Napa Valley, and all of its hype, is one of the first places you would think about visiting if you wanted to enjoy some wine and see some amazing vineyards. So how much does it cost, really, to go for the weekend and enjoy yourselves? Continue reading
I know what you’re thinking, “What do fruit sheds in Loomis have to do with wineries?” The answer is…everything! The High Hand Fruit Sheds in downtown Loomis is home to the 3 Vigne. The 3 Vigne consists of Cristaldi Vineyards, Popie Wines, and Ciotti Cellars. These three wineries are located inside the historic fruit sheds along with an art gallery, candle shop (where you can also make your own candles), and other small boutiques. Guys, if you are looking for a local destination to take the Mrs. (or future Mrs.), then this is the place to do it!
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The label reads “Zinfatuation – An Intense And Irrational Passion For Zin”…it was as if the bottle was calling my name. I picked up this bottle while wandering around Cost Plus World Market. I was intrigued by the name (yes…sometimes I will buy a wine because I like the label or the name) and I am always down to try an Amador County Zin. While reading the back of the bottle I found out that this wine is made exclusively for Cost Plus World Market. It is produced by the Trinchero Family Estates out of Napa County who also produces others labels such as Montevina and Terra D’Oro. Continue reading
My people! It has been a while, and the answer to your question is “no…I did not stop drinking wine.” I just took a break from writing about it. I was “looser cruising” around east Sacramento with the fam in search of dinner and a wine gift for a loved one. We managed to only find a couple of gems in the bunch until I spotted this Zinfandel.
It is made, and bottled, by Perry Creek winery in El Dorado county. The 2007 Altitude Zinfandel is AMAZING so I had try their 2008! The nose is smooth and pleasant with a raspberry-syrup quality. This wine continues with a flavorful berry taste and a light pepper finish that gives you a zing of flavor. It definitely doesn’t disappoint!
Our Brix had dropped below zero, our cap had stopped forming, and it was time to press the wine from the grapes. We went down to our local home brew outlet and rented our press. Our primary container had about 20 gallons of must, so we rented the 30-gallon size. The press comes with a few parts that can be confusing so be sure to ask the staff to show you how it works before you leave the store. Continue reading
All the excitement from the harvest and crush has come and gone, and now we need to actually start making some wine! When we left off in step 2, we had just added the yeast to our must. The yeast will now start to turn our must into an amazing Cabernet. For the science nerds out there (like me) the yeast works by breaking down the glucose (C6H12O6) into exactly two molecules of ethanol (CH3CH2OH) and two molecules of carbon dioxide (CO2). For the not-so-science-savvy people, it basically means the yeast eats the sugars in the must and leaves behind alcohol and carbon dioxide.
