The Wine Hacker.com

Listen to the "Grapefather" for Amazing Italian Wines in El Dorado County

One bright January day, I stumbled upon this handsome gentlemen at the newly opened Nello Olivio tasting room in Camino,  CA off Highway 50.  He was the epitome of grace and finesse, and invited me to join him in some libations left over from a wine club event that had just been held.  I had just tasted his wines, and immediately joined the "Wine Mob" as I just couldn't get enough of the big, earthy reds offered!  Also , wine club members can use this beautiful room as well as a gorgeous "cave" at the Placerville location that was just the site for my husband Bert's 65th birthday held this July.  

And the wine we opened that day?  It is now a library wine as it was a double Gold medal winner; the 2015 Sagrantino.  I tasted it that day in January, bought it and hid it to save it for Bert's party.  I mostly hid it from myself -if I had seen it in plain site it never would have made it till July!  Sagrantino is a rare treat, as it is an Italian varietal only grown by a few wineries in the US.  Until recently, it was almost exclusively grown in Umbria, Italy.

It was the perfect birthday treat - rich with a lovely berry nose, heavy but smooth and rich tannins, and plummy with hints of earth, cinnamon, leather, and just a touch of fine oolong tea.  Our friends loved it, and ran to the tasting room to try the 2016 Sagrantino.  Not quite as big or elegant, but still a very fine wine and a great find.  

If you are looking for a light summer wine, another one enjoyed at our party was the 2016 Bianconello.  It is simply delightful chilled!  It's perfect if you want a dry white that is not lemony, buttery or heavy.   I also loved the Dieci and the Sangiovese.   

If you visit Camino OR Placerville, be sure to stop in and visit the "Grapefather".  The reds are fantastic, and the ambiance wonderful.    

And now, for something completely different (to quote Monty Python) - here is a little video they showed us in the Placerville tasting room.   Yes, he really IS the Grapefather!  

 

Enjoy!! 

 

 

 

 

Yes Virginia, Frogs DO Have Teeth

 Fall is in the air - and this year, I have had many wonderful summer outings and memorable events.  One of the best of the year was Memorial Day weekend with friends John and Susan Worley -  we "road-tripped" to Arnold, California which is a quaint little mountain town located near Murphy's California, which is a fledgling new wine growing region. Both are in historic Calavera's County, the home of the famous Mark Twain inspired "Frog Jumps"; a yearly event that draws thousands into this usually quiet area of the world.  

Susan and I were wandering the streets and shops of downtown Murphy's  when we happened across the Frog's Tooth winery.  It is a bit off the beaten path, but we couldn't miss the large green frog beckoning us in for a taste.   Once inside the tasting room, we got the answer to the question of the hour - yes, frogs DO have teeth.   According to the Frog's Tooth Winery signs, frogs have very small teeth  - hey, how else can they chew all those yummy insects? 

We also discovered a wonderful Cabernet - full of jammy berry flavors, Thanksgiving cranberry overtones, and what the winery refers to as "whispering tannins" - which is a fancy way of saying that the wine gave evidence of structure and its 24 month aging in French oak without tasting like a picnic table. The fruit was forward, approachable, and "in-your-face", just like a bullfrog moving towards a tasty fly.   

The finish was smooth but with a "zing" that actually enhanced the overall experience.   

This wine is only available to wine club members - but would be well worth the investment and time.   

Food Pairings: I would serve this Cab with a steak salad dotted with dried cranberries and crumbled blue cheese.  It would also be lovely with Stroganoff crepes (simply make crepes from any recipe,stuff them with Beef Stroganoff, top with shredded Mozzarella or Gruyere cheese, and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees)   Yet another suggestion, given the fruity character of this wine, is to serve it with marinated salmon steaks - try a marinade of sesame oil, garlic, fresh mint, seasoned salt, white wine, and freshly ground pepper.   A nice cheese plate with a pungent Stilton cheese and a creamy Camembert would be another pairing option. 

Music Pairings: Hints of complexity peer from behind a cloud of sweetness and light with this wine, just like Claude Debussy's Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun.  I also see this as a great wine to reminiscence by, while listening to How High the Moon, or I Left My Heart in San Francisco by Tony Bennett. 

Other Pairings: Would love to enjoy this wine while sniffing samples of new perfumes from Sephora, or looking at the latest patterns for wine glasses by Waterford.  This wine would also blend well with Christmas shopping by catalog, as it hints of holiday flavors to come.   I see it as a great scrapbooking with friends wine, or a crafting while listening to light classics wine. 

Where to Buy: This Cab is only available at the winery, at http://www.frogstooth.com/cabernet-sauvignon.asp , to wine club members.    

 

 

 

2011 Hahn Pinot Noir, The Hedley Club, and All That Jazz...

Two of my passions are jazz and wine, and at the Hedley Club in San Jose, both are entwined like honeysuckle vines in an English garden.  Every other Wednesday,  a wildly popular jazz jam is hosted here by Bay Area musicians John Worley and Oscar Pangilinan that draws musicians that vary from conga players to vocalists to yours truly on trumpet.   

Located in the historic De Anza hotel, this club is romantic, sophisticated, and trendy;  a great place for hearing music that is unique and improvised - never to be repeated - while sipping from the magnificent wine list. 

Looking for some "grapey" courage before it was my turn to play last night, I asked bartender and sommelier David to recommend something that was "light" yet enjoyable.  He returned with a glass of the 2011 Hahn Pinot Noir, which was simply delightful!  

The nose was bursting with wildflower, elderberry and lavender scent - and the forward palate was light without being "watery" like many lesser Pinots on the market.  I enjoyed the hint of oak I tasted, and a little research on the wine did indeed show that its cooperage was 33% new French oak and 67% neutral oak.  This gave solid structure and some complexity in the mid palate that was pleasing without detracting from the floral bouquet I tasted.  

Food Pairings: I suggest this wine as a wonderful compliment to a  beautiful vegetable plate with a side of hummus, a shellfish risotto, a bucket of steamed clams, or a skewer of grilled shrimp marinated with lemon and garlic.   A simple shrimp scampi would also pair well, as the floral overtones of the wine would compliment the delicate butter flavors.  I would go easy on the garlic, otherwise this great wine could be overpowered by it.   

Other Pairings: This wine goes with BEBOP JAZZ!   Also Disney music, as I drank it last night while listening to the house band play "Someday My Prince Will Come".   I would suggest as a great compliment to an afternoon of updating a photo site or album, planning a new flower garden on the computer, or for a picnic near the ocean.   

Where to Buy it:  I can only find the 2010 outside of the winery - at Bevmo.  As a disclaimer, I have not tasted the 2010.   

This wine can be enjoyed at the Hedley Club, or from the Hahn Winery in Monterey County.