SEPTEMBER | 2010
celebratingwineweddingscuisine
temecula valley wine country
MUST (from the Latin, vinum mustum, “young
wine”).
Freshly pressed grape juice containing the skins, seeds and stems of the fruit.
The first step in winemaking. This is wine with all its potential
before it.
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DE PORTOLA WINE TRAIL As if Temecula Valley wasn't blessed enough, thanks to the luck of the draw it's actually two Wine Country's in one. Locally, these two kissing cousins are known as "The Street" ( Rancho California Road) and "The Back Road" (De Portola Road). In the tradition of California Wine Country designations, the Back Road is on the map as the De Portola Wine Trail. |
Although Rancho California Road plays host to the lion's share of Temecula Valley wineries (depending on who's doing the counting, about 2/3 of 30-some wineries), the De Portola Wine Trail takes all of us back to a kinder, gentler time. Entering this parallel universe, wine lovers are made welcome by everyone's dream of what Wine Country should be.
longhorn &
roses casner ranch company
entrance to de portola wine trail
photo by múst
Let's see . . . a land suspended in a pastoral coma, where time nearly stands still, passing-by at the speed of slowly ripening grapes. Where else in The SoCal are you going to find a herd of longhorn cattle? (Casner Ranch Company at the entry to the De Portola Wine Trail, the corner of De Portola Road & Anza Road). Where else as you pass by picturesque equestrian estates right out of the movies is there the chance you'll have to tap the brakes to let a group of horseback riders cross the road? Where else will you often find the winemaker and owner standing duty, pouring and describing the winery's fare? This Land of Oz might exist only in the imagination, but in fact it's really here.
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Celebrated for the wealth and diversity of their offerings, De Portola Wine Trail's nine charming wineries are actors who've moved to their spot on the Wine Country stage. In the Valley's vanguard, they're serving up their own unique take on the magic elixir of Temecula wines. And as with anything wine-related, the De Portola Wine Trail continues to improve with age. To cite but a few examples, the wineries are currently offering wine country lovers a flurry of activity including music, wine maker dinners, television cooking shows . . . they're even hosting dog shows! The course of the De Portola Wine Trail's history favors the odds being good for more wineries to join the mix. Put another way - more wineries? - this is the wine lover's equivalent of rapture! |
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The De Portola Wine Trail is a defining achievement, with the nine sisters d'vine wearing their dreams on their sleeves. We offer a ringing endorsement for their nook of Temecula Valley, encourage wine lovers from near & far to visit the Wine Trail website below for descriptions of, and directions to, the De Portola wineries, and then - on any given weekend - indulge yourself navigating through the countryside enjoying their offerings.
DE PORTOLA WINE TRAIL
Temecula Valley, California
www.deportolawinetrail.com
MÚST Web Log
Blogging the Wine, Weddings, Cuisine & Art of Temecula Valley Wine Country.
And Fallbrook, California |
And San Diego County | And Beyond.
syrah grapes in orfila vineyards
photo by tom plant
wineormous
california quail keyways
winery
photo by múst
|[WE GET LETTERS]|
"Randy,
Randy, RANDY! As always; right time, right place. Your fabulous lightning shot
captured the power and volatility of that unforgettable day!" Lauren.
"Love your
MÚST magazine! It's a "must read!" Great tattoo edition. So lightning
put you through college?
Those had to be adventurous times. I'd love hearing more of your history. Thanks
for including the [lightning] image. See you soon!" Randy.
"As
always, good to hear from you and I enjoyed the monthly edition of MÚST. Thanks
for the reference
to the G. T. [Grand Tradition], as it is nice to have Fallbrook and the G. T.
still on your mind. My best to you two." Don.
"You guys
are amazing! Boy, do I miss both of you. I know a trip down to see you is in
order.
Call or email me. And thanks for reaching out. See you soon." Lisa.
"I replied but it says your MÚST mailbox is full. It sounds like lots of us want to tell you how great it was!" Diana.
"I photograph LOTS of Brides and their tattoos and if you ever do another edition like this, I would love to contribute." Andrea.
"Hey, I've
shot a ton of Weddings this summer. If you need images, let me know.
Some are Military Officers and some are beach-themed Weddings." Michele.
merlot grapes at fallbrook winery
photo by tom plant
wineormous
|[QUOTE OF THE MONTH]|
“Asking a
winemaker what he thinks about his critics is like asking a fire
hydrant what it thinks about dogs.”
[paraphrased from] Christopher Hampton. British playwright.
jessica
elizabeth photography
photo taken at manhattan beach
|[WINE LABEL OF THE MONTH]|
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LONGBOARD VINEYARDS It's summertime, surf's up, time to get the hell out of Dodge, leave the heat of the Valley's dog days to the cabernet grapes and ride some curls on the North Coast. At the risk of using "hell" 2 times in one paragraph (this is an adult newsletter), to hell with the waves, we're more of a mood to drink some summertime wine produced near our old Northern California neighborhood of Mendocino, bordering on Anderson Valley wine country.
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Enter Healdsburg's Longboard Vineyards, with their wines and mojo fitting right in with this vibe. Healdsburg's a quaint, Victorian-era jewel of a village that - once you enter for vacation - you'll swear wild horses couldn't drag you away. (That is, until The Man texts you about coming back to work). Back when the world was young, our lives revolved around 1): Working (as little as possible), 2): Surfing (on a 10' Hansen longboard), 3): Trying to come to grips with Blue Nun and Mateus wine. Considering what greenhorns we were, it took an odd mix of smoke, mirrors and voodoo to develop an appreciation for good wines. When we stumbled across Longboard Vineyard's website and their vibe harking back to the days of our youth, we instantly fell in love. And jumped online to order a bottle of their 2007 Point Break. When the wine arrived, the label reminded us that - to surfers - a point break is when a fusion of ocean swells from a variety of directions come together to shape the perfect wave. |
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Similarly, Longboard's Point Break blends influences from a select few red
varietals - Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignane and Zinfandel - resulting
in an expression of aromas and flavors reflecting the climate of Northern
California.
The evening we surfed with Point Break - ahead of preparing our supper - we gathered in the kitchen to taste the wine. As we decanted it, the appetizing color reminded us - of all things - our childhood experiences of salivating over the rich color of Welch's grape juice. Once in our glasses and enduring a trial of rigorous swirling, we noticed an enticing orange-ish tint, indicative of a wine that's been aging for awhile. |
On lowering our noses into the glasses, we smelled delicious hints of bubblegum, a whiff of mint, plus a breath of serious alcohol. ("I gotta feeling, tonight's going to be a good night!"). As an additional note, we have a rose garden we take a bit of pride in and we found the bouquet of the Point Break to suggest a floral hint of old rose fragrance. We each took a first sip and found the wine soft, round and smooth, with an intriguing subtle fruit presence of raisins. There were just enough tannins to be interesting. And, intriguingly, the texture of the wine lay on the sides of the tongue like our favorite buttery chardonnays of yore.
All in all, our reaction to the Point Break was, TGIS! ("Thank God it's Saturday and we're drinking this wine!"). We heartily suggest you join us in returning to Longboard's website below and ordering this wine. It only takes a couple of days to arrive and you'll be wholeheartedly welcoming this visitor from The North to your table for a SoCal weekend!
So what food pairing to accompany such a delightful wine? Well, it's summer in Wine Country, so shrimp on the barbie came to mind, with a robust marinade to assist the seafood in augmenting the wine. MÚST- pals Ragan & Shaun Erickson had shared a recent harvest from their prolific vegetable garden, so we threw a mess of crooknecks on the grill, alongside the shrimp. We rounded-off the meal with artichokes. Here's the deal: we're easy prey for artichokes. Ever since we discovered them years ago, we've eaten artichokes every weekend.
The wine, the meal . . . they were to die for. What a pairing! "I gotta feeling . . ."
1). shrimp on the barbie (arm in arm
with crookneck squash from the garden of ragan & shaun erickson)
2). artichoke central california coast (we couldn't make it through the
weekend without one)
3). dinner is served, along with rosemary from the múst herb garden bon
appétit!
photos by múst
LONGBOARD POINT BREAK
$21 14.6%
LONGBOARD VINEYARDS
5 Fitch Street
Healdsburg, California 95448
707 | 433 3473
info@longboardvineyards.com
www.longboardvineyards.com
|[FOLLOW THE EATER]|
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EAT. PRAY. RAVIOLI Temecula Valley's "Movie Tuesday Club" chose in August to pair the movie - "Eat, Pray, Love" - with the opening of the new Raviolis Osteria in Murrieta. It could not have been better timing! After watching E.P.L.'s Julia Roberts declaring "There will be no carb left behind!," Karon Cartwright, of Ponte Winery, Gena Tweed, of the Grand Tradition and Vitagliano Winery, and Wedding Officiant, Lauren-Michele Seals, set out to do just that! |
| Having been introduced to Raviolis Italian Bistro in Lake
Elsinore by Malinda Burton, baker-extraordinaire of Jodee's
Bakery, the trio decided to sample and savor the newly-opened Raviolis
Osteria in Murrieta. And they were not disappointed!
("Osteria" translates from the Italian as an establishment where "the owner plays host to the guests").
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The ladies indulged in Italian Chopped Salads, Margharita Pizza and Pancetta Salad. And all were deemed delicious!
photos by lauren-michele seals
Chef / Owner of Raviolis Osteria - Giuseppe Di Gristina - wishes Temecula Valley diners, "Buon Appetito!"
RAVIOLIS OSTERIA
Murrieta Hot Springs Road
Murrieta, California
951| 245 7242
info@raviolisitalian.com
www.raviolisitalian.com
[Editor's
note: "Movie Tuesday Club." For those involved with weekend Weddings in Temecula
Valley
(Gena, Karon & Lauren-Michele, mentioned above), Mondays &
Tuesdays are "The Weekend"].
|[HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE]|
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CELEBRATE CALIFORNIA WINE MONTH MÚST- pals Peggy Evans, Cori Cocca & Darla O'Leary - AKA Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association - are beating the bushes promoting September as California's WINE MONTH. |
Although the month of September has long been celebrated as Wine Month across the state of California - we're so lame - we thought every month was wine month in California. Trying to get up to speed, we learned from the TVWA that they've created a special passport to SIP Temecula throughout the month of September. Here's how it works: for a mere $40 bucks, wine tasters can choose 5 wineries to visit. (Out of 30 TVWA member wineries). This offer is valid any day of the week from September 1st - September 30th.
SIP & Ride packages are also offered via the Grapeline Shuttle. Enough with the pesky driving!
But wait, there's more! Wine lovers are invited to indulge in a Sip & Stay package at the luxurious South Coast Winery. OMG! For those of you familiar with the SCW Resort, you're well aware this is the nirvana of Wine Country!
September's at hand, the grape harvest is underway and before all of us have to face the reality of summer's-over / time-to-get-serious, Wine Month in Temecula Valley is a wonderful opportunity to indulge our Inner Slacker.
Please contact the Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association for further details.
TEMECULA VALLEY WINEGROWERS
ASSOCIATION
34567 Rancho California Road
Temecula, California 92593
951 | 699 6586
www.temeculawines.org
sunset on a mellow evening in
temecula valley wine country
photo by múst
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We recently reported on Woodworth Vineyards alchemy mojo in the mountains of De Luz, as they divine - STG! - Pinot Noir in The SoCal. [The MÚST staff actually drank a bottle of Woodworth's delightful pinot. It isn't just the stuff of an urban legend]. As of this writing in mid-August, these wizards of the miraculous were hard at work harvesting pinot grapes for their sparkling 2010 Blanc de Noir. |
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photos & graphics courtesy of
woodworth vineyards
The Winery reports that when the grapes hit a Brix of 19 (the sugar content of the fruit), it's time to get them off the vine and into the presses.
Woodworth relates harvesting two tons of Pinot grapes for their 2010 Blanc de Noir. ["blanc de noirs" translates roughly from the French as, "we're going to make white wine from these red grapes"]. The Winery uses a method called "whole bunch press," with the fruit being pressed immediately, without being de-stemmed and crushed before put into the press. The juice is then pumped into a stainless steel tank with little contact with the skins along the way, to keep the juice from absorbing too much color from the skins.
(For readers who've ever purchased plain, old-fashioned bottled grape juice in the market, you have some insight into this fresh-pressed juice being the nectar of the gods!).
The Winery plans an August / September time frame for bottling their 2009 Blanc de Noirs sparkling wine. But wait, it gets better! As if all this wasn't enough harvest season to keep one winery occupied, Woodworth also tells of the near arrival of their first Leaucadendron harvest (South African flowers similar to Proteas), not to mention fruit from their avocado grove.
WOODWORTH VINEYARDS
Gary & Marlene Woodworth
951 | 694 8888
winelover@woodworthwine.com
www.woodworthwine.com
cabernet sauvignon grapes in
orfila vineyards
photo by tom plant
wineormous
|[IN FURTHER WINE COUNTRY NEWS]|
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BRIAR ROSE WINERY At the annual meeting of the Wine Institute, held at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco, Temecula Valley's Les Linkogle - winemaker for, and co-owner of, Briar Rose Winery - was confirmed for his second term as the Southern District Director of the Wine Institute. Explaining his emphasis on promoting member wineries in Temecula, Riverside and San Diego, Mr. Linkogle explained, "the wine industry is a vital part of our economy and must be preserved. The Wine Institute is the wine industry back bone that educates, lobbies, defends and promotes the integrity of wine, not only in the U.S., but throughout the world." |
At the same meeting, Tom Klein of Rodney Strong Vineyards in Healdsburg was elected as Chairman of the Wine Institute.
Membership in the Wine Institute now numbers 1,024.
BRIAR ROSE WINERY
41720 Calle Cabrillo
Temecula, California 92592
951 | 308 1098
www.briarrosewinery.com
[with thanks to linda kissam]
|[THIS JUST IN]|
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WINE & A BITE Date: September 18, 2010 Swirl, meander and nosh your way through this popular summer art walk series in historic downtown Fallbrook. Food from local restaurants are paired with wines from local wineries and served throughout Fallbrook's Historic Downtown. |
FALLBROOK AREA VISITORS BUREAU
111 West Alvarado Street
760 | 451 3282
favbdirector@findfallbrook.com
www.findfallbrook.com
dan
pettus photography
vineyards at ponte winery
|[AND FINALLY]|
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The calendar's just dawned on September, which can mean only one thing: it's been way-too-long since those Wedding-world, party-animals of the TVWP have gathered to eat, drink and be merry. (Marry?). |
This month's mixer proves to be a special one, as the gang gathers at MÚST-favorite, Callaway Winery. As all fans of Callaway know, there's no other winery location quite like this one, with their location atop the hill providing views, views, views all around.
We're looking forward to touching bases with Callaway's Wedding coordinator, Krista Chaich, who's earned a well-deserved reputation as one of the most easy-going Coordinator's in The Valley. (On the day of the Wedding, easy-going is to everyone's benefit!). We're also looking forward to a post-game plate of tapas, the specialty at Callaway's fabled Meritage Restaurant.
CALLAWAY VINEYARD & WINERY
32720 Rancho California Road
Temecula, California 92591
951 | 676 4001
TEMECULA VALLEY WEDDING PROFESSIONALS
Charlene Keys @ 951 | 201 0322
mytvwp@gmail.com
photo by múst
VENUES & VENDORS
If you have Wine Country news you'd like to share, please e-mail it to the link
below.
[If the information is time-sensitive, please send it by the middle of the
month].
MÚST
MÚST Wine Country Newsletter
2 Inform. 2 Entertain.
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