Greatest Hits of 2012

At the end of the year, WordPress sent me a summary of my year.  Sort of a year in review for the writer.  How many visitors, which posts were the most viewed, et cetera.  They invite you to share the information with your readers.  At first, I thought, “How Silly.  That is like Justin Bieber releasing a Greatest Hits.”  After all, I’ve only just begun (I hope you heard Karen Carpenter just then).  But then I looked at my top five posts from the year and I thought, “Yes, that is a pretty good cross-section of what I have done.”  So I am sharing it with a little back story.  Think of it as a pathetic version of Storytellers.  Cheers!

1 “Hey Girl…I love SAHMs” October 2012

Don’t you love new friends?  Especially those that share your affinity for all things Gosling?  And can make you laugh out loud with a text?  And inspire silly posts?  Me too.  It is no wonder this got a lot of views.  He’s impossible to resist. 

2 Grief and Gratitude  September 2012

I was due to write a new post, but it was September 11th, and I could not write about anything but.  I asked a group of ladies that write about wine if it was okay to venture outside that box.  With their encouragement, I did so.  This is my tribute to a dear, dear friend.

3 OTBN- A Gift from Gundlach Bundschu  February 2012

The first piece of writing I ever put out publicly was a 3rd place poem for a poetry contest at Gundlach Bundschu.  The second piece took first.  It was their encouragement that inspired me to write.  This was a post in which I “shared” the 1997 Cab Franc I received as a prize with my readers.

4 Trends, Schmends-I never gave up on you, Merlot January 2012 

If you have read for very long at all, you know that it is not uncommon to get a hint of psychology in the front and some introspection in the finish.  In Vino Veritas.

5 Molto Bene, Y’all  April 2012

I have loved, loved, loved getting involved in the Texas wine scene.  So many great things being produced, so many great people, and still so much to learn.  Thank you for welcoming me in and for your generous spirits.  This is a piece on a local winery that I grow more fond of with each visit.

So, there you have it.  A little personal stuff, a little humor, a lot of wine.  Some paired, some shared.  Yes, this is a blog about wine, but it is really so much more to me.  Thank you for reading and giving me a place to share, to grow, to learn.

OTBN- A Gift from Gundlach Bundschu

If you are on Twitter and a wine lover, you are probably aware that Saturday was Open That Bottle Night.  One of many Twitter-born events that encourages readers to go ahead and open that bottle that you are saving for a special occasion.  The bottle IS the special occasion so enjoy it now.  Being awarded first place in Gundlach Bundschu’s Deed Day Poetry contest was in and of itself an amazing gift.  The bottle they presented me with was enough to make me squeal and blush: A 1996 Cabernet Franc Magnum.

Now, let me preface all of this by saying that I have never had the privilege of enjoying a magnum of fine wine.  If I sound like a novice, it is because I am. Since receiving this bottle, I have envisioned the dinner party that I would build around the wine.  I love Cabernet Franc but was not sure how it would change with age.  Especially sixteen years and in a magnum format.  I expected a softer fruit with some herbal qualities, so I made my best guess and planned the menu.

We began with a cheese plate, something to munch on while the littles ate dinner and got ready to settle in. Manchego, Gorgonzola with honey, goat cheese, olives and chutney.  I was thinking the goat cheese would pair nicely.  It took a few attempts, but we finally got through the wax seal and pulled out a healthy cork.  Unsure about the level of sediment, we poured the wine into a decanter first.  A beautiful tawny red, brilliant clarity, and life.  The nose was really powerful, but so balanced, it was honestly hard to discern.  Perhaps it was the fact that I was fighting a cold (horrible timing, I know) but it was like a big berry, plum medley.  I expected the taste to be similar.  I was wrong.

The fruit was subtle and smooth.  Blackberry and plum softened with gentle tannins. Garden cuttings and damp shale came to mind. My husband said that it was like being back in the Sonoma cave. With newer wines, you can tell a marked difference between your first taste of the bottle and the last.  It changes as it opens.  This wine was consistent.  Ready.  Amazing from start to finish.  And oh, what a finish.

For the first course, I served Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter sauce.  The sweetness of the squash, herbaceous sage, and salty Grana Pandano all found a friend in the wine.  Delicious.  The second course was a pork tenderloin wrapped in prosciutto and sage with a salad of arugula, pear, and pecorino.  Again, the wine shined with every bite.  Finally, I served a chocolate pudding made with Akoma chocolate, Frangelico whipped cream, and salted pistachios.  Divine.  I would love to tell you how the wine paired with the pudding, but it didn’t make it that far.  I was worried we wouldn’t be able to finish the magnum.  Silly me.

I don’t have a lot of experience with aged wines.  I don’t have the luxury of space and resource to just hold wine for great lengths. I have appreciated the experience and depth of the tobacco and leather types of wine, but it is not the taste profile I would generally choose (again, novice). This wine curled my toes and made me giddy.  Sophisticated and yet so approachable.   A gift in every sense of the word.

Many thanks to the wonderful people at Gundlach Bundschu.  Your wines are always a delight but you humbled me with this bottle. Thank you for the inspiration to write and the encouragement to continue.  This SAHMmelier is truly grateful.

A Taste of Home-Lamoreaux Landing

A few weeks ago, I had my first weekend away since becoming a mom four years ago.  When the possibility of a weekend jaunt arose, it was clear where I wanted, no needed, to go-home.  Well, not quite home, but close.  Although I have been in Austin for nearly half of my life, Upstate New York will always be home. So a trip to the Finger Lakes, to visit one of my dearest friends, was just what I needed.

I had visited Ithaca in the mid-90s and had stopped at a winery, but was just learning about wine at the time, so I thought I would have my hosts pick a few possibilities.  I was intrigued by the wine offerings at Lamoreaux Landing, but knew that was going to be our destination after corresponding with one of the owners, Josh Wig.

Lamoreaux Landing sits above Seneca Lake with magnificent views and an inviting tasting room.  Towering windows,warm wood floors, great displays, and plenty of browsing room.  A space large enough to accommodate summer crowds, cozy enough to linger on a quiet winter day.  As impressive as the room is, it pales in comparison to the wines.

When tasting, I find that the host can make or break your experience. Laura, the Special Events Coordinator, was our host and could not have been better.  Warm, patient, knowledgeable and an all-around pleasure.    We started with the Riesling.  They do six Rieslings here, three are Single Vineyard.  All were fabulous.  The ’08 Reserve has a good balance of minerality and fruit- a touch of citrus and orange blossom. The ’10 had more of a lemony long finish.  The ’10 Semi Dry had softer, honeyed fruit and a long finish.  Of the Single Vineyards, Red Oak was our favorite.  Really big flavor.  Honeysuckle and pear, creamy and delicious.  Although grown so close geographically, each SV Riesling was so different.  Round Rock has a clean minerality (shale/slate) and a touch of gooseberries (I got currant or something, but borrowed gooseberries from their description).  Yellow Dog has more stone fruit , blossoms, and a touch of citrus.

Knowing my palate would only stand so much tasting, we skipped around after the Rieslings and tried a few that were new to me.  The 42 North was an interesting blend.  Mostly Moscato, this wine had fruit and floral notes with a touch of spice (coriander) and would be great with Thai.  The 08 Chardonnay was lovely.  Held  mostly in oak, it had the creamy roundness you would expect, but the time in stainless steel gives the fruit more of a chance to shine.  At $12.99 it is a bargain.  The Estate Red is another excellent bargain.  Cab Franc, Pinot, and Merlot.  Perfectly balanced and a perfect Monday wine at $11.99.  Finally, the big surprise for me was a 2009 T23 Cabernet Franc.  An unoaked Cabernet Franc.  I have never had anything like it.  It has all the big fruit, earthy herbs that you would expect from a Cab Franc and yet, it had a light finish.  Cranberry and soft tannins, this wine would be really versatile in pairings.  Big enough, but not too big for about anything.  Really interesting wine.

When we headed out to Lodi, I had read the accolades in popular publications.  I was impressed by the property. I was rooting for my home state so I was really hopeful that I would like the wine.  I didn’t just like the wine, I LOVED the wine.  I was blown away by the quality for the price point.  I tried things that were completely new to me and was tickled by the depth and variance in the Single Vineyard Rieslings.  And to top it all off, the people were as delightful as the wine.  I cannot recommend this winery enough.  I’d like to say the day was without but disappointment, but there was one.  A big one.  They can’t ship to Texas.  Devastating.  But all the more reason to head back home.