Dating San Francisco

The San Francisco International Wine Competition (SFIWC) was started in 1980. The competition is a member of The Tasting Alliance organization which focuses on 3 key elements to ensure top quality: Legacy (the reputation of the competition), Integrity (how the competition is conducted, impartial judging), Experience (esteemed judges with impressive resumes). The SFIWC has its roots as a State Fair Competition, but grew to become one of the largest and most influential competitions, and one of the oldest in the world. 

Anthony Dias Blue ran the competition when it was a State Fair and launched it into the competition it is now after the state of California decided not to fund the competition any longer. Anthony has over 70 years of tasting experience and was the wine and spirits editor of Bon Appetit Magazine for 26 years. SFIWC continues to grow by 10-15% every year and looks to connect with the consumer more and more in the years to come. The appeal for wineries to submit wines is in the hopes to win a high medal, not simply to add the award sticker to their bottles, but to be listed in The Somm Journal and asked to join the Tasting Alliance for events throughout the year.

 

Located in San Francisco, California, USA, this competition accepts wine entries from around the world, many coming from the Czech Republic! The first International Wine Competitions were developed because wineries wanted to see how they held up against other wines of the world. The most notorious being the Paris showdown nicknamed the “Judgement of Paris” in 1976 that rocked the wine world and put California, Napa in particular, on the map. Today, they continue to be successful for the same reason, it’s pretty impressive when wines from Central Europe sweep at an American competition. 

This was my first time judging at the famous San Francisco International Wine Competition and I was honored to have a seat. Having now judged at some of the world’s most prestigious and influential competitions, I couldn’t help but make comparisons. This competition did not disappoint! Being Covid times, they kept the competition local, meaning they had only California judges. So how did a woman from New Mexico end up there? I was invited only if I would “be in the area”; I made sure I was. Composed of elite judges that are old hat when it comes to this competition, some having judged there for 30 years, it was clear this was a tight group, a family even. You can imagine, in these strange times how surprised they were to have a new face at the table. I had more “I don’t know you, how did you get here?'' than ever before, and I hear that A LOT. The wine world is a small place, we expect to know everyone especially when the competition is as illustrious as SFIWC is. I got a good dose of how small the wine world is on day 4 of the competition. My new friend Toshio Ueno joined us for judging! I met Toshio at Le Mondial des Vins Blanc Strasbourg (another amazing competition that is more like family), then saw him again at the phenomenal Berliner Wein Trophy a couple weeks later. A few weeks after Berlin, Toshio and I were both slated to teach classes at The American Wine Society National Conference in Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA. And then in San Francisco, the Las Angeles, California resident, Toshio joined me in judging at the SFIWC. 

12 judges gathered each day at the sublime One Market Restaurant (an icon among foodies), located in the Embarcadero area of San Francisco. Possibly the best area of the city that remains somewhat reminiscent of the once charming San Francisco. Despite the city’s rampant homeless and excessive trash, the competition manages to bring warmth, comradery and a love for the wine industry together even in covid times. Each judge was carefully selected; the resumes of the people in the room would impress even the most accomplished wino, and vetted. We started at 9am and worked hard to get through 12 or more flights of wines, many having 13 wines per flight, to analyze, discuss, and award them. It sounds ridiculous to say, but this is incredibly exhausting work. The intense focus of each judge on their senses as we examine, swirl, smell, smell again, taste, spit, taste and swish, spit, evaluate, rate, then discuss… and then do it all again… some 120-130 times in a day. When was the last time you were asked to focus that diligently on something for that long? As you can imagine personalities are as much a part of creating a great competition as the resumes the judges carry. Collaboration, understanding and respect are mandatory in the conversations held around the wines. All of us are dedicated to giving that hard working winemaker the time and energy they deserve.It is a pretty amazing aspect of a great competition.

Wearing my new favorite t-shirt that proudly says “Czech out the beauty of Czech wines”, I had a natural conversation starter. Many of the judges were eager to talk about their 1st experience tasting Czech wines, at this very competition. Eyes were wide as they talked about how impressive the wines were, a tough crowd to impress, but the wineries of Czech Republic were clearly making their mark. 

The competition had 3000 entries from 20 countries this year. The director of the competition, Maddee McDowell, oversaw the 25 volunteers and staff that busily arranged and poured the samples. A well oiled machine, the tables would be flipped with a new flight set before you had a chance to put your mask on and exit the space to be out of the way. Maddee is a walking symbol of the competition, exuding warmth and happiness no matter what problems arose. 

 

Maddee started her career in the wine industry working as Anthony Dias Blue's assistant and took over as the SFIWC Director 2 years later, she has been in charge for 3 years now. Being one of the biggest competitions, I asked Maddee what problems she faced hosting in 2021. She said “The pandemic and restrictive trade policies has been our biggest challenge over the last year”, something we can all relate to. And what is it that stands out about this competition in the eyes of the Director?  “What makes our Competition the best is the diversity of our judges and post competition support. We pride ourselves on recruiting the industry's best! “ words that inspire pride to have been a part of it this year.

As my last day of judging came to an end, I had a full appreciation of why it is so difficult to find an open seat at this competition. The people, the execution of the technicalities of a large scale competition, and the bohemian city all roll together and before you know it, you are 100% in love. 

Visiting with a job at hand is a different way to "see" the city, but it is also true that the city has changed a lot in the last handful of years. Locals are eager to tell you how “this isn’t our city anymore”, a real shame for anyone that visited in its heyday. Unfortunately the nicest areas are outside of the city. Staying near the airport and taking the local train into the city to sight-see is an option you might want to think about. I spent one night at the San Francisco Airport Marriott on my way to the competition. The hotels near any airport are usually cheaper and surrounded by seas of pavement and the sound of airplanes. This hotel is a welcome surprise! Bay-side with a wonderful walking path adjacent, the hotel is elegant and well manicured. My room was spacious and had a wall of windows looking out over the bay. The bar in the lobby showcased an incredible chandelier of lights that gave the large space a lovely ambiance. Being in the backyard of Napa Valley, the wine list did not disappoint. I enjoyed the Marriott Burger (complete with bacon and American Cheese) and paired it with a Hess Allomi Cabernet Sauvignon, iconic and perfect. The view over the gardens stretched to the bay with the city skyline a whisper beyond that. Burlingame is the name of the area, it is clean and safe and has a ton of restaurants and shopping available. 

During the competition, I stayed at a historic place called The Andrews Hotel. It is located rather close to the Tenderloin, a district that all tourist books warn you about, but it is a perfect location for walking to a lot of the top attractions and the rate is very friendly. A short walk down the hill takes you to the best shopping areas of the city where you can find Gucci, Salvatri Ferragamo and Saks. A quick sidetrack from there is Chinatown and if you continue past the shopping you find yourself in the Embarcadero and seaside. The hotel rooms are small and decorated shabby chic. The history of the building is intact and charming with some obvious improvements to make sure you are comfortable. The standard room is best for a single person. If you are traveling as a couple I suggest you splurge and upgrade to a suite. The restaurant, Fino, located in the hotel lobby, is a San Francisco gem. They have a wonderful wine list and every single dish I tried on their Italian menu was delicious. The Andrews Hotel welcomes you with a glass of wine each night in Fino’s bar and starts your day with a lovely spread of fresh pastries, coffee and fruit just outside your door. 

In a city of artists, made for artists, there are amazing options of exhibits to see. I opted for the Michelangelo Sistine Chapel installation. I have been lucky enough to stand in the actual Sistine Chapel myself, twice. It is truly remarkable and nothing can substitute for that experience, but this exhibit does offer something unique, the opportunity to get close! I opted for the audio tour which takes the time to describe the meaning behind the images represented, the painting technique used and what some of Michaelangelo’s feelings were, garnered from personal letters written to loved ones. As someone who labors over a glass of wine and what I can extrapolate from those swirls and sniffs, it makes sense that I also want to geek out on art in a more intense way. If that isn’t your gig, you can simply enjoy the beautiful art and read the small plaques. The interactive Van Gogh exhibit is currently in the city as well as several modern art exhibits and plenty of live theatre. 

The city still has a lot to offer, fantastic food, amazing wine with day trips to Napa and Sonoma easily arranged, boat cruises and fun themed city tours no matter what your interests are. Sure you might encounter homeless people screaming on the streets and need to sidestep  someone’s discarded meal, but you will also see the kindness of the locals ushering the crazed individuals back to their safe corner of their world or helping you find a safe corner of your own. California is all about individuality and acceptance, so strap on your walking shoes and explore!

Austin Magic

 Visiting Austin, TX

The Carpenter Hotel is a cool little spot tucked into what feels like an old area of Austin. It is hard to tell what is old and what is new in this town that is a city. The “bad areas” are now trendy, the “new areas” are now not cool and the “old areas” are cool again. It’s a lot to keep up with in Austin… being cool. 

Normally I am a quick flight in, judge at our favorite little wine competition, tour wineries and am out! This year I added a couple days to visit my lifelong friend and see the city. I’ve been to Austin several times over the years and it seems to always elude me. What IS it that makes people swoon over this place? In an attempt to connect, I have partied on 6th Street, I have seen Rob Schnieder play; evidently the musical mascot of Austin, you haven’t SEEN Austin until you have seen Rob. And I have done the more adult foodie tour and shopping. It is all fun, charming and memorable, but people are wildly obsessed with their city here and I have always wondered why. 

On this particular trip, I made my friend leave her home and kids to stay at a hotel, eat at beautiful restaurants, shop the areas of town that she once knew well and have been redone. It was an effort to play tourist through the eyes of a local. What I found was the secret side of Austin and I have to say, I am smitten.

It was an unseasonably lovely fall in Austin. The temperature was perfect, not too hot, not too cold. The air smelled of moisture on lofty green leaves of oak trees and  friendly ferns hugging your legs. A breeze brings scents of freshly washed hair, a musky cologne and freshly brewed coffee. It’s a comforting combination that makes a city feel familiar. Neighborhoods mix into huge highrises, charming bistros can be found sprinkled in with gorgeous luxury restaurants attached to palatial hotels. The combination of fancy meets flip flops is confusing until you try it. Yes, I do want to wear my converse with my cut off jeans, expensive lavish jewelry and dazzling club level top. It’s like being a kid dressing themselves in all their favorite things...and therein lies the secret. Austin is the dream of your childhood self. At once you can have the dazzle of rainbows and unicorns and the comfort of your favorite blankie mixed together in any concept you want: music venue, restaurant, dress shop, hotel, even your job.

One of the biggest eye opening insights into Austin has been the incredible wine selection. For a town that appears to be built on craft beer and super cool absinthe bars, the depth of the wine selection in restaurants, bars and even cafes was downright shocking! Wines from Greece, Pakestan, India were regularly listed beside the usual culprits from Italy, Spain and France, but even the listing from the familiar countries most people associate with wine, rang with special interest. From dinner at The Carpenter Hotel Restaurant, cheersing with a bright Alsatian Brut Rose, to breakfast at Proper Hotel’s Peacock Restaurant with a sensual Greek white, oysters at Perlas with a classic Sancerre, tapas at Kalimotxo with a robust Grenacha, and escargot with a gorgeous little Loire Cab Franc… at an Absinthe Bar! The last in the list was perhaps the most surprising because it was in fact a legit Absinthe Bar, considered the best Absinthe Bar in the city. The Somm, Ethan, at Peche Absinthe Bar, expressed his challenge in crafting a perfect wine list in a bar known for its culty pre-prohibition drinks, but I could not have been more pleased to find a delightful mix of wines listed that showed true imagination and knowledge to pull together. It is my personal pet-peeve to go to a bar and not have a decent wine option, in this day and age, it is simply ridiculous not to serve wine. And the swanky Peche absolutely out did themselves. I can not wait to return to Austin to find more gems and revisit these. 

My trip to Austin, actually just outside the city in Buda (pronounced “BYOO-duh”), a charming little peek into rural, small town Texas, each year is for the Texas International Wine Competition (TXIWC). The competition is small and intimate yet making a name for itself a mere 6 years after the first. The Brainchild of Bonnie Villacompose, TXIWC hosts some of the biggest names in wine judging including Count John Umberto Salvi, one of the earliest Masters of Wine in the world. Let that sink in for a moment, The Count actually flies from Bordeaux, France, each year at the ripe age of 84, to a tiny town in Texas to judge at this little competition. Clearly the TXIWC is doing something right. 

My first judging opportunity at TXIWC was in its 3rd year. Familiar faces from other competitions became favorite new wine friends who then became family after the weekend spent in Texas together. Each year we eagerly return to Buda to reunite. Also each year, the competition and many of its events are held at The Lodge at Grace (www.TheLodgeBuda.com). This picture perfect, beautiful horse farm stretches as far as the eye can see and is home to a charming lodge that is the perfect place to get married… or host a large scale wine competition. 

In 2021 a small collection of judges from a variety of countries, judge hundreds of wines from all over the world in 2 days. It is book-ended with a judges reception dinner to kick it all off and finishes with a tour of Texas Hill Country. Dinners and plenty of wine are dotted through the weekend and fun is had at every turn.These highlights are some of the glue that bind these judges not only to each other, but the joy of being a judge at this competition. 

Throughout the competition, the key players worked diligently to make sure the judges were comfortable and well taken care of, the wines were organized and treated with the utmost care and they worked tirelessly to ensure everything ran smoothly. Nancy Stabins was this year's Director of Operational Processes & Judge Room Manager. Nancy brought her graceful coordinating skills from many years working with other International Wine Competitions and the American Wine Society’s National Conferences to the table, making her a natural choice for this daunting task. Her job was to be a liaison between the judges room and the back room. Setting-up and managing the wines, the volunteers and ensuring integrity of the judges not knowing anything about the wines in this 100% blind competition is imperative. It is also a huge part of what makes the competition happen, requiring many people to take this often unglamourous side, very seriously. Nancy has been helping run the back room at TXIWC since the competition first started and said the biggest difference she has seen is that the quality of wines has increased greatly which she attributes to Bonnie’s direct work with the Texas wineries. That is a pretty significant fingerprint TXIWC has put on the success of Texas Wines. 

Natashia Remchuk, the new Competition Director, has an illustrious career in the wine industry as a writer, judge and competition organizer. She stepped in to help the team manage the ever growing competition and has made some subtle, but important changes. While the competition started with Bonnie’s long time elite wine judging friends coming to help get the competition on its feet, it was also filled out by local wine enthusiasts, not necessarily tasting professionals, to undertake the task of getting all of the entries tasted and rated. In a time when it was bare bones, judges staying in camp trailers and feasting on cold sandwiches, they did what they needed to to simply have the competition happen. Now, as the TXIWC has blossomed, judges are seeking an invite and the level of professional judges has thus increased. Natashia took it upon herself to find and interview new faces as well as cultivate the best of the tenured judges out on the circuit. One of her finds was first time judge, Karen Blackburn, Director of Brand Management for Serendipity Wines, an import and distribution company in Texas and California. Karen shared what she thought of being a newbie, exuberantly saying that she loved being able to take her “17 years of tasting and wine analyzing experience and distill it into judging wines purely on their merit”. She sat on my panel and quickly learned the ropes, sliding into rhythm with the three of us experienced judges naturally and effortlessly. That is not always the case, some new judges freeze up, others try to overcompensate and some seem to implode under pressure. 

Stylish judges jackets, hotel room wine swaps, and hilarious story telling rolled over the weekend and ended with a chartered bus taking us to three of the top wineries in Texas.

The Texas Winery Tour included a return to Ron Yates Winery, a new visit to Carter Creek who won Best Texas Red at the competition, and Ab Astris Winery. To say we all are a wine family is too simple, in fact many of us have created outside projects together, support each other's ventures and are sometimes a shoulder to cry on. This makes the wine touring day all that more memorable and significant to each of us. The tour starts at 8:45am with a champagne toast, is that too early to be drinking? Not for wine professionals! We all share bottles, stories and more laughs than you can imagine. You see the true beauty behind a successful competition is the people, the personalities and the bonds created, and the TXIWC has loads of it!

Stop one was Ab Astris (www.AbAstrisWinery.com), a winery new to me, opened in recent years and has quickly garnered attention as a spot not to be missed. Aleida Elwell, Sommelier and Special Events Director for the winery, outdid herself, creating a truly memorable welcome and tasting atmosphere with charming tasting jars filled to the brim with cured meats,cheeses, olives, fruit, almonds, chocolates and savory crackers. These delightful little gifts were so stunning they became the focus of every single judge's Instagram and it took a persuasive winemaker to pull our focus. The tasting was excellent and finished with the star of the show, the 2018 Sagrantino red wine. Known mostly as Monefalco from Umbria, this grape seems to be doing very well in the Texas High Planes. It's usually overly tannic traits were well harnessed and the wine presented with elegance. The property is beautiful and the tasting area is nicely situated to enjoy the view.

Stop two was the impressive estate of Carter Creek Winery Resort and Spa (www.CarterCreek.com). This winery is an incredible venue with everything you could possibly hope for. The large lawn surrounded by gardens is swathed with a stage and dance area on one side and patio seating on the other. Large TVs hang over the patio promising optimal viewing to see your favorite sports team play. We were welcomed to lunch in a sunny, window lined room. Staff stood at the ready pouring wine and bringing in large plates of perfect Texas BBQ. The winemaker, Jon McPherson, son of “Doc” McPherson who is attributed to being one of the founders and pioneers of the Texas wine production, flew in from California (where they have several other winery resorts) to meet with us. The chef stood at the ready to talk about pairings and how to properly create world famous BBQ, which I learned never has BBQ sauce. We were escorted from lunch into Old 290 Brewery, yes they have a brewery here too, where we met brewmaster Justin Zimmerman. His handlebar mustache curled up wide with a charming smile as he excitedly walked us through his process. His cowboy boots clanked as he danced from metal steps to raised platforms and even off a railing as he swung upside down over the edge to demonstrate how a machine worked. The art of his beer is apparently due to his fascinating work with water. A style of beer has a native home and that home has different minerals in the water reflecting the soil, so why not create the water that makes that style of beer so brilliant? I had to know what that process was like, how do you alter water to create a new water in the style you want? Well, Justin was kind enough to share the secret! They run the water through reverse osmosis; they are then able to filter out compounds and leave a stripped down version. He is then able to add his own level of salts back in to match a region. Justin went on to explain why water is such a crucial part of making his beers by explaining that “water is everything! It is the building block of life. When NASA does research on a planet they look for water. When we want our vines and hops to grow healthy and strong we give them water and nutrients. Brewing water is no different, and it has been proven for over 1000 years to be one of the most crucial ingredients for its success. A famous water profile from Burton, England comes from the river Trent. It [Trent River water] is very hard, and has a large calcium content. However, it is what a majority of Brewers use for any pale ale, whether American Pale Ale, English Pale Ale, or the ever so popular India Pale Ale. That calcium content allows the hops to shine. The profile is now called “Burtonized” water. You can find premade solutions for smaller batches in most homebrew stores around the country [USA]”. I don’t know about you, but I found this fascinating! 

After the beer we were back to vino with a tasting of excellently crafted wines. They are clean, well built and balanced wines showing skill in the winemaking and why they are so successful. They make sparkling, whites, reds, blends, and varietal releases with a sparkling peach being a crown jewel. 

Our 3rd and last stop was to see our friend Ron Yates and his winemaker Todd Crowell (www.RonYatesWines.com). After a day of drinking, Ron and Todd are the perfect way to finish the day! Clad in shorts and flip flops, they hosted our tasting in the winemaking facility rather than the Tasting Room, giving our group privacy. They opened unreleased specialties like the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon which I will be buying as soon as I can get my greedy little hands on it. They also climbed the towers of oak barrels fetching samples and entertaining us with wild stories making it clear that the wines are not only wonderful, but they clearly have a wonderful time making them. 

The bus returned us to our hotel and we said our goodbyes, already looking forward to next year. Another TXIWC was in the books and better than ever!

New Mexico in Strasbourg!

On  June 13th, I presented a “New Mexico Food & Wine” event at the American Consul-General’s private residence in Strasbourg, France. This historic residence was home to Winston Churchill from 1947-1949 and continues to be the site of prestigious gatherings today.

  

The American Consul-General, Mrs Darragh Paradiso, welcomed to her home the most important names in the area. These esteemed guests included ‘The Best Sommelier in The World’, the Director of one of the most prestigious wine competitions in the world Mondial des Vins Blanc, Editor in Chief of Sommelier CZ Magazine, Consul-General of Japan (photographed below with the #1  Somm in the World along with their wives), Ambassador of Luxembourg, Deputy General of the Council of Europe, the Rector of the Bas-Rhin Department & the UK judge of the European Court of Human Rights, among many more, all HUGE wine fans! 

The concept for the event was born by the lovely Mrs. Paradiso a year earlier while attending a Wine Master Class associated with the Mondial des Vins Blanc Strasbourg where I was judging. Darragh and I were peas in a pod from the moment we met! Her warm demeanor and bright eyes mirroring a sharp intellect are enchanting. It is impossible not to be drawn to her. As luck had it, her curiosity about wines of New Mexico quickly turned into enthusiasm to share this new found wine region with others and thus began the journey to create this event. A challenging menu with flavors from the other side of the world, and hand carrying all these wines to France sounds a little nuts, but that’s what makes for an epic event.

My goal for this event was to pique the interest of these dignitaries to the point that they would leave that evening making travel plans to come visit us. I wanted to share the diversity of the wines in New Mexico by showing the level of winemaking skill, quality of grapes and dedication of our winemakers. This event not only accomplished that goal, but created lifelong NM Wine fans!

The evening kicked off with a formal tasting class offered to a select group of wine buyers and influencers. This class highlighted the unique terroir, impressive elevations and growing conditions we have in New Mexico. This portion of the event was a deep dive into what makes NM Wine worthy of worldwide praise and attention. The response was superb! A group of professionals touted for their expertise in the wine industry, they were in unison clapping for the dynomite impression our wines left on them. Once bitten by the wine bug, all of us self proclaimed “wine geeks” love nothing more than to learn about a new region and these people were no different. Each expert made sure to ask me to send congratulations to all of the winemakers! 

     

After that we moved out to the gardens for a more immersive NM experience which showcased the talents of Celebrity Chef Patricia Catenne. Patricia is Founder and President of Quintessencia, was a Judge and Educator at the International Culinary Center in NYC, and the descendant of some of the most important French Chefs in history. During her illustrious career she spent 20 years in NYC, and during that time visited New Mexico. She instantly loved the flavors of NM and its culinary delights. Working with a Chef in France that knew New Mexican Cuisine was a true stroke of luck! I hand carried canned NM green chile and red chile powder for her to use. We fine tuned the menu to pair with each of the wines as well as highlight the story of New Mexico and its tri-cultural heritage. It was remarkable just how authentic the dishes turned out to be. Patricia managed to locate ingredients, then combined artistry and imagination to create 4 iconic New Mexico dishes, all this while injured from a fall! The only thing that rivals Patricia’s gifts in the kitchen is how delightful she is. Her infectious nature makes you fall in love with her immediately, while her  flavor combinations make you giddy, it is an intoxicating combination.

     

  

MENU

Chips with salsa & guacamole

Green Chile Tortilla Bites

Flour tortillas, cream cheese & NM green chile

Tostadas

Mini fried corn tortillas, refried beans,  cheese & tomato, lettuce garnish

Fry Bread Taco

Mini fry bread, red chile braised & shredded bison, cheese & pic de gallo

Empanadita

Baked pastry dough filled with red chile sweet marinated beef

 

This presentation welcomed 30 very special wine enthusiasts including the aforementioned special guests and showcased each winery with a dedication to what makes that winery special. I also shared the NM Wine history and my enthusiasm for where it is going. New Mexico is so much more than what people elsewhere in the world can imagine. The usual image of what we are in the “Wild West” is of cowboys and outlaws, which let’s face it, some of us still are! But what comes as a surprise is our expert whitewater rafting, world class skiing and that we are a food and wine mecca. 

Vivac Winery did indeed shine at this spectacular event. I used the Petit Verdot for the formal presentation, and used the Chardonnay and the Petit Verdot at the social event in the garden. The formal tasting finished with a class wide discussion of the Petit Verdot with so much fanfare I think I saw Jesse, my husband and Vivac winemaker, blush from the back row. The #1 Somm in the World, Serge Dubs, was legitimately stunned. No one could believe the grace and elegance the grape shows growing at our extreme altitude of 6,000ft. It takes a masterful hand to coax greatness out of those grapes and it was apparent that, Chris and Jesse, have that in spades. When the 2 wines were poured for the 2nd event, and our winery story was told, guests swooned over our dynamic coupling of couples that are making a little winery in a rural area of New Mexico a major player on the world wine stage. 

I paired the Chardonnay with the flour tortilla, green chile bites and the Petit Verdot with the fry bread bison tacos. The Chardonnay was a little closed until tasted with the pairing where it exploded into a dynamic show of acidity and lush fruit. Every single person in attendance was astounded by the skill and balance shown in the Chardonnay, huge praise from people living in the “capital of white wine”.  The Petit Verdot showed exquisitely in the 2nd event as it did in the 1st. The rich berry attributes handled the boldness of the red chile marinated bison well, the acidity gave balance and the tannins gave richness resulting in one of those truly special pairings everyone hopes to have. 

DH Lescombes Winery’s Rose of Syrah was delightful! Its luscious fruit told the story of the incredible land of New Mexico and what it is capable of. This winery’s story and its family’s long dedication to the NM Wine industry is beyond impressive. Every single NM winery has them to thank for the trail they have blazed for us, and it was truly special to see the appreciation on the faces of those tasting this lovely rose wine while learning of their legacy.

I also paired this wine with the flour tortilla, green chile bites. The wine showed nice fresh fruit with a little citrus note, nice acidity in the backbone and an elegant restraint on the sweetness of the fruit so that it presented beautifully balanced. The acidity in the wine gripped the cream cheese and the fruit tamed the green chile heat creating a perfect coupling of flavors and palate feel.

Noisy Water Winery’s Pinot Noir was beautiful and impressed among a crowd that sees red Burgundies as the norm and Alsatian Pinots as the gem of the region. The story of Noisy Water's winery, the passion Jasper and Fabian have for making fantastic wines was obvious. There was appreciation for not taking life too seriously while seriously making wine. It was met with lovable laughs as we looked at photos of Tighty Whitey White and the antics in the winery while sipping the ruby colored, dynamic Pinot. It is a special combination of talent to be able to charm with humor while simultaneously wow with high level, sophisticated winemaking skill. 

I paired the Pinot with the tostadas. This changed the dynamics of the wine from a bit of barnyard on the nose and strong acidity, to round ripe berry that continued on the palate. This wine tends to morph for me glass to glass and pairing to pairing. I find the more it can open up after being uncorked, and the larger the bowl of the glass, this wine finds its stride and really shines. The pairing gave some earthy context to riff off of and allowed the fruit of the wine to move forward yet stay complex and elegant. 

Wines of the San Juan Winery Tempranillo was fantastic! Josh’s skill as a winemaker is undebatable. The beauty of the winery’s location and obvious passion for his craft showed beautifully in the photos.

I paired this wine with the tostadas as well. The wine showed baked fruit notes that handled the earthy flavors of the dish nicely while its excellent structure brought liveliness and personality to the pairing. Each person in attendance instantly wanted to know if Tempranillo would become THE NM Grape. This wine shows so elegantly the terroir we have to offer while demonstrating true old world style balance of fruit and natural acidity.

Luna Rossa Winery makes beautiful wines and the Refosco was incredible, as always! Its depth of fruit, earthy context and stunning natural acidity show what NM is capable of. Being that Paolo oversees the vineyard supplying most NM Wineries, his imprint on NM Wine is key. A group that is passionate about the grapes as much as the finished wine, the experts in attendance waxed poetic about the grapes, vineyard and skill it obviously takes to cultivate this excellent fruit. Paolo’s story, expertise and wonderful family story delighted guests, but most importantly, the wine truly impressed. 

I paired the Refosco with the empanaditas. The wine showed elegant age, finesse in winemaking technique, and a subtle hand at harnessing bold fruit. Reflecting old world roots, Paolo's ability to integrate oak is masterful. The red chile zing of the beef married the spicy finish while the sweet note in the dish welcomed the jammy fruit aspect of the wine. 

Sheehan Winery winemaker, Sean’s Aglianico was a huge hit! Likened to an authentic Italian version, people were stunned by this wine. The story of his winery starting literally in his backyard, his background in science, and his passion for making fantastic wines was infectious as people saw photos of Sean’s charming smile and heard about his charming little family. There was clear appreciation for the attention to detail and winemaking ability. 

I paired this wine with the empanaditas as well. The wine showed to be bold, yet refined with great complexity. The slightly sweet meat brought forth a rasined quality to the fruit while the crust pulled oak aspects out. The result in the pairing was a marriage of flavors that stopped chatting to fully absorb the combination. The spice of the red chile gave the dish a little kick and illuminated the natural spicy finish of the Aglianico and showed that this wine can just keep going and going and going. 

What really stood out was the wonderful personalities of each winemaker. The passion and dedication it has taken to grow each winery, perfect their craft and survive in this tumultuous industry was evident. Each incredible New Mexico winery told a unique story while the wines dazzled. I was truly proud to represent each of them. 

By the end of the 2 hours, the group was chanting “400 years in 2029!” in anticipation of our state’s wine anniversary. The response was more than I could have wished for. It was a perfect evening as the Strasbourg sun set and giant Storks flew overhead. There was a promise to deliver New Mexico Wine notoriety to the other side of the world, a promise definitely delivered. We finished the event with glasses refilled and raised in the air, a salute and cheers of “Viva Vino!” on the lips and inspired gleam in the eye. 

The famous bathroom where

Winston Churchill took meetings and calls from the bathtub in.

Pretty amazing to host a NM Wine event in this historic home. 

 

Wines I Bought This Week

 

At a friend requested, I am going to start regularly posting what I have bought and drank from the grocery store or from various websites in an effort to help others navigate the enormous world of wine. 

This week I had a French Rose, a Sparkling Rose from California, a Sauv Blanc from New Zealand, a Chianti (Sangiovese) from Italy, and a couple Vivac wines that have not yet been released. From the photo you may recognize some of the labels and perhaps you are already purchasing these wines. As always, I am an advocate to drink what you like with what you want so ignore my opinion if it doesn't fit with your likes or dislikes. 

Let's start with the still Rose. If you aren't familiar with wine lingo, "still" means not sparkling, it is just a regular wine. I am particularly fond of French Rose wines, from the petal pink citrus ones to the darker lush fruity ones, they all have a place in my heart. And if you are at the grocery store and can get some on a wicked discount, even better! A quick reminder, ALWAYS buy 6 bottles so you get the deep discount. Buy 1 bottle of 6 different wines, if you really like it, take a photo of the label and go back and buy more. Remember that the tag hanging from the shelf shows the regular price at the top, then the sale price on the lower left and the really important one is the one in the lower right that is if you buy 6 bottles (mix and match). If the price difference from the top number and the one in the lower right are at least $5 different, I consider it. In this particular case it took this rose down to under $10. And it was about right at that price. I would not pay over $10 for this wine, but it was just fine for watching TV on the sofa. The fruit was a little thin, the acidity was a bit over the top and it lacked character on the nose. Honestly I would have been just as happy with a can of Underwood. 

Next was the Vivac Tempranillo 2021 which as I mentioned is not released yet, the 2020 is still for sale at the Tasting Room. The 2021 is less oaked which I prefer. Of course there are tons of Tempranillo fans out there that love the big smoky wines that are so popular, so please do buy the 2020. For those that like more integration and finesse, get ready to swoon with the 2021! Great mouth feel, nice rhythm of fruit over the palate all the way to the finish. $24 with discounts if you buy 6 or even more if you buy 12 and a big discount if you are a wine club member. I happen to be the best kind of member, an owner so I get mine for free and lets face it, no other wine tastes as good as a free one.

New Zealand Sauv Blanc is a standard in most homes. It has textbook flavors that hit the mark and are reliably constant. This one was on sale for under $10 and exactly what I thought it should be: fresh, fruity, aromatic and balanced. It was a little thin, but that is to be expected when shopping this price range. It is uncomplicated and tasty. We paired it with roast chicken and a warm New Mexican evening. 

One of my favorite grapes on the planet, Sangiovese, can be light and tangy or deep and intense. Chianti is arguably the most famous of the world's regions for Sangiovese and for good reason. Chianti, like other regions in old world countries, has legal specifications for their wines and label them as such so that the young fruity rustic ones can be sold cheaply while the ones aging and maturing fetch a bigger price. That is a ridiculously simplified explanation and the winemakers of Chianti would probably not allow me to drink their wines if they knew I had boiled it down to that simplification. But this isn't a class on Chianti, it is a personal review of the wine and I really loved this wine! Ripe cherry with aromas of salami and herbs, a perfect balance of tannin and acid and excellent depth with tons of umami. It smelled and tasted like Tuscany. I bought it on wine.com on sale for $14, and have already reordered. it is fabulous. Tip: join their shipping club so that you pay once and then shipping is free after that. Also order a case at a time (mix and match) to lock in discounts. 

The Sparkling Rose from California was on mega sale for $7 so I don't feel like I can really critique it, I mean it was $7! But if pushed, I'd say it was a little sweet for my preference. It is a Brut (dry) wine, but the fruit is overly ripe raspberry that felt cloying after the initial few sips. We sipped it while watching the "Trainwreck: Woodstock 99" documentary which was a nightmare of an event so maybe that colored my interpretation of the wine. 

And lastly, is another Vivac wine. This is another sneak peak at a wine that isn't released yet, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2020 (still available at our tasting room) is also impressive, in fact our Cabs have always been stunners and one of the more fun wines to pour for people. Everyone is a self proclaimed Cab expert and this wine always shocks. It is full bodied, but has character and charm with finesse, balance and an appropriate amount of alcohol so that you can enjoy it on its own or with a meal and not feel completely clobbered over the head. The 2021 vintage was so magical, I opened a 2nd bottle because I wasn't ready to relinquish that baked pie fruit and velvety tannin combination. $32 (and don't forget the discount options I mentioned earlier with the Tempranillo) and absolutely worth the money... which sounds silly since I do get it for free, but I swear, if I didn't, I would be buying it in bulk. It isn't an open every day wine at that price, but it is a perfect Friday night dinner date wine, or a gift wine, or a hard week I owe it to myself wine. 

Hopefully this helps give you some direction when you start shopping. My store happens to be a Smith's that I find myself at regularly, but they are all pretty similar when talking about these big wineries and they all structure their discounts the same way. Trader Joe's is another fun spot to shop, but I rarely find myself in the city that has one. And my favorite website is wine.com because I can shop from home, they have an excellent selection and you can make notes easily that you can reference later. Obviously Vivac is what I drink most of, but I am always trying other wineries, near and far. It would be easy to say Vivac is the best, but it is all relative... LOL I guess that pun is intended. I regularly analyse the wines, sometimes to my winemaker husband's chagrin, but I would not recommend a wine that I didn't fully stand behind. My personal favorites on our list right now are the Gruner Veltliner and the Chardonnay for the whites, and for the reds currently released, I am in love with the Abbott Merlot, the Montepulciano, the Malbec and the Divino. But honestly, my winemakers are killing it and the wines show a mature wise hand behind the crafting of them.