Cooking
A few years ago I wrote a story about Chardonnay and consumers perception of it. It's a wine that while very popular, is also held in disdain by many consumers. Napa Cabernet Sauvignon is another such wine. Not that there is just one Napa Cabernet, there are lots of stylistic differences but as the signature wine of Napa Valley, it’s one worth getting to know.
I'm not going to tell you what I thought of the wines, because the experience is really about discovering what YOU like and there is plenty of variety. The tasting lasts almost an hour and half and costs $50 which is a bargain when you consider the wines you get to try. The fee is waived for wine club members or with the purchase of 6 bottles of wine (there are many much less expensive bottles to choose from).
Disclaimer: I was a guest of Sequoia Grove Winery for this experience. I was not compensated monetarily to write this or any other post on Cooking with Amy.
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Cooking
Wine on Fridays: Sequoia Grove Winery - A Taste of Cabernet
Whether you collect Napa Cabernets or avoid them, I recommend you consider a special educational program at Sequoia Grove Winery called A Taste for Cabernet. Boutique winery Sequoia Grove makes mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, it’s about 3/4 of their total production. They have some of their own vineyards but also work with quite a number of growers in the area. At the tasting, which is set in a private space away from the crowds in the tasting room, you get a chance to try four of the their top Cabernet’s and a Bordeaux blend. The wines come from different parcels with different growers, are different vintages and the session is led by the very knowledgable and friendly wine educator Dean Busquaert, who shares soil samples and his exquisite photography to really give you a feel for the terroir.
The wines I tried were Lamoreaux Vineyard 2008 Cab, Stagecoach Vineyard 2008 Cab, Henry Brothers Vineyard 2011 Cab, Morisoli Vineyard 2008 Cab and the Cambium 2008 Bordeaux blend. They range in price from $90 to $145. Needless to say these are not the wines you will get to try at the average tasting or visit.
The best part of the program for me was the tasting experiments done with a plate of different nibbles including two kinds of cheese and an apple wedge. The guided tasting helped to dispel some myths when it comes to wine and food pairing.
I'm not going to tell you what I thought of the wines, because the experience is really about discovering what YOU like and there is plenty of variety. The tasting lasts almost an hour and half and costs $50 which is a bargain when you consider the wines you get to try. The fee is waived for wine club members or with the purchase of 6 bottles of wine (there are many much less expensive bottles to choose from). Sequoia Grove Winery is indeed set in a grove of beautiful trees. More details about tasting options are available at Visit Us.
- Jordan Estate Tour & Tasting
If I ask you about your favorite wine, you will probably tell me where you enjoyed it and with whom. Perhaps it was at a picnic on a perfectly sunny day, or on a date with the love of your life. Maybe it was at the winery where the wine was made, but...
- Hourglass Blueline Estate Merlot: Wine On Friday
Merlot is back! Actually, it never went away, it just fell out of favor with a lot of wine drinkers. Recently I visited Hourglass Wines in Napa and talked to owner Jeff Smith about Merlot, a wine many people think is insipid. Was it the dreaded Sideways...
- Grocery Outlet Wine Bargains
Robaire showing off one his wine picks at Grocery Outlet in Berkeley I've been buying wine at Grocery Outlet for a long time and I've always been curious about Robaire, the manager in the store who picks the wine. At Grocery Outlet you won't...
- Recent Tasting Notes
I'm making an effort to publish tasting notes again, lest you worry that we've become teetotallers. These wines were samples sent to me by wineries or their P.R. reps. I don't promise to review samples here or in a paid article, but I do...
- Sonoma Day Trip #2
Melissa had to meet with a client in Sonoma, and she knew I'd come along if she suggested we go wine tasting afterwards. After her meeting and our lunch at Sonoma Saveurs (always enjoyable, though they recently lost their head chef) we set out for...