From Laughing to Learning--Coffee!

The only thing I like better than a good wine meme is a good coffee meme.  If the two are mixed together, it is the Holy Grail of memes as far as I’m concerned.  The best chuckles ever.  I basically feel the same way about my day.  If I get to enjoy both a great mug of coffee and a fabulous glass of wine over the course of the time I’m awake, I consider the day a total success.  This love of coffee has led me to purchase a French press coffee pot, a milk frother, special flavorings, a bean grinder, and multiple cool coffee cups.  However, it wasn’t until this last weekend that it led me to actually learn more about coffee on a formal level.  Enter, the Sweet Sommelier’s first coffee cupping!

Though a coffee “tasting” is actually called a “cupping,” there are many comparisons between a coffee cupping and a wine tasting.  Like a wine tasting, I started by learning some basic information about the beverage.  This information was so interesting and showed that coffee is similar to wine in many ways.  First, coffee has two major species of plants from which coffee “cherries” are harvested.  Second, like grapes for wine, the coffee tree usually has five years from initial planting until harvesting of coffee cherries to make into coffee beans.  Next, there are different processes used to get the coffee cherries hulled to reveal the bean inside.  Finally, and possibly the most interesting likeness, is that both are agricultural products which require very specific climates only found in certain parts of the world.  I really had never thought about the climate zones for growing coffee, but I found it so fascinating that coffee-growing areas have a ring around the globe like traditional grape-growing areas. 

The brown areas are actual coffee beans marking the areas coffee beans are grown throughout the world.

After this new information, the class started the process of smelling and tasting the coffee.  Though this is an unofficial procedure, it resembles the five S’s of wine tasting.  First, the coffee beans were smelled whole and then ground for characteristics like sweet, spicy, nutty, and roasty.  Next, hot water is poured over the ground beans and allowed to steep four minutes.  During this time, a “crust” of grounds forms on the top.  After four minutes, this crust must carefully be removed while the coffee lover is smelling the aromas coming from the brewed coffee. 

Whole coffee beans and ground beans waiting to be sniffed.

After all of this smelling, it is time for the actual tasting.  Much like when tasting wine, the coffee needs to coat the entire tongue for all flavors to be tasted.  Also, slurping is a good sign, not an indicator of poor manners, so slurp away on the first coffee, noting acidity, body, flavor, depth, and finish.  Terms like nippy, smooth, tart, delicate, fruity, buttery, woody, grassy, and spicy are used throughout these steps.  Yes, those terms sound so familiar to wine lovers!  This entire method is repeated on the other coffee samples, with coffee cuppers deciding if they would like to swallow the coffee or spit it to not consume as much caffeine.  More and more similarities to wine show up from the beginning to the end of this fun cupping. 

Instructor Mary and her helper pouring the hot water for our coffee to steep.

Waiting for the grounds of the coffee to form a "crust" on the top of the cup.



Coffee and wine are fabulous beverages, proven with the fact that so many memes show up on the internet and social media outlets about them both.  However, for me, both are worth more than just a good laugh.  Sipping each has always delighted me.  Learning about wine has fascinated me for quite some time.  It wasn’t until just recently that I realized knowledge about coffee was not only just as interesting as knowledge about wine, but it is also incredibly similar to wine in ways it is grown, processed, and sipped.  Coffee and wine…beverages about which to laugh, love, and learn!

Legends of the Fall--Harvest in South Dakota

Though for many the first frost of fall brings to mind seasonal colors, football season, and thicker sweaters, what it really brings to mind for winemakers and grape growers is one thing only:  hard work!  I’m always fascinated when the romantic idea of the gorgeous bottle of wine that magically appears at an important event turns into the harsh reality—making wine is dirty, intense work that often goes on for days and weeks before much of a break is given to the winemaker.  Though this truth is happening in every vineyard and winery in the northern hemisphere right now, I got to experience just one small part of it this weekend, harvest at Old Folsom Vineyards outside of Rapid City, South Dakota.

Vines at Old Folsom Vineyards.

            Harvests in South Dakota and other portions of the Midwest are vastly different than most California harvests. While California enologists are worried about the brix (sugar content) of grapes and often must harvest before this number gets too high when the grapes might be considered too ripe, horticulturists in areas like South Dakota and Wyoming have a whole other worry…will the grapes get ripe enough?  This was the question last week as an early hard frost descended on the Black Hills, causing temps to plummet to below freezing.  Though grapes can survive this temperature for a short time, the vines can not.  They begin to shut down, and the grapes need to be picked soon. 

            On September 11, a day known for more patriotic reasons, Mike Gould of Old Folsom Vineyards was checking the weather for more pragmatic purposes.  He needed to gauge the upcoming nights’ temps and make a decision of when to pick the grapes of his 1800 vines on his five-acre plot.  The answer was simple:  as soon as possible. 

            He spread the word and gathered friends, neighbors, and acquaintances to create picking crews for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  Over the course of the three days, almost 7,000 pounds of grapes were harvested.  Mike started with Frontenac Gris, La Crescent, and Brianna and then moved on to his Frontenac and Marquette grapes.  He also grows Petite Pearl grapes, although these vines are still too young to harvest fruit.

Rows of Marquette vines with the bird net still in place.

Beautiful Marquette grapes just waiting to be picked.

            The first step in the process was to remove the bird netting that went over the vines in early August.  Though tall fencing surrounds the vineyard to keep the deer from completing their own harvest, the birds just fly in at will.  A few still found their way in and under the net, but most were kept at bay and the product safe.  After crawling around on hands and knees to remove the clips holding the netting in place, all were given a cutting tool, a bin, and a bucket (on which to sit).  Old Folsom’s vines are trellised low, so sitting on the five-gallon bucket is actually the perfect height to pick.  The actual act of picking was very simple, and as grapes were dropped into bins, workers moved through the rows to dump the full tubs into larger vessels so the smaller tub could be refilled once more.  Then repeat…and repeat…and repeat…

Your Sweet Sommelier, picking and picking and picking...

My through the grapevine picking partner Annette, also picking and picking and picking...

            I only picked on the third and final day, and the grapes still looked great.  However, the vines themselves were beginning to whither from the earlier cold spell.  The leaves were wilting and dying, a sure sign that the choice to pick these particular days was a good one.  Any more time on the vine and the grapes may have started to shrivel, affecting the sugar or acid content, thus affecting the wine.  Instead, the grapes went to the winery, where they were cold soaked—a process to extract flavor and color from the grapes—waiting for the next step in the fermentation process.

The leaves began wilting from the below-freezing temperatures just days before.

After seven straight hours of work—okay, there was one short break for lunch—I drove home full of the wonder of wine.  The reminder that wine is ultimately an agricultural product doesn’t surprise me, but it is often at odds with the sophisticated image that so many have of wine.  Not that agriculture isn’t sophisticated; it is just darn hard work!  Understanding the amount of work that goes in to each bottle only makes me appreciate wine—and winemakers—even more.  Harvest in the fall is just another step in the long road a grape takes from a small bud on a vine to large sip from a glass.  Enjoy the end product, but remember all the hard work that it takes to go from ground to glass. 

If You Build It They Will Eat…and Drink--The Wine Cellar Restaurant

          I like wine.  That probably goes without saying, since I’m a sommelier.  However, I also like food.  A lot.  More than a lot.  And generally not just any food.  Good food.  Really good food!  So naturally, I love wine and food together.  And I love making these special meals an event with my friends—friends who, for the record, also love food and wine. 

When these wine-and-food-loving friends and I were looking for a great wine dinner to attend, we ended our search and just built our own…a Build Your Own Wine Dinner, so to speak.   The first restaurant I thought to contact about this BYOWD was the Wine Cellar in Rapid.  I knew its regular menu, which changes twice a year with the seasons, is always a special treat.  Plus, Pamela Light, Wine Cellar’s owner and executive chef, also creates weekly features that her head chef, Christopher McConnell, brings to life on customers’ plates.  The wine list is also ever-evolving with great selections from around the world.  This was the perfect place for me to browse the menus and pair items with wines from the list. 

The cozy and chic ambiance of The Wine Cellar.

The first difficult step was to narrow down the items from the menu; my mouth was already watering.  For the first course, the beef tenderloin tacos, herb roasted potatoes, stacked caprese, and artisan cheese plate all piqued my interest.  Then for the main course, there were so many choices!  The classic chicken pastry sounded delish.  But what about the house-made mushroom lasagna or the champagne risotto with scallops?  Both of which I personally knew were topnotch.  Don’t even get me started on dessert.  All house made (as is everything served in the restaurant—the only item not made there is the mustard) sweets from cheesecake to sorbet made it difficult to only choose one.  The decisions were going to be tough.

Course One—Pesto and artichoke thin crust pizza paired with Chateau Mayne Pargade white Bordeaux:  the thin crust, European style pizza with fresh basil pesto was divine.  The rich pesto and cheese blend on the pizza were great contrasting pairings with the Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon blend in the wine.  This was a tasty and refreshing pairing to start our meal.

Course one:  artichoke pesto pizza with white Bordeaux

Course Two—Chef’s special filet served atop a red-wine risotto with blue cheese crumbles paired with Point North Oregon Pinot Noir from Sean Minor Wines:  Oh.  My.  Gosh!  I knew that the Wine Cellar’s Champagne risotto was amazing, but this risotto, created with wine and blue cheese, was over-the-top!  The filet was prepared perfectly.  And the pairing with an earthy and fruity Oregon Pinot was flawless.

Course Three—House-made vanilla bean ice cream with cabernet hot fudge sauce paired with Croze Port.  This was a very special, yet lighter, dessert.  The fact that the ice cream and sauce were both house made is impressive.  The pairing with the port was spot-on, and even my fellow diners who are still building a palate to properly appreciate port enjoyed the course.

Dessert course:  house-made vanilla bean ice cream with cabernet fudge sauce and port.

If you love wine and food, don’t wait for a formal wine dinner…build one yourself!  Contact a great restaurant (like the Wine Cellar) and a sommelier (like me) to help you out if needed, but great wine and food should not be put off because of lack of opportunity.  If you build it, your friends will eat…and drink…well!  BYOWD soon.

Build Your Own Wine Dinner!

My initial blog post about The Wine Cellar can be enjoyed here.

A Dream Come True--Belle Joli Winery

         Three years ago, Matthew and Choi Jackson bought a plot of land on the outskirts of Sturgis, South Dakota.  Their goal?  To move a step forward in the fulfillment of a dream.  However, this dream had actually been a work in progress for over a decade, from the time the first grape vines were planted on a small half-acre plot inside Belle Fourche city limits in 2000.  To say a dream is coming true for the entire Jackson family as they celebrate the grand opening of their sparkling house and wine tasting room off Exit 32 this weekend is more than an understatement!

            After the initial purchase of the land, the area was then annexed into Sturgis city limits, and the process of getting water and sewer to the site was the first hurdle to overcome.  Last fall, ground was finally broken and construction commenced on a modern tasting room and wine-making facility that would house the equipment to make the Black Hills’ first sparkling wines produced in the traditional method—the same method used to make world famous Champagne wines in France.  Of course, nothing can go as smoothly as planned, and a Black Hills winter that saw the initial blizzard of the year the first week of October and the last snowflakes in May slowed down construction by several months.  Finally, on the Friday of opening weekend for the seventy-fourth Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, Belle Joli’s sparkling house and tasting room opened its doors. 

The modern front entrance welcomes visitors.

Sparkling house, producing the first traditional method sparkling wines in the Black Hills.

            In addition to the new facility, Belle Joli has been in the process of a facelift to its labels as well.  A new logo that will be consistent on all wine bottles was introduced; all labels now feature the two trees that stand out front of Belle Joli’s Sturgis location.  Wines are also being labeled by varietal names instead of a unique brand name.  For instance, the Riesling (with a small blend of Edelweiss) was called La Lure.  Now it will simply labeled Riesling, making it easier for consumers to know what they are drinking.  The same is true for the Chenin Blanc (formerly Dakota Breeze) and Cabernet Sauvignon (formerly St. Cab).  More modern-style coloring of the labels and logos also adds to the updated look of Belle Joli ushered in with the opening of the new tasting room.  Yet one more change is the planting of grapes out front of the Sturgis site; these grapes should be ready for harvest and wine making in under five years.

The Belle Joli tasting lineup.  New and old labels on display.

            Even with all of these changes, some things must stay the same.  The majority of Belle Joli’s grapes are still sourced from South Dakota, either from their current vineyards in Belle Fourche and just outside of town or another grower in Spearfish.  Matthew still produces three dessert fruit wines:  cherry, pear, and peach.  The Deadwood tasting room is also still open on Main Street Deadwood for tasting of all the wines Belle Joli produces.  Finally, the most important consistency, is the likelihood of seeing any member of the Jackson family at one of the tasting rooms, smiling and inviting customers to enjoy wine.  Mathew’s parents, Patty and John, have been an integral part of the winemaking business and have worked hard to help Choi and Matthew accomplish this tasting room goal.

The beautiful patio with the rolling hills in the distance.

            So, pick up a glass of Belle Joli bubbly—either the Brut Vintage (made from Washington State Riesling grapes) or the Brut Estate Reserve (made from Belle Joli’s La Crescent grapes)—to toast to the fact that dreams do come true!  It may take a lot of time and patience, but Matthew and Choi have proven that good things do come to those who wait…and work…and work some more. 

Cheers!

Grand opening events this weekend at Belle Joli: 

            Friday, August 15, 4:00 p.m.—Ribbon Cutting
            Saturday, August 16, 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Public Open House
            Sunday, August 17, 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Wine Club Member Party

Read about Belle Joli's harvest and hard work here.

The Nectar of the Gods...Literally--Chubby Chipmunk Chocolates

Some of my favorite wines are made by small producers—people who see the process of making wine as an art.  These producers want to make a unique product that truly shows the soul of a wine.  They want to “listen” to what the grapes are trying to communicate and show a true sense of place where the grapes were grown.  However, this same philosophy can be applied by many artisanal producers.  Mary Tautkus—better known as Chip—of Chubby Chipmunk Chocolates in Deadwood, South Dakota shares this same philosophy.  Though she is a chocolatier, she is searching for the soul in her product, so it can make her customers’ souls happier.

Chip has very early memories of enjoying to cook, and she fell in love with chocolate from the time her grandma gave her a Hershey bar when she was maybe four.  After working as a registered nurse, Chip opened a Chubby Chipmunk bakery and chocolate shop in California for a year, where she and her husband lived at the time.  Chip’s husband dreamed of retiring in the Black Hills, and when he retired, Chip’s dream of being a chocolatier was set into full motion when she took over the old Sinclair gas station on the edge of Deadwood and turned it into her one-woman chocolate shop.   

  Chubby Chipmunk's mascot, Miss Chubby, in front of the former Sinclair station turned chocolate shop.

The Chub-o-Matic chocolate vending machine, so customers can get their chocolate fix 24/7!

When making her sweet creations, Chip always “leads with her heart over her head” to determine recipes.  Over the course of the past ten years, she has received many accolades from different sources, such as Rachel Ray’s Every Day Magazine and the Grammy awards.  This professional acknowledgment has led to big-time offers from such companies as Sam’s Club, Wal-Mart, and Macy’s.  However, Chip has always felt as if she needed to say no to these options.  She wanted to stay small and steer away from large corporate ventures:  “It’s not about making the money, but about making something so good.” 

More than truffles here--also caramel patties and Fortunato No. 4 chocolate bars.

In this frame of mind, Chip likes to “read” the different kinds of chocolate she uses to determine what production techniques to incorporate.  Just as when a winemaker takes into account different varieties of grapes and vintages of growth, Chip says different chocolates have different temperatures at which they temper—a technique where the chocolate is warmed and cooled to achieve its silky, shiny texture.  Her philosophy is “don’t get cocky” with the chocolate, because that is what leads to a poor finished product.  This attitude of respect and reverence for her creations is especially evident when she is working with the rare Fortunato No. 4 chocolate from Peru. 

As with so many parts of her career as a chocolatier, events just seemed to fall into place for Chip to harvest and use this special delicacy.  Chip read an article in a trade magazine about Fortunato No. 4.  She then contacted the magazine, who passed her message on.  The next thing Chip realized, she had been invited to Peru and was harvesting this chocolate—which is considered a national treasure and guarded by armed men—with a stick, just like the ancient Aztecs did hundreds and hundreds of years ago. The beans are then roasted and conched, a process that grinds the beans so fine a liquid is formed, using the same methods from the 1800s. After she returned home and was working with the Fortunato No. 4 in her own kitchen at Chubby Chipmunk, she pictured the Aztec gods watching over her, nodding their heads in agreement with what she was doing with their chocolate. 

After a second trip to harvest Fortunato this coming March, Chip will have the additional special privilege of using the first crop of the initial Fortunato No. 4 chocolate; this is chocolate so rare, she will be the only one in the world selling it.  In so many ways, Fortunato is unlike any chocolate Chip has worked with before.  It has a unique flavor and changes with age, just like wine.  Chip equates the discovery and use of this ancient chocolate to finding a rare grape all the world’s wine lovers thought was extinct.   Her relationship to and her feelings for this chocolate are hard to describe, but Chip explains it best when she says it’s all just been “meant to be.”

 White chocolate creations.

 Dark chocolate creations.

Milk chocolate creations.

Chip has many meant-to-be stories like this.  From her meeting and on-stage seats to TWO different Gary Allen concerts—her favorite performer—to her carved mascot, Miss Chubby, the events that have happened for Chip because of chocolate have been amazing, and they are equally as amazing to listen to because she is an incredible story teller.  Chip feels so fortunate where her business has taken her and itself.  Today she employs up to fifteen people, depending on the time of year and the events happening.  Though she has chosen to stay a small artisanal venture, she tries to make up for the lack of large corporate benefits to her employees by paying competitive wages and giving frequent raises.  Her appreciation for her employees and customers is evident the instant one is greeted in the shop by Chip or a smiling Chipmunk representative…along with the divine smell of wonderful chocolate!  Chip has a huge heart and soul, and she works every day to show this through her work, her business, her workers, and her product.

Small producers who seek the soul of a wine during the production process are craftsmen and artists; they are people who care so much about their process that they worry less about money and more about the quality of the product they create.  Chip Tautkus falls into this category.  She is not only a chocolatier, but she is also an artist—whose medium just happens to be silky, sweet chocolate.   No matter what truffle or chocolate bar, Chip’s sweet touch is evident as she gives consumers a product that can honestly be called good enough for the gods. 

The Sweet Sommelier and Miss Chubby--chocolate lovers at heart!

Chubby Chipmunk chocolates the Sweet Sommelier--and her chocolate-loving friends--adore

(in no particular order)

1.       Hot Mama Truffle

2.      Cheddar Beer Truffle

3.      Cinnabun Truffle

4.      Chipmunk Treasure Truffle

5.      Buttercream Truffle

6.      New York Cheesecake Truffle

7.      Moose Toffee Truffle

8.      Deadwood Toffee Truffle

9.      Crème Brule Truffle

10.  Milk Caramel Truffle

 Chubby Chipmunk's website: Get Your Chocolate Here

It's the Thought That Counts--Two Shepherds Vineyards

It takes a lot to make wine.  Yes, one needs grapes, and equipment, and time, and money, and passion, and work ethic, and…the list goes on and on.  However, to make GOOD wine—really GOOD wine—it also takes a lot of thought. 

Voltaire once said, “No problem can withstand the assault of sustained thinking.”  William Allen of Two Shepherds Wines saw a problem.  He saw wines that were over-processed and over-worked, wines that didn’t show a sense of place where the grapes were grown.  He saw too much manipulation, too much use of the same grape varieties.  And William thought. 

He moved to California wine country and thought.  He started his own wine blog as “Sonoma William”—Simple Hedonisms—and continued thinking.  He home brewed beer.  He started making small batches of wine.  He became part of the Rhone Rangers movement and then president of the North Coast Rhone Rangers, focusing on grapes that are traditionally grown in the Rhone Valley of France:  Grenache, Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Syrah, and Mourvedre.  He thought, and thought, and thought.  He began to form the ideas of what he believed would not only make wine in northern California, but make great wine. 

This “assault of sustained thinking” led him to use primarily neutral oak, all indigenous yeasts (with no inoculation), and some whole cluster fermentation with no new oak, no filtering, and no Cabernet Sauvignon. He started small—just 175 cases in 2010; however, by 2013 he was up to 1,000 cases from 11 varieties (10 of which are Rhone) sourced all the way from the more southern area of the Santa Ynez Valley to the more central area of Lodi.  This is quite an undertaking, especially considering that, for the most part, William is a one-man show, doing the majority of the production work himself, all while still maintaining his full-time “day job”.

William pondered everything:  what grape varieties to use, where the grapes were grown, how the grapes were grown, and how they were harvested.  He considered bottle shape and size, cork type and artwork, and label design and colors.  Every detail was painstakingly thought through…with amazing results!

The Whites

Grenache Blanc 2012—Two Shepherds largest production with 200 cases made, this wine (sourced from the Saarloos Vineyard in Santa Ynez) is filled with mineral on the nose and golden apples on the palate while being both incredibly smooth and brightly acidic.  (I purchased this white.)

Pastoral Blanc 2012:  Roussanne, Marsanne, Viognier, Grenache Blanc Blend—The nose shines with pineapple and baked apple as the palate reinforces these fruits.  Once again, this wine has that great acidity while maintaining a velvety smoothness not often found in acidic whites.  William thinks this wine has great aging potential for the next decade.

Pastoral Blanc 2012, Trousseau Gris 2012, and Mourvedre 2012

Viognier 2013—Grown in Saralee’s Vineyard in the Russian River Valley (one of William’s absolute favorites), the nose of this wine is filled with flowers and tropical fruits which are repeated on the palate.  With only thirty-three cases made, this is a very special wine.

 

Grenache 2012, Grenache Blanc 2012, Pastoral Blanc 2012

Trousseau Gris 2012—This might be considered a schizophrenic wine showing William’s inner wine geek and constantly-processing brain.  William used white grapes but produced them as he would a red wine, with 12 days on the skins after two punch downs a day; it is a beautiful neon-apricot color showing soft tropical fruits on the nose and palate.  William recommends continuing to treat this as a red wine and serving it at red wine temperature.

The Reds

Grenache Noir 2012—Also sourced from Saralee’s Vineyard in RRV, this was my favorite red!  A slightly murky shade of chokecherry, the nose was filled with strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries; the palate was packed with these mixed berries and that zippy acid that William’s wines display.  (I purchased two of these and have already consumed one.)  A barrel tasting of the 2013 Grenache had slightly less fruit on the nose at this time but still great berries and acid on the palate.  This 2013 is shaping up to be just as fantastic as the 2012.

Grenache 2012

Syrah/Mourvedre 2011—This almost fifty-fifty blend sourced from the Russian River Valley has baked fruit and spice on the nose with currant, cherry, spice, and metal on the palate; I might add this also had a finish that lasted forever!  The aging possibilities on this wine look good.

Mourvedre 2012—Also sourced from the RRV, the nose had currants and cherries with dried herbs that were repeated on the palate with lively acid.  Such a great style of Mourvedre, with only 12.3% alcohol (lower alcohol percentages are typical of William’s wines).  This would be a great food-pairing wine.  (I also purchased this wine.)

Viognier 2013 and Syrah/Mourvedre 2011

William Allen definitely made all of his thinking count when he started his Two Shepherds label.  Though he lives in the part of the country where he has easier access to the basics of winemaking—grapes, equipment, facilities, storage, etc.—and he added the time and money needed to make wine, he knew he wanted more.  He wanted to make a THOUGHTFUL wine, a wine that fixed the problems he saw in the industry.  His attentive yet almost minimalist style of winemaking is a model to be emulated, to be followed, to be enjoyed.  William definitely made his sustained thinking about absolutely every detail of winemaking count!

Two purchase any of these wines, please go to the website:  Two Shepherds Vineyards.

Doon’t You Know--Bonny Doon

A trip to northern California…mecca to a wine lover/wine geek like me.  Oh, yes!  Napa and Sonoma, and all the AVAs (American Viticultural Areas—legally recognized growing areas) within these counties are a wineaux’s dream.  However, many “Doon’t” know that the climate of California is wonderful for growing grapes all over the state, not just in those two famous areas.  One such famous winemaker, Randall Graham, actually makes his wine in the beach town of Santa Cruz, known more for its famous boardwalk of amusement rides and hundred-year-old wharf of shops than for its wine production.  Graham sources grapes for his Bonny Doon wines from different areas of California, finding the vineyards that produce grapes with the qualities he yearns for in his unique and (self-proclaimed) esoteric wines.  Graham does this in his quest to produce wines with soul (as a wine friend of mine put it), and I couldn’t agree more with this mission and the outcome.

Santa Cruz...known for its beach, but has great wine too!

Focusing more on Rhone grape varieties and purposefully eschewing the usual California grapes of Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, Bonny Doon’s wines are unique in many ways.  Graham lists the actual ingredients of his wines on the back labels of the bottles, making him a pioneer in this practice.  This ingredients list is generally quite short, due, in part, to the Biodynamic and organic growing processes of the grapes he sources.  Doon’t be fooled, however; though Graham is a bit of an “eccentric” and this shows up in his wines, he produces some amazing, one-of-a-kind juice.

Bonny Doon tasting room.

Albarino:  Sourced from Kristy and Jespersen vineyards, the 2013 Albarino is filled with mineral and wet stone on the nose with just a hint of sweetness and green herb on the palate.  The 2010 Sparkling Albarino is a traditional method sparkling with peach and lime on the palate, perfect for a warm, California summer day.

Syrah:  The 2010 Jespersen Syrah is a special treat with smooth, balanced tannin and acid, alongside green pepper and mixed dark fruit.  The surprise of the day was the 2011 Sparkling Syrah.  This refreshing wine is the perfect summer wine for red wine lovers.  This bottle has all the characteristics of a quality Syrah, with the fun of bubbles.  Serve slightly chilled and this checks all the boxes of a summertime red wine.

Blends:  The Rhone Valley influence really shows up in Bonny Doon’s old-world inspired blends.  But these aren’t stuffy or old-fashioned bottles.  These are California cool blends—cool because of the quality of the vino and the backstory of the name.  (Look up the meaning, but it deals with the French and UFOs…the makings of a great wine title!)  The 2009 Le Cigar Volant Normale and 2008 Le Cigar Volant Reserve start with Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, and Cinsault (and sometimes Carignane) grapes.  The Normale is smooth with baked cherries on the palate, while the Reserve’s smoothness is tempered with more fig and over-ripe plum from being aged additional time on the lees.  Both would be age-worthy, with the Reserve cellaring well over fifteen years…even with the screw cap closures of which Graham promotes the use. 

 The tasting line up.

The bottles.

Doon’t believe for a minute that the only places to taste great wines in California are in Napa and Sonoma.  I’m definitely not saying these wine regions aren’t stellar…because they are!  (Upcoming blogs of me practically squealing like a 1960s teenager seeing the Beatles while I was in Sonoma will be published soon.)  My point is that there are so many tremendous wineries all over northern California, Doon’t focus only on Napa or Sonoma:  look to small producers, look at different regions, look for different varietals.  Doon’t miss out on a special stop that might be slightly off the beaten path.  You won’t be sorry!

Boy Are We Enthusiastic--Wine Enthusiast Party

As some of you may be aware:  I like wine.  A lot.  And not necessarily just to drink.  I love to learn about wine, wine regions, producers, and grapes.  I enjoy trying new wines from regions I’ve never tasted before.  If it is wine related, I want to know more about it! 

My children have called it an obsession.  I disagree…kind of.  I do have a tendency to find wine or wine-related venues wherever I go.  I say I just have a special “spidey sense” when it comes to wine.  Like a gift.  (That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!)

It just so happened that on a recent trip to Chicago, my wine sixth sense (actually it was a very kind wine connection from Chicago) turned me on to a wonderful wine event when I was in town—the Wine Enthusiast Red and White Bash.  This fun charity event featured wines from around the world that scored highly in Wine Enthusiast Magazine.  Food, music, wine, and fun all mixed with a reason to dress up?  I was in!

Wine events and festivals like these are great opportunities to try something new and different.  I was able to try some wines from Virginia (which had been on my radar for quite some time) and some wines from Israel (which were not on my radar at all).  Great food stations were interspersed between the wine booths, and the hit of the night was Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse with its filet slider and horseradish sauce.   I also got to meet two of my online wine connections in person at this event.  Another special treat was Peter Mondavi Jr. pouring at the Charles Krug stall…my first Mondavi sighting!

Scenes from Wine Enthusiast Red and White Bash

 Your Sweet Sommelier enjoying the bash!

 Hair and makeup stations were enjoyed by many.

 Accordini Igino 2007 Le Bessole Amarone.

 Charles Krug 2010 Vintage Selection Cab and 2010 Generations Red.

 Peter Mondavi Jr. pouring Charles Krug selections.

 Louis Roederer NV Brut Premier--I do love a sparkling!

 Fun dancing to a 1920s style swing band.

New friends:  Italianwinelovr Sabatni.

Old friends:  my Meig and Char.

So whether you really like wine or only kind of like wine (I know, it sounds weird, but I’ve heard these people actually do exist), use all of your senses to attend a wine event near you.   You will not be disappointed, and you may try new wines and meet new people.  It is a win-win, wine situation!

At Its Peak--Crow Peak Brewing

I did it once more.  I cheated.  I am here to confess my transgressions.  I cheated on wine…with beer…yet again…

Frankly, I blame the fascinating microbrew community for making me do it.  It’s not my fault.  I just couldn’t help myself.  There were too many temptations for me.  I should not be held responsible for my actions!

Today it was Crow Peak Brewing.  I was instantly attracted to the exterior looks.  It is one great looking facility!  Tall, dark, and handsome.  Two stories with an outdoor, upper deck—who wouldn’t be attracted to that?

Crow Peak looks good!

The inside is just as striking.  The large, open seating area lures drinkers in…even wine drinkers like me.  The unique fire place was practically calling my name as it winked at me and said, “How you doin’?”

Unique and inviting on the inside too.

I took the bait.  I sat down at the bar and let the beer talk to me.  I was in trouble.  They were all so seductive. 

First, it was the three beers Crow Peak produces and distributes all year around:  Pile O’ Dirt Porter, Canyon Cream Ale, and 11^th Hour IPA.  These three show the range of styles Crow Peak spans, and they are impressive.  From the dark porter, to the hoppy IPA, to the light ale, all show the quality original owner Jeff Drumm was reaching for when he started brewing on a large scale in 2007.

Next, I was attracted to the seasonal options, some distributed in the Midwest and areas surrounding Spearfish, some only available on tap at the brewery. 

The 5.2 Imperial Decade IPA, brewed by Jeff for himself on his fifty-second birthday, is a masculine beer filled with hoppy bitterness (100 IBUs to be exact!). 

But these beers are in touch with their feminine sides as well.  Take the Ancient Mariner for instance.  It uses a saison yeast brewed with Chai tea for that sugar and spice and everything nice factor.

This season’s Easy Livin’ Summer Ale is the perfect date for a hot summer day with its light hop and slightly sweet flavor.  (And it just smells so good!)

Spearbeer, the first Crow Peak beer Jeff brewed, shows there is no fear of commitment here.  It is a beer with staying power.

And to keep the excitement alive, Mjollnir is an ale with a secret…a secret ingredient.  Mjollnir, meaning Thor’s hammer, uses Black Hills spruce tips in the recipe to spice things up!  Unfortunately, Mjollnir also likes to play hard to get as it is a winter seasonal beer, not available for purchase at this time. 

Mjollnir is secretive, seductive, and spicey.



As if all of these beer selections weren’t enough to cause even the best wine drinkers to stray, Crow Peak carries eight beers on tap and has a rotation of over forty beer recipes that could show up on the menu at any time. 

With so many options fighting for my attention, it is no wonder my eyes wandered away from wine and to the many beers Jeff and crew (Josh, Matt, and Adam) brew.  There are just too many temptations for someone to be faithful all the time.  Though wine is my first—and true—love, my attentions may be pulled to the booming craft beer movement in the Black Hills more often.  And let’s face it:  every once in a while, a girl just needs a beer!  Forgive me, please. 

Josh, Jeff, and Matt tempting wine drinkers one beer at a time.

Summer, Summer, Summertime--Summer Salad Recipe

I live where winter begins early.  Incredibly early.  As in a blizzard-the-first-week-of-October early. 

I also live where spring starts late.  Incredibly late.  As in still-snowing-at-the-end-of-April late. 

If you want to see what spring fever really looks like, come to the Black Hills in May when the sun shines for three days straight and the temperature actually hits forty-five all three days.  People are in their shorts and flip flops, ready for summer…NOW!

I was particularly ready for the warmer temperatures of spring and summer this year, and though Mother Nature wasn’t moving as fast in that direction as I wanted her, I decided to speed things along by cooking as if it was summer:  more grilling, summer veggies, and light bites.  I dug through my recipes and found the ones that would make summer appear on my plate, and none did this more so than an orzo salad recipe from my incredibly great chef friend, Kirsten.  The dill (fresh if you can get your hands on it) and lemon in this recipe are both flavorful and zesty while being light and refreshing…just like summer.  I made this salad for my lunch for three weeks in a row (did I mention I had spring fever?), and I enjoyed it more each week as I perfected the recipe with the amounts and ingredients I preferred.  Here it is:  summer on your plate!

Summer Dill Orzo Salad

1 pound orzo pasta
3 tbsp. lemon juice
2 ½ tsp. Dijon mustard
zest of one lemon
2 tbsp. finely (extremely fine) chopped onion (green onion or shallots will also work)
5 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
4 tbsp. fresh dill or 2 tsp. dried dill weed
¼ cup chopped, pitted Kalamata olives
2 medium cucumbers: peeled, seeded, and chopped
2 large carrots:  peeled and chopped
6 oz. feta cheese crumbles

1. Cook the orzo according to package instructions using ½ tsp. salt in the water. Cook until al dente.
2. In a separate bowl, combine lemon juice, zest, mustard, and onion. Add a few pinches of salt. Then whisk in olive oil and dill.
3. In a large bowl, pour lemon-dill dressing over still-warm pasta. Add cucumbers, olives, and carrots. Stir well. Refrigerate until chilled before serving.
4. Sprinkle feta over the top of salad just before serving. 

Serve as a side to grilled steak, pork chops, or chicken (when I served it as supper, I grilled marinated chicken skewers as the protein ) or add chunks of grilled chicken to the salad and have as a meal itself (which is what I did for my lunch for three weeks).



I served with Erath Pinot Gris from Oregon (not with my lunch, but when I fixed this for supper one evening before taking it for lunch).  However, other Pinot Gris/Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc wines would be a nice compliment pairing with the acid of the lemon juice and zest.  For a contrast pairing, try a Riesling or Gewürztraminer, any sweetness level.



If you want summer on your plate and in your glass, this recipe is waiting to be prepared.  It took me through the “dark” days when I was beginning to suspect Mother Nature wasn’t going to give us a summer at all.  But I never should have doubted her.  As I sit on my patio enjoying my summery meals and wines, I forgive her for her shenanigans with our wintery weather this year.  As she lets the sun shine on me, I love her again…at least until the first snow storm of October!