Sometimes you end up with a bottle of Robert Mondavi

Robert Mondavi Fume Blanc

I try to support small and local businesses whenever I can. However, there are those times when you need a Target and Nordstrom’s (although, I do consider Nordy’s a local business!). Just like there are those time when you pick up a 2010 Robert Mondavi Fume Blanc. Which is what happened to me yesterday.  Let me explain.

It started off as an extremely rough morning, with my 3 1/2 year old in complete meltdown mode at 5:30 am. So much so that I had to cancel her long awaited play date because she was out of control and it was the only threat I could think of at 5:30 am. It was a threat that I had to follow through with. Which is horrible for me because it ruins my day as well. With that, my morning continued with screaming, tears and tantrums. Finally, I had it. My little “blessing” was going to make me insane if I didn’t get out of the house. So, I packed my sobbing 3 1/2  and 7 year olds (who get’s it. After watching her little sister get into trouble, was being an angel) into the car and headed to the gym. An hour of body pump class (with kids in the child care) would surely clear my head and give me a moment of peace.

After my class I was rejuvenated and I picked up the girls, who actually had smiles. Success!! But, that changed as we got into the car. This is the scenario which was repeated over and over the second I buckled my seat belt: “mom, can you turn on the radio?” “mom, can you turn on One Direction?” “Mom, can you roll down my window?” ” Mom can you roll up my window?” “Mom the music is to loud” “Mom I can’t hear the music”….. we haven’t left the parking lot.

I decided at that moment I needed a coffee to make it through the day. As I am driving to the coffee shop, the crying started again. This time, it was me telling them no at treats at the coffee shop; I just need a latte.

As I drug my sobbing kids into Café Vita on Phinney Ridge, I looked at the barista and asked if I could have a glass of wine. To which he replied “Mam, It’s 10:30 in the morning.” Oh, right.. “Ok just a double tall latte please.”

The rest of my day kind of went the same way. I was done come 4:00. I couldn’t stand it any longer, so I packed up the kids and went to Target. I knew I was shooting myself in the foot, but I had to go for a variety of reasons (toilet paper is an essential item). While I was aimlessly wandering about Target, throwing out “no’s” to my kids for every item they begged for (We don’t need another set of Muppet Band aids), I found myself in the wine isle. And as my kids were whining about needing more maple syrup (conveniently located on the same isle), I quickly grabbed a bottle of wine and headed to the check out stand before my head exploded.

The wine I chose: Robert Mondavi 2010 Fume Blanc (94% Sauvignon Blanc and 6% Semillon), $14.99. Now, maybe my judgment was tainted since I had an on-going headache since 6:00 am, but the wine was surprisingly pleasant. Actually, down right good. On a “normal” day, the thought of picking up a Mondavi wine would never cross my mind. I guess you could say I am a little judgmental with my wines. However, I am glad this happened. This was one of those happy mistakes. Maybe I should be thanking my tantrum-loving child. Nah…

Tasting notes: On the nose this wine had tropical fruit, peach and honeysuckle scent;  a favorable smell. Upon taste, it was even better. A nice balance of mineral and acid, enough to make the wine dance on your tongue. A huge difference from the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc’s I tried last week. On the palate there was a peach, floral, honey suckle and slight cucumber taste. I really pleasant mixture in my mouth.

This wine had me eating my words (yes, in the past I may have said I would never drink a Robert Mondavi wine).. and I am the first to admit it. I even remarked to my husband that we should look into a case of this to keep on hand (to which he promptly reminded me of all the wine we have downstairs.. party pooper).

I think many of you would enjoy this wine as well, especially at the price. Mondavi can be found in most major stores: Safeway, QFC, Fred Meyer, Kroger and Target. I recommend a bottle of this wine, even if your children are behaving like angels.

Cheers to a new day today!!!

When to wine detox?

I love summer and everything about it. Long days, hot sun, friends and family over for dinners, lazy days, vacations and wine. In the summer, wine seems to pop up every where. During dinners, at the beach, play dates, after long runs.. etc. You get my drift. We seem to let ourselves be free to the wine at any possible moment during these hot months.So, I am asking you my friends, when do you detox? September? Do you go, no drinking during the week, then have at it on the weekends (which is considered bingeing and not really good for you)? Or you let yourself have a glass or two every night of the week? Or maybe you don’t drink wine at all, and stick with beer (then why are you reading my blog? 🙂 ). I am curious as to how others moderate wine consumption during this heavenly time of year- considering that wine seems to flow everywhere.

I am a healthy person. I am training for the Walla Walla 1/2 marathon in October, so I work out 4-5 times a week ,eat fairly healthy and watch my wine intake. But I do worry about empty calories from wine as well abuse of these fine grapes. Does anyone else have these worries?

I would love to hear back how my friends moderate their wine intake during this summer season, especially from those working in the business. Or do we live life, not worry and just enjoy the wine?

Cheers! (to either wine or a beet juice detox)

A lazy summer morning making Fairy houses

 

 

Take a Chance on New Zealand

Usually I jam pack our weekends; I hate being bored. But last night (a Friday night) our plans were cancelled and we ended up with a night at home. My older daughter invited a friend over, my younger daughter was annoying them.. so they were content (or arguing.. it’s interchangeable with this family) However,  it was still a perfect evening for sitting on the deck and trying out some New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc’s.

A lot of people tend to turn their nose up whenever I mention the idea of a New Zealand Sauv Blanc. I often get the ” I don’t like to drink grass” comments. Yes, on the nose (and sometimes on the palate), you get a grassy flavor. But why turn your nose at that? Why not explore a little more? Maybe you can see past the grass. And not every NZ wine tastes like grass. That is what my husband and I set out to do last night- set the record straight on their wines. We ordered a Veggie Thai pizza, cracked open two bottles of New Zealand wine and let our palates work on the rest!

New Zealand in Seattle

Wine 1: Dashwood Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough 2012 $13.99 Ken’s Market

When you think about New Zealand, you think luscious land, tropical and sunny weather, water, etc. Well, that is what their Sauv Blancs taste like. To me, they taste how New Zealand would feel (I have never been, but it is on my bucket list). On the nose, Dashwood had a clean, grass scent with a hint of bell pepper. On the palate it was high in acid, with hints of grass, grapefruit and bell pepper. Slightly tart and tangy, which could be from the high acid. By itself, the wine didn’t do much for me, all I could taste was the tanginess. What this wine needed was food. Our spicy Thai pizza was a perfect combination. The spice of the pizza brought the acid down.. and the acid of the wine brought the spice down. It was this amazing. Both tasted completely different, but it a great way. Neither one over shadowed the other, which is what you want when pairing food and wine. Because of that combination, I would highly recommend this wine, but as a wine to pair with food (i.e. not for a happy hour drink without food). Pair this with Thai food, goat cheese, chicken dishes, white fish, fresh herb dishes, oysters, peppers, shellfish and veggie dishes. Avoid red meat and salty foods.

Wine 2:  Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough 2012 $11.99 Ken’s Market

Same year, same region, whole different taste. On the nose, it had a creamy grass, green apple and green pepper smell. On the palate, really high in acid, with slight green pepper and grass flavors. I could hardly drink the wine, for fear of acid reflux (which I have never had). I paired this wine with the Thai pizza as well. It toned down the acid, but still the wine didn’t do it for me. Neither good nor horrible with the food. It left me with a blah feeling. A wine I will probably forget. Spend the extra $2 and pick up the Dashwood.

What I really want you to do, my friends, is give New Zealand wines a chance, especially during this hot August month. These wines will pair perfectly with your seafood or salad dinners. As I have said in the past, don’t judge unless you try. Don’t automatically say you don’t like NZ Sauv Blanc’s. Give it a whirl again, pair with some food and I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

Cheers my friends!

What does a good value wine mean?

A morning read

 

What is a “good value” wine? What does that mean to a consumer? As I was reading Food and Wine magazine this morning, it featured an article talking about finding value wines. It gave me lots to ponder. What do I consider a value wine? Is it the same as what my fellow novices would consider a value wine? The more I thought, the more I realized no. It’s all subjective. What I feel is a great value/buy could be unfathomable to some people. And others may think it’s cheap. I believe that as long as you are enjoying the wine and it’s within your budget… that is a value wine. No matter if you are the hunt for a $10 bottle of a Washington red blend or splurging on your favorite $80 Cab from California, it’s all your personal preference. And don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

Cheers to finding your value wine!

*Article: Food and Wine Magazine, September 2013

Taste vs. Price: How to Find Wine Value, by Ray Isle

California wine country and children

Sonoma Square

Wine country and children? When you think of visiting California wine country, you think of a weekend away from children, work, life. Taking your children to wine country is not a thought most people would consider. My friends it can be done! And it can be an amazing family vacation spot as well.

We have spent the past three summers taking our children (8 and 3 1/2) to Sonoma, CA. We make this vacation the best of both worlds. My girls adore visiting Sonoma and look forward to this tradition. Many people are shocked that I bring my children to Napa/Sonoma (“don’t they get bored?”). I always think, why not? In Europe families go everywhere together, even through wine villages/vineyards. Why, as American’s, shouldn’t we have the same laid back mentality? I love spending time with them. Why not make it a family holiday doing things we all enjoy?

In Sonoma Valley alone, there are more than 370 wineries. Of course, even without children, it would a challenge to visit every winery. We make decisions to visit Sonoma and Napa wineries carefully when traveling with our children. Below is a list of kid-friendly wineries, restaurants and places to visit with your kids. I am sure there are MANY more, but these are tried from yours truly.

Places to stay:

There are loads of hotels in the Sonoma and Napa Valley regions, many which offer amenities for little ones. However with our children, we rent a house. For the past three years, we have rented the same home outside Sonoma Valley. It comes with a pool, bocce ball court, Ping-Pong table, trampoline and loads of bikes and other kid-friendly gadgets. The home is not fancy by any means, but it suits us perfectly. We spend many hours in the pool and playing games.

Another plus with renting a home, is that you can make your own meals. Taking a family of 4 out to dinner in Sonoma or Napa is very expensive. With a home, you can make a lunch/dinner, drink a bottle of wine, let the kids run around and everyone is happy!

Loma Vista and swimming

Being silly on Vacation

The website that I recommend is VRBO.com. Check out homes in the areas of Sonoma, Healdsburg, Calistoga, and Napa (including St. Helena, Yountville, Oakville). Santa Rosa isn’t that far either and would have good deals.

* On a personal side note: The nice thing about staying in Sonoma, is the family feel of the town. They have a Plaza with many shops, restaurants, Tuesday farmers market, a huge play area for kids, a Whole Foods, toy shops, Train Town, etc. And on the plus side, within the plaza square (where the park is), you are allowed to have beer and wine. How perfect!

Kid Friendly Wineries

This is where I have to admit, I am biased. A few are my most favorite wineries ( I have blogged about in the past).. but what I love about them, besides amazing wines, is they are accommodating with children. I know there are wineries where you don’t bring kids, period (i.e. Napa wineries-  Opus One, Silver Oak and Cakebread are a few that come to mind). I totally respect those that would prefer to keep the riff-raff of children out (and visit them when I am kid-less).

Here is a small list of wineries we have explored which welcome children.

Sonoma Valley region:

Ledson – http://www.ledson.com/

Talk about a little girls dream. This winery has a Cinderella-looking castle atmosphere (if Cinderella drank good wine). They have a little deli/picnic area and patience for the little ones. Wines are pretty remarkable as well! My husband enjoys their oaked Chardonnay! I prefer the Bellisimo.

Larson Family Winery: http://www.larsonfamilywinery.com/

Now, the complete opposite feel from Ledson, but extremely family oriented (hence family in the name). Larson winery is on a farm, with plenty of animals. And what kid doesn’t like animals? They also have games and a few bikes for kids to ride as well. This winery has the family-feeling thing down pat, pretty smart. Their wine isn’t my favorite, but a very enjoyable experience (try the Three-Lab Cab… it’s pretty delicious).

Bump: http://www.bumpwine.com/

Bump Winery

Although it’s a brand new winery and tasting room, the wine maker has been around for ages – making wines at some big known wineries in Sonoma. His tasting room isn’t made for little kids (lots of homemade pottery around), but he has small children himself.. so he is very friendly with those that want to stop by with kids. His wines are simple, but balanced eloquently. A couple of his wines could be on my top 10 favorite Sonoma wines list! Try the Fortune (a white Rhone blend) and Zinfandel when you pop in. Both are divine!

Domaine Carneros (outside Sonoma): http://www.domainecarneros.com/

I have talked about this winery in the past – one of my favorites. They make outstanding bubbles. They have a breathtaking facility and sparkling wines to match. They may not look “kid-friendly” but are very patient with kids (they have kid, non alcoholic wine). This is a place where it’s ok to bring out the IPad/IPhone for the kids. There isn’t much running around for the kids to do. But, totally worth the stop (with or without the rug-rats).

*you will meet other families with kids there, which made my girls very happy this time around. They played contently with the others, so this time there was no need for the IPhone!*

Napa Valley region:

Salvestrin Winery: http://www.salvestrinwinery.com/

Noelle enjoying Salvestrin Winery

My favorite in California wine country. Not because they make the best wines (but, they are pretty stellar) or because they have the biggest Chateau.. but because of who they are. A very unpretentious, small, family vineyard – competing some very big players in the Napa wine world (Mondovi is a few wineries away). Right off highway 29,  you drive up to their 100 year old home (which they still live in), and are welcomed as though you are family. We have been going to this winery for years now, and it really does feel like home. My girls love running through the vineyard’s, playing with the Salvestrin grandkids if they are around, or just hanging out with us on the patio set up against the vineyard. It’s a place of tranquility and amazing wines. They are appointment only, but I would HIGHLY recommend going if you are in St. Helena/Napa Valley area.

Frogs Leap: http://www.frogsleap.com

How can you not take your kids to a winery whose motto is “Times fun when you are catching flies!” This is another winery with impeccable grounds. And they want you to explore them! My girls love finding the chickens, petting the fat cat and playing outdoor games. They even give kids crayons and a frog coloring book. They also recommend making reservations. But another must-see when you are traveling with your kiddos.

Oh, and the wine is delicious too!!! Check out their Zinfandel and Cab’s! The sauv blanc is also very refreshing on a hot day.

Flora Springs: http://www.florasprings.com/

Flora Springs is a little more popular and on the touristy side. But, it is a great place to take a break, get some lunch from Dean and Deluca next door and try some wines. They have a nice patio out back (I wouldn’t recommend having your kids in the tasting room area) where you can enjoy the sun and your lunch. If you are able to taste their Sangiovese… do it! it’s pretty delicious.

Sterling Vineyard: http://sterlingvineyards.com/

This is one of those big, huge places that I often don’t promote. However, if you want a fun experience for your kids.. go visit them! To reach their winery, you have to take a Gondola ride. It’s fun (except for those who may be nervous of heights). Wines are ok… you can find them in about any grocery store throughout the country.

Healdsburg Region:

J Vineyards: http://www.jwine.com/

Bottle of J Vineyards Cuvee

Another fantastic bubbles place that is kid friendly and on beautiful grounds. They may not have activities for them or places to run around. What they offer though is patience and kindness to little ones (and animal crackers and juice). You will also need to make an appointment to visit them as well. Their rose bubbles (sold out) are killer!

Field Stone Winery: http://www.fieldstonewinery.com/

Another biased winery. My daughter Ava goes to school with the granddaughter of the winemaker. Which means they are used to having their grandchildren come by, along with other children. They are very pleasant and welcoming to kids (it’s a plus they have a horse at the winery). When you visit, you must try their Merlot!

Places to eat with your kids:

(a quick, simple list)

Sonoma:

1. The Girl and the Fig

2. Sunflower Café

3. Chocolate Cow (for dessert)

4. Tuesday Farmers Market in Sonoma Square

5. Olive and Vine – in Glen Ellen

Napa Valley Region:

1. Picnic at V. Sattui Winery

2. Rutherford Grill

3. Dean and Deluca (not a sit down, pick up for a picnic)

4. Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen

5. Gotts Roadside (rated best burgers in Food and Wine Magazine)

6. Pizzeria Tre Vigne

Kids Activities:

To make this a whole family vacation, there are loads of family activities and adventures:

1. Train Town in Sonoma – great for the little engineers in your family

2. Rent bikes in Sonoma/Napa Valley and ride through the vineyards

3. Playgrounds in Sonoma Square

4. Check out some cute shops (and toy shops) in Healdsburg

5. Safari West – outside Santa Rosa – a hit for our family vacation this year. Pricey and takes most of the day but well worth it. And you can drink wine while on the 2 hour jeep safari ride.

6. Sonoma Farmers Market

7. Stay at your rental home and swim

8. Loads of parks all over wine country

9. The Sonoma Overlook Trail (probably best for kids over 10).

10. Calistoga Hot Springs

11. Ride horses at Bodega Bay (and pick up some salt water taffy).

It’s very possible to make California Wine Country the most perfect family vacation. Its about spending time together (and having good wine). Just keep in mind that 1 or 2 wineries with small children is about all they can handle ( I have pushed it to three though). If they still take naps, visit one before and one after. Let them also have a say in what they want to do for the day. There is nothing worse then dragging cranky, tired, crying children to a winery. You will be miserable and not enjoy the wines.

If you rent a house, I would highly recommend one with a pool. It will make your vacation so much more pleasurable, especially in the summer heat. Also, plan on making a few dinners in the house, so you can enjoy the meal, wine and your family – without having to rush out of a restaurant with overly tired children.

And above all, it’s ok to  let them play on the phone/Ipad/Ipod, etc. while you are enjoying a winery. It’s not bad parenting, it’s letting yourself enjoy a little peace and quiet while focusing on the wine you are tasting. It will not rot their brains. Trust me, you will have a lot of family time and activities together. Remember this is about you, them and wine….

Cheers to you and your family!

*feel free to leave anymore family-friendly wineries/restaurants you know of in the Napa Valley/Sonoma area. This was just a small list!

Lunch in Petaluma

Treats at Chocolate Chow in Sonoma

Mom’s are also good to bring on Vacations

Ava on a Safari Jeep ride!

Sometimes you need a night out.. without the kids