Archive for Adventures: Napa/Sonoma

Green String Farm


By Leslie · Comments (4) · September 28th, 2011

So my adventures at Cline Cellars continue to Green String Farm…  

IMG_7153-webWe met up with Bob Cannard who runs the farms for Cline Cellars and Green String Institute.  Bob is a character.  The only way to describe him is as if Indiana Jones gave up archeology to become a farmer.  Bob is full of life and incredibly passionate about what he does.  The steps we take to create organic farming are things he has always done and believed in.  "Organic" is much more than just a saying here, it's a complete way of life.  They truly believe in growing in harmony with the land around them.  Bob says he is in the "business of growing complete food" and that he grows "happy complete plants with energetic flavor".  For him, it's about a true balance of life.  And what a difference it makes…his produce is some of the best I've ever tasted!  Apparently I'm not the only one, Green String Farm supplies Alice Waters' Chez Panisse with their vegetables.  And if it's good enough for Alice…

Here's Bob in the farm shop with some beautiful chard:

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The shop doesn't just sell produce, it also sells house-made olive oil, vinegar, cheese, nuts, and jarred items.

IMG_7148-webHow cute that they post a daily recipe to use all of that beautiful in-season produce:

IMG_7152-webThis place is a must stop!  Look at the view from the parking lot!:

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In addition to being a farm, Green String is also a school.  Click here to find out more about the Green String Institute. 

So after my incredibly educational experience, I couldn't wait to get my ingredients home to make something fabulous!  When we were at the shop, I had to get these golden roma tomatoes:

IMG_7193-webGorgeous right?!  I decided I would make a golden tomato sauce and serve it over some fresh spinach pasta.  I humbly say this is the best sauce I've ever made…these tomatoes were the tastiest things I've ever eaten.  Just proves how much fresh ingredients can be.  Check back in tomorrow for the recipe :)

Lesliesarnasig

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Categories : adventures, Adventures: Napa/Sonoma

Cline Cellars Winery


By Leslie · Comments (1) · September 27th, 2011

We had an epic trip to Cline Cellars!  If you are in the Sonoma/Carneros area, I highly suggest stopping by!  Not only will you be tasting some of the best (and most eco-friendly) wine in the area, but you'll also get an education.  This post is going to be broken up into two because there is just so much to talk about!  I could probably spend a week, but I won't bore you :)  Today's post is about the wine tasting and tasting property.  Tomorrow's I'll talk more about their organic farm and wine pairings.

Clines tasting room is located inside this farm house from the 1850's:

IMG_7160-webThat's not all the history you'll find here.  The property was the original site of the Sonoma Mission and they have a museum behind this house that holds the original California mission models that were debuted at the 1939 Worlds Fair.  You'll also finds some of the most gorgeous grounds to stroll around and plenty of picnic tables for a breezy lunch.

IMG_7123-web IMG_7121-web IMG_7126-webThose are the property donkeys, Puddin' and Daisy, how cute are they?  We met up with Bob who gave us a tour of the property and some tastings.

IMG_7132-webBob explained all about the history of the winery and gave great insight to the wine.  Here he is with a bottle of the 2010 Ancient Vines Mourvedre.  (PS it's pronounced moor-VED-druh)  It was fabulous!  Aside from it being spectacular wine, when you pull the label off the back there are recipes that pair perfectly with the wine.  Genius, right?  Another one of my favorite things about Cline is the price points.  I like to say the wine here is priced to drink.  This fantastic bottle will only set you back $18.00!  Most of the wines here are under $20 and my friends, when you've been around Napa a few times, you realize how soon your wallet can empty…

Another great wine is the 2010 Cashmere:

IMG_7130-webIt's silky smooth and has a beautiful long lingering finish.  On top of that, a percentage of all sales from this wine go to help fight breast cancer and since breast cancer awareness is October, maybe you should think about picking up a bottle or two.  

Also on the property is the cutest little farm stand ever!

IMG_7128-webAll of the produce is from their Green String Farm which I'll talk about tomorrow.

The facts:

Cline Cellars

24737 Arnold Drive/Highway 121

Sonoma, CA 95476

Tours and information

Wine price per bottle: $11-$32

 

 

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Categories : adventures, Adventures: Napa/Sonoma

Downtown Bakery in Healdsburg, CA


By Leslie · Comments (1) · September 23rd, 2011

Logo Thanks to the recommendation from the uber talented Meg Perroti we found our way into the Downtown Bakery in Healdsburg to find a little breakfast.  Meg said they have the best croissants and I'll admit that I'm a little bit of a snob when it comes to croissants.  I've had the pleasure of going to France a few times and that kinda ruined croissants from anywhere else in the world for me.  That said… these were the best croissants I may have ever had.  They were the perfect amount of moist and flakey and had a just barely crispy and still gooey outside.  The inside was a buttery pillow of deliciousness!  Seriously worth the seven hour drive back up there to get another one.  While we were there, we also picked up a baguette and a french macaroon.  The baguette was fabulous, but I was a little disappointed with the macaroon, but I wouldn't let overshadow how much I loved the croissants.  In addition, they also make beautiful cakes, cupcakes, rolls, pastries, etc.

Screen shot 2011-09-23 at 9.44.22 AMBottom line: if you are going to or are in Sonoma, go to the Downtown Bakery and Creamery! You won't regret it!

Lesliesarnasig

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Categories : adventures, Adventures: Napa/Sonoma

Domaine Carneros Winery


By Leslie · Comments (4) · September 22nd, 2011

A little slice of the Loire Valley placed right in the middle of Napa.  The chateau at Domaine Carneros is modeled after the historic Taittinger-owned Château de la Marquetterie in Champagne.  It is just stunning and a lovely way to spend your afternoon.

Screen shot 2011-09-21 at 11.39.51 PMI decided to make this a stop on our trip because I love sparkling wine! (who doesn't?)  Domaine Carneros makes some of the best in the business along with some fantastic pinot noirs.  When you come to this winery you are going to want to sit out on the balconies overlooking the vineyards and take in the surroundings as you taste your wines.

IMG_7162-webAfter you find the perfect seat, you then have to choose which flights and tastings you'd like.  They have a few different options.  

IMG_7165-webOur fabulous guide Heather suggested the grande tasting with the cheese pairing.  Now not to worry, all the cheeses come from local artisans and are all made with vegetarian rennet. :)  This cheese plate comes with 3 cheeses the bellweather carmody, the Mt. Tam (from Cowgirl Creamery one of my favorites!) and midnight moon.  Along with the cheeses you get some crackers, cashews, dried apricots and pears.  A pretty nice little presentation if you ask me!

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It's so hard to critique anything about this winery… we had a lovely time and all of the wines were exceptional!  One of my favorites is the 2007 brut rose.  As soon as Heather suggested that is would make a nice breakfast or brunch wine, I immediately knew it needed to be served with my vegan whole wheat peach pancakes.

Two of my other favorites include the 2005 Le Reve Blanc de Blancs and The Famous Gate 2008 Carneros Pinot Noir.

The Blanc de Blancs (pictured below) is an estate grown blend of 99% chardonnay and 1% pinot blanc.  It's been aged in the bottle for a minimum of 5 years.  Yada, yada, yada, the stuff tasted incredible!  It's a perfect special occasion wine!

 I really do love this winery!  It's elegant without being obnoxious.  The wines are delicious and the people at Domaine Carneros makes it a fun and educational experience.

If you get a chance, definitely add this winery to your list of must tries!

 

 

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 The facts:

Domaine Carneros

1240 Duhig Road

Napa, CA 94559

Tours and tasting information

Tasting price: Tour: $25 Table Service: $16-$25

Wine price per bottle: $24-$96

 

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Categories : adventures, Adventures: Napa/Sonoma

Keenan Winery


By Leslie · Comments (1) · September 20th, 2011

Robert Keenan winery is tucked up 1700 ft. above the Napa Valley in the gorgeous hillsides.  So not only do you get to taste this fantastic wine, you get to soak up the beauty of the surroundings.  

IMG_7190-webRobert Keenan purchased this heavenly spot in 1974 and has been focussing on making chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon, and merlot.  They produce about 14,000 cases per year.  

Now, there are two reasons I was really looking forward to visiting Robert Keenan: 1. sustainability and 2. their cabernet sauvignon.  The folks at Robert Keenan are dedicated to sustainable farming and creating the most 'eco-friendly' glass of wine they can.  Their tasting room is a fabulous stone building that sits nestled into this spectacular spot.  There is a quaint picnic table, just perfect for an afternoon break.

IMG_7188-webWe sat down with Laura for our tasting who was an absolute delight!  You could just tell how much she loved this wine and what she does for a living.  She gave fantastic insight to everything we were tasting and made us feel like we were with an old friend opposed to a wine salesperson.  As we went through the flight, every glass was topping the previous.  You could almost taste the love that was put into every single bottle.  No wonder their wines are consistently ranked in the nineties according to the Robert Parker Jr.  My personal favorites were the 2008 cabernet franc mountain district, the 2008 zinfandel Napa Valley, and the 2007 cabernet sauvignon Spring Mountain.  The cabernet sauvignon is the best I think I've ever had.  It was by far the best wine we tasted all weekend!  At $96 a bottle we weren't going home with any, but I savored every last drop that was poured for me. :)  Keenan winery is a true Napa Valley wine tasting experience.

The facts:

Keenan Winery

3660 Spring Mountain Road

St. Helena, CA 94574

Reservations

Tasting price: $10 (a bargain for the quality of wines you get to taste!)

Wine price per bottle: $30-$96

Lesliesarnasig

PS if you are in Los Angeles tomorrow (9/21/2011) night they are doing a tasting event in Woodland Hills.  Check it out!

Comments (1)
Categories : adventures, Adventures: Napa/Sonoma

California Wine Country: Part 1


By Leslie · Comments (2) · September 19th, 2011

This past weekend, my husband and I took one of my favorite drives up the California coast to Healdsburg for the wedding of one of my dear friends, Jenny "The Dessert Darling".  Since I love this trip so much, I decided to document the experience to share.  I honestly thought this might be a one or two part post…let's just say I have declared this wine country week :)  There is so much information and photos to share!  

IMG_7184-webI've been up to Napa and Sonoma for wine tasting before, but I decided this trip would be devoted to the people dedicating themselves to the practice of organic and sustainable wine making and farming.  Being an organic "backyard farmer" myself, I was super interested to see how it's done on a larger scale.  Needless to say, I was blown away at the places I visited.

IMG_7139-webSo this week, I'll share travel information, winery reviews, recipes/wine pairings, and loads of pictures (of course this means sifting through the thousands I took!).  

IMG_7157-webI know you'd like it, but I won't be sharing any of the wedding details.  I will leave that up to Jenny who I'm sure will be filling you all in shortly :)  I will just say that it included the best dessert table I've ever seen!  Though I would expect nothing less from the queen of all desserts.  I will, however, share some of my favorite photo booth pics:

IMG_7192-webI love a photo booth at a wedding!
Cheers!
I love a photo booth at a wedding!
Cheers!
Lesliesarnasig

Comments (2)
Categories : adventures, Adventures: Napa/Sonoma

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