Wine Culture

What wine goes best with an intense drama written by award winning Shem Bitterman and directed by the incomparable Steve Zuckerman set in Colombia amidst a raging war involving drugs, wealth, and idealism? An obvious choice would be a big, strong red to stand up to the mind blowing content of this bold play revolving around a high stakes game of life and death. Perhaps, a better choice would be a 2009 Wiens Family Cellars Pinot Noir to soften the electrifying effects of an evening at the Skylight Theatre in the Los Feliz district of LA. At least, that was the wine of choice by Steve Zuckerman (Everybody Loves Raymond, Murphy Brown, etc., etc.), and even The Winemaker’s Wench isn’t going to argue with such genius.

It was my pleasure and honor to attend this incredible play with such high caliber talent gathered under one roof. After a chance meeting with Mr. Zuckerman a week ago, I found myself traveling back to LA to attend, “A Death in Colombia.” Produced by Gary Grossman, co-owner of The Beverly Hills Playhouse Acting School, “A Death in Colombia,” is a must-see on everyone’s list. I was impressed that Zuckerman was so passionate about this play, that he would take the time to invite, nay, urge this Winemaker’s Wench to attend the show. How could I resist?
Don’t miss this chance to see live theatre that is superbly acted by Joe Regalbuto, best known for his role as Frank in the block buster TV series, “Murphy Brown.” Regalbuto is hauntingly creepy as a deranged CIA agent who has lost touch with reality and his own moral compass. Roxanne Hart plays Lisa with heartfelt emotional pain, tenderness, and anguish as doom looms apparent in the safety of her own apartment in Bogota.

Zuckerman makes a 180 degree turn around from his signature comedic history to expertly make the audience squirm in uneasy anticipation at every twist and turn in this thriller. You are left guessing what’s up next, sitting on the edge of your seat, and gasping until the very end.
This is theatre modified for today’s modern, impatient audiences. From start to finish, the tale unfolds in less than 90 minutes without intermission and with continuous action. Get in. Get on. Get out. I booked online (which gave us priority seating), made a quick Sunday drive into LA with friend and author, Sue Richter, (“Guide to Becoming the 60 Second Lover” www.serabooks@aol.com), easily found free street parking in a nearby neighborhood, enjoyed a meal with plenty of eclectic sidewalk cafes to choose from, hit a Broadway caliber show, and was home in bed by 10:45 pm. For tickets, go to http://www.katselastheatre.com/

Whether you live in the greater LA area, or a neighboring community throughout Southern California…don’t get caught up in a rut, doing the same old same old, going to the regular haunts, seeing the same people day in and day out. Southern California boasts incredible wineries here in Temecula Valley Wine Country, live theatre right in your own town, LA, or San Diego, horseback riding, a day trip to Catalina, scuba lessons, world-class restaurants, cooking classes with famous chefs, beaches, mountains, and the desert!! GET OUT and enjoy the abundance of where we live.

Cork vs Synthetic vs Screw Caps

In the wonderful world of wine, we are at an impasse.  Wine is a very romantic entity with a long and illustrious past.  Wine is entrenched in traditions.  The French, Spanish, and, now, even the Americans have created strict laws and codes of conduct regarding wine.  Wine is a pretentious and fickle lady.  The wine never lies.  Or, does it?!

 

Everything in life evolves.  Modern technology dictates and demands change.  Old-fashioned ways fade into obscurity for newer, more innovative, updated versions.  Do younger generations even know what a percolator is or a sweeper or hootenanny? Who has 8-tracks anymore?  Or, watches black & white TV's?  It only stands to reason that wine should be no different!  It comes down to cork vs. synthetics vs. screw caps.  Those of us who grew up with Boonesfarm, Riunite on Ice, "That's nice!" and, even, Mad Dog 20 (yikes, did I just admit to knowing about that?!  Soo, it was just one New Year's Eve a very long time ago!) know exactly what I'm talking about.  How can any serious wine even dream of adorning an exquisite creation with a screw cap atop?

When my husband and I first met, I was so disappointed to find that he had gasp! sold out, in my book, and was using synthetic corks.  We debated.  He was patient and explained all of the advantages of using the synthetic corks over a natural cork.  Reluctantly, I had to agree that it made sense.  And, it still makes the neat little POP when it's pulled out AND you still get to use the cork screw.  After all, that's part of the whole ceremony that takes place every time you open a bottle of wine.  I was somewhat placated. 

Immediately following this discussion, he popped the rest of the story on me….screw caps are the best and most dependable seal you can put on a wine bottle.  I fainted.

The fact of the matter is….a screw cap is the most evolved form of packaging wine. It always seals perfectly, doesn't add or take anything away from the wine, and doesn't lose its integrity over time.  Let's look at the evidence.  True corked wine can become…well, CORKED!  Did you know that about 1 in 20 bottles pick up a musty, wet cardboard taste from natural cork?  How many times have you anxiously opened a long-anticipated bottle of wine to accompany your meal only to find the cork was dried out? It crumbled into your wine? It allowed air to seep in? It has a funky smell and putrid vinegar taste?  Now what do you do?

We still have far to go on the acceptance of the screw cap.  It's coming, though.  Prepare yourselves.  In the tradition of watching the last steam engine roaring past (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmtvA0yJyTU) to giving up your Erica phone for push button to cell, albums to cassettes to CD's and i-tunes, the screw caps are coming.  Make way for progress.



The Erica Phone



Lots of great wine related activities surround us during the summer months.  The Temecula wineries are knocking themselves out to power pack fun and wine for your summer pleasure.  Check out http://www.temeculanightout.com/

THE place to go for All the places to go!

Get out there and support our local wine industry! 

Cheers & Joy!!



Raising the Bar!

Many a day in the life of The Winemaker's Wench can be demanding.  Lacing my bustier and gathering up my petticoats, I dashed from one wine event to another the past two weeks.  Each outing as tasty and riveting as the next.  Each time I was left with a distinct impression that "...the times, they are a changing!" It has often been related to me that Temecula used to be nothing more than a gas and beer stop on the way to Tijuana, back in the day.  Further reminiscing, most folks remember when there were only two to three wineries in the area.

Against all odds, droughts, frosts, Pierce's Disease, and bad raps, Temecula Wine Country has persevered and evolved.  Thanks to the efforts of many, the images and reputation of wineries in our area are entering a new era.  There are the pioneers like Hart, Faulkner, and Bailey's that have remained a constant, producing solid wines year after year.  There are the people at Wilson Creek and Ponte's that helped put us on the map as a fun wine region.  And, there are the serious big red boys on the block like Wiens, Leonesse, Palumbo's, and Briar Rose, who are proving that first-class, premium wines are being produced in Temecula.  Least of all, shall we forget, South Coast who has nabbed the title of "Winery of the Year" two years running?!

Impressive and continuing to make an impact in the world of wine, we are!  I challenge those of you who tried Temecula Valley wines years ago and were underwhelmed, or those who heard through the grapevine that Temecula just can't be taken seriously, or those who had one negative experience in the area...Revisit and have an open mind.  Remember the French prior to Montelena taking them by storm in their own blind tasting?!  On a recent visit up north, I mentioned to dubious Napa wineries "Be ready"!  Temecula wineries, once written off by serious wine connoisseurs, are making a comeback stronger than ever!

Smoky, tobacco, hints of chocolate, earthy, and chewy.  Bold tannins and deep, rich colors.  Smooth and silky with fabulous legs.  These are the buzz words describing wines presently being made in Temecula with Temecula fruit.  This is not cellar blindness speaking nor is it blatant biasness.  This wining wench has tasted around the globe in over five countries and in numerous wine regions across the United States. My palette ranks up there amongst the sophisticated and well trained (if I do modestly say so myself!).  When I met my winemaker, he had to prove himself and his wares in order to win the affections of this aficionado!  When we were fighting over the last drops of his '02 Merlot at our first dinner date, there was no doubt that this fine fellow, "....had me at Merlot." 

Hey!  Wine Snobs!  Try a shoot-out French style!  Just like they did in 1976 when top French judges unwittingly chose a little known Napa Chardonnay as their #1 ranked wine.  Pick up 6-8 bottles of the same wine varietal from different regions and countries.  Choose a wide price range as well, just to make it interesting!  Have one person in your group cover the wine in paper bags with barely the lip showing and number them.  Then, let the fun begin.  Don't discuss the wines as you sample them.  Sip and savor.  Take notes.  Then vote.  You will be amazed!  Candid, honest opinions will emerge.  Even the most discerning wine lovers in the group will surprise themselves at which ones they favor and why.



Take a Cinderella carriage ride through the Vineyards of Temecula!

 Temecula Wineries.  Closer than you think.  Better than ever!  Come see for yourself.  Visit Temecula Valley for outstanding wine, fabulous weather, beautiful resorts, great restaurants, casinos, historic Old Towne, antiquing, ballooning, and world-class golf.  We've got it all right here in Southern California's little slice of heaven!

Secret Ingredient Contest

Are you a foodie?  Do you love to create in the kitchen?  Have you dreamed of entering a cook off?  Are you ready for some serious Wine & Dine fun in Temecula Valley?  If you answered Yes, to any or all of these questions, then have I got the contest for you!

Secret Ingredient Recipe Cook Off is coming to Temecula Valley's Wine Country, Southern California's premiere wine region.  Temecula Nightout at http://www.temeculanightout.com/ is sponsoring the first ever Garlic Cook Off contest (No, The Wench, cannot keep a secret!) to be held at Danza del Sol Winery http://www.danzadelsolwinery.com/.  This fab event will feature 5-Star Chef, Michael Cragg, formerly from The Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel, http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/LagunaNiguel/Default.htm, and presently with his own Temecula Catering Company and Cooking School, http://temecula-catering.com/. 

Do not tarry to enter!  Get your recipes in by June 30, 2011.  Email Recipe@TemeculaNightOut.com with your "Original" Garlic recipe.  Chef Cragg will choose two lucky finalists then guide them with his prepping and preparing expertise as they move on to the final event on July 31, 2011.  In addition to delish garlic dishes and tasty wines, Diego Mondragon will be delighting the audience with his smooth sounds of Latin-jazz fusion tunes violin style.

The first place winner will receive a "Never to be Forgotten" 5 Star Gourmet Dinner for two prepared and cooked personally by Chef Michael and accompanied with Danza del Sol Wines. 

As a member of a prestigious group of media representatives, I had the opportunity to experience the incredible food personally prepared by Chef Michael.  The pairings with Mike Tingly's wines from Danza and the perfect soulful music of Mondragon set the stage for a winning event in July.

Temecula Nightout is the ONE place to go for ALL of the places to go!  Don't be left out!  Submit your entry today and be ready to be whisked away.  Do you have what it takes to be crowned the Garlic Champion of Temecula Valley Wine Country?

Sexy Senoritas Sipping Spanish Wines

“Well I never been to Spaiiiiin, but, I kinda like their music…” and, wine!  From the popular, Three Dog Night, song from 1971, I added my own flair to the end of that phrase, after sipping through the Navarro Region of Spain at the latest Women’s Wine Council.  Another delightful wine fiesta in the company of some savvy, spicy senoritas.  Out of six different wines that were sampled, there wasn’t a bad one in the bunch.  All of the wines were solid and enjoyable.  Were they all my personal favorites?  Now that’s a stretch!  But, as a hostess, I wouldn’t hesitate to buy or serve any of these wines.

We started the tasting with a 2009 Otazu Chardonnay.  I didn’t expect to be impressed.  After all, we mainly hear about vino tinto, tempranillos, or riojas associated with Spanish wines.  This Chard started off with aromas reminiscent of a Sauvignon Blanc.  However, once sampled, it had more of a green apple flavor and a flat finish.  The pleasant surprise came in how nicely it paired with several of the dishes; including a lovely homemade Spanish olive tapenade with almonds, parmesan, and a hint of anchovy and a spectacular cilantro and onion shrimp ceviche.  Ole!

The second wine in our lineup was the 2010 Torrecilla Rose.  It started flirting with me from the first scents of dry, earthy aromas and finished tempting me with hints of strawberry notes.  The Rose didn’t stop tantalizing there, oh, no!  It continued to tease with a very light mouth feel that slowly turned into some big, bold tannins.  The real treat came, once more, with how well it did the cha-cha with smoked salmon from The Fish House Veracruz, merengued with soft brie giving the wine a smart, fresh flavor; and, finally sizzled with chicken empanadas packed with roasted red and poblano peppers and cream cheese.  Hotchihuahua!

Next on our list was a lovely 2008 Malon de Echaide Tinto Roble (Granacha) with a modest 13.5% alcohol content.  Is it any wonder that this wine was a delight coming from 20+ year old vines?   It was a joyful sensory overload full of mushroom and earthy tones giving way to a deeper smoky and black licorice taste.  Can I just say, for the record, that if Pee Wee Herman had been around, he would have married this wine AND the incredible chocolate chip brownies with fresh ground cloves, on the spot!  And, YUM!  This Tinto Roble absolutely popped with the above mentioned chicken empanadas. 

On to number four, was the classic Marco Real Crianza (Tempranillo) from 2006.  More old vines, a year in oak, and all from a state of the art winery.  Big, black, coffee aroma with hints of vanilla.  The shocker was at how light and smooth tasting this Tempranillo was until paired with food.  The crowd pleasing empanadas brought out the bolder tones in this wine and served quite nicely with the brownies.

The 2008 Inurrieta Sur was a blend of Granacha, Syrah, and Graciano and one has to love this vino for being aged six months on American oak!  Bully for them!  (Or, should I say Toro!)  This blend had beautiful aromas with a mix of spicy smokiness and black pepper.  The strangest food combo of the day was a mint, prosciutto, brie bite that hit a homerun with our group and this particular wine.  A big thumbs up and double Ole’s from me on this one!

We ended our trip to Spain with a lemony fresh tasting 2010 Ochoa Moscatel.  Let me be the first to admit, I am not a syrupy dessert wine type-of-person.  However, when it partnered with the spicy mango slice on the chocolate chip brownie, all of my pre-conceived notions disappeared.  This stuff was muy bueno!

When the tallies were all in, I was surprised that my top three picks came in the top three spots with the group.  After only one other meeting, is our group already developing a sense of collective palates?!  The Inurriate Sur earned the number one spot.  Second place went to the smooth Malon de Echaide Tinto Roble and the Tempranillo nabbed the bronze.  Rounding out the roster was the Rose in fourth, the Chardonnay was fifth, and the desert wine rounded out our roster at sixth.  As one friend recently said to me, her dream was to drink her way across Europe.  After this tasting, I don’t think I would mind starting off in Spain!

For recipes used in this tasting, go to http://winesofnavarra.com/cuisine/.  Special thanks to The Wine Company, http://www.tvwineco.com/, of Temecula for our door prizes!

Some articles by "The Wench" can also be viewed at Temecula Nightout http://www.temeculanightout.com/.  Like them AND me, The Winemaker's Wench, on FB!

Must See Video

Our former marketing manager, Suzanne Schaffner, included this clever clip in her comments to my "Wish I Had a Nickel" posting from yesterday!  The hilarity is in the irony of everything the characters say.  It pretty much sums up the outsider looking in viewpoint of owning a winery.

For me, the days of "Falcon Crest" resonate in my ears when I think of life in the vines.  Fast cars, hot guys (Lorenzo Lamas is STILL sizzling!), sexy women, cat fights, black tie galas, and diamonds galore!  hahahahahahaha!  More like old pick ups, dirty jeans, grape-stained hands, and long, stressful days.

Watch and enjoy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcjVfXBxvdg

Wish I had a nickel!

....for every time someone tells me, "It's always been our dream to have a winery."  It's a great dream to have and far be it from me to squelch anyone's dream....BUT!  This definitely fits into the category of, "Be careful what you wish for, it just may come true!"

People visit us from all over the world and it's alway a thrill to see tourists outside of our winery snapping away memories to take with them.  My husband is absolutely passionate about what he does and on most any given day, merrily whistles whilst he works!  Winemaking is an honorable and gratifying profession.  A winemaker is able to observe the fruits of one's labor from start to finish.  He is involved in every aspect from bud to bottle.  And, he loves every minute of it.

Make no mistake, it is way over romanticized and definitely not for the faint of heart!  I have a dear friend who has a deep passion for all things wine!  A few years ago, Angel was emphatic about wanting to become a winemaker.  So, my patient man helped her do due diligence, "Are you good at Math?"  "Ummm, no, not really."  "Do you like Science?"  "Yeh, noo, not particularly."  "Are you prepared for years of classes and internships and long hours and working for next to nothing?"  "Yikes!  Maybe I'll just keep drinking wine and enjoying that aspect of it."  Good answer!

Then, there's the whole money side of it.  I can't speak to all areas of the United States, but if you're going to start up a winery in California, you better have deep pockets.  Whatever your budget is, triple or quadruple it.  Don't expect returns for at least five years.  Be ready for healthy servings of political red tape and numerous rounds with the city and county.  If a large, extended family is involved, get out your boxing gloves, smelling salts, and be ready to go the distance.  If business partners are solicited, be prepared for ruthlessness, cutthroat conniving con artists, lawsuits, criminal activities, heart break, stolen ideas, and debt.  Have you heard enough?  Are you dissuaded yet?  Don't even get me started on just wanting to grow grapes as a little side business.  Actually, I'll let my brother, Dave, field those questions!

Right now I'm feeling like the neighborhood bully that just told a 5 year old that there's no Santa, the toothfairy is your parents, and Bambi's mother gets killed in the movie.  As you dejectably walk away with your head bent down, tears in your eyes, and dragging your little grape vines behind you, let me tell you the upside!

First and foremost....FREEE WINE!  duuuuh!  Okay, seriously...well, that IS seriously, gobs & gobs of free wine (but, that in itself can be a dilemma as well--Jenny Craig,  http://www.jennycraig.com/& Gold's Gym http://www.goldsgym.com/ love me!)  Alright, alright, I'll be really serious.  Opening your own winery means a full social calendar with more events, concerts, dinners, parties, and travel than you can imagine.  Meeting wonderful wine enthusiasts from all walks of life and corners of the world are definite bonuses.  Having a sense of pride and accomplishment at the end of every harvest/crush season is priceless.  Feeling good that you're selling happiness, good times, and special memories, awesome.  Leaving a lasting legacy for future generations, check!  Enjoying the comaraderie and cooperation that it takes to become and remain successful, heart warming.

Through our winery, I've met incredible musicians like Lukas Nelson, http://www.promiseofthereal.com/, who says things like, "Yes, Ma'am." and "It's an honor to be compared to my dad."  Or, Dave Wakeling,  http://www.davewakeling.com/home.asp, who loves us so much he just performed for the 4th year in a row.  Even famous DJ's like Richard Blade, http://www.richardblade.com/.  He and his wife can't get enough of us and even renewed their 10th wedding anniversary vows at our place last year. 

Not to mention, a built-in place to entertain friends and family.  I barely clean my house anymore!  Out-of-town guests...sure!  Meet us at the winery.  Family gatherings?  Head on over to the winery and we'll have a picnic on the grounds.  Need to get my girlfriends together?  Join me for an afternoon of wine tasting in our private reserve room.

Nothing in life that's worthwhile comes easy.  For most of us, there is no free handouts.  (How many more of those sage dad-isms can I quote?)  The bottom line is that owning a winery and making it in the wine business takes hard work and perserverance.  When all is said and done, at the end of the day, as you sit on your patio and watch the beautiful California sunset, while you sip on an incredible Sangiovese or Bordeaux-style blend, the winemaker and his wench sigh a collective sigh of happiness and make a toast to life, love, and abundant blessings.