Spent the day in and around the Golan Heights today.  It is really spectacular there.  Just across the border from Syria.  It is wild how you can see Syria as you drive many of the high altitude roads of the Golan Heights.  That same high altitude by the way is one of the factors that contributes to its being a prime grape growing region.  Militarily, it is also a strategic location.  And there are military bases everywhere.  Just a tad different from my stomping grounds in NYC…

Visiting wineries up in The Golan Heights getting caught behind TANKS that are being transported.   Pretty wild…

On a COMPLETELY UNRELATED topic, my good friends at the city winery will be having a KOSHER CRUSH on Sunday.  Any kosher (or even non-kosher-keeping) consumer is encouraged to go down to the hot Tribeca spot to check the crush out.  Watching grapes go through the first step in the process to becoming wine is an essential for all wine lovers.

Have a great weekend & Happy wine tasting!

WTG

Woke up at the hotel bright and early..OK, maybe not THAT early, and went to the hotel courtyard for a “continental breakfast” of cereal, fresh pastries & coffee. I tried to get down a “bug juice” of sorts that was simply awful. Another cup of coffee (and I normally don’t drink coffee) and I was on my way.

I stayed in a northern part of Napa known as Calistoga and made my way North West to Sonoma county. I ended up in Healdsburg in the Russian River and started at a winery called Sausal winery. (more…)

My day began in LA with an early flight from LAX to SFO. I rented a car at SFO and made my way to wine country. My day started with one of the places I neglected to take notes. Might have had something to do with the 6AM flight or the 3 hours of sleep I got the night before. But either way, it was an amazing visit to the Havens winery where my good friend Connie runs the tasting room. Connie & I worked together at Napa Wine Company where she was easily one of my favorite people. Havens had some really nice wine. We started the visit with a white as I tried what I was told the only Albarino from Napa (or maybe it was the first?). Albarino is a Spanish varietal, generally made in a fresh/crisp manner. This one fit that bill and is certain to be a good food wine. I then had a Rose’ made from Cab Franc before moving on to the reds. We had some Merlot & Cab from both a regular series and a reserve one. While (to my palate) it is not always the case I remember enjoying the reserves more than the regular wines (but the power of suggestion is strong & if I was told the opposite I may have had the opposite impression). The wines that stood out though were their Syrahs. I enjoyed the 2003 Havens Syrah but mentioned to Connie that I thought the nose was a little closed. She proceeded to open a 2000 Syrah that they recently re-released and it was great. All of us in the tasting room found both pepper & some real interesting smoked meat aromas. I struggled to find the bacon the others were talking about but that did not detract from the enjoyment of the wine.

While I had intended to make more than 1 stop before my 1PM appointment time flies when you are having fun…and it was too late to squeeze in another visit. (more…)