CANV Research Day

When I’m working at The Room, a common question I’m asked is “where should we go next?” so I’m always looking to expand my list of recommendations. The CANV research day did just that…and by research I mean visiting several wineries and restaurants. Lucky me!

Our guide for the day was Dave from Platypus Tours. The limo-style shuttle was really comfortable and clean. Dave made sure we had enough water and snacks, and gave us some interesting facts about the places we were going to. We couldn’t have asked for a better driver!

Our first stop was at Porter Family Vineyards, a relatively new family-owned winery located in the Coombsville area. Owner Tim Porter was a great host, and he walked us through the beautiful vineyards and caves. My favorite wine from the whole day was their 2006 Sandpiper, a Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon blend.

We then drove over to Compadres Rio Grille on Lincoln Street in Napa. Described as “Western cooking with a Mexican accent,” the restaurant has a fun and lively atmosphere. I would definitely recommend eating outside whenever possible, as they have a large deck that overlooks the Napa Valley River. The tortilla soup was the best I’ve had in town, and the avocado relleno was flavorful. The margaritas are killer, and thanks to the owner Rick, we had some on hand for our travels. That made for an interesting ride! I’ll definitely return to Compadres for some food and cocktails on a warm night.

To stay on schedule, we then hurried over to Somerston’s new tasting room in Yountville. The interior has a Tuscan feel that features beautiful artwork. The staff was very welcoming, and you could tell they were passionate about their wine. We enjoyed a cheese and wine pairing—the Highflyer Syrah paired with the Barely Buzzed (espresso and lavender) cheese was amazing! I’d head over to Somerston for a tasting before or after having dinner in Yountville. They’re open until 10:00PM Tuesdays through Saturdays!

Our next stop was at Salvestrin in St. Helena. Our host Luke was very knowledgeable, friendly, and lets just say all of the women in the group were big fans of his! Our tasting took place outside on a patio that is surrounded by vineyards. I felt like I was on vacation. As expected, the wines were excellent; and I’d recommend getting a bottle of their Retaggio. Salvestrin is located right by Flora Springs’ The Room, so make sure to stop by and enjoy our very own wines, whether it’s inside in our modern tasting room or outside on our rooftop patio. Here’s what you can expect to enjoy at the Room.

Our last winery stop was at Ehlers Estate. Led by winemaker Kevin Morrisey, we toured the grounds and tasted a trio of wines with small bites. Besides the fact that their wines are delicious, 100% of the winery’s proceeds go to their foundation that funds research for cardiovascular disease.

The tour ended with a stop at AKA Bistro, the perfect ending to a wonderful day in the Valley. I cannot wait to do some more “research!”

June Bug Dance

Last Saturday night, I was at the St. Helena Native Sons Hall for the June Bug Dance, a concert to benefit local farmworkers. Organized by Sean and Lindsay Garvey, the event built on last year’s success, and raised considerably more money than the 2009 concert. A portion of the proceeds went to the Work Connection in St. Helena, a non-profit that matches Napa Valley farmworkers with employers who pay fair-wages and provide safe work environments.

By day, Sean is Flora Spring’s Communications and Production Director, but by night, he’s known in the Valley for his singing and songwriting. Sean opened the show with songs from his newest record, “California Parable.” Many people came specifically to see Sean play; his songs appeal to those who want to dance or just enjoy the music. If you missed the concert, you can check out some of his songs here. Chuck Prophet also played at the concert.

Sean’s wife Lindsay is a professional photographer, and luckily for me, she provided the above photo. You know there’s no way I took that great of a photo with my iPhone, much less in a dimly lit room…countdown to iPhone 4.

Were you at the June Bug Dance?

The Room

I recently started working at the Room one day a week. So far it’s been great, I’ve gotten to meet lots of fun and interesting people. The end of the day can be pretty entertaining when we get groups that are on their way back from a full day of wine tasting!

If you haven’t been to The Room before, we’re right on Highway 29, next to Dean & Deluca and across the street from V. Sattui. We’re hard to miss, as you can see. The Room has a very sleek and modern feel, and you have the option of being inside by the bar or you can enjoy the warm weather and views from our rooftop patio. If you’re on Foursquare, make sure to check-in to receive a special deal for the next time you come by.

The tasting lineup includes our Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Barrel Fermented Chardonnay, Sangiovese, Poggio Del Papa, and Trilogy. If you happen to be headed to Rutherford Grill like so many people are, I’d recommend taking a bottle of wine with you to take advantage of their no-corkage policy.

I’m at The Room on Tuesdays, and I’ll also be here for our popular FS Lounge on Thursday, June 24 from 6-8pm. We’ll have a DJ, small bites, and lots of wine of course. Tickets cost $25 and can be purchased at the door. Hope to see you here soon!

Fun Times in Walnut Creek

Last weekend, my boss Margaret and I headed over to Walnut Creek for the Art and Wine Festival. We had a blast! We poured the 2008 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay and Soliloquy Sauvignon Blanc, opened up a magnum of the 2007 Trilogy, and ate lots and lots of kettle corn. Just another day of hard work!

After the festival, the locals we met recommended that we stop downtown to eat dinner at Va de Vi, a small plates bistro and wine bar. Although the restaurant was packed, we only had to wait a few minutes before being seated at the chef’s table. We could see all of the cooking right in front of us—I tried to pick up some tricks but could hardly keep up. Next time I’ll just stick with the eating part. We ordered the crispy chile relleno, the crispy pork belly, the seared ahi, the rib eye medallions and the mini chicken-mole tacos—my favorite! The menu was very creative, and I thought the portions were generous for being small plates. We ended our dinner with the apple tarte tartin…yum!
Overall, I think Va de Vi has a great ambiance, delicious food, and it’s not too hard on the wallet—at least by Napa Valley standards!

Auction Napa Valley: the Biggest Schmoozefest of the Year

Whether they came for the wine, food, or for the chance to hobnob with industry folks, everyone seemed to be having a great time at last Friday’s Auction Napa Valley event at Rubicon Estates.

We started the day off with barrel tastings of Shafer Vineyards, Alpha Omega, and Darioush wines, among many, many others.

As expected, the food was incredible. Restaurants including Go Fish, Farmstead and Cole’s Chophouse were all serving bite-sized foods. One of my favorites of the day was from Zuzu; they served their paella in a massive paellera.

Celebrity sightings included Iron Chef Morimoto, golfer Annika Sorenstam, and Andrea Immer Robinson, but sadly, no Oprah.

Chef Morimoto was personally dashing out to people to give us a taste of his food from his upcoming restaurant, Morimoto Napa. He served steamed pork belly on a very soft bun, and it was as scrumptious as I had envisioned it would be when watching reruns of Iron Chef America.

And as with many events, the Auction wouldn’t have been complete without getting some entertainment from watching a few drunk people hippie dancing in the middle of the giant lawn.

The Auction raised $8.51 million for local charities, way up from last year’s $5.7 million.

IT’S TOUGH WORKING IN THE WINE BIZ

Last week, as part of my newly appointed duties, I was presented with the difficult task of tasting not one, but six Flora Springs wines over the Memorial Day Weekend. I knew I was meant to work in Napa when drinking wine became a part of my job! Considering it had been raining for the last couple of weeks in MAY, I finally got to dust off the grill and cook some Santa Maria-style trip-tip. I then got started on my homework:

2008 Soliloquy Sauvignon Blanc
Excellent varietal expression, fruity, fresh, very clean finish. I’m a huge fan of spicy food, and this is the wine I’ve been looking for to pair with my enchiladas or chiles rellenos.

2008 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay
Rich, silky texture. Warm tropical melon flavors. Chardonnay moms everywhere would love to sip this during their happy hour play dates.

2008 Pinot Grigio
Sweet, spritzy, refreshing. This is the wine I enjoyed while cooking.

2007 Sangiovese
Dark cherry aroma, notes of dried cranberry, dry finish. The perfect wine to bring to a picnic in the vineyards.

2007 Poggio Del Pappa
Aromas of leather with hints of tobacco. Several layers of flavor. The cab gives it a nice structure. A great accompaniment to Italian food.

2006 Trilogy
Notes of black fruits and dark chocolate. Smooth, lingering finish. I’ll have to bring a bottle to my BF’s family—bonus points!

My friends are now going to be calling me every time they hear that I’m “working”, just to find out if they can help me again—by finishing the wine.

Flora's Garden

Flora Springs Winery is named after two life-giving forces: the springs that flow unceasingly from the hills behind the winery and Flora Komes, the matriarch of the family. Flora will celebrate her 99th birthday in November and don’t even begin to imagine her as a decrepit old woman. Flora has a sparkle in her eye, a jaunt to her step and a mean game of dominoes. Born in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1911 Flora has always lived up to her name. She loves to garden and at all times has green plants thriving around her. Although it’s been a few years since she has put a shovel to the earth on the Flora Springs Estate, we credit her with the spectacular show of color that occurs each Spring around the winery. The hillside behind us is usually still lush from the winter rains, the fruit trees that line the terraced vineyards flower with splashes of pink and white, and Grandma Flora’s fig tree starts to show life. She has poured a lifetime of love and energy into the Grounds of Flora Springs, which stand as wonderful tribute to her legacy.

Flora left Honolulu after her high school graduation to become a nurse. It was as a student at St. Mary’s Hospital in San Francisco that she met the love of her life on a blind date. Jerry Komes knew he met “the one” but Flora refused to marry him until she successfully graduated and had secured a nursing position. While she eventually gave up her career to raise their children, she is still a nurse at heart and it shows. Jerry and Flora were quite a team. She was his greatest supporter and he was always quick to tell you that his accomplishments were not his alone but possible because of Flora. They were married 67 years when Jerry died at the age of 89. If you have the good fortune to meet Flora, you won’t soon forget her. And, if you have the opportunity to walk through the gardens at Flora Springs, you may even feel the soul of Hawaii.