And now for something COMPLETELY different: Bosnian wine.

Last night I was feeling a little adventurous. There was a distinct fall chill in the late summer air and the mood called for a more full-bodied white. Enter Čitluk Kameno, a beautiful white wine from Čitluk Winery, located in the Mostar region of Bosnia-Herzegovina.

The Kameno is made from 90% Žilavka (a Bosnian varietal known for its nutty aroma and flavors) and 10% Bena.

On the nose are distinct notes of honey, apricot, and a little petrol. The honeyed quality and apricot carry over to the palate, as well as some lovely nutty, buttery notes.

This wine is full-bodied and mouth-filling with little to no “bite.” I happen to LOVE “bite” in my white wine, but thought this smooth sucker was a lovely change of pace. It’s definitely a great food wine- I’d recommend pairing it with seafood or a creamy pasta. And for such a reasonable price (you can find this for under $10), you’ve really got nothing to lose.

It’s FINALLY starting to feel like summer here in Santa Monica (oh hey, end of August) so I thought it would be appropriate to introduce you all to a light, zippy, yummy, and best of all CHEAP Gruner Veltliner. For those of you who have never tried or perhaps have never even heard of Gruner Veltliner (no judgement), it is Austria’s signature grape, both in terms of the quantity in which it’s produced and the quality of the wine.

This here Gruner weighs in at one liter (take THAT, 750ml bottles) and has a classic Gruner nose of pepper, grapefruit, and a little grass. On the palate it’s fresh, surprisingly juicy, light, crisp, and dangerously easy to throw back. The price? $10.99. Under 11 bucks for a LITER of quality booze? Yes, please!

Tonight is the perfect summer night to pick up a Gruner Veltliner, especially if you’ve never had the chance to try it before. And hey, with that price point you’ve really got nothing to lose. Cheers, winos!

I bought the 2005 Addamo Vineyards Syrah for $12.99 at my local Whole Foods (it retails between $18-28 bucks- WHAT?) and it knocked my little wino socks off.

On the nose: raspberry, white pepper, blackberry
The palate: mouth-filling, juicy red fruit, plums, long finish of pepper and a hint of oak.

It was a totally affordable and delicious party in my mouth. Git’ yo self to Whole Foods STAT and swoop up this bad boy.

]]> http://winosanonymousblog.com/2010/08/13/addamo-vineyards-syrah-2005/feed/ 2 carlyseward IMG_8049 http://winosanonymousblog.com/2010/07/29/day-trip-to-paso-robles-vines-on-the-marycrest/ http://winosanonymousblog.com/2010/07/29/day-trip-to-paso-robles-vines-on-the-marycrest/#comments Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:50:20 +0000 carly http://winosanonymousblog.com/?p=452 ]]> I first met Victor Abascal, winemaker and owner of Vines on the Marycrest, on my birthday at Corkbar in LA. He was sitting next to Beau and I at the bar and we, as per usual, had ordered WAY too much food. There was no way we were going to finish all of our cheese gougeres (or cheesy poofs, as I like to call them) so I offered some to Victor. He gladly accepted and we got to chatting… and it turns out he makes “My Generation”- one of my favorite blends at Corkbar! I promised I’d come visit his vineyard in Paso Robles and this past Sunday I made good on that promise!

Vines on the Marycrest is truly a family operation- their home is on their vineyard and their tasting room is next to their home. Jenni, Victor’s beautiful wife, greeted my friend Derek and me upon our arrival, and we were soon greeted by their two adorable children and 3 kittens (heart= melted.)

Jenni and the kids- photo courtesy of Vinesonthemarycrest.com

The Abascals have a generous air about them that is palpable- they do a wonderful job of making you feel at home while you visit their property. They also happen to make some DELISH (and award-winning) Rhone-blends and Zinfandel… my kind of people.

We tasted the following wines (descriptions courtesy of Victor and Jenni with a little input from yours truly):

• 2009 Summertime Rosé (68% Grenache, 15% Mourvedre, 9% Syrah, 8% Zinfandel)- crisp, clear, and bright fruit with a long finish with notes of honeysuckle, meringue & melon on the tongue and peach in the nose. A great dry and complex rosé for those people, like moi, who have or have had a ‘tude about rosé. Drink now.
• 2007 Heart of Glass (60% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre, 20% Syrah) Silver Medal Winner at the 2010 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition- bright aromas of red fruit with a hint of cedar and herbs de Provence; A mid-palate of berry and cocoa leads into a long finish. Drink now or cellar until 2013.
• 2005 ‘Round Midnight (45% Syrah, 33% Grenache, 22% Mourvedre) Silver Medal Winner 2008 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition- classic Syrah nose of white pepper, fruit and bacon fat, and has a spicy, savory finish. Drink now through 2013.
• 2007 Satin Doll (57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Syrah, 9% Cabernet Franc, 9% Merlot) Silver Medal Winner 2010 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition- dense and complex, with aromas of blackcurrent, cranberry, and toasted oak with a hint of cedar and leather. On the palate, its flavors comprise cassis and raspberry. This Cab-blend is a keeper with a cellaring potential of 5-8 years.
• 2007 My Generation (58% Zinfandel, 21% Syrah, 14% Mourvedre, 7% Petite Sirah) GOLD Medal Winner 2010 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition- fruit forward with a firm structure- my favorite of Victor’s blends!

Victor also has some wonderful 2007 single varietals- Zinfandel, Syrah, and Petite Sirah. I tasted and bought the Zinfandel- ’twas DELISH.

Next time you’re in Paso Robles, you MUST visit the Abascal family at Vines on the Marycrest. You’ll be taken care of AND you’ll taste some incredible wines.

And I'll leave you with this- best. sign. ever.

]]> http://winosanonymousblog.com/2010/07/29/day-trip-to-paso-robles-vines-on-the-marycrest/feed/ 0 carlyseward IMG_8028 babies kiss small IMG_8031 IMG_8032 http://winosanonymousblog.com/2010/07/26/vines-on-the-marycrest-tour/ http://winosanonymousblog.com/2010/07/26/vines-on-the-marycrest-tour/#comments Mon, 26 Jul 2010 22:18:13 +0000 carly http://winosanonymousblog.com/?p=440 ]]> Hey gang! I had the most WONDERFUL day trip to Paso Robles yesterday, so stay tuned for some posts about Paso later this week. In the meantime, I thought I’d share with you the video I took of Victor Abascal, winemaker and owner of Vines on the Marycrest, giving my buddy Derek and me a tour of his beautiful property. Warning- it turns out I am unable to use a camcorder and sound remotely intelligent at the same time. My bad. Just listen to Victor and Derek sounding smart and ignore my outbursts and squeals. Enjoy, winos!

Well, good sir, I finally did… and it was delightful (and so is your story.)

I had heard actually heard about Hocus Pocus from a friend, who kept talking up the former female sommelier at AOC Wine Bistro (Amy Christine, the other half of Black Sheep Finds- Peter is her hubs. You can read a nice little interview about their story and see a picture of them here. Aren’t they lovely?)

Anywho, I had a bit of a Roberta-Flack-Strumming-My-Pain moment when I read Amy’s bio and felt as if I were reading my own: “I was just a number. That’s how I came to wine. I was one of 400,000 blonds trying to make a living on the big screen in LA. One word here on The Drew Carey Show and two lines there on the The Young and the Restless does not an actress make. The longer I was an actress, I mean a waitress, the more time I found to drown my casting rejections in fine wine, eventually becoming a sommelier.” Ummm story of my life. Literally.

It is with this personal affinity for both the couple’s story and the fun-loving attitude with which they approach the wine business that I am happy to introduce you to their 2008 Hocus Pocus Syrah. It’s a sexy, jammy, spicy little vixen of a wine with a big burst of fruit and white pepper to keep you on your toes and a seductive silky finish to leave you wanting more. And more. And more. Long story short, I finished the bottle in one sitting (with a little help from Beau, who snuck a glass or two for himself.) The best part about this sassy Syrah is that it’s under 20 bucks- I got it at K&L for $17.99. Now go pick up a bottle and experience the sass for yourself.

]]> http://winosanonymousblog.com/2010/07/22/hocus-pocus-syrah-2008/feed/ 2 carlyseward IMG_8021 http://winosanonymousblog.com/2010/07/19/day-trip-to-sonoma-napa/ http://winosanonymousblog.com/2010/07/19/day-trip-to-sonoma-napa/#comments Mon, 19 Jul 2010 19:05:50 +0000 carly http://winosanonymousblog.com/?p=413 ]]> I feel as if I have been to Mecca, fellow winos. You see, ever since I was a little wino I’ve always dreamed of tasting in Sonoma and Napa Valley and though it was a very short trip, it exceeded my expectations.

Last week while visiting Beau’s family in Marin, we took a day trip up to Sonoma with my friend Meg from Carr Winery and her beau, Scot. Our first stop was a sparkling house- Gloria Ferrer. The great thing about Gloria Ferrer (aside from their yummy bubbly) is that they have a beautiful outdoor patio overlooking the vineyards and hills of Sonoma and they don’t mind if you bring outside food while you taste- how cool is that?

Beautiful Meg (and the boys behind her) on the breathtaking patio at Gloria Ferrer

Meg came prepared with a feast of epic proportions: lemon and blueberry scones, homemade cheese (what? I know!), charcuterie, etc. etc. Basically, we were spoiled to begin with… then came the assortment of bubbly the kind folks at Gloria Ferrer picked out for us.

The perks of tasting with a member of the industry...

Our two favorites were the 1999 Carneros Cuvee and the 2006 Brut Rose. Note- unlike most wineries, Gloria Ferrer doesn’t have a traditional tasting, but they sell bubbly by the glass. You can get a 2 oz pour of their still wines, however. They also offer a public tour at 11:00, 1:00, and 3:00 pm daily. The cost for that is $10 per person and it includes 2 sparkling wine tastes. Whatever you choose, I would definitely recommend bringing a picnic lunch!

Next it was off to downtown Sonoma, where we tasted at a wonderful boutique winery off the main square called Roessler Cellars:

Scot looking sassy in front of the Roessler tasting room

Roessler specializes in Burgundian varietals (ummm music to my ears… and taste buds.) While we were there they were tasting a delicious, not-overly-oaky Chardonnay (yes, I’m kind of into Chardonnay now… can’t a girl change her mind?) and at least SIX Pinot Noirs. Confession: I kind of lost track and didn’t take any notes because I was in straight-up ecstasy. Their wines were UNREAL. Each Pinot seemed to be better than the last- we honestly couldn’t decide which one we liked best. If you’re a Pinot Noir fan and you’re planning on taking a trip to Sonoma, it would simply be irresponsible NOT to visit Roessler. And because their winery is a converted cottage-style home, you can either taste outside on their sweet little front patio (which is what we did) or in their charming tasting room:

Charming, isn't it?

Last but not least, we made a quick jaunt to Napa Valley to visit Meg and Scot’s buddy Brett, the cellar master at Plumpjack Winery. Brett was kind enough to let us taste with him after-hours, VIP style. First, he set out three wines to try:

The 2007 Merlot, Syrah, and Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. Mama likes.

All of them were incredible and would have been enough to satisfy my rabid appetite for delicious wines, but Brett spoiled us further… he let us taste from the barrel. It was my first time barrel tasting and I can only pray to the wine gods above it shant be my last- SUCH a cool (and delicious) experience. The final wine we got to taste from the barrel was the 2008 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, clocking in at around $200/bottle (btw- the 2007 Reserve got a 99 from Robert Parker, which is pretty much unheard of.) Though this bad boy was well out of my price range I will forever remember how much he tasted like buttah. LIKE BUTTAH. One day, I shall make you mine, Plumpjack 2007 Reserve. You will be mine.

Thank you so much Meg, Scot, and Brett for showing us such a memorable, wonderful time in Sonoma and Napa. I’m so blessed to have such great friends as ya’ll and I can’t wait to come back up and visit (sooner rather than later!) xoxo

That’s right… as I type this I’m feeling a nice little buzz from my 4th date with this Chilean (the 2009 Yali Winemaker’s Selection Sauvignon Blanc if you want to be technical about it.) Why have I gone to this wine 4 times in a row? Well, first of all there’s the price- around 9 bucks (SCORE!) And second of all, it’s freakin’ delicious. It’s zingy, bright, and crisp with notes of lime, a little green pepper, just the right amount of grass, and a lovely minerality. The result is a dangerously easy-sipping wine that pairs well with just about any fresh summer meal you can think of. Tonight I paired it with cod in a spicy cilantro marinade BUT before you go and start thinking I’m classy, I should let you know last night I paired this with peanut butter. Ok then. Drink up, winos!