The other night I was short on time and wanted to make an impresssion. Trader Joes to the rescue. I got 2 boxes of Vegetable Samosas and served them with some major grey chutney from the english food section at Big Johns, here in Healdsburg and viola! I wanted to serve the Hawley Viognier, not only because I adore it, but it is amazing with Indian spiced food. We also had some of the Anchor Steam Summer Brew on hand, which was also a stellar match.

It is one of those perfect comfort foods. Mushrooms, scallops and cheese, Coquilles St. Jacques looks elegant and is easy to make. You can get everything you need to make it at Trader Joes, it looks perfect in a scallop shell, but a ramekin will do. The wine to go with it is a no-brainer, I chose the Hawkes Chardonnay, a favorite around here, it is a great bottle to have around because of its versatility (which also makes it a good choice as a hostess gift). You can also pour a brut sparkling or even a sauvignon blanc with this dish, plus if you have a beer drinker in your midst, they will be happy with that pairing as well. Try it, you can’t go wrong.

It’s 102 degrees in Portland, Oregon today and I don’t have air conditioning. What a perfect time to open two Sauvignon Blancs! Let’s do something different this time… It’s fight night!

In the American corner, we have a bottle of Kelley & Young 2007, hailing from the Alexander Valley in California (home of Wines and Makers).

In the Kiwi corner, we have a lean, mean bottle of Nick Goldschmidt’s Boulder Bank 2008 straight from the vineyards of Marlborough, NZ.

I pop them both at the same time (unscrewing the Boulder Bank) and pour about three fingers of each into white wine glasses. I didn’t want to give any height advantages in this four-round bout.

Round One
Starting the round with a customary clinking of glasses, I notice that both appear to be quite similar in color: they are a light straw shade that is beautiful, soft and crystal clear.

Round Two
Kelley & Young comes out swinging when spun in the glass. After the wine surface lowers, the legs reveal themselves evenly as they run down the glass. The Boulder Bank has less distinguished legs that take slightly longer to form.

Round Three
Things are starting to warm up. Both wines are perspiring heavily, ready to be smelled. The Boulder Bank is more aggressive here, with a scent like a basket of fresh-picked green apples, complete with straw undertones. The K&Y is more subtle in this round, reminding me of sniffing the navel of a honeydew melon.

Round Four
In this fourth and final round, no punches are pulled. We dive straight in: The K&Y begins with a ripe grapefruit jab, followed by a lingering and powerful undercurrent of vanilla. This “creaminess” is unexpected and makes me think of oak barrels and flavors I normally associate with California chardonnays, but in an understated delivery that’s quite welcoming… The “sweet science” indeed. I came close to calling it a knockout…

…But then, not to be outdone, the Boulder Bank comes on strong in an explosion of tangerine-like citrus. There’s also a little spiciness there that keeps you on your toes. It’s both crisp and refreshing, without getting so dry that it threatens to dehydrate. This is a serious contender with a completely different style than its Californian counterpart. The bell sounds. We await the judges…

The Decision
The bottles stand side by side; the glasses are empty. These wines left it all in the ring. And the winner is… the winner is… It’s a DRAW, ladies and gentlemen! The contest is too close to call.

Both wines are amazing and exhibit the vast range of flavors that one varietal can exhibit in different parts of the world. My suggestion is to pit them head-to-head against each other for yourselves and make your own call. There are no losers when it comes to good wines!

Time to hit the showers.

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Drew Padilla, an architect with SmithGroup in San Francisco, and good friend of Wines and Makers can often be found on weekends racing his 2004 VW R32 at Laguna Seca, Thunderhill, Infineon Raceway and other tracks throughout the state.  Shortly after purchasing his R32 in May 2004, the vehicle was placed in the capable hands of Streetwerke in Palo Alto to begin making modifications for enhanced performance and safety. In April of 2006, Drew saw his first track at the Streets of Willow in Rosamond and this experience would reinforce Drew’s interest/passion for racing.

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On weekends, when Drew is not racing his car, you may find him in one of the local Bay Area pubs performing with the punk rock group, the Grannies. Drew has alot of passion for everything he does and Wines and Makers is thrilled to be associated with him.

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Two things I just learned about Chardonnay:

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Somewhere in the last 20 years or so, Chardonnay became the most popular white wine in the world. California became a Mecca of oaky, buttery, easy-drinking Chardonnays, which led to yuppie housewives calling it their “poison,” which led to the mass-production and homogenization of the varietal—which led to a backlash against the wine with the “ABC” (Anything But Chardonnay) movement by wine snobs. In 2002 there were 52 British babies named Chardonnay and another 14 named Chardonay; In 2003 there were 91 Chardonnays born in the UK. Like the character in Sideways who famously announced, “I’m NOT drinking any fucking merlot!”  I pretty much gave up on the Chardonnay after 2000. What a mistake.

Just because every wedding I ever attended featured tidal waves of Chardonnay and because half of Trader Joe’s wine section is dedicated to the style, didn’t mean that there weren’t great producers still meticulously crafting interesting Chardonnays. Case in point: The Stuhlmuller 2007 Estate Chardonnay.

One of the first things I noticed about the wine was the direction on the bottle that said not to serve it too cold. The only other person who served me white wine just south of room temperature was Kevin Kennedy, and I fired him an email to find out more. His response was enlightening:

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“The 50-60 degree range is probably ideal for Chardonnay, with closer to 60 being the most common recommendation. Most of us will take it out of fridge/cellar, open and taste as the wine naturally rises in temperature over the course of the dinner/bottle. This is the most common way to experience the different aromas, bouquets and flavors of the wine.

When working or enjoying the heat of summer there is nothing like a cool, crisp glass of Chardonnay right out of the fridge and into the glass. It may not be proper wine etiquette, but it sure hits the spot (I am guessing, like a shot of  your favorite tequila right out the ice chest after your last wave of the day).”

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Chardonnay like a shot of tequila after surfing? This definitely wasn’t the 1990s version of “mother’s little helper” I normally associated with “chards.”

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Marathon Man download buy The Return of Swamp Thing So I popped the wine right out of the fridge, poured a glass, and settled into a playoff basketball game. The color in the glass was a wonderful light golden hue (almost matching the uniform of the team I was supporting), and although it had a familiar oakiness, there was something special there. The taste was definitely crisper than any other Chardonnay I’ve tasted, but it still had a richness that was both complex and slightly creamy. By halftime, that complexity had doubled, at least, as the temperature rose slightly. Damn. Kevin was right… as usual. I noticed some pear and honey undertones, as well as some refreshing citrus that went really well with the wasabi peas I was chomping on by the handful. I ran upstairs with a glass for my wife to see if she would like it (thinking that maybe Chardonnay had turned into a macho-man drink). She shot my theory down after her first sip and scolded me for drinking half the bottle without her.

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Red Rock West dvdrip Having spent his childhood growing up in Alexander and Chalk Hill Valleys, surrounded by grapevines has proven to work to our (wine consumers) advantage. This is where Jacob Hawkes grew up. His father, Stephen, moved here in the early 70’s and was one of the pioneers in planting grapes. Even though being an experienced grower does not guarantee a great glass of wine will result, Jacob has figured out how to take quality grapes and produce great wines. The Hawkes Chardonnay is outstanding; bright, crisp, a little creamy and a whole bunch of fruit. This area produces, arguably some of the best Cabernet in the world and the Hawkes 04 (100% Cab.) is a must try, representing Alexander Valley at its best. This is a big complex wine and is going to continue to improve with age!

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Perhaps growing up in the Valleys has something to do with it, but the Hawkes are personable, down to earth and all around super people. Coupled with producing great wines, I think Hawkes is going to be here for many years to come and for us to enjoy. Located at 6734 Hwy 128, be sure to stop in and taste with Jeremy, Laura, and Jacob on your next tour through wine country.

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The 2004 Icaria Cabernet Sauvignon is a special wine. Admiring the elegant label and cracking the wax seal (versus tearing sharp foil) sets the mood. Pouring, smelling, tasting confirms your first impressions. The flavor is powerful and memorable. A perfect balance of tanins and fruits. There are berries galore here, but it’s not overwhelmingly jammy. I swear, the flavor lasts on the palette forever, exiting back through your nose as you exhale. What is that taste? I’m closing my mouth after swallowing, and exhaling very slowly through my nose again. So pleasant.

If you’ve got this wine, or are familiar with it, or if my review inspires you to try it, please comment here and let me know what tastes it brings to mind. Searching for the answer is a wonderful experience.

Having a four year old daughter has its virtues in many ways. One is that you get to meet the parents of other 4 year olds and this is how we found Michall and Jeannine Pendleton. Owners of Pendleton Estate Vineyards & Winery, located in the hills of northern Alexander Valley, Mike is crafting outstanding wines. Mike’s care and passion seems to reach from each and every grape as it comes off the vine to the appreciation of the finished wine as it is enjoyed from the glass. His wines are really well balanced, drinkable now, full of fruit and complex. If you have plans to be traveling along the 128 in route to Mendocino County, be sure to give Mike a call for a tasting of some of the best handcrafted small-lot wines from Sonoma County.

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Everybody knows that wine goes better with food. Wines and Makers founder Andrea Godard’s done a great job of suggesting food pairings and recipes from her personal “greatest hits” for specific offerings at WAM. But, almost as important as edibles is the atmosphere you enjoy wine in. When I lived with Andrea in San Francisco, her house was always filled with great wine, food, music and musicians and they all played off each other perfectly. If a band wasn’t playing in her back yard, music was constantly setting the mood in her warm dining room, which was filled with artwork, books, and exotic brick-a-brack from her travels.

It’s with that unforgettable ambiance in mind that I introduce my first “music paring” – a suggested album that goes incredibly well with a bottle available here at WAM.

When I opened the Banyan 2007 Gewurztraminer Vantage Point buy , I was a little nervous actually. Not only was I slightly wary of the elongated bottle (which, for some reason, I always associate with sweet wine), but I realized I had no experience with this varietal—I couldn’t even spell it!

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The first sip was a nice surprise. It was bright, floral, and slightly spicy—not sweet, but certainly pleasant on the tongue. With my tastebuds dancing, I headed to my computer: I knew exactly what album matched it. I’ve been digging The Clientele for a while, since I borrowed their second LP, Strange Geometry, from a friend and left it in my player for a month or so. But 2007’s God Save the Clientele is as close as you can get to the sonic equivalent of the Banyan Gewurtz. It’s bright, light, crisp and unpretentious. It makes you feel like it’s springtime, even while frost is on the pumpkin; it makes you nostalgic for the past; it makes you feel clean-shaven and buttoned up.  The first track, “Here Comes the Phantom” fits right in with the world’s greatest jangle-pop. When you hear that “happiness just comes and goes” you think about hits by the Monkees, the Beatles, or even the Beach Boys… And, much like the wine, the album just gets better from the first taste on. By the time you reach “Somebody Changed,” you’ll be reaching for your second glass and reminiscing about high school crushes the first time you heard the Byrds. It’s warm feelings like those that wine and good music have a certain knack at summoning.

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The Clientele’s God Save the Clientele is available from emusic or iTunes, and the 2007 Banyan Gewurz is a steal for $12 here at Wines and Makers.