Category Archives: Field Trip

Adventures in Wine: Niagara! 🍇🍷🍇



•Eco-wine tour w/ Owen’s Hiking & Adventures @ Vineland Estates

•Ice Wine Cocktail Party

•Lazy Saturday Tasting @ iCellars Estate Winery

They say you can’t go home again. I’m happy to report that’s not always true. I went home to Niagara this past weekend. And it was wonderful!

Click the video below for more fun!

🗓️Friday – At Vineland Estates, my friend Deb and I got out on the vineyard (and part of the Bruce Trail) with Owen Bjorgan of Owen’s Hiking and Adventures. We learned about the Niagara bench ecosystems, how they affect the vineyards and the resulting wine. It was awesome to taste the wines in the spot they were grown.

Winding our way from the Riesling vineyard through a small nearby forest, Owen explained how the forest, in close proximity, provides numerous ecosystem benefits to vineyards, such as increased whole-farm yield, increased soil water-holding capacity, reduced erosion, cleaner watersheds. With this being a natural agroforest ( it was there first), set a little away from the vines, there is little to no competition for nutrients, resources and light. All the benefits and no fighting.

It was incredible to leisurely hike, enjoy the cool of the forest, and end our tour back in the sunny warmth of the vineyard. It’s very healing spending time in nature… the wine didn’t hurt, either!🍷

Next up: the Rotary Club of Niagara-on-the-Lake’s Ice Wine Cocktail Party – benefitting Rotary International Projects and Red Roof Retreat – who provide respite care for Niagara’s Special Needs families.

Hailed as the ‘event of the summer’ and held at Hiscott House, a private residence in Niagara-on-the-Lake, my friend Steffanie and I enjoyed, of course, fabulous Ice Wine cocktails. 🍸 Add to that a diverse menu of savory and sweet treats, ending the evening with a chocolate Ice Wine shot. It was the place to see and be seen, and was a great evening for great causes. ✨

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🗓️Saturday – with Friday being so busy, it was great to slow down, chill and have a lazy Saturday. Deb, Shiona and I met for a leisurely wine tasting at iCellars Estate Winery. This is a favorite spot, especially during harvest. We meditated on our flights of Chardonnay, Rose, the Arinna Red Blend, and Cabernet Sauvignon. This year’s pick – the Cab Sauv!

We spent some time after our flights enjoying a glass outside on the patio, gazing out as the golden sun warmed the vineyard.

And as we drove away, I saw a motorcycle with two dogs in goggles in the sidecar. And I know what you’re thinking… what do they put in their wine? I asked Deb if she saw it too. She did.

Luckily, I got a picture.

If you’re in the Niagara region, make a point of experiencing these great wineries. There are so many to choose from, and each with their own unique style.

Cheers!🍷

©️Copyright. 2023. The Wine Student.

Field Trip: Biltmore Estate Winery🍷🏰

Visiting the Biltmore Estate is like taking a journey back in time. An awesome example of both architecture and design, its esthetic influenced by the great chateaux of France.

Click the video below to tour with me!👇

We’d originally planned this trip with our friends Carl and Deb, in May 2020… and we all know what wasn’t happening then. So it was wonderful to finally have all our schedules reconnect!

When I first researched Biltmore, I was pleasantly surprised to learn about their winery. Documents dating back to 1916 show that George Vanderbilt had begun collecting wines for his cellar. Jump forward to the early 1970’s, William Cecil, George Vanderbilt’s grandson, established vineyards on the property. The first Biltmore wines were made available for sale in 1979 under French winemaster Phillipe Jourdain’s direction. In May 1985, Biltmore Estate Winery opened its doors to the public for tours and tastings. Building on the original French-American hybrid plantings, Jourdain planted additional vinifera varietals to ensure the future of their wine cultivation.

Sharon Fenchak joined Biltmore in 1999, eventually becoming winemaker in 2003, then head winemaker in 2018, further crafting on the foundations laid out by previous winemakers, Jourdain and Bernard Delille. She now oversees an annual production of approximately 150,000 cases.

Situated in the Blue Ridge Mountains, at an elevation of 2,500 ft, growing conditions in this part of North Carolina can be challenging, especially with rapidly fluctuating temperatures during growing season. Days here are warm yet humid, with cooler nights, a high incidence of rainfall, and risk of late-harvest frost. This combination makes growing more delicate varieties difficult. Heartier varieties flourish here. Polk County, just south of the estate, has a lower elevation and a ‘thermal belt’ micro climate, reducing the risk of damage to the fruit.

Locally sourced wines include robust varietals including Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Merlot. Their Biltmore Reserve NC Rosé is a home-grown, balanced blend of heartier Cab Sauv and Cab Franc of both estate and lower elevation North Carolina vineyards.

To produce a wide array of offerings, grapes and juice are sourced from not only North Carolina but California and Washington. Their American Series wines reflect this diversity.

The winery also maintains a commitment to sustainability; using locally sourced water from nearby Long Valley Lake, and recycling their plastic, glass, paper and steel. Adjacent to the Winery, is a nine-acre, 1.7 megawatt system that includes more than 7,000 solar panels to help counterbalance estate energy usage. Grape byproducts such as crushed stems and skins are used for mulch and compost. Retired barrels become planters and used corks are repurposed as wine racks to display their wines in retail stores. Biltmore has also partnered with Cork Reharvest and the Cork Forest Conservation Alliance to reuse corks and help decrease the depletion of cork trees. Visitors are encouraged to drop off used corks at the winery, all estate restaurants, and Whole Foods stores throughout North Carolina.

Out of town? You can mail your used corks to:
Biltmore Estate Wine Company
Re: Cork Recycling
1 North Pack Square
Asheville, NC 28801 👍

We tasted some wonderful wines on our tour but here are the three we took home:

2021 Biltmore Estate Grenache Blanc

My pick: The 2021 Limited Release Grenache Blanc. While it’s not from indigenous grapes, I loved the bright, refreshing and flavorful alternative to Rosé. I’m used to grenache as a lovely red so this was a treat. a nice, bouncy alternative. Tropical flavors of banana, melon, citrusy mandarin, and a light, playful mouthfeel. I can’t wait to pair with some delicate cheeses, fruit or charcuterie.

2020 Biltmore Estate Tempranillo

Dougie’s pick: The 2020 Limited Release Tempranillo. American Appellation with flavors of dark fruit, fig, and nice grippiness from the tannins. Aged 16-20 months in oak.

13% alcohol. $24.00

2020 Biltmore Estate Malbec

Our pick: The 2020 Limited Release Malbec. Something fun for Malbec Mondays! We haven’t had Malbec in some time so this was a nice change from our go to Pinot Noir. Rich blueberry, blackberry and plum with a hint of spice on the finish. Also aged 16-20 months in oak. It’s one to savor slowly and enjoy with maybe a nice beef brisket. Yum!

13% alcohol. $ 22.40

The best part about the trip was finally reconnecting with our friends again, and to take a little step back in time. ♥️

Biltmore is definitely worthy of a place on your bucket list; and the wine makes it even better!

Cheers!🍷

©️Copyright. 2023. The Wine Student.

Crocker Park Wine Festival ‘22

What was the coolest field trip you ever went on in school?

For a wine student like me, this is pretty much the Holy Grail. Where else can you learn about wine, meet people who love it, & sample the product, too?So much fun!

The last time I volunteered at the Crocker Park Wine Festival ( benefitting University Hospitals’ Rainbow Babies Children’s Hospital) was before the pandemic. It felt so good to be back!

My station was Canadian Sparkling wines. I was so excited! 🥂

The sparklers we featured:

• Ziraldo Prosecco

• 13th Street Winery Blanc de Blanc

• Henry of Pelham Cuvée Catherine

• 13th Street Winery Cuvée Rosé

• Megalomaniac Bubblehead Rosé

My fave: the 13th Street Winery Cuvée Rose🥂

It was a beautifully dry, lush blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir giving it a nice, subtle complexity. This would be lovely for a Sunday brunch. But honestly, all of them would!☺️

Click the video below to join me at the festival!

Lots of great sampling to be had and the proceeds go to help many wonderful children!🌈

The Crocker Park Wine Festival continues Sept 17th from 2pm until 10pm.

Cheers!🍷

©️The Wine Student. 2022.

Grapes in the Machine: Ice Wine Harvest

It was cold. It was crisp. And as we exhaled, our breath turned to ice crystals before floating to the ground. It was perfect weather to harvest some ice wine grapes!

And on this bitterly cold morning, I was visiting friends in Niagara during the Ice Wine Festival, and saw several harvesters heading out to a nearby vineyard. If you recall my previous posts on ice wine, you’ll remember that many rigorous standards have to be met to be considered a true Ice wine: It must picked at consistent sub-zero temps, immediately pressed outside in those sub-zero temps to keep the grape temperature (and sugar content) consistent. AND… the frozen grapes should, ideally, be hand-picked since the grapes are extremely delicate. Hand picking is preferred so as to not damage the berries. So how does the machine fit into the picture?

The simple answer is: Volume.

Geographically, the Niagara region produces some of the largest volume of ice wine in North America. Wineries, most notably, Pilliteri Estates Winery in Niagara-on -the-Lake, have to keep up with the ever increasing demand. Therefore, the increase in machine harvest is due to the vast expansion of the number of vineyards that now produce ice wine. Typically, a machine can pick one acre in less than an hour. And it is difficult, especially when it’s cold enough to freeze your nose hairs, to entice people to hand pick grapes at sub-zero temperatures, in the middle of a cold winter’s night.

Timing is everything, and there is a very narrow window of time available to pick, and process ice wine grapes. And while much of the quality control can be done in the vineyard with hand harvest, you run the risk of losing much of your yield because of the considerable amount of time it takes to harvest by hand. Machine is much more efficient to get the grapes from vineyard to press.

The technology itself has dramatically improved. According to Wine Enthusiast, the argument against machines was that the quality of the wine would suffer. In the past, machines would shake the vines so harshly that “material other than grapes (MOG)” would get into the mix.“ That material could include stems, leaves, or birds and small animals.“ To avoid this, innovative technology now allows de-stemming and sorting while on board the harvester, which then makes hand sorting and grading at the winery much easier. MOG is efficiently taken care of.

But what about all that shaking going on with the grapes? Don’t the grapes get damaged? Machine harvesters are now programmable, and can be selectively calibrated to provide a more gentle shake for grapes that need more TLC, and to pick specific grapes rather than “every single grape.”

There is a definite freshness advantage to machine harvest because the grapes are delivered more quickly to the sorting tables and presses. At the winery, ice wine grapes are still sorted and pressed outside, as in the time-honoured tradition.

With respect to this year’s harvest, Pilliteri Estates Winery’s Social Media Rep, [via direct message] stated, “We currently machine harvest all our Icewine now and this year’s yield looks good. We lost about 30% to 40% to birds because of the warm start to winter but the grapes that we pulled in look great and we are looking forward to another excellent Icewine vintage.”

Check out the video below to see the harvester in action! 👇🚜🍇 Hopefully, the sound will work. If not, the pics are pretty!

Is there any real difference in the quality of wine produced after machine harvest?

Most wine producers are finding that there is very little difference in the resulting product whether it’s harvested by human or machine. And when time is of the essence (especially with ice wine), efficiency is everything.

While newer technology has changed the traditions a bit, especially in response to drastic increases in demand, ice wine remains a true luxury item. And, ultimately, it’s in the winery that humans can never be replaced; creating, and fine-tuning the liquid gold vintages that swirl in your glass.🥂

Cheers! 🚜🍇🍷

©️Copyright, TheWineStudent, 2020

What I Did This Summer

Sometimes we save for a special occasion. We’d saved up for a while, and in June, we were able to travel to France , and tour the beautiful village of Saint-Emilion, nestled in wine country, 35 km from Bordeaux. The primary grape varieties grown in this region are Cabernet Franc, and … Merlot. Uh oh. Being a Pinot Noir fan (and the movie ‘Sideways’ didn’t help) HubbyDoug had sworn that he’d never drink any *#@$ Merlot. But he did. And he liked it. More on that in a bit.

But first, some fun facts about Saint-Emilion.

  • Named after the reclusive Benedictine monk who relocated there in the 8th Century and lived in a cave.
  • Known for performing miracles, Emilion amassed many followers and made the town a great religious center
  • Home to one of the great subterranean monolithic churches in the world, Saint-Emilion Monolithic Church was carved into a rocky hillside to honour that along with 200 kms of underground galleries
  • Built on limestone, Saint-Emilion still has edicts in place that only small trucks can enter/ exit due to the vast number of underground tunnels.
  • Romans planted vineyards in what became Saint-Emilion as early as the 2nd century
  • One of the main red wine areas of Bordeaux
  • Wine profile: Varietals: Merlot, Cab Franc, some Cab Sauv
  • Soil: limestone, sand, clay

Click the video below to join me in Saint-Emilion!

 

With a population just over of 2,000, Saint-Emilion seems almost preserved in time. It’s weird to see cars (and if you do, they’re extremely small). But a more quaint town you be hard pressed to find. It’s such a beautiful place. Navigating some of the streets, however, you’d better have goat-like stability, especially in the rain. And to sample wine and other treats, you needed to plan your route. To get to the town center, you had to walk down a cobblestone avenue that had a railing running the entire length. While it was helpful, you really needed a human chain to get everyone there safely. Running shoes were not helpful ~ you needed mountain climbers’ spikes, and good hip flexibility. You wanna wear dressy heels on this wine tour? Leave them on the bus, this isn’t that kind of party.

Visiting the monolithic church is a little like your own private DaVinci Code. You can only get inside by booking through the tourism office. If you just show up, you won’t get in. Only designated tour guides have a key. Once you enter the church and catacombs with your guide, the heavy wooden door is locked behind you. No one enters. No one leaves. That was a feature that made some of our tour mates a little antsy. But it was such a cool place, and the tour was really interesting that the time went by very quickly.

My friend Shelly and I soon went on to explore the rest of the town. HubbyDoug explored some wine. He chose two: 2016 Chateau Martet Reserve de Famille (the Merlot!) and a 2016 Les Hautes de la Gaffelière. Knowing that we would probably never be back (although I can always hope maybe one day…) we bought a couple of bottles to ship home.

The next stop on our journey was Chateau Franc Mayne. Located only about a kilometer from the little village, it’s guarded by a beautiful stone cross that overlooks seven hectares of lush vines. It is a Grande Cru Classe (exceptional) winery and they take great pride in working to be sustainable and environmentally conscious.

After visiting the vats ( concrete, steel and oak) and vineyard, we made our way to the underground galleries where most of the barrels were kept. Much like the underground networks under Saint-Emilion, these galleries seemed to stretch on to infinity.

It was wonderful to save for a summer adventure away from home. I feel so grateful to have had an opportunity to explore a new wine region, and to experience such a beautiful place with so much history.

Sante! 💋🍷

©️Copyright. TheWineStudent, 2019

TBT: Dine & Dashe 🍷😊🍷

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The perfect ending to a spectacular Monday here in the Cleve (a sunny day right now is always cause for celebrating), my friends, Shelly, Lisa and I attended the February wine dinner at Sarita in Lakewood, OH.

Featuring wines from Dashe Cellars, and presented by Whitney from Vanguard Wines, our evening began with Shrimp Madagascar paired with a 2015 Grenache Blanc. Cool climates and higher elevation help to cultivate this rare varietal. On the nose it made me think of a honey bun; bearing a subtle sweet bread-y scent. The main flavor we tasted was honey but because it was a dry wine, it wasn’t a cloying sweetness. The balanced acidity cut gently into the cream sauce of the shrimp dish.

My favorite wine of the night was the 2016 Chenin Blanc “Black Bart Cuvee”. This wine gets its name, Black Bart, not from the vineyard where it’s grown but the 500 gallon concrete ‘egg’ vessel in which it’s fermented. Concrete helps to highlight the mineral quality of the grapes, and helps to keep the lively freshness. After harvest, the grapes are pressed and fermented four weeks until the desired dryness is realized. This was paired with Scallop Crudo w/ pink grapefruit, avocado and malagueta honey that provided a sweet heat that was incredibly delicious with this wine.

Since 1996, Dashe Cellars, a family-owned winery, has operated in the urban location near Jack London Square in Oakland, CA. Going against convention, and with the conviction that outstanding wines could be found outside the traditional wine route parameter, they use natural winemaking techniques including: small lot fermentation, using indigenous yeasts, and little to no fining/ filtration.

Michael Dashe oversees the harvest and winemaking, and partners with small (including some organic-certified) growers in Mendocino and Sonoma counties to name a few. Working together, they try to achieve a balance of steep hillside vineyards, old vines, and vigor-reduced growing conditions. Steep hillsides force the grapes to struggle a bit and exposes them to better balance of sun, heat and cooling temperatures. Lower yields increase the quality and complexity of the wine. Struggle makes even grapes stronger!

As our evening progressed, we sampled Carignana (similar to Pinot Noir) with braised duck and goat cheese grits; fettuccine, bbq braised ribs (paired with two beloved Zinfandels), and finished it off sampling a selection of dark chocolate truffles and cheeses with a 2014 Late Harvest Zinfandel.

The next wine dinner takes place in April, and I’m really looking forward to experiencing a great selection of different wines, and what Chef Tony Romano will come up with next!

 

 

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Cheers!

©The Wine Student, 2018

Field Trip: Wine Dining with Orin Swift Wines

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This wine event at Bar Cento in Ohio City couldn’t have fallen on a better night. It was the perfect antidote to the cold November rain that was making me feel dark and drab.

This wine pairing, presented by Chris Victor, National Account Manager for E&J Gallo, and Superior Beverage of Cleveland paired three wonderful wines from the cellars of Orin Swift with an amazing three course menu created by Chef Sean Conroy.

Our first pairing was a 2015 Mannequin Chardonnay with the Amuse Bouche of fall veggies featuring acorn squash, red beet, sweet potato, sultana and Brussels sprouts. The Chardonnay tasted of ripe white peach, jasmine with a nice acidity that was softened bu the creaminess of the food and the sweet of the sultana. We continued with the Chardonnay into the 1st course of halibut, pumpkin, saffron, pine nut, and golden sage. The delicate flavor of the halibut with saffron sauce was nicely balanced with the bright citrusy vibe of the wine.

Next up was the 2015 Papillon Bordeaux Blend that paired well with our 2nd course that included lamb rack, mustard greens, merguez, and eggplant. Yummy! The flavours of ripe blackberry, dark cherry and subtle tannin played beautifully with the mustard greens and horseradish eggplant, coaxing out a flavourful bite spice in the wine.

Our final course was Clafoutis: a baked flan-like dessert of brandied cherries, fresh fig, and DiSaronno Amaretto. Paired with the 2014 Palermo Cabernet Sauvignon, it provided and unexpected, amazing surprise of the evening; I’ve never enjoyed a Cab with dessert before. I’d always thought they were too heavy. But the silky combination of blackberry and cassis didn’t overpower the delicate, flavourful dessert, it enhanced the richness of the cherries and Amaretto. I had always thought that in pairing wine and dessert the rule was sweet for sweet. This pairing proved that rules were made to be broken.

As the evening came to a close, our group’s discussion turned to the 2014 Mercury Head Cabernet Sauvignon and as luck would have it, we were treated to a small sample. Outstanding!

Sometimes, even in the darkest, rainiest night, a little light can shine in: great friends, great food and some amazing wines. And if you’re really lucky, you can find all three in one place.

Cheers! 🍷

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©TheWine Student, 2017

 

Field of Dreams: Uncorked Medina Wine Festival


We were looking for a chill vibe to start our weekend,  and we found it in Seville.

The inaugural Uncorked Medina Wine Festival at Buffalo Creek Retreat had everything we were looking for: wine, live jazz, wine, food trucks, craft beers, culinary demonstrations, art, and…wine.

Benefiting Friends of Medina County Parks, Uncorked featured a selection of wines from California as well  many local Ohio wineries including: Gervasi, Troutman Vineyards, Hi and Lo Winery, and the Winery at Wolf Creek.

The event also featured a reservation only,  five-course food and wine pairing Twilight Dinner prepared by chef Anthony Scolaro of 111 Bistro in Medina.  Yum!

The weather was spectacular and HubbyDoug and I strolled the grounds as vocalist Helen Welch provided an awesome soundtrack of jazz standards. It was the perfect cap to a busy week, and a cool welcome to the weekend.

Cheers! 🍷

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©TheWineStudent, 2017

MmmmmMonastrell Monday! 

Taking a break from my studying, I caught myself in a little daydream; thinking back to not long ago and a trip to Jerome, AZ. 

I’d heard of Caduceus Cellars from my nephew, Aaron, who’s really into the bands Tool and Puscifer. What does this have to do with wine? Caduceus was founded by Maynard James Keenan, frontman and songwriter of Tool, A Perfect Circle and Puscifer. Established in 2004, Caduceus is described as a ‘small production family owned winery’. Unlike some celebrity winemakers, Keenan likes to get his hands dirty in all aspects of the business; from planting and harvesting to winemaking and marketing.  

From our wine flights, HubbyDoug and our friends Carl and Deb picked the 2013 VSC Anubis (50% Cab, 30% Cab Franc, 20%Petit Syrah). My pick: the 2014 VSC Monastrell (100% Cochise County Monastrell). 

Monastrell (aka Mourvèdre) is a thick skinned grape that provides color, fruit and tannic structure especially when blended with Grenache and Syrah; it is the ‘M’ in GSM wines. On its own, it has intense perfume notes and blackberry flavours along with hints of meat. Age brings out more leather and gingerbread aromas and flavour. 

The wine in my glass had a beautiful garnet colour with sage on the nose (what I imagine the scent a desert flower would have). It had light-medium body with neutral oak, and flavors of basil, thyme, juniper with a kick of licorice and olive. It made me think of a fragrant, lush herb garden. Normally with reds, I expect to have more of a jammy, fruit forward experience, anything herbaceous I associate with a crisp Sauvignon Blanc. It wasn’t sweet wine, far from it. But, much like it’s winemaker, its juxtaposition from what I thought it should be, and what it was, I found a true expression of where it was cultivated. 

This Monastrell is hand-picked (by Keenan himself), sorted, submerged cap fermented and puncheon aged for 18 months. Puncheon is an extra large oak barrel (70-100 gallons). The larger size allows for stronger/ stricter controls in the wine’s development due to the higher inner barrel surface – wine ratio. 

I’d only had this varietal before as part of the GSM blend but on its own it was a wonderful surprise to add to my list of exceptional wines with a twist. 

Cheers! 

What I Did This Summer Part 2: Redemption, a Star Turn and a Little French Kiss 💋

Jordan Winery and Vineyard

After a busy few weeks of getting my daughter moved and relatively settled in at college, I’m back to my studies. Here’s the second half of my ‘what I did this summer’ report.

The second day of our excellent wine adventure took Hubby Doug and I to three vastly different wineries. One had a home-spun vibe, one had a very cinematic feel and the last took us back in time to a beautiful french chateau.

Alexander Valley Vineyard (AVV) ~ In 1961, Harry and Maggie Wetzel purchased the homestead of Cyrus Alexander (the valley’s namesake). In 1963, they planted their first grapes, and In 1968, with perseverance and resolve, their first Cabernet was bottled and a lifetime love of winemaking was born. Winemaker Kevin Hall along with three generations of the Wetzel family are continuing the family legacy of winemaking and farming.

The winery has a cosy tasting room, and an underground cave where we learned about how wines are barrel aged. Very cool (literally). 🙂
When we arrived at AVV, it was just after they’d opened for the day. And while it seemed a bit early to sample, in the name of research we summoned the ‘five-o’clock-somewhere’ rule and tried a couple of small samples. Our two favorite were the 2013 Redemption Zinfandel and the 2012 Cyrus. Both were beautifully nuanced, yet full-bodied.

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Francis Ford Coppola ~ Driving through the archway gave us the feel of what it must have been like to drive on to a movie lot (without the guard asking if you’re ‘on the list’). Coppola winery was one of the most unique I’ve experienced. It had a img_5614picturesque pool area with cabine where you can spend the day with your family. Most water areas at wineries are reservoirs, overflow basins or decorative ponds that they always kick me out of. Bocce courts and lazy hammocks overlooking the valley give a chill vibe that invite you to grab a glass and relax.

Inside the winery is the main tasting room and movie museum with select memorabilia from several Coppola classics including Apocalypse Now, Tucker: The Man and His Dream, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and the giant neon martini glass from One From The Heart. Our tasting experience was the Sonoma Inclusive at the main tasting bar. Our pick of the flight was the 2012 Director’s Cut Cinema blend of Cab Sauv, Zin, Petit Syrah and Syrah, and the 2012 1Mille Cab Franc.

One of the coolest wine tasting experiences that I’d love to return for is Tasting in the Dark. Small groups are led to the Coppola tasting labs, then blindfolded and led through a variety of sensory appreciation activities designed to fine tune the senses. Hoby Wedler, a UC Davis graduate, who is himself without sight, leads each group to the discovery of flavor and essence; allowing other senses to become stronger in the absence of sight. As we know when one sense is gone, others take over, and this experience would be amazing to help one begin sharpening their palate.

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Jordan Vineyard and Winery ~ our final stop of the day took us up a winding road to another world. This by appointment only winery made me think a little of Marie Antoinette’s Petit Trianon – beautiful, elegant and very regal.

When Jordan was established in 1972, the choice was deliberate to focus on creating only singular varietals, but doing them very well. Their Cab Sauv is produced from the Alexander Valley, and Chardonnay exclusively from the Russian River Valley. The philosophy being that by focussing on singular wines, a better continuity of style will be achieved, and a consistent realization of balance between fruit, acidity, tannin, and alcohol. Each vintage you open will generally have the same qualities time after time.

We chose the Library Tasting, a one hour tasting. The Chardonnay tasting was paired with an Ahi Poke with Quinoa and Heirloom Tomatoes. Usually I’m not into raw tuna but this was a lovely combination that beautifully enhanced the subtle notes of the wine.

On to the private tasting room where we sampled three older vintage Cabernet Sauvignon paired with a variety of artisan cheeses and a Jordan Estate Olive Oil.

Our pick? If you guessed Cab Sauv, grab yourself a glass of wine because you are very smart! Our vintage was the 2007~ something very special indeed.

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It was an amazing day of touring and tasting and I hope one day I’ll be lucky enough to go back.

Cheers!

©TheWineStudent, 2016