The wine buyer at my local market recently asked me how I started my journey of wine and food pairing.  Part of the story is that I kept a fully loaded 75-bottle wine refrigerator in my kitchen and paired every single night for five years.  I tracked every meal, who was there, what we ate and what wines I opened.  I rated each wine on sight, smell and taste.  I noted where I bought it, price, it’s region, classification, date tasted and wine maker notes.  My buddy, the wine buyer said, “you were obsessed!”

I never thought about being obsessed but I look back now and smile.  I saw it as necessary to learning.  The only hard part was keeping the fridge stocked with a wide variety of wine types. It took constant planning and purchasing to make sure I had German, Chilean, French, American, Italian, Australian, New Zealand (etc.) wines in all the varieties. (I also kept a double shelf of dessert wines.)

For me, it was an awesome way to start a journey.  (I became a better cook too.)  After all that intensive tasting and studying, I know about 1/16 of a billion about wine.  But I gained some valuable knowledge.

Here’s what I know about wine…

• my palate, e.g., what I enjoy.
• that I have little interest in drinking wine without the thrill of pairing it with food.
• how to describe what I smell and taste.
• how a glass changes the wine tasting experience.
• that my palate has changed over time (matured?)
• an open mind is the most important part of the wine experience.
• not to drink too much while evaluating wine–alcohol inhibits my abilities.
• that as long as I live, there will be more to learn.

I hope my readers enthusiastically and fearlessly keep learning and trying new wines.  I can’t think of any other thing that comes in so many “shapes and sizes” so-to-speak.  On that note, I’m headed for Germany next month to drink German Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc.  See? The world of wine is a constant surprise!

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Painting of Alana by Pappy (Doc E)

Dear Mom,

I’m so glad you liked your Mother’s Day gift.  As promised, here’s some info about the wine & some pairing suggestions.  xo, Alana

Dry Chenin Blanc (Casa Nuestra 2009, Old Vine, St Helena Estates)

I picked this fine representation of the Chenin Blanc grape in remembrance of the 1970’s, when I was just a wee one & you were a budding wine drinker. I remembered the grape because I was fortunate to be seated next to Gene Kirkham, owner of Casa Nuestra & his lovely wife (& my new friend) Katrina, at their winery’s 30th anniversary dinner.  Gene explained a little about the grape’s history to me.  Although it is a respected varietal from France’s Loire Valley, it’s introduction in the Napa Valley was weak–to be kind.  In the ’70’s Krug & Beringer and Gene’s other contemporaries picked it green and added sugar. According to Gene, it wasn’t at all “like real Chenin Blanc.”  Lucky for you and me, today Gene likes to introduce old Napa grapes to wine lovers and he makes Chenin Blanc in the Loire style–proving that great Chenin Blanc can be made in Napa. He only made 290 cases of this commemorative vintage.

Pairing

This is a light white wine with a hint of citrus so you can’t go wrong with scallops with lemon zest, crab/lobster & drawn lemon butter, or a white fish fillet. For veggies, try steamed green beans tossed with a touch of Dijon, salt & pepper & thyme. Salad with a subtle goat cheese, toasted almonds & citrus dressing.  It will also pair well with an omelette.  Look for other French recipes.

Tinto (2007, Casa Nuestra St. Helena Estate)

Casa Nuestra’s Tinto (aka red table wine) is interesting to me because it’s a field blend. Gene’s mom acquired their first vineyard in 1956.  Back then (for various reasons) a variety of grapevines were planted in the same field. Nowadays of course, most vineyards are carefully segregated to insure varietal integrity and blending takes place in the cellar.  But thank goodness for the few folks like Gene who still produce real field blends. There are nine varietals in the 2007 Tinto.

Pairing

This is a nice wine to have for a second course.  Warm your palate up with a first course with a light wine or bubbly.  If you have a wine aerator, it would be fun to taste the wine with and without aeration. Casa Nuestra’s Tinto pairs well with earthy food.  Beef with wild mushrooms, risotto, dry aged cheese, crispy leeks.  Oh my, I’m thinking I should open one tonight!

Late Harvest French Colombard (Casa Nuestra 2008)

I love introducing people to exceptional dessert and aperitif wines. Every meal should end with a bite of perfectly paired dessert!  Good sweet wines don’t remind one of sugar, instead the delicious flavors of the grape pop out and delight the taste buds. This wine was made from almost 70 year old vines and dry farmed which means the grapes really have to work hard. Botrytis is present and is responsible for that moment when you say, “wow! that doesn’t seem sugary,” because it causes a smooth non-crystalline juice.

Pairing

Buy some mini lemon cheesecakes or any cake that has lemon zest from your favorite bakery or Trader Joe’s. Cookies and sorbet are a fund pairing too.

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I opened my first Rosé of the season a few days ago.  Here in Northern California, the wildflowers are blooming, my early bulbs (Freesias above) are scenting my backyard & the finches are rapidly emptying the bird feeder as they rush to make their nests.

If you’ve read this blog before (or are an experienced wine drinker), you know that Rosé can be sweet or dry.  I was never introduced to Rosé properly, so I had to teach myself.  Come to find out that until the Sutter Home White Zinfandal (cellar-mistake-that-became-a-huge-seller), all Rosé was dry. (Little primer here.)

Rosé is an excellent pairing for many light meals & it’s a wonderful low-alcohol option for enjoying before dinner or an afternoon get together.  I highly recommend that you buy good value Rosé.  It may seem strange to fork over $15 or more for a pink wine, but you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how much you’ll enjoy a glass of Rosé when it is well-made.

Here’s some of my favorite Rosés & pairings:

Quivira Grenache Rose $15

• Read my review of Quivira.
• Get a Tour & Tasting Pass to Quivira.
• Purchase this wine online.

Praxis Alexander Dry Syrah Rosé $15

• Get a recipe/pairing in my Perfect Pairings section.
• Read about this wine on their site
• Get a Tasting Pass for the Wine Shop in Healdsburg. (I found this wine at The Wine Shop; it’s also at Local’s in Geyersville; their online store is here.)

Paradise Ridge Bride’s Blush Rosé $18

• Get a Perfect Pairings recipe.
• This is only available at one of their two tasting rooms, visit my old fav above Santa Rosa or their new gallery tasting salon in Kenwood which is pretty cool too.
• Bride’s Blush is a blend of estate-grown Zinfandel & Syrah, very low in sugar (.42) which means it’s not sweet. Their culinary specialist calls it the “perfect breakfast wine.”

*If you find a Rosé you like, buy it by the case, you’ll get a discount & the ones mentioned above are made in small lots so they might run out of a certain vintage.

Read more posts about Rosé.

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Joe Roberts aka 1winedude has written a great guide to wine tasting.

How to Taste Like a Wine Geek: The 1WineDude Wine Tasting Guide details a practical tasting approach to increase your knowledge about – and enjoyment of – wine (the greatest beverage in the world).

Some of the highlights:

• A step-by-step guide to tasting wine like the pros (only without the spitting or the snobbishness!).
• The story of how Joe overcame his personal fear of wine, and was able to go from total WineDunce to the 1WineDude (and how that journey helped to form his tasting approach).
• A practical example of the tasting approach in action.
• Printable Forms for capturing your own wine tasting experiences.
• Links to lots of helpful resources, wine accessories, & more (for further wine learning).
• The Guide is targeted at those that are either new to wine, or who enjoy wine now but really want to get more out of it and are not sure where to start. If you’re one of those people – now you have a place to start.  (Excerpted from the book.)

Get this book in the store along with an Insider Guide & be ready for your next wine tasting trip!

You’ll love this book. It is well-written and easy to follow with valuable tips perfect for the person starting out on a wine journey. Alana Gentry

* Joe Robert writes a lively blog popular with wine geeks in the industry.  He brings his same entertaining, easy-going style to his ebook.

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Cute video from one of my favorite wineries.  They also have a VIP Pass in my guide.

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I’ve loved this winery for many, many years & it just keeps getting better.  Watch a short video with my friend Jennifer & the chickens. There is a VIP Pass to Quivira in my guide book for a private tour & barrel room tasting for four worth $60.

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When staying in Healdsburg, there is no better place than this unpretentious yet luxurious property. It’s the type of place that people return to, year after year. There is a VIP Pass in my guide book for Honor Mansion. Watch a video.

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The Kunde winery in Kenwood has a big story: 100 years old, 5 generations, BottleShock (the movie) was filmed there and the list goes on. I love everything about this winery. There is a VIP Pass in my guide for a seated wine & cheese tasting for two (mid-week) worth $40. Watch the video.

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There’s a great video on their home page. Get off the beaten Napa path & visit, you’ll be amazed that they make about 12 wines each year and only a total of 1500 cases! There is a VIP Pass in my book for a behind the scenes tasting, tour & barrel tasting for 4 worth $40.

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Vintner’s Collective is near the marvelous, hip, Napa Waterfront.  There is a VIP Pass for a food & wine experience worth $75 in my guidebook. Watch Video.

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