Humor me, please,
just for a moment.
After trying several days to get a sunset
over the Pacific Ocean,
Rosie finally gave up and left Fort Bragg, California.
No more Pacific sunset attempts.
Enough is enough.
The Hawthornes are headed for Yosemite National Park
and then Vegas.
I don't know why Vegas.
We don't gamble.
We don't like big cities.
We don't like glitter.
We don't care for Elvis impersonators.
We don't want a quickie wedding.
Let's just say,
Vegas was on the way to somewhere else.
And I guess one should go to Vegas
just to remind oneself why one doesn't need to go to Vegas.
So I asked Mr. Hawthorne to map out a route for us.
I thought I'd involve him for a bit
and actually ask him for input,
so he could feel needed and semi-important
and so he could feel good about himself.
Mind you, I wouldn't listen to him.
I'm just throwing him a bone.
This is what he drew
(recreated by Rosie) :
I don't know why he threw Reno in there,
but he did.
And who the hell does he think he is?
Zorro?
Now here's Rosie's route:
Are we seeing a pattern here?
And you can see why I'm the navigator,
not Mr. Hawthorne.
Well, guess which way we're heading.
Let's just say, Reno not involved.
I took control of the maps,
gave Mr. Hawthorne directions,
and he never knew the difference.
Note to self:
Self: Never let Mr. Hawthorne look at another map.
Mr. Hawthorne is driving south down California
and starts noticing all these vineyards on
either side of us.
Vineyards to the left of us.
Vineyards all around.
Vineyards freakin' everywhere.
He asks me, "Is this concidence?"
And there are signs for wine tastings.
I point out one sign that says
"Next Right - Wine Tasting."
I order Mr. Hawthorne to take an immediate right.
Saracina Ranch.
And they have wine tastings!
At 12 o'clock in the afternoon.
Let's check it out.
From Saracina:
Saracina was named after a centuries-old farmhouse and vineyards in Tuscany where owners, John Fetzer and Patty Rock spent their honeymoon. The main ranch is home to Saracina Vineyards, a small-production, state-of-the-art, California Certified Organic winery and the first wine caves in Mendocino County. Working with winemaker, Alex MacGregor, they produce stylistically unique wines with lush California fruit and silky, soft tannins. Atrea, their second brand, focuses on interesting , quirky Rhone-style blends.
These are olive trees.
And they were just recently transplanted here
at Saracina.
The bouquet of the wine
just hit me.
Outside the caves.
Well, maybe not the bouquet.
More like a cab with a recent wino for a passenger.
Still, it's promising.
About 800 barrels in the cave.
Constant temperature year-round in the mid 60's.
We have 6 wines to taste.
I, being the designated drinker,
sample the six wines.
And they're stingy with the tastings.
Here are the six wines
with my impressions.
Saracina Sauvignon Blanc 2008
Light greenish yellow.
Orange peel and gingery spices on the nose,
along with a subtle honey nuance.
Nicely concentrated but youthfully uncompromising,
with a nervy spine of acidity accentuating the wine's dry impression.
Atrea The Choir 2009
The hugely aromatic nose, with complex notes of orange blossoms,
Asian pear, ginger, and jasmine.
The palate carries similar flavors
with emphasis on stone fruits.
It sports richness and bright acidity
without excess weight or alcohol.
Atrea Old Soul Red 2006
Inky ruby.
Powerful aromas of dark berries,
cherry-cola, licorice, and Indian spices.
Chewy, deeply concentrated black currant and
bitter cherry flavors are framed by silky tannins
and gain sweetness with air.
The finish repeats the cola note and lingers impressively.
Saracina Zinfandel 2007
Pungent scents of resinous herbs develop
as this wine opens with air.
The fruit has a firm, juicy strawberry taste,
the tannins balancing it with a lean, earthy grip.
For a spicy stew.
Saracina Petite Sirah 2007
The Petite Sirah exhibits an inky-blue/black color
and vivid black raspberry, blackberry, floral,
and white pepper notes.
It is a full-bodied wine with generous,
supple tannins that are typical of the vintage.
This wine is accessible now but could easily be held
for a generation.
And just WHY the hell would I want to do that???
These are just MY impressions of the different wines.
YMMV.
OK. I lied.
Which brings me to wine descriptions.
Is it just me,
or do wine descriptions on menus
sometimes read like resumes?
This mildly aggressive, intelligent 2006 Cabernet
bore its significant complexity
on its considerably broad shoulders,
the breadth of which left me breathless
and, at the same time,
longing for more.
Or maybe like a bad novel -
the kind with the embossed covers
and a shirtless Fabio on front.
The profound oakiness of the Cabernet
led me to believe it was aged in a
box of #2 pencils.
I'd rather chew my way through a
cardboard box then assault my gullet
with this dreck.
The cloying insipidness
of this whiny Chardonnay brought back memories
of long-abandoned Halloween candy found
in a pillow case in the back of my closet
with a hint of Skittles and the quick rinse of
off-brand caramels finished off with
the deliriously poignant
suggestion of gym socks.
The curious merlot was strongly earthy,
devoid of personality and flaunting its flawed character
like a badge of dishonor.
It shamelessly had no charm whatsoever.
The distant flavors of barnyard permeated throughout
with definite chicken scratch thrown in,
which lingered on my abused palate.
After five glasses, I deemed it unpleasant
with its bizarre and heady vegetal flavors
not to mention its abrasive unattractiveness
and I stumbled away from its glaring offensiveness.
$52 poorer,
we left Saracina.
For miles and miles,
there's nothing but vineyards and wine tastings.
I wanted to stop at each one
but Mr. Hawthorne nixed that idea.
Guess where we're headed!
I'm so excited.
But you'll have to wait until the next post.
Mr. Hawthorne is breezing down the highway
and I missed what was on my right.
It's the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone.
You'll just have to trust me on this.
Vineyards.
Vineyards.
And more vineyards.
I saw a bunch of these things in the midst of the vineyards.
Didn't know what they were.
Is it a mister in case the temp goes to freezing?
2 comments:
The Designated Drinker. I like that. I also love your descriptions of the wines. The descriptors usually give no clue as to what the taste of the wine.
I love the wine country in the fall. One year, as we were driving to Calistoga early in the morning, the sky was filled with colorful hot air balloons. It was a beautiful sight. I hope you got to see that before you left.
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