The Wine Attic with Jan Manni

Mountain High Wines: 225 Sierra & Its Foothills Wineries: Growing in Nu...

2011-03-22T08:03:00.000-07:00

Mountain High Wines: 225 Sierra & Its Foothills Wineries: Growing in Nu...: "In the summer of 2010, I spent months on the mountain roads of the Sierra and its Foothills, visiting 40-50 of the 225 wineries there. ..."

Brides Daily Brides Daily: Brides.com

2011-03-07T13:28:00.000-08:00

Brides Daily Brides Daily: Brides.com

Restaurant and Wine Review

2011-01-16T15:25:00.000-08:00

I went to Mochica Peruvian Restaurant on Harrison St. in San Francisco last week because I am a member of OpenTable.com and bought a gift certificate for $25 worth $50. What a great way to explore restaurants that sound interesting. We had a variety of authentic Peruvian tapas with some great wines. What stood out the most was a great atmosphere, great presentation and great service. Don't miss the Costillita de Chancho ($12), pork spareribs glazed with the chef's BBQ sauce. With the tapas (small plates), we started with an Albarinofrom Rias Baixas, Spain, Laxas 2009 ($34). It was delicious, tangy with balanced acids which paired well with the Pulpito a la Parilla ($12), grilled baby octopus a la parilla with mashed potato and chimichurri. For an entree, I loved the Churrasco a la Parilla ($21) which is Natural feed NY steak with yucca fries. The yucca fries are to die for. We paired that with a Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina from Bautista Simona 2008 ($30). It was full-bodied, nice fruit and a silky tannin finish. It was the most full-bodied Malbec I ever tasted. Overall, it is a great place to hang out, for parties and for an adventure. The wine list is selected by Chef/Owner Carlos Altamirano "with his food as a guide". Que Rico!

Lack of Service Knowledge

2011-01-08T21:22:00.000-08:00

I had the opportunity to go out to many restaurants in SF Bay Area for the holidays. What was really apparent was the lack of knowledge that the service personnel had. Some, so young to as not even know some of the old historical drinks. Is that an excuse? No. If you want to be a professional Server, then why don't they study for it? After all, it only makes sense for the restaurant owner to provide training and/or employ persons that have the enthusiasm to pursue a professional career in the hospitality industry. Otherwise, forget it. Without that, the restaurant is losing money. A server should be aware of upselling.
I was in a major hotel restaurant in San Francisco, and the server didn't even know what a gimlet was. Instead of saying "I'll find out" he said "oh that must be a new drink? And, I'm talking very nice hotel, SF MOMA restaurant. I was like, what? You need to get the Service and Sales for the Wine Professional book and read it. Wow!

It's pathetic how the wine sommelier has gone by the wayside in this economy. If you are in hospitality and you don't know what your client is asking you, please say "I will find out for you" instead of saying something stupid. I would really appreciate it!

Winemaker Challenge - An International Wine Competition

2010-12-09T06:36:00.000-08:00

Winemaker Challenge - An International Wine Competition

Do Wine Tasting Skills Decline with Age? | Drinking Out Loud | News & F

2010-09-22T16:48:00.000-07:00

Do Wine Tasting Skills Decline with Age? | Drinking Out Loud | News & F

Wine Notes: Robert Hall Winery - Wine - SanLuisObispo.com

2010-08-06T12:51:00.000-07:00

Wine Notes: Robert Hall Winery - Wine - SanLuisObispo.com

Meatball Contest

2010-08-02T15:02:00.000-07:00

I don't want to brag but I did win the meatball contest at Cameron Hughes Wine headquarters. I was running against a New Jersey Italian with roots south of Naples and a young hotshot Chef. I mixed a concoction of ingredients from my old Sicilian ancestors' recipes. Then made an awesome sauce to go with it; we call it gravy instead of sauce. Wine to go with this - Lot 161 is my favorite on www.chwine.com. It's a Meritage with 50% cab, 40% cab franc and 10% Merlot. I love this because the cab comes from a very expensive wine program and I love cab franc. A perfect match with this hearty, spicy, Sicilian sauce (gravy). I have to admit, the other meatball submission were good too. All the meatballs entries tasted different because of the different meats and ingredients used. Mine was 1/2 ground veal, 1/2 ground beef stuffed with a cube of smoked mozzarella.

2006 Steppe Cellars Artisima Red Wine Blend

2010-07-31T20:06:00.000-07:00

Steppe Cellars Wines

I'm just tasting this delicious blend from Columbia Valley. I needed a red wine for a meatball cook off and while making the sauce, I saw that I did not have a chance yet to try the 2006 Artisima from Steppe Cellars. The bottle was given to me by Chris and Barb Cary from yakyakwine.com, a wine Blog from Yakima, to critique while I was attending the Wine Bloggers Conference in Walla Walla this past June. Five grapes, 33% Cab, 33% Merlot, 15% Malbec, 10% Petite Verdot, 5% Cab Franc, make this wine fruit forward with a nice smooth finish. Sweet chocolate cherry nose with a touch of tobacco, dark ripe cherry, cinnamon, blackberry on the palate, smooth finish with a little white pepper. Very nice. Drink now. The fruit is showing nicely and don't think it will improve with age. It is very drinkable now.

So back to my meatball recipe, I only put in GOOD wine in my sauce. I thought the balanced fruit in this wine would compliment my sauce. I do want to win this. Never use inferior wine in recipes. Don't use what you wouldn't drink.

So as 8 oz. goes into the pot I proceed to have the rest with dinner of roasted chicken and sauteed garlic, green onions and broccoli - it went well with the combination of herbs (flat leaf parsley and fresh sweet basil) and spices I used. After dinner, I still had some wine in my glass and enjoyed it with a few pieces of Almond Crunch. Now I wish I hadn't poured so much wine in the sauce!

Columbia Valley is an interesting wine regions that needs more notoriety. The wines are exquisite from here. The terrior is different and unique which produces some of the finest wines that can compete with the best of regions.

The Columbia Valley AVA is Washington’s all-encompassing region with some 11 million acres of land in all. Included within its confines are six other American Viticultural Areas (AVA) including Yakima Valley, Red Mountain, Walla Walla Valley, Horse Heaven Hills, Rattlesnake Hills and Wahluke Slope.

Check out this wine site http://wine.appellationamerica.com/wine-region/Columbia-Valley.html to learn more about it. It is a must visit. You need to stay at least one week. There is plenty to do in Washington.

Lot 107 2005 Meritage, Cameron Hughes Wine, Napa Valley

2010-07-25T20:47:00.000-07:00

I have heard some complaints on this wine, vinegar, cooked, etc. I just tasted it and it is exquisist. I love the cab franc in this wine. I think what is happening is the transport of this wine into your area has been poor as well as the storage. The wine is great, especially for the price. That is one of the biggest problems - the distribution variances really can hamper the quality of wine. So as far as the current product, sin transport, it is very high quality - nothing to do with the CHW quality standards. So if you get a bad bottle of CHWine, take it back for refund and complain about its transport care.

Free the Grapes!: Will Massachusetts Finally Allow Wine Direct Shipping? | Business Wire

2010-07-23T10:27:00.000-07:00

Free the Grapes!: Will Massachusetts Finally Allow Wine Direct Shipping? | Business Wire

2007 Lot 172 Atlas Peak Cabernet Cameron Hughes

2010-06-22T10:30:00.000-07:00

2010 RESULTS

Double Gold Medal Cameron Hughes Wine 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Lot 172, Atlas Peak $22. www.chwine.com

Gold Medal Cameron Hughes Wine 2007 Meritage, Lot 161, Sonoma $16. www.chwine.com

Cameron Hughes Wine

2010-06-16T16:20:00.000-07:00

Cameron Hughes Wine

Ch. Ste. Michelle - My Chateau

2010-06-11T16:49:00.000-07:00

Ch. Ste. Michelle - My Chateau

2007 Lot 172 Atlas Peak Cabernet Cameron Hughes

2010-06-09T15:41:00.000-07:00

Unfiltered, unfined in appearance. Hot summer, cherry blossom nose. You can even imagine bees humming in the air, fresh green grass under your toes. The wine has a dark purple rim, looks rich and full-bodied. Fruity, dark ripe cherry, blueberry on the palate. Earthy, tar from volcanic intrusion, oak on the long finish. Slight sediment. Wine will do well with a couple of years aging. Do not disturb this wine. Not necessary to decant. A delicious wine with food. Try with a fillet or any grilled meat with grilled pineapple.

Lot 172 soon to be released.

Lot 157 Cameron Hughes Cabernet

2010-06-03T15:15:00.000-07:00

Here's another one that won't last long, just released, '07 Lot 157 Cab from Yountville, Napa Valley. 9% syrah adds to its complexity and on the earthy finish. Dark bing cherry color, with a sweet cherry, cinnamon aroma and fruit-filled mouthful. Tobacco, tar on the long, velvet finish. This is a delicious food wine. Serve with roasted pork topped raisin chutney, side of grilled root vegetables. The wine is ready now because of its fruitforwardness. Don't think it will get too much better with age. Does not need to be decanted.

More on Yountville, CA.

Lot 148 Cameron Hughes Chardonnay

2010-06-03T14:46:00.000-07:00

Just released, the '08 Lot 148 Char from Santa Barbara, nice creamy, butter on the nose and with its color golden, making it look rich, teasing us and letting us know that we are about to have a complex chardonnay. Very pleasant fruit on the palate, pear and banana. This wine is one that a traditional Napa (oaky, buttery) chardonnay drinker will love. Even though it is said to have slight ML, it does have enough to show butter but in contrast it has a balanced acidity resulting in a spicey finish, slight oak. Overall, this is a great wine for $13 bucks, as good or better than any $30 Napa chard. Great chardonnays come out of Santa Barbara. Lot 148 lives up to their high-end standards.

The wine would be excellent with or without food. For the menu, this can be enjoyed with chicken alfredo as well as grilled wild salmon.

Click here for more on Santa Barbara chardonnays.

2007 Lot 165 Cameron Hughes, Pinot Noir, Los Carneros

2010-05-30T18:45:00.000-07:00

Very elegant Pinot, combines Burgundian, California style wine. What I mean by that is that is does have the smokey, delicate aroma and feel from Burgundy, yet the soft fruit berry forwardness of a wine from California. This is a fine wine, beautifully showcased in the glass by its perfect color. I can drink Pinot with most anything but my favorite would be a grilled wild salmon with fresh and spicey mango salsa and an aromatic, steamed Indian basmati rice. For the mango salsa, include a chopped a seeded jalepeno pepper and red bell pepper. The wine is available now for about $18. But it sells out fast - that's because most of the lots are small.

Wine Bloggers Conference, June 25

2010-05-30T18:32:00.000-07:00

Who is going to the Wine Bloggers Conference? I missed the sign up for the wine tour on June 25. But I found a really great, customized tour person, Lori Fischer, who will take us to the best wineries in the area - 6 - 8 wineries for only $50/person. Are you going to be up in Walla Walla on June 24? I really want to go with her but I need more people to join the tour. I am going to the conference by myself. Thanks!! Here's Lori's contact info: Lori Fischer, Owner, The Fischer House
www.thefischerhouse.net
www.winerytourswallawalla.com
Call: 509-540-9518 for reservations

Lot 169 Cameron Huges Merlot Napa 2007

2010-05-29T21:05:00.000-07:00

Just released and another killer red. Even when first opened, it is delicious. No need to decant. Fruit, fruit, fruit! This is better than any $50 Napa Merlot. Great structure. Fruit showing now, luscious plummy, cinnamon, hint of red licorice. Soft velvety tannins. This is certainly drink now wine. Aging may be for only 2-3 years - because it can't get any better than this. The soft oak finish is very nice. Only $15/bottle, this won't last long. I'm even drinking it with a grilled chicken deli sandwich loaded with red onions and olive tapenade on a French roll. Yummy! A great wine for parties, where this would be a definite crowd pleasing wine, with or without food. This is really an elegant wine. Cameron Hughes does it again.

I can't believe that Crystal didn't win

2010-05-26T22:11:00.001-07:00

Two years in a row, Idol was wrong. I'm not going to watch next year.

Hong Kong bars you shouldn't ignore anymore | CNNGo.com

2010-05-23T14:35:00.000-07:00

Hong Kong bars you shouldn't ignore anymore | CNNGo.com

New Releases

2010-05-22T17:02:00.001-07:00

The new releases of Cameron Hughes Wine asre almost sold out !

Paso Robles 28th Annual Wine Festival 2010 - May 21-23, 2010

2010-05-18T21:56:00.001-07:00

Paso Robles 28th Annual Wine Festival 2010 - May 21-23, 2010

Posted using ShareThis

Mike Dunne's Wine of the Week: 2006 Shake Ridge Fortitude | SacWineRegion.com

2010-05-16T19:05:00.001-07:00

Mike Dunne's Wine of the Week: 2006 Shake Ridge Fortitude | SacWineRegion.com

Posted using ShareThis