I'm Not Crying, You're Crying!

Oy! People strap in, this is one hell of a sappy, dorky episode of the blog.

I am crying, again, in public. This is embarrassing. The lights are glowing off the ancient stone walls as we dine alfresco at 8:30pm. We are early birds, but it was necessary that my parents drag me out of the apartment today. Today, Jesse left to return to New Mexico. We will be apart for 2 months and the reality of it hit me hard. 

He left Laguardia this morning in a sea of my tears and me actually begging him not to go. Ya, way to make this easier for him right? I couldn't help it, I felt like a kindergartener being dropped off on the first day of school. I knew it was hard for him to say goodbye too, he tried for both of us to give me the strong face, but I was unconsolable and he was struggling. 

Tonight, I sit outside with my mom and dad, white tablecloth and Gadsby lights aglow, a delicious glass of Cava in my hand and the hum of a party on the horizon. My parents were right, I did need to leave the apartment. We are at the same restaurant we dined at our very first night in Laguardia and it makes this all the more sentimental. The air has cooled to a lovely warm temperature. One of the wonders of Spain is that I am somehow always the right temperature. People have started to arrive from nearby villages as the band does sound check. Snippets of classic 1980's movie songs are perfectly impersonated and tiny tots line up close to the stage to shake it. Old women with canes line the walls, teenagers swarm in, people on dates, people happily just discovering the fun, and people rejoicing to see each other again all fill the streets. Everyone is jubilant. And I am crying. 

It was just as I started to feel the incredible gratefulness of being in this town, what an amazing time I have had, all the beautiful memories my family has had in this picturesque, idyllic, perfect place, that the singer started belting out the movie Dirty Dancing's hit song "The Time of My Life". And it destroyed me.

"Now, I've had the time of my life

No, I never felt like this before

Yes, I swear, its the truth

And I owe it all to you"

What the AF is happening?!? Yep, I am crying like a baby over how special it is to have been in this charming town and somehow it represents my move to Spain and our sacrifice and how much I miss my husband already, and I am dying crying! I manage to pull myself together before too many people see, but my mom has caught sight of it and she has joined in with silent tears too. I wipe tears, sit up straight and try to get into the party atmosphere. But something has happened, a switch was flipped on and I am suddenly deeply aware of my intense gratitude for being here, in Spain, as I start to watch people in the crowd with utter awe and revery.

The meal we have is incredible and I begin to absorb the way people here relax into life. The clothes they wear seem to be chosen to feel good on while also looking amazing. The fabrics, the cut of the dress, it is as if people have made choices based on how they feel good in their bodies, in their skin, in their place in life and it is intoxicating. Instead of sad I am ecstatic! This is MY new country! I see gay couples holding hands and kissing and I realize how long it has been since I have seen LGBTQ people out on the street expressing themselves freely and it makes me so unbelievably giddy to see it again. It is universal, all couples of every, race, age, orientation are showing love and affection to each other and it is beautiful. 

Just as I am really feeling amazing, we are dancing in our seats, and I think to myself "holy shit, I AM doing this and it IS going to be ok!", that this little cover band in the middle of nowhere Spain, starts in with Flashdance's "What a Feeling" and I am crying AGAIN!!! OK I know I am an '80s music dork, but this is a crazy happening even for me. 

"What a feelin', being's believin'

I can have it all, now I'm dancing for my life

Take your passion and make it happen

Pictures come alive, you can dance right through your life"

I had started singing the lyrics and then sucked in my breath hard. Big juicy tears streamed down my face before I could do anything about it and I looked across the table at my dad who made eye contact just then, tears brimming in his eyes and wow, that was it, we were both a big sappy mess as people danced and sang  around us like there was no tomorrow, just this perfect moment and it was awesome. 

Now this might be the dorkiest of emotional outbursts you have ever heard of, I can't believe I am writing it down to share with you, but it was also one of those moments I know I will remember for the rest of my life. The intensity of this radical move, my parents by my side literally sharing in my tears, and the weight of being in the moment when you have a life changing realization... I have put it all on the line, this is amazing, this is terrifying and embracing this insane ride will be worth it. 

Ya, I just barfed a little at that corny ass last line too. But it is those moments that I think many spend their entire lives looking for. And lucky me, I got to have mine set to an '80s soundtrack!

What Day is it???

They say the world catches up with you. I guess that is what happened, the world caught up to me. We have had so much anticipation and stress around this move, the planning, the visas, the what ifs, it was bound to add up. The goal the first few weeks here felt like it was all about getting ourselves to Laguardia in Rioja Alavesa. That journey included throwing giant, heavy suitcases on and off trains, fighting with them down cobblestone streets, and stress with a side of stress. It all mounted and threatened my worn out body. After a sublime meal the night we arrived in Laguardia, I climbed into bed, back badly aching and a sense that I had pushed it too far, I sighed a deep breath of relief, we made it, and fell asleep. 

The next morning I woke to screaming, searing pain in my back and right hip. I couldn't roll over, I couldn't sit up, and I also now had a new level of that "cold" I had been fighting. That "cold" was covid. Over the next 5 days, I would slowly be able to stretch, do PT, and ice my back, all while battling covid dreams and popping the oh so tasty Paxlovid. It seemed I'd been put in a serious time out. 

Once released from my prison of pain, I could explore. Laguardia is a fairytale village that is so perfect it is difficult to describe. Yes the medieval city oozes charm with its centuries old walls, its stone archways, and ornate wood door entries, but there is something in the details that level this place up. Trash is kept outside the main walls, streets are pristine, tables in the allies have white table cloths, there is a wine shop every few feet and the elders of the community walk the narrow streets in what appears to be their Sunday best. Food seems to taste better here too! Rich yet delicate, complex yet only a couple of ingredients; the tapas and the wine sing through you. Time has slowed down here and I struggle to remember what it is like to be anywhere else.

Jesse arrived on a Tuesday afternoon. He flew to Bilbao and then drove to Laguardia, a brave move for someone with jet lag and new to the country. He was met with frenzied excitement from our group (my parents and our daughter) who clearly reveled in the idea of someone new to tell all our collective stories to. After a quick meet and greet with our little hamlet, Jess managed to load me and my bad back into the car and off we went to 'Find Home', just a small mission to undertake. 

Haro, a beautiful town that is called the Wine Capital of Rioja, was our first stop and definitely has charm and beauty. We strolled the streets, or rather I limped along the streets, my back spasming with each inconsistency of the cobblestones. We visited the glorious Catholic Church on the hill top, we sipped wine in the shade of the main square, and we tried to imagine ourselves making a home there. Without uttering a word, Jesse and I slowly looked at each other, raised our eyebrows and headed to the car. Nope, this was not the spot. There is no way to convey what a place feels like and how that feeling makes a clear dicision for you.

Feeling a little like Goldie Locks, I readied myself for Vitoria Gasteiz, a small city a short 40min drive from Haro. It was described as a gem, park like in beauty and drenched in greenery. It was also touted as one of the most culturally proud Basque places in Spain. I was excited to investigate what all the intrigue around the Basque people was all about! Driving in, there was more graffiti than walls which lead to the streets and even trees being the target of angry paint. Liter baked into the hot streets and people low on their luck found respite on benches or patches of grass. As our luck would have it, it was the annual Fiesta de Virgen Blanca, a multi-day celebration of Basque tradition with music and festivities for all ages. Everyone was dressed in traditional clothes, peasant dresses and bonnets for ladies, simple pants and shirts for men with a neck scarf added, and everyone, even babies, had the staple to the uniform on... thick, tall, woven socks and slipper like shoes that laced up the leg over the socks. It is definitely a curious look and begs you to wonder how it came about. If it was cold, thus needing the thick socks, why not wear boots? Or conversely, it is currently a very hot summer, why wear the socks? Anyway, we managed to find an outside table at a packed bar in the city center and soak in the spectacle. There was a rave at the church back behind us, some entertainers downhill from us doing tricks to 1980's hit songs and then we had a Mariachi band and a traditional flute and hand drum band dueling it out for attention on the sidewalk next to us. In case you wondered, the Mariachis won. 

A luke warm fish pintxo and a headache later, we decided to head back to the hotel before all hell broke loose. The young kids playing in the daylight had been replaced by rowdy, drunk people carousing in the evening glow. We knew The Bull was due to arrive soon, something we did not want to experience up close after reading a warning on how to stay safe while watching. The night would reve up without us, into a fevered pitch of frenzied mayhem as the final parade of the day, lead by a man wearing a bull head and flanked by a make-shift animal body filled with fireworks would run into the crowds and chase people, fire explosions igniting into crowds, people screaming, and the deafening bomb of explosions reverberating off the stone walls rocking through us even blocks away. It was obvious fun for the clan of Vitoria, but not the vibe I was hoping for.

Maybe during a giant festival isn't the time to decide about a city, but also, boy do you get to see its true colors. Needless to say, it seemed obvious to us that Vitoria was not the spot.

Quietly we drove out of the city toward our last stop on the Jesse and Michele find a home tour, Pamplona. Our disappointment was palpable, if we didn't like these spots, and we had not fallen in love with Bilbao, and Laguardia was too small, what were we going to do? Would we find a forever spot? And what does it mean if we don't?

Pamplona is a tidy little municipality that greets you with big trees and walking paths. The city center has colorful old buildings and winding streets that tangle together to offer a rustic charm. There is a flavor to this place, a vivaciousness that we had not found yet. We saddled up to the bar at El Rincon, affectionately known as the Hemingway Cafe, and ordered our Rosados. Finding ourselves now in Navarre the drink is pink. Dark in color yet bright and well crafted, these Granache blends are tasty and refreshing. While definitely having a strong tourist pull, we never struggled to find a table and the options to escape the heat and crowds were plentiful. After siesta, we headed to the park just outside the brick steps of old town. The enormous trees offered welcomed shade as they hovered over lush flower gardens and beautifully manicured hedges. In the middle was a garden set with lovely bistro tables and benches. A bar built to look like a gazebo, was glowing warm light and drew us to it. Now I am not saying I am a sucker for a cute place to sit that is also a bar, but I will say that 3 hours sitting there flew by in seconds! And while I am thinking about it, props to all the places we have visited in Spain that always have the local wine flowing and incredibly inexpensively. 

We walked back to our hotel via the Segundo Ensanche area which is the newer part of Pamplona and charming in its own right. We wandered into a lovely little restaurant and had dinner like the locals at 11:30pm. We swooned over the harmony of the local wine with the delicious, yet simple dishes. Arriving back to our room after 1am, we fell asleep feeling the deep satisfaction of falling in love with somewhere in Spain. 

Will Pampolona be our forever? That remains to be seen, but it is high in the running along with Madrid. Up next is Barcelona, Gionna, and Sitges to visit. It continues to be a bit of a game, the balance of finding a place that can support our daughter's film focus and also Jesse and I's wine industry needs. We seem to be figuring out how the world works over here, astonishingly it still feels beyond comfortable. Maybe that is why the Basque people wear those socks, maybe they are beyond comfortable and add an indescribable emotional support that you simply can't explain.

We Did it Our Way

Let's take a little pause in my Spain adventure to return to the states and talk about New Jersey Wine! Hey wait, don't go! Don't go! I know, you already think you know that NJ wines suck, they are all sweet hybrid grapes and poor winemaking skills to boot. But what if I told you that New Jersey is making some of the most stunning wines, from vinifera and excellent winemaking talent, I have ever tasted? 

Just like New Mexico, struggling against the old ideas of a long ago past where, yes the wines did suck. They too find that no one wants to update their perception of what the wines of the region are like today. That's where I come in... literally. My friend and International Wine Competition comrade, Sharyn Kervyn, decided to take matters into her own hands on behalf off these struggling producers and invite serious, extremely respected wine experts to come in from Canada, the UK, Italy, Ireland and across the USA to assess the wines of NJ. I guess she could now list me as Spain, wow, that's weird. Now this wasn't a competition, this was a showcase. It was supported by a group of wineries that are using 100% New Jersey fruit to be able to showcase their wines to a powerhouse of 12 judges in order to get real, not sugarcoated, feedback. They asked for detailed reports on not what they are doing right, but more importantly, what they are doing wrong. That is one hell of a bold move NJ wineries! It was immediately clear that this group was dedicated to the idea of bettering their wines until are respected by the wine world.

I absolutely LOVED this ballsy move and was 100% on board the minute Sharyn called me. Anyone willing to ask this level of wine judge to come critique your wines and honestly welcome feedback, is pretty rare. Scott Donnini from Auburn Road Vineyard & Winery summed it up beautifully "good feedback and positive reviews are great, but it is actually more valuable to us to tell us what is wrong with some of them or what we could be doing better. That is where we really learn." 

With a Master Certificate in Wine Faults, judging experience at prestigious competitions in 7 countries and a gift for pinpointing what is in the glass, I did not take this invitation to be honest lightly. Now keep in mind, we don't want to make anyone cry or give up winemaking. Our goal is constructive criticism. On the other hand, you are asking expert level judges, most of us also educators and journalists, to give you the low down and dirty on your wines. Yikes!

Upon arrival to New Jersey, the City of Camden and the Terroir New Jersey Wine Showcase sponsors really rolled out the red carpet for us. We were treated to wonderful dinners, winery tours, tasty lunches and great rooms at the Spring Hill Suites. Some nay sayers in the NJ community read this as "paying for ratings", believe me, we were not paid. In a show of respect, having travelled from all across the world, it is customary to put judges up and feed them. We all usually fetch a good wage when paid for our expertise, along with airfare, lodging and meals to be included. No one could afford to pay the 12 of us to show up to an event and pay each of our bills. This was done as our favor to the wineries brave enough and determined enough to ask us there. 

I do have to rave a bit about the food before getting to the wine. The brick oven fired pizza and lamb chops at Sharrott Winery for our welcome dinner were to die for, the lovely pass around apps and epic view of The Boathouse was incredible, the delicious flatbread lunch and apps at Auburn Road Winery were sensational, and a jaw dropping 6 course wine dinner at Wanda's was over the top excellence. 

A quick aside (is she ever going to talk about the wine??? geez!). Wanda's Restaurant is a beautiful, cozy restaurant located in Haddonfield, NJ. If you know that name, then you are my people! Haddenfield is the name of the town from the horror movie franchise Halloween. I get that I sound like a total dork sharing that I excitedly took pictures of the welcome sign as we drove by it on the way to dinner, but that is because my daughter is a horror film buff and I had to text her the photo. She is also a film student in college who just happens to have made a horror short film (recently an official selection at an all women's international film fest) and finished her first feature length horror film. I also happened to be in the car at the time with my daughter's mentor, Emmanuel Kervyn, a famous European horror director (married to Sharyn) and he was very encouraging of this behavior. 

OK, finally let's talk New Jersey wines! Honestly I was shocked, we all were. Very few wines we tasted were flawed and those that were, were mostly facing volatile acidity issues, a manageable problem. The informal judges "rating" system we used was the glass/ bottle/ won't share concept. Many of the wines we tasted were good, meaning they could use a little work, but you'd finish the glass. Most of the wines were very good showing varietal character, complexity and if it was a hybrid, restraint. These wines fall into the level that you would buy a bottle after tasting it. And a surprising amount of wines we tasted fell into the exceptional category which is to say that the wine is wonderful and not only would we buy a bottle, we probably wouldn't share it with just anyone that came to dinner. The 12 of us eagerly shared notes at the end of the day, assessing the over all imprint of the tasting experience and all of us were thoroughly impressed and excited!

We were also lucky enough to get to visit a few wineries which gave us a good idea of the flare of the industry. Many, many, many years ago I visited Walla Walla Washington and the tasting room scene was not exactly on point yet. There were the occasional beautiful estate properties with lux tasting rooms, but most were simple and straight forward with a few being in the winery itself. One in particular had the winemakers in overalls serving on a plank of board over 2 sawhorses. None of that matters if the wine is excellent. But there is a certain look that screams, this is good enough, and good enough isn't that great. It reflects poorly on the effort put into the wines. All burgeoning areas have these types of wineries, it is to be expected, but it is also really exciting to find those gems that are looking at the entire picture and going for it. Attention to detail does make a difference and does reflect on your winemaking. Those guys in overalls serving on a plank of board didn't need a fancy tasting room to make their message clear. They were out in the field tending vines and stopped, got off the tractor to come in, and proudly serve us wines. This is a detail that is appreciated, it shows they care even if it isn't fancy. The tasting room that looks like it fell out of a Temu ad, makes you curious about what corners they are cutting in the winemaking too. I can happily report most of the wineries were putting a lot of thought behind their tasting rooms.

I was also impressed that there were stand out wines at all of the wineries we had the pleasure to visit and experience at the lavish judges' dinner. Of those I have to highlight Sharrott Winery's Cab Franc and their Bellview Brut Pet Nat NV (those of you that know how I feel about Pet Nat will understand just what a compliment it is for me to recommend this wine), Cedar Rose Vineyard's Silica white blend and their Blaufrankisch, William Heritage Winery's Pinot Blanc and their Limited Release Proprietary Red, and Bellview Winery's Gruner Veltliner and their Viognier were all very good. I can confidently suggest you explore each winery's list to see what fits your palate, but if you want to order blindly, you may take my suggestions, I think you'll be very happy with them. 

As a professional wine judge it is important that you know I recommend the following 2 wineries not out of personal taste, but because they are showing excellence in their craft. Those wineries are Auburn Road Vineyards & Winery and White Horse Winery. I also really love a well made wine that shows place while expressing the grape and the skilled hand of the winemaker so in that way I guess they are ALSO to my personal taste.

Auburn Road is located on a piece of idyllic wooded property. You arrive at their charming and beautiful tasting room, welcomed by the tidy vineyard and tempting outside patio. We had our tasting under a vine covered pergola. Seated at the large wood table, a thin piece of white linen pulled down the length of it, cheese plates with warm from the oven flat bread perfectly plated were strategically placed making this experience a very shabby chic, Instagram moment vibe I absolutely loved. Husband and wife team, Scott and Jules Donnini are warm and welcoming and clearly passionate about what they do. Scott is a natural frontman with an easy nature and friendly smile. His wife, the winemaker, exudes confidence and knowledge despite the obvious worry on her face as she pours her wines for an intimidating group of know-it-alls. She doesn't need to worry, they are fantastic wines. We start off with a methode champenoise sparkling Gruner Veltliner that made 12 judges heads pop up from their glasses all at once, wide eyed, and gawk at each other. Words didn't need to be said, we were all in agreement, WTH was this?!? Jules quickly started to explain her choices and what she thought she needed to work on for the future vintages. Almost simultaneously we all started to interject, don't do anything different (well maybe enhance the bubbles as she mentioned she wanted to do), this wine is incredible! Beautiful minerality and balance while giving the most perfect varietal expression and lightly yeasty bouquet making this bubbly my new obsession. Their traditional blend sparkling was also brilliant. It could easily be mistaken for a true Champagne. The tasting continued with wine after wine showing to be really impressive and crafted with skill and intention. 

My other super stand out, White Horse Winery, is an oasis of park like beauty. The path that leads you to the tasting room winds through lush gardens onto a big wooden deck. It is truly difficult to leave this incredible garden delight to venture inside. The grand open inside focuses you toward a giant square bar in the center.  I had the pleasure of sitting with winery Owner BJ Vinton and Bordeaux born and raised winemaker Edward Sparks at the judges' dinner the night before so I had a leg up on the other judges having had the opportunity to grill them privately for 3 hours. The synopsis is that BJ had a vision, he was able to bring in an old friend who is an incredibly talented winemaker, and bam! You have magic in the bottle. The Albariño is fresh with herbal notes and light citrus. It is so clean yet expressive, like all of their wines, but also bright and straightforward. They make excellent whites wines, but the reds, oh mama, there is where I fell in love. In particular I loved the Syrah, which was elegant and nuanced, as well as the Painted Red Bordeaux like blend that had well yielded power and grace.

My take away on New Jersey wines is that these are winemakers that came to play and are not messing around. Across the board I was truly impressed by their Cab Francs and surprisingly floored by everyone's Chardonnays! While they want to hang their hat on the ability to make delicious wines from the Chambourcin grape (they are spot on with their marketing genius of the Couer d' Est blends uniquely made by each winery, but always showcasing Chabourcin), it is the Chardonnays I think that will bring the lime light their way. As the weekend drew to a close, the slogan "New Jersey Wines; We Did it Our Way" took root. A reference to New Jersey native Frank Sinatra's song My Way, this tagline seemed to sum up the energy and determination of this clever wine region.  All that is left to say is watch out world, New Jersey Wine is comin to getcha!