Day Trip and My favorite Cab

 Today, I planned - though I also didn't plan. I wasn't sure I was going to follow through with going out of town and keeping my reservations. When my body and mind woke me up at 6:15 a.m. and wouldn't let me go back to sleep, I knew I was going. 6:15 a.m. is not a time I know very well - only when I had insomnia was I very friendly with it, and it was a pretty toxic friendship at that.  Anyway, I "attended" my Zoom Bible study at 9 a.m. - which provided very thought-provoking information to mull over as I drove - and then headed to my planned mini getaway - Napa.

Today's lucky two wineries? Robert Sinskey and Peju. Truly, I was the lucky one.

ROBERT SINSKEY

I had driven past this winery several times on previous trips, and always noticed how busy it was. Its just off of Silverado Trail (a favorite drive of mine, even without the wineries) and the building is modern but inviting. "I have to try there one day," I said to myself every time I passed it. At the time, it was not on my Priority Wine pass and I really had to stay within my budget. At $40 on my own, I just couldn't do it at the time.

Robert Sinskey claims to be all organic. I have not done my research (so many claim to be, and aren't, but honestly, being a farmers granddaughter and daughter whether something is organic or not doesn't phase me - that's another blog for another time).  However, I believe them due to the honesty of their wines and the experience I received from their staff. It is also just truly a peaceful area. I don't know if its the little enclave of the two meeting mountains, or the foothills that flank it, but its truly quiet even with a full patio. I had expected it to be much louder and lively. I was very happy to be proven wrong. Whether it was the location or maybe the collective personality of the winery and its patrons, I'm glad that I was able to enjoy the wines in such a relaxed setting.

Each wine was good for any palate. I enjoyed four of the five, but the fourth taste - a Merlot - was good as well. I'm just not a Merlot fan. I reviewed almost every wine on Vivino this time so you can get more details from that (an app that I need to continue to get better at using). From the Sauvignon Blanc to the POV (red blend), each taste grew better for this palate. I rarely like most of the tasting. I'll usually walk away at best with three of five that I really like. I walked away with really liking four of the five. If I was a fan of Merlot, I'd say all five! They were very tasty, easy to drink and I could see enjoying any time. But the one that really got me was the Orgia. An "orange" wine, it was beautiful in color, interesting in taste and different enough to challenge the experienced palate. He told me its a Pinot Gris that the skins were left on two weeks longer, and is aged four years - but to me it drank like a lighter red, if that makes any sense. I'm going to try it with red meats just to be sure though that the claim it can be drank with ALL foods. It is made in the Ramato-style, and I just couldn't leave without taking a bottle home. I'll leave it at that. I recommend you try for yourself and see what you think.

PEJU 

I think today turned out to be the day of great and INTERESTING wines that I'd never dream of tasting! Both wineries are smaller, but have very beautiful grounds and scenery. As quiet and peaceful as Robert Sinskey was to me, Peju had my favorite grounds of the two - and I didn't even recognize what became my favorite part of it until I was leaving!  It was designed by the couple who owns it and has been making wine for the past 38+ years. They did an incredible job with the area.

I was greeted so wonderfully and treated very nicely during my experience. Though my view from my seat wasn't as nice as at Robert Sinskey (it was really windy at Peju, so I was seated where the wind could be blocked a bit - a very nice observation), this had wines that I thought were among the best I'd ever tasted. I have been blessed to have people in my life or close to those who are related to me that have shared their brilliant (and sometimes exorbitantly expensive) wines with me. Seriously, I'm truly blessed to have tasted so many great wines through family and friends that I didn't have to pay for a tasting or a bottle! The wines at Peju, however, enchanted me - and that wasn't the wine talking! I took my time with each taste and as I ended up drinking all the samples (I NEVER DO THIS, especially when I go on my own), I couldn't deny that I was truly enjoying all the wines. There are very few wineries that I truly enjoy all the wines - whites, reds, sparkling, blends, etc. - but the ones that I do I go back to again and again.

What really stuck out to me though were their Cabernet Sauvignon's, plural. When I started drinking wine, I really only had a palate for sweet wines, and Pinot Noir. That was it. I didn't like anything dry or full or bold or spicy or earthy. I just didn't. And I felt that I'd never like Cabs, or any other bold reds. And then I tasted a $200+ bottle Cab at Luna Vineyards about four or five years ago. That became my favorite wine, until Duckhorn served me a Cab a few years ago. That one (much less at $100/bottle but still outside of my price range then) has been my marker since. That is, until yesterday and The Experiment. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

The second Sauvignon Blanc of the day, started the tasting and was the second Sauvignon Blanc that I liked - I have found I only like New Zealand-style SVB. It's uncanny. But this one really grabbed me and that's when I hoped it was not going to be the only wine I liked i the taste. In my experience, if I like the whites a lot in a tasting, I tend to not like the reds as much. I don't know why that is but it has been a pattern I've seen come to my view. Anyway, then he served me a red/white wine blend call Province (I brought it home). It's a sweet wine with a pretty color and very jammy. I thought of a friend when I drank it. Hopefully, I'll get to share it with them soon.

Next was supposed to be the Merlot, so I kindly told him that I could skip it and go to the final taste. Instead, he offered me any other wine they had open to taste and I chose the Pinot Noir. It's called they Piccolo and it was delicious! It was vary tart berry in aroma, but I could taste both berry and a tad of vanilla. It had less tannins so it was a light Pinot but just very tasty. I gave it a 4 on Vivino and wrote that I might go home with it (I didn't; only because I could only afford to take 3 home and stay within a certain budget - and believe me I used the calculator on my phone diligently figuring out all the combinations of wine I could take home in my budget).

Finally, to the cabs. One sip swirled on the tip of my tongue and I was a goner! In fact, I made a sound when I first tasted it and I put the glass down. I wanted to give it some time before another taste. I had drank all the samples to this point (and yes, I'd had some food between tastings, and lots of water). But I decided to drink some more water and give it a minute. Then I took a full sip. Nope, I wasn't dreaming. I really liked this Cab. Like really. I looked at the price, $65. I could do that, I thought to myself. Then he came over and said, "I heard you make a sound. Looks like you like it." "Yes, I do. Very much," I said back. "Then I'm going to 'spoil' you and give you an extra taste." He let me chose between three fuller cabs they offered, all over $100/bottle. I chose The Experiment which is there 100% Cab. "Its a bit different so I'm not sure if you'll like it but its one of my favorite wines we've ever produced." He brought it over and told me that it is aged in 33 barrels (American, French, Hungarian oak), with some "fired" to bring out the spicy, herbaceous flavor of the grapes. I had also looked at the notes on it: it scored a 98 on the North Coast Wine Challenge and is a 4.6 on Vivino. I gave it a 5 in my review. It is my favorite wine now. Quite literally. But I gave it the same caution that I gave the first Cab. I had to be sure, really sure. I even went to the bathroom so I didn't drink it right away. Yes, indeed, this wine was even better than their fist cab. So much so, that I couldn't not bring it home. In fact, I restructured my budget (well, I took out some from a 'fun/vacation' sinking fund I had knowing I can put back into it on my next paycheck) so I could bring one of each home. I knew I found my Cab. Mine. One that truly enchanted me. One I couldn't leave without taking home. One that I will only share with few people. One that when I can purchase more - or join the Peju wine club - I'd give to others to enjoy. I'm not there yet. I bought one. And I bought the other for me to enjoy on my own when the time seems right. 

I had a very good day. I wish I could've stayed longer - or enjoyed a nice dinner. Honestly, though, I craved a big juicy burger. Like truly a severe craving after all that good wine - so I cheated on my good 2-week habit of not eating inflammatory foods and got a big juicy burger from Carl's Jr. on my way home. It was glorious. It was just what I needed. Today, I desire again the non-inflammatory foods I'm growing to like more. I miss breads, pastas, etc., and I can have them again later and with small portions and restraint. But my body doesn't like them and has to learn to be without. Anyway, it was the perfect meal to end a perfect day, for me.

Also, a shout out still to Duckhorn and all their properties. I'd definitely be a wine club member at any of them if I could afford to. Their 2015 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, though not my marker anymore, is still a very, very, very close 2nd to me. I still want a bottle of it - or to taste their newest Howell Mountain. Until then though, I can honestly say that my favorite Cab is The Experiment by Peju winery. 

Lots of love, 

Tiffany 💋