Dirty South Wine

Dirty South Wine's Blend Wins The Crushpad Fusebox Challenge!

Hot Dang!  A few weeks ago, the folks at Crushpad Wine rounded up 10 wine bloggers to compete in a wine blending competition using their Fusebox wine blending kits.  They would award two prizes- 1 for best wine blend, and one for best label. 

Swamped with work, I put off my blending until Halloween night, and then chained myself inside with my Fusebox and a ton of candy.

I spent about 4hrs tweaking, scrapping, and then restarting wine blends.  In between throngs of trick or treaters, I switched my palate cleansers from bread, to candy, then ice cold beer(s).

I tried using each variety at first-  A base of Merlot, a little Cabernet, a touch of Cab Franc, and a drop of Petit Verdot--  But I struggled to get the wine where I wanted to be (too much fruit and too much tannin were the usual results).  After a couple of hours (and a ton of candy), I switched to where I should have started- SIMPLE.  A classic blend of 86% Cabernet and 14% Merlot.  Body, character, rock, acid, and hopefully-- balance. 

Without much time to think of labeling, I found a goofy picture of me (taken by Lady Dirty) at the Calistoga Geyser-  Llamas (often pronounced yamaz), became "da yamaz", and I threw together some sugar-fueled copy. 

The Front and Back Label

The Wines that come in the Fusebox

I got wine everywhere

So-  I'm thrilled to have the winning blend.  As a prize, I get a case of my wine shipped to me, and the Dirty South Wine "Da Yamaz" wine blend will be available for order by the public (right after the label is approved).

Shout outs go to Fred Swan from Norcal WIne for winning the award for best label, and Erica Green at Purple Teeth Diaries for having a blend so good, they are making her a case too! (I want to try it!!!!)

Here is a list of all of the participating bloggers:

A Good Time With Wine

WIndy City Wine Guy

Purple Teeth Diaries

Savvy Taste

Cellar Mistress

Norcal Wine

Pulling the Cork

Another Wine Blog (Joe and Amy entering separately)

Looking Down on Peter Michael Winery?

(About 1800 above the valley floor)

Though dropping three figures on bottles that don't bubble is a thing of my past (I struggle to remember buying my last $100+ bubbling one too), I've enjoyed a fair amount of Peter Michael's wines poured for me by family, and poured on me by friends (that's how we roll when we make it rain!).  In no way is this meant to be a discussion of their wine quality, just a statement that this is an amazingly picturesque place.  Among being way the funk up in them thar hills in Knights Valley--> It is freakishly manicured, like Augusta manicured.

No, I didn't get a private tour (I'm still checking my mail looking for my invite).  I have just made a couple rides way up and above their vineyards (praying on each descent that my brakes don't fail).

In wine, we talk a lot about "place", which to me is slightly different than terroir.  Terroir is that part of place and people that shows through in the glass.  To me, place is simply where the grapes are grown. 

Peter Michael has place, ridiculous place-- Place that may just be worth a few extra bucks. 

(I would like to host the Popeyes Online Wine Pairing Challenge in their party space on the left)

 

(Lady Dirty in for a quick visit from the ATL!)

Bottles and Friends: A Couple From Cornerstone Cellars

A few months back (like 8+), I was sent two samples from Craig Camp at Cornerstone Cellars- The 2004 Howell Mountain Cabernet and the 2005 Napa Valley Cabernet.  Those who know me well, know I don't drink a ton of Napa Cabs.  I usually don't eat the food required for them, and I find a ton just really overwhelmingly fruit-tastic.  From previous experience with these bottles (from someone else's stash during a Taste Live event), I knew that was not going to be the case (the mongo-fruit-tastic part).  I already dug 'em, and I wanted to wait until the right time to open mine up.

Days before my move out to Sonoma, my friends Joel and Elisabeth had their annual lamb-a-thon.  Tons of of grilled lamb and good friends.  I wanted to share these with friends and let them experience them without any prejudice.  No one knew the name, the pricing, etc...  Just that I asked them to try them with and without their food.

Without food, the 2005 Napa Valley was the clear winner for the group (I was the sole skipper sailing on the 2004).  People loved the presence, the power, and a few said there was a lot "more" to it.  2005 was a ginormous year for most producers, and though more restrained than most, the 2005 Cornerstone is still a big (but balanced) wine.  (Without food, the 2004 Howell Mountain was still enjoyed, but most people dug the "stuffing" in the 2005.)

Now with the food- The verdict was almost completely reversed-- The 2004 Howell Mountain was the favorite by about 70%.  Higher acidity, more minerality, some herbal notes, and a more delicate wine--  It didn't dominate the food, it worked with it--  For a few, it provided that mini-revelation that what you pick on its own, may not always be what you'd want at the table.

I enjoyed both wines, but I loved the 2004 Howell Mountain. 

It is wineries like Cornerstone Cellars and a handful of others that remind me that I can find something I really dig in Napa Cab.

Disclaimer:
**These wines were received as samples and Craig is a friend.  It has no bearing on whether I liked these wines. 

Gamble Family Part II (Finally) and an Amazing Dinner

Back in June, Tracy and I headed over to see our friends Tom Gamble and Elsbeth Sarao in Napa Valley.  Tom owns Gamble Family Vineyards, a relatively small producer of mostly Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet / Bordeaux varietals (with some old vine Syrah also produced). 

On our most recent visit to Gamble Family, we were invited to have dinner with some fellow Atlantans, Gina and Linton Hopkins- Wonderful people and an amazing restaurant team.  Not a fancy, multi-course feast, but a simple meal with a bunch of friends.  Perfect. Eggplant, stuffed dates, and some serious steaks, potatoes, and a tomato salad. CA Caviar on potato chips as an appetizer-- (DANG!)

For a quick recap: Gamble Family was a love at first sight with me.  At this year's HIGH Museum / Atlanta Wine Auction, my friend Bob grabbed me by the arm and took me to the Gamble Family to taste their Sauvignon Blanc...  It instantly became my favorite domestic Sauvignon Blanc-- Bright, pure, lean Savvy-B.  I'm not a frequent Cabernet drinker (Domestic or Non), and it wasn't until our trip back in June that I really hunkered down with Tom's reds--  Balanced with enough power to make you sit up and be alert, made with enough restraint that you feel you don't need to wear your pads on the sideline, and with enough flinty funk that you can taste that these wines came from a specific place.  They are my style.

(Click Here for a Gallery June's trip)

Wine Highlight from the recent visit:

2005 Gamble Family Vineyards "Family Home" Cabernet
Stoney! Rock! More than fruit and spice. I dig digging it.  This was singing to me with our meal.  Enough acidity, enough tannin, enough fruit-  Balanced, thoughtful juice, that alters my perception of "Napa Cab".

Video: 2009 Wine Bloggers Conference

(Please Watch in HD)

Link to Fox & Friends Interview -- Dang I Look Purty!

For those who missed it-- Here's a link to the "A Really Goode Job" Fox & Friends Slot

Quick Shots from Sonoma

Tasting through 90 Cabernet Sauvignon barrel samples with Dave, Ben and Randy.  I have tasted Cab barrel samples before, but never 90 in a single two and a half hour sitting.  Pretty wild.  The speed at which they can accurately taste blows me away. 

Jimmy, from Eat It Atlanta is in town for the Wine Bloggers Conference.  After a few Racer 5's at John and Zeke's, we hit the bar at Cyrus.  Man...  Paul Bara Rose to start us off.

Some serious Silken Tofu delivering the yang to my yin!  (paired with Sake)

A crazy weekend in store with the Wine Bloggers Conference in town--  More shots and vids coming...  I have yet to slow this train down.

A View from Terra A Lago Vineyard

What Is Twitter Taste Live? / "Where Are My Tacos???"

Twitter is freaky enough for some people.  Seen by some as an endless stream of Fozzie the Bear type chat (waka waka waka).  Throw in some good ol' fashioned drinkin' and that "waka waka" might start to sound like it is underwater-- A slow motion "waaahhhhkaaaaa, WwwwwwaaaahKa"....  But, get a great group of people and bottles together, through some structure around it, and it actually works! 

Enter Taste Live (formerly known as Twitter Taste Live)

The stream of tweets, becomes a scheduled symphony of notes, discussions, and a the chance to interact with hundreds / thousands of people that are simultaneously tasting the same wines as you (maybe not quite a symphony).  It is entertaining at the very least, and usually educational too.    For the twitter-phobe (or mostly sane person), this may still sound a bit odd, but jump into the stream, follow the conversation, interact, and you'll soon be hooked.

Following the conversation is easy--  You can either log into Taste Live (do this before the event starts) and follow and tweet from there, or just mark / tag your tweets with the hashtag for the week. #stsupery is the tag this week. Then follow the tag on your twitter application (done via search).

By tagging your tweets, they are automatically picked up and posted at Taste Live, and you can see all the other tagged participants messages as well (even if you are not following them on twitter).

This week's winery is with St Supéry out of Napa, CA.  5 of their wines will be tasted--  The 2008 St. Supéry Moscata, the 2008 St Supéry Sauvignon Blanc, the 2006 St Supéry Virtû (a higher end Sauvignon Blanc), the 2004 St Supéry Cabernet Sauvignon, and the 2004 St Supéry Elu (a higher end Cabernet Sauvignon).  If you can't find all the wines, grab what you can and still participate.

At Chez Dirty, we are having people over for a pre Taste Live "Taco-a-thon", and then getting into the bottles with guests and a live video feed. 

Why all this?  Because it is fun.  Sure, we can sit around and crack a bottle at home, but wine is more fun with people, and even more fun, when connected to people all over the country .

This week's Taste Live is on Sat. 7/11, at 6PM PST / 9PM Pacific.  For more information, click here.

"We've Got A Long Way To Go And Short Time To Get There!"

"West Bound and Down, 18 Wheels Are Rolling

We Gonna Do What They Say Can't Be Done
We've Got A Long Way To Go, And A Short Time To Get There
I'm West Bound, Just Watch Ol' Bandit Run!"
--Jerry Reed, Smokey and the Bandit Soundtrack
(click here to play)

Thank you!  I am completely humbled by the support I've been given from the food, wine, media, and music communities.  A list of blogs, media outlets, and businesses that declared "Dirty For Goode"  can be found here.  It is mind-blowing.  Within just a few weeks,the "Dirty For Goode" network reached millions of people.  That is the power of social media-- Getting people to share a message, a dialog, and to listen, cooperate, and partner with each other through various, no / low cost platforms.

The Murphy-Goode Top 10 fly out to Sonoma on 7/18.  We'll go through 4 days of interviews, activities, and I'm sure we'll do some slow-sippin'!

We've got a long way to go, and a short time to get there-- I'm West Bound....