Drink Up, Chow Down

Livermore Valley is one of California oldest wine regions, although still rather under the radar. Its first commercial vines were planted in 1840 and nowadays it is home to over 50 wineries. One of those, the lovely Murrieta’s Well , is a true California original. I recently had the pleasure of tasting through some of their catalog along with their winemaker Robbie Meyer and my friends at Snooth . Murrieta’s Well specializes in terroir-driven, limited production wine blends that showcase and complement the Livermore Valley terroir and its many microclimates. Its first vines were planted in 1884 with cuttings from Chateau d’Yquem (see my blog about visiting them!) and Chateau Margaux (no invite yet…) The 2017 Sauvignon Blanc was a great way to start the tasting, especially in summer. Its mouthwatering minerality coupled with its floral and even tropical fruit notes make for an elegant wine, with a lovely zing of crisp acidity. A balanced beauty for sure. It was...

First of all, great name, right? Real Nice Winemakers is the brainchild of wine industry veteran Anthony Van Nice. He and his sommelier friends wanted to create wines that were truly representative of the Willamette Valley, and that also delivered great Oregon quality at a great price.  Because of that glorious trifecta of taste, quality and price (oh – and philosophy, but that’s messing up my trifecta analogy…) they’re my wine spotlight today. I dig them and I think you’ll dig them, too. They currently have two wines on the market: Black Magnolia Pinot Noir (in collaboration with Laurent Montalieu of Solena Estate) and Shallow Seas Rosé, priced around $22 and $18 respectively. I found the Pinot Noir to be elegant and light with oodles of red berries and savory notes of leather and light tannins. The bright acidity gave this wine a solid backbone, while the darker earthy tones provided for a surprisingly long finish. This wine is a prime exam...

Celler de Capçanes is hidden away about 100 miles southwest of Barcelona in the small D.O. Montsant. Originally known for their kosher wine, nowadays their catalog also includes an incredibly diverse (and delicious) selection of bottles at lower price points – and of arguably equal quality – than their more famous cousins from down the road in Priorat. Winemaker Jürgen Wagner of Celler de Capçanes Tasting through the 2016 vintage with winemaker Jürgen Wagner was an absolute treat, with the standouts for me being the four “la nit de las garnatxes” wines: the quintessential master class in terroir. Each of these unique garnachas is grown in four distinct soils: sand, clay, limestone and slate, and one can absolutely taste the difference.  The lightest of the lot, the one grown in sand, possessed a simple elegance and an almost crisp quality, while the clay version was bigger, bolder and wilder with excellent structure. Limestone was the most refined of the...

I recently tasted some of the Loveblock Wines catalog along with the winery's founder and CEO Erica Crawford. The meal was sumptuously paired by the (aptly-named) Marcel Vigneron at Wolf . Chef Marcel Vigneron Erica's passion for the wine came through even before the first sip. Loveblock is grown high above Marlborough's Awatere Valley, with Erica and her winemaker husband Kim focussing on low intervention farming to ensure the wine reflects this extraordinary terroir. And in a way that ensures future generations can enjoy this remarkable land, too. Loveblock Sauvignon Blanc Loveblock's commitment to ethical farming and viticulture even makes its way onto their bright label, reflecting the simple wildflowers and dandelions that grow between the rows of grapes. Now, let's get to the wine! 2016 Sauvignon Blanc: This old world-style beauty woke up slowly and elegantly. It is a delightfully- restrained example of a Marlborough SB, with subtle waves o...

Mexican tequila and mezcal may receive most of the acclaim - but there's plenty of great wine coming out of Mexico, too. I recently spent time in Valle de Guadalupe and can't recommend it highly enough. About two to three hours drive from San Diego, the region is exceptionally tourist-friendly with generally good roads (although a 4X4 vehicle is recommended for some of the harder-to-reach spots, and in bad weather.) Most of the larger wineries offer public tastings, but there are plenty of small boutiques where an appointment is essential. (There are over 100 wineries in the valley — and that number grows impressively every year.) If you're planning your itinerary, here are some notable standouts in the area that I loved. To drink: Vena Cava - the wines are good and the location is fabulous. (They built the winery into a cave with a boat as a roof...) Lechuza - this is my absolute favorite in the area. Spectacular wines made with care, passion and elegance....

Wine tourism is a thing. As a write this, I'm en route to Valle de Guadalupe to sample some of Mexico's finest. (Wine. Not tequila. Although there may be some tequila involved...) The fabulous Snooth.com asked some of their wine bloggers (including me) to write about their favorite wine travel destinations. Although I'm also partial to the spectacular Cape, the mighty Bordeaux and the always-surprising Paso Robles regions, I wrote about my visit to the magical Champagne area. Check out my take on it, and the regions other wine writers chose, here.  Cheers, wine lovers! Don't forget to tweet me your favorite wine travel destinations  @LAWineGal . Tasting at Krug Champagne

Wine and candy pairings aren't just for Halloween or Valentine's Day, (although that's usually when they're discussed.) The fabulous Snooth.com asked a number of their wine bloggers (including me) for their favorite boozy pairings. How did we do? Time for some sugar-coated research... Check out my Heath bar and Sauternes pairing,  as well as the other fun submissions - here. Cheers!