The Weekend! Best Ever!

I know that I just posted a post on Friday and today is Monday, are you getting sick of me?  I just had one of the best weekends ever and had to share!

I had Wednesday and Friday off of last week so my weekend was really the majority of the week!!  On Wednesday I went to Coppola Winery (the one near Healdsburg, not Rubicon) which is currently being renovated but still open to the public during construction, it seems almost done.  What really got me is that they are installing a public pool at the winery complete with a swim up bar!!

I went there for lunch as I heard it was a good spot, so I grabbed my seat at the bar and started chatting with the bartender, who informed me that the restaurant (Rustic Restaurant ) had only been open for about 3 weeks.  I was certainly impressed, I started out with a side salad, later the chef brought out some fried bread, awesome, which I smothered with a little balsamic and oil!! Yum! 

By the time I was done eating I didn't feel like tasting any wine, I was sooo dang full. 

yes, I ate all of this, Italian sausage, mushrooms, mozzarella, and grated parmigiana

Entrance to Coppola

As Friday rolled around I was getting extremely excited for two things, my girlfriend coming to town and the Rochioli BBQ!  I picked her up pretty late on Friday at SFO and we drove straight to Healdsburg which is about a 2 hour drive, I was sooo sleepy and tired.  Saturday we woke and went to the Healdsburg Farmers Market!  It was small, compared to what I am used to at DC's Eastern Market, but Healdsburg has maybe a population of 12,000 vs. DC permanent residents at 500,000.  Anyways, the market was so good.  From cheese producers to roasted red pepper guy to the best dang tomatoes on the planet, hands down.  I don't like tomatoes by themselves, however, I was talked into trying REAL tomatoes and I was absolutely amazed.  I can't even describe them, you don't need to doctor them at all, I just eat 'em straight up, just like an apple!!  They are so flavorful!  And it totally makes sense, the same climate/soil that produces some of the best wines in the world produce the best produce in the world.

Tomatoes as big as your hand!!!

After a little farmers market action, we decided to just walk around Healdsburg.  We stopped at the Downtown Bakery (Downtown Bakery) which supposedly is the best bakery west of the Mississippi!  Boy did it hold its own, we stopped in and grabbed a Sticky Bun which is the daily breakfast choice by the Asst Winemaker at Rochioli so I had to stop in and try one.  IT WAS SOOOO GOOD, I wish I had a picture to share.  We strolled through the plaza park and walked up and down the streets of downtown Healdsburg until we found this place for lunch.

I have been told multiple times that Healdsburg is a foodies paradise.... I can see why.

Seared Tuna, pickled ginger, some crunch chips, wasabi mayo!

 
After lunch we went over to Rochioli for a tasting which was impressive (as usual, ha).  We went back home and rested up for the BBQ.

The BBQ started at 6 with hor d'oeuvres and some wine of course, after some mingling it was time for some of the single vineyard stuff aged to perfection.  We started with multiple chardonnays, my favorite was the 1999 (I believe) Rachel's Vineyard Chardonnay, which was absolutely beautiful (floral, peaches, lime, and a minerality to it).  A true Chardonnay!

As we sat down to dinner (krcatering) the wine really began to come out, 1999 - 2003 single vineyard Pinots!  I have never in my entire life enjoyed a better bottle of wine than what I tasted through that night.  Each wine (5 single vineyard labels total) showed not only it's difference in vintage but also it's personality of being planted in different spots on the property and of different clones.  The wines expressed their different terroir beautifully.  Each single vineyard had it's own personality.  I now fully understand why people will spend hundreds of dollars on bottles of wine and lay them down for years.  Age makes a wine so soft and silky smooth and the fruit so balanced.  It's really hard to put into words what I am feeling right now while attempting to recall that night.

Not only was the wine unreal, the people, again were wonderful.  The nicest, funniest, and humblest people around.  Big thanks to the Rochioli family, and all of the other people involved with the winery that I met.  I'm so lucky to have found this job at such an awesome company!      

If you have an interest in wine, go out to your favorite wine retailer and have them help you find a ultra premium wine of your favorite varietal and if it's old enough drink it!!  If not, lay it down for a while and pull it out on a special occasion.  It will blow your mind!  Set aside some money for it and enjoy, do it now!!!! 

The food by KR catering was superb, the wine was ok (haha)

What a great night!!!

Sunday rolled around and we ate some more tomatoes, went wine tasting at Ferrari-Carano, lunch/wine tasting at Terroir in Geyersville, then back to the airport! 

An awesome weekend!! 

Ferrari-Carano

Cork tree, it was so spongey! so cool!

Terroirs in Geyserville!

Bloody Hands & My Golden Retriever Brodie

It's been about a week since I last posted and I can barely type thanks to the serious amounts of scrubbing I have been doing.  My delicate computer hands are not used to this! ha.  The amount of sanitizing we have been doing is absolutely mind blowing.  We have scrubbed and cleaned all of the fermentation tanks, the floors, the barrels, the ceilings, the poles, the grape conveyor and anything you can possibly think of.  I will say it does feel good to know that I am helping with the production of beautiful wine.

Before my first interview I went out any bought a 2008 Rochioli Pinot (Estate wine that you can buy at retailers) so I would know what I was getting myself into and to be able to talk intelligently about the wine if asked (So yes, I am working at Rochioli Vineyards and Winery!!).  The wine was unbelievable, it was like having a miniature Stealth bomber carpeting your tongue with little fruit bombs, the aromas (which is about 70% of taste) and tastes were so concentrated I can only imagine what their (our :)) single vineyard wines are like.  I only hope to get the chance to try them!

Even though I have only been in this industry for 4 days or so I can already tell it is right for me.  I have met some of the nicest people I have ever met in my life through this experience.  People are willing to help out in any way they can, whether it be an introduction to someone at a winery, or spending two hours talking to you even though we don't even know each other.  Not only is it people in the industry helping one another but its also the wineries themselves.  Even though they are "competitors" to each other there is a deep understanding that we are all here to make great wine and help each other a long the way. To move the industry forward!  It just amazes me when compared to the traditional corporate world 'dog-eat-dog' mentality.

Speaking of dogs.... I would say that I am in the middle with dogs, I don't necessary like them or dislike them.  On occasion I will even pet them or as I sit right now in San Ramon with the family dog, Landu, I'll even take him out to go to the bathroom when he needs to.  I know, I'm so nice!  It's funny how things can change, and change quickly.

This is the mini side story of Brodie the Golden Retriever.

I was running down W. Dry Creek Road in Healdsburg enjoying the vineyards, the old gnarly Zinfandel vines raising to the sky, just cruising going about my business when out of the corner of my eye I see a dog just sprinting out of a driveway straight at me, I mean bookin it, full speed.  I'm freaked out but remain calm, I'm letting him sniff me, and I start petting him and all is good, I check his tag, his name is Brodie and lives somewhere nearby.  Now what to do, so I walk up the driveway a little, where I think he lives, he keeps walking, so I turn around and start walking down the driveway to the road.  I get to the road and start running..... and he comes Brodie.  I walk him back to the driveway, this time walking further in (it was a long driveway with a bunch of houses down it), he keeps walking, I turn around and sprint to the road..... here comes Brodie!!! the dog won't stop following.  Also, I notice that his paws are frickin giant, and he is small, so he's a puppy probably two years old.  This goes on for about 15 more minutes and finally I walk way down the driveway to some house where there is a lady and a guy outside, with a pit-bull inside looking for a brawl.  I'm thinking I picked the wrong house.  The guy was nice, we called the number on the dogs collar, no answer.  The guy gives me an invaluable clue, he thinks the address is across the vineyards down the road.  Ok, so Brodie and I leave.  At this point as annoyed as I am with this dog, he is pretty cool, hes running along my side, running in and out of the vineyards.  Having fun!  We get to the house I knock on the door and a little girl answers.  Is this your dog?  YES!!!! Thank you, Thank you.  Brodie ran inside, gave me the peace sign with his giant paw, and that was it.

So....I want a golden retriever when I grow up!  ha!

In closing, the first grapes are being harvested by Sparkling wine producers!!!  We have a harvest kickoff BBQ on Saturday then its more cleaning early next week, then by mid to late week, the harvest should begin!!!  I hope!!

Oh my, I got a job but no place to live

As I eluded to I am now working at a bookoo vineyard and winery in Healdsburg, CA, YAH!  This is the story of that courtship!

I was laid off from my former employer the Monday after 4th of July and immediately began cranking out cover letters and resumes for harvest internships and basically anything related to the wine industry.  The second day of doing this I sent my resume to a post that was literally posted right when I hit refresh on my browser, I researched the winery, tailored my cover letter and resume (thanks for the advice, you know who you are, so smart :)) specifically to the winery.  As I read through their website I became drawn to their ideals.  The winemaker was enlightened on a trip to Burgundy (Domaine de la Romanee-Conti) where he tasted through various Romanee wines (a 1945 Le Montrachet, and a 1967 Richebourg!!!! he could barely describe to me what it was like) expressing specific site terrior (Terrior).  He brought that passion back from Burgundy and started making site specific wines from his various vineyards.  I was sold!

About a day later I received an email asking me to call and setup an interview!  I couldn't beleive it.  After applying to about 15 wineries this was the first response.  I call the number and she starts giving me directions to the vineyard and at the time I was still in Washington, D.C.  I explain to her that I am Washington, D.C. still, and she tells me I have to interview in person.  She said good luck with finding an internship and before hanging up, I said wait I'll fly out!

I used all of my frequent flier miles, and I also had to purchase miles to get out there.  The interview goes very well, we talk about my passion for wine, his experience at Romanee and I felt good about it.  Tuesday rolls around and I am asked to come to a second interview, SUPER!  But wait, yes it has to be in person again.  They told me not to spend the money flying out again and to maybe explore other options!  There was a glimmer of hope when I was told the winemaker would email me soon!  DANG, keep truckin.  Right when I was about to leave for Milwaukee, I got that email, asking if I was still interested in a second interview, I schedule the interview which was on Monday of this week, and was basically offered the job after the second interview.  They wanted me to start as soon as possible!

For the time being I am staying at a friend of a friends house in Healdsburg!  The crazy thing is that, when I showed up, I realized that we had actually met before at a dinner party in San Francisco.... small world.  They also own a bed and breakfast (Zinscape), the place is awesome and they are great people!!  If you are looking for something a little more rustic and not run of the mill when coming to wine country, this is it.  It literally sits between two vineyards and the property is breathtaking! 

My first day of work was on Thursday and can be summarized by one word, cleaning!  We cleaned and scrubbed most of the primary fermentation tanks which need to be spotless for when the grapes start coming in.  The summer has been pretty cool.  Typically harvest is right around now but we are thinking that it won't happen for another 2-3 weeks.

Have a super weekend!

 

 

The Cross Country Trip & I have a wine job all in one post!!

First, a special thanks to the family and friends that were ever so gracious enough to let my brother and I couch surf across our vast country.  I am grateful to have you all in my life!!! 

And the tale continues.....  

We left Hudsonville, MI on Sunday morning after much time at the Lake, on the Michigan wine trail, and gorging ourselves with home cooking, we left full, satisfied, and ready for the trip.  It was basically clear sailing until we got to Chicago, TRAFFIC JAM.  Chicago is known for its horrible traffic and to make things worse we arrived the last day of Lollapalooza!

 
We made it to Milwaukee around 2pm (YES we gained an hour, we were so pumped) and went straight to the beach for some beers and bocce ball.  More beach!!

After some serious sun and suds we went straight back to my friend Mike's and Trevor's place for some Michigan wine.  The wine we chose to crack was the St. Julian Pinot and it was a show stopper.  Not only was everyone impressed with it at the crib but even when we went to Balzac http://balzacwinebar.com/ the Michigan wine beat every wine we had and we had a lot! The only thing we weren't able to do was to compare it to a French Burgundy, that is why I may or may not have bought a case of it!

On to Balzac, for those that have been know what it's about, for those that haven't I will quote my brother, "delicious, that was the best meal I have ever had!"  If you find yourself in Milwaukee or if you live in Milwaukee, GO TO BALZAC now and get the mac n cheese, crab cakes, lamb skewers, roasted duck nachos, manchego brulee.. get it all!!!  GET IT ALL.  Sorry for all of the shouting but its that good!  

The next day we were off to South Dakota to stay at my friends farm.  We arrived and were immediately put to work helping harvest the corn.  We were repaid with an awesome awesome meal.  Basically, everything except the meat was grown on the farm and was as fresh as could be.  Literally, soil to plate.  We had corn (of course), fresh tomatoes, carrots, homemade bread, potatoes pulled straight from the dirt.  It was the freshest meal I have ever had.  Also, the most flavorful!

Corn!!!

The drive from Milwaukee to South Dakota was pretty brutal, about 9 hours of corn and a straight road.  What we didn't know was that this would be the theme until passed Denver!!  The sea of corn was a sight to see (hahah sea/see, you didn't know I had talent did you?) 

Next day was our big trip to Denver, 10 hours!  Much of the same that we had in South Dakota, the day was filled with more corn and then desert and of course our beloved straight road.

The insane straight road!!!

We pulled into Denver and my brother noticed that my car wouldn't GO when you hit the gas.  We noticed that the AC wasn't working very well ever since we left Hudsonville.  When we stopped the read end of the car was making a loud annoying noise.  Luckily, Scott new of a legit mechanic, 500 dollars later, and new fuel pump... we stayed in Denver for 2 days which was great, we needed the rest.  We were also fed like kings, Scott's wife Mayra made us some superb Brazilian food complete with desert!!

Felt shady at first but these guys were the best.  Thanks Victors for getting my car done in a day!

Next stop Salt Lake City.  We decided to take the scenic route through the mountains which probably added an hour of time, it was well worth it. 

Followed by more desert..... noooo!!!  For the most part my brother had the great privilege of driving on the super flat roads.

hahaha, so flat, so flat and boring

We arrived at Salt Lake.... unfortunately there are no pictures of the night out in Salt Lake.  I will just say that we bar hoped to 6 or so bars and the next day wasn't too pleasant! ha!

Next stop Reno, where we were treated like kings.  Chef George and Sous Chef Amber cooked us up a superb meal and we put a serious dent into their wine collection.  12 delicious bottles (shared among 7 people, it wasn't just us), great music, even better people!!!

Next day....... we made it to San Francisco!

This isn't San Francisco, just a picture on the salt flats. 

THIS JUST IN.......... as promised by the title of my pose.
I have more exciting news to report, some of you may have heard, I have been offered a position at a winery!!!  This is a lead that I thought went dead but it reemerged from them depths.  Its all still very fresh, I  interviewed today, met the crew and head back to wine country tomorrow to find a place to live!!!  After the interview I looked at apartments all day!  I'm so exhausted. 

Good night, and godspeed.

Watch out Burgundy meet Michigan Wines

I promised z wine, I bring z wine!!  Okay, the title is a bit of a stretch, read below, or better yet visit a Michigan winery and you decide.

Oh the beloved Burgundies!  The wine from this region in France is arguably the best and most sought after wine in the world.  You have two predominant varietals in Burgundy, Pinto Noir and Chardonnay.  At their best the Pinot's from Burgundy are absolutely delicious.  I recently had a Girardin Santenay, 1er Cru (its reads, producer, area in Burgundy, specifically the Cote d'Or, Premier Cru) that had rich aromas/flavors of black cherry.  After swirling the wine a little the classic Burgundy aromas start to come out, truffle, earth, barnyard, mushroom, they just come in waves and waves.  At this point after smelling the wine it just made me hungry, it was certainly in odd and satisfying feeling.  The wine I was smelling and tasting was actually making me hungry!  To me, this is what Burgundy is all about!  I suggest you head to your local wine shop and get your hands on a nice Premier Cru from Burgundy and smell and taste your way through one.  You will not be disappointed, I promise.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burgundy_wine

On to the Michigan wine trail,     

I awoke very excited for the adventure into Michigan Wine country.  I have never had a Michigan wine even though I am from the great state.  I must admit that my expectations going into to the day where not that high.  The short growing season, the wicked cold and snow in the winter, and a widely fluctuating summer heat had me thinking the wine would be watery and thin.  I was dead wrong!

Our first stop of the day was at Fenn Valley Vineyards (Fennville, MI), we walked into a huge hall with tons of tables and chairs, it felt like Grandma's Bingo Club or something!  Then we looked a little to left and there was the beautiful tasting room just waiting for us.  To my delight and surprise all of the wines we had were made from the classic Vitis vinifera plant (Merlot, Pinot Noir etc).

We tasted our way through 5 different wines, True Chardonnay (unoaked), Capriccio, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, and a Lakeshore Demi-Sec (semi-dry German style wine).  Of the 5, the Capriccio was the show stopper.  When I asked what the Capriccio was a blend of the nice gentleman at the tasting room really didn't know... you are pouring the wines and you don't know what they are made from... hmm seems odd, anyways, he did know a little, he mentioned it was a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and some other grape.  I assume that other grape was likely Merlot which would basically make this wine a Bordeaux blend.  The wine itself was smooth, spicy cedar notes, and a nice fruit finish.  It was also pretty tannic (makes you mouth pucker a little, or the inside of cheeks burn a little) which tells me it would probably be even better if it were cellared for a bit.  The wine we tasted was a 2008, so it was pretty young.

While their Pinot Noir was lacking in fruit, short, and little watery its light and smooth characteristics started my mind on a path of wow, is this a little Burgundy-esque (Village wine not the good stuff, yet)?  

After buying a few bottles of wine we were on to the next winery, however, not before a photo op.

Yes my brother is missing a tooth, long story, hahaha.

About an hour south, we had left the Fenn Valley appellation and entered the Lake Shore appellation. This is where things really got interesting.  Our first stop was Karma Vista Vineyards (Coloma, MI) which sat a top a an awesome hillside.  Their Pinot Noir was solid, aptly name Stone Temple Pinot!  This Pinot reminded me of the Burgundy Pinots I have had in the past, while not 100% there, it definitely shared the characteristics.  The other wines we tasted were just as good.  Especially an interesting blend of Chambourcin and Cab Franc, it was just gnarly, fruity, truffley, earthy, yummy wine!

After that delicious tasting I was thinking, ok, Michigan wines really have potential.  If Karma Vista has only been around for 8 years and are producing wine of that quality, I can't wait to see what happens to this region as it matures.  The next stop was also a fairly young winery of just 4 years old I believe, Contessa winery

Just about a mile away and again sitting a top a hillside was Contessa Wine Cellars.  We pulled up and they were literally still building the tasting room.  The wine that for me was the best was the Rosa d'amore which was another blend of Chambourcin and Cab Franc.  This wine was awesome!  Even though it is not a Pinot it definitely reminded be of the Burgundy region, notes of barnyard, earth, and fruit where all over this wine.  Just writing this is making me hungry and wanting to crack the bottle that is lurking in the kitchen!!  I began to wonder if the Burgundy wine region was at the same latitude as the Lake Shore region we were in, come to find out... it is.

  
We also hit St. Julian winery, which if you are from Michigan you know St. Julian, they are known for their sparkling juices so going into it I really wasn't expecting much from them in terms of wine.  Well, I was again proven wrong, a common theme throughout the day.  The Pinot was superb... truffle, plum, and cherry were oozing out of the glass and dancing on the tongue.  Overall, their wines were very good.  Unfortunately, you can only buy their "reserve" wines at the store in Paw Paw, MI.  What an outrage!  I'm going to petition Congress, they will stop this madness!   

At this point in the day, I was tired, and ready to head back.  There was another winery literally a stones throw away from St. Julian, so we couldn't pass it up.  Glad we didn't.  Warner Vineyards is the oldest winery in Michigan dating back to 1936.  The highlight here was another one of the blends, Chambourcin and Cab Franc.  This wine is definitely emerging as the wine of Michigan.  It's just amazing, and the one from Warner might have been the best of the day.  Aromas of cured meat, bacon, and truffle with a nice fruit burst.  The wine was fruit forward in the mouth with a lingering finish.  Warner also had an amazing tasting room!

 
We ended our day on a nice note, tired, full of wine, and hungry, we made our way back home.... 17 bottles of wine later!!  If you are in the lower west side of Michigan I suggest you hit up some of these wineries.  I am excited to see where this young industry goes, I only see up side.

The bros and Dad!

 Well, I am signing off, I hope you enjoyed the post.  Its time to pack and get on over to Milwaukee.  The journey across the country begins today!  I'll be back soon.

In the meantime stay thirsty my friends.

  

From D.C. to Michigan

With my car packed to the max and my bike on a janky rack (haha that rhymed), my Dad and I set out on our trip from the nations capital to the former auto powerhouse known as Michigan.   The trip took us through 4 states, 2 tanks of gas (I know, I know, but what of the environment), 668 miles, 12 hours (including stops), and 2 eating stops (Chilli's and childhood favorite, Big Boy).

Leaving D.C. was both exciting and scary for me.  I had lived in DC for 4 years and was comfortable in my job and living in the city.  Embarking on this dream has changed the way I see the world and the expectations I put on myself.  Oddly enough, when we were leaving DC we ran into a part of my life that has helped shape my feelings now and my drive for the future.  Enough with the mini sob story, lets talk about the states we drove through.

Northern Virginia - OK, I lived and worked here for awhile.  I could write for maybe 4 hours on living in Northern Virginia alone so I will relate it to the drive only.  I can summarize Northern Virginia in 3 words, construction, concrete, and traffic that's it.

Western Maryland/Southwestern Pennsylvania - These 2 states were the highlight of our trip.  The rolling hills and dark green vegetation made it exciting to drive through and a little dangerous with the tight turns and my janky bike rack, I was afraid that my bike was going to fly off around the corners.  We passed through many beautiful and scenic parts of theses 2 states.  My Dad as photographer, check 'em out.

 

 

 We also ended up passing through the Allegheny Mountains, which consisted of, yes, you guessed it, a tunnel.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allegheny_Mountains

As we left the Mountain range and made our way into the "Corn Belt" the rest of the trip was well, not as exciting.  The 80/90 through Ohio, for those that have driven it, know that it is a straight line, flat, and full of corn (The Corn Belt produces over 60% of the corn in the U.S. and is loosely made up of Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, Minnesota, Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Michigan, Missouri, Kansas and Kentucky) and it will rock you to sleep if you let it.  Its always good to have a co-pilot when on this road!

Case in point, the road was like this for about 200 miles.  You can see why Lebron took his talents to South Beach.  I know, I know, this has been beaten to death in the media but just compare the pictures and ask "where would I rather be?" 

South Beach looks a little more enticing!

Switching topics away from Lebron and back to the trip.  We finally made it to Michigan after 12 hours of driving and countless coffee fill-ups.

You are probably asking yourself, this sounds like a wine related blog, where is the wine?  Well.... tomorrow we are hitting up 4-5 vineyards in Southwest Michigan.  Tons and tons and tons of goodies to come.

Welcome to my journey!

Back in December of 2009, a close friend of mine emailed me asking, if in 5 years he had gotten in the wine industry, would I join him?  At the time I said of course but in the back of my mind I really thought it would never happen.  Around the same time, I had a burning desire to do something new, to switch careers and start a new in Denver.  I applied for a job in the financial services industry.  After going through a rigorous and challenging hiring process I was extended an offer on a Friday.  I was going to take the weekend to think about everything and by Saturday I had decided that I was going to take the job.  However, I woke Sunday morning with a bad feeling about the whole thing and started thinking that maybe it's not for me.  I spent that day talking with family and friends about the job.  I first spoke to my Dad at length about it, and he said "I wish I could tell you what to do, but in the end you have to make the decision yourself."  He then asked the pivotal question, "What do you want to be doing?"  I thought to myself and responded with "I would like to be a business owner, own a wine bar or winery."  I then talked to my Mom and she was right there with more advice.  Basically saying that I can do whatever I want and agreeing with me that the financial job was not something I should pursue.  She gave me tons of ideas.  She thought that the financial job would pigeon hole me into doing one thing.  I also spoke to my friends who were more than helpful in giving me advice.

I learned a lot through this experience, no matter how alone you feel, you are never alone.   I am no longer in fear of my job or having a job.  The experience has given me the confidence that I can do anything and my family and friends have my back 100%.

To make things even more interesting, after the July 4th weekend I was laid off by my employer, with the lease on my apartment ending in August, I decided to go after this full on and move to California.  I will be moving across the country starting Tuesday, August 3rd, DC to Michigan, with my Dad and then on August 8th from Michigan to California with my brother.

It's going to be an awesome trip.  Check back for more, I promise it will be exciting and dangerous!

With that, this is my journey.  Enjoy!