I recently had the opportunity to go visit my uncle and his beautiful family in St. Helena, Napa Valley. Needless to say it was an incredible time spent with family, great food, and of course, a lot of wine. Below are some snapshots of my week in Napa. Enjoy!
Buying the perfect wine for your boss around the holidays is never easy. First of all, you think, “I’m not getting paid enough to be buying extra gifts.” Then you think, “If I don’t get my boss the perfect gift, I’m pretty sure they’ll subconsciously hate me, and then I’ll lose my job” (panic ensues).
When in doubt, go with booze. I’m pretty sure Santa goes by that FYI. That’s why I got my boss Broadside Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles. I chose this wine because it is classic enough to be approachable for most people, but also special in that it’s artisanal and not your usual “Napa Cab.”
This Broadside, has those Cab Sauv qualities most people like (rich, dark, a little tannic), but is surprisingly subtle, balanced and not overpowered by oak and fruit flavors.
If you’re a lowly assistant like me, you probably aren’t rolling in the Benjamins. The great thing about this wine? $20 a bottle. BOOM.
Now to write the card…
We went to Bäco Mercat after a lovely afternoon of taking photos for Grapejuice. What to pair with the spirit at this LA fave? We decided on Bow & Arrow Pinot Noir Medici Vineyard 2011 coming out of Portland, OR. Both the food and the drink embody something that is new, exciting and delicious.
Pinot Noir tends to be a safe wine to pair with a variety of food. It’s a nice “when in doubt” wine. This family owned winery makes one that is out of the ordinary (if your ordinary is rich California Pinots). The wine and the food stood side by side in harmony. Mellow and simple yet complex flavors and no disappointment all around. Initially we said, “OK, we’re going to have a light lunch and just one drink then call it a night”. Forget that.
This also brings up a thought we will address in the future:
Bringing your own wine into restaurants, yay or nay? We’d love to hear your thoughts!
