Hello Gang!Again with the apologies. I'm not used to my new schedule yet and finding time to sit down and explain it all has been hard to find. Can I just say I'm sorry now and that will cover the next 8 or so years until I'm a Master Sommelier?
A quick note to alleviate all fears of my potential spiral downwards: this week at school has been good. Very good. Our main instructor, Master Sommelier David Glancy (http://www.mastersommeliers.org/member=29) took over teaching and it has made all the difference. He is funny, informative and relatable. He's my kind of wine snob. His delight of the alcohol infused grape juice is infectious.
Monday his lecture was on service and presentation of wine. Specifically sparkling wine. And I can't wait to share about that class, including the fact that nobody died when I opened my bottle. However, that story will have to wait because I have another topic I want to address today. (Oh, I'm a tease, I know. I've been called worse.)
Today was the first of two field trips to a vineyard. And most importantly: I GOT TO WEAR JEANS. For those of you who don't know, I have been assigned a ridiculously strict dress code for class. For the next three months I have to wear suits, dresses, heels, pantyhose... you name an uncomfortable item of clothing and I'll be in it. But not today or tomorrow. Our entire class did the Happy Jean Dance when we met up this morning on our way to Ridge Vineyards: http://www.ridgewine.com/visiting/visiting.tml.
Monday his lecture was on service and presentation of wine. Specifically sparkling wine. And I can't wait to share about that class, including the fact that nobody died when I opened my bottle. However, that story will have to wait because I have another topic I want to address today. (Oh, I'm a tease, I know. I've been called worse.)
Today was the first of two field trips to a vineyard. And most importantly: I GOT TO WEAR JEANS. For those of you who don't know, I have been assigned a ridiculously strict dress code for class. For the next three months I have to wear suits, dresses, heels, pantyhose... you name an uncomfortable item of clothing and I'll be in it. But not today or tomorrow. Our entire class did the Happy Jean Dance when we met up this morning on our way to Ridge Vineyards: http://www.ridgewine.com/visiting/visiting.tml.
Dad and I had the great pleasure of visiting this vineyard, on David's recommendation, when we initially toured the school back in August. I was excited to go back and experience behind the scenes.
Ridge got it's name because it is literally up on a ridge. 2700 feet elevation. To get there from school you have to travel up the most narrow, twisty-turny road you've ever encountered. I've always heard of hairpin turns, now I've experienced them. It takes 20 minutes to go up the road (4.7 miles) to the top of the mountian.Winemaker Eric was our guide for the day. He graduated UC Santa Cruz with a degree in bio-chemistry (I KNOW) and decided to work at the Ridge Lab the summer after college. He never left. He's been there for 14 years and learned everything on the job. He clearly knows and enjoys what he does for a living. I hope to be that lucky someday.
We got to see everything from the actual vineyards, to the grape crusher to the barrel rooms. Did I mention we got to taste in the barrel rooms? And there wasn't a spit bucket in sight. Oh well. ;)
I was allowed to taste a 1999 Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon. It retails for $185. If you find it on a restaurant wine list expect to pay $370 for the bottle. (Restaurants charge twice retail price. Think about that the next time you go out and could have just paid the corkage fee.)
I was allowed to taste a 1999 Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon. It retails for $185. If you find it on a restaurant wine list expect to pay $370 for the bottle. (Restaurants charge twice retail price. Think about that the next time you go out and could have just paid the corkage fee.)In the affordable catagory I tried a 2006 Chardonnay from the Santa Cruz Moutains Estate Vineyard. $40 a bottle. It tasted like buttered popcorn. No lie. No purchase.
The two I did leave with (um, hello, educational) were both Zinfandels (again, I KNOW, when did I become a Zin drinker?!). It was interesting to compare them. Both are a 2006 vintage, however from two different vineyards within the same winery. Completely different (yet both tres yummy). The 2006 Lytton Springs Zin was smooth and slightly sweet, very good just on its own. The 2006 Geyserville Zin was firm, with a bite and tasted fantastic with food. (I'm thinking red meat, dear readers. And a heavy chocolate dessert.) Both retail for $35. http://www.ridgewine.com/taf/store.taf?_function=available
If any of you are up in the area I would love for you to see the tasting room. From the top of the mountain you can see the entire valley. It's gorgeous. The only condition? You have to drive. That flippin' road up to the vineyard scares the crap out of me. ;)
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