When Friends Come into Town, Inhibitions Go Out the Window

Brace yourselves reverent readers, it was a drinking weekend! So back in the groove of all things food and wine, I took my first weekend not spent dreaming of spreadsheets and worrying about work, and spent it in Napa with one of my BFF's from NY. Starting out at the crack of 11:00am on Friday I head up to Yountville to pick up this friend of mine at French Laundry where she was enjoying some ridiculous 14 course lunch (which is only ridiculous and irrelevant because I wasn't there). So after storming through Bouchon like a madwoman looking for airy little pistacho macroons (french style, not anything like these gaudy amerian coconut ones) and muffins "said" BFF tapps me on the back and we go gallivanting off to our many wineries.


Staring out at Jessup Cellars we did a vertical tasting of their offerings, all good with the exception of great at the 2005 Cabernet Saugivion, how could a girl help but buying, but the real crowd pleaser was the Cabernet Saugivion Port --- exceptional, made with Remy Martin (Congac) grapes and worth the heafty price tag ($50/ 375ml). After also making sure i didn't miss out on the Cabernet Saugivion Port Chocolate Sauce (excellent on ice cream...and everything else) we scooted down to Provanance.


Now some of you might have heard of there famous Cab's that can be found in many of Sac's foodie restaurants, but the real prize you can't find on any list is the 2003-2004 Hewitt Cabernet Sauginon, perosnally the 93 point 2003 is a bit vegatative for my tastes, but the vertial progression the 2004 grows into as well as the 2005 make is the grandpere grape that it is, which is constistantly outstanding.

Now what's a little Oakville cab, without hopping up the street to St. Helena where my favorite little foodie market exisists which is, of course, Dean and Deluca --- whenever I'm not pursing my Chili lime shrimp, brie and carmelized onions wrapped in brioche, and the chocolate yodell (its really just a valrohna chocolate HoHo) I can't pull myself away from the massiave liquor section. Now if you've never tried Belizan 1 Barrel rum, you've been missing out! This is one of the most carmely, brown sugar toned rum mixes great with coke, and is rockin striaght up too! But they were out, if you can even image! so we began a discovery persuit for other alcholols of a simlar superiour nature-- which we found in Zaya Rum from Trinidad- yummy flavor! and
No. 209 Gin 90-95 PTS WINE ENTHUSIAST. The nose has hints of citrus zest, juniper berry, orris root, licorice, coriander, and angelica. The palate entry is bittersweet, grainy, and speckled with licorice. But the real power of this drink proved to be at the bar/ restaurant next door called Press. Now this little joint is on a similar style to Martini house or Redd, but is patroned by all the locals, and now I know why! ....."Some like it Hot!" This vodka based bliss starts out with an infusion of Thai chili's in Level one Vodka, mixed with basil and a bit of sugar it is a savory taste sensation!! Matched with oysters on the half shell with a tobasco minonet --- and brioche rolls ---- better appetizers available ever? I THINK NOT! Below is one of the bartenders, mixing up some other random sensation, not my "Some Like it Hot!"---The name is Press, and the Diva is claiming this goodness as a place "not to miss!"

After Press, us girls needed some breathing time, so eased on up to the Calistoga Inn, nothing like the normal Palace / St. Regis accomidations this girl is used to I was all about the shock effect and booked this local squeeze inn right above the local patron bar/ nightclub! hahaha, my originial impression was this was allll about the wine! My finial impression was of a great little out of the way place, seriously lacking anemities, but makes up for it in good food, good drink, and local flavor.

From our balcony view off the hotel room (only room like it, saved for VIP's) you could see all of the little town of Calistoga. So from shutting the bar down we finially got a wee bit of shut eye before the Valley fog started rolling in, warming up the vines in a cocoon of warmth. Once outta the room (hard bit for the heavy sleeper next to me) we headed off to another MUST local attraction SaraCalifornia --- a local greassy spoon devoted to strong coffee, quick service, and breakfast all day! good times! On to Chateau Montelena

from all the hype of Bottle Shock and their exceptional label I had high hopes of this award winning wine, which were totally shot down! Ok, not only is Bo Barrett totally not Chris Pine, now that's ok, but even there 2005 Estate Cabernet Sauvigon is not all that noteworthy! So to keep spirits (ours not the drinks) up we stopped by
Clos Pegas,

StagsLeap,

Quixote

and Screaming Eagle!

My tasting soul was totally dissapointed, but that was somewhat elevated when we moved on to Plumpjack Vineyards! Plumpjack vineyards has been known for years as the foolhardy and in my opinion genious idea of putting $100+ bottles of wine under screw caps as well as cork to finially see wheather or not colsures have anything to do with the quaility of a superiour wine!

(I know I know, total wine geek- I wrote a paper about it in DC) So when I got to see and taste this awesomeness for myself I was allll excited! and I was also not let down, the Cab was a 2006 so it was too young to taste anything but the potential it could be in the next 10 years, but the Syrah was exceptional--- smokey, bacon, fruit forward, and totally drinkable right now! I was so excited I almost blew my purse/ shoe budget to buy more, but I heald back we still had places to go and people/ things to drink!

On to Heitz, now for all us wanna be veterans (I trully believe that anyone who dosen't LIVE in in a wine producing AVA is a total wine novice, if not also enthusastic!, but it's nothing like waking up to the dirt in your nose and the tannins on your tounge, we all have our nitches)--sorry back to Heitz! Easely one of the best wineries in the area, if only for there openness and FREE tastings (a total rarity as Napa has gotten so pretentious with itself), outside being one of the only vineyards that makes a 100% petite verdot they also are the maker of the Famous Martha's Vineyard Cabernet-- hugly marked up on all wine lists, and as they were having a 40% off sale on the 2000 vintages magnum, yep that's right folks-- blew the shoe/purse budget! But it's an investment mom I swear!!!
Finally our wine adventures ended at Del Dotto Wines, remember all that time ago we you first started reading-- and we got sauced at Press, we'll we also made friends-- with the winemaker! and received a personal inviation to view the vineyard, barell tasting, and that's right folks a cave tour!!! So no way to pass this up, were all about endurance tastings, we press on to Del Dotto (among some strong "Sonoma's soo awesome for tasting," obviously ignored, off to my right) Once inside--- a veniceian palace I swear only looks this good! From gold, marble, statues, clay urns, and chandelliers dripping almost to my perfect height it was overhelming-- and I had yet to take a drink!

From our first taste in the cave I was spell bound, it was like walking into Phanom of the Opera- the drinking muscial! The 2006 Sangoieovese, the oak -- French and American barrels, the mutiple tastes on the cabs, and the fun Rebound Red! It's their spoof on the economy, so I was expecting something acidic without hope, but I found something fun and lively, waiting for a chance---not necessarly a reflection on the economy?????

So after finishing at least 14 barrel tastings, some current other futures of wines offered, we emerged from the dramatic velvet curtain and enjoyed there italian cheeses, cured meats, flatbread, and port with chocolate-- all baiting us for the real gambit= the sale! and boy did we ever! goood times! So after all the frivolities we headed home, but we can't end this adventure without a last good meal, so with Ms. NY needing good food we headed to Tuli.
With there great beer selection, Delirium, and made to order pasta (Dave's Gnocchi with bacon and blue cheese butter sauce) we were THEN good to go>> on to diva style dive bar drinks at the best bar to make them>>> Elixer!!! All about the Black Cherry Blossom! Well faith-full (if you've made it this far) readers, that is the end of THIS weeks adventure, and just to give you some time frame reference so you too can be a wine rockstar Start: 11am Friday End: 12pm Saturday!