Dan's Wine Shop Shakes, Rattles and Rolls

Yesterday's earthquake rattled through the desert a few minutes before the first shift was scheduled to arrive at Dan's Wine Shop in Palm Desert for two special tastings for WinewomenPSP and friends. Owner Dan Sullivan was relieved everyone and his shop escaped injury and grateful that the shaking stopped when it did. A couple more seconds and it might have been ugly.

Instead, the tremor seemed to create a chummier, more intimate tasting experience for all, perhaps because everyone was OK with no heebie-jeebies from aftershocks. Or was it because we figured if we were going down, at least we'd go down with some great wine? Whatever the reason, wine and warmth flowed.

With a cheery intro to each pour, Derek from Young's Market helped us feel at ease and eager for the rest of the lineup. Northeast Italy's Zenato 2008 Pinot Grigio gave us a great start. It's a crisp refresher with delicate green pear fruit, clean minerality and a light, lemony finish. For contrast, Ponzi 2009 Pinot Gris – a New World version of the same grape from Oregon – delivered a heftier mouthfeel with brighter fruit and a lingering finish. Growling tummy triggered pairing thoughts: Aperitif or whitefish for the first PG; heavier fish dishes, chicken or pork for the second.

Rustenberg Stellenbosch 2008 Chardonnay was a delightful surprise, especially to those new to South African wines. Medium-to-fuller bodied, it rocks the palate with rich melon, apple and pear flavors wrapped in toasty oak. Many tasters agreed with Wine Spectator's anointment as a smart-buy and 90-pointer.

Deloach Russian River Valley 2007 Pinot Noir kicked off a trio of reds. The terroir-driven and value-priced Pinot delivers a mouthful of earthy yet restrained plumy and blackberry-dark cherry fruit. Next, an Argentine that might benefit from a little more time in the bottle: Marraso 2008 Malbec with soft, jammy fruit and sweet smoke on the finish.

Dan and Derek picked a perfect closer: Incognito 2006 Red Blend, a luscious load of Lodi fruit. Dark and fragrant in the glass, this rogue rouge is a smooth blend of Mourvèdre, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Cinsault, Carignane, Tannat, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Grenache. Guests goaded by its supple taste or mysterious red masquerade bottle were loading up on this one too.

We heard raves and rants for each wine – you know, that taste thing. But the hands-down winner was a souvenir bottle many just had to have, even though it wasn't included in the tasting – Earthquake Petite Sirah, a wine that promises to "rock your world." We think we'll wait for our jitters to settle before we pop the cork on that one.

Patz & Hall: Palate or Points?

Patz & Hall put on a focused tasting tonight at Patricia Hook's Firecliff Restaurant in Palm Desert. Three Chardonnays, three Pinot Noirs – all different enough to challenge a roomful of palates.

Founded in 1988 by four wine-dedicated friends Donald Patz, James Hall, Anne Moses and Heather Patz, Patz & Hall winery turns out single-vineyard Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs. Their wines are sourced from fruit grown in diverse terroirs centered in Sonoma yet tapping into bordering Napa with its Hyde Vineyard releases, Mendocino to the north and, with its Pisoni Vineyards wines, Monterey County's Santa Lucia Highlands to the south.

Anne Moses kicked off the tasting by introducing the premier of the winery's 2008 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, an easy-drinking cool-climate chard with fresh stone fruit aromas and flavors braced by crisp acidity and minerality. Think fresh and food-friendly.

Next came our tasters' favorite: 2007 Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard. Rich with exotic fruit yet refreshing for its minerality and cleanliness on the palate, we enjoyed its elegance without overkill. As it turns out, wine critic Robert Parker agreed. He awarded this wine 94 points, the highest of all the Chardonnays tasted.

The last white was their 2007 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard, a richer, more full-bodied chard with toasty oak and candied fruit. Not our style but still a Parker 93-pointer. Patz & Hall cognoscenti advised us to hold on to this one at least another year or so to enjoy it even more. We believe!

On to Pinot Noir after a bite of Patricia Hook's mushroom crostini that kept us going. We started off with the 2007 Hyde Vineyard, the Carneros vineyard site that delivered our favorite Chardonnay. Once again, it was Hyde: a deliciously full-bodied wine with dark cherry and wild berry fruits laced with cinnamon, spice and a savory finish. What, only 92 points? Who cares, we thought.

Next, the 2007 Pinot Noir Chenoweth Ranch. This beauty from the Russian River Valley was deep, with more brooding fruit and a spiciness that pushed this taster's envelope. The Spectator gave it one more point than the Hyde.

The closer was the complex 2007 Pinot Noir Pisoni Vineyard from Monterey's Santa Lucia Highlands. The full-on mouthful was rich with chewy black and red fruits, definitely the power-Pinot. The Wine Spectator agreed with its 94-point anointment.

Blind to prices and points, this taster favored the Hyde Vineyards' Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, but knew the Pisoni would win out when served with a perfectly paired pork tenderloin dish. Other tasters compared the spicy Hyde and Chenoweth Pinots to Zinfandel – Zinfandel?! Ouch. Goes to show it's all about your palate, your taste – points and tasting notes be damned.

Thanks to all who made this happen: Patz & Hall, Patricia Hook and her Firecliff staff, Patrick and the gang at LA Wine Company and all the interested wine lovers who took the time and pleasure to taste, compare notes and share.

You'll find Patz & Hall wines on better wine lists around the valley. Seek them out, try them all. There's not a mediocre offering among them. Treat yourself.

December Holiday Wines

Remember the big Cabs and lush whites we asked you to skip at Thanksgiving? Well, it's late December and it's official: Loosen your wrists and pop those corks.

This month's holiday celebrations typically center about heartier winter fare such as rib roasts, duck and lamb. Pasta-centric Italian families dish out meat lasagne, ragù with rabbit sauce and elaborate veal dishes. Even fish dishes are sauced with a heavier hand this time of year, from beurre blanc to rémoulade. Having chest pain yet?

All these foods scream out for bigger wines. As with Thanksgiving, we suggest at least two wine choices for your holiday guests. Lead off with a lighter-bodied or higher-acid wine to tickle taste buds instead of hammering your guests' palates with the powerhouse red you've been aching to open all year long.

Check out these wines we've spotted around town to help get you through holiday meals with grace and good taste. Starred wines are value-priced at less than $15-20 a bottle at Dan's Wine Shop, LA Wine Company, Cost Plus World Market, Costco or grocers Vons, Albertsons and Ralph's.

Lighter whites: Dry Riesling (Pacific Rim°, Chateau Ste. Michelle°)

Medium-bodied whites: White Burgundy (Mâcon Villages, 2006°), McManis Viognier°

Powerhouse whites: Chardonnay (Trinitas°, California; Luca°, Argentina)

Ligher reds: Dolcetto D'Alba, Pinot Noir (Cambria, Julia's Vineyard 2006°; Becker Estate 2007°, Germany)

Medium-bodied reds: Monte Antico° (Sangiovese-based blend, 2006. Italy), Volver° (Tempranillo, 2007, Spain), Robert Hall Syrah° and Rhône de Robles° 2006, Perrin & Fils Côtes du Rhône Villages 2007°

Powerhouse reds: Orin Swift's The Prisoner (Zinfandel-based blend, California), Robert Mondavi Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon, Cannonball 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon°)

Do you have a special bottle you've saved for your holiday celebration? Stay tuned for a few of our fallen soldiers in the weeks ahead.

Thanksgiving Wines – Part 1

If you're thinking about busting out a big Napa cab or Chardonnay for your Thanksgiving meal, well, we'll be nice and say please reconsider.

Unless you plan to serve juicy steaks or lobster with butter sauce, those bold, oaked wines won't be at their best with Thanksgiving foods. Frankly, not many wines can carry an entire Thanksgiving meal given the crazy clash of flavors that ride in on stuffing, gravies, those once-yearly sides, the bird itself and your family or host's specialties.

Here are a few tips we hope you'll find helpful:

Offer two or more different wines. Depending on the size of your crowd, have more than one wine style at the table. Even though you might not care for rosé, someone else at the table probably does, or at least might be willing to give it a swirl at holiday time.

Leave the oak in the forest. Many Thanksgiving foods just don't go well with oaky wines. If you simply must have your Chard, try an unoaked variety. Not sure what's oaked and what's not? Ask your wine merchant or look for key words on the label like fresh, clean, fruity, or stainless-steel fermented that might indicate an unoaked Chardonnay. Words that imply an oaked style are toasty, vanilla, rich, smoke or creamy.

Check the alcohol percentage. High-alcohol wines will not only make you tipsier, they can also taste hot or harsh with all that food. Go slow and go low. Look for the alcohol percentage on the bottle before you buy. Choose wines below 13.5%, or save blowtorches for late in the meal. Zin lovers, beware – Zinfandels are generally higher in alcohol.

Be safe. Agree on who'll be the designated driver and stick to it. All that good food doesn't soak up alcohol and won't help your liver metabolize it any faster. Be careful not to flood your engines and if you do, give your car keys to the tee-totaler.

Next post, we'll give you a few suggestions on value-priced wines you can find around town or drop us a comment and we'll get them to you sooner. Watch for more wines we like on our Facebook page, too. Find the fan box in the right column of this blog and FAN our page today.

South African Wine Safari

Salud, salute, jabula! Jabula? Winewomen chorused the Zulu word for rejoice at our South African wine tasting safari this week as Jeremy Wilkinson of 4WinesPlusMore gave us a tour of his native land's wine country.


We were blessed by another splendid desert evening, this time at Miramonte's outdoor piazza with roaring fireplace to keep us warm. Chef Robert Nyerick prepared five separate appetizers paired to each wine, all hits.

Jeremy started us off with Cape Rock 2007 Sauvignon Blanc from the inland Robertson appellation. Refreshing and racy, we enjoyed its lime and grassy flavors with herbed goat cheese crostini.

Next came Chef's shrimp and salmon mousse brochette with a Western Cape 2008 Chardonnay from Heron's Nest. With only a gentle touch of oak, the food-friendly white showed fresh fruit flavors and medium body. Some of us caught a whiff of Riesling-like petrol, for even more interest.

Chef called the next pairing a no-brainer – we suppose so, if you're a chef. To us it was perfection: duck breast with raspberry and fig reduction served with Clos Malverne 2007 Reserve Pinotage. A cross between the Pinot Noir grape and Cinsaut, Pinotage is a South African original with flavors and aromas all its own. We enjoyed this Stellenbosch gold-medalist's lovely color, earthy fruit and soft tannins.

Also from the Stellenbosch appellation, Wolverine Creek 2006 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon proved a treat. Flavors of blackberry fruit gave way to a long, minerally finish. Each bottle is numbered – how special is that?

For a finale, bites of pumpkin-spiced cheesecake arrived with Cape Rock 2007 Special Late Harvest Gewürztraminer. Ladies deep-sniffed its rosy perfume and savored its honeyed spice flavors. We spotted dessert wine converts among men and women alike.

By evening's end, Jeremy's sign-up sheet was filling up with wine orders and contacts of those interested in joining him on a South African wine tour. Thanks to 4WinesPlusMore for a guided wine tasting of this exotic quintet. Who knew a geography lesson could be this much fun? And thanks to all of you who will remember those served by Martha's Village and Kitchen this season. Jabula!

Finery at Fleming's

With 100 wines by the glass and Patrick Milsop directing its wine program, it's a gimme that Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar in Rancho Mirage knows wine. We were tickled pink to be in their competent hands at our Hat's Off luncheon with Angel Light Academy last Saturday. We tip our hats to Operating Partner John Verhoef and his skilled staff for turning out a glorious meal and intriguing wine pairings.

A knock-out appetizer of breaded brie with jalapeño jelly was paired to an Old World Chardonnay – Forty-Six Diamonds Pouilly-Fuisse 2006, especially crafted for Fleming's with French négociant Georges DuBoeuf. Hat brims gave way to broader smiles.

Fall soup of squash, corn and lobster, perfectly textured and fresh, was a course many of us would have been happy to savor for dinner any night. Its pairing was a New World Vasse Felix Chardonnay 2007 from the cooler Margaret River area of Western Australia. The wine's crisp acidity was both balance and foil for the rich soup.

Next, a nearly fork-tender petite filet mignon was served with South Africa's Rust en Vrede Merlot 2007 from the Stellenbosch region. We took in its earthy aromas and terroir-soaked flavors. Patrick told us how Nelson Mandela chose this winery for his 2004 Nobel Peace Prize dinner. We were honored as well.

As much as we enjoyed the apricot sorbet, the luncheon's real treats were the children and young adults of Angel Light Academy. With their poise and polish at the mic, these youngsters told of their struggles in our rough-and-tumble society and how ALA helps them learn leadership and other skills necessary to overcome hardship and succeed as focused, whole and wholesome individuals. Well done, all.

Great prizes fueled a thrilling and competitive auction to aid our combined fundraising efforts.

In case you missed this one, take our word and remember Fleming's for your next night out and Angel Light Academy in your charitable giving. Our combined causes paired with a superb venue, excellent food and wine, fashion and energetic camaraderie for a memorable event. And, as you can see, it was worth going for the hats alone.

Revelations: Your Wine Palate

The sooner you learn to make sense of your wine palate, the sooner you'll be drinking wines you truly enjoy instead of those that just don't do it for you. A fun and efficient way to discover what tastes and textures you like best is to participate in a guided wine tasting. For the 15 ladies who attended such a tutorial last night, it was like finding true love.

The wine boss laid down a few ground rules: Arrive on time with a clean palate and an open mind; perfume verboten. After a few tips, an unoaked, stainless-steel fermented Oregon Chardonnay led off with clean stone fruit flavors, light-to-medium body and crisp acidity. While a few ladies wrinkled their cute noses, others wished for shrimp cocktail. Next, a California chard offered toasty oak flavors, tropical fruit and a creamy, heavier body. Noses unwrinkled, others dumped. All good – the palates are coming out.

A surprise Argentine white opened up a bouquet of floral aromas for the exotic-minded set. Eyebrows went up as noses buried into tasting glasses for long, deep breaths. By now, palates were definitely awake and frisky.

Wine Boss figured they were ready for the rosé challenge. One sip of this Provençal palate-pleaser busted the wine chauvinism of those ladies brave enough to admit rosé prejudice. Who could resist its red fruit and strawberry flavors with a hint of mint and food-friendly acidity?

Ready for red, the bright fruit lovers swooned for a Central Coast Pinot Noir's cherry scents and gorgeous color. Their sharper and savvier palates were tickled to pick up the wine's cinnamon spice and soft mouthfeel. Now we're talkin'!

Onward to a Paso Robles Syrah, which nearly silenced the group. After all that red-fruited wine, the women zeroed in on the wine's dark-fruited flavors, peppery spice and subtle tones of leather and earth. The wine mojo was swelling as the group busily jotted notes between bites of aged Gouda and treats Wine Boss served to match, not mask, each wine.

The closer red from Argentina was a mouth-filling hedonist's delight of smooth mocha and blackberry flavors. We didn't spot too many spitters or dumpers for this one either. Some ladies went back to Syrah while others double-checked that they'd actually enjoyed a rosé by going back for more. A roomful of palates had been revealed.

Because the ladies had done so well to identify different wine flavors, textures and characteristics they liked or didn't – and why – Boss brought out a final delicacy: Muscat de Beaumes de Venise, a fortified wine to weaken the knees of the staunchest dessert wine refuse-nik. More surprise, more converts, case closed.

The evening was a success all-around with great camaraderie, learning and discovery. The Girlfriend Factor's scholarship fund was enriched and the ladies went home understanding a whole new world right inside their pretty mouths: their wine palates, understood, accepted and primed for more.

Curious to try this on your own? Here's the list of tasting wines from wine shops and grocers around town that range from about $6-20 per bottle. Click on any wine to learn more:

2007 A to Z Oregon Chardonnay
2008 Bouchon California Chardonnay
2008 Crios de Susana Balbo Torrontés
2008 Chateau Routas Rosé
2006 Cambria Pinot Noir, Julia's Vineyard
2006 Robert Hall Paso Robles Syrah
2005 Zolo Malbec Reserva
2007 André Andrieux Muscat de Beaumes de Venise

Cheers!

Cute Wine Labels, Pretty Bottles

Have you ever bought a wine because the label or the bottle was just plain irresistible? What about Antinori's white wine that came in a green, fish-shaped bottle complete with scales? We'll admit it if you will too.

Wine buyers aren't immune to clever marketing ploys. Fact is, some wine label designers are pretty savvy cats who work the label or bottle design as prime wine-selling real estate.

A label's design can raise or lower a wine's shelf-appeal, regardless of what's actually in the bottle. At their best, clever or beautiful labels can trump a wine's price barrier and trigger sales. A dull label on a terrific wine might cause shoppers unfamiliar with the wine's quality to bypass it in favor of one with a snazzier label. On the other hand, a label with fetching colors, captivating design or sex appeal can land the sale – after all, you might subconsciously figure, how can you not enjoy a wine whose label promises so much?

Lately, a couple of messages-in-a-bottle worked their subliminal magic on us. We were hooked by one look at the label of Mad Housewife 2007 Chardonnay. What better bottle could we bring to girlfriends' weekend on Balboa? Or, as the winery asks on its Web site, What's Domestic Bliss Without a Little Wine?


In the glass, Mad Housewife was drinkable but hardly complex. Fruity flavors of apples and pears were mixed with a moderate amount of oakiness. With only a $4 price-tag, the goofy front and back labels alone gave us our monies worth in pleasure.

More recently, we couldn't resist a Languedoc wine in a pretty green bottle. Made from the obscure Picpoul grape, the 2008 Coteaux du Languedoc Picpoul de Pinet takes root from fruit grown in clay and limestone soils known for producing light white wines that pair well with the region's marine-based cuisine. Of course, we didn't know any of that when we saw Pretty Green Bottle that hot day. Instead, it had the come-hither look of a thirst-quencher. At around $9 at LA Wine Company and with Patrick's endorsement, we took the chance.

This time, what was inside the bottle mattered. The 100% Picpoul delivered clean flavors of juicy apple and green melon with refreshing acidity and enough complexity to keep our interest. Choose it as an aperitif or enjoy it with light summer fare or shellfish. At 12.5% alcohol, you'll stay cool through the dog days of August.

What pretty bottles or cool labels have you come across this summer? Did the wine deliver or was it just a pretty face? Either way, we hope it was fun.

Making New Friends

Coachella Valley Alumnae Panhellenic spring-loaded our Spring Fling at Centre Court Restaurant with plenty of energy and laughter. Those lovely ladies came early, stayed late and made every minute in between a party.

All elements that make being part of Winewomenpsp so rewarding were there: A world-class venue in La Quinta Resort and Spa, nature's dramatic mountain backdrop, inventive cuisine and unexpected wine pairings. Layer that with interesting people to meet, friendly conversation and a charity that awards scholarships to ladies who graduate from our local high schools and you can bet it was a rousing night.

Tasty courtside hors d'oeuvres tipped us off to the treats that lie ahead. To stave away thirst, we kept Creative Wine International's cheerful Phil Molnar busy pouring food-friendly 2006 Godwin Floral Clone Russian River Chardonnay. Inside the tennis-decorated restaurant awaited light and refreshing chilled white heirloom tomato consommé with cucumber relish paired to Pushback Sauvignon Blanc. Newbie 30-year-old Napa winemaker Nick Floulis blends a small amount of Semillon to his first-release wine for added body, floral notes and versatility with food.

After the grilled shrimp course came the crowd-pleaser: Fork-tender braised short ribs served with Mettler Epicenter Old Vine Zinfandel. The unzinny zin lacked the one-dimensional raisiny flavors that make some zins unpalatable with many foods or too assertive to sip alone. Instead, we found the Epicenter rich with ripe berry fruit, espresso backflavors and balanced tannins. Straight outta Lodi, the 2006 Epicenter snagged silver medal at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition – thanks for serving up an award-winner, Phil.

We probably did enough swooning over Sauternes in our last post. Thanks to Kathleen, CVAP, Ed, Phil, Michelle and all who made this a special event. If you missed it, book your lunch reservation at Centre Court and call Dan at Dan's Wine Shop in Palm Desert at 760.674.0305 to find out if he salvaged any Godwin chard or Mettler Epicenter zin we didn't polish off.