: 100% Chardonnay
Vintage: 2007
Price: $32

Color: The wine was a rich color. I wrote down "golden banana color." It was pretty dark owing to the ripeness of the fruit and the 8 months of aging in new French oak barrels.

Smell: I thought it was interesting that I didn't pick up anything that the wine notes described in this wine. I expected, given that they use a clone from Burgundy, and not the traditional California Chardonnay clone (called the Wente clone after that Winery's successful development of it), that the wine would be citrusy and full of mineral notes. The wine notes promised that but I got a big whiff of tropical fruit -- piña colada, coconut, and white flowers with a good dose of oak to boot.

Taste: It was a well-balanced wine but much more California in style than I expected. The flavors were like candied pineapple with a little bit of sweet apple. The acidity was on the low side and the wine was creamy, but not overly so.

Drink or down the sink. Although not my ideal Chardonnay profile (I like very little oak and big mineral and citrus flavors), I think this is a well made wine. It had good balance and although I wouldn't choose to sip it alone, I think it would be amazing with food. A buttery scallop with this wine would be outstanding. If you like the more tropical flavors but not wines that are over-oaked, this wine will be dreamy for you! ______________________________________________________________________


Wine 2: La Sage Merlot
Where It's From: Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County, California
The Grapes: 84% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 3% Malbec
Vintage: 2006
Price: $25

Color: In Bordeaux, Malbec is frequently used to give color to a wine and I have a feeling that it was used in this case for that purpose. The wine was darker colored than the lighter Merlot or Cabernet Franc -- it was a rich crimson, that seemed influenced by the more purple color that Malbec carries. Very pretty!

Smell: What a great smell! Black sour cherry was the predominant fruit note with a rich savory herb smell (like herbs sauteed in butter!) -- it has a tarragon note. There was a tobacco-like smell too, but like pipe tobacco, which I really like because it reminds me of my grandfather's pipe (before he ditched it because he realized it could kill him and all of us sucking in the air around him!). The cinnamon and nutmeg sprinkled in between all these savory scents completed the mix and made my mouth water for this wine.

Taste: The taste was completely different from the smell, but still solid. It was more like sour cherry and sweet strawberry flavors playing off each other. It had a little touch of green pepper flavor to it, which is often found in Cabernet Franc. My favorite thing about this wine though, was the feeling in my mouth. It was lean, but still perfectly medium in every way -- medium bodied, medium alcohol, medium acid -- nothing sharp or pointy in the texture. This is how I think Merlot should be.

Drink or down the sink. We bought some of this to try at home because this is an ideal food wine. I could imagine it going very well with a mushroom-based sauce or soup and grilled meat and vegetables. The wine was great on its own but the texture and the harmonious flavors kind of screamed for food. I'm excited to taste it with a meal. Oh, and did I mention that this is an unbelievable value for $25? Needless to say, DRINK.

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Wine 3: La Cime Cabernet Sauvignon
Where It's From: Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County, California
The Grapes: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2007
Price: $40

Color: This wine was DARK! It was an opaque, dark, dark red. Samantha told us that 2007 was one of the richest Cabernet Sauvignon vintages in Sonoma in a long time. The fruit got a great balance of ripeness and earthiness, according to her....

Smell: And from the nose, it seems that she was right! There were black currant and blackberry fruit aromas with a light scent of violets and dried roses, and then this salty, dark earth smell that was so natural and delicious that I felt like I was in the vineyard inhaling the earthy goodness.

Taste: At first there was a taste of fresh red beets -- a real earthy quality that I loved. Then the wine mellowed into a black currant and blackberry aroma along with that dark soil component. There was a bitter chocolate note and then a warmth that followed (most likely from the alcohol, which is 14.7%).

Drink or down the sink. Drink. I just loved this wine. It tasted very much un-tampered with -- this Cabernet reflected the vineyard in a way that was completely refreshing and so unlike many of the California Cabernets that I've tasted. This is a very unique style for Sonoma and was much more like a Right Bank Bordeaux than a Cali Cab. Again, another wine that would be stellar with food (you could do big flavors -- meats, hearty mushroom dishes, stews) and it would be an ideal complement without overpowering the dish. Michel-Schlumberger's French heritage is apparent here. ______________________________________________________________________

Wine 4: Deux Terres Cabernet Sauvignon
Where It's From: Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County, California
The Grapes: 90% Cab Sauv, 5% Malbec, 5% Merlot
Vintage: 2006
Price: $100

Why is it called Deux Terres? Because it comes from two different soils with two different Cabernet Sauvignon clones. The grapes are grown at a higher elevation and they are handled with kid gloves in the Winery. Fermented and transported in small bins, the grapes are hand-pressed to make sure the skins don't bruise or crush until it's time. There were only 250 cases of this vintage made!

Color: The wine was blood red and it just stained the glass when I swirled it around. Pigment, pigment, and more pigment from contact with the skins.

Smell: The wine had a beautiful floral perfume and also a rich black fruit smell -- like black currant and blackberry. It had this heady smell like a coffee shop too -- roasted coffee beans. Yum!

Taste: Wow. Chocolate, mocha, black currant, and sour cherry deliciousness. If you've ever had natural sugar cane cola (like Whole Food's brand or Boylan's) -- it had something reminiscent of that. There was this incredible baked bread and warm, soft pretzel taste too. The wine had a little pucker, but the tannin was balanced.

Drink or down the sink. Drink. What a great wine! This was MC Ice's favorite and I can see why. Michel-Schlumberger is known for its Bordeaux style wines and this wine is a perfect example. You don't get flavors like this from just anywhere -- this wine shows the Winery's commitment to picking the right site for the right grapes. What a gem.

______________________________________________________________________


Wine 5: La Source Syrah
Where It's From: Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County, California
The Grapes: 97% Syrah, 3% Viognier
Vintage: 2006
Price: $32

Why did they add Viognier to the wine? Often in the Rhone Valley, the home of Syrah, a touch of Viognier is blended to soften the wine and add wonderful floral aromatics to the dark fruit and leather smells of the Syrah.

Color: Syrah is generally pretty dark and this was no exception -- maroon with a brick red rim.

Smell: Maybe I'm really keyed into it, but the first and strongest note for me was from the Viognier (even though only 3% contributed!). A honeyed floral note, which is so typical of that grape came through loud and clear and mingled with a touch of dark plum and a ton of black pepper to make this nose unreal. I couldn't stop sniffing this wine.

Taste: If I thought it was aromatic, that was only the beginning of the story. The flavors were so layered. That Viognier honeysuckle was present but then there were fruit notes -- blackberry and a musky cantaloupe flavor came through. Then the traditional Syrah flavors that I personally know and love so well came out -- black pepper, lavender, savory thyme, earth, and tanned leather. There was a slight fresh dill note too -- probably from the fact that the winemaker used a small percentage of American oak for aging, which can bring out bold dill and musk flavors. The wine was tannic and acidic and complex.

Drink or down the sink. Drink. This was my favorite of the tasting, which says a lot since I really enjoyed everything. This wine was nothing short of stunning. It was a beautiful example of Syrah. The winemaker, Mike Brunson, did an amazing job of letting the fruit shine and then used the right barrel combination and winemaking techniques to make everything fuse together in perfect harmony. For $32, this is a treasure.

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Thanks to Michel-Schlumberger for hosting us and to Samantha for being NORMAL, cool, and smart! We'll certainly be back on future trips to Sonoma! Readmore »»

Darioush: A Phenomenal Winery in an Unusual Setting

When I was little I had a favorite book called "The Big Orange Splot," which I'm sure few if any people have heard of (apart from my mom, sister, and M.C. Ice to whom I introduced the book shortly after I was sure he was in for the long haul : ). It's an illustrated book about a dude named Mr. Plumbean who lives in a very uniform subdivision. One day a seagull drops a can of orange paint on his roof (don't look for logic, it's a kid's book). His neighbors lament his bad luck and ask him to fix it, but instead he paints the rest of his house in psychadelic colors and creates a hippie oasis replete with frangipani trees and a pet alligator. The neighbors go over, one by one, to talk sense into him and wind up transforming their attitudes and then their homes into the homes of their dreams until everyone has a crazy ass house that represents them.

In my mind, this is kind of the story of Darioush Khaledi (minus the splot).

The first time I drove past Darioush I was completely confused. MC Ice and I were getting our bearings around Napa and wound up driving south down the Silverado Trail (the high rent section of Napa) when we saw an Egyptian castle-like building on our left. It was so over the top and out of place compared to the rest of the Napa establishments that we HAD to check it out.

Knowing nothing about the place, I assumed this was someone's folly and that the wines would be campy and gimmicky, which is how I perceived the building.

Realizing for the four millionth time that you can't judge a book by its cover, when I tasted the wines and they were outstanding, I was blown away. I'm a huge fan of Darioush and after my visit to the Winery and the wonderful hospitality we were shown, I'm an even bigger advocate.

Although Darioush Khaledi has the same story as every other dude in Napa (rich man loves wine, buys winery) his is full of many more interesting twists, as Gregory, our guide through the Darioush line and an all-around good guy shared with us.

Darioush was born in Iran and his dad made wine as a hobby. Being a curious kid, he snuck barrel samples and tasted wines from a young age. So began his Bacchanalian obsession.

After the s*%t hit the fan in Iran, he immigrated to L.A. in the late 1970s, where he had to start from scratch. He and his brother opened a value grocery store, and success bred success. Today he owns a chain of value grocery stores and his earnings allowed him to buy and build out the winery of his dreams, which pays homage and is a stunning monument to his heritage.

So it's not exactly a "Big Orange Splot," but Darioush and Mr. Plumbean both bucked convention and allowed their dreams to become reality in such an individual way, that I see a great parallel. Hearing Darioush's story makes me understand the motivation behind the building and I admire it so much more now that I get it.

But even without that background, I can tell you that if you walked into this winery you'd see a big difference between this place and others in Napa. It's not just the layout or the "theme," it's the warm welcome. This place isn't just a winery, it's a place to hang out for a while and enjoy yourself. They've got bar stools and seating areas, amazing Persian-roasted pistachios (we bought three bags to bring home!!!), and nice, knowledgeable people who want you to have fun and feel comfortable. This place makes you feel special (what a relief after being locked in the dungeon of the yuck winery before!).

We tried 6 wines and each was exceptional -- both the reds and the whites. Gregory, our guide, told us that Darioush has a true admiration for French wines and that his personal cellar is made up of a lot of wines from France. You can easily see the French influence in the wines' layers of flavor and complexity.

Without further ado...the Lineup:

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Wine 1: 2007 Russian River Chardonnay

Price: $39

Color: This wine was slightly deceptive in color -- this is why I always say that color is our least reliable sense when evaluating wine. It was a light straw with a little green to it. Usually this color means the wine hasn't seen oak (or just used oak, since new oak darkens a wine's color) and the green generally indicates youth and high acidity...again book and cover don't match.

Smell: Green apples and classic notes of pineapple, tropical fruit, and vanilla were all over this wine. There was a lemonade note -- lemony but slightly sweet -- that was very unique and pleasing too. The smell reminded me of pina colada with a kick of lemon in it.

Taste: A classic Russian River Valley Chardonnay with a twist! The wine tasted like a Sonoma Chardonnay -- tropical fruit, pina colada, vanilla, caramel, smoke, oak and apple -- all what you'd expect. To balance this though, there was very high acid and a mineral/crushed rock/gravel-like component to the wine that gave it an interesting twist. Although I'm not willing to go as far as to say that it was French in style (because it did have so much ripe fruit), I do think it's a variation for those who like oak but want acid and minerals too.

Drink or Down the Sink? Drink. I don't like a lot of oak on my Chardonnay and I'm generally put off when I can detect it strongly but this wine is so well made and has great balance that even I enjoyed my taste of it. It had a enough interest from the acid and mineral components that I've got to respect it. If you like oak on your Chardonnay, but in moderation, you will go nuts for this wine. It's a stellar example of the mindmeld between great fruit and great winemaking.

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Wine 2: 2009 Signature Viognier
Viognier, the aromatic white grape native to the Northern Rhone Valley, has really taken off in California. The only thing -- you usually see it from the Central Coast, not from Napa. I'd heard this wine was outstanding and was anxious to see if it lived up to the hype.

Price: $39

Color: The wine was a golden color and was reflective and really viscous (it stuck to the sides of the glass).

Smell: As all Viognier should be, this wine was like smelling a bowl of ripe fruit. Honeydew, tangerine, peach, and apricot created a heady mix. 15% of the wine spent some time in oak barrels, and I could detect a little sugar cookie smell (vanilla, baked sugar, and a biscuity note) from that. It smelled delicious.

Taste: I was so happy to taste what I just love in Viognier -- a huge hit of honeysuckle with ripe peaches. There was a tangerine twang too and a small touch of acidity, which is often lost in California versions of this classically low acid grape. It was mouthcoating, rich, and regal.

Drink or Down the Sink? Drink. I love that Darioush is making this wine. It's a bold move for a Napa producer but they've found the right vineyard in the Oak Knoll district and their careful handling of the fruit allows the true nature of Viognier to show itself. A highlight of the tasting for sure.
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Wine 3: 2006 Signature Merlot

Price: $46

Color: SEXY!!! The wine was so pretty. A consistent, saturated crimson color that didn't stain the glass and didn't have gloppy legs (meaning the alcohol wasn't too high and the grapes didn't sit on the skins for too long).

Smell: Richness and complexity overlaying bold ripe fruit! Black cherry and a bouquet of dark flowers with layered undertones of smoke and rich coca powder (not the sweetened kind). What a classy smell! It was a privilege to take a whiff.

Taste: Blackberry, blueberry, and black cherry -- like a fruit pie. Similar to the smell, there were undertones of tobacco and wet, dark soil that were so awesomely different and refined. The tannins (things that dry out your mouth) can only be described as chewy -- you found yourself kind of wanting to bite on them after they left your mouth. It sounds weird, but if you've had a wine with this kind of tannin, you'll know what I'm getting at.

Drink or Down the Sink? Drink. This is my favorite of the entire line. I LOVE this Merlot. I wish every Merlot hater could grab a bottle of this and taste it blind. I'm SURE it would convert them. This is not an overcropped, watery, overly soft, pansy Merlot. This wine pays great respect to the Bordeaux native (the Merlot grape) and shows what Merlot can be when it's treated well, grown on hillsides (this is from the hills of Mount Veeder, a very prestigious area), and handled carefully in a winery. With 5% Cabernet Franc blended in for earthiness, this is a stunner. Go Merlot!
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Wine 4: 2007 Signature Cabernet Franc

It's interesting to see a pure Cab Franc. Most winemakers use it for blending because it adds great earth and herbal notes to a blend. Although some examples can be phenomenal (Cheval Blanc is the most famous mostly Cabernet Franc wine from Bordeaux), some taste like a green pepper and are less outstanding. Important trivia fact -- Cabernet Sauvignon is the love child of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc, so don't be surprised if you see similarities to either of these grapes.

Price: $58

Color: Lighter than the Merlot, this wine was like bright bing cherry juice. It seemed like it wasn't going to have a lot going on.

Smell: I should just stop looking at the wine! There was A LOT going on in the nose. There was the typical green pepper note (to which I'm very sensitive so I always notice first) and then a hit of wet garden soil. Black tea leaves (like a regular tea bag), and a nougat aroma (like the inside of a 3 Muskateers bar) jumped out of the glass. There was a hit of nutmeg too. This was a very interesting wine.

Taste: Of course I noticed the green pepper first but it didn't ruin the wine. Blackberry fruit was overlain by that same tea leaf, earthy, nougat taste that I had smelled. The wine had a long finish and it tasted like fruit and almonds -- almost like a marzipan. It was intense and so interesting.

Drink or Down the Sink? Drink. I love that the winemaker reversed the Merlot blend for this -- it's 95% Cabernet Franc and 5% Merlot. If you've never had Cabernet Franc before, this is a classic example. If you don't like this, I think you may not be a fan of Cabernet Franc. This is a real pinnacle for a grape that isn't often made as a standalone (because most can't do it right). A terrific wine.

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Wine 5: 2007 Signature Shiraz

Price: $68

Color: This was so dark it was almost purple in color and pretty damn near opaque. Because I had been so grossly off in prejudging based on color, at this point I gave up hope that this would be a flavor-rich wine, as it should have been with that kind of look to it...

Smell: But just when I thought I shouldn't bother looking at wine anymore, SUCCESS!!! This was a big daddy wine. Leather, smoke, and the smell of a horse stable (typical for Shiraz) were calling my name. There was a floral/perfume smell and then the essence of super-ripe black plums and blackberries. Almond, cocoa powder, and dark chocolate were somewhere in the mix too. I wanted to EAT this wine from the smell of it.

Taste: Just like it smelled except with some new layers of thyme and herb. The problem for me -- it had flavor, but the texture wasn't as rich as I'd hope so the flavor was kind of fleeting. I didn't get to savor it in a long finish or chew on the tannins as I did with the out-of-this-world Merlot.

Drink or Down the Sink? Drink. It's a great wine, although this was the least complex of the group for me and probably my least favorite. Although the wine is well-made, I wished it had a bit more staying power. Maybe it's just a phase in the wine's development and it may get better with time. Either that or it's not my style. Still, I wouldn't skip it if someone offers it to you.

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Wine 6: 2005 Signature Cabernet Sauvignon

Funny story about this wine. My dad went to Napa a few months ago. He went with a friend and didn't consult me on the visit (bad move, as he attested). When he came back, he called me. "I went to a place called Darioush. So, how do I get a Cab like that for less than $80?" Sorry dad, even with my experience and all the stuff I taste, I can attest that it doesn't exist. This is Darioush's largest production item (8,000+ cases) but it's still handcrafted and beyond fabulous. A cheaper wine won't give you the kind of quality that's in this bottle.

Price: $80

Color: The wine was like a ruby gemstone and it had thick, lazy tears that took their sweet time running down the glass. High alcohol, high pigment, and I assumed, HUGE flavor.

Smell: Ohhh yeah. Although it shares some subtle components with its Bordeaux brethern, this isn't a wine from anywhere except Napa Valley. And it's amazing. The wine was bursting with black cherry. The smells from the oak were so awesome -- cedar, pencil lead, and tobacco were easily identifiable and mouthwatering.

Taste: What a complex wine! Black cherry and juicy black plum flavors were so vivid that it was like biting into the fruit. The oak flavors of tobacco, vanilla, and almond complemented the fruit and everything combined with tempered tannins that held the flavor after I swallowed the wine.

Drink or Down the Sink? Drink. This is absolutely divine wine. A great Cabernet that is subtle yet bold. It's steep in price (normal for Napa though) but for California Cab lovers especially, this is a must try. I think it's a beautiful wine that is truly Napa, but has some of the subtlety of the French wines Khaledi loves so much.

So that was the end of my tour of Napa. It's on to Sonoma next. Before I depart, I need to extend gratitude to the readers who told me to include Darioush on the itinerary (thanks for voting on Facebook and Twitter especially) and to Alessandra and Gregory at Darioush, who made our visit so outstanding. A million thanks and I can't wait to come back!!! Readmore »»