100 Wine Blogs, 100 Days Blog 79 Robert Mondavi Winery, Napa, California

Blog 79 Robert Mondavi Winery, Napa, California

One of the best places to visit when you head into California wine country is the Robery Mondavi Winery. The Signature tour takes you into the vineyard showing you the path of the grape from vineyard, to cellar, to the finished product in the bottle. Enjoy a sit-down cellar tasting with the wine educator who gives you tips on how to taste wine and drink wine at its best.

Stroll the property and enjoy two great tasting rooms as well as the large gift shop with a vast array of wine gadgets and gifts. The Mondavi Winery is one of the most beautiful open-air properties combining art and wine in the Napa area. The art gallery contains sculptures, artifacts and paintings. There are concerts held on their property and they have even had performers from Ella Fitzgerald to Etta James.



Although Robert Mondavi is no longer with us, his family tradition of making good wine and combining it with food and art has been passed down to his children and grandchildren. Be sure to check out Continuum Estate, Tim and Marcia Mondavi and their children, uphold the family name by making one style of red wine, Continuum, with the highest quality of artistic expression.

Tell me what you think! I want to hear from you! Give me your thoughts!

Bon Vin!
Veronica

100 Wine Blogs, 100 Days Blog 59 Charles Krug

Blog 59 Charles Krug

In 1861, Charles Krug became Napa Valley’s first winery. Now owned and operated by the Peter Mondavi family for three generations. This winery is located in St. Helena, California. They own eleven Napa Valley vineyard estates that are utilized to make up their wine selections. Family tradition is the foundation of their winemaking and grape growing.

We tasted several wines including Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Rose, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon as well as a Zinfandel Port. I enjoyed the 2005 Family Reserve Generations from Napa Valley. This wine is a tribute to family tradition and commitment to quality. Generations was blended with 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 9% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 3% Syrah and aged for 22 months in French oak barrels. Aromas of espresso and nutmeg, and red fruit flavors of black cherry, blueberry jam with a classic finish. 3,280 cases were produced. The price of this wine is $51.00.

Tell me what you think! I want to hear from you! Give me your thoughts!
Bon Vin!
Veronica

100 Wine Blogs, 100 Days Blog 13 What should you drink your wine in?

13. I guess for some people, it doesn’t matter what they drink their wine in, as long as they get to have some. Well, after several wine blogs, I think you have gotten to know that I have a big pet peeve about my wine glass.

What should a wine glass look like?

Stem: A wine glass needs to have a stem. Not too long but just enough to be able to hold the glass without touching the bowl. If you touch the bowl of the glass, you will change the temperature of your wine through the heat of the palm of your hand, warming the wine unnaturally. There are some companies that are opting to leave off the stem. Although it may be a new trend, I tend to like a stem on my glass, just how I like my roses!

Bowl: The bowl needs to be able to hold my wine and should not be too small. Wine needs to have room to develop flavor.

Lip: The lip needs to be thin and tulip-shaped. For white wine, it should be a little narrow at the top. For red wine, it should be tulip-shaped but not as narrow as the white.

Champagne or Sparkling Wines

My Champagne or sparkling wine needs to be in a champagne glass. If it’s got bubbles, I want a thin tapered flute to hold the flavor and keep the sparkle.

Reds and Whites

Container: Yes, it has to be served in a wine glass. No plastic please. A wine glass needs to be clear. No etching, color or design on the glass. You need to be able to visualize the color of your wine while it is in the glass. There is one exception for me as far as design goes. I do not mind seeing a winery logo in a small area on the glass. These types of glasses are fun to collect and I find myself having favorites that I use at home. I use a Laird Family Estate glass in a Chardonnay style or a Robert Mondavi Winery glass in a Reisling style for my whites. I use a Kunde or Silver Oak glass which both happen to be in a Bordeaux style for my reds.

You not do always have to buy the best wine glasses either. Get that out of your head. What if you break one of those $80 crystal glasses? Riedel is one of the glass companies that many people are familiar with or have heard of but there are many glass companies that make a wine experience more delectable. In the end, you have to drink your wine in a glass that makes the wine taste good to you.

Tell me your thoughts, make them funny, keep them nice and educate me.
Bon Vin!
Veronica