Now that we’re getting settled in the new place, Nick and I are having fun exploring Santa Barbara and our new neighborhood. Living downtown and being within walking distance to numerous places definitely has its perks, one of them being that we’re only a 10 minute walk from a new wine (and beer!) bar that just opened up last month. Talk about convenient!
In addition to my day job, I’ve been spending a lot of time doing some wine writing outside of the blog. It’s been really fun because A) I like to help people learn more about wine, and B) writing is enjoyable for me! Recently I had an article about pairing wine with healthy food published in North Idaho Wellness Magazine. Most people, even dedicated wine lovers, don’t know a lot about pairing wine with food, let alone the healthy kind. Asparagus? Arugula? Intimidating…
Well, I made it to California. My home state. Where pine trees have been replaced with palm trees and I no longer need my ridiculously puffy jackets for the cold Pacific Northwest weather. I’m so excited to be back, but of course I miss the family and friends I left behind. But, who can complain when it’s 70 degrees and sunny out?! Not I!
Prior to the big move, the lovely ladies I work with threw me a very grown-up going away party consisting of a 5-course meal with wine pairings (cooked by a private chef no less). My kind of party! It was a truly memorable and special night with a few of my favorites (thanks for hosting, Leslie!).
We started the night off with a 2012 Decoy Sonoma Valley Sauvignon Blanc ($20) which was crisp with tropical fruit and refreshing citrus flavors. It’s always a really easy-drinking, crowd-pleasing white. We paired the wine with a few appetizers that were spot on as matches… flat bread with brie, apple butter, prosciutto and apples (winning combo, by the way), roasted red pepper hummus, as well as watermelon bites topped with goat cheese and balsamic reduction. Talk about starting the night off with a bang.
Second course, which was also paired with the Decoy Sauv Blanc, was an amazing lemongrass and miso soup with mushrooms, grilled bok choy, lemongrass infused tofu and yuzu sauce. Are you getting hungry yet?
Next up was seared ahi with seaweed salad and sriracha mayo. Our chef, Dani, paired this course with a dry and very zippy sparkling wine, Domaine Chandon Blanc de Noirs. The wine was very dry, with yeasty characteristics (think bread dough) and a slight spiciness. I think it actually tasted somewhat sour after having the soup, but not a big deal.
You know when you have a meal that is just so good and over the top that you don’t think it can possibly get any better? Enter the main course… our chef’s take on “Surf & Turf.” Pork belly and grilled lobster tail over quinoa with watercress and a Béarnaise sauce. Um, yeah. The lobster was one of the best things ever, and all the flavors went surprisingly well with the 2005 Artesa Merlot ($20) from Sonoma/Napa. It was a bold Merlot with lots of spice and red berry fruit.
Finally, we rounded out the meal with one of my favorite things to end a meal with, which, coincidentally, is any type of dessert whatsoever. haha. Although I’m not a huge chocolate dessert fan because they tend to be pretty rich, our chocolate mouse tart with a gluten free chocolate cookie crust was sinfully delicious. It was on top of a wine-infused blackberry sauce and paired with the 2011 Erath Pinot Noir ($16), which was used in the sauce. When pairing wine and foods, having wine actually IN the food is a pretty safe bet.
So we didn’t end the night after dessert, because Leslie’s husband poured us all a bit of the very rare bourbon, Pappy Van Winkle. Often considered one of the finest bourbons in the world (and not to mention extremely rare to find), we tasted both the 15 year and 20 year. Unreal. It was definitely quite the bourbon to end quite an evening!!
You can’t get better nights than that, and I truly wish I could have that meal all over again (and share with you all!). Cheers.
Continuing the tour of Walla Walla, Sarah and I stopped into a place that neither of us had been to but were excited to try – Gifford Hirlinger. Yeah, the name may be a bit hard to pronounce and/or remember, but the place is definitely worth remembering. It’s a small, family-owned winery (not too far from Va Piano and Pepper Bridge) and and was our 4th stop of the day. (More if you missed the full story on our Walla Walla weekend here).
Cheers from California! Since I’ve been spending the last few days moving, I’m a little behind on my recaps of Walla Walla. Looking forward to sharing more details of the wineries I visited, but until then, I’ll leave you with this awesome wine quote (designed by my good friend, the talented Jesse Pierpoint). After all, it IS National Drink Wine Day!! Here’s to many many more stories to come!
There are some wineries that you walk into and immediately feel like you’re walking into a corporation, complete with sterile decor and plenty of snoot. Then, there are places that are warm, welcoming, and laid back… where it feels more like someone’s home than a tasting room. Well, Balboa Winery in Walla Walla is the latter.
The winery was founded in 2005 by Tom and Amy Glase, a husband and wife team whose kids and dogs can be seen running around the winery helping out, too. The winery, which shares property with Beresan Winery next door (Tom is also the winemaker there), is in a rustic yet modern building at the base of Pepper Bridge Vineyard (you can’t miss the bright red roof and doors!).
My friend Sarah and I stopped here during our awesome wine tasting weekend, otherwise known as the “I’m moving soon so let’s go to Walla Walla to taste a lot of wine and eat amazing food last hurrah weekend.” We were immediately greeted by two adorable dogs and the smell of brisket cooking as we entered the tasting room. I wasn’t kidding when I said this place was warm and welcoming. Although the food wasn’t for us (darn!), we still enjoyed the aromas as we sipped our way through the tasting list.
We first started with the 2010 Estate Syrah Walla Walla Valley ($34), which is 100% Syrah. It had lots of toast and cigar box on the nose, with a nice balance of juicy fruit and spice on the palate. Next, the 2009 BalBOA Constrictor Walla Walla Valley ($36). Fun fact about this wine: the owners’ daughter did the label! The apple must not fall far from the tree, because Amy Glase is actually an artist, too. The wine itself is made of 50% Cab, 33% Petit Verdot and 17% Malbec. It’s got notes of raspberries and slightly bitter orange rind, with nice acidity and hints of tart berries, chocolate and sage. It was savory yet fruity and definitely tasty!
Next, we took our glasses out to the back so Tom could give us some samples from the barrel. I say “some” but I’m pretty sure we tasted everything in there. ;) Thanks, Tom!
Back in the tasting room, we tasted the newest release, the Sangiovese ($26) which had deep raspberry candy and black cherry aromas, as well as the 2011 Cabernet Franc ($40), with notes of pepper, vanilla and black fruits with minerally characteristics. Both were great ‘bonus’ pours since they weren’t on the list. Back to the regular tasting list, we continued with the 2009 Mith Columbia Valley ($45), which is the winery’s best seller at the moment. It’s a proprietor’s blend of different varietals every year, so you can never expect the same wine. The 2009 had ripe blueberry, cocoa and mocha aromas followed by flavors of black licorice, almond, cassis and dark fruit. The tannins were silky with a strong finish.
My favorite wine of the day, Sarah’s too, was the 2009 Eidolon Walla Walla Valley ($75). Yes, this is pricey, but it is oh so worth it! Made up of 37% Cabernet, 37% Syrah, 14% Malbec and 12% Petit Verdot, this is a wine with a lot going on. It’s got notes of dark red fruit, olives, truffles and herbs with a long, smooth finish. A great blend, and the name is interesting too – “eidolon” means “apparition” in ancient Greek thought.
Overall, Balboa is a fun place to taste wine because the owners are really passionate about their winery and don’t take themselves too seriously, and that carries over into the relaxed and friendly tasting environment. It’s just an added bonus that the wines are good too! Plus, I’m a dog lover and who can resist a cute puppy named Moet (after Moët & Chandon Champagne) greeting you at the door. Cheers!
**Tasting Room Notes**
Open: Daily, 10-4pm
Phone: 509.529.0461
Location: 4169 Peppers Bridge Road – Walla Walla, WA
Tips: If you’re a dog lover, head to their 2nd Annual ‘Best In Show’ dog show event in June, benefitting the Humane Society. There are many categories (like ‘Best Catch’ and ‘Waggiest Tail’), a food truck, and lots of great people/dog watching.
Other: Their wine club is called the Ringside Club, a play off of the rocky soils where the vineyards are located. Get it? Boxing, Rocky, rocky soils…haha.
Oh, winter, how I love thee. Ha! That’s not exactly how I really feel, but when it’s chilly and foggy outside, what better activity than to head inside for some wine tasting! That was the idea last weekend when my mom and I ventured to Townshend Cellars in Green Bluff, Washington, for a little wine tasting.
Now that I’ve helped fill your fridges with lots of Viognier, it’s time to get back to a favorite topic: red wine. Maybe you’re stuck in your ways and don’t want to venture from the good old standbys like Cabernet or Shiraz… I don’t blame you! Wine can be a little intimidating, especially wines from different countries that use grapes that are hard to pronounce. It’s even more intimidating if you don’t even know what the grape is (red? white? who knows!). Tempranillo? Sure, you’ve heard of it. But Bobal? Maybe not so much.
Happy Sunday! It’s been quite a week… between recovering from the holidays, the craziness of work, getting back on track with the workouts (hello it IS resolution month) then blowing it on cheese and wine, AND getting ready for upcoming life changes (I’m moving!), things have been kind of nuts! It’s a good thing that I have the weekends to pack then unwind with some wine and football. Those that know me know that I’m a big fan of college football, but have always been a 49er fan, too.
Happy New Year! Now that the craziness of the holidays is over, I can get back to writing more regular posts about my favorite topic – wine! Sorry for the lack of updates – blog neglect… totally guilty.