Quick test shots from 3/16 in Healdsburg, CA. Testing some new gear on beautiful night.
(Stocking up- This ride is gonna' git dirty!)
With my days at Murphy-Goode coming to a close, I'm really excited by the next steps of my wine adventure that sits just around the corner.
My life and lifestyle will change, but that is all part of pursuing a dream.
I am ridiculously excited to share my next steps with everyone on 2/15.
"Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. ...."-- William Hutchison Murray
This is going to get crazy!
Last week, Jenna Webber (Eat, Live, Run and now Michel Schlumberger) and I headed over to Jeff and Susan's for a ridiculous farm to table dinner. Jeff and Susan run both Eastside Farms and Zin Restaurant in Healdsburg.
We spent a little time in the gardens picking peppers, the last tomatoes of the season, zucchini, and grabbing a few freshly laid eggs from heritage chickens.
In the end, an incredible outdoor kitchen feast of Zucchini carbonara, 4 types of pizza, freshly picked beans, a honey tasting (every meal needs a honey tasting), and honey figs with Bo Peep cheese (Thanks Doralice!!)-- If it grew, we picked it.
This was an amazing night, so much so, I put the camera down for most of the night, just sat back and enjoyed.
Thank you Susan and Jeff!!!!
Wines:
2006 Romilly Russian River Pinot Noir2006 Skewis Pinot Noir (spacing on which single vineyard)
(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!)
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".
Shots with Tracy and friends in Healdsburg this weekend-- Here's a quick slideshow update.
Also- My Murphy-Goode blog is officially live.
You can keep up with my "professional" side at http://hardy.murphygoodewinery.com/
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