Girl With A Glass

“That is the best Pinot Noir here,” a new friend whispered to me as she weaved her way through the many vintners pouring wine at Robert Mondavi’s 95th (post-mortum) birthday party.  I made my way to where she had pointed and repeated what she said to the gentleman behind the table.  He graciously grinned and poured.  Very nice!  As I tasted his other offerings, he told me about his company, Renteria.

In a nutshell, Salvador Renteria is a brilliant grape grower who help establish the wineyards for some of the greatest vintners such as Beaulieu, Clos Pegase, Cuvaison and Silverado.  His reputation grew and he started his own Vineyard Management business with his son, Oscar…they added more heaty-hitters to the client list like Mondavi, Rombauer, Duckhorn, Caymus and Robert Selyem.

All very interesting, but who’s Pinot was I tasting?  Their own!  They are building caves and a winery on Mt. Veeder.  For now, you can purchase their fabulous (and well-priced) Pinot Noirs and Cabernet Sauvignons online or at certain local wine shops and restaurants.

Discovering Renteria Wines feels like a great secret–uncorked.  How a vineyard is managed is a huge part of what makes a good wine.  With a client list like Salvador and Oscar Renteria’s, they obviously know what they are doing.  To drink their signature wines is a true pleasure!

This fabulous, funny writer is a syndicated columnist who writes about her experiences remodeling and decorating her homes.

Marni has a new book coming out called, The House Always Wins.  I’m a huge fan.   Check her out if you want to learn and laugh.

For more fun at home, see Julia’s House Burning Party.

In Sonoma County Wine Country, there is a  faux castle built and owned by a local contractor, Steve Ledson.  Although it is controversial because of it’s size, grandeur and “un-Sonoma-like” design, (according to the book, A Tale of Two Valleys).  I recommend visiting, not for the architecture but for the wine.

Ledson makes small lots of just about every varietal, so if someone in your party loves Syrah and another Rhone Varietals, you’re covered.  The grounds offer plenty of rest and relaxation for non-wine tasters.  I became a member of their case club which is a little pricey but due to the small lots and the fact that you can only get the wine at the winery and some select restaurants, it’s smart to stock up.

The nights that I pull out a Ledson makes both my husband and I instantly smile.  It signals a great evening with great food and exceptional wine.

A friend of ours bought an old house on a to-die-for-view property. Brilliantly, she donated the old house to the fire department for training (and got a substantial write-off). My hubby, as Julia’s photographer, was suited up by the firemen and took some incredible pictures. Truly a once-in-a-life-time experience.

PS: Several hundred people were invited and the party was catered by Hot Dog. Very unusual party!

Hot summer days in Northern California present perfect summer evenings. Here’s a pairing suggestion for a romantic backyard picnic.

*I made the chicken and salad topping the day before so the flavors would melt into each other. This recipe can serve 4 people in one meal or 2 people with yummy leftovers.

Cold Honey Mustard Curry Chicken

• cut up bone-in whole chicken or chicken parts
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/3 cup honey
• 3 tbsp Dijon
• 1 tbsp curry (or to taste)

Put the chicken in a baking dish and preheat oven to 350°. Mix remaining ingredients in a saucepan and stir until bubbly. Pour sauce over chicken and bake for 45 minutes. Store in fridge.

Seafood Salad

• 1 lb Talipia or other mild white fish
• 3/4 - 1 lb small cooked shrimp (peeled, ready-to-eat)
• 1 stalk celery
• 3 tbsp white onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tbsp Dijon
• 1/3 cup white wine
• salt & pepper to taste
• lettuce (I prefer a crisp prepared medley of iceburg, romaine and red cabbage) but butter leaf or romaine leaves (uncut) would work too.

Salt & pepper the fish and microwave for 3-4 minutes until pink is gone. After it cools, cut into 2″ chunks.

Chop the celery, garlic and onion and sauté in white wine. Stir in Dijon; mix in shrimp and fish. Add salt & pepper to taste and store in fridge. (Feel free to add herbs such as fresh oregano, parsley or dill. I kept it simple to specifically complement the wine I was serving.)

Corn off the cob

I love corn so much my husband teases me, “corn again?” Sometimes I prefer fresh corn off the cob. If you have fresh cobs, boil them in water and then de-corn them with a sharp large knife. Add butter and salt & butter. I also like Trader Joe’s frozen corn in the bag. Very sweet and fresh.

Chardonnay

This dinner was inspired by Midnight Cellars 2006 Estate Reserve Chardonnay. I tasted it at the winery and true to the tasting notes, it has a ginger vanilla flavor that is extraordinary. I don’t recall another Chardonnay that has a ginger component…very exciting to pair! I would not pair it with a curry chicken that has a strong flavor. By serving this pre-prepared cool chicken and seafood, I was able to create subtle, gentle flavors that created a perfect pairing!

When you visit Paso Robles Wine Country on the Central California Coast, I recommend that you visit Midnight Cellars.  A small producer that makes fabulous wines at a reasonable price.

They have a small but fun gift shop, pleasant and helpful staff and you will probably see the wine maker.  It’s a sweet, unpretentious property.  If it’s not too hot, bring some bread and cheese and enjoy the picnic area in the back.

I brought home an herb mix from the gift shop along with some wine.  The herb mix was an easy and delicious addition to lamb chops and a perfect pairing with their 2005 Estate Zinfandel.

Another Midnight wine pairing.

Midnight Cellars (Paso Robles, west of Hwy 1 on Hwy 46)

Hubby took a class at the Lepp Digital Imaging Institute in Los Osos, which is located on the California Central Coast. It is close to Paso Robles Wine Country, which was made famous by the movie Sideways.

Because I knew next to nothing about the region and had limited time, I really needed some local advice. Maps are good but if I don’t know the wines, I might as well be lost.

Here’s a tip for finding the best wineries.

Tell more then one local that you don’t know anything about the region and ask if they have any suggestions. This is a wide open question which will give you a good idea of their wine savvy. I asked the resort office person and he merely pointed me to Hwy 46. I also asked the photography class teacher and discovered that he is a wine maker with his own label and extremely passionate. He explained the difference between the west side of Hwy 46 and the east side wineries. He drew me a map and referred me to four wineries. At the first winery, I asked the wine tasting gal, who gave me a bigger map and suggested a few more places.

(You can also write to me and ask me where to go in California!)

I ended up staying at one winery for 2 1/2 hours…which is another preference of mine. If I like the wines and the vibe, I love to get to know the proprietor and the wines very well. Visit my review of Midnight Cellars.

PS: I also went shopping and bought these groovy shoes.

I recently volunteered at Copia’s Artisan Festival. I had the unglamorous but fun job of emptying spit buckets and making sure the vendors had everything they needed.

My favorite part was talking with the artists and learning about their passion for making wine, food or art. Knowing the people who make the wonderful things we enjoy is so much more interesting than buying an anonymous item from a generic store.

I encourage you to attend local events and if you don’t want to buy a ticket, ask if you can volunteer.

Here’s more about some friends I made:

Jenna Chandler Designs (jewelery)

Grindstone Bakeries (fragrant herbs handmilled bread)

Uvaggio Wines (an ex-Mondavi winemaker making fab Italian varietals)

Marcel et Henri Pâté (it’s sold at large stores but did you know it’s an artisan product?)

Jenna Chandler is a modest, brilliant jewelry maker from Napa, CA. I met her at the Copia Artisan Festival and fell in love with one of her necklaces. Several acquaintances saw me admire it and insisted that it was the perfect match for my eyes. Jenna readily agreed to shorten its length for me, she said, “I want to make it perfect for you.” She is completely sincere about her work and her delight with my delight was genuine. I plan on purchasing from her again.

PS: The backstory…I left the house that day with no necklace on. When I returned wearing this, Hubby said, Did you have that on when you left? I smiled and said, Do you want to buy this for me for Mother’s Day? He replied, I think you’ve already decided that. (PSS: He loves it as much as I do.)

California has always had a reputation for glamour, but there is still a lot of charm and real down-home people and places here.

Whenever I drive towards my childhood town, I hold my breath until I see it. I’m always afraid that someday someone will take it down. The restaurant has been shuttered for years. Maybe the sign will go to a theme park…which would be oh so California.