It's a Yamaha V-Star 1100. After I took the picture, I added River Road saddlebags and a Custom International passenger backrest for the wine case to rest against. Got back home to Texas without spilling a drop!
Posted on 09/13/2006 9:08:46 AM PDT by NautiNurse
The harvest season has arrived in California wine country.
Thus far, reports from the Napa Valley have been unanimously positive, which means if Mother Nature continues to cooperate, 2006 could be an exceptional vintage for a number of wine varieties.
Per usual, things got going early in the Carneros region, which straddles the southern borders of both Napa and Sonoma counties. That’s a big area for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir — two key ingredients in sparkling wine — and the makers of sparklers prefer to work with less-ripened fruit.
Sauvignon Blanc was the first variety harvested farther north in Yountville, with Chardonnay not far behind. The Chardonnay bunches were reportedly ripening very evenly, a harbinger of quality wines to come.
In the Stags Leap District, the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot seemed to be running about a month behind other areas, and up on Mt. Veeder, a mid-October harvest was being anticipated.
Overall, the California Cabernet harvest is expected to be somewhat small, but of exceptional quality — again, as long as Mother Nature doesn’t pull a fast one with some extended rainfall or, even worse, a hailstorm.
Other news around the vineyards and wineries…
• Earlier this year, all the legal maneuvering finally ended and it was decreed that wineries that use “Napa” in their name must make their wine from Napa Valley fruit. It was considered a landmark truth-inadvertising case.
Now, a similar brouhaha is brewing — or, perhaps that should be fermenting — in Sonoma County. As was the case in Napa, there is not unanimous support for the proposal. However, for consistency’s sake, it’s a proposal that certainly seems to make sense.
• More than $700,000 was raised for local charities at the 2006 Sonoma Valley Harvest Wine Auction.
Among the highlights of the event: Joe, Mike, Chris and Bob Benziger showing up in full Elvis regalia.
Another: Bruce Cohn of B.R. Cohn Winery impersonating Elton John, sequins and all.
Proceeds benefited the Sonoma Land Trust, Vineyard Worker Services and the Sonoma Valley Education Foundation, among other local groups.
• In response to a question from a Daily Press reader, a wine glass should be washed immediately after use with hot water and a mild detergent.
This prevents staining, and gets the glass completely clean for its next use.
After being dried with a clean cloth, the glass should be stored upright so stale air doesn’t become trapped in the bowl.
• And in answer to another reader question, the main difference between making white wine and making red wine involves the skins of the grapes.
In the making of red wine, the skins are kept in contact with the fermenting juice. That’s what gives the wine its color.
• Mark your calendar: The next tasting event of the High Deser t Wine Explorers is scheduled for Sept. 23 at the Cask ’N’ Cleaver restaurant in Victorville.
The theme of the tasting is “blended wines,” the first time in the club’s history that the topic has been tackled… and tasted.
To order tickets, call 843-0500.
Wines of the week
• White: Legends 2005 Chardonnay, California. Legends is the wine project of basketball hall of famer Larry Bird, and this wine is all about finesse and elegance. It offers aromas and flavors of ripe, sweet pear, apple and peach, and even though it did not undergo malolactic fermention, it’s soft and creamy in the mouth. In basketball-speak, this wine is “nothing but net.” $25. Rating: 88.
• Red: Cosentino 2003 “The Poet,” Napa Valley. This red Meritage wine is dark garnet in hue, with complex aromatics that unfold to reveal cedar, mint, black currant, black cherry and dark chocolate. The sweet black fruits are more prominent in the mouth, picking up notes of black licorice and tobacco leaf. A few years in the cellar should help this wine “show” even better. $65. Rating: 92.
Wines are rated by Bob Johnson and Glen Frederiksen on a 100-point scale: 70-79, commercially sound; 80-84, good; 85-89, very good; 90-94, excellent; 95-100, world class. Send questions to Wine Lines in care of the Daily Press, P.O. Box 1389, Victorville, CA 92393 or e-mail them to bobwino@aol. com.
The alternative is dust in the bowl with upright glass storage. Otherwise, I suppose we could keep those glasses busy enough to avoid dust collection.
Yikes, I have a lot of wine glasses.
That lawsuit they talk about in the article was basically about Chuck (which is really part of the Franzia empire) putting "Napa" on the label because it was bottled there, but the grapes aeven though the production facilities were all Central Valley, with tanker trucks just bringing it in to Napa for bottling. That the stuff isn't bad (four bottles into the night, at least) is a testament to how skilled winemakers are now.
Weak dollar against the euro, plus the French make a LOT of wine.
What kind of bike ?
Oh, now you've gone and ruined my day.
There's a cute marketing trio of Zins by Alexander Valley Vineyards. Gift boxed, it contains the Three Zins: Tempation Zin, Sin Zin, and Redemption Zin.
AVV is also the maker of Cyrus. I've got a bottle of it somewhere around here.
A friend who worked at Ashland's Catlettsberg, KY refinery retired early and is growing wine in the E. KY/W. VA area.
Last bike I owned was an 850 Norton. Sold it while living in Minnesota. It was just waiting out in my garage for a chance to kill me.
It's not all bad, really. Some of those vines are ancient by California standards and it's not going to completely dissappear. I've heard from a few people in the know that certain families are really protective of vines/brands they have nurtured over time. If there is enough of a market, someone will take up the slack.
I'm of the mind that competition is a good thing and it tends to bring out the best in things. It just might be that some label you prefer will just cease to be after a time. Hopefully there will always be another to discover
I like the SinZin but haven't had the others. They're getting a good penny for that one in the Northeast...but the Liar's Dice was never bargain bin either. The first time I tried it, I was warned that it had a "burn" to it...almost like Hot Sauce. I picked up a half a case and let it sit for a few years. WHAT A DIFFERENCE.
The soon to be Mrs. took a sip and her eyes opened quite wide. All she said was "OH MY!!!! I hope we have more of this in that box in the cellar"
Luckily, we do.
I have a lot of wine glasses also. I love to get at various auctions, 2nd hand stores. SOme are a couple some just one.
I set a pretty table for 6 once with 6 different settings. Each one was gorgeous.. but difft silver, china, napkins & stemware. Had an off white lace table cloth & I really wish I had taken some pix of the table prior. I think there were some of the dinner party, but there were people blocking view of table & food on plates etc.
Had my first ice wine a few weeks ago. Really liked it.
As far as who owns wineries in California.. a pretty good sized one is owned by a former Hollywood magnate... anyone recall who?
here is a listing of California wineries
http://www.cawinemall.com/a-c.shtml
a bottle of decent wine for 2 dollars? are you kidding?
Much of the stuff under 7 or 8 tastes like vinegar!
that would be Francis Ford Coppola....
2 buck chuck bump
Right!
I liked his work in movies & like his wine..
Here's a NPR news story about one of the wines:
'Two-Buck Chuck' Snags Top Wine Prize
Morning Edition, June 18, 2004 · When it comes to wine, some consumers still equate quality with price. But at the 28th Annual International Eastern Wine Competition, a $1.99 bottle of California Wine, the 2002 Charles Shaw Shiraz, beat out 2,300 wines to win a prestigious double gold medal. Hear NPR's Steve Inkseep.
If you google (or dogpile) either Charles Shaw Wine or Two-Buck Chuck, you'll find lots of stories about it.
How are Piedmont (Middleburg)and Chateau Morrisette (Meadows of Dan) doing these days?
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