A Surprising Culture Collaboration

In addition to checking out Zimmerman Vineyards last Saturday, Teresa, P-Mac and I headed over to Childress Vineyards near Lexington, NC. Founded by NASCAR team owner Richard Childress, the operation has been in business about 7 years, and is rightfully proud that it is just starting to utilize significant quantities of estate-grown grapes in their wines.

I know you what you are thinking. "Wine and NASCAR"? So was I. I went to a NASCAR race once, shortly after moving to Charlotte, and I have to be honest....I couldn't imagine a single person in the crowd around me choosing a lovely glass of Pinot Grigio over a cold PBR! Don't get me wrong...there is a time and a place for everything, and there's nothing wrong with an ice cold PBR in the right setting. The only place I will eat a hot dog is a a baseball game. And the only place I'd drink a PBR is...well...a NASCAR race!

So naturally I was very curious to see how the Childress family would pull off this cultural collide. And I think they did it quite well. The building was very large and elaborate, complete with a beautiful tasting room, restaurant, and event center. Surrounding it were acres and acres of healthy, lush vineyards. It always amazes me how plants that can grow so well in perfect soils of Napa, California and Burgundy, France can also be so healthy in the red clay of the Carolinas!

We arrived in the tasting room at 5PM. The website indicated we needed to begin tasting by at 5:30, and that the facility closed at 6. I have to admit that while the staff was not unfriendly, I did feel rushed through the tasting experience, and given we had plenty of time before closing, we were not sure why this was. This was a little disappointing and it made me wonder if Childress has chosen size, polish and efficiency; thereby sacrificing the charm that comes with the personal touch of a winemaker or wine family sharing their wines with people who are there simply for the pleasure of drinking and discussing them.

Speaking of the wines, there was a very thorough, extremely moderately priced selection. 29 wines to choose from, ranging from $9.95 Classic White, Red or Blush to $39.95 for the 2006 signature Cab. Tasting options included a "Classic" (mostly sweet blends including the uncommon Scupperdine varietal), "Barrel Select" (a selection of varietals) and "Signature" (a number of premium options including a Reserve Cab Sauvignon and Childress' Signature Meritage). They ranged from $10-$15, glass included. Another option was to indulge in a wine, chocolate and cheese tasting for $18...2 cheeses, 2 chocolates and a selection of accompanying wines. We knew we were headed to dinner next, so we passed on that choice. P-Mac and I chose the Signature tasting, and Teresa went for the Barrel Select.

After the tasting we wandered around the room and checked out the mostly Southern or NASCAR themed merchandise. There were gift package tributes to the legendary #3 (Dale Earnhardt), mountain-crafted pottery, even wine koozies ("woozies") with your favorite driver's number. Oh, and apparently a classic blush table wine is the best choice with that tasty Southern snack - cheese straws!

NASCAR is a unique sport in that it has developed and wrapped itself in a culture in a way not many other sports have...a culture some would automatically describe as ..well... "redneck". In some cases this is true. The beauty of Childress Vineyards its that it defies this assumption by producing lovely, unpretentious, affordable wines in a gorgeous setting that invites you to sit, sip and savor the fruit of the Carolinas.

Cheers, and thanks for following the Vinogals!

CJ

Day Trip Wine Tasting: Zimmerman Vineyards

This is the first installment of the vinogals road tripping to visit NC wineries. First stop…Zimmerman Vineyards. We were headed to the Lexington area to check out Childress Vineyards (post to come later) and saw that Zimmerman was close by and we were game. We drove up to their charming tasting room which took me back to the cabins from my summer camp growing up.

Norman greeted us immediately, knew we were there to get down to business and started our tasting. The $5 tasting fee got us 6 tastes and a souvenir glass. It was interesting to contrast their 2006 steel barrel Chardonnay with their 2005 oak barrel Chardonnay. You can really taste the crisp fruity acid in the steel barrel and experience the darker lower acid butter flavor of the oak aged wine. We moved onto the Viognier which I remember being common in the Virginia vineyards I visited near Charlottesville. Norman described the Viognier as a "goofy grape" he has been working on for 7 years. Apparently this varietal requires more work and patience to control the many grape buds shooting off these vines. The first red wine was titled "Sisyphus" after a figure in Greek mythology who angered Zeus and was sentenced to eternal punishment of rolling a stone uphill. This image is also the branding logo for the vineyard's label. Sisyphus is a Bordeaux type blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc and was the choice for me to take home. Our last red was the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon which we expected to have a bit more tannin but was well balanced. We finished off with a sip of their sweet white wine consisting of a Chardonnay and Viognier blend having 12% residual sugar.

Check out CJ's serious swirl action as we were in the midst of tasting!

Zimmerman seems like a small vineyard compared to the Charlottesville area vineyards I visited earlier this year. I'm interested to continue learning about NC vineyards to see how Zimmerman stacks up. Norman was very friendly and willing to answer questions and share his enthusiasm for wine making. They have a nice picnic area overlooking some of the vineyards. They don't sell food at Zimmerman but you are welcome to bring your own picnic and perhaps purchase a bottle (or 2) of their wine to sit, sip and enjoy the views.

Interested in planning a NC wine tasting day trip? Discover NC wines at www.visitncwine.com.

A Day in the Vineyard

Some people have jobs they jump out of bed for in the morning. I like what I do each day, but I wouldn't say this is me. But while in Northern California last week I met a few people like that, and I wanted to take a minute to tell you about them.

Day One of my "Wine Immersion Class" involved a small field trip (literally) into the vineyards. The chief viticulturist (person in charge of growing all the grapes!) was Rob Sorenson. A couple of classmates and I hopped in his "dirty farmtruck" (his words) and cruised over to check out a crop of "pending" Cabernet. While there, Rob talked about the growing methodology they use, including how they keep the pests out of the vineyards...big pests and little pests. Rob even got out a tiny lens through which he inspects the grape leaves, looking for evidence of mites feasting on the vines. Wente uses sustainable farming...methodology that is very respectful of the earth, the animals that share it, and the neighbors in the surrounding community. I was amazed at how much tender loving care goes into each plant...which of course makes perfect sense when you are trying to make perfect wine.

After our stop in the vineyard, Rob drove us onto a hill with a view...just to get a better view of the awesome expanse of what was growing there. Gorgeous!

From there we headed to the production area...where they bring in the harvested grapes and begin the process of turning them into something delicious. Brad Damron was in charge here, and he walked us through the process of crushing and fermentation. Brad's enthusiasm was cause for smile...he just couldn't stop talking about what he does every day! We were very late for lunch, but the barrel tastings of "in process" Cab and Chardonnay took the edge off our hunger crankiness!

I thought a lot that week about the enthusiasm with which both Rob and Brad approach their jobs. There must be something about the ability to "produce" every day - produce something tangible and wonderful for people to enjoy - that is immensely satisfying. Standing amongst the vines, you could almost feel the pleasure of the plants as they soaked in the California sun and the gentle breeze. Most people, myself included, don't get to be a part of the tangible creation experience that farmers do - growing and transforming that which will feed us is perhaps the purest form of vocation there is. I have heard it said that a winemaker, in reality, is simply an artist...but after that morning in the vineyard I have begun to think that artistry really starts with those who nurture, harvest and transform the fruit that goes into the winemakers hands.

Cheers, all...and thanks for following the Vinogals!

CJ

Pie Town Drink Specials

Check out Pie Town's nightly drink specials. What can be better than half off bottles of vino on a Saturday night? The gals love that!!

NIGHTLY SPECIALS
Mondays - $5 House Margaritas!
Tuesfays - $3.5 Fosters 16oz. Can!
Wednesdays - $5 House Mojitos!
Thursdays - $2 Domestic Bottles!
Fridays - $5 Firefly John Daly's!
Saturdays - Half Off Bottles of Wine!

http://www.sonomarestaurants.net/home/pietown-home.php

Coming Soon..a Wine Week to Remember!

I just got back in town from a week in Northern California's beautiful Livermore Valley. I decided this year to do something a little different for vacation, and something "vino-related" seemed the obvious choice. So I spent a week at a Wente Family vineyard in a "Wine Immersion Class"...four and 1/2 days of lecture, book study and wine tasting. Over 160 tastings, to be exact! (That's "sip and spit", in case anyone was wondering. Well, mostly...!)

Since I have so much to say about this experience that I don't know yet where to start, I'm just doing a quick post now, and will follow up with a couple later. In the meantime, imagine this for your vacation:

• Sunday: wine and cheese reception

• Monday: winemaker lecture on viniculture (growing the grapes), field trip in the vineyard with the viniculturist, barrel tastings in the production area, make your own wine, proper wine tasting techniques

• Tuesday: 10 hours of tasting and learning about French wine

• Wednesday: same but with Italy, Chile/Argentina, United States

• Thursday: same but with Germany, Austria, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand...followed by learning to "saber" a bottle of sparkling wine (that's chopping the top off with a sword, people!)

• Friday: big test for level 2 Sommelier Certification (I actually passed!)

Wente was a wonderful host; I am blessed to have friends who live nearby so I have many excuses to come back!

Hope you enjoyed the few pics...more to come in upcoming posts...

Cheers and thanks for following the vinogals!

CJ

Sonoma Nite in Charlotte

Pmac and I hit up Sonoma tonight to see if all glasses of wine were truly $5 and I'm happy to report it is true!! Tonight is Taste of Charlotte night and the streets were packed even on this warm evening. Sonoma was a cool relaxed escape from the crowds. So cool, in fact, that we were in the mood for red wine.

Pmac got the Lucky Star Pinot Noir and I got the Louis M Martini Cabernet Sauvingon. Off the bat, we agreed the Cab was the better of the two. The Pinot had a harsh initial taste to me but turned sweeter and smoother a couple sips in. The Cab started off smooth (I picked up blackberries) and ended with a nice spice finish. Both wines seem to retail at lower price points but the $5 restaurant price is great and the pours were generous.

We had gotten full on popcorn and Twizzlers while watching A-Team at Epicentre Theaters so we order light snacks at Sonoma. We ordered the Kobe beef sliders which we knew wouldn't disappoint (and they didn't...yum) and the quinoa salad with grapefruit, jicama, avocado and pickled red cabbage. I'm proud of us for venturing out and ordering something like quinoa. We both liked it but I think the pickled red cabbage overpowered the flavor for me.

The infused martinis were on half off special at $5 Saturday nights (and Mondays, fyi). They had 5 options which all nodded to summer...pineapple, mango, wild berry, blueberry and peach. We thought peach might be nice and the waitress seemed to encourage it so we tried it. Wow!!! Seriously!?! We loved it and Pmac doesn't even like peaches. The waitress told us they use frozen peaches which might be the key to capturing the sweetness in the drink. Definitely check this out and don't forget to eat the peaches from the glass...they have a kick.

Sonoma Wine Special

Sonoma has ALL wines by the glass $5 and draft beers $3 this summer!!

Sonoma is in the Bank of America Center & Founders Hall. Great location for us banker types to sneak down (or over) after hours for a glass of vino.

http://www.sonomarestaurants.net/home/sonoma-home.php

Check back as the vinogals update you on the latest summer restaurant specials in Charlotte.

Cheers!

The 1 Thing I Always Knew About My Wedding

Some little girls dream of every single detail of their wedding. Dreams of princess dresses and first dances with prince charming then being whisked off into the sunset. Dreams of Barbie marrying Ken and living happily ever after.

Not me. Not at all me.

I was never one to like getting dressed up as a little girl. I'd like to think I grew out of Barbies before most girls. I don't even remember "princesses" being a big deal when I was little like they seem to be nowadays. Maybe it was growing up with an older brother. I'm thankful to have an older brother to keep me a little rough around the edges.

But, the one memory that shaped my lifetime wedding dreams was the champagne fountain at my aunt Stephanie's wedding when I was 9 years old. I was mesmerized. I clearly remember staring up at the fountain and watching bubbly flow down cascading silver chains and adults filling up delicate stemmed glasses.

A champagne fountain was the only detail that I knew I wanted at my wedding. My dream came true in November 2008. If my rest of life's details follow in my aunt Stephanie's footsteps, I'll be one lucky gal!!

Raise a glass…a wooden glass

The vinogals recently attended the wedding celebration of some good friends. It was the kind of wedding that little girls dream of.

Well, the only dream I had of my wedding day was a champagne fountain. But, that is another post entirely.

After a beautiful ceremony, guests enjoyed beer and wine on a picturesque outdoor balcony overlooking a golf course and awaited the guests of honor. The sunshine was such a welcome reminder that spring is here that the vinogals had to opt for a summery white wine. I'm not sure the label on this wine but us gals don't worry about labels when there is an open bar!

At the end of the night, our feet were worn out from mingling with friends old and new, dancing, and a few trips to refill the vino. This couple had the perfect answer to an energy draining reception…a candy bar!! Ok; so I was pretty busy tearing into the candy bar but still couldn't miss the wooden wine glasses on the table. The bride's father dabbles in woodworking and even made a candy dish as a gift for me for my wedding. He definitely went all out for his own daughter's wedding with these hand carved wine glasses with wooden rings around the stems. I have no idea how he was able to pull off this carving masterpiece but it sure is cool.

I'd be proud to raise a toast in these goblets any day. Here is to a long and happy life together. Congrats LT & KT!

Perfectly Pressed

On May 24th, Teresa, her husband “P-Mac” and a couple good friends and I attended a special event at Press. If you’ve never been to Press, it’s a great little wine café on Trade Street rated “best outdoor seating” recently in Charlotte Magazine’s BOB award issue. They have a variety of wines with a range of prices – you can choose from the listing or you can walk around the store and choose a bottle from the racks. The staff is always cheery and willing to help you find something perfect! One of the great things about Press is you can find near retail pricing on a variety of bottles or can splurge on a more expensive bottle. You are definitely going to find bottles at more affordable price points than you will in most restaurants. This leaves enough in your "night out" budget to allow for a few of their excellent bites (cheese plates, salad, paninis, excellent sushi, dessert and more). I WISH they would open up on Sundays during spring and summer - so I can make sipping wine on their patio on a lazy Sunday afternoon my new lazy weekend hobby!

So, on a drizzly Monday evening at 5:30 we headed over to partake in TGIC Producer/Importer/Marketers “5^th Anniversary Black and Purple Tour of the South: Icons of the Andes”. The wines featured were all from South America, particularly Chile and Argentina. There were six stations set up, one for each label being poured, and the place filled up fast. The event was free, so I am sure that had something to do with it! All of this made for a very nice vibe, and a fun and interesting evening checking out the “Icons”.

We began in Argentina, at the Kaiken wines table. This winery is in Argentina but owned by the Chilean winery, Montes. It is named for the Kaikenes, indigenous geese that, fittingly, fly between Argentina and Chile - over the Andes mountain range.

I loved everything I tasted at the Kaiken table! They have a Cabernet and a Cabernet “Ultra” ($15/$24), they were both delicious and I honestly couldn’t tell the difference between the two. They also offered a Malbec and a Malbec “Ultra” (also $15/$24)… again, both great, but the Malbec “Ultra” was so inky, mouth-filling and smooth I debated stopping right there, buying a bottle and sticking with one wine for the rest of the evening! I remember thinking… “This is the night I have discovered Malbec!”. I later read that Decanter Magazine in the UK named the 2005 Malbec Ultra one of the best Malbecs in Argentina, and I have to say I agree with the Brits on this one!

My friend Stacey fell in love with Pascual Toso’s Reserve Cabernet:

• Official program description/commentary: “Attractive notes of boysenberry, red currant and black raspberry. Medium to full-bodied wine with depth"

• Stacey’s comment: “This goes down so easy, I could pound a bottle by myself in one evening!”

Needless to say, I bought a bottle of my own.

Another Argentine winery, Bodega Norton, is known as one of the top wineries in Argentina. They had a very pretty Malbec Rose, but since wine should do more than just look good, my favorite here was a white called Torrontes. I had never heard of this grape, but the gentleman who poured for me likened it to a Gewurztraminer. On the nose it was very sweet – the honeysuckle aroma was so strong that one sniff was like being on the backroads of North Carolina in April. However, on tasting, the wine was a delicious surprise – crisp and refreshing, nowhere near as sweet as expected. At $12 (or maybe it was $10?), it was an absolute steal. I have plans for this bottle on asummer evening with some sort of slightly spicy Thai dish…..

Our final stop was in Chile, at the Santa Ema table, where Jose kindly introduced us to the Carmenere grape – another new one for me. Primarily a blending grape, the Carmenere vines were imported from Bordeaux during the 19^th century and are thriving in Chile now. Our new friend Josh, standing behind us, made the comment “Zinfandel is to California as Carmenere is to Chile”. This didn’t do much to “sell” us, but I did enjoy tasting Santa Ema’s Carmenere Reserve Select. And Jose (below with Teresa) was a warm and knowledgable host!

Finally, we had the opportunity to meet and chat with Carlos, who is heading up the tour for TCIG. Many of these wines can likely be found at Press, so if you are headed there anytime soon, be sure to ask your server what they have available from the “Icons of the Andes Tour”. You will enjoy your trip!

TJ: America's First Vinoguy

I am inspired by a wedding last weekend in historic Philadelphia and a couple recent wine tasting trips to Charlottesville, VA to learn and blog about Thomas Jefferson: a real vinoguy. He's my kinda guy.

My visit to Monticello revealed that Jefferson was an incredibly multifaceted man (author of the Declaration of Independence, 3rd president of the US, founder of UVA, international statesman, architect, farmer, gardner, science enthusiast, and America's first distinguished viticulturist). Source: www.monticello.org

He believed that with some work, America could produce wines that would represent on the world stage. He was definitely familiar with the world's wines to that point and preferred the light French and Italian style to the heavier styles of Spain and Portugal. It seems he also appreciated sweet wines as he placed orders of port and praised North Carolina's scuppernong wine as the "first specimen of an exquisite wine". His philosophy was that wine is a "necessity of life" and America as a society should embrace wine as a moderate beverage much preferable to harder liquors.

Unfortunately, despite his experimenting in many varieties of grapes, the lack of pesticides available in the US is thought to have prevented him from successfully producing wine at Monticello. However, wine was served! When I visited Monticello, the wine cellar was undergoing some work so was closed to the tour. But, the photo below of the beer cellar shows that beer and cider were served with dinner and wine was served following dinner.

Hopefully, TJ would be pleased to know that some of his original vineyard sites began cultivation in 1981 and now operate as Jefferson Vineyards. I've done the wine tasting here ($5 tasting fee includes the glass) twice and would recommend any visitors to Monticello make a small detour to indulge in the tasting! I picked up a couple mementos from the tasting and especially enjoyed the steel barrel Chardonnay. The tasting room is small but there is a nice outdoor area for guests to sit, sip some good wine and check out TJ's view.

Cheers to my guy, TJ!

Teresa