California Drinkin'

I had a little idea that just didn't pan out...I was going to do a little diddy, you know, a parody if you will, of "California Dreamin'", but I got hung up. The first line was going to be "All the grass is brown, & the sky is blue...", or something like that, but then ~poof~ it was gone. Regardless of my poetic failure, I think my next few posts are going to be great. But let's not get ahead of ourselves, ok?

Yesterday, we came home from an incredible week of wine tasting in California. It was our very first trip ever to California, & we decided to step out of the ordinary & expected. We didn't go to Napa Valley.

Why not? They make excellent wine in Napa, don't they? Sure, some of the best in the world. Aren't the wineries supposed to be incredible? From what I've heard, yes, they are. Certainly the restaurants are every bit as good as everyone says... I know quite a few people who have gone & adored the place. So, if not Napa, where in the hell did we go?

Central Coast!

Paso Robles, Monterey, & Santa Cruz, to be exact, but it's all considered to be Central Coast. We chose this area because we absolutely love its wine & they have a reputation for being less expensive & friendlier when compared to...well, the other area. Oh, & let's not forget that our good friends, the Luces, went to Paso Robles & had a great experience. We don't really know anyone else who has been on a wine-focused vacation to Monterey or Santa Cruz, so we were very curious. With all of that, we pretty much had to go!

So, we're back. I'm faced with a mountain of laundry, clingy dogs, a bunch of pictures to upload (but we need to find the freakin' cords!), I'm unfortunately 2 hours behind my normal schedule (damn, I knew better, I really did), & I have to go back to work tomorrow. Joy. Obviously, I've got a ton more to say, & I'll get to that...

Pink.

Wow! Here it is, almost August, & I've barely talked about what I've been drinking, if at all! That's just not right, so since I have a few minutes this morning (shhhh, don't tell the puppy), I'll fulfill my promise from the last post.

It's no secret that Doug & I are ardent fans of rose'. (Not White Zinfandel or the dreadful Pink Catawba & blush wines that many local wineries make, but good, dry rose'. There's a huge difference.) It's the perfect solution for red wine lovers that want something cooler & lighter during the warmer seasons. There's simply no better wine to sip on during any kind of summer weather, & most of them are very food friendly. I'm not going to try to convince you that I'm right (because I already know that I am), you're either going to find out for yourself or not. They don't all taste the same, & some suit other foods more than others. If you don't discover a rose' that you like, that's ok -- more for us!

While I'm not going to name all of the different bottles of rose' that we've enjoyed this year - there have been quite a few - I can share some of our favorites with you. Let's start naming names, shall we?

The rose' that we've bought more of than any other this summer - & the wine I promised to write about in my last post - is the 2008 Charles & Charles Volume II Rose' out of Washington State. One of the winemakers is Charles Smith of K Vintners...you know, the guy that makes Kung Fu Riesling, Velvet Devil, Holy Cow, & Boom Boom, among many others. He's one of our favorites, & quite a character in person. Ah, but I digress, so let me get back to this wine. It's made from Syrah, & is possibly the lightest & crispest rose' from that grape that we've ever had; I find it to be very similar to those out of Provence. Very pretty, pale pink color. The nose is lovely -- strawberries, flowers, & just goodness -- & that first sip is more strawberries, raspberries, & a wonderful acidity. Bone dry. I absolutely love this stuff, & the price makes it even more lovable...you can usually find it for under $12.

Another wine that has captured our heart is the 2008 Lucy Rose' of Pinot Noir from Lucia. This is a completely different animal than the Charles & Charles, & you can tell that just from looking at it. The color is much more vibrant, & the wine is very flavorful & fruity. Our friend Amy says it goes down like Kool Aid, & we agree! Like most rose', strawberries are the most prominent aroma & flavor, but there's more going on in this wine. Watermelon, maybe some kind of peach, I don't know. What I do know is that it's fantastic, & a downright delightful pairing with pork from Pappy's Smokehouse. Mmmmm...it's a little early in the day, but I'm starting to get hungry for barbeque.

The 2008 Crios Rose' of Malbec is perhaps the greatest value out there & it pleases everyone. This shouldn't come as a surprise, as winemaker Susana Balbo knocks it out of the park with everything that she makes. For about $11 or less, this can be yours, & it'll be a hit anywhere you take it!

Toad Hollow's 2008 Dry Rose' of Pinot Noir "Eye of the Toad" -- for about $10, this wine is a winner. We love it, & like the Crios, it's very consistent in quality year-to-year. Grab it, you won't be sorry!

We're also very fond of the 2008 Boxcar Rose', made largely from Syrah with a little Pinot Noir thrown in for good measure. It's also a steal for about $13.

You've probably noticed that all of these wines are 2008...while there are still many 2007's on the racks, I'm going to ignore those. Rose' is not meant for aging, & I've had some less than stellar experiences with some favorites from last year. Blech.

So many, many wines, so little time. I've got a lot to do today, so I'd better get to it!

Observations From A Long Saturday

Yesterday was a big day for the ol' business. Those of you that know what we do will know the enormity of it all when I say we had five yesterday. Yes...FIVE. It was a record-breaking day, & it's a record that will remain unbroken. It was a hectic & dreadfully hot & humid day.

In between 1 & 2, we stopped for lunch at a new place that has sprouted off from a very upscale & well-known place in St. Louis. Imagine my surprise when I saw this on the wine list:

(I apologize for the lack of focus -- it was, after all, taken on my cell.)

Still not spotting it? It says "Sauvingon Blanc".

It's SAUVIGNON. One mispelling I could understand (sort of), but everytime that varietal was on the list, it was spelled the incorrect way. I rank this one right up there with another nice place (that has now closed down) that topped its martini menu with the header "Martini's". Gah.

On our way out of 2, I noticed this stained glass window:


You're right - that is a girl sitting at a computer. I know I can't be the only one that finds this hilarious.

Now for something completely random... Sweaty hair that has been dried in front of the air conditioning vent really can be quite cute. Too bad you have to go through so much just to get that look!

And that's all I've got for right now. Doug & I are diving into a lovely bottle of rose' (that I will write about in the future, I'm sure), & I'd like to enjoy it without too much distraction...

Unbelievable...

We just did the craziest thing.

We actually sought out the company of our 4 & 6 year old neighbor kids. We spent time with them, cheered them on, & actually hugged them when we left.

Oh, yes...there was a motive. There was definitely a motive.

We're hoping to achieve this:



The above photo was taken after a Sunday afternoon playdate with 7 other dogs in our backyard. That's what it took to stop Hurricane Truvy. We don't have those resources available tonight, so....

Desperate times called for desperate measures.

We hope it worked...but she just grabbed a coffee cup.

Out of our kitchen sink.

Fuck.

Nope, Not Dead

Well, hello! My goodness, it's been such a long time since I've written. Not because I haven't wanted to or because I haven't had anything to say - that would be crazy - but because...

You guessed it - no time!

Let me give you a quick update:

Work is nuts. I mean, really nuts. Not only is my job much more involved, but with the economy (gah, that phrase!), I'm not taking any chances. No blogging, no blog reading, very little emailing - you know the drill. I'm trying to be more focused on my job. While it might be less entertaining for you guys, it's a good thing for me.

Our side business is booming, which is great, but it also means that Doug & I don't have a ton of free time. But hey, what else is new...

I went to the doctor on Friday & got the all-clear on that lovely DVT I had in February. Criminy, what an ordeal that has been! I'll probably always have some swelling & discomfort, which I'm not thrilled about...but it sure beats the alternative, so I guess I'll take it with a smile. One of the greatest things about this is that I'm weaning myself off of the blood thinner, & that makes me very happy. Shark Week has been such a bitch on that stuff! Seriously...

Yup, that's big news. But here's the biggest I've got for you:

Meet Truvy Tallulah, our 5 month old Black Lab/Walker Coonhound mix! The above photo was taken the day we brought her home a month ago. (By the way, that's not a beard, it's just the angle.) Anyway, I don't know what in the hell we were thinking, bringing a puppy home, but she's here & life hasn't been the same. More on that another time, but suffice it to say that her nickname is Satan.

She's very cute, though. Here, look:

She looks innocent, but trust me...she's anything but! And she's a lot bigger now, & I think by the time she's finished growing, we're going to have a pony instead of a dog....

Puppyhood is tough, but we're finding comfort in knowing that it doesn't last as long as childhood!

Ok, I'm tired & I want to go to bed. Let's hope Truvy lets me.

Jumpin' Back In

It had to happen...I had to go back to work.

After almost 3 weeks of sick leave due to my beloved blood clot (almost 4 weeks if you consider I was on vacation the week before it happened), my first day was what has become the toughest day of every week -- clinic. I was a bit worried about how rusty I'd gotten after such a short time on the job, & that didn't help.

The day sucked. The boss was in a horrible mood & was very hard on me & the other 2 women working with him. Well, mostly me. I really wanted to tell him that I wasn't hired to excel in clinic, I was hired to excel in what I already excel in, but that wouldn't have been appropriate. Instead, I very nicely told him that, if I'd been able, I would've gladly rescheduled my near fatal medical emergency to a time after I'd gotten much better at my new job. Now, I didn't use those exact words, & I really was very polite, but it doesn't matter. He didn't hear me because he wasn't listening to anyone. Even though I knew he was acting out-of-character & irrational, & that my work that day really wasn't that bad, I couldn't help but feel like crap & like a failure at the end of the day.

Life went on. I went at the enormous stacks of work that had been accumulating since I left for vacation (& I'm still not done). We met with some people for our side business, had drinks with friends on St. Pat's, & I had my blood drawn. You know, because I haven't been poked with needles enough over the last few weeks. My blood ended up being too thin - I could've told you that when I bled like crazy after the needle was removed - so my medicine was adjusted once again. My right arm is beginning to make me look a junkie. Then there's been a bit of drama with my parents, but that might be another post for another time. Regardless of that, things were getting better, even though I was still stinging a little bit from Monday.

Fast forward to this evening. We get home & I grabbed the mail. I was so surprised to see that there was already a birthday card (my birthday isn't until the end of the month). I was even more surprised to see the name on the return address label: my boss. I ripped open the card on my way up the driveway, & couldn't suppress a "Holy shit!".

There was a check for $100 inside the birthday card, sent on Tuesday.

Now, let's get something straight. I don't know this guy that well, but I do know that he very likely didn't realize that he was too hard on me this past Monday. He was NOT kissing my ass. Apparently, this is just what he does...he buys me lunch every Monday, sent me flowers on Valentine's & while I was in the hospital, & now a birthday bonus with a note that said "Thanks for all of your hard work, Claire"...spelled correctly & everything. And hey, maybe he doesn't think I'm so bad after all.

To celebrate this gift - & the fact that it's Thursday - we decided wine was in order. Shocking, I know. The first wine we reached for is a favorite of ours...& it was corked. Crap. That's such a bummer, but never fear, we had more wine. We grabbed the Four Vines 2006 Biker Zinfandel , another favorite, & we were not disappointed. Nope, not one bit.

Mmmmm, mmmm, good. Talk about a ballsy Zin!

But you know what? There was more to this big-ass Paso Robles wine than that. Big berry, with wonderful pepper & spice that's not just in-your-face, it's very well done, & very deserving of your purchase. Actually, all of the Four Vines wines are - we've loved every single one that we've tried, which is almost all of them.

Go to your nearest wine store & treat yourself!

At Last...

...I can move! I'm off work all this week, but I'm no longer confined to my recliner prison! No running, rock or tree climbing, cliff diving, riding bikes, motorcycles, bulls, or horses...so, that pretty much leaves me incapacitated.

Heh.

Seriously, other than those things, I can do almost anything I want. I'll be on medication for a while, but the doctor gave me great news.

I can drink wine. And yes, those are angels singing.

To celebrate this occasion, we decided to open up a special bottle. Not one that made the last post, but special just the same.

About a year ago, maybe 2, Doug & I went to a tasting at The Wine Barrel of Buena Vista Carneros wines. We had the pleasure of meeting Jeff Stewart, the winemaker, but most importantly, we loved his wine! Jeff wasn't the first winemaker we'd ever met, but he was cool & he signed both bottles that we bought. (I think I've said it before, but a lot of winemakers can be really boring, so it was refreshing to meet one that's not!) While Buena Vista prides itself on its Pinot Noir, we couldn't help ourselves when we tried the Merlot & the Syrah. It also helped that we were quite Pinot-heavy at the time of the tasting...& we have no regrets other than we should've bought more. (No, I don't know what I'll do with the empty signed bottles. I suppose if we keep it that it'll be something else to dust.)

We opened one of those bottles tonight, the 2003 Buena Vista Merlot.

I reached for this bottle tonight because of fear. We've held onto bottles that we thought would be ok, but fell apart as soon as we pulled the cork...& my friends, that qualifies as a tragedy in my book.

My, mymymymy-myyyyy.... what a lovely experience this was! Rich fruit, perhaps crushed berries, with some leather on the nose, & full-bodied, luscious, well balanced, & divine in the mouth. Blackberries, mocha, & some kind of spice - maybe clove - on the palate. An amazing cool climate Merlot. Fantastic.

Maybe we should've let this wine sit a while longer...I think it could've handled it. It's a tricky call. I mean, 95% of wine made today is made to drink NOW. As much as I'd love to open no wine before its time, who in the hell am I to know when that time is? Aaaauuurrgghhhh!!!

Ah, no regrets.

(Except that we should've bought more! Damn it, we should've bought more!)