For those of you who have seen the movie “Sideways” you may remember the scene where Miles makes the statement (“I’m not drinking any f***ing Merlot”). I certainly remember it because during that time all I drank was Merlot and I loved it. I couldn’t wrap my head around why he felt Merlot was bad and Pinot noir was superior. In the clip above, however, Miles’ passion for this grape and the wine it produces is made clear.

I must admit that my palate has matured slightly and I can now relate (somewhat). You see I have tried various Pinot noirs and have like some and hated others. Some of them I’ve found to be very soft and smooth, delicate even on the tongue. Others were quite garish with a lingering aftertaste. I was just about at a point to categorize them as “so-so” when I discovered the 2007 Limited Selection Pinot Noir from Gainey Vineyards.  In the heart of the Santa Ynez Valley, Gainey is located near many of the places that served as location spots while the movie “Sideways” was being shot.

This Pinot noir however has really made me re-think the grape as well as the wine. The smell of dark fruit and spice teases your nose, while taste of dark cherries and blackberries overtake your taste buds. This wine is rich but not over-powering. It is very luscious and full, something that is lacking with a lot of Pinot noirs. As Miles mentioned in the movie the Pinot noir grape is hard to grow, so for it to produce a wine with a structure this solid is quite impressive.

I wasn’t a huge fan of Pinot noir in the past but I am willing to give them another chance; at least when it comes to Gainey’s Limited Selection Pinot Noir.

If you are into wines and haven’t seen “Sideways” you’ve missed a treat. Head to your video store to day and rent a copy. I am sure you’ll love it.  Check out the trailer below…

Gainey Limited Selection Chardonnay Label

This past Saturday, after running numerous errands in the summer heat of the San Fernando Valley, I decided a nice refreshing glass of chilled white wine would be the way to relax and coast into my evening. As most of you know, I prefer red wine to white, but I love being introduced to a delicious chardonnay, sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio. In May we took a little trip to the Gainey Winery and while there we bought a few bottles of Gainey’s 2006 Limited Selection Chardonnay. As members of their wine club, we also just recently received 2 bottles of their 2007 Limited Selection Chardonnay. Nonetheless, I decided to chill the 2006 bottle and was extremely I happy I did.

In February 2009 “The Wine Enthusiast” gave Gainey’s 2006 Limited Selection Chardonnay 90 points and I can really see why. This has got to be one of the best tasting chardonnays I’ve ever had. From the Gainey Winery in the Santa Ynez Valley, the chardonnay grapes for this wine were grown on the Evan’s Ranch, which is located on the western end of Santa Ynez, the cooler side of the valley.  The 2006 grapes took their time ripening because the weather was cooler than usual. Because of this the grapes had a much more intense or concentrated flavor.

Chilled Glass Chardonnay

The first pour of this wine is fragrant with smells of peach, pineapple, mango and Golden Delicious apples. Although this is a full-bodied chardonnay with crisp acidity, the texture is buttery and creamy smooth. The taste…awww the taste, reminds me of tropical paradise with strong hints of pineapple and peach. Finally the wine lingers with a soft, smooth finish. Chilled, this wine is definitely one to be poured on a hot summer day. It will make you forget about the heat in no time.

Gainey Winery should definitely be on your list of to dos if you are traveling to Santa Ynez Valley’s wine country. If you don’t have plans to travel there soon  you can  certainly order wine via their website or check your local wine shop. The 2006 Limited Selection Chardonnay retails for about $38.00 a bottle and is worth every penny. Please check it out.

As always, please remember to drink responsibly.

Rideau Vineyards - A Taste of New Orleans in Wine Country

Our last post found us at the Kalyra Winery in Santa Ynez. After an uneventful time tasting at their winery we left and proceeded to the Rideau Vineyards in Solvang, CA. For those of you unfamiliar with Solvang it was founded by Danish educators so it has the feel of Denmark with Danish bakeries and restaurants. It is also home to the Hans Christian Anderson Museum and the Elverhoj Museum of History and Art.

The Gardens at Rideau

Although that is impressive the town is also home to a very well respected vineyard. Rideau Vineyards was founded in 1997 by Iris Rideau, a New Orleans native.  Even though the Rhone varietal isn’t well suited to the Santa Ynez Valley, Iris decided to dedicate her vineyard to this varietal because it most appropriately complimented her Creole background and cuisine. This vineyard was extremely superior to Kalyra in ambience as well as product.

Upon our arrival we walked into a very nice size tasting room where  we were immediately acknowledged. There was a nice size crowd and wonderful aromas of food wafting through the air. Unfortunately we’d just eaten and didn’t have room to partake of the lovely sandwiches or fruit and cheese platters.

Rideau - The Main Room

Approaching the initial check-in point we were immediately greeted with warm smiles and were given the choices of participating in the traditional tasting or a couple of special tastings they were offering. After looking over the list my wonderful husband suggested that we do the special tasting of the Reserve and Estate Red Wines. For the general public this particular tasting is $20.00 per person but for club members (which we now are) it is free. This tasting was being conducted in another room separate from the main tasting room. As we maneuver our way through the building we immediately noticed displays that called out the owners New Orleans upbringing. There were Mardi Gras masks as well as colors of burgundy and gold everywhere. The furniture was ornate giving you the feel of France during the 18th or 19th century.

We finally made our way to a smaller tasting room where the server immediately acknowledged us. She began to pour the reds for us giving  much detail on each of the wines. The first wine we tasted was a 2006 Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita Hills). We found this wine to be a bit to dry for our liking. We typically like a pinot that has a much smoother finish. The second wine was a 2005 Pinot Noir (Bien Nacido Vineyards). This pinot was even bolder than the first and again we really didn’t  care for it.

I was beginning to get a bit concerned because I’d heard such great things about the wines from this vineyard and having been disappointed by Kalyra, I didn’t want to be disappointed by Rideau as well. The server then poured the third wine. The 2007 Sangiovese was absolutely out of this world. It was a very full bodied wine with great complexity. This wine has a strong taste of berries with an oak texture. My husband and I enjoyed it a lot.

The fourth wine served to us was the 2006 Estate Mourvedre. After learning that the vineyard has one acre dedicated to this grape we were again disappointed because we found this wine to be quite bitter. Not to fear though, our disappointment quickly turned to excitement when we served the 2006 Chateau Duplantier. This wine carries Iris’ maiden name and is very spectacular. It is a blend that has the flavors of raspberries and ripe fruit as well as a hard spice. Although it is bold in flavor it has a very smooth finish. We enjoyed this one so much that we purchased a few bottles of it.

Our final taste at Rideau was the 2006 Estate Syrah. This, too, is an excellent wine. it has an extremely dark fruity taste but finishes quite smoothly. This jackpot also found its way into our take home bag.

Rideau - A Landmark

After we’d finished our tasting we wandered around for short while checking out the sites. There was  a very lively piano player in the main tasting room keeping the crowd very motivated. The Rideau Vineyards is a great place to do a wine taste, hold a wedding or entertain prospective business clients. We didn’t get to meet Iris on this trip but I hope on my next visit (and there definitely will be a next visit) I will. Please check out the Rideau Vineyards and let me know what you think.

The next blog will look at the final winery(Gainey) of our weekend and our adventures at Chumash casino. Until then, drink responsibly.