June 21 & 22, 2008
This weekend the Sta. Rita Hills Alliance hosted "Wine Fest". For a fee of $75 you got into numerous wineries both days along with a boxed lunch on Saturday. Many of these wineries are not open to the public except on this weekend.
You get to taste barrel samples and older vintages along with nibblies. Every winemaker I talked with this weekend is really excited about the 2007 vintage. After 2006 (which was ok but not as good as the 2005) they all have their hopes up for a very highly rated year.
From the sample's that I tried I'm excited also. I found most of them clean, complex and a lot of layers to sift through. I did not find the bite or slight bitterness that sometimes comes through in a young barrel sample.
It was a good weekend. Trying but satisfying. It was a 3 hour drive up and 4 hours back. It could have been worse but with the gas at all time highs the amount of pickups with trailers and RV's and campers was noticeably lighter.
Next year, my plan is to go up early Saturday am and come back on Monday. That way I miss the weekend traffic and I will have more time to taste and not feel that I am rushing myself.
Now all I need is to make the cut for dinner at Clos Pepe next year and I will again be a "happy woman". I do not need diamonds and furs. Just give me good wine and good food. That's why I am still working when most people I know are retired. I'm not quite willing to give it up yet. I know the day of reckoning is coming but I hope to push it off as long as I can.
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1 comment:
Sounds like an awesome time up in Santa Rita Hills! I've never done barrel tasting before up there. Yes, the drive is long, but glad the traffic is overall lighter these days.
Good for you for working for great wine and food!
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