Food, glorious food

Oh America I do love you but why do you serve me food in wheelbarrow proportions? I am what is known as a greedy girl, I like to eat and I have no truck with fad diets, cutting out food groups, not eating after 7pm nor "diet" foods. However, when I visit America I skip meals pretty much every day. I can't cope with the portions nor the fried/synthetic approach to so much of the food that I am presented with. This is quite the dilemma for a woman who likes to eat so I have to start digging around to discover the good places to eat.

Now there is a difference between somewhere that serves good food and somewhere that is a good place to eat. Sunday evening I discovered a lovely restaurant Celadon http://www.celadonnapa.com/ which served delicious but enormous food. The menu looks fantastic, Kobe steak with wasabi mash for example but I was left sweating after a mere polenta and roasted vegetables, no room left after that to sample the puddings which as a rule are the highlight of my meals.

I struck gold at V Wine Cellar in Yountville, http://www.vwinecellar.com/ . Not for dinner, although the cheese straws were pretty tasty but for advice on where to go that wouldn't require me to be winched from my chair afterwards. The guys suggested Oenotri and they were bang on the money.

Oenotri http://www.oenotri.com/ in Napa is a little gem of an Italian with Californian charm, squash on tables but not Californian portions. My pizza with pancetta was only marginally bigger than my head, thin, crispy and fully flavoured. The wine list is interesting and well thought out and I enjoyed my very first glass of Franciacorta, not something easily found in the UK despite cropping up in the WSET Diploma exam.

I have nothing to compare it to but the Quattro Mani Franciacorta was intense with something of the farmyard about it on the nose with hints of sweet spice, bread, lemon and baked apples on the palate. I am now in planning for an Italian leg of the sparkling tour so I can continue to taste and discover.

Fortune favours the brave so they say, so after agreeing to some company from a chef at a local restaurant on my chefs bench I was incredibly fortunate to find myself sat next to Aaron London from Ubuntu. Michelin starred Ubuntu http://www.ubuntunapa.com/, what a result! In addition to being a fascinating individual with an intense passion for food he also provided a location for my next evenings dining.

Being something of a hippy, the whole idea of Ubuntu appeals to me massively as ingredients are sourced from the restaurants bio-dynamic garden. Oh. My. Word. the raptures and joy of being served food with such freshness and vitality in America. The Michelin star is well deserved as the delicate balance of texture and flavour alongside the realistic portion size meant that I would have licked the plate clean if it had been decent to do so.

The Kohlrabi noodles were outstanding and perfectly balanced; so much so that my carnivore self didn't feel denied. Which coming from a woman who will happily eat an entire packet of Serrano ham in one go from the packet is saying something. My very favourite thing about the place was that I had room for dessert which I can state was a chocolaty triumph and the perfect end to one of the best meals I had eaten in a long time. I think I very nearly growled at the waiter who tried to take my plate before I had nigh on licked it!

If all food in America was like this there wouldn't be documentaries about people who have to have a wall knocked down so they can get out. Absolute perfection in my books and the wine is pretty darned good to boot. I had a Cremant d'Alsace Brut Rose, Allimont Laugner for an aperetif followed by a glass of Marsanne, Stagecoach Vineyard, Krupp Bros. Both were excellent wines and on my next visit to Napa this is going to be one of the first places that I come!

In the interest of a balanced approach and my desire for dessert I took the tactical approach of having a side salad and cheesecake at San Francisco's Cheesecake factory. Whilst all around me people were being served their main courses in dishes the size of babies baths and skips I cut straight to the chase. Reader, it was delicious, massive but delicious. Sometimes even a girl as classy as myself must succumb to the dark side from time to time...

Holiday homes of the champenois

Being a very lucky girl, the sparkling tour this year has taken me to Taittinger in the Champagne region and Taittinger in the Napa Valley. In the guise of Domaine Carneros it is still pretty easy to spot which is Domaine Carneros if you've ever been to Taittinger's Chateau de la Marquetterie

Top: Domaine Carneros, Bottom: Ch de la Marquetterie

Domaine Carneros is home to one of the First Ladies of sparkling wine Eileen Crane. She has created a range that holds its own identity whilst retaining the classic elegance and finesse of Taittinger. Head hunted by Claude Taittinger himself, Eileen's appointment was a shrewd move in developing world class sparkling wines.

One thing the Americans have down pat is a great winery tour. I was fortunate enough to have the sole attention of Bruce Stirling who took me through a physical tour and also a tasting tour. I tried the Brut 2006, Le Reve 2004, Rose 2006, Demi-Sec 2006, Late Disgorged 2004 and the Blanc de
Noirs 2006. Across the board the wines were an impressive balance of ripe Californian fruits with crisp and refreshing acidity alongside some complex developing flavours.

Being a very English girl I was particularly enamoured with the older sparklers, Le Reve 2004 and the Late Disgorged Brut 2004. The hints of complexity and age that had come through on the 2006 had opened up a little more , showing richer bready and yeasty notes alongside the still ripe fruit flavours.

Although both wines had the capacity to age longer, the extra couple of years had made a real difference and I thought at the time how interesting it would be to see just how old it is possible to go with New World sparklers. The oldest I tried on this trip was a 1999 from Gloria Ferrer that showed some real class and sophistication without being tired. I think the goal for the next trip will be to see how old I can go and see if the fizz will hold up.

Sadly this year did not bring the opportunity to visit Louis Roederer in France but the long drive out to Philo to visit the Roederer Estate is well worth it (fill up before you go though, limited petrol stations). As you pull up the long drive to the winery on top of the hill then you are not only rewarded with an amazing view but a cracking selection of wines that are not readily available outside the US.

In a sleek and simple tasting room I tasted my way through Brut Rose Multi-Vintage, L'Ermitage 2002, Brut MV Magnum, Extra Dry MV and three still wines; Chardonnay 2007, Pinot Noir Rose 2009 and Pinot Noir 2007.  Back at the Majestic ranch in York we would always recommend the Louis Roederer Magnum mainly because it's a great Champagne but also because it adds a little something extra in a large format.

The same is definitely true of Roederer Estate in magnum. If you're celebrating anything Stateside, get your sweaty little paws on one of these gems. I love alternate format bottles anyway, there's nothing like a little half bottle of fizz and a good book for a long train journey and a magnum or jeroboam for big celebration (train journey not necessary).

I'm going to go off piste for a moment and recommend a still wine, it's OK I'll have a lie down shortly. I am something of a Francophile; I love France as a place, as a people and as a provider of wine to me. Thankfully Roederer Estate have taken some of that French style and skill in creating a Pinot Noir Rose that would give most Sancerre's a run for their money. A delicate salmon pink with crunchy red fruit flavours, cherries, raspberries and red apples with hints of vanilla, this wine is crisp, fresh and great drinking. The lightness of touch and skill in winemaking shows that California can produce very good still rose that is completely alien to the terrifying day-glo sticky sweet nightmares they are better known for.

Aside from the joy of a magnum, my sparkling recommendation from Roederer Estate has to be the L'Ermitage 2002. 52%Chardonnay and 48% Pinot Noir this wine is complex and interesting with hints of baked apple, lemon, almonds and toasty notes. Slightly honeyed with hints of white flowers its youthfulness betrays the eight years ageing it has had.

Roederer Estate was a fine end to my sparkling tour of the Napa Valley. Well not quite the end. I went for a sneaky glass of Dom Perignon 2002 at Napa Style. Sat next to the roaring fire, surrounded by enormous squash and pumpkins I wasn't drinking a local fizz but at that moment I couldn't have been anywhere else in the world and nor would I want to have been.

How to hide a winery....

Day 3 started badly. As I had done since picking the car rental wheels up I did myself a little route plan from Google putting on any turns and landmarks that might help. I found myself driving through St Helena thinking I wasn't too far from Schramsberg.

About 10 minutes later...hang on I'm in Calistoga, gone too far, let me ask this bloke.

Bloke: It's on the road between Calistoga and St Helena.

Me: I know that but I've missed the turning, it's supposed to be just off the road.

Bloke: I'm not sure where it is exactly but I know it's on the way to St Helena....

Me: ?!?!?!?!

So back I go, eyes peeled for the sign that says Schramsberg Road. I get as far as St Helena and ask someone else if they know where it is. (See above for how that went...).

After another lap I ask a woman which is what I should have done straight away as she pays attention on her way into work unlike the men I asked previously. She lives in Calistoga and drives past the winery every day and informs me that the winery signs are tiny, set back from the road at an angle and about knee height. Jackpot! 

Far, far later than anticipated I arrived at the winery where the lovely lady informs me they aren't allowed a big sign so as a bit of good karma for the day here is how to find the winery...

Turn up Peterson Drive and on your immediate right you'll see a tarmac drive and a sign that says 1400 and then the Schramsberg winery sign. Up the winding road the track opens up on to a beautiful property

One of the earlier wine producers in the Napa Valley, the Schrams arrived from Germany in the late 19th century and lucky Mr Schram got a (very) good tip from one of his customers which left him with enough cash to buy a winery.  All was sunshine and joy until Schram Jr tanked then sold the business. The property was bought and sold over the years and finally ended up in the hands  of the Davies family.

They were very wise folks who decided that they wanted to make their favourite type of wine, sparkling.  Once you've found the place the tour is very good, giving the historical background of the family and the property finishing off with a tour in the 2 miles of tuffeau cellars.

Of the range that we tasted the Reserve 2002 was the one for me. 80%PN, 20%CH with grapes sourced from all around the Napa Valley, the wine has flavours of baked apple, nutmeg, pineapple, bread, lemons, yeasty notes and a hint of almonds. Our congenial host Donya asked the group for food matches that would go with it and I have never felt so British in my life. I thought of something like pork tenderloin with wilted spinach and a creamy mushroom sauce, nothing too fancy.  Suggestions from the entirely American and Canadian crowd, popcorn, barbecue foods, lobster, shrimps...OK I get it your weather is better than ours now stop with your outdoor and warm weather suggestions!

Hide and seek aside, a visit to Schramsberg is a lovely little piece of history nestled up in the hills. From immigrant links to 1960's vision and Presidents aiming for world peace (kind of..) It's good to see where it all began for sparkling wine in the Napa Valley.

G-L-O-R-I-A Gloooooooooria

With  a little help for the title from Van Morrison (I'm so cool!) , Day 2 found me at Gloria Ferrer in Carneros. Nestled on top of the hill, the view is spectacular. One thing the Napa Valley has in abundance is great spots where a glass of fizz is just the decent thing to do. If you were really doing it properly then a bottle of something shared and a chauffeur home would be the way to go! For Gloria Ferrer that would mean a bottle of the Blanc de Blancs, 2005 and a plate of serrana ham.

I discovered this combo of dreams when in Cava country a couple of years ago. The salty gorgeousness of the ham balances beautifully with the crisp breadiness of vintage cava or Blanc de blancs sparkling wine. There is no need for anything else apart from sunshine and a special someone who doesn't mind that you're eating ham with your fingers. Just for the record Prosecco does also work with parma ham, the sweetness works much the same way as with melon, only far more chic!

The lovely Cindy took some time to show me around and take me through the range which now includes a curious little sparkler that has 89% Pinot Noir, 8% Chardonnay and 3% Muscat called Va de Vi. It's a little treat as the Muscat gives a really rich, ripe fruitiness and the acidity is refreshing and zippy which lifts all that ripeness and stops it being cloying.

One thing that I would love to see become commonplace in the UK is to see English sparkling wines served at Royal occasions. Gloria Ferrer is one of many wineries I visited that had their wines used for White House dinners. If this does already happen in England then hurrah but I have a feeling it isn't a common occurrence. Pictures adorn the walls of the occasion and the menu with which the sparklers were served. I tried the Royal Cuvee which was first tasted by the King and Queen of Spain when it was released. the 2002 vintage wsa incredibly complex with concentrated flavours of citrus peel, apricot, mandarin, caramelised ginger and cinammon. Crisp apple and lemon flavours and refreshing acidity lighten those intense flavours to create an interesting and well put together wine.

If you get the chance to visit Gloria, make sure you look in the fridge and buy some cheese. I love America but the cheese generally sucks in its weird slightly over processed shiny way. They have real manchego and proper goats cheese amongst the shelves of joy and also very importantly you can buy actual Spanish Serrana ham there not some kind of bizarre interpretation of it. Genius and very tasty.

Sadly I had to tear myself away from Gloria and have lunch in Carneros before I drove up to Rutherford to visit Mumm. Getting hold of Mumm Napa has been a struggle over the last few years so I went to see them as much to please myself rather than for educational merit. Despite the enormous pumpkin (see below) there was something of the 80's about the tasting room. The shop is relatively modern but the tasting room has a whiff of British Home Stores cafe about it. Luckily the wine made up for it!

I chose the staff favourites as they were winery only exclusives and that is the point of visiting wine producing regions, no? Deveaux Ranch, 2005,  Brut Reserve NV and the Renouveau Anderson Valley 2001 were thankfully far superior to their surroundings. The first two are Pinot Noir driven  and the Renouveau has Chardonnay take the lead and fruit is sourced from all over the Napa Valley taking in grapes sourved south of Yountvile, Anderson Valley and Carneros. Well made and classy wines with no mistake but I would recommend if you visit to grab a glass of something and head out of the tasting room to the Photo gallery opposite.

When I visited there was a striking exhibition of black and white photographs showing families in the same positions years and sometimes decades apart which in itself was very moving and beautifully presented. The surroundings are sleek, the images beautiful and the light flattering a far better place to enjoy a cool, crisp and complex glass of fizz. The whole experience is set off by the windows showing the bottles in their warehousing capacity so the winery influence subtley peeks its head out every now and then.

Sparkly enjoyed, pictures studied and enormous pumpkin marvelled at I headed back through rush hour traffic to Napa for a freshen up before dinner at Oenotri as recommended to me by the folks at V Wine in Yountville. I'll be doing a foodie blog of the places I've enjoyed later down the line. I've had some tasty treats during my stay and they require a little attention all of their own.

California Dreaming-Day 1

There are two ways to get to Australia from the UK and I picked the long way. It was a genius idea, if I wasn't headed to Tasmania then I would have to be forcibly removed from the Napa Valley.

I started as I meant to go on with a visit to Domaine Chandon in Yountville. Now these guys have the perfect balance between great wine, stylish surroundings and great hospitality. I visited Domaine Chandon in the Yarra Valley a few years ago and its American counterpart didn't disappoint. There are a good selection of sparkles to try, discounts for Club Chandon members and the tasting team are helpful but not pushy sales folks. I tried the EtoileBrut, Rose and Tete de Cuvee 2000 whilst I was there. The range is Chardonnay dominant and very good.

The Brut has seen 5 years ageing sur lees and is intense, concentrated with hints of spice and candied peel, the acidity keeps it fresh and clean and stops some of the big flavours being cloying. The Rose was a real foodie fizz, delicate salmon pink with a real savoury mushroom hit. It's sophisticated and elegant but not for those who want bags of red fruits from their rose. The star of the show (sorry...) is the Etoile Tete de Cuvee 2000 which is seriously impressive as it ought to be at $100. Rich and golden with a truffle and mushroom nose, creamy mouth feel and a long length this deserves its position at the top of the tree.

Sadly I had to tear myself away from Chandon to go and have a look at the town of Yountville. Which if you're not American is some kind of picture postcard town, it's a little bit like walking around a movie set. Timing wise I think I picked a pretty good time of year to go. Not as crazy busy as high summer but it was warm enough not to need a jacket and the blazing autumnal colours made it a joy to visit.

Being the nerd that I am I found myself in a wine merchants, V Wine Cellar http://www.vwinecellar.com/,
 other women buy shoes don't they? If you're ever in town, tear yourself aways from the restaurants and head down to this wine shop. They have chairs and tables outside and a great selection of wines to taste. I tried the Littauer 2008, Beckstoffer Chardonnay. which was delicious. A well balanced oaked Chardonnay with bags of fruit and a well balanced acidity. This was served with cheese breadsticks. Not a match you'll find in the great wine books of our time but with the great conversation from the guys who work there and a slightly dubious soundtrack it worked a treat.

My next stop was a death trap of a drive away in Sebastopol. Now when I Google mapped it the route took me across instead of down and round. DO NOT TAKE THIS ROUTE. Particularly if you are of nervous disposition. It takes an age and is an endless around and around of winding roads and  steep hills but it was well worth the journey to finally get to Iron Horse Vineyards.

Situated on the top of a hill the view is spectacular but it's really all about the wine. As it was a little late I only had time to try the 2002 Brut Late Disgorged which was a seriously impressive and classy fizz. Looking out as the sun went down with a sample of great sparkling wine was the perfect way to end my first day of tasting.

Full pictures from day 1 are on the Flute and Vine Facebook page...
http://tinyurl.com/2c2eta8   Ironhorse Chandon, Yountville album

800 miles later....

So safely settled into my "home" for the next 5 days in the Napa Valley what do I know after my jaunt around the south of England....?

Other than it takes pigging ages to get to most of the lovely places I visited, only a sadistic fool would recommend someone drive from Kent to Cornwall via Dorset on the same day, the main thing I discovered is that England has the capacity to make great fizz from a range of grape varieties. 

On my last couple of days I drove through fog and endless drizzle to see the folks at Camel Valley. Camel Valley is another award winning establishment which produces both still and sparkling wine to great effect. Despite it being the beginning of November a lorry load of grapes arrived whilst I was there to be processed ensuring no rest for Sam and the team just yet. 

As the winery folks were busy Jack took me through their range in the lovely tasting room which I can imagine if you're not driving and the sun is out is one of the best things to do on an afternoon in Cornwall. 

If Cornwall is a drive too far for you timewise then just outside of London is Denbies Estate. It's all geared up for visits, the whole team are incredibly chirpy, the wine is very good, particularly the award winning Greenfields Cuvee 2006. 100% Pinot Noir and utterly scrumptious, bags of fruit, including some crunchy redcurrant flavours, hints of candied peel, refreshing acidity and a fine creamy mousse. They have a train, restaurant, gift shop and you can even get involved during harvest with some picking followed by a trip to the winery to see the grapes being processed and then a tasting and lunch.  All in all well worth a look see if  you want to know a bit more about English wine but you haven't much time.

I love visiting wineries and vineyards as I don't think anything else can give you the same sense of place as actually being there. There are rules however for visiting vineyards/wineries, under no circumstances must you repeat the following to anyone before, during or after a trip to wine land. They will just assume you are a cretin and are just trying to show off.

1. "You know we went to (insert winery name here) and this only cost a couple of  Euros/Dollars/Groats and it's what all the locals drink. It's so overpriced when you buy it here isn't it?"  

Oh just f*$% off, either buy it where you've just been and have it shipped over or just keep your mouth shut. End of, nobody cares.

2. "That's hardly a taste, how am i supposed to find out if I like it from that tiny amount"

Tasting, not a free bar. If you want more buy it from these nice people who just gave you a sample to taste and let you look around their winery.

3. "It just tastes like wine, all that other stuff is just power of suggestion, you're only saying you can taste blackcurrants because someone else said it. They all taste the same to me"

 Why did you go to visit a winery? Go home immediately after apologising to the person at the cellar door who has been looking after you.

More pics from the UK leg can be found on the Facebook page for Flute and Vine http://tinyurl.com/27f7rl6

 

Yes England makes wine and yes it is good....

So day 2 of the UK road trip and what do I know apart from the fact I've spent a huge amount of time in the car? Well I can pat myself on the back for the accurate assumption that we can make cracking fizz here in England. 

First stop was a repeat visit to Chapel Down in Tenterden, one of the bigger producers of sparkling wine in the UK and a jolly lovely place to visit. Having become familiar with Chapel Down at Majestic, I made a flying visit earlier in the year and as I was in the area to visit Andrew at Gusbourne I felt it would be rude not to pop in again. They have a very well set out offering with a fancy pants restaurant, Richard Phillipe, upstairs and a tasting area/fancy pants deli shop below. I took a meander around the vineyard as it was an uncharacteristically warm day with golden sunshine blazing through the yellows, reds and oranges of an English autumn.

Fizz wise the range of six is a mix of the traditional and the what exactly is that of Reichensteiner and Rivaner. Prices range from £16.99 to £24.99 which is pretty typical of English sparklers and well priced when considering the quality produced.

A few miles away is Gusbourne Vineyards, a huge property that is partially planted with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. The capacity for growth at Gusbourne is huge as there is lots of good land that just hasn't been planted yet. It's a good job there is capacity for growth as this stuff is fantastic! I've tried a few English sparklers made from traditional varietals and they have all been most impressive.

Nyetimber (got to include them even if the meanies won't let me visit!) Camel Valley and Ridgeview have won scores of awards and accolades between them over the years and a visit to Gusbourne says to me that this isn't a fluke. The ability to produce serious, high quality exciting and dynamic sparkling wine is what English wine is all about. There are some very good still wines around, the Gusbourne Pinot Noir 2007 will keep the French on their toes but it is sparkling that we excel at. I tried the 2006 Brut and the 2006 Blanc de Blancs which blew me away. There is a rose in the pipeline which I look forward to trying at a later date. 

I had a long an interesting chat with Nick from Herbert Hal in Mardenl, wines to be released 2012, about the future of the English sparkling wine industry. Nick not only has a real passion for fizz but also a very sharp business mind and I look forward to trying his wines once they are ready.

After speaking to him I still very much feel that we are on the edge of something very exciting in England with regards to sparkling wine. I would recommend anyone who has not tried an English fizz or has maybe only tried one to start scouring them out now because in 25 years time it will be like saying you saw The Beatles at Skegness Town Hall before they were big. Depending on your age feel free to substitute The Beatles for Take That at a Rollers skating rink in Milton Keynes or Dizzee Rascal at Butlins but you get the idea...hunt them out before they go global!

http://www.ukvines.co.uk/vineyards/gusbourne.htm 

http://www.englishwinesgroup.com/ 

http://www.herberthall.com/

http://www.ridgeview.co.uk/

Viennese whirl

Oooooh Vienna, whether it is the original or the impressive Seal version, it's pretty tricky to walk around Vienna without the song playing in my mind. Maybe I'm just of a certain age...

One of the joys of wine is it has taken me to places I may not have found myself in normally. Like Tunbridge Wells. But that is another blog... Austria however wouldn't have featured in the sparkling world trip if I had not stumbled across the Szigeti stand at the London International Wine Fair this year. Two of my colleagues found me and told me I had to go and see the man who made sparkling Gruner Veltliner. Being me I was primed to  mock. Being me I was curious enough to try first. I went, I tasted, I had no opportunity to mock.

The folks at Szigeti can make anything sparkle. I was met by Peter Szigeti at the Sekt Comptoir on Judengasse http://www.szigeti.at/sektoutlet.htm one of the city's two dedicated sparkling wine bars. We drove the hour or so through the traffic to Gols in Burgenland where I tried nearly all 25 sparklers available. Welschriesling, Blaufrankisch, Zwiegelt, Tokaji, Neuberger, Riesling, Gruner Veltliner and Weissburgunder all made an appearance at some point. I can't remember having spent a better afternoon drinking fizz in a while! It was an absolute pleasure to spend the day with someone who has so much passion in making things sparkle. Although they are not trying to ape champagne in any way, skills and equipment come from the Champagne region, I got to watch my first disgorgement in action as well...

Like a nerd I loved it! It was such a great way to kick off the sparkling tour with someone who has a passion for quality and also a curiosity to make the unusual sparkle. After a lovely afternoon I took the train back to Vienna (cheap, clean and efficient-why aren't they like this in the UK????) and had a nosey around for more Austrian sparkling wine.


Dedicated aren't I? Favourite other than Szigeti was a Brundelmayer, Kamptal Sekt. Pinot Noir 85%, Gruner Veltliner 15%, a very classy offering, excellent structure, lots of fruit, crisp acidity a real gem of a sparkling wine. Least favourite was the big brand leader for Austrian wine the Schlumberger which had something of the pub carpet about it, a bit claggy and mass produced. Very glad I didn't try this one first.


If I've learnt one thing about my Viennese whirl it is not to lose my curiosity. I had not expected that I would enjoy a sparkling Welschriesling and that it would be very well made but I am very glad that I have stumbled across it. I'm looking forward to trying many new things that surprise and impress me on my journey.

I did also go to Mozart's Requiem, Vivaldi's Four Seasons, the Picasso and Michaelangelo exhibition, the natural history museum and a go on the Big Wheel with time to buy an amusing giant pencil for my nephew. It's all about balance....