Posts Tagged ‘Wine’
Texas Wine is Alive and That’s No Bull
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The Best of Cahors, France
The Best of Cahors, France
By Ron Kapon
In late May 2010 the Second International Malbec Days Conference took place in Cahors, France. There were 100 Malbec producers mainly from France and Argentina, 150 journalists, 400 professional buyers and 3,500 wine connoisseurs attending this three day seminar and wine tasting. The conference compared the wines of Cahors and those of Lujan de Cuyo, Argentina. There were tastings of over 600 different wines all made from the Malbec grape variety, trips to vineyards and wineries as well as a wine tasting on a barge cruising along the Lot River. The famous Bridge Pont Valentre was transformed for the three evenings into the world’s biggest Malbec bar lounge and the nearby Espace Valentre was dubbed Cahors Lounge where for three nights guests could sample gourmet finger food from the area’s top restaurants, informally taste Malbec wines and watch the Cahors Malbec band and Argentinean tango dancers perform. The lounge also hosted an educational seminar dealing with the terroir of the Cahors appellation. There was also a dinner in the historic center of Cahors where we were able to talk to the winemakers and select our favorite Malbec wines to accompany the meal. I was lucky to be seated with famed California winemaker Paul Hobbs (and Malbec producer in Argentina) as well as Bertrand Vigouroux, the proprietor of my favorite Cahors wineries, Chateau de Mercues and Chateau de Haute-Serre. In 2008 Bertrand wanted to increase the quality of his wines and started working with Paul. It really shows. The Prince of Denmark, also a vintner (he is married to the Queen of Denmark), hosted a tasting and tour of his Chateau de Caix. A non-wine highlight was an early morning hot air balloon flight over the vineyards.
We flew to Paris and then on to Toulouse, which is the 4th largest city in France (1.1 million people in the metro area) after Paris, Marseille and Lyon. It was the capital of the former province of Languedoc and is now the main city of the Midi-Pyrenees region, the largest in France. It was less than an hour’s drive to Cahors which is in the Department of Lot within the Midi-Pyrenees region and has a population of about 30,000. This is a medieval city surrounded by the Lot River whose number one attraction is the Valentre Bridge. The bridge building (UNESCO listed) began in 1308 and was completed in 1378. It has three towers and was used for medieval defense of the city. In that century Cahors was a center of finance for Europe. French leader Leon Gambetta (1838-1882) was born there (his statue sits in Place Mitterrand), as was Pope John XXII.
Other interesting attractions in and around town are: Musee Henri Martin featuring works by the painter and an exhibit of the city’s most famous son, Leon Gambetta. Shop at the various truffle markets for the “black diamonds.” See the many “moulins” or windmills. Chanterie is a local museum devoted to wine. Saint-Etienne Cathedral (UNESCO listed) is the home to a museum of religious art and is a fine example of gothic architecture. Try to get to one of the painted caves featuring paintings and engravings dating back more than 20,000 years. There is a limit of 700 visitors a day so book in advance.
Cahors is an Appellation d’Origine Controllee´ (AOC), which is part of the South West France wine region. The AOC Cahors can only be used for red wines. There must be a minimum of 70% Malbec in any wine called Cahors with the 30% balance Merlot and/or Tannat. The grape is known locally as Cot, Cot Noir or Auxerrois. The name Malbec can appear on the label if at least 85% of the blend is Malbec. Malbec only fully ripens at the beginning of October. Hence the weather in September is especially important to a successfully produced Cahors. This is the only AOC in Southwest France to prohibit the use of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. The wines can be quite tannic when young and definitely benefit from aging. There are many producers making a new style Cahors wine that is ready to drink when bottled. Although many growers produce white and rose wines, they cannot have the Cahors appellation which is solely for red wines. It was 90 degrees when I started tasting wines on the Valentre Bridge and I chose to only taste rose wines that hot afternoon. All the wines served during the conference used the Cahors ring-stemmed glass, which had an excellent resistance to breakage yet offered perfect transparence. 11% of the total acreage of Malbec worldwide comes from Cahors (19.5% if you include all of France), a total of 1.8 million cases. Argentina has over 71% of the Malbec plantings. It was brought to Argentina in the mid 19th Century by a French agronomist as a government program to improve all aspects of Argentine Agriculture.
There are Tender & Fruity Cahors wines that are 70-85% Malbec. They pair well with white meat, roast poultry or grilled meat. Their light tannins go with a mixed salad or fish casserole and most Provencal dishes. The Feisty & Powerful Cahors wines are 85-100% Malbec. These wines boast complex fruit. Duck breasts and Quercy lamb are their perfect partners. Try with crepes, walnuts and chestnuts. With age and once their tannins have softened they go well with cheese. Finally, there are the Intense & Complex Cahors wines which are 100% Malbec. The passing of the years makes them the perfect partner for lamb, foie gras, truffles and wild mushrooms. Rabbit with prunes, deer with cranberries and pear cooked in wine call for the “Black Wine of Cahors.”
The first vines were planted around 50 BC and during the Middle Ages the wine was known as “the black wine” (Vin noir). Tsar Peter the Great of Russia chose Cahors to be the Mass wine of the Russian Orthodox Church. Phylloxera destroyed the vineyards at the end of the 19th century. In February 1956, Cahors had severe frost, which once again destroyed almost all the vineyards. They were soon replanted and Cahors was awarded their AOC status in 1971. The vineyards are an equal distance from the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea and the Pyrenees Mountains. They are about 35 miles in length and 18 miles in width. Typical aromas characterize the terroirs of Cahors: violet, menthol, truffle, black currant, cherry, licorice and vanilla. During the second half of the 19th century Argentina adopted the Malbec of Cahors in the Mendoza region, at the foot of the Andes. Argentine Malbec has been rising in popularity over the past few years, as it provides the grape with a suitable climate for it’s ripening. Almost all of Argentina’s wine growing regions can support the growth of the Malbec grape as they are at high altitudes and sheltered from the rainfall from the Andes, providing the grape with around 320 days of sunshine a year.
Best Restaurants & Hotels of Cahors-
Ll Table de Haute-Serre (Cieurac)- A unique stone cellar restaurant with inventive cuisine that combines terroir and modernity, associating local products that follow the seasons. Located at the winery Chateau de Haute-Serre. Same owners (Georges Vigouroux) as Chateau de Mercues. www.hautserre.fr
Le Marche´- Refined and creative cuisine in a cozy atmosphere. www.restaurantlemarche.com
Le Bateau au Fil des Doucceurs- A large barge restaurant with traditional Southwest French cuisine.
Le Vinois(Caillac)- 10 minutes from Cahors. Refined and creative cuisine in a contemporary setting. 3 Star Hotel has 10 rooms. www.levinois.com
Chateau de Mercues- A 4 Star Relais & Chateaux property in a 13th Century castle with 24 rooms and 6 suites overlooking the town & vineyards. Their 1 Star Michelin restaurant has a large underground wine cellar. www.chateaudemercues.com
Hotel Terminus. A 3 Star hotel built in 1900, in the center of Cahors, by the railroad station. Le Balandre restaurant has a 6-course Carte Blanche dinner and offers cooking classes. www.balandre.com
La Bergerie- Located 5 minutes from Cahors is a 3 Star charming hotel with beautiful gardens. www.labergerie-lot.com
La Truite Doree- 15 minutes from Cahors in an old coach inn run by the same family for 5 generations. www.latruitedoree.fr
La Garenne- Savory traditional cuisine in a restored barn.
Lions and Tigers-My Visit to Princeton, New Jersey
Lions and Tigers- My Visit to Princeton, New Jerseyby Ron Kapon Let’s start with the fact that I went to Columbia College and the Columbia Graduate School of Business. Our mascot is the Lion. Princeton’s mascot is the Tiger. On an early fall Sunday I arrived in Princeton for a two day visit. A few weeks earlier the Columbia football team, not known as a powerhouse, destroyed Princeton 38-0. This was Columbia’s first road shutout since 1961. Trivia alert- the 1869 game between Rutgers and Princeton is notable because it was the first documented game of any sport called “football” between two American colleges.Princeton, New Jersey is located in Mercer County with the university founded in 1746 and moved to Princeton in 1756. New Jersey’s capital is the city of Trenton, but the governor’s official residence has been in Princeton since 1945. Although Princeton is a “college town,” (the area gets almost 1 1/2 million visitors a year) there are other important institutions in the area, including Rider University, the Institute for Advanced Study, Educational Testing Service (ETS), Siemens Corporate Research, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Tyco International, Verizon, Bristol Myers Squibb, Berlitz International, and Dow Jones & Company. The town is roughly equidistant between New York and Philadelphia. Princeton has been home to New York commuters since the end of World War II. It took me less than two hours to arrive at The Nassau Inn in the center of town. The original building (on Nassau Street) was also built in 1756 (they moved to their present location in 1937) and their 203 guestrooms have been updated with all modern conveniences. I stopped for a bagel in the Yankee Doodle Tap Room & Restaurant to admire their 13-foot wide Norman Rockwell mural, valued at over 1 1/2 million dollars. All the other 47 name brand hotels are located outside of the downtown area, mainly along Route 1.Ben Bernanke, Chairman of the Board of Governors of the United States Federal Reserve is a Princeton University professor. So are writers Joyce Carol Oates and Toni Morrison as well as John Forbes Nash, Jr., mathematician, subject of A Beautiful Mind. Notable visiting writers have included: Saul Bellows, Philip Roth and Gertrude Stein. Grover Cleveland, the 22nd and 24th President of the United States retired to, died in, and is buried in Princeton. Albert Einstein, physicist, was a fellow at the Institute for Advanced Study. Christopher Reeve, actor, grew up in Princeton, attended Princeton Day School. Paul Robeson, singer, actor, athlete, civil rights activist, also born and raised in Princeton. Woodrow Wilson, 28th President of the United States, 13th president of Princeton University and Governor of New Jersey. First Lady Michelle Obama graduated from Princeton, as did Brooke Shields and David Duchovny. Former US Senator Bill Bradley and Princeton basketball All-American is also a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame. One comical note- Brooke Shields dated Dean Cain who would play Superman. Christopher Reeve was also Superman and he grew up in Princeton.Mimi Omiecinski, owner and operator of the Princeton Tour Company, greeted me in the lobby of the Nassau Inn. The first hour was a walking tour of the university. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League. Princeton University has traditionally focused on undergraduate education (4,900), although it has almost 2,500 graduate students. I was surprised to learn that Princeton does not have a law, medical or business school but it does offer professional master’s degrees (through the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs) and doctoral programs in the sciences, humanities, and social sciences, as well as engineering. Nassau Hall, the oldest building on campus was named for the Dutch William III of England of the House of Orange-Nassau. The college also adopted orange as its school color from William III. Originally, the sculptures in front of the building were lions (Go Columbia!). These were later replaced with tigers in 1911. A variety of sculptures adorn the campus. They include pieces by Henry Moore, Clement Meadmore, and Alexander Calder. In 1969, Princeton University first admitted women as undergraduates (Columbia did the same in 1983). During the American Revolution, British and American forces occupied Princeton on different occasions. The Battle of Princeton, fought in a nearby field in January of 1777, proved to be a decisive victory for General George Washington and his troops. Two of Princeton’s leading citizens signed the United States Declaration of Independence: Richard Stockton and Clergyman John Witherspoon, who was later president of the college (whose great, great, great granddaughter is the actress Reese Witherspoon).The Princeton Triangle Club, a student performance group, built the Tony-award-winning McCarter Theatre. Today, the Triangle Club performs its annual freshmen revue and fall musicals in McCarter. McCarter is also recognized as one of the leading regional theaters in the United States. The Princeton University Art Museum has nearly 60,000 objects. The collections range from ancient to contemporary art and concentrate geographically on the Mediterranean regions, Western Europe, China, the United States, and Latin America. There is a collection of Greek and Roman antiquities, including ceramics, marble, bronzes, and Roman mosaics. The collection of Western European paintings includes examples from the early Renaissance through the nineteenth century and features a collection of twentieth-century and contemporary art. One of the best features of the museums is its collection of Chinese art including bronzes, tomb figurines, painting, and calligraphy. The museum has collections of old master prints and drawings and a comprehensive collection of original photographs. African and Indian art are also represented. Princeton University Chapel is the third-largest college chapel in the world, behind those of Valparaiso University and King’s College, Cambridge, England. Known for its gothic architecture, the chapel houses one of the largest and most precious stained glass collections in the country.For the next hour Mimi drove me around the Princeton area and a visit first to The Institute for Advanced Study,a center for theoretical research and intellectual inquiry. The Institute is perhaps best known as the academic home of Albert Einstein, after his immigration to the United States. The Institute has no formal links to Princeton University or other educational institutions. Princeton is also the home of Drumthwacket, the official residence of the Governor of New Jersey, although nearby Trenton is the state capitol. I had a brief visit to Princeton Battlefield State Park, the 100-acre state park that preserves the site of the Battle of Princeton (January 3, 1777); we didn’t have time to enter the Princeton Cemetery where Aaron Burr, Grover Cleveland and George Gallup, among others, are buried as I had a half-hour drive to my next appointment.The Grounds for Sculpture is a 35-acre sculpture park with two museum buildings on the site of the former NJ State Fairgrounds in Trenton. My only problem was having enough time to see the 250 sculptures, most in their natural settings. They were kind enough to provide a golf cart and docent to speed me through. I have to return and spend an afternoon there. Founded in 1992 by John Seward Johnson II (of Johnson & Johnson fame) the venue was intended to be dedicated to promoting an understanding of and appreciation for contemporary sculpture, including many by Johnson. Richard Moscovitz, the manager of Rat’s Restaurant, gave me a tour. Why the name Rat’s? In Kenneth Grahame’s classic, The Wind in the Willows, one of Seward Johnson’s favorite books, the character Ratty represented everything a host should be. As founder of Rat’s and Grounds For Sculpture, Johnson likens himself to Ratty who threw the best parties with the best wine. It is designed to make visitors feel they have stepped into a village reminiscent of French impressionist Claude Monet’s beloved town of Giverny. The restaurant overlooks Johnson’s sculptures inspired by Impressionists paintings, as well as the lily pond and bridge inspired by the works of Monet. After a meal one is invited to enter the Grounds for Sculpture at no charge. I can’t wait to go back for Sunday brunch and a few more hours touring the grounds.My dinner that night was at Mediterra, only a block from the Nassau Inn. It features cuisine from the 21 countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. Chef Luis Bollo prepared two dishes from scratch based on my allergy to all nuts. A great meal. My other meal was lunch at Witherspoon Grill also only 1 block from my hotel. I met Adam Perle, Vice President of the Princeton Regional Chamber of Commerce who arranged all my visits, at this classic steakhouse. After lunch we walked to The Princeton Corkscrew Wine Shop, considered the premier wine shop in town. We also stopped by the Paul Robeson Center for the Arts, again only a few blocks from the wine shop.Moving backwards to earlier that morning I was given a tour of the Nassau Inn by General Manager Lori Rabon and then a private tour of the Princeton Art Museum (see the description earlier in this story) by associate director Becky Sender. The museum is closed on Mondays so we had it all to ourselves. I did learn that admission to the museum is free. The kind folks at the Princeton Regional Chamber of Commerce gave me a gift certificate for the Princeton Record Exchange, again only a few blocks from the Nassau Inn. It is one of the largest independent music stores in the US and I found a prefect CD set of the US Presidents. It was time to return to NYC with a desire to return very soon.For More Information-www.groundsforsculpture.org/ratsrestaurant |
Wining Dining & Touring in California Central Coast
Wining, Dining & Touring in California’s Central Coast
According to Appellationamerica.com- an appellation is a wine growing region with officially recognized boundaries. Appellation designations are required on wine labels to identify the origin of the grapes used in making the wine. Vineyard locations rather than winery locations determine appellation. There are two classes of appellations- political boundaries (states, provinces and counties) and appellations defined by geographic boundaries based on topography, climate and soil types. These geographically based appellations are known as American Viticultural Areas (AVAs). It’s about the terroir. The concept of terroir is at the base of the French wine Appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC) system that has been the model for appellation and wine laws across the globe. At its core is the assumption that the land from which the grapes are grown imparts a unique quality that is specific to that region. The US has 194 AVAs in 25 states and California has 108 of those. The Central Coast region I visited has 29 in 7 counties and encompasses vineyards from San Francisco to Santa Barbara and all that lies between. My trip reached as far as Paso Robles, which is 122 miles from Santa Barbara. There are about 100,000 acres under vine in the Central Coast. The appellation was granted based on the shared cooling influence of the Pacific Ocean. There are presently over 2,800 commercial wineries in California with 622 wineries utilizing the Central Coast designation. What I immediately learned was that some of the finest producers don’t have tasting rooms and you can visit only by appointment. Conversely, a great many of the wineries I visited sell only from a tasting room and have very small production. If an AVA is listed on a wine label at least 85% of the grapes used to make that wine must have been grown in that AVA. There are over 55 grape varieties grown in the Central Coast region with Syrah, Chardonnay (largest), Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Zinfandel and Viognier the main choices.
My trip itself was a whirlwind of activity and discovery. Even though air travel is no longer much fun, going Business Class on a 6-hour flight sure beats the alternative. I used the Delta Lounge at JFK, ate actual food and watched movies & live TV. You even get 2 bags checked free and all for 45,000 frequent flier mileage. The Internet really worked for me in researching a weekly car rental. I don’t tend to plug service vendors but $200 with all taxes for a PT Cruiser (I loved that car) was a bargain. In less than an hour I was at the San Jose Marriott where they gave me access to the Concierge Lounge with a free computer, breakfast and a great view from the 26th floor. The Winchester Mystery House Mansion Tour was not my cup of tea. It didn’t help that it was 98 degrees outside and up to 120 inside the 160-room former home of the widow to the Winchester Rifle company. The younger kids might not enjoy the history lesson but teenagers and adults who are into haunted houses or bizarre architecture might like it. The good thing is they allowed me to park there for the evening and I walked a block to Santana Row, a Mediterranean-style retail and entertainment district filled with trendy eateries (their words), fashion boutiques and bars. There are 70 shops and 20 restaurants. It seemed perfect for the Silicon Valley crowd that appeared to fill every place. I spent an hour at Vintage Wine Merchants at Santana Row and their sister operation Vintage Wine Bar. Their artisanal cheese & charcuterie plates complimented the 25 wines by the glass. A block away was my dinner at Village California Bistro & Wine Bar, with artisan seasonal ingredients & 400 wines, including 85 1/2 bottles (a great idea for the solo or couple diners). The next morning I opened the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum, located inside the gardens of Rosicrucian Park. They boast the largest display of Egyptian artifacts in the western U.S. The Tech Museum of Innovation was inspired by its Silicon Valley location and is great for kids. Over 80,000 school kids come here every year for its 250 interactive exhibits and the IMAX theatre. Then it was lunch at the Arcadia Restaurant (a Michael Mina operation) back in the Marriott. Since the convention center is next door and there was nothing going on that day the restaurant was empty, except for our table located in the Wine Room. They carry 220 wines.
My wine adventure began in Santa Cruz, 30 miles southwest of San Jose. I spent the night at a charming B&B called the Adobe on Green Street, only a few blocks from the center of town. Pacific Avenue is a pedestrian-friendly district with art galleries, outdoor cafes and shops all anchored by the clock tower dating from 1900. Vacationers have been drawn to Santa Cruz since the 1800’s. The century-old Beach Boardwalk is home to two National Historic Landmarks. It features the West Coast’s oldest seaside amusement park. The Giant Dipper is a vintage wooden roller coaster that is 85 years old. The Carousel, built in 1911, features 73 hand-carved horses. The Santa Cruz Surfing Museum, located in a lighthouse, pays homage to Olympian Duke Kahanamoku’s visit in 1912. I watched the surfers ride the waves at Steamer Lane. My first wine stop was on the Wharf at Vino Prima Wine Bar that features California only wines by the glass, bottle or flight. There is Thrifty Tuesday with a buy one glass of wine, get one free plus 2 hours of free parking. The wharf stretches 1/2 mile into Monterey Bay and is lined with fish markets, restaurants and gift shops. I was off to meet one of my favorite wine people- Randall Grahm, owner of Bonny Doon Winery. He had recently sold his mountain winery & several of his high volume labels to concentrate on his small production wines. His new tasting room is right outside of downtown and we talked about his upcoming book (September) called- Been Doon So Long: A Randall Grahm Vinthology. Dinner was at Crows Nest, along the waterfront on Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary, which stretches 276 miles and is a federally protected marine area. The next morning I walked to downtown Santa Cruz & Vinocruz Wine Tasting Room. They house a selection of over 200 wines made by more than 65 wineries, all within the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA. Another 2 block walk and lunch was at Center Street Grill. On my way out of town I stopped at Bargetto Winery in Soquel, the longest continuously operated winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains, celebrating their 76th anniversary. They still produce a line of dessert wines under the Chaucer label that I have enjoyed for years. I discovered their La Vita (the life) a blend of Dolcetto, Nebbiolo and Refosco.
An hour’s drive up scenic (windy & scary) Route 152 (Hecker Pass Highway) and I arrived in Gilroy, the southernmost city in Santa Clara County. Along with the city of Morgan Hill there are 21 boutique wineries with almost all of the sales coming from tasting room visitors. I visited Sarah’s Vineyard, Solis Winery, Clos La Chance, Jason-Stephens Winery & Kirigin Cellars in my afternoon and morning in the area. Gilroy is known for its Garlic Festival that takes place in late July and is in its 31st year. I even had a chance to taste garlic ice cream (don’t ask). Its nickname as the Garlic Capital of the World comes from the fact that Gilroy Foods processes more garlic than any other factory in the world; most pickled, minced, and powdered garlic come from Gilroy. The Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park is a living, natural place where the 40 rides and attractions come alive in a setting of majestic waterfalls, lush gardens and astounding (I have never seen anything like them) circus trees. It is California’s only horticultural theme park. The West Side Grill was touted as the best restaurant in Gilroy and I was not disappointed. I stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn, which was only 1 minute from Interstate 101, which would lead me to my next stop- Monterey.
In an hour I was meeting Rhonda Motil, Executive Director of the Monterey County Vintners & Growers Association for lunch at the C Restaurant at the InterContinental Clement Hotel on Cannery Row in Monterey. John Steinbeck’s 1945 novel Cannery Row has now evolved to 30 restaurants, clubs and pubs, plus hundreds of shops. Nearby Fisherman’s Wharf is a family-friendly collection of waterside restaurants. Rhonda did an overview of Monterey County wines and their 9 AVA’s. It is the cooling effect of Monterey Bay, one of the deepest bays in the world, the long growing season and that legendary fog that account for the great wines of Monterey. There are over 40,000 acres of vines (translates to 150 vineyards) and nearly 30 tasting rooms between Cannery Row, Carmel-by-the-Sea, River Road and the Carmel Valley. There are 65 wineries in the county, many specializing in Chardonnay and Pinot Noir (see the paragraph below for a list of winery/tasting rooms visited). We walked across the street to the Scheid Tasting Room. Who knew that Scheid is one of the largest independent growers of premium wine grapes for over 100 wineries? I relaxed in their stylish lounge and comfy chairs while discussing the truism that great wine begins in the vineyards. Back across the street is the Taste of Monterey Wine Shop with over 85 Monterey wineries for sale. This time it was two blocks to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, voted the #1 in the US by Zagat.
Big Sur is located approximately 30 miles south of Monterey via Highway 1 but don’t think it will take you a half hour. The road zigs and zags and you better hold on to the steering wheel with both hands. I stopped at least 6 times at overlooks to take in the beauty of the cliffs, water and animal life. I do not recommend this drive at night. It is wild and rugged and maybe the world’s most beautiful drive. Highway 1 is California’s first designated Scenic Highway. There are no towns in Big Sur but an assemblage of resorts, restaurants, lodges, campgrounds, art galleries and natural hot springs. I was about to spend the evening 1,200 feet above the Pacific Ocean at the Post Ranch Inn, a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World. There are 40 guest rooms and all are designed with a rustic luxurious elegance. Besides my king size bed there was a wood-burning fireplace (it gets cold at night, even in the summer), an indoor spa tub and a private terrace with whirlpool; no TV’s or internet for maximum relaxation, though there is a TV & computer in the library. Dinner was at the Sierra Mar Restaurant where my table overlooked the cliff and ocean. The four-course prix fixe menu is $105, plus beverages, tax & tip. But if one can afford the room rates, which start at $550, why worry about dinner prices (breakfast is included in the room rate)? The restaurant held a Wine Spectator Grand Award from 1993 to 2005 (2,700 selections) when ownership of the restaurant changed to the operators of the inn. They have reapplied for the award this year.
Next it was back the 30 miles into Carmel, and this time I did not stop. I visited several tasting rooms and wineries including: Taste Morgan, Chateau Julien Wine Estates, Heller Estate Organic Vineyards & Winery, Boekenoogen Vineyard & Winery Tasting Room and Parsonage Village Vineyards with lunch (with the winemaker) at the Wickets Bistro at Bernandus Lodge (down the road for the winery of the same name). L’Auberge Carmel in downtown Carmel-by-the-Sea is a luxury 20-room inn built in 1929 and is located 4 blocks from the beach. As luck would have it I arrived in time for their monthly wine and food dinner. This time the entire meal used vegetables in every course. The 4,500-bottle wine cellar was used to match each course with a wine. I had time to walk 2 blocks to the Ocean Avenue, the main street of the town that is the home to 45 inns and a mecca for artists and writers. There are no fast food restaurants, neon signs or parking meters in town. Remember Clint Eastwood was once the mayor. He “made my day.”
One does not come to this part of California without taking the famous Pebble Beach 17 Mile Drive. It was very early and there was little traffic as I once again stopped at most of the viewing points watching golfers hit over and around the water and walking around the Pebble Beach Lodge. I was off to Paso Robles, about a two-hour drive along Highway 101; not narrow curves & hair-raising turns, just a normal California road. On the way I stopped in Salinas, the lettuce bowl of the world, to visit Pessagno Winery in the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA. A few miles south is Soledad located in one of the premiere wine grape growing regions of California with over twenty vineyards and wineries within a thirty-mile radius. I stopped at Hahn Estates/Smith & Hook, Chalone Vineyard & Paraiso Vineyards.
In an hour I was at my hotel in Paso Robles, the La Bellasera Inn. A suggestion on behalf of visitors to the city fathers: add better road signs! Who knew that Route 46 East & Route 46 West were different exits? I just assumed that one side of the road went east and the other west. Wrong! -and that is why I initially had trouble finding wineries that were on different parts of the same road. There are over 26,000 vineyard acres and almost 170 wineries in the Paso Robles area. I didn’t travel farther south into the rest of San Luis Obispo county which is the 3rd largest wine producing county in California with more than 200 wineries. That will be on the menu for my next story when I travel north from Los Angeles. I visited Peachy Canyon Winery, Turley Wine Cellars, Tablas Creek Vineyard, Zenaida Cellars, Lone Madrone, Eberle Winery, Meridian Vineyards and Eagle Castle Wine Cellar (shaped like a giant European castle). It was easy finding downtown Paso Robles as well as my dinner at Artisan Restaurant with the couple that founded First Crush. They explained that it is the perfect weekend blend of fun, work, relaxation and a luxurious wine making safari. First Crush winemaking experience will take aspiring winemakers into a Paso Robles vineyard where they will harvest your own wine grapes. They will crush and de-stem their fruit and then have numerous opportunities to participate in its transformation into a custom-made, privately labeled wine.
In less than an hour I arrived at Hearst Castle. Had I gone directly from Monterey using Route 1 it would have been 90 miles of the most dramatic coastline in the US. Tour 1 is recommended for first-time visitors as it provides a broad overview of the many facets of Hearst Castle and it is the least physically strenuous of the tours. Its duration is 1 hour and 45 minutes, which includes the bus ride to and from the castle. Tour 1 includes the companion movie, Hearst Castle Building the Dream, shown on the giant 5-story screen in the Hearst Castle Theater. Included are visits to the Esplanade & Gardens with their marble sculptures & flowers. Casa Del Sol is the 18-room guesthouse. The Neptune Pool (outdoors) and Roman Pool (indoors) are also included in the tour as is the Casa Grande or main house. Completed in 1947 (after 28 years of construction) William Randolph Hearst had created an estate of 165 rooms and 127 acres of gardens, terraces, pools and walkways. It is now known as the Hearst San Simeon State Historical Monument and is administrated as a state park.
In about 4 hours I was at San Francisco airport to overnight before returning to New York City. In 8 days I never had any traffic problems and the weather ranged from 98 degrees my first two days to the low 50’s during a few nights. I drove over 800 miles and did not have a single problem. Can you say that about your trip?
For Further Information:
www.centralcoast-tourism.com
www.gilroyvisitor.org
www.santacruzcounty.travel
www.hearstcastle.com
www.labellaserra.com
www.carmelcalifornia.org
www.tastemonterey.com
www.montereyinfo.org
www.montereybayaquarium.org
www.laubergecarmel.com
www.wineriesofsantaclaravalley.com
www.gilroygardens.org
www.vinocruz.com
www.vinoprima.biz
www.crowsnest-santacruz.com
www.thecenterstreetgrill.com
www.bonnydoonvineyard.com
www.adobeongreen.com
www.beachboardwalk.com
www.egyptianmuseum.org
www.scmwa.com
www.michaelmina.net/arcadia
www.intercontinental.com/montereyic
www.montereywines.org
www.canneryrow.com
www.thetech.org
www.winchestermysteryhouse.com
www.vintagewinemerchants.com
www.thevillagebistro.net
www.postranchinn.com
www.bernardus.com
www.pebblebeach.com
www.pasowine.com
www.artisanpasorobles.com
www.santanarow.com
www.sanjosemarriott .com
www.ccwga.org
Return to Paradise Diplomatically
By Ron Kapon
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