posted 11-07-2010 07:43 AM            

I have had wineries tell me OVER THE PHONE and in a not very friendly way, that their tasting fee is $40.00 which will apply if you purchase six bottles of their wine. "What if I don't like your d@@n wine." Now, we purchase a lot of wine, but I will not be blackmailed into purchasing even if it is the best wine in the world. Needless to say, we did not go tasting there.

There are some very good Merlot wines around. Some that come to mind are Sawyer, Duck Horn, Girard, Jessup, etc., but then each year is different, so this year's great Merlot may be next year's bomb.

Damombo, we are looking forward to seeing your itinerary. I think I am beginning to get jealous already, but then your reports will help. I did get a notice of the Wine Blog that mentioned my itinerary around Healdsburg, and no, I do not have the big head because I saw some things I would change had I had the chance. Some grammar also.

posted 11-05-2010 11:06 AM         

Damambo, have you got your itinerary finished yet??

posted 11-05-2010 08:12 AM            

We would not think about starting to drink at 10:00 AM at home but since we were on Pacific Time, and it would be 1:00 PM at home, so we did not hesitate to make our 10:00 AM scheduled appearance at Jessup Cellars in Yountville. We have been members of their club but presently have the membership on hold, but they treated us as members anyway. Dan Robson was our host at a wine and food pairing. Dan is a great host and if you listen, he knows what he is talking about. The ‘07 NV Merlot was excellent even if you are not a Merlot person. The ‘06 NV Zin was excellent and if we hadn’t run into the ‘04 NV Library Cab, would have been our choice. But, the ‘04 NV Reserve Cab was outstanding with a big bold palate and a long smooth finish. Two bottles of this followed us home.

Next on the agenda was Bell Wine Cellars. I think it was Damombo that mentioned this one. We tasted the ‘07 Chardonnay which was not in my style, the ‘07 Claret Cab which I thought was very nice and the ‘06 NV Cab which was even better. At $45.00 per bottle, I couldn’t resist bringing at least one bottle home.

We are wine club members at Girard, one of our favorite stops in Yountville. We decided to go for the wine and food pairing and make that our lunch. We always request Eric as our host and on this day, he was his usual charming self. I am not sure how many wines we tasted, but he kept bringing more back to our private room. The ‘09 Sauvignon Blanc was very nice and at $16.00 per bottle, we thought a bargain. Next, that I remember, was the ‘08 Old Vine Zin which was bold, peppery, with a long finish. At $24.00 per bottle, how could you pass up that one? Their Artistry, a blend of 59% Cab, 19% Cab Franc, 4% Malbec, 5% Petit Syrah, and 6% Merlot is their signature wine and tasting very good. Then we moved on to the GOOD stuff. the ‘06 Diamond Mountain Cab I had marked WOW! BIG, BOLD and a double WOW! Follow this with the ‘07 Mt. Veeder Cab, and you have had two of the better Cabs in the Valley. Girard is a MUST visit for us. Plus, they have the coolest bathrooms in the valley!

Again, I think Damombo mentioned Baldacci on the Message Board, and I was really looking forward to this visit because they are basically Cab people. We tasted 5 different Cabs, and not a shabby one in the lot. We shipped the ‘07 IV Sons Cab, the ‘07 Diamond Mountain Cab, and the ‘07 Brenda’s Vineyard Cab to our home address.

Thursday morning, October 28, was our departure date. we had one space to fill the final case that I was shipping home so we stopped at Sawyer Cellars and purchased a bottle of their ‘06 Merlot. I am not a Merlot lover, but in my opinion, Sawyer makes one of the better ones around with lots of body. The second case complete, we headed for Buffalo Shipping. I have used them for years and have never had a problem. I keep an inventory as I purchase, so I was ready to fill out their shipping information.

Yes, Dorothy, there is a yellow brick road, only it is California not Kansas, and it is paved with purple. Meticulously blended by the Wizards of Ox with their magic broomsticks, they turn the grape into real gold bricks. They got more than their share of mine this trip.