Casanova in Carmel, California

Posted on January 20, 2013 by thewineraconteur

Some may opine that I have this high thought of myself when I am on holidays, but actually it is the name of the first restaurant we dined at in Carmel.  When I was doing research on where to go for dinner, this was one of the restaurants that immediately beckoned to me.  How can you not want to see “Carmel’s Most Romantic Restaurant”?  It also did not hurt the research that they had a very good rating in the Wine Spectator magazine’s yearly dining guide.

Casanova Restaurant Carmel 2, CA

We started off with an Abalone appetizer that we shared.  Then my Bride ordered a dish of Free Range Chicken and I ordered a filet.  The filet was wonderful, but the chicken was out of this world and I think we ended up switching dishes.  I was so entranced by such a simple dish that was so perfectly prepared and it started me searching out other restaurants that featured Free Range Chicken.  I felt so parochial in my dining efforts after enjoying that meal.

CA Casanova Folder

Another little interesting fact that caught my attention was the steak knife that I was presented with to cut my filet.  The waiter brought me out a Laguiole steak knife to use.  If you don’t recognize the name, you may know it as the knife with the bumble bee logo on the handle.  I had never seen or held one, but I had read about them as being the finest steak knife to use.  The filet was like butter, so the knife may have been over kill, but I do enjoy the little nuances that I discover when we are out.  In fact a couple of days later, we were in a little boutique and I saw the same knives in a beautiful wooden box, when we priced them, my Bride said we could pass on them and stick to wine purchases.  She can be so practical at times.

Georis Sauvignon Blanc Monterey 2000

We were picking out a white wine to start out with, and our waiter suggested the Georis Sauvignon Blanc 2000.  This wine was very refreshing especially after a day of walking the town seeing some of the beauty of the city and getting acclimated to the streets.  We then had a bottle of Gevrey-Chambertin 1997 for the rest of the evening and it paired well with both of our entrée choices.

Gevrey-Chambertin Fourrier 1997

After dinner we enjoyed dessert, coffee and some vintage port, marveled at the beauty of the city and then walked back to our hotel.

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Doce Robles Winery & Vineyard in Paso Robles, California

Posted on January 19, 2013 by thewineraconteur

On one of the days that we were driving around visiting wineries we came across Doce Robles in Paso Robles.  The name is Spanish for Twelve Oaks and they told us there were twelve oak trees on the property.  We were the only people in the tasting room during the time we were there.

Doce Robles Cabernet Sauvignon 1999

The winery was basically brand new.  They had started planting in 1996, and their first vintage was 1998.  They only had a couple of wines for us to try when we were there.  We tried their 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon which I thought had a lot of fruit forward taste and light on the tannins as I recalled.  We bought a bottle of it, and tried it a couple years later and it was much better then I recalled it being at the tasting room.

Doce Robles Robles Rojos 2000

We also tried their Robles Rojos which was a Bordeaux style blended red and enjoyed it right on the spot.  There was more flavor and body, than the basic Cabernet Sauvignon offered, we bought three bottles of this wine, and enjoyed them a year apart for each one, just to see how well they aged.  The only problem sometimes is that you don’t buy enough at the time.

CA Doce Robles Business Card

They also offered I believe two other wines at the time a Zinfandel and a Barbera.  We tasted the Barbera wine, but did not buy any of it.  We did not try any of the Zinfandel wine as my Bride and I are not partial to this varietal.  I eventually will get over this bias of mine, as the taste always reminds me of the wine the old men used to make in their basements in Detroit.

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Cambria, California and a Side Trip for “Rosebud”

Posted on January 18, 2013 by thewineraconteur

One trip we made from Carmel required an overnight bag, while we left most of our clothes and wine in Carmel at our bed and breakfast.  My Bride is still in contact with one of her girl friends from school who now lives in the Santa Barbara area.  She and her family came up and met us at the Hearst Castle, San Simeon.  Since none of us had ever been to this legendary home that is now run by the State of California, we figured this would be a great place to get together.

Kahn Sauvignon Blanc Santa Ynez Valley 2001

The Hearst Castle is immense and there are, I think four different tours you could take of the estate.  This home was the basis for “Xanadu” the fabulous mansion in “Citizen Kane” the classic cinema masterpiece by Orson Welles.  We spent most of the day there, and there could be several articles easily written about this tour, since none of them would involve wine, suffice it to say that we bought a few books about the mansion in the gift shop and went on our way.  The Golden Days of SanSimeon by Ken Murray

We left the mansion and our two groups drove further south to the town of Cambria, Pines by the Sea.  We walked around this quaint town that is known as the half way point between Los Angeles and San Francisco.  It is a quiet town with a small downtown and some art galleries.  We all stayed at this charming inn, the Cambria Pines Lodge.  We had dinner at the lodge and we all enjoyed a fine four course dinners that centered on seafood.  We also had a couple of bottles of Khan Sauvignon Blanc 2001 from the Santa Ynez Valley.  It just seemed perfect for dinner, or we were just so pleased with the days outing and the renewed friendship, that the wine was the perfect icing on the cake.  We talked and caught up during dinner, almost until the restaurant closed.

CA Cambria Pines Lodge MB

The next morning we all had breakfast at the lodge.  My Bride’s girlfriend and family then headed south to their home and we headed north.  Since we had taken the long and winding, albeit scenic Highway One South, we decided to take the inland expressway north back to Carmel.

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Bargetto Winery, Santa Cruz Mountains, California

Posted on January 17, 2013 by thewineraconteur

On one of our day trips while we were in Carmel was into the city of Monterey, especially to see the area known as Cannery Row.  This day will be written about in several articles, I have already cited it once about a piece of art we purchased.  All I know is that this was a very expensive day during a week in our holidays in Carmel.

Bargetto Chardonnay Santa Cruz Mountains 2000

As we wandered around the historic waterfront area known as Cannery Row, we shopped in some boutiques and in some art galleries as well.   We also encountered a few wine shops, which had tasting rooms.  I was not aware of these tasting rooms before we got to Cannery Row.

Bargetto Dry Gewurztraminer Santa Cruz Mountains 2000

One of the tasting rooms that we entered was for the Bargetto Winery of the Santa Cruz Mountains in California.  We enjoyed hearing about this family from Italy that started the winery and of all the different varietals that they planted.  I remember that it was not a large room and it was packed with wines, little food items, wine paraphernalia and a tasting bar.

Bargetto Merlot Santa Cruz Mountains 1999

We tried several different wines and I remember four of the wines we tried, there may have been a couple of more, that we may have been more, but I only took three labels as memory keep sakes, and I wish I had taken a fourth one, as it was all but impossible to remove.

98lavitabig                                  Bargetto La Vita Santa Cruz Mountains 1998

We tried three wines from their Bargetto series; a Dry Gewurztraminer 2000, a Chardonnay 2000 and a Merlot 1999.  All were very well made and most enjoyable.  Then we tried a wine “La Vita” or “The Life” a wonderful red blended wine from the Italian varietals.  This wine is a blend of Dolcetto, Refosco and Nebbiolo grapes that are aged for two and a half years in oak barrels then aged a year in the bottle before release.  This was great and we bought a six pack of this wine, which became Christmas gifts to some of our dear friends, because we enjoyed this wine so much.  I enjoyed the label so much, but it looks like it went through a war or two.  The 1998 La Vita label shows a painting by Pierre Auguste Renior titled Luncheon of the Boating Party and I thought it would have looked great on my wall of labels, but it is pretty gnarly after I removed it from the bottle.  I found a true copy of the label to show side by side.

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Heller Estates, Carmel Valley

Posted on January 16, 2013 by thewineraconteur

On our first trip to Carmel, during one of our road trips to see some wineries, one of them that we stopped at was Heller Estates.  They had a charming tasting room, with some unique sculptures on the grounds, which I believe were made by one of the principals of the company, if memory serves me right.  I have to presume that the sculpture that is featured on the labels is by the same artist, as there slogan is “Dances On Your Palate.”

Heller Estate Chardonnay Carmel 1999

 

We did a tasting, for that was the reason for the road trip.  I am glad that I was able to secure some labels from the winery, while we were there, as some of the labels have been lost in the soaking process, from the impossible glue that they have to attach to the glass.  So some of the wines that we tasted are gone from my memory, but I will mention the wines that I can safely vouch for.

Heller Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Cachagua Carmel 1999

 

The first wine that we tried was a 1999 Chardonnay with a very unique sculpture that is used on all of their labels, a dancing couple.  This wine was very enjoyable and is one of the varietals that I think of when I think of this area.

Heller Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Signature Release Carmel 1997

 

The other wines that I have memories of were made from the Cabernet Sauvignon grape.  The first wine that we tried was a Cachagua Cabernet Sauvignon 1999.  This is a region of the Carmel Valley and it means Hidden Springs.  The next wine we tried was a “Signature Release” Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 which I presume was the flagship wine that they were the most proud of, as I could not find my tasting notes from this winery.  The final wine that we tried was a Durney Vineyards Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 1994 and I know that we enjoyed this wine the most; as it was the wine we purchased the most of, from the trip there.

Heller Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Durney Vineyards Carmel 1994

 

 

One thing about visiting the wineries in the Carmel Valley is that they tend to spread apart and you can work up another thirst, as you drive and look forward to the nest winery and tasting room, but it is a most enjoyable way to spend a day or two, or even a week at a time.

Heller Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Carmel 2000

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Chateau Julien

Posted on January 15, 2013 by thewineraconteur

Driving into the Carmel Valley as you leave Carmel, you will see a very impressive white building that looks like it should be in France, you have arrived at Chateau Julien.  It is a beautiful setting, very serene on the day that we were there, though I am sure if it was during the harvest season, it would be much livelier.

Ch Julien Chardonnay 2000    Ch Julien Chardonnay 2001

We took a tour of the winery and were shown how they arrange the planting of the vines; we saw the aging room filled with barrels of assorted wines waiting for the proper maturation, so they could be bottled.  The tour was very educational and every question was answered in a professional manner.  We finally arrived in the tasting room, where we sampled some of the wines that were for sale.

 

Ch Julien Gewurztraminer Monterey 2000                           Ch Julien Pinot Grigio 2000

We tried the following wines from them, and they all carried the Monterey County appellation.  We tried two different Chardonnay wines, one from 2000 and a 2001 that was barrel fermented (this one we enjoyed more).  We also had a 2000 Pinot Grigio and a 2000 Gewurztraminer.  The Pinot Grigio was light and refreshing and the Gewurztraminer had the spice taste that I look for in this particular varietal.  As a bonus, because we had booked the tour in advance we were poured a special wine that is not offered in the regular tasting; this was a 1997 Private Reserve Chardonnay Sur Lie which was wonderful.  This wine was made to be cellared, instead of instant gratification.  We ended up purchasing a mixed case of the all the wines we had a chance to taste.  It would be on my list of wineries to see if you are in the area.

Ch Julien Chardonnay Private Reserve Sur Lie 1997

 

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Passionfish in Pacific Grove, California

Posted on January 14, 2013 by thewineraconteur

On another day trip from Carmel we ventured into the lovely community of PCA Passionfish Cardacific Grove, which was just a short drive away.  The Victorian architecture was abundant and beautiful and it is the home of the oldest continual in use lighthouse on the Pacific coast.  We were told there are more Victorian structures in Pacific Grove, than any other area of the country and it was very picturesque.  As we slowly strolled the diverse downtown area of shops and of course ended up hungry and thirsty.

 

We decided on Passionfish which was recommended by many of the shopkeepers as the place in town to have dinner.  We were lucky to get a table as we did not have a reservation, because it was a spur of the moment decision.  We shared an appetizer of scallops and my Bride enjoyed a tilapia dish and I had a duck Confit.  I know that is sounds very repetitious of me, but I have a hard time saying no to a duck entrée.

Carmel Road Chardonnay 1998

 

The wine list was wonderful and they had The Wine Spectator Award proudly hanging on a wall, which is always a great image to see when entering a new restaurant.  The other great thing about the wine list is that it was priced at retail, instead of the usual restaurant mark-up, which I am sure is a boost for their wine sales.  We enjoyed a bottle of Carmel Road Chardonnay 1998 with our dinner.  It was a very good wine and it allowed us to maintain that Carmel experience.

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Ventana Inn & Spa, Big Sur, California

Posted on January 13, 2013 by thewineraconteur

On one of our day trips from Carmel, we ventured out to Big Sur, which is an area along the ocean, with no real demarcation of the area.  There are few homes to be seen and there were some very rustic cabins for vacationers.  There are also a few five star resorts in this area.

CA Ventana MB

There is a beautiful Point Sur Lighthouse that was built of limestone in 1889 that is still maintained by the United States Coast Guard, but the original beacon is now viewed at the Monterey Maritime Museum, as the lighthouse is now fully automated.

Point Sur Lighthouse

As we drove around the area, we ended up having lunch at Ventana Inn and Spa.  This resort has to be seen to be appreciated; it is for movie stars and jet setters.  There are two pools; one which is clothing optional and each pool has a Japanese pool near by.  The spa offers all types of therapeutic services and is very lavish.  We saw many little cabins that guests could check into for their stay as well as the resort itself.

Changala Viognier Santa Barbara 2000

 

We stopped to have a lunch and to admire the grounds and the view.  Lunch was a very casual affair starting with quesadillas and a plate of hummus.  My Bride enjoyed a vegetarian burger and I had a chicken enchilada with guacamole and mole sauce, which is a sauce that I truly enjoy and always look for when we are out to eat.  We also had a nice bottle of Changala Viognier 2000 from Santa Barbara County which was very refreshing as the day was quite warm in the sun and the spice of this varietal paired well with our dishes.

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Pebble Beach

Posted on January 12, 2013 by thewineraconteur

If you say Pebble Beach to most people, they automatically think of golf, and rightfully so.  In the Detroit area besides thinking of golf there is also the legendary car show Concours d’Elegance.  This legendary area in the Monterey peninsula, which does have eight famous golf courses, is the main reason people visit here year round.

 

There are two entrances to get into Pebble Beach, which is an unincorporated community.  At either entrance is a toll booth for non-residents as you have to pay to enter the community.  My receipt for the toll to get onto 17 Mile Drive at the time was $8.00 and unfortunately the receipt is too faded for me to get a good scan of it.  The receipt can be used as credit at any of the public golf courses or restaurants in Pebble Beach.  17 Mile Drive meanders around the entire community and as you drive around you get to see all of the legendary golf courses, breathtaking views of the ocean and homes that are unbelievably beautiful.

 

Of course since we were there and had to pay to drive in this beautiful part of the world, and were not there to golf, we decided to stop and have lunch.  We pulled up to The Lodge at Pebble Creek and decided to dine at Stillwater Bar & Grill.  The $8.00 credit, probably covered the tax for lunch, but we were on our holidays and having fun.  We enjoyed an abalone dish and a chicken dish during our stop.  Abalone is a famous fish, which from what we were told is only legally allowed to be fished for in this area, so we took advantage of enjoying it as fresh as possible.  As usual we shared each other’s dishes to savor the experience.

Carpe Diem Chardonnay 2002

While there we also enjoyed a bottle of Carpe Diem Chardonnay 2002 from Carpe Diem Cellars of San Luis Obiso, California.  The wine was listed as being from the Firepeak Vineyard of Edna Valley.  So we seized the day as the wine suggested and enjoyed this fine wine with our meal and enjoyed looking out on the ocean.  After our lunch we continued our drive on 17 Mile Drive and exited back into Carmel where we were staying.

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Monterey Wine Country

Posted on January 11, 2013 by thewineraconteur

I have seen a couple of postings recently that the Monterey County is one of the best areas to visit for wine lovers, and I cannot deny that fact.  We have been there a couple of times and we talk about going again, but who knows when.  My Bride is my social coordinator and I just follow,   I must say that wine is a big draw for the area, because not only do the areas have dining guides, but they have wine tasting maps and guides to help you find your locations.

 

Merlot Monterey County 1999

 

The main areas of Monterey for wine are; Carmel Valley, Salinas, Soledad and Greenfield and they all fall under the Monterey appellation, and then there are some sub headings a well.  You will need a car to visit the wineries as they are much more spread out then they are in Napa Valley.  You can have travel time of up to two hours from where ever you decide to stay to get to some of the wineries.

 

Carmel Pocket Guide

 

We like to stay in Carmel-by-the-Sea, or as it is usually referred to as Carmel.  What is not to like about Carmel it is just like any small town, which has bed and breakfasts and hotels, retail and restaurants.  The only difference is that this town once had Clint Eastwood as the mayor, Doris Day has a bed and breakfast, and the retailers include Saks Fifth Avenue and Tiffany & Co.  There are many fine restaurants to visit and many art galleries.  When we arrived on one of our trips one of the art galleries had a poster proclaiming that Tony Curtis was going to be there with some of his paintings, but we were going to be back home by then.  I tried to purchase the poster from them and they would not sell it.  It was a take off on the classic Norman Rockwell painting of the artist looking in the mirror and painting a self portrait.  Only this poster showed the back of a white haired artist looking at himself in the mirror, but the portrait he was painting was Tony Curtis of the Fifties with black curly hair.  I just adored that poster.

 

We wandered around the first day shopping and sight seeing and stopped for lunch at a lively little café and all of the conversation was about the big pro-am golf tournament at Pebble Beach, which is the adjacent community.  The big topic was that everyone was entranced watching Bill Murray play golf.  They said it was like Caddyshack and that he was pure entertainment, he was clowning and playing a good round of golf at the same time.  It was fun to listen to the conversations, have a light lunch as we were looking forward to a fine dinner that evening.  While there we had a bottle of Monterey County Merlot 1999 just to begin our holiday there.

                Monterey Wine Tasting Map & Guide                                             Monterey Dining Guide

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