You know the hardest part about the wine country? How MANY wineries there are, and to hit as many of them as you can in a day… You SERIOUSLY have to schedule. The thing is… most of the wineries don’t open until ten… a few… not even until eleven.
The VERY dedicated drinker can find the ones that open at nine. Silver Oak is the only power player I’ve found on that list, but all of the ones that sparkle (Mumm, Korbel, Domaine Chandon) open at nine, too.
They pretty much all close between four and six also. If you’re REALLY good, you may be able to get seven in a day, but by the end of the day, you’ll need someone to shave the tannins off your tongue…
But, day two, we were just beginning!
So we were on to Siduri. Being a girlie girl, I’m interested in the aesthetics, I always like going to a winery that will give me an experience—a show…
So I was skeptical as I was reading the guidebook on the way to Siduri and my Bear was leaving the beautiful mountainous landscape in order to drive into an office complex? Well, not even really an office complex… It was flat, ugly, warehouses, in a flat ugly parking lot. Why not just go to the liquor store.
I’m stubborn, and unreasonable, and it’s hard to get rid of my preconceived notions, but when dear Jonathan behind the counter started pulling out one, two, three… I think 20 bottles of Pinot and Zinfandel… I felt a smile playing around my lips.
Now we’re talking! And at ten in the morning to boot!
He takes us back into the barrel room. Really interesting place Adam and Dianna, the winemakers, don’t actually have a vineyard… decided not to deal with that kind of expense… instead they just make wine. Crazy, insanely, good wine. One after another. They are known for their reds, but I also really liked their very unusual Viognier. It wasn’t the overly floral type that I generally really like. There were a whole lot more spicy notes and almost off dry.
My absolute favorite, though, was the Siduri Parsons’ Vineyard Pinot Noir 2007. I beamed like a school girl when Jonathan said it was HIS favorite, too. Not only that, but Wine Spectator gave it an Outstanding rating! What is it about that? Why should it to matter to me if someone else likes it or not. If it gets an outstanding rating all the sudden I like it more?
It’s like when someone mentions that Robert Parker likes a wine. Here’s the funny thing. I know NOTHING about Robert Parker. Is he a sommelier? A winemaker? What’s his background. I have no idea. I just know that if I like something and then someone tells me Mr. Parker liked it, too all of the sudden I have to buy the bottle. I guess the wineries and the wine magazines AND Mr. Parker count on that to keep them employed, huh?
Whatever… I loved the Parsons’ Pinot Noir… thought it was amazing.
Speaking of grinning like a school girl. My BEAR cracks me up! I may swoon at the sight of, oh, I don’t know.. Jon Bon Jovi (Give me a break, I grew up in New Jersey in the 80’s), but when THEEEE Adam Siduri came through the room, ol’ Bear got a little tongue tied.
Regardless, I can’t think of any better way to start our trip!