Sawmill Mountain Vineyards

Over a year has passed and so much has changed.  My husband and I welcomed our first child, Lillian Eve, on June 13th.  She has brought so much joy to our family and we can't believe how fast she is growing!  Also very exciting, my family and I  have planted a vineyard!

The dream of having our own wine someday has been talked about and talked about for years and finally this year we took the first step in achieving this dream.  I would like to say that I am the brains behind the operation, but truly I must give most of the credit to my father, whose dedication and labor made the vineyard really come together.  We prepared two separate plots of land on my parent's ranch, which together make up about 2 acres of vines.  We planted 5 different grape varietals including: Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Cabernet Franc, Grenache and Tempranillo.  We had a late start, but we finally got the vines in the ground this June.  We hope and prayed they would survive and to our delight they have thrived.  We gave the vineyard the ranches original name, Sawmill Mountain. I have attached some photos of how the vines are looking this fall.  They will soon become dormant for winter, but I will keep you updated on our progress.

A look at our Pinot Noir Vines

My father, Lily and Me

Had to include a pic of the cute newlyweds, James and Ashley :)

 A view of some of our Cabernet Franc and Grenache vines

Some of the leaves starting to change for fall

Ciao Italy!!!

I just returned home from an amazing two week vacation in Italy.  It was a trip of a lifetime that I got to share with my lovely mother and aunt.  We visited five beautiful cities and learned how to have fun the Italian way.  From wine to limoncello and everything in between we drank our way into Italian bliss.

One of our favorite restaurants "Buca Mario" while in Florence

Sipping Prosecco while overlooking the rolling hills of Gavorrano in the Tuscany Valley

Conti di San Bonifacio vineyard

Wine tour with the proprietor of Conti di San Bonifacio

The Italian"Spritz"
(a blend of Prosecco, Aperol or Campari, sparkling water and garnished with an orange)

Brunello di Montalcino
(a red wine made from the Sangiovese grapes from the Tuscan region of Montalcino)

Limoncello
(an Italian liqueur made from lemon zest or peels that have been steeped in alcohol)

Rosenthal Estate Winery

As you cruise along the Pacific Coast Highway in the heart of Malibu you will find Rosenthal's brand new tasting room. The new venue has spacious parking, a grassy picnic area and a beautiful view of the ocean.  Although the tasting room is new, the winery itself has been around since 1991.  The founder, George Rosenthal, began planting vines on his Malibu estate in 1987 and now currently operates a 32 acre vineyard in Malibu Newton Canyon.  This distinct microclimate is now recognized as an AVA (American Viticultural Area) just four miles inland from the coast.

Along with the Rosenthal label, the winery has teamed up with the Surfrider Foundation.  They have created a custom label featuring different professional surfers.  Currently their 2009 Central Coast Chardonnay features the Surfrider label.  For each bottle sold a donation is made to the foundation.  


The following are two of my favorites from the tasting:
2010 Rosenthal Viognier, Malibu Newton Canyon $24.00
Very classic nose of apricot, white peach and sweet honeysuckle.  On the palate it was surprisingly light bodied and had a refreshing burst of acidity.


2005 Rosenthal Meritage, Malibu Newton Canyon $49.00
Aromas of dark fruit and oak.  On the palate it was full bodied, but showed refined flavors of blackberry, black currant, vanilla and spice.


The winery is one of the larger producers in the area and I commonly see it at our local grocery store.  For those not in the area, you will most likely will find the wine at Total Wine & More.

Bella Victorian Vineyard

In the charming downtown of Camarillo is Bella Victorian Vineyard's tasting room and bistro.  The place is literally a hole in the wall, but it's small setting gives you a cozy and intimate feel. You can enjoy your tasting at the bar or at a private table with your meal.  The bistro and tasting room is open Wednesday-Sunday for lunch and dinner.  The winery specializes in limited production wines that are carefully handcrafted to perfection.  As with most of the wineries in this area, Bella Victorian blends their own grapes with those sourced along the California coast.
Some of my favorites from the tasting included:
"The Painted Lady" Chardonnay, Santa Rita Hills 2009
"Romeo" Grenache, Santa Barbara County 2008
"The Garage" Syrah, California 2007

Due to their limited case production the wine is sold exclusively at the tasting room and to their wine club members.  The family vineyard is located along the foot of the Conejo Mountains.  It showcases rolling hillsides and the families beautiful Victorian home that has become a popular wedding venue.  I highly recommend stopping in for a bite and a taste if you are ever in the area.

Exploring the Ventura County Wine Trail

The blog is back and I'm ready for a new adventure in wine!  As I was searching for ideas of what to write about this season, it occurred to me that I have a growing wine trail in my own backyard: the Ventura County Wine Trail.  I have made it my goal this year to visit each winery currently listed on the map.  There are over 20 wineries spreading all the way from Calabasas to Ojai.  I am eager to learn more about this growing wine region and find out what my new favorites might be.

First Stop: Herzog Wine Cellars

Herzog is located just a few miles off the 101 in Oxnard.  Their current tasting room is a beautiful state-of-the-art facility. It includes a a fine dining restaurant, Tierra Sur, specializing in Mediterranean style cuisine.  Herzog has a long history in the wine business, extending back over a 100 years to the Baron Philip Herzog, who made wine for the Emperor Franz-Josef and the Austro-Hungarian court.  Present day, you can find Herzog wines at most retail stores including Trader Joe's under the label Baron Herzog.  The large production winery sources grapes from all over California and has multiple limited production labels including: Special Reserve Herzog, Weinstock and Jeunesse.  The winery is also unique in that it is completely Kosher.  All the wines are produced following traditional Judaism religious laws.  To learn more about the winery visit their website at www.herzogwinecellars.com

Here are some tasting notes from my trip:

2008 Weinstock Cellars, Chardonnay, Sonoma County $20.00

Aromas of sweet cream, red apple and toast.  On the palate the wine has a silky texture, balanced acidity and finishes with lots of butter and oak flavors.

2009 Baron Herzog, Cabernet Sauvignon, Central Coast $13.00

Aromas of plum, black cherry and dark berries. This easy drinking cab is light bodied and would go great with food.

2010 Weinstock Cellars, Alicante Bouchet, Mendocino $20.00

This unique varietal usually used as a blending grape is very soft on the palate for being so young.  It has bright flavors of red cherry, cranberry, plum and a hint of spice. *One of my favorites

2007 Herzog, Special Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley $38.00

Aromas of red currant, black cherry, black berry and spice.  On the palate the wine is medium bodied with big bold tannins.  It finishes dry with hints of vanilla and oak.

  

My Favorite Sangria Recipes for Summer

Ali's 4th of July Sangria
3 bottles Sauvignon Blanc
8 oz Vodka
1 bottle White Cranberry Juice
2 cup blueberries
2 cup raspberries
2 sliced lemons
Preparation:
Mix wine, vodka and cranberry juice in a large pitcher.  Add fruit to your liking, reserve some for garnish.  Chill in fridge for minimum 3 hours.  Serve over ice.
Makes approximately 20-25 servings, depending on who's drinking :)


Traditional Red Wine Sangria
1 bottle of red wine
1 lemon cut into wedges
1 orange cut into wedges
1 lime cut into wedges
2 tbsp. sugar
splash of orange juice
2 shots of gin
1 cup of raspberries or strawberries
1 small can of diced pineapples (with juice)
4 cups ginger ale
Preparation:
Pour wine into pitcher, squeeze juice from lemon, orange and lime wedges into wine, then drop in wedges.  Add pineapple, sugar, orange juice and gin.  Chill overnight.  Add ginger ale, berries and ice before serving.


Sparkling Sangria
1 cup brandy
1/2 cup orange liqueur
1/4 cup sugar, super fine
1 orange, thinly sliced
1 pint raspberries
1 lime, thinly sliced
1 lemon, thinly sliced
2 bottles sparkling wine or cava, chilled
Preparation:
In a large pitcher, combine the brandy, orange liqueur. Pour in the sugar, stir or shake the pitcher thoroughly to mix until the sugar dissolves.  Add all the fruit at once. Add the cava and serve as is or on ice.
Recipe courtesy Michael Chairello


Rose Sangria Spritzer
2 bottles cold rose wine
1 green apple, thinly sliced
1 orange, halved and thinly sliced
1 pint fresh raspberries
simple syrup, to taste
ice cubes
fresh mint leaves, for garnish
club soda, cold
Preparation:
Combine wine, apple, orange, raspberries in a pitcher, add simple syrup, to taste. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day. Serve over ice, garnish with mint and top with a few splashes of club soda, if desired.
Recipe courtesy Bobby Flay

Tuscan Wine Dinner at Panzanella

Last Tuesday we enjoyed an amazing wine dinner at Panzanella Italian Restaurant in Sherman Oaks.  The event was put on by the Duke of Bourbon, a rare wine and spirit retailer in Canoga Park.  Each month they organize different events for their customers that highlight some of the unique wines currently offered in their store.  For this particular dinner they had a representative from Winebow, one of the largest importers and distributors of International wines, take us through a 5 course meal paired with wines from Tuscany. 

Some highlights of the meal included:

 Crispy Rice with Ahi Tuna Tartare paired with 

NV Zardetto Prosecco Cuvee Brut 

Octopus Carpaccio with 2007 Altesino, Rosso di Altesino, Super Tuscan

Artesian Rigatoni with Veal and Porcini Mushroom Ragu paired with 

2006 Castello di Bossi, Chianti Classico

Roasted Breast of Duck with Polenta and a Cherry Port Wine Sauce paired with 

2006 Poggio a Tesoro, Sondraia, Super Tuscan

The evening was definitely a treat.  For more information on the wines or Panzanella check out the links above.