A Sommelier's Blog - Cooking for friends, Wine and Food Pairings, Monterey

Drink wine, and you will sleep well. Sleep, and you will not sin. Avoid sin, and you will be saved. Ergo, drink wine and be saved.
- Medieval German saying

Grape or Region du Jour: Carmel Valley, Monterey, California.
Located about an hour soutwest from Silicone Valley, Monterey has been a a major player in the Wine Industry since the late 1960's. Professor A.J Winkler, a viticulturist from UC Davis deemed Monterey a classic area to grow grapes. The Marine influence, cool mornings and nights, would allow grapes to ripen at a methodical pace and could rival Napa and Sonoma in quality. With 8 major appellations in the region, Monterey does produce world-class wines. Specializing in Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Monterey also enjoys the freedom to experiment with lesser known varietals grown all over the world, 42 different varietals are now grown within the 8 AVA's. Arroyo Seco, Santa Lucia Highlands, and Carmel Valley are AVA's you might be familiar with. These are awesome Pinot Noir AVA's.
The Carmel Valley AVA is the closet to the ocean influence. Rolling hills and deep valleys allow cool marine air to flow over the vineyards and these vineyards produce very stuctured wines with deep flavor profiles. Some Vineyards to look for include Joyce Vineyards and Bernardus Vineyards, these are long-standing producers and makes wines from all over the Monterey AVA. For more information check out Monterey Wines at http://www.montereywines.org/vineyards-find-your-favorite.
The Wine Lover will be featuring Joyce Vineyards wine in July. Come in for a taste of their new un-oaked Chardonnay and Syrah from Mesa del Sol Vineyard in the Arroyo Seco AVA.

A Sommeliers Thoughts: I have found out that making dinner for good friends is very healthy for your mind and soul. The process of taking raw ingrediants and making something special is definietly good for the spirit. I had the plaesure of preparing a dinner for some friends and it couldnt've gone any better. Started off with a melange of wild mushrooms cooked down with good olive oil, garlic, red wine, fresh herbs, and S&P. I added fresh corn at the end and used that as topping for some fresh Halibut. Thinly sliced potatoes, sauteed until crispy, was the starch and finished the dish with a mixed green salad with a simple vinigarette. Simple yet effective on the ol' taste buds. We further enjoyed the meal with a wonderful Bourgogne from Haut de Nuits. Who said you can't have a red with fish?
Basically, this is about making friends through good food and wine. You don't have to out to expensive restaurants all the time to have fun with food, wine, and friends. I have several private wine tastings lined up where the guests will bring a dish, potluck! We can then taste the wines I bring and find the perfect food and wine pairing. Sounds like fun to me!! If you ever need help with dinner parties, wine tastings, or both, give The Wine Lover a call and we can find some fun for you and your friends.

Cheers and Drink Good Wine!!
Serge
The Wine Lover

Upcoming Events:
Rebuild Global Fundraiser - Saturday July 9th. Starts at 6:00pm at The Hive House.  -  The Lover will be serving wine and beer, proceeds will benifit Rebuild Global.

Nick Z and Friends - Sunday July 10th. Starts at 6:00pm at The Wine Lover.  -  This is a Benifit for Save Our Schools. 

A Walk through France Wine Tasting - Sat July 16th. Starts at 5:00pm at The Wine Lover.  -  Great wines with Sara Hansen.

Nick Z and Friends - Sunday July 24th - Starts at 6:00pm at The Wine Lover. -  Latin Jazz with Maura Rosa.