Laptop Television Mom

WINOS Pick of the Week: Ceago Del Lago Cab

My husband and I were introduced to a wonderful new wine over the weekend.  Our friends shared a fantastic Cabernet from Ceago winery in Lake County, Calif.  The winery says the wine tastes of "red cherry, mocha, cinnamon and spice."  I agree, and more importantly, I thought it was drinkable, flavorful and very complementary of the dinner I served. 

This cab was a great addition to my self-proclaimed gourmet BBQ (think steak burgers, and potatoes with arugula, bacon and Gruyere cheese).  The cab was smooth and easy to drink. I highly recommend it, and think it would be good with or without food.

After our party finished the bottle, I decided to research the winery online.  I discovered the grapes are grown in the unique style of Biodynamics. According to the winery web site: “Biodynamics is a science of life-forces, a recognition of the basic principles at work in nature, and an approach to agriculture which takes these principles into account to bring about balance and healing. Biodynamics is an ongoing path of knowledge rather than an assemblage of methods and techniques.”

In my mind, the most important part of biodynamics farming is that “no use of chemically synthesized fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, or fumigants, no hormones, antibiotics, growth regulators or GMOs.”

Finally, the winery also says “each farm is a living entity and has its own individuality.” As a Midwestern girl who loves her California wine, I love this motto and I love this wine.

The Ceago winery is open for tasting and tours, or you can order wine HERE. Enjoy!

 

WINOS Pick of the Week: C.G. di Arie

We had long-time friends visit for the weekend.  As usual, we had a great time together, focusing on the kids during the day (park-time, play-time, together-time) and on the adults during the evening (catching up, sharing words of wisdom, and enjoying delicious wine).

We met our friends in Silicon Valley and spent lots of time sipping Napa and Sonoma wines. Since they moved to Grass Valley, Calif., about three hours North, they have introduced us to some wonderful wines from the Shenandoah Valley.  When we visit them, we frequent an adorable little wine-shop in Nevada City and a glorious wine bar/restaurant called Carpe Vino. (Isn't that a great name?!) 

So, sticking with the tradition, they shared a delicious bottle of Zinfandel from a winery called C.G. di Aire.  We had never heard of the winery, but quickly noticed the winemaker's signature on the bottle.  We happily uncorked the bottle...

The Zin was fruity and delicious.  It's not so bold that you need food to capture the flavors, but we could certainly taste the berry and cherry (with a hint of vanilla).  It almost tasted like a smooth jam or jelly.  As we sipped the Zin outside in the cool air, it was warming and filling and oh-so-tasty.

If you are reading this post from outside Northern California and want to give C.G. di Aire a try, you can find distributors HERE; if you are local and want to check them out, click HERE.

Previous "WINOS Picks of the Week"

• Leal Vineyards
• Burrell School
• Cinnabar

 

WINOS Pick of the Week: Leal Vineyards

It's time for another WINOS Pick of the Week, and we've uncorked a Syrah.

The hubby and I enjoyed a fantastic bottle of Syrah this weekend.  Now, I am usually one to skip Syrah and go straight to Cab or Zin, but this is a special Syrah from Leal Vineyards.

The 2005 Syrah is unfiltered, which makes it extremely flavorful, and made from San Benito Valley grapes.  It was smooth with a black cherry-like flavor.  We enjoyed it while watching a movie, but it would be great with medium rare steak, or even a spicy ahi tuna steak.

If you are not familiar with Leal Vineyards, it's the product of a San Jose kid with a dream.  Owner Frank Leal had the vision and the work ethic to build this winery from scratch. The winery is located on beautiful property in Hollister, Calif., just 30 miles south of San Jose.

In October 2004, Food and Wine Magazine named Leal one of the 20 Best New Wineries in the world.  In 2006, two of Leal's biggest fans (yep, Kid Rock and Pamela Anderson) made a visit to the winery.

My family and friends have enjoyed many bottles of Leal wines over the years, and I hope many more people explore and discover these delicious wines.  Leal wines are served in many restaurants, and distributors can be found HERE.

Previous "WINOS Picks of the Week"

• Burrell School
• Cinnabar

WINOS Pick of the Week: Burrell School

Last week, I launched my new "WINOS Pick of the Week" series where I blog about newly discovered wines.  It's my own way to honor the only hobby this working-mom has time to enjoy (and wine goes well with Laptop Television).  And as a reminder, WINOS stands for "Women in Need of Sanity"... and that is where the wine comes in.

This weekend, my husband and I uncorked a bottle of High School Sweethearts, which is a Zinfandel-Syrah blend from Burrell School Vineyards in Los Gatos, CA.  I really want to write some language that would make a sommelier proud, but all I can say is... wow. 

For the record, I love Burrell School wines.  They have never bottled a wine I didn't like, but had never tried this blend prior to last weekend.  I have always loved their Zinfandel, and they make one of the few Syrahs I actually like, so the High School Sweethearts is a blend made in heaven. 

My husband and I tried to come up with some words to explain the wine, but we had a hard time capturing the flavor in a few words. It's smooth, fruity (but not too jammy), and very flavorful.  Like the wine I wrote about last week, no food required to enjoy this red.  In fact, we sipped while watching a rerun of Law & Order while eating some homemade vanilla ice cream. 

Bottom line, even if you have to drive to Burrell School (Highway 17 and Summit Road in Silicon Valley)... get there fast and enjoy!

WINOS Pick of the Week

What's this all about?
Today, I'm kicking-off a new series to discuss one of my favorite topics... wine!  My husband and I started a "new thing" where we are trying a new wine each weekend, and then I decided to share my thoughts and opinions on LTV Mom.  I'm calling the series LTV Mom's "WINOS Pick of the Week."  Please share your thoughts on my picks and also send recommendations for us to try.

Love the Title?
The title of the blog posts is an homage to a cookbook I think is really clever. I'm a working mom who loves to cook and drink wine, and I'm desperately in search of some sanity!  Needless to say, this book is right up my alley and can be purchased here. With all that set-up, here is my first "WINOS Pick of the Week."

Cinnabar Mercury Rising

Cinnabar is a wonderful winery located in the Santa Cruz Mountains near Silicon Valley.  My friends and I found the winery during one of the annual Santa Cruz Mountains Passport Days.  The site is breathtaking, but was only open to the public four times a year.  The winery recently opened a tasting room in downtown Saratoga, Calif., so I highly recommend a visit if you are in the Bay Area.

While you are there, enjoy the delicious Chardonnay and Merlot, but the must-try (and buy) is the Mercury Rising.  It's absolutely delicious and certainly memorable.  It's tasty, but not too powerful.  It's a perfect blend of fruit and smooth, a very good red for someone who likes red wine but is afraid of a big Zinfandel. And, unlike most reds I like, you can enjoy Mercury Rising with or without food. 

Here's a link to find where you can buy Cinnabar wines.  Enjoy!