07/10/07 – our next trip (Napa/Sonoma reds)

By Jesse on July 9, 2007

Winers,

First, please thoroughly enjoy this freaking hilarious article about the state of wine tasting in Long Island (and, it sounds like, elsewhere in the country) that Daniella found in the Times: New York Wineries Face Tastings Gone Wild.  Maybe that’s why we got turned away from Brander, because they assumed we wanted to run naked around the vines and vomit in the swill bucket.

This is week two of discussing our preparations for the big weekend trip to Napa/Sonoma that we’ve been talking about for years.  The time has come to finally make that dream a reality.  Among the questions that will be discussed are:

1.  Are we going to Napa, to Sonoma, or to both?
2.  Which weekend are we going to select?
3.  Which wineries are we going to visit?

The last question is one that will perhaps be made easier to answer by finding some wines that we really like from Napa and Sonoma wineries.  It’s always fun to visit a place whose wines you already enjoy.

Last week we did whites, so this week it’s reds.  Please bring any red wine from Napa or Sonoma .  Remember, these are very prolific regions with a lot of specificity beyond just “Napa Valley” and “Sonoma County” — Sonoma includes Russian River, Dry Creek, Alexander Valley, Sonoma Valley, and Sonoma Mountain, while Napa includes Stag’s Leap, Rutherford, Spring Mountain, and more.  Often wines made from a more particular AVA than just the blanket terms of Napa or Sonoma will allegedly display more interesting terroir.  Don’t just grab the first bottle you see… get something that you know you like, or that looks particularly interesting, and be prepared to discuss why your vineyard of choice would make a good stop on our road trip.

This week we’re at Daphne’s place in Santa Monica.  Via Sasha and Noah, she’s asked me to remind you all that seating is not as extensive there as it is in some other locations, so visitors might be well-advised to bring a chair if they can remember to.  Please bring a delicious Napa or Sonoma red — and, as so many of you neglected to do last week, some tasting notes, an anecdote explaining why you selected the particular wine, or the actual winemaker himself.  Make some effort, people.  Thrill me with your devotion.  We’ll see your overzealous asses on Tuesday at 9pm.

Jesse