Dec 29, 2008
A really special football game
Life of Reilly
By Rick Reilly
ESPN The Magazine
They played the oddest game in high school football history last month down in Grapevine, Texas.
It was Grapevine Faith vs. Gainesville State School and everything about it was upside down. For instance, when Gainesville came out to take the field, the Faith fans made a 40-yard spirit line for them to run through.
Did you hear that? The other team's fans?
They even made a banner for players to crash through at the end. It said, "Go Tornadoes!" Which is also weird, because Faith is the Lions.
It was rivers running uphill and cats petting dogs. More than 200 Faith fans sat on the Gainesville side and kept cheering the Gainesville players on—by name.
"I never in my life thought I'd hear people cheering for us to hit their kids," recalls Gainesville's QB and middle linebacker, Isaiah. "I wouldn't expect another parent to tell somebody to hit their kids. But they wanted us to!"
And even though Faith walloped them 33-14, the Gainesville kids were so happy that after the game they gave head coach Mark Williams a sideline squirt-bottle shower like he'd just won state. Gotta be the first Gatorade bath in history for an 0-9 coach.
But then you saw the 12 uniformed officers escorting the 14 Gainesville players off the field and two and two started to make four. They lined the players up in groups of five—handcuffs ready in their back pockets—and marched them to the team bus. That's because Gainesville is a maximum-security correctional facility 75 miles north of Dallas. Every game it plays is on the road.
This all started when Faith's head coach, Kris Hogan, wanted to do something kind for the Gainesville team. Faith had never played Gainesville, but he already knew the score. After all, Faith was 7-2 going into the game, Gainesville 0-8 with 2 TDs all year. Faith has 70 kids, 11 coaches, the latest equipment and involved parents. Gainesville has a lot of kids with convictions for drugs, assault and robbery—many of whose families had disowned them—wearing seven-year-old shoulder pads and ancient helmets.
So Hogan had this idea. What if half of our fans—for one night only—cheered for the other team? He sent out an email asking the Faithful to do just that. "Here's the message I want you to send:" Hogan wrote. "You are just as valuable as any other person on planet Earth."
Some people were naturally confused. One Faith player walked into Hogan's office and asked, "Coach, why are we doing this?"
And Hogan said, "Imagine if you didn't have a home life. Imagine if everybody had pretty much given up on you. Now imagine what it would mean for hundreds of people to suddenly believe in you."
Next thing you know, the Gainesville Tornadoes were turning around on their bench to see something they never had before. Hundreds of fans. And actual cheerleaders!
"I thought maybe they were confused," said Alex, a Gainesville lineman (only first names are released by the prison). "They started yelling 'DEE-fense!' when their team had the ball. I said, 'What? Why they cheerin' for us?'"
It was a strange experience for boys who most people cross the street to avoid. "We can tell people are a little afraid of us when we come to the games," says Gerald, a lineman who will wind up doing more than three years. "You can see it in their eyes. They're lookin' at us like we're criminals. But these people, they were yellin' for us! By our names!"
Maybe it figures that Gainesville played better than it had all season, scoring the game's last two touchdowns. Of course, this might be because Hogan put his third-string nose guard at safety and his third-string cornerback at defensive end. Still.
After the game, both teams gathered in the middle of the field to pray and that's when Isaiah surprised everybody by asking to lead. "We had no idea what the kid was going to say," remembers Coach Hogan. But Isaiah said this: "Lord, I don't know how this happened, so I don't know how to say thank You, but I never would've known there was so many people in the world that cared about us."
And it was a good thing everybody's heads were bowed because they might've seen Hogan wiping away tears.
As the Tornadoes walked back to their bus under guard, they each were handed a bag for the ride home—a burger, some fries, a soda, some candy, a Bible and an encouraging letter from a Faith player.
The Gainesville coach saw Hogan, grabbed him hard by the shoulders and said, "You'll never know what your people did for these kids tonight. You'll never, ever know."
And as the bus pulled away, all the Gainesville players crammed to one side and pressed their hands to the window, staring at these people they'd never met before, watching their waves and smiles disappearing into the night.
Anyway, with the economy six feet under and Christmas running on about three and a half reindeer, it's nice to know that one of the best presents you can give is still absolutely free.
Hope.
Dec 21, 2008
A New Year
May your 2009 be blessed by God, fantastic and drama free.
Enough Debbie Downer.
If you are going to ring in 2009 with bubbly, below are some suggestions. Check Veritas to see if they have any left after selling lots at a free tasting yesterday.
NV Schramsberg Mirabelle Rose. From California. 93 from Wine Spectator and around $25. This winery is one I really want to visit.
NV Piper Sonoma Blanc de Blanc. Even those who don't drink bubbly often will probably like this one. It is a bargain at about $17 a bottle.
2005 Domaine Carneros Brut. 92 from Wine Spectator and about $24 a bottle. From the Carneros region at the south end of Napa Valley. I taste a bit of a lemon, but isn't tart.
NV Veuve du Vernay Brut. Unbelievably $13. This French sparkler was not featured at the tasting yesterday, but I had previously picked it up at Veritas. It is really delicious. Maybe the French Bubbles really are different?
There are some other bubbles I really like, but they are a little more expensive, and I have written about them before.
Salud!
Dec 20, 2008
Sitcom revisited
GE - James Brolin
JK - Emma Thompson
JJ - Candace Bergen
AH - Winona Ryder
JR - Steve Zahn
CB - Jennifer Lopez (think Wedding Planner JLo)
BW - Jennifer Hudson
Dec 18, 2008
The Silver Lining
Dec 11, 2008
Sparkling Shiraz
Dec 7, 2008
Your Sitcom
Dec 4, 2008
Miscellaneous
I stopped by a holiday party last night at the newly refurbished Stoneleigh Hotel. The hotel looks great. The terrace was lovely. I didn't like the food. But it was a very nice party.
D Magazine's Best Restaurant issue is out. There are a number of places in there on my "want to go there" list. Among them are York Street (I am embarrassed I've never been there), Lola, and Tillman's Roadhouse. Hattie's isn't on there, but it is still on my list, at least for lunch.
Why do I have such an urge to bake cookies around Christmastime?
Nov 29, 2008
So I spent too much....
Schott-Zwiesel Lead Free Titanium Stemware - The best stemware ever. I have praised it in prior entries here. They put it on sale, so I didn't fight the urge to buy it.
Inwood Estates 2005 Tempranillo-Cabernet (65% Tempranillo - 35% Cabernet) - Best Texas wine I have had. I tasted this back in July out in Grapevine and enjoyed it then. Both grapes are grown at Newsom Vineyards in Yoakum County, Texas, near the Texas-New Mexico border. Tempranillo is a Spanish grape which does well in Texas. It is delicious. (BUT, be advised that I have had a very enjoyable tempranillo-cab for about 1/5 the price. I wish I would have thought of that at the time.... oh well, I am glad to do business with local folks.) I think this may be one to put up for a few years. I am going to inquire of the wine maker about cellaring. It is actually made here in Dallas. I might go there this afternoon.
2006 The Prisoner - (I didn't write this. I have not tasted this wine, but bought it on the recommendation of others.) The 2006 Prisoner received a stellar 91 Point Score in the May 31, 2008 issue of The Wine Spectator. The 2006 Vintage is NOT a one-hit wonder. The 2005 Prisoner, which is no longer available from the distributor, received a 93 from The Wine Spectator and the 17th Ranking in the vaunted 2007 Wine Spectator Top 100 List. Here is the Wine Spectator Review for The 2006 Prisoner: "It's rare that a Zin has this much structure and finesse. Offers appealing aromas of plum, pepper and tobacco, with focused, layered wild berry, pencil lead and sage flavors. A hint of rusticity on the tannins suggests that there's no hurry to drink. Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Charbono and Grenache. 91 Points." The tasting notes I have read online indicate some folks think this is a good one to drink now.
Some $13 French bubbly - I figure you can't go wrong with a nice, dry $13 French bubbly.
Nov 19, 2008
More wine!
Enough of that. On to the wine!
AA and I went to a free tasting presented by Concha y Toro (Chile) at Cork. They were collecting non-perishable foods for North Texas Food Bank. Who can resist free wine and good cause? Six wines were offered, and I managed a taste of a seventh that the rep was trying to hide for herself. Sometimes it pays to be nosy.
The list I brought home does not have the year, so I have no clue.
In order tasted...
* Terrunyo Sauvignon Blanc - $20 - When it comes to SB, I always buy or order one from New Zealand if it's an option. California SBs are too soft. I like the flint, mineral, lemon, grass - the tangy tastes of the NZ SBs. But this was super tart and sharp, actually harsh. I will take a $10 bottle of NZ SB over this one any day.
* 2007 Xplorador Chardonnay - $8 - Yummy. Would have been yummy at more than $8. I don't drink chardonnay. I learned recently there is a name for folks like me - ABC ("Anything but chardonnay"). Prior vintages have gotten good reviews and been labeled a "Best Buy" by Wine Enthusiast. I taste no oak. It is fruity. It has a spicy finish. I swear I tasted a bit of gingersnap in one of the chardonnays. But now I can't recall which one. I bought this one. It will be really good with white fish.
* Marques de Casa Concha Chardonnay - $20 - Subtler than previous chardonnay - not so fruit-forward. Again there was no oak and there were some spice notes.
* Castillero del Diablo Privada Riserva - $17 - This label is the most familiar to me of the winery's labels. It was nice.
* Terrunyo Carmenere - $43 - The nicest of the reds - of course, since it is the most expensive. My only other experience with this grape was very bad. Obviously it was the wine, not the grape. I wouldn't pay $43 for this, but it was good.
* Marques de Casa Concho Cabernet Sauvignon - $23 - It was good, but there are cheaper reds I like as well.
Then I went to Veritas, and stayed far too long. That will have to wait for another entry... I need to work!
Nov 9, 2008
Wine Tasting at Veritas
* 2007 Renato Ratti Dolcetto d'Alba Colombe 2007. Touted as a great wine for pairing with pizza and pasta, I really wanted to be crazy about this wine. But it fell a bit flat. I never had a dolcetto until a few months ago at Times Ten Cellars. Theirs is made with Mendicino County grapes and it very, very enjoyable at only $14 for a bottle to take home. For sipping, I really like softer reds. With food I can enjoy a stronger red with a firmer structure. The dolcetto is soft. I definitely prefer the dolcetto at Times Ten to this one.
* 2003 Attila Gere Kopar Cuvee. Seriously - this is a Hungarian wine. Read this interesting article which mentions a prior vintage. It is indeed yummy, but over $50 is more than I will typically spend.
* 2006 Durigutti Mendoza Malbec. Wine Spectator says: "89 points."
* NV Carpene Malvoti Prosecco di Conegliano. Wine Enthusiast says: "88 Points"
Nov 5, 2008
Our Leaders and Our Future
From Obama’s speech at the Democratic National Convention
But what I will not do is suggest that the Senator takes his positions for political purposes. Because one of the things that we have to change in our politics is the idea that people cannot disagree without challenging each other's character and patriotism.The times are too serious, the stakes are too high for this same partisan playbook. So let us agree that patriotism has no party. I love this country, and so do you, and so does John McCain.
From McCain’s concession speech
These are difficult times for our country. And I pledge to him tonight to do all in my power to help him lead us through the many challenges we face.
... I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him, but offering our next president our good will and earnest effort to find ways to come together to find the necessary compromises to bridge our differences and help restore our prosperity, defend our security in a dangerous world, and leave our children and grandchildren a stronger, better country than we inherited.
Whatever our differences, we are fellow Americans. And please believe me when I say no association has ever meant more to me than that.
It is natural. It's natural, tonight, to feel some disappointment. But tomorrow, we must move beyond it and work together to get our country moving again.
…
Tonight — tonight, more than any night, I hold in my heart nothing but love for this country and for all its citizens, whether they supported me or Senator Obama — whether they supported me or Senator Obama.
I wish Godspeed to the man who was my former opponent and will be my president.
From Obama’s victory speech
In this country, we rise or fall as one nation, as one people. Let's resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long.
…
Those are values that we all share. And while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress. As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, we are not enemies but friends. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn, I may not have won your vote tonight, but I hear your voices. I need your help. And I will be your president, too.
…
That's the true genius of America: that America can change. Our union can be perfected. What we've already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.
Oct 30, 2008
Dallas Farmers Market Benefit
This event is a great opportunity to see how satisfied you can be as a locavore!
Thursday November 6th
6pm til 9pm
Food & Fiber Pavillion at Fair Park
Oct 22, 2008
I'm just sayin'
That was some good sangria though.
Oct 18, 2008
Soley!
CB's dish also was tasty, though I must say that jalapeno is definitely not my favorite pepper.
The sorbets sounded amazing, but we were STUFFED. But then we went to Veritas and drank more wine. As earlier posts here reflect, I love that place.
Taco Joint
Oct 14, 2008
An awful thing
Oct 6, 2008
T'anta - Soon to be on the Dallas Food Scene
Sep 30, 2008
Little Rock Dining
Sep 25, 2008
Places on the go-to list
Sep 15, 2008
Newest Review of Salut!
Upscale Southern Eatery Salut! Tops Charts in Service, Food (Business Lunch)
By Arkansas Business Staff - 9/15/2008
Salut! at Prospect Place
1501 N. University Ave., Suite 160, Little Rock
(501) 660-4200
Cuisine: Southern Contemporary
Dress Code: None
Noise Level: Moderate
Price Range: $3-$10
Credit Cards: All major
Reservations: Same day
Receipts: May-June $73,383
3.5 waiters
Salut! at Prospect Place, a fine fledgling restaurant tucked away in the squat black office building at the corner of University Avenue and Cantrell Road, offers a refreshing, contemporary cuisine with a Southern, and slightly Cajun, flair that can likely be traced to Executive Chef and Partner Matthew Radcliff's New Orleans roots.
Though owners Chris Tanner of Cheers in the Heights and Dave Bisceglia of Dave & Ray's Downtown Diner wanted to spell the name Salute, which is still how it's pronounced, they dropped the "e" to prevent confusion with the name of a nearby liquor store.
Our waiter, a genuinely courteous server added to the restaurant's elegant, but not pretentious, atmosphere.
We began with a cup of the Three Cheese Dip ($4), a tasty, but not earth-shattering, version of the common snack. Our other appetizer, the Short Rib Ravioli ($6.50) in a wild mushroom jus followed soon after. The dish was savory, but not our favorite.
The Low Country Shrimp & Grits entrée ($9.50), a bowl of grilled shrimp, asparagus and parmesan grits in a tasso - a type of smoked ham - cream sauce, was unexpectedly elegant and absolutely delicious. We never thought we'd see a gracefully prepared entrée of grits.
One diner feasted on the Slow Braised Beef Short Rib ($8.50), which came atop a mound of potato medallions and drenched in a mushroom jus. The promise of dessert may have been the only thing that kept the frenzied business journalist from eating the bone because the dish was so tasty.
Another of our party had the Seared Salmon Special ($10), which arrived on a bed of orzo pasta and asparagus and was graced with a rich roasted white corn sauce. The diner, and those of us who swiped a bite when he wasn't looking, thinks the dish should earn a permanent spot on the menu. (Don't do that if you're on a date. Or make sure you don't get caught.)
One diner ordered, and was bested by, the Beef Brisket Sandwich ($7). The peppered beef, white cheddar, basil mayo, lettuce and tomato made for a scrumptious stack of goodness.
The homemade banana puddin' ($5) and bourbon ice cream with caramelized pears ($6), topped the charts. So to Salut!, we lift our glasses.
Sep 14, 2008
Random Notes
Grimaldi's Pizza - yummy. I have never gotten fresh ricotta on a pizza before. It was absolutely delish with kalamatas and sundried tomatoes. Without the kalamatas, it would have been downright sweet. Pizza should never have thick crust.
Sexto - A six grape Spanish wine. Highest percentage is Garnacha at 33%. There are some grapes I have never heard of in this one. Decant or give it some time to open up in the glass. My last sip was very different from my first. Only $15 at Veritas and available there by the glass right now, though their btg offerings change frequently.
Sep 13, 2008
BYOB Dallas
People who really like wine and saving money need to know these things!!
http://www.localwineevents.com/Dallas-FW-Wine/BYOB-restaurants.html
http://www.gaylistdaily.com/dallas/entries/you_can_take_it_with_you/
http://www.slowfooddallas.com/Local_Picks.html#SECTION_IV:_GOOD_TO_KNOW
Also check out all of the above websites - good stuff throughout!
YTAC Benefit - Milestone Culinary Arts Center
CB is not a cook. It just isn't her thing. So I drug her to only one cooking demonstration, that of Chef Julia Lopez of Alo'. Alo' is owned by the same couple who own La Duni. In addition to being the chef at Alo', Lopez oversees the group's new restaurant development. A La Duni will be opening in North Park Center in November, just in time for the holiday madness. Lopez made a Peruvian Tuna Ceviche with apples and tomatillos that was fabulous. I often don't get to eat ceviche because I am allergic to shellfish. But this ceviche was shellfish-free. CB is not a very adventurous eater but she tried it and liked it too. Lopez kindly provided the recipe. Alo' is definitely on the go-to list now.
Perhaps my favorite dish was by Chef Juan A. Rosado of The Crescent Club. He prepared plantain chorizo meatballs with toasted cumin cilantro aioli and citrus microgreens. Yum. The presentation was lovely. I did not get to go to the demo for this one, but hope to track down the recipe.
There also were offerings from Chefs at Cafe' Madrid, Loft 610 and The MCAC as well as pastries from La Duni.
I hope YTAC made a lot of money!
Sep 12, 2008
Trece and Ari's revisited
After dinner, we walked across the street to Ari's Wine Bistro. They had a good band on the terrace that drew us in. The handsome man who I presume to be the owner gave us a brief lesson on white Burgundy. He is such a nice guy. The other ladies had a bottle of said Burgundy. I had a glass of Trocadero NV Brut which was dry and nice. Not amazing, but definitely nice for $22 a bottle at the restaurant.
The remaining four ladies were in for shenanigans tonight if they can find any. I retired to the house and am soon to be in bed. Hasta luego.
Sep 9, 2008
NFL Week 1 (Just shut up already!)
Sep 1, 2008
Labor Day
But back to the day of rest part. Rest from our labors. Some will understand this, some won't - cooking is rest to me. It is relaxing. I like coming up with an idea, going to the grocery store and picking out ingredients and creating a meal. I inevitably forget something or come up with a better idea after I have returned from the grocery. That is annoying. But overall I love the process. Today I cut a chicken in half and made a paste with olive oil and some chicken rub I recently purchased (see Grapevine Wine Trail entry below). I burnt the heck out of it. (Is "burned" or "burnt" proper?) So much potential squandered, but I salvaged dinner with careful carving. The inside was not overdone. Better luck next time. For once I tried not to stand over the grill. I tried to put the meat on the fire and walk away for the time frame suggested by Ina Garten. Never again! I really need a new grill. That would help. And I need to put a temperature gauge in my grill. You know, do things the way they are supposed to be done instead of winging it. I really am a person who gets it all together then forgets where she put it. If I ever get completely organized... look out world!
Aug 23, 2008
Heart Disease is Gonna Cramp my Style
Aug 11, 2008
Bottle Shock - A Movie Review
As was inevitable, it has garnered comparisons to Sideways. The only real similarity is that they are movies set against the back drop of California wine country - not even the same wine growing regions or the same decade. Though there were dramatic moments in Sideways, there were also moments of shocking hilarity (e.g. the husband running down the block). I guess Sideways is one of my favorite movies. But I don't want to compare the two, because they really aren't similar. As an indie flick, it has been compared by some online reviews to the quality of Juno and Little Miss Sunshine. No way. I liked it, but it cannot compare to those movies.
There are some smiles in Bottle Shock, but I wouldn't call it a comedy. There is a lot of family drama, and Bill Pullman makes you feel his pain regarding his dream. Though I was spellbound by the complete cuteness of Freddy Rodriguez, Bill Pullman definitely does the best acting in the movie.
The best part about watching Bottle Shock is the sweeping vistas of Napa. If you have been to Napa, it is just about worth the price of admission to happily recall the place. If you haven't been and want to go, seeing this movie may cause you to go home and book the trip. And yes, it really is that beautiful and strangely magical. But - largely because of the events depicted in Bottle Shock - Napa is not the quiet, rural place it was in 1976.
I can't help but feeling the movie could have been so much better than it was. The story is a fantastic one. Do read all about it. This movie could have had us cheering in our seats like a Cold War era Olympic hockey game (but for wine nerds). But it was sweet and happy and pretty.
Unless you just want to enjoy the Napa scenery on the big screen, grab some good local cheeses, a baguette (in honor of the French) and a bottle of Chateau Montelena or Stag's Leap and snuggle in at home when it comes out on DVD.
Aug 10, 2008
Eating and Drinking in the Week that Was
Aug 3, 2008
Trying some new-to-me local spots
The pricing seemed a bit strange. Some dishes seemed rather expensive for what was on the plate, but others seemed to be a very fairly priced. The specials were quite expensive - each was $26 even though they varied widely in the cost of ingredients and complexity of preparation. So we opted for menu items that were a full $10 cheaper than the specials. We were not disappointed. We shared a fresh caprese salad - stacked mozzarella slices and brilliant red tomatoes with mixed greens and dollops of pesto on the plate. We chose the same entree, which I always hate to do, but it sounded the best. It was wild caught Scottish salmon on a bed of herbed risotto with an assortment of seasonal sauteed veggies. The salmon was perfectly cooked. It had that perfect little crust fish gets when cooked on a hot surface. The risotto retained a little firmness but was nice and creamy without being saucy or mushy. The veggies may have been a little more tender than crisp, but were very enjoyable.
I suggested we walk across the street to Grand Tastings, a retail wine shop with a small bar and about six table where folks can sit down for wine tastings. We opted for the $15 per person basic tasting for which each of us chose five wines to taste from a list of about 15-20. The bubbly was very flat. The servers didn't know wine. The retail prices were a little high. We weren't very impressed.
On the way home as we drove down Henderson, I told Julia about Natsumi, the new organic gelato place I had read about in the little strip mall full of hip new places. She decided we should stop, so we did. Yum! Natsumi is a neat little place. It has nonfat frozen yogurt and gelato made with organic milk. They also have coffee and smoothies. They have standard and funky flavors and are quick to give little samples. (Avocado was good!) I got lychee. Julia got pistachio and something. Then we decided to peek in the window, then walk in just to check out, the new wine bar Veritas in the same strip mall. About an hour later, we knew an owner, the adorable college student bar tender and his uncle Fernando. Veritas has a similar concept to Grand Tastings (and Wine Therapist, and Wine'tastic ... clearly it's a trend). It is a retail shop that has limited food, wines by the glass. You also can consume your bottle(s) there for a price slightly more than the retail price. I had a good glass of bubbly for $7! And we tried a yummy grenache with blueberry notes called "Bitch", apparently because that is such a hard grape to grow. They had really nice stemware at Veritas, fitting for a nice wine bar, but nicer than at any other local wine bar I have visited. I read an unfavorable post about one of the owners on another blog or review site, but the experience overcame any bias I had in my mind when I walked in the door. We definitely will go back. They also feature local artists' work on the walls for sale, which I always like.
It was a great evening of checking out new-to-me places. And all of them were pretty close to home. Julia and I had a very enjoyable time talking and hanging out. She and I are very different in some ways, but also have a lot in common. Every time we get together, we both wonder why we don't do it more often.
So remember to get out there and try some new places!
Jul 21, 2008
Food, weight, sadness, etc
It was a rueful laugh - one of those you have to laugh to keep from crying laughs. She was up to a weight that had been incomprehensible for her. She had been a strong, fit, trim athlete. She is now 48 or 49. She decided there in the locker room to go to Overeaters Anonymous. She had already looked up the number.
I have considered OA. And I don't recognize myself in the mirror anymore either. Will I be like her at her age? Am I like her now?
Jul 13, 2008
40th Birthday
I took a birthday trip to Napa Valley. It was fantastic – essentially a perfect trip.
April 2 I arrived at SFO. It took forever to get bags and get to rental car. A coworker loaned me her Tom Tom GPS, which was awesome. I went to Mumm Napa and sat on the terrace and had sparkling wine. I tasted several different sparkling wines. I was headed to the hotel, but then decided to make the most of the time before the wineries closed. But I had to get some food on my stomach. I stopped and got a sandwich at Soda Creek Canyon Store. A little store with a deli in the back. I then went to Domaine Chandon, which I ultimately would do each day of my time in Napa. I just love bubbly! At Domaine Chandon, I took the tour. My guide had been my pourer in the tasting room, Meredith. I thought Meredith was snooty or cold at first, but I ultimately decided she just doesn’t not have a dynamic personality. I finally checked into the hotel. Three of my wonderful girlfriends had sent me a basket of goodies – wine, sweets and a beautiful Napa Valley photo book. So sweet! The hotel was very nice. I inadvertently dozed a bit on my couch, then woke up and dined at Zuzu, a tapas restaurant. I was the last customer in the joint, but got to visit with the owner. The soup was fine, but the fried manchego was delish! What’s not to like about fried cheese, right? I slept (though stuck on Dallas time) and headed out at 10 the next morning for my tour via Napa Winery Shuttle and its driver, Karl.
There were 10 of us on the van in addition to Karl – two ladies from New Zealand, a couple celebrating the girls’ 21st birthday, a couple from Queens, a rather strange couple from which the guy used to live in Dallas (the girl was the creepy one), Veronique and me. Veronique had not intended to be traveling alone. Her ex-boyfriend originally was to come with her. They broke up. Then all her friends flaked out on the trip. We ended up palling around all day, which worked out great. Karl had lots of 2-for-1 tasting coupons, or various discounts for us. First we went to Sterling, the farthest north, almost to Calistoga. To get to the winery, you take a little 2-person gondola up the hillside. The view from the top is fantastic. The wines were not spectacular. But we really enjoyed one white. I had never heard of the varietal, and can’t recall it now. It started with an M. Then we went to V. Sattui, a winery that sells its wines only at its winery. Vittorio Sattui has built himself a castle on the hillside that can be seen across from Sterling. My friend Larry has been there for a charity event. Apparently it has a dungeon. Creepy. We tasted at V. Sattui before we ate, which may not have been a great idea. We definitely needed food on our stomachs by the time we ate. Then we got back on the van and went to Hagafen, a tiny winery that makes Kosher, organic wines. The wine guy was very cute. The wines were nothing special to me. Then we went to Black Stallion then Andretti Winery. Black Stallion is a new winery. The tasting room opened last fall. Andretti was a lot of fun, primarily because of the guy working the tasting room crowd. The winery is owned in part by Mario Andretti. It also had a cute gift shop. Their whites were very nice. I did not taste reds there. You definitely learn to pour out wines you don’t really like, because there are many more to be tasted. As a last stop, we went to Domaine Chandon. On this stop, I broke down and joined the club. Meredith assisted again. That was the last winery stop of the day.
I had a 7:30 dinner reservation with Larry that night. Earlier in the day, Larry sent me this sweet, neurotic email. Apparently he has started dating someone seriously and was concerned about expectations for the evening. That took the pressure off b/c I was kind of nervous too. I told him I had shaved my legs just in case, just to harass him. We had a great dinner and great conversation at Fume’ Bistro. My suspicion that everyone on the planet cheats is again confirmed.
April 4, 2008 was my 40th birthday. A distributer back home had hooked me up with some complimentary tours and tastings for two, so I asked Veronique to join me. We were at Markham at 10:30 a.m. Gregory in the tasting room was lots of fun to talk to, and we lost track of time a bit. We made it to Rutherford Hill about 10 minutes late, and caught up with the tour. We got to go in the caves – really neat. We really enjoyed the tasting there with Chris, and each bought some wine. I even liked and bought port! I called Chimney Rock and cancelled because we just could not make it. We were very hungry. But we stopped at Mumm to return my tiny size XL t-shirts and had another tasting. Then it was off to lunch at Domaine Chandon – and why not since I am a member and get a discount there. By this point, Meredith probably thinks I am a stalker. Then I HAD to get on the road.
I stopped and visited our new northern Cali office. Then drove into SF to see Michelle. She and I walked and took the train down to the Ferry Building where we had a fantastic dinner at The Slanted Door. Yum! It was very noisy, but very good. Riesling was the perfect match for the Vietnamese food.
The next day, she and I just had breakfast and went down to Chinatown and did some shopping. It’s always good and easy to spend time with Michelle. I got to the airport early. The worst think that happened the whole trip is that my flight was about 30 minutes delayed leaving SFO. Big deal, huh? Larry got me a funny book for my b’day and I almost finished it Saturday. I did finish it Sunday.
The weather was amazing the entire time. All in all, a wonderful trip. I had a meltdown around the beginning of the week. By the time of my trip I was fine and I am no longer freaked out by 40.
Dinner Party
Come in from the Heat!
Orange Iced Tea
Miguel Torres 2007 Santa Dinga Cabernet Rosé – Central Chile
Domaine Chandon 1999 Vintage Brut – Sonoma County
Goat Cheese Croutons with Mushrooms in Madeira Cream
There was enough of this sparkling wine for each of us to have only a glass. So I promptly ordered myself another bottle. The recipe is from a Susan Spicer cookbook. I had this dish as a first course at her restaurant Bayona a few months ago. I wanted to lick the plate. I would like to try to make this somewhat less absurdly fattening, but who knows if it will be as good.
Second
Schug 2006 Pinot Noir – Carneros
Domaine Chandon 2006 Pinot Noir – Carneros
Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Red Wine-Shallot Reduction
Summer Vegetable Risotto
Sautéed Broccolini
Multi-Grain Bread
Sarah, the Schug aficionado, brought two bottle of 2006 Schug pinot noir. She is in their wine club, so one of them was a limited production - only 50 cases made. It was my fave (of course). It was interesting to try three pinot noirs from the same year and same region. They had differences, but all were quite tasty. I made the reduction sauce with a pinot noir also. It was an adaptation of a Bobby Flay recipe with beef and cabernet sauvignon. The risotto was adapted from a Martha Stewart recipe. I did not use white wine in the risotto as suggested. There was enough wine. More chicken broth was the best choice in this instance. And no, I did not bake the bread. I am not much of a baker anyway, but I really don't do yeast breads.
Third
Rutherford Hill 2003 Vintage Zinfandel Port – Napa Valley
Organic Chocolate Truffles
New York Sharp Cheddar
St. Pete’s Select Blue Cheese
Jul 6, 2008
Grapevine Wine Trail
Dad, Mary and me
What a great value! Tickets were just $40.
We started at Cross Timbers Winery. It is a cute little farm house with great grounds. There is a patio with quite a bit of seating, a gazebo and barn. The Wine Trial started in the barn where a country band was playing entirely too loud for the space. Each of us received a bottle of wine in a patriotic bag and an engraved wine glass to mark the event. The ticket price included tasting three wines at each winery and food at each winery. At Cross Timbers we tried a chardonnay, a dry white table wine and a rosé. All were very nice. The rosé was quite good. My expectations for the wine were low, and this first stop surpassed them. We were off to a good start! Many small production wines are a bit more than I normally spend on a bottle of wine. They can’t match the price point of a large-scale production. But the Texas White and Texas Red (I think that’s what they were called) were just $12.99 a bottle. The Chardonnay was $19.99, I think.
Next we were off to the downtown Grapevine area, just about ½ mile from Cross Timbers. Grapevine has a darling downtown area. There was a farmer’s market and something called “Grapevine Market” going on outdoors. There is a visitor’s center in an old train depot and a vintage train you can ride. The well-maintained old storefronts are filled with very cute shops and cafés, and the new storefronts are built in a complimentary style. Off of Main Street are lots of cute old houses, mostly pretty small. Most seems to still be residences, but a few are now restaurants, winery tasting rooms or other businesses. It is definitely a town where you could spend a full Saturday wandering around, eating, drinking and shopping in cooler weather – more on the heat later.
Su Vino Winery was our second stop. Su Vino operates a store front on Main Street. I had hoped to talk to the folks in the tasting rooms and find out a little bit more about their respective wine making operations. But they were far too busy for that. The Wine Trail event drew quite a lot of people, which was great. Su Vino makes quite a few wines, including a couple of sparkling wines and some dessert wines. There were a couple more I would like to try here – super fruity, summery wines that sounded so good on a Texas July day. Mary really liked the Summer Rain, and it smelled like a big, juicy green apple. But with only three tastes to be had, tough decisions had to be made. I tried the Almond Champagne, another I can’t recall right now, and the ruby port. Almond Champagne sounds kind of gross to me. But someone sent me a bottle from their favorite Temecula winery recently, so I wanted an idea of what it was like before I popped the cork. Not so much. I practiced that skill I learned in Napa of pouring out what you don’t want. There is much good wine to be drunk. No point in drinking what you don’t want. At least now I know. (By the way… it isn’t Champagne unless it’s from Champagne people! In the U.S. it’s just sparkling wine, though I wish we had a cool name like Cava or Prosecco.) I recall the second wine being fine, even though I don’t recall what it was. The ruby port was okay. I am just starting to drink port, so I don’t have much to which I can compare this one. Perhaps I started with one I enjoy so much (the Rutherford Hill 2003 Vintage Zinfandel Port) that the bar is set high. It’s hard to just stand around and sip port also – cheese or chocolate is needed. Sweet obviously is big here. In addition to the Almond Champagne, there is a Raspberry Champagne, five dessert wines and a sweet red blend. Though I don’t sound high on their wines, I like Su Vino and would like to go back and try some of their other wines. The folks working the tasting room were very nice. And there was a reasonably priced gift shop with some nice items.
Next there were two more “wineries” on Main Street, to which I can give very brief note. D’Vine Wines is a cheesy name. The place was far too cramped for this crowd and the wines were boring. They didn’t taste bad; they just didn’t have much taste. Although I must note that Mary said the Pinot Grigio was just plain bad. There were production tanks in the back, but any discussions with wine makers would have to wait for another day. Farina’s was across the street. It appears to be a café with a small retail wine area. They are just starting up their wine making, and do not have any of their own to serve yet. So they were serving some well-known Texas wines – a Llano red blend, a Becker cab and a white that I cannot recall. None were great. But there were yummy Italian snacks and comfy chairs for us to sit a moment and sip on a bit of water, which we should have done more during the day.
All along the way, Dad, Mary and I were having a great time. They were so pleasantly surprised by this excursion I planned for us. It was the most fun they had had in a long time, they said. They have worked so hard in their yard since the tornado and have been depressed by all the damage around town and by the damage at their own home. They needed a break. And this was right up their alley. I was thrilled by how cute the town was and what a good time we were having. I had never been up there, so planning this adventure was a wee bit dicey.
Inwood Estates, which makes their wine in Dallas, had set up shop in a coffee shop. They make very few wines. We tried their Palomino-Chardonnay, Cornelius (cab-temparanillo) and 100% cabernet sauvignon. All were nice. At $40-$80 per bottle, they should be. Dad and I had received the Palomino-Chardonnay as our bottle of wine included with our ticket price. After tasting it, we were pleased. A man who makes various rubs was sampling his product there also. I bought a sampler pack of those. They were quite good.
Next it was a walk of a few blocks to La Buena Vida Winery. This place is what Dad and Mary expected a winery / tasting room to look like. Since we left Cross Timbers, the tastings had been in store fronts on Main Street. At La Buena Vida, the patio area was all made of stone and looked as though it should be in Italy. There were tile fountains, live music, lots of seating outdoors, yummy food. La Bodega winery and La Buena Vida are owned by the same people, so there were six wines to taste here. Also, while we were here, it suddenly became brutally hot. Luckily our adventure had begun about 11:30 a.m., so it had been quite warm, but not insufferable. Suddenly it felt like the surface of the sun. I don’t know if any of us tasted six wines, but everything I tasted here was good. There were many more wines to sample that were not included on the Wine Trial. They also make a mead which I would like to try sometime. They have live music outside each Saturday, so I will definitely make a return trip to La Buena Vida – sometime after mid-September.
We then walked a few blocks to Homestead Winery, which was in an old house with just a couple of ineffective window unit air conditioners. We were done. We could/should have skipped it entirely. I got one taste and went outside. Dad and Mary got a sandwich, and we got out of there pretty quickly and walked to the car. I think at Homestead the heat hit all of us and the wine hit Mary. Of course it was 200 degrees inside the car. Mary was in the back and went to sleep as soon as we started driving. She didn’t feel too great, so she took a very long nap when we got home. Dad and I had short naps ourselves.
It was a lovely day, all in all. Grapevine is definitely worth a visit, and the wines should be investigated. I think there is a Wine Trail event sometime in the fall. But I would like to visit when there isn’t a crowd and I could have a chance to visit with the folks who pour and make the wines. I also want to visit Delany Vineyards. It was not included in this event. It’s fully operational winery and vineyard is there. I am not sure that any of these others grow their grapes there in the Grapevine area. I suspect most of them don’t grow their own grapes at all. Nothing wrong with that, but I am curious to learn more.