by Jack Lee
Looking for a little travel adventure right now to stave off the winter blues? Here’s an idea and it’s right in your own backyard, if you live in Northern California . It is our local world class wineries! This week’s trip was to a winery just minutes north of Chico on Hwy. 99 to the New Clairvaux winery in Vina. .
This winery is a little different than most because it’s also a monastery run by Trappist monks. The architechture alone is worth the trip. There’s a 15th century imported French church reconstructed on the site. The Trappist winemakers have been creating excellent red and white wines for over five generations, and if you doubt this just try a bottle of their Nouveau Temperanillo that was released last Friday. It was by far one of the most pleasantly surprising red wines we’ve tasted all year.
My personal favorite is a Petite Syrah and New Clairvaux makes an incredible Syrah of very strong character. It’s a full bodied red, rich in color with complex tastes found in only the finest wines. It’s not too dry, just right actually, with a very mild cab-like saltiness combined with a resinous American oak flavor. Wine makers often complain that Syrah soaks up the oak, but I found it about right. This Petite Syrah has an excellent nose that bested my more costly bottle of Sierra Vista Reserve Sirah 2009, which is also an excellent wine.
A little history on the Sirah/Syrah: Petite Syrah has been linked by DNA testing to Durif, Syrah and Peloursin, the latter an obscure southern French grape. Syrah, of course, is the premier red of the Northern Rhne, and Durif is a variety planted in southern France. In 1884, the Durif grape was introduced into California where some growers called it “Petite Sirah,” the name it was known by in the south of France. Controversy regarding Petite Syrah’s parentage persisted until 1999, when UC-Davis professor Carole Meredith set the record straight with DNA testing that showed conclusively that Syrah was the “father” of Durif and that, in fact, Durif and Petite Sirah are two names for the same grape. Over the years, Petite Syrah plantings have been up and down in California, thanks to the market demand. After a peak of more than 14,000 acres planted in 1976, acreage plummeted to 1,700 in 1995, but its climbed back to 7,500 acres by 2009 because of the demand from increasingly more sophisticated wine drinkers.
Now here’s the kicker…. Syrah is its modestly priced wine, especially compared to Cabs and it can hold its own against them too.
And now … what’s this? Paid promos?
Sad, … very sad.
I am actually getting very curious. Should you not be pressing your advantage? Insisting that your newly elected representatives do what you sent them to do: put many more hundreds of thousands of Americans out of work?
Why are you not?
Fess up, Pissants. If you want what you want, you have to pay for it. Will you pay for it?
Libby, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. We’ll press our advantage, have no fear. But, we’ll do it in a very targeted, meaningful way to achieve the maximum results. We’ve learned not to spread ourselves too thin and this time we’ll do it right.
Libs I know you will find this hard to believe (you are such a skeptic) but I went to the winery to pick up a case and save on postage and while there I had to try some of the new releases. Didn’t get paid a penny or even a bottle to write the story. It was just a great time that I thought I would share with everybody.
One the return trip we seperated by minutes from a terrible crash that claimed 5 lives on Hwy 99. Two drunk drivers involved and three vehicles.
Jeez, either Libby didn’t get her coffee this morning or she seriously doesn’t like wine?
Now that the election season is over, I’ve had an urge to write about anything but politics, at least over the holidays, so all I can say is great post Jack. I’ve never made it to this winery but I’ve heard about and saw the sign on the highway. We have a lot of real treasures up here in Northern Cal that don’t require 4 hours of driving or worse, getting on a plane. I’ll enjoy reading about some more if you got them 🙂
Libby: “I am actually getting very curious. Should you not be pressing your advantage? Insisting that your newly elected representatives do what you sent them to do…”
Get hold of yourself…you’re sounding like an emotional female. Remember it’s only November…lame duck session of the Democrat controlled Congress. January will come soon enough.
“Fess up, Pissants. If you want what you want, you have to pay for it. Will you pay for it?”
Most of us are and have been paying through the nose. But we can’t pay when we can’t earn. You Keynesians just can’t get that (although Keynes did…look for a quote to be posted soon)
You were always a bit contentious Libs but now that it’s obvious that Obama/Reid/Pelosi have done such a crappy job, running the country into the ground, you’ve gotten downright mean!
Terrific post! A welcome respite timed well just prior to Thanksgiving week.
I’ve been there and agree the wines are very good, but the history of the winery is a real No. Cal. treasure too dating back to Leland Stanford.
Also met the very young female wine master who is in charge of all those wines.
Humm, Christmas is coming. Time to go shopping local.
Still unwilling to face the music … are we?
To face the consequences of falling for a lot of extravagantly ignorant blather.
The citizens of Alaska seem to have seen the light. Did you know that seven tax dollars go into Alaska for every one they send to the treasury? How’s that for a return on your investment? (Oil subsidies, don’cha know?) And they have elected the woman who’s promised to keep it coming.
She’s unlikely to be able to … or is she? You feeble-minded gits … who won’t get out of yer cars.
God, I am so bored.