Exploring Napa Valley and Shit

Wow. What a day. I love the scenery...rolling hills dotted with knarled trees against a fawn colored mat of grass. Pine trees lushly lining the roads and roses growing everywhere. The skies are crisp and cool with a thin gauze of heat against your skin during the day. At nightfall the layer is brisk and cool like a satin sheet smelling of leaves and the magic of sleeping wineries. The valley is cradled in the mountains and is larger than I thought. Each place looms up from the land in a unique setting...modern arches and old farm houses and gardens to blow your mind. We started our day at Heitz Cellars and tasted six of their wines. I have loved their cabernet sauvignon forever...nice robust flavors and enough jam to stand up well sipping alone or against a steak. Carole liked the cab too, but we both felt the Grignolo Port was the best. Imagine tangerines, honey, orange blossom, and fig pouring over your tongue like a cool, ruby hued stream in the desert. It was awesome. So I got a bottle.(duh)

We got into the car and headed over to Duckhorn on the Silverado Trail. The wind lifted the trees lightly throughout the valley and pockets of sunlight streamed down in patches as we tried to drive and take everything in at once. Going to Duckhorn was a big thing for me, seeing as I sell the shit out of their Napa Valley Merlot on a weekly basis. Soft, plush, blackberry, blueberry, cassis, white pepper, and toasty lingering finish. Uh. Sigh. So opulent, so dreamy. And it was exciting to see all the familiar names-like meeting distant relatives after only seeing their pictures. So Carole and I tasted the Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Cab, Howell Mtn. Merlot, and their Reserve Cab. Let me tell you that it was intense. I can't really even go off about it enough, except to say the Howell Mtn. will smack you in the face! DUDE! Watch that one..definately decant it. After Duckhorn we went to ZD which actually blew my mind. After letting them know we were from Ruth's we got the whole VIP tasting thing comp'd and proceeded to taste my favorite wine so far in the universe. They have a 2002 Cab Reserve that makes their 2002 Cab taste like a watered down version...and if you have had THAT, you know what I am talking about. I think Carole and I actually passed out from the pleasure of this wine. If we don't carry it...which is possible, I want to try. They only make 850 cases a year though and it was released last week. $115 a bottle at the ZD winery...probably 350 at the restaurant price. DAMN!!! Sexy- sexy-sultry-Marilyn-Monroe-on-her-best-day-in-your-mouth-wine. Can't go off enough. I seriously want a bottle of this juice but I am too poor. Damn dollar bills. We thought about starving and going in together to get it.

Anyways, we rushed to our private tasting at Nickel and Nickle after that and stretched out on their back porch and tried six wines with a few other lucky participants. The neat thing about this particular winery is that they use 100% pure varietals and single vineyard production. This means that each wine is pure Chard, pure Cab, Zin, etc. and derives the characteristics from it's terroir. So cool. The valley has so many different pockets of microclimates and soil compositions that the four cabs we tasted varied a great deal. We also tried their Ponzo Zinfandel which took me by surprise and found it's way into our joint possession. Peppery and wonderfully heavy with black fruit and a balanced finish. Yum. So I am feeling really happy to be here...it is like the best homework I have ever had. And the space out here is so big and quiet and clean.

After all was said and done, Carole and I needed some food. We landed at Mustard's and had scrumptious food and talked to a local winemaker at the bar. It is a really interesting culture here...people are so passionate about their wines. It is infectious. So we went from there to a nap in the Whitehall Lane parking lot to dinner with Carole's sister and bro in law at had a beautiful dinner. Between all this free wine and great food I am going to get the GOUTY TOE! Ew! It was worth it though to do it up right and celebrate birthday style. PHEW! Tomorrow we are hitting up Niebaum-Coppola, Quintessa, Whitehall Lane, and hopefully Silverado. Maybe Cakebread Cellars. Maybe Rutherford Grove. Dammit!!! It is like a fricken candy store and I want to hit it all. Anyways, I have to sleep so I can have a functioning liver in the morning. Sleep well everyone, and to all a good night!!!