Posts belonging to Category Mendocino

Desert Kings

Somebody else is always getting married in Las Vegas. As good a reason as any to visit this forsaken cultural desert in a desert. There used to be two primary distractions in Vegas: gambling, aka gaming, and S-E-X. From a distance we observed that both industries are still alive and thriving. We could have used more distance at the poker table where we learned our game is more rusty than the Minnow on Gilligans Island. In fact, I channeled the doofus deck hand for hours as sharper minds ran roughshod over my pathetic attempts at winning hands. No matter. Once Internet poker is legal again I will be able to play at a table with similarly unskilled altacockers. (more…)

these are NOT potatoes

The Holidays (that would be with a capital H) are well known among wine snobs as the TCNY Wheel of Fortune. Thanksgiving Christmas and New Year -TCNY -provide sufficient justification to fall off whatever wagon you have been on and slop around in puddle after puddle of wine and other imbibations. We fancy a martinus in the supporting role.

Thanksgiving is the seasonal kickoff…we still think of Halloween as more carnal ritual than sophisticated “tasting of the grape” [ed. stole that from Ruxin, so sue me]. This year was especially pleasing as frequent tBoW contributor The Large stepped up to the plate and contributed mightily to an almost uniform U20 lineup. (more…)

Not Napa or Sonoma or Paso or LA-proximate Santa Rita Hills. MENDOCINO’S Anderson Valley my frengs is the top wine country destination in the Golden State offering a look back in time at what used to be the norm everywhere. Forget the limos, the tasting palaces and the $40 tasting fees. Keep the superb dining experiences, some world class and great value wines, and the friendliest tasting rooms you may never have experienced or in the case of one old timer [ed. no brag just fact!] you believed were long gone…although they may be coming back. (more…)

Last minute travel to Lake Tahoe. No time to plan the wine program. Will have to rely upon the fetching wench to quench the thirst of masses (including tBoW). She turns in a stellar performance in the wine department and in the boggle pit and makes a very strong case why Navarro Vineyards and Winery of Mendocino belongs in the constellation of Under-the-Radar stars along with Tablas Creek of Paso Robles.
2007 Canayli Vermentino di Gallura $18: Torrontes-like given the oily texture, fruity flavors. Somewhat rich. Slight bitterness. Very good choice for the just-flew-in from-LA arrival wine. 13.5%
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Independence Day produces the usual parties, BBQs and libations. July 4th is not necessarily a wine event like, for example, Thanksgiving. Burgers, dogs and potato salad call for robust reds so tBoW expects to see plenty of Cabernets while hoping to encounter some Rhone style wines as well. And if someone should pop the cork on some frothy fruity high acid white wines, well, that makes blowing off fireworks even better. Here is what we tasted over the holiday. (more…)