#Wine and the Woz

What to do on another fun Saturday night while on “Staycation?” Not a tough choice for this wine lover.  One of the joys of a Staycation is getting to be spontaneous.  There is no set air travel or pricey hotels unless you want one as part of a special overnight.

So there I sat, lounging in my PJs as If I’m on vacation.   Every weekend is an awesome chance to discover a new dining and wine cafe or rediscover an older more familiar one in my community.  So, for me, most of this Staycation has been about discovery.

Last weekend was one of the 2014 Summer Staycation’s most memorable ones. I chose Tresettis Word Caffee as our dinner choice and was so happy I did. This bistro type dinner wine café has been doing well in Modesto for about 25 years now.

Additionally,  I discovered that our local Gallo Arts Center had a trio of events and speakers that night.   As I continued to read on the local arts paper I noted that Destination Graduation , a youth mentoring program, was hosting a benefit where Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak was the speaker and special guest.  Tickets we’re still available so I snatched up 2, one for my my dear friend and one for myself.
The benefit started about 7:30, so we again scored a 530 reservation, which gave us plenty of time to eat and sip our wine and relax . Tresetti’s World Cafe and wine shop was wowing us.

Our server, Kirk brought us our wine list ,menus and recommendations in a friendly and very helpful manner.  We started with the baked Brie, roasted garlic and French bread.  Out of this world,paired with a 2012 de plapa Chardonnay.  We then moved onto our luscious dinner entrees and a 2012 Lincourt Pinot Noir . This exquisite wine was sweet but not too sweet and complemented our lemon chicken, my friend Jean’s and my Kobe beef.

One extra nice thing was how great our server was.   Kirk kept great track of our time so we’d be on time to see the Woz!  A short walk on a hot evening got us to the Gallo Center to hear Mr. Wozniak   .This event significantly helped our local teenagers.

From the time “The Woz” came on stage and treated us to his wisdom, joy and humor. He had us, his audience. transfixed for the next hour and a half.   One of the things that stood out for me was how he had set 2 goals.  One was to become an electronics engineer and the other was to be a fifth grade teacher.

In the following 50 years he did both.  And built , in his garage what we now know as the very first Apple Computer. He shared on a sweet and personal level.  I look forward to seeing him again someday.

Until my next entry, drink good wine and share it with the special people in your life,

Next week:  An exciting and historical weekend in Napa!

Cambria!

If you follow my little map I have us in San Luis Obispo already.

 

When my family vacations on the Central Coast we do not actually go through San Luis Obispo on the way to Cambria.

I went to San Luis Obispo first, as the Madonna Inn is to cool not to talk about quickly.  And San Luis Obispo is the heart of the region.

We actually take 41 to 46 to 101/46 to the 46 cutoff and head west to Cambria.

Got that?  There will be a quiz.

 

Although on the north end of the Central Coast region, it’s a convenient home base.

You are 15 minutes or so away from world famous Hearst Castle, 30 minutes from San Luis Obispo and about an hour away from the great beaches at Pismo Beach.

Hearst Castle has their own wine tasting on site at Hearst Ranch Winery.

As Conrad likes European wines, and has a thing for Portugal, I would recommend the 2010 Tempranillo “Chileano”.

The Winery describes it thusly:

Our winemaker is extremely passionate about Spanish wines. Thus, Chileano was born. Our vision with Chileano was to create a Tempranillo stylistically similar to the great wines of the Ribera del Duero in central Spain. Our Tempranillo is driven by ripe cherry aromas with hints of mocha and strawberry. Tame acidity and varietal fruit flavors on the palate allow our Chileano to drink well out of the gates and for the next 2-4 years.

This is as as close to Portugal as I can get you with the Hearst offerings, Conrad.

Hearst Castle is perched above the coastal fog within sight of the ocean and offers as astonishing view.

Built by William Randolph Hearst (Hearst Publishing) the Castle was home to many legendary Hollywood parties.

Portions of the castle were disassembled around the world and shipped to the location and reassembled in place.

The Castle is home to great works of art and any astonishingly beautiful tapestries are featured in the great halls.

It is a grand castle in every sense of the word.

 

Cambria itself is a small beach town, and a very popular destination.

My favorite part of Cambria is The Soldier Gallery, a hobby and collectibles shop.

Once at Cambria and the Central Coast, we typically spend a week or so, ranging  up and down the coast, with Cambria as home base.

Related Content:

http://andykaufmanskavalkadekrew.wordpress.com/2014/04/07/the-heart-of-the-california-central-coast-wine-region-is/

The Heart of the California Central Coast Wine Region Is…

There is some debate about where the Heart of Rock and Roll Is.

I think Huey settled it pretty well by saying the heart is everywhere!

 

 

Yet on the matter of where the Heart of the Central Coast is I think there’s little room for debate.

It’s San Luis Obispo.

San Luis Obispo is inland, so gets occasional coastal fog, yet is solidly located within a delicious Mediterranean climate.

They have a wonderful walkable downtown featuring Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, and wonderful eateries.

One of my favorite stops is the Madonna Inn.  It’s so named because Madonna lost her bustier there in 1987 on the Like A Virgin Tour.

I kid!

 

The Madonna Inn is an International Landmark destination and features individually themed and decorated rooms.

I remember being on a tour as a child and being surprised to see a heart shaped bed!  Oh the imagination roamed upon seeing that room!

The rooms range from kitschy to more subdued, but it’s definitely at least worth a tour if in the area, even if you don’t stay in the hotel.

 

And the wine is to die for.  Or perhaps you should not die, just slowly toast your liver as you enjoy your wine.  That seems the more reasonable response.

Conrad has complained that my wine blogs are short on actual wine.

So i shall discuss the seafood!  It’s fresh!  It’s delicious!  And my favorite restaurant for seafood in San Luis Obispo is The Splash Cafe.

They are well known for their delicious clam chowder in a bread bowl.

They also have  a location near the wharf in Pismo if you head south to the beach.

It’s absolutely delicious!  And a nice homey little cafe.  It’s reasonably priced as well.

Onto the wine!

I’m kinda bummed.  I was all set to talk about a great wine but my sons computer build failed.  I’ve been looking into it, but i suspect he fried the mother board.

So we will have to wait to hear about the great wines of the region until next time!

Related posts:

http://thewinewankers.com.au/2014/01/15/wine-poured-over-vanilla-ice-cream-really/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paso Robles Wine Country

As you approach Paso Robles there’s a sea change in atmosphere.

The cool sea breeze hits you and you can feel the very ocean!

I kid.

It’s still pretty much damn hot over there in Paso Robles.  Generally, that is.  During the summer months.

Yet the soil is perfect for many varieties of grape.

And there is apparently a raging debate about the nature of wine in the wine community.

Is Wine made in the field or in the winery?

And I come down with Conrad on this.

Although I’m not sure than just any old grape can be turned into a great wine I am sure that without any grapes you would have no wine.

I digress.

As we head into Paso Robles the choice is north or south.  Or to stay in Paso Robles, which we typically do not do.

We typically head south down 101 towards San Luis Obispo,  And honestly, Paso Robles has been more of a pit stop!

 

Here’s a wonderful view, apparently slightly to the west of the above picture.  The massive difference is I haven’t highlighted where we are driving!

PS:  For Eva.  See the mountains now?  LoL.

 

This is not meant to demean Paso Robles, as they are a wonderful pit stop (Disclaimer:  I live in Fresno. )

One of the main attractions in Paso Robles, besides the wonderful wineries is the California Mid-State Fair.

And if you are worried about being overrun by San Francisco liberals, I would advise you that the non-coastal areas of California are a bit more conservative generally.

They wear cowboy hats, and rodeo and other fun stuff as they drink their wine.

Why, the boys at Brain & Baker cooked up their plans for a winery in Yosemite camping.  That’s not typical frou frou behavior, at all.

And the seafood is fresh and to die for, Paso Terra being a great place to eat.

You can definitely be  bacchanalian in Paso Robles!

Related Content:

http://thewinewankers.com.au/2014/04/02/ruminations-one-of-the-wine-industrys-colossal-questions/

Ruminations: One of the Wine Industry’s Colossal Questions

 

The Heart of Wine Country ~ Paso Robles

Fresno, is located in Fresno County, otherwise knows as Agriculture Central

And grapes are the number one crop!

However Fresno County is slightly arid, and though we have rich soil we wouldn’t be farming (in the quantity we do) without the extensive irrigation that goes on.

True, many go for raisins and other food needs, but many are converted into Wine.  Unfortunately much of that is Gallo Wine, but I suppose they have their place in the market.

Our soil is perfect for everything, and conveniently enough this includes grapes.

However, we are heading to the Central Coast on our epic #Wine journey!

 

When last seen, we had toodled past Chalome, and down towards Paso Robles.

Chalome itself looks more like the Central Valley in terms of flora and fauna, and as you approach Paso Robles, you begin to pick up the mediterranean look of the area.

Paso Robles is tucked inside the Coastal Range in a small valley, surrounded by mountains on the east and northwest.

And as you drop into the Valley over the eastern edge you get a sense of the agriculture in the area.

The following images are coutesy of Google Earth.

 

 

Here we approach the Tobin James Winery along Freeway 46.  Paso Robles is just visible in the north east corner of the picture, below the hills.

 

The area is a leader in sustainable practices, with a local organization, SIPPractices.org
offering certification.

 

Follow @SIPtheGoodLife

And as Conrad is a fan of beer, I recommend BarrelHouse Brewing Company, an outdoor beer garden, located in downtown Paso Robles.

 

Related Content

http://www.fcfb.org/Fresno-Ag/Top-10-crops.php
http://www.tobinjames.com/
http://www.sipcertified.org/
http://www.barrelhousebrewing.com/

 

My Love Affair With Wine

Before we proceed into Paso Robles on my Central Coast tour I suppose I should explain my background with wine.

My love affair with wine started in 1977 when my family moved to Fresno.

One fine fall day I stepped outside into the crisp air and smelled I knew not what.

And what it turned out to be was the Gallo Winery that was less than a mile from our home at the time.

And I use the term “winery” charitably as it looks more like a factory to me.

 

The Gallo brothers are famous for suing their brother when he dared to use the family name on his cheese business.  They won the lawsuit, but it’s strange to me that a man can’t use his own family name on his own business.

The Gallo(w) winery is contrasted by the pastoral Bianchi Winery in Paso Robles.

 

That’s not to say we do not have outstanding wineries in the area.  We certainly do.

One of the best is run by the kids at Fresno State University, in the Department of Vitoculture and Enology.  Fresno State is the first University in the nation to run a licensed winery, ahead of the better known UC Davis & Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.

The kids turn out a great product, with many award winning vintages.

#Woof!

 

Follow @FresnoStateWine

 

Related Content:

http://www.fresnostate.edu/jcast/ve/

http://store.fresnostatewinery.com/

I Am Now a Wine Blogger (Sort of) ~ The Wine Krew

I have a long and storied love affair with wine.

Not really. However, I have grown more interested in wine since making friends with Conrad of the Wine Wankers.

As I have explained previously, Conrad writes in a real and engaging way. He also utilizes humor and just isn’t the stereotypical Wine guy.

And I enjoy reading his blog and talking to Conrad.

The other night Eva tweeted to Conrad that she might need his #Wine expertise. I jokingly answered that I would help. Of course on matters of #Wine I know I am of no real assistance.

But for humor, I think I’m good.

And to my surprise, Eva asked about the benefits of “gifting.”

And this I can answer.

This is my gift to Eva and Conrad.

It’s a virtual tour of the Central Coast wine region as I would experience it. And have experienced it, perhaps 100 times in my lifetime.

However, I have never toured the Wineries of the area, except 1. And I didn’t actually taste any wine.

But, and it’s a great big but, yesterday, mysteriously a magazine called Vintages arrived with my Fresno Bee.

It’s put out by the The Tribune News of San Louis Obispo. Which is at the heart of the Central Coast wine region.

This was great luck, and is quite useful. And yes, I recognize many of the names, as they wineries are fairly well known, AND visible to me from Highway 46 on the way to the coast.

Fresno is approximately 3.5 hours from the coast, and is tucked close under the Sierra Nevadas in the Central Valley.

When leaving Fresno (a boring place really) we travel down Highway 41 to 46. And then proceed generally west.

The first real place of interest we come to is Chalome.

Chalome is where James Dean died and they have a lovely memorial there for him.

It’s a nice rest stop as well, and a little general store.  But there’s not much more there than that.

As we proceed west on Highway 46 we come to Paso Robles.  And we start to see the vineyards and wineries.

Paso Robles is where the climate begins to change.  It is where the dry valley climate mixes with the Mediterranean climate that affords the rich growing opportunities for great wine varietals.

And not to brag, but as transplanted Frenchman, Guillame Fabre of Glos Solene Winery notes in Vintages, “Here, with the soil and climate, you can produce almost anything you want.  You have no barriers.”

Once I have exhausted the Central Coast, I will talk about the other Wine regions I have visited, yet not enjoyed the wines.  I think that as a wine person that enjoys tourism, you will find much to enjoy in California.

To Be Continued….

Related Content:

http://california-vineyards.com/wine-regions/
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/wine/vintages/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paso_Robles,_California#Climate
http://clossolene.com/