All this time you’ve probably been wondering – where’s the wine? At Beacon Point in St. Thomas, we found Guava Berry Wine. I’ll tell you about that stop later in the story. We docked at Charlotte Amalie at about 8:00 Wednesday morning, splitting up into three groups. One group chose the Skyride, a seven minute ascent in a gondola with a spectacular island view. Another group opted for Coral World Ocean Park for a chance to get up close and personal with marine life. My group decided to visit The Butterfly Farm. Located near the Havensight Mall, The Butterfly Farm offers visitors a chance to see butterflies at every stage of their growth cycle. The group there is dedicated to learning more about these delicate creatures and how they impact our planet’s environment.

Green Swallowtail

We were blessed with Read more »

After a wonderful day on the Island of Grand Turk, we re-boarded the ms Eurodam and got right back to work. There were wines, avocado oils and balsamic vinegar to taste! Linda Kissam was our host as we tasted 10 wines from Keyways, Tesoro and newcomer Lorimar. The group was impressed with the selection provided and Linda did an excellent job presenting the wines. We then tasted some incredible avocado oils from Oak Mountain: Toasted Onion, Chili, Roasted Garlic, Lemon Pepper and Key Lime, followed by the Dark Sweet Cherry Balsamic Vinegar. Avocado oils have a higher flash point, meaning they can sustain higher cooking temperatures before burning. All of them tasted delicious and the balsamic vinegar was a big hit. After the tasting, we retreated to our cabin to freshen up and then made our way to the Crow’s Nest for the drawing for IFWTWA’s scholarship auction. Not only am I Read more »

To say this has been an interesting week would be a gross understatement. My wife Laura and I learned we would be joining a group from the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA) on their Eastern Caribbean Cruise about two weeks prior to departure. Late Friday evening we arrived in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida to board our ship the following morning. When we awoke it was 43°, pouring rain and windy. We both remarked the beginning of our Alaskan cruise had been far warmer. The Eurodam is a lovely ship, about two years old now (a baby by nautical standards) and carries approximately 2200 passengers. We set sail under stormy skies about 6:00 pm with the ports of Grand Turk, San Juan, St. Thomas and Half Moon Cay Bahamas lying ahead of us. We quickly began meeting members of our group – Leigh Cort who specializes in historic inns of the south, Chef Jean Read more »

It’s been a hell of a year. Until early May, I was selling real estate, or at least attempting to. In March, my then fiancée, now bride, Laura and I spent the weekend in Paso Robles with our dear friends Denny and Jodi Jones. If memory serves me correctly, it was the 5th visit there for Laura and me in about a year’s time. We took Denny and Jodi to one winery after another, introducing them to winemakers we had met and to some phenomenal wines, too. At the end of the weekend, Denny told me what an incredible experience they’d had. He told me I ought to think about taking people out and giving others the same experience we had shared with them. That started the ball rolling. I had been writing a blog on a real estate web site for about two years, sometimes writing about real estate, but more often about travels, wine and life in general. My brilliant wife suggested I started a wine blog and do what Denny suggested and start taking people to wineries. The seed was planted. The name WINEormous popped into my head and we both liked it. We chuckle sometimes when we hear wine descriptions that talk about pencil shavings and the like. We love a good nose on a wine, we love to swirl the glass and let the wine open up, then savoring the mouth feel and picking up the fruit. That’s when I came up with Read more »

Our three day visit to the Napa Valley was simply magical. We wound up our road trip on Halloween and kicked off the morning with a visit to the historic Chateau Montelena. After we saw the movie Bottle Shock we knew we needed to pay a visit to the Chateau. Signs of the movies are evident everywhere, and on the counter you’ll see displays of DVDs signed by Bo Barrett packaged with bottles of their Chardonnay, the wine that beat the French in Paris. The Chateau is spectacular, the grounds are breathtaking. Jade Lake boasts Chinese architecture and two picnic islands reserved for wine club members. Two types of tastings are available; the current release tasting for $20 or the library tasting for $40. We were provided the current release tasting and found the Chardonnay, Cabernet and Zinfandel to be noteworthy. After our tasting we strolled around Jade Lake, feeding the ducks and swans and soaking up a gorgeous fall day.

Envy Winery

Our next appointment was at Frank Family Vineyards, formerly Hans Kornell Cellars, but we had some free time and decided to make a quick stop at Envy. We had hoped to visit a winery we weren’t familiar with and Envy fit the bill. The owners of Envy have been making wines for many years, but the tasting room has been open for just a few years. It’s intimate, stylish and has clean lines. Our server was friendly and attentive and we were sorry we weren’t able to spend more time there as we enjoyed our experience (including the group in Halloween costumes at the tasting bar!) and the wines were excellent.

Frank Family was just down the road and we had an excellent experience there. We had been told to ask for tasting room manager Dennis Zablosky. He was busy when we arrived, so we were sent to the sparkling wine bar where we began our tasting. As famed sparkling wine producer Hans Kornell previously occupied the property, they have an advantage in the production of bubbly. Laura loves sparkling wines and we were both happy with what we tasted. We moved to another room and another tasting bar where we sampled a few still wines before being invited into Dennis’ office. Remember, this was Halloween and once again we encountered several folks in full costume in his office. Dennis is the perfect host. He held court at his desk as he poured us several of the Frank Family reserve wines and shared stories with us. He told us about receiving a customer’s last will and testament years ago and thinking it must have been a mistake. She told him to open the package and read section two. Her will stated that she be buried with a bottle of Frank Family Chardonnay, her favorite wine.

Dennis Zablosky (and friends)

Frank Family front porch

It was lunch time and we drove by a barbeque place that smelled so good we had to turn around. i can’t remember the name, but it was tasty. Here’s a peek.

Our last stop on our incredible journey was a Duckhorn Vineyards. Again, the weather was as close to perfect as I can imagine… sunshine and 70s with a gentle breeze and a touch of Autumn in the air. Somehow they were expecting a group of twelve, but it was just the two of us. Tom gave us a tour of the winery and then brought us into a private tasting room where he proceeded to knock our socks off.  Five bottles of wine had been decanted and we tasted elegant Cabernets and Merlots as well as some offerings from sister winery Paraduxx. Artisan cheeses accompanied the wines to perfection.

I can’t imagine a better trip, but trust me, I’m busy planning one. Thanks for coming along with us. I hope you enjoyed the journey.

Duckhorn Vineyards

Tom with Duckhorn decanters

Duckhorn Tasting

Corison Winery

I can’t imagine the weather being any more idyllic than what we experienced during our three day visit to the Napa Valley. The fall colors were beyond breathtaking. After breakfast we made our way to Corison Winery for a visit with owner and winemaker Cathy Corison. Joyce McCollum was there to greet us. We were poured glasses of the ‘06 Corazon Gewüztraminer (the perfect breakfast wine said Joyce) and we walked through the winery to the vineyards. Joyce is the perfect ambassador for Cathy. She filled us in on the history of the winery while we waited for Cathy to arrive. She told us the painstaking attention to detail they devote to the vines. Workers Salvador and Manuel even sing to them. Peas and other seedlings are planted between the rows of grapes to help prevent erosion.

Cathy arrived and we had a nice visit in the vineyard before heading upstairs where Joyce had set up a tasting for us – a vertical ‘98, ‘99′ and 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon as well as some Cabernet from her Kronos Vineyard. We continued our visit while we tasted her amazing wines. Cathy doesn’t spend time worrying about what the critics think of her wine. Her focus is on producing the finest quality wine she can, and she succeeds on a number of levels. Here wines are beautifully balanced with a lingering finish. They are elegant. Look for Laura’s story about Cathy in the near future in her Women on Wine page. In the meantime, here’s a video from LRB Productions that will tell you more about Cathy and her philosophy.

Laura and I were married on the 4th of July of this year and a lot of my relatives had yet to meet her.  They arranged a luncheon at the CIA, The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone. It was wonderful visiting with family and the food was superb. After a delicious meal and a good visit, we made our way to Larkmead Winery for a private tasting on their patio. Little did we know another culinary delight awaited us later in the day. Larkmead is one of the oldest wineries in the Napa Valley and they wear their heritage proudly. Their vineyards are more than a century old. Owner Cam Baker stopped by to pay us a visit as Sonny poured us some exceptional wines. I particularly enjoyed their Sauvignon Blanc.

CIA at Greystone

CIA Kitchen

Larkmead

Cam Baker

Autumn at Larkmead

Larkmead Vineyards

Our last scheduled stop of the day was at Rombauer Vineyards. I think it bears noting that when friends shared a bottle of Rombauer’s ‘05 Zin with me a few years ago, it reawakened my passion for wine. It’s still one of my favorites. While we waited for K.R. Rombauer, we tasted superb Chardonnay and Zinfandel and got acquainted with Moose. K.R. joined us and I told him how much I had enjoyed the ‘05 Zin. He disappeared briefly and returned with a bottle, saying it had been a while since he had tasted it. It was every bit as good as I remember it. K.R. led us on a tour of the property. We admired the spectacular landscaping while we walked down to the crush pad and bottling line and through the massive barrel rooms. We headed upstairs to Rombauer’s private tasting room and sampled some exceptional single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons and the beautiful Carneros Merlot. We said our goodbyes and started heading back to the hotel, thinking our day was pretty much wrapped up.

K.R. Rombauer

Dahlias at Rombauer

We were on our way to The Eagle & Rose and decided to stop in to Merryvale for a quick visit. Merryvale’s history dates back to early post-prohibition and it is a charming room. A large tasting bar is at the center and it’s surrounded by a large gift shop with every sort of wine related merchandise you could imagine. We tasted several wines, bought a few as well as some delicious cranberry mustard. We started visiting with the couple next to us and found out that they lived in Murrieta, same as us. They mentioned they were going to have dinner at Chef Michael Chiarello’s Bottega restaurant. We are big fans of Chef Michael and decided we would try our luck at getting in without a reservation. Lady Luck was smiling on us. We were seated on the patio and the outdoor fireplace took the fall chill out of the air. Both Laura and I will tell you we enjoyed one of the finest meals we’ve had anywhere. To top it all off, we met Chef Michael and had a short chat with him. We told him how much we had enjoyed seeing him on Top Chef Masters. He laughed saying he felt underwater on the show, like he was Sponge Bob. It was the perfect ending to an incredible day. We were set to start our last day off the next morning with a stop at the famed Chateau Montelena.

We knew it was just a matter of time. The Napa Valley is the elephant in the room, the 600 lb. gorilla. When Laura and I planned our first major road trip together, we knew we had to wind up in the Mecca of the California Wine Country. It was an early 4 am wake up call in Paso Robles. We had a 10:00 appointment at Cain Winery and many miles ahead of us. We entered the Napa Valley and drove through Napa, Oakville, Yountville, Rutherford and St. Helena before finally turning on to Langtry Road and up Spring Mountain. Autumn in Napa Valley is simply magical. The colors are beyond description and the air is crisp and clean. We met Holly Evans-White who welcomed us and gave us a tour of the property and what she calls the most magnificent view of the valley. I know we didn’t see one to match it during our visit.

Jerry and Joyce Cain purchased the property in 1980 and brought on partners Jim and Nancy Meadlock six years later. The Cains did envision making wine on the property, but didn’t have any idea how successful their property would become. They actually had a jelly garage built, thinking the wine would just be a part time thing. The Cains sold their interest to the Meadlocks and moved to Arizona. Chris Howell is the General Manager and Winemaker and clearly has his own vision. His focus is on quality wine and he has no time for any of what he considers to be trivialities of the industry. He wasn’t there when we visited, but I look forward to meeting him on another visit. To get a sense of his philosophy, check this link out.

We stopped in the tasting room and tasted the NV6 Cain Cuvé, a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc with a touch of Petit Verdot, the 2005 Cain Concept made with the best available fruit from Rutherford and Oakville, the same varietals but with Cabernet Sauvignon the dominant fruit, the 2000 Cain Concept Library and the 2005 Cain Five, with Cabernet Sauvignon again leading the way and 2% Malbec added. Cain’s wines are superb and a visit there is unforgettable. Cain isn’t easy to get to and you definitely need an appointment to visit. They regularly turn down 100 – 300 requests weekly. San Francisco Giants’ pitcher Matt Cain wanted to visit and was initially turned down because the only reason he wanted to go was that his last name was the same as the winery’s. He eventually did wind up visiting. We met vineyard manager Ashley Anderson and were extremely impressed by her passion for work. She clearly loves what she does. Our visit to the valley was off to a wonderful start. We headed down the hill and followed Holly’s advice and had lunch at Taylor’s Refresher. Think a burger joint with a wine list and you’re on the right track.

Ashley Anderson

Next up was a visit to Viader, the result of Delia Viader’s vision. Delia grew up in Argentina and developed a palette for Bordeaux style wines. She came to the United States to get a doctorate in philosophy and then obtained a business degree. In her late 20s she heard that the property she now owns was for sale. With the help of her grandfather as an investor and advice from her mom “let’s make wine”, the project began. It took ten years to put enough money together to open a winery. There was much work to be done, including extensive hillside blasting. Delia’s master plan is the blueprint for everything they do. From the beginning she wanted to use Cabernet Franc as her primary blending grape, an idea scoffed at initially, but it has worked out very well. Viader is truly a family business. Delia’s daughter Janet handles sales and marketing, son Alan is the winemaker with his mom and daughter-in-law Mariela (Alan’s wife) is the Executive Chef. Viader wines, from the “V” Petit Verdot/Syrah blend, to their Cabernet Sauvignons and their DARE line including a magnificent Tempranillo are beautifully crafted. The views at Viader are breathtaking as well, with steep vineyards and heavenly panoramas.

"Lady"

We were eagerly anticipating the next stop of the day: Jarvis Winery. Not only have we enjoyed their wines, they have a remarkable reputation and we had heard the tour of the winery and caves was incomparable. I’m sorry to say our visit didn’t live up to the hype. The property is stunning. There are lakes on either side as you walk from the parking lot to the winery. The entrance, a huge arched door, is more than impressive. When we entered, Laura asked if she could use the restroom. She was escorted to the back and needed to be “checked in” by security and her hostess had to wait outside for her to finish. William Jarvis made a brief appearance and we started the tour. No doubt about it, Jarvis Winery is magnificent. Their caves are immense and they’re designed like a wagon wheel with spokes going out from the center. There’s a waterfall. We passed William’s office, a massive door adorned with embossed grapes vines and his name. We entered the crystal room, home to the grand collection of crystals William and Leticia have collected from around the world. From there we entered the grandiose ballroom where they hold events for their wine club members. Someone remarked “it’s like Willy Wonka.” I agree and for me that’s the problem. It’s all too much. Give me some quality wine in nice surroundings and I’m happy. We finished in the tasting room and had several of Jarvis’ wines (no doubt about it, they are outstanding) with cheese and crackers. Here’s the second thing we had a problem with. They’re serving $100+ wines in small glasses, like something you’d expect at Denny’s. I’m sorry, I just don’t get it. If you want to see grandeur and taste some wonderful wines, check out Jarvis. It’s just too over the top for our tastes. There would have been more photos, but no cameras are allowed inside the caves.

We called it a day, grabbed some decent Mexican food in town and called it a night. This was going to be the end of a three part series, but there’s too much to share about our trip to Napa. There will be two more segments.