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A Perfect Score – A perfect book for a wine afficionado

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perfect-score-book

A Perfect Score

A Perfect Score
The Art, Soul, and Business of a 21st-Century Winery

By Craig and Kathryn Hall

On a recent visit to Hall Winery, Joe and I were very impressed with all the art work inside the buildings and outside in the gardens, as well. We had long admired the giant stainless steel Bunny which looks striking when driving along Hwy. 29. At Easter time, the Bunny was cleverly holding a basket of flowers. We found out when reading the book that the Bunny is named Bunny Foo Foo, and is representative of the many rabbits that hop through the vineyards. Kathryn had fond memories of singing about Little Bunny Foo Foo in her parent’s vineyards in Mendocino County.

easter time in the Napa Valley

The Hall Winery with a special Easter basket

“The Perfect Score” is the story of the vast love between Kathryn and Craig and their passion for continually striving to make the best wines possible from the best vineyards on their property. Like many other winery owners, they believe that great grapes will produce great wines if handled expertly by carefully chosen winemakers and staff.

Craig and Kathryn met in 1991. Kathryn was running for Mayor of Dallas and called on Craig’s expertise as Chairman and founder of Hall Financial Group in Dallas. They immediately felt a connection to each other, and when Kathryn lost her bid for Mayor, she decided to show Craig her family’s vineyards in Mendocino County. Craig discovered how much happier Kathryn was walking through vineyards than practicing law.

Before meeting Craig, Kathryn had gotten married, had two children and divorced. She visited her parents once a month to help with the family vineyards. Following the death of her parents, Kathryn and her her siblings eventually split up the estate. Kathryn, with Craig’s urging, decided to look for vineyard property in the Napa Valley they both loved. Their plan was temporarily Interrupted when Kathryn was summoned by the White House to become the Ambassador to Austria.

“The Perfect Score” is a fascinating look at the Halls’ journey from planting small vineyards to the huge success of their current Hall Wines and Walt Wines. You’ll get a bird’s eye view of how much planning went into producing a wine that won a 100-point score from wine critic Robert Parker. You’ll also see how completely the Halls enmeshed themselves into the fantastic wine community of Napa County and the charitable work they do to give back to the community.

tasting room guide

The Hall St. Helena tasting room

A Perfect Score can is available on Amazon. Here is a link to Amazon and the book: A Perfect Score: The Art, Soul, and Business of a 21st-Century Winery

A autobiography to add to your summer wine reading list

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my secret life

I prefer a dry red wine rather than Blue Nun while reading “The Secrets of My Life”

The Secrets of My Life: Vintner, Prisoner, Soldier, Spy
Peter M. F. Sichel

How many of you are old enough to remember Blue Nun wine? Blue Nun was wildly popular during years 1950 to 1980. It was a semi-sweet German wine that took the U.S. by storm. It was by many standards the first hugely successful wine promotion in the U.S. This was with the help of Peter Sichel.

I just finished this thoroughly enjoyable book.  “The Secrets of My Life” would certainly be an interesting read for not only wine enthusiasts but anyone who enjoys learning more about life during WWII. We recommend adding this title to your summer wine reading list.  Peter Sichel’s most interesting autobiography begins with his life as a Jewish child growing up in what would soon become Nazi Germany. Born in 1922, he was the 4th generation in a very successful family of wine merchants. He was sent to England for his education and moved to France in 1939. After being imprisoned and then released, he fled Europe and settled in the United States in 1941.

After joining the Army, he became a member of the U. S. Office of Strategic Services. He eventually became a senior official in the Central Intelligence Agency during the 1940s and 1950s. This book highlights Sichel’s incredible resilience in dealing with his family’s dilemmas, his disrupted childhood and his career with the OSS and the CIA.

The last third of the book covers Sichel’s return to Europe in 1959 and his role in his family’s wine business. The business at that time was mainly bottling Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Rhone wines under the Sichel label. He learned the business very quickly and became a wine personality on his own. He wrote “Which Wine,” a consumer guide to wines available in the U.S., and was a guest on “Good Morning America” and “The Today Show.” The family’s success with their Blue Nun wines enabled Sichel to become involved in the International Wine Community.  Sichel looks back on each chapter of his incredible life and thinks fondly of where he has been and the legacy he has left, saying, “I was fortunate to have three unique experiences that shaped my life so dramatically.”

Purchase the book from Amazon or find it at your library.  Maybe you can find some Blue Nun and enjoy a glass while reading this fascinating autobiography.

Other great wine books

“The California Wife” by Kristen Harnisch

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California Wife

Kristen Harnisch’s sequel to “The Vintner’s Daughter”

“The California Wife” by Kristen Harnisch

This is a chance to win a signed copy of “The California Wife,” generously donated by the Author.

We’ve anxiously awaited the release of this wonderful sequel to our favorite wine-themed novel, “The Vintner’s Daughter,” by author Kristen Harnisch. “The Vintner’s Daughter” begins in the Loire Valley in 1895 and follows the plight of Sara Thibault as she helps her father work their small vineyard, hoping to become a winemaker herself. After her father dies in an accident, Sara and her sister Lydia are involved in a violent tragedy and forced to leave France for New York. Life in New York is very difficult, another tragedy occurs, and Sara eventually makes her way to California, hoping to fulfill her dream of becoming a winemaker.  Sara ends up working for vineyard owner Philippe Lemieux, also from the Loire Valley. Sara and Philippe work well together and fall in love, but revelations about Sara’s past are more than Philippe can endure. Sara sadly leaves California and returns to her family home in Loire.

“The California Wife” picks up where “The Vintner’s Daughter” ended, with Philippe following Sara to the Loire and professing his love for her.  Following their marriage, they work endlessly trying to tend the small vineyard in Loire and Philippe’s Eagle Run vineyard in the Napa Valley.  Against Philippe’s wishes, headstrong Sara gets involved in the Suffragette movement in California. There are many twists and turns in this delightful book, and we just hope that this ambitious couple will be able to withstand the daily pressures of life and a series of devastating events, including the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake.

How to win a copy of “The California Wife” by Kristen Harnisch

To enter the contest for the signed copy of “The California Wife,” simply tell us in the comment section below what your favorite California wine region is and why.  We’ll put your name in a hat (yes, we will!) and let you know whose name is chosen.  The contest will run through Friday, May 13, 2016

You can also order “The California Wife“directly from Amazon.

Fun wine book: “Vintage” by David Baker

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“Vintage” by David Baker

Vintage by david baker

A fun read for wine and food lovers and wine country travelers

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. If you are like me and love to cook, drink wine and travel to the wine country, this book belongs on your reading list. It is light, fun, mysterious, and adds some food and wine education into the mix. The central character in “Vintage” is Bruno Tannenbaum, a wine and food writer and the author of “Twenty Recipes for Love.”  Since that book was published, writer’s block has set in and Bruno cannot write anything, even on his old trusty typewriter. He is a “has been,” and is at the bottom of his game after getting fired from his writing gig at the Chicago Sun-Times. He is flat broke and lives with his mother. His wife had kicked him out long before, but he still cherishes her and their two young daughters. He clings to the past and the “good old days of wine and food writing” before the Internet, with its online wine shops and blogs. He takes a poke at wine and food bloggers, “The fact that every asshole with an opinion could become a critic.”

Just as Bruno hits bottom, he stumbles upon a tale about a mystery wine. Rumor has it that the wine is from a legendary Burgundy producer. The wine was thought to have been stolen by the Nazis during World War II. If he finds the wine, he will write a book about the treasured wine and hopefully profit from the sale of the wine. He hits the trail to try and find the wine, getting a cash loan supposedly from his wife. His search takes him to Paris, Burgundy, Alsace and beyond. He runs into Parker Thomas, who is probably patterned after Robert Parker. Parker is on the same search for the mystery cache of Burgundy wine. Can Bruno beat him to the wine?. There are funny encounters along the way with women, bad guys and winemakers. A great scene near the end of the book is when he cooks for an inmate in a Russian prison who’s hoping to win back the love of his wife. The scene is memorable. I won’t give away the ending, but for wine enthusiasts, this is a delightful read.

About “Vintage” author David Baker

This is the first novel by David Baker. He is a food writer and director of the documentary, “American Wine Story.” He lives in the Willamette Valley of Oregon with his wife and daughter. David has a spent time working in Burgundy and making some Pinot in Oregon.  DavidAlexanderBaker.com.

“Vintage” by David Baker can be purchased from this link to the Amazon book store.

The Vintner’s Daughter – Great escape book for wine lovers

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vintners daughter

A glass of Chenin Blanc from Vouvray is mandatory while reading “The Vintner’s Daughter”

Do you like wine, wine history, the Loire Valley, the Napa Valley, and a love story? This is an easy read book that is sure to please anyone who has a strong interest in wine.  Janelle first spotted this book at Books, Inc. The beautiful cover (designed by Alan Jones) is what first grabbed her attention, and once she started reading, she was hooked. Janelle and I do not always have the same taste in books but once she was finished with the Vintner’s Daughter, she said “You’ll really like this book.” Sure enough, it was right up my alley. The Napa Valley is practically in our own backyard. We have been to the Loire Valley on two occasions, so the book really made a connection with our wine travels. In fact, last October in the Loire Valley, we visited a very small winemaker and grower. He had just taken over the winemaking duties from his father at Domain de Veilloux.  This is just as the main character in the book wished to do.

In the Loire Valley in 1895, we are introduced to Sara Thibault, a lively and strong-willed young lady who helps her winemaker father with his Chenin Blanc vineyards near Vouvray. She develops an intense passion for wine: “Sara was born to make wine. Nothing else made sense.” Pholloxera takes hold in part of the family vineyard and the main wine merchant rates the wine poorly, hoping that he can drive the family into debt and then buy the land cheaply. A double tragedy ensues, and Sara and her sister Lydia flee to New York and experience the difficult life of immigrants in turn-of-the-century Manhattan. Sara does everything in her power to make her way to the Napa Valley and pursue her dream of making wine. She’s destined to cross paths with her old neighbor, Philippe Lemieux, who has also come to the Napa Valley to become a winemaker. Love is in the air, but Sara’s past comes back to haunt her.

I enjoyed reading about the winemaking and vineyard issues. Many are the same as they are today. There are problems with workers, buyers, vine pests, and trade issues.  The vineyards that Sara gets involved with in the Napa Valley are actually in Carneros. I checked the Carneros Association Website and indeed there were vineyards in Carneros at that time. Bouchaine Vineyards in Carneros has vineyards that date back to the late 1800’s.

The author, Kristen Harnisch, will soon publish a sequel entitled, “The California Wife.”  Kristen indicated in an email that she’s available to Skype book club members who read her books. “The Vintner’s Daughter” is available at Amazon for about $14.  Check this link to Amazon:

Additional good books on wine and food

Murder in the Willamette Valley

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Unholy Alliance by Judy Nedry

 

I was sent a copy of Judy Nedry’s “An Unholy Alliance” and got hooked on it after only a few pages. It’s a fast-paced mystery set in the beautiful wine country of the Willamette Valley in Oregon. Joe and I had a great tour of this wine country when we attended the Wine Bloggers Conference in Portland a couple of years ago. On a pre-conference tour, and then again as part of the Conference, we were driven to many of the wineries in the area and were able to taste their delicious Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris wines. We were impressed with the countryside, the wineries, the winemakers and the owners who we met. Reading this book brought me back to those visits and reminded me why I’d like to return.

In “An Unholy Alliance,” Emma Golden, divorced and in her mid-fifties, lives in Portland and is hired to write a book about the Oregon wineries. Emma, a recovering alcoholic, once lived in the wine country with her then-husband, Dwight McCourt.

Emma’s friend Melody calls her and asks her to look after their wine country BnB, the Westerly Inn, while Melody and her husband go on a much-needed vacation. Emma is reluctant to return to the area, but finally agrees to do so.

Once at the Inn, Emma begins her part-time duties as Innkeeper, while taking the opportunity to visit with as many winery owners and winemakers as possible to get material for her book. One of the first people she runs into is her ex-husband, Dwight McCourt. Dwight has expanded the winery that he and Emma had started together. They begin talking about the “ruthless and dishonest” Ted Maxell, an outsider who brought in big money to establish his winery, Cougar Crossing. No one seems to like Maxell, but it’s a shock when he’s murdered at his own dinner party. Emma was a guest at the party and together with another guest, Rob the reporter, she begins her quest to figure out who murdered Maxell. Emma has a very curious nature and also compares notes with Angel, a member of the staff at the Westerly, whose daughter is engaged to Maxell’s son.

Judy Nedry’s second book in this mystery series, “The Difficult Sister,” is set in a town near the Coast in Southern Oregon. This book isn’t about the wine country, but the town isn’t too far from the many Southern Oregon wineries we visited on our drive up to the Wine Bloggers Conference.

To learn more about this mystery series and read an excerpt from “An Unholy Alliance,” visit www.judynedry.com. You can also read the author’s blogs and purchase a book if you like. There is a third book in the works, and I look forward to reading it and seeing what other danger Emma can get herself into.

Napa Valley- The Valhalla for Wine, Lifestyle and Characters

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The Wine Doctor Speaks

doctor-wineMany people know me as “The Wine Doctor.” But what fewer people know is that I recently released a new, comic, wine mystery novel Pinot Envy, recently published by Bancroft Press. It’s a fun, smart, easy reading whodunit based in Napa Valley’s Carneros and San Francisco. Pinot Envy follows the quirky, charming, loveable wine guru, Woody Robins, as he fumbles his way through trying to recover a stolen, rare, priceless, large bottle of red Burgundy that once belonged to the French emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte, for a wealthy grape grower. Full of colorful characters, deceit, blackmail, intrigue, dealings with the mob and murder, this enjoyable, first book in the series showcases northern California in all its beauty.

So why base the story in Napa and San Fran you ask? Very simply, they’re both “must-see” destinations in the world. I mean, who hasn’t heard of world-famous Napa Valley? For wine and its lifestyle, it truly is Valhalla. Acres and acres of pristine, grape-growing real estate (some of the most expensive on earth), amazing showcase wineries, phenomenal eateries and gorgeous scenery abound. Oh, and let’s not forget about the wine…some of the best on the planet! Juicy Cabernet, luscious Chardonnay, elusive Pinot, quintessential Zin and many more thrive in this vinous wonderland.

What can I say about San Francisco, the “city by the bay”? It’s the gateway to wine country, with phenomenal vistas, renown attractions like Fisherman’s Warf, Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz. It’s possesses tons of character and charm a-go-go, and has been portrayed in more major motion pictures and TV shows than Lindsay Lohan has had arrests. Quite simply, one of the top cities in the entire world!

For a wine guy with “taste”, like my protagonist Woody, it was simply a “no-brainer” locating him here. The venue was made for him. But wait, there’s more. It’s also about the people. Folks in these parts are very special. They’re not your usual, run-of-the-mill inhabitants. There’s just something about the “terroir”, ocean and mountains that renders a certain west coast mystique affecting the population. Perhaps there’s something in the water that makes people here so unusually different. You just gotta love ‘em! Extremely colorful, interesting, off-the-wall, adventure-minded, and creative, they possess that magical, “joie de vivre”. I knew the characters I created, and particularly Woody, would fit right in. He’s one of your own. From his unconventional dress, way of doing things, offbeat approach to life, wit, and of course, taste in wine, there could be no other place.

So pick up a copy of “Pinot Envy” and experience Napa and San Francisco the way it was meant to… through the eyes of a bon-vivant, devil-may-care wine dude and a glass of your favorite vino. Word has it that the novel would make a great motion picture. Another “Sideways”, if you will! And look for Woody’s next adventure in California wine country in “Mortal Zin”. Soon to be published! Cheers.

Edward Finstein will be touring the Bay Area and Napa Valley California promoting his new novel Pinot Envy. If you are in the area, stop by at one of his events. For more information on Finstein please visit our Website or like his Facebook page for more on his book tour information.

Thursday, September 12, 2013
Oakland Public Library Mystery on the Vine: 6-8pm
LOCATION: 495 Jefferson Street I San Francisco, CA 94109
Phone: (510) 238-3134
Come and meet Edward “Doc” Feinstein, internationally renowned wine expert. Doc will discuss his recently published mystery novel, “Pinot Envy”. He will also talk about recent trends in the wine industry and answer your questions about all things wine-related. As an expert on rare wines, he has traveled the world to judge wines and appraise rare bottles, so he has fascinating tales to tell.

Friday, September 13, 2013
Wine & Mystery Reception, Argonaut Hotel, 5-7 pm
LOCATION: 495 Jefferson Street I San Francisco, CA 94109
Where: The Argonaut Hotel Ballroom Foyer
Phone: 415 345 5552
Please join the Wine Doctor Edward Finstein, international wine expert and author of the newly released mystery novel PINOT ENVY, set in Napa Valley, for a special wine hour, filled with insider tips, wine trends, and fascinating anecdotes from the author’s hunt for the rarest vintages in California and beyond. A selection of wine and cheeses will be served.

Saturday, September 14, 2013
Vintner’s Collective Special Event, Napa, 1-3 pm
LOCATION: Vintner’s Collective, 1245 Main Street, Napa, CA 94559 (Downtown Napa)
Phone: 707-255-7150
A Special Pinot Mystery Wine Tasting Event with The Wine Doctor, Edward Finstein
Join international wine celebrity and author Edward Finstein for a sneak peak of his recently released mystery novel PINOT ENVY, set in Napa Valley, while you enjoy a selection of 4 different Pinots from high end boutique producers, paired with artisanal cheeses. Get the inside scoop on what’s new in the world of wine as plenty of fascinating anecdotes from Edward Finstein’s hunt for the rarest vintages in California and beyond.

Details: Vintner’s Collective introduction; Ed Finstein introduction, short reading of PINOT ENVY (10-15 min) with focus on Napa setting and wine; followed by social hour and mingling with wine doctor; book signing and sales hosted by Copperfields Books
Admission Price: $15

Is the Napa Valley “Into Wine?”

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Into Wine: Terroir = soil + climate + humans

This article is actually about the book “Into Wine” by Olivier Magny and how it pertains to the Napa Valley. Olivier is an outspoken Parisian sommelier and wine educator. I found the book to be a fun read, with little wine jargon and a lot of practical advice for both the wine beginner and the wine aficionado. The big pitch in “Into Wine” is terroir. Olivier Magny suggests rather strongly that we seek out wines that exhibit the character of the place.

image of book into wineWith passion he talks about how terroir gives meaning and life to a bottle of wine. Its uniqueness is the result of the soil, climate, the vineyard grower and the winemaker. It is about the caring of the soil and the vines that imbue a special quality to the wine. It is about the winemaker who cares enough to let the soil and climate shine through in his or her winemaking and cellar techniques. Mostly, terroir wines are ones where sustainable farming is the creed. That means dry farming and no use of chemical pesticides or herbicides. This is a growing trend throughout the wine world, and I know that many Napa Valley wineries are in this category and others are making an effort to go in this direction.

image of oliver mangy

Olivier Magny

I have made a list of the Napa Valley wineries that practice some type of organic farming. The list continues to grow and ranges from wineries that do some organic farming to ones that are certified biodynamic. There is also the program established by the Napa Valley Vintners Association that grants “Napa Green Certified Land” and “Napa Green Certified Winery” to wineries that meet the qualifying standards. See Napa Green. There are some 400 wineries in the Napa Valley so you can see that there is a long road ahead.

organicWe visit the Napa Valley often and we have noticed in recent years signs of change. We see more cover crops in winter and spring, grazing animals, organic vegetable gardens and more dry farming. We see many, many wineries with solar panels. Although solar panels have no effect on the grapes, they are an important aspect in the sustainability of a winery.

We also observe that the whole idea of organics and sustainability carries through to the tasting room. In general, the focus is different with less of a sales push and more towards a human aspect. It’s more about how their wines are good because they have been attentive to the soil. They care that we are getting a bottle of wine that shows the character of their vineyards. I love finding wineries like these. They are so much more enjoyable than listening to a long spiel about each wine and asking me if I can detect a bit of anise character in the nose.

As for Olivier Magny, he pitches “buy only the wines that are made with terroir in mind.” He states that there are many excellent wines under $20 in this category. That is one area where it is hard to find Napa Valley wines in this price range, especially in the red wines. Nonetheless, if you heed the Magny code, choose your Napa Valley wines wisely and support the wineries that are environmentally friendly. It is the right thing to do.

American Wine: Jancis Robinson and Linda Murphy at the Commonwealth Club

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It was just a short time ago that all the good wine made in the U.S. came from California, Oregon, Washington and the Finger Lakes area of New York. That has changed dramatically with every state in the Union producing wine. There are now 7000 wineries in the U.S. In a new wine book, “American Wine: The Ultimate Companion to the Wines and Wineries of the United States,” Jancis Robinson and Linda Murphy have collaborated to give a complete picture of wine across the country.

On Monday evening, March 18, we attended a meeting of the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco at which Jancis Robinson and Linda Murphy discussed their book and answered questions from the audience.

image American wine authors

American Wine at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco

Jancis Robinson has been listed as the most powerful woman in wine and is a wine writer and wine critic based in London. Linda Murphy is the former editor of the San Francisco Chronicle Wine section and writes about wine from her home in the heart of wine country in Sonoma County. Leslie Sbracco, wine writer and television host of “Check, Please,” moderated this lively and informative event.

Most of the discussion came from questions posed by the audience. I’ve paraphrased the most important and relevant topics mentioned by the two speakers.

From Jancis Robinson

  • California is the only wine region where big wines are popular. Fresher and lighter is the norm in the rest of the world, including Australia. There is a worldwide shift to fresher and lighter.
  • Global warming is most evident in the Australian wine industry with lack of water and heat waves. Global warming is showing up in many other geographic areas in various forms.
  • The older the vines, the more interesting the wines. In areas of France they are ripping out vines. In California there are many vineyards that are over 100 years old.
  • When asked what wines in other states surprised Jancis, she responded that she liked the sparkling wine made by the New Mexico winery Gruet. She thought the wine to be very similar to French Champagne.

From Linda Murphy

  • The three-tier system in the United States makes it harder for small wineries to compete. It is difficult to change because of the lobbyists, they are very influential.
  • Sustainable farming is the right thing to do. It is getting to the point that wineries stick out if they are not sustainable. We see fewer pesticides and more cover crops these days.
  • Wine making is improving throughout America. Take New Jersey. There are 50 wineries there and ten are very good. The others are trying hard to improve.
  • Wherever there is good wine made, good food follows.
  • Texas is producing many great wines in the high plains areas. Tempranillo is just one example.
  • When asked where she found a surprise wine: Near Traverse City, New Jersey, there is a long peninsula that stretches up to the north. The Riesling wines there are fantastic.

The Commonwealth Club will post a podcast of this event within a few days. Check for it
at www.commonwealthclub.org. Click on the menu item “Multimedia.”

The book “American Wine: The Ultimate Companion to the Wines and Wineries of the United States” is $50 and is available at Amazon for a significant discount.

Holidays Wine Gifts – A Very Cool Wine Book to Consider

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It is the time of the year when you begin to think about developing your gift list for family and friends. Here is idea for someone who enjoys wine and is perhaps not easy to please. It is a wine book: “The Art and Design of Contemporary Wine Labels.” I know it sounds a bit boring but once you open the book to any page describing a label, it is very fun and interesting. I received a complimentary copy of this book. It is a beautiful looking book but one I certainly did not think I would find that enjoyable. But it was quite the opposite, and I use the word “fun” to describe the book because that is just the kind of experience when one discovers the history and the making of a particular wine label.

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CALIFORNIA WINE COUNTRY REGIONS:

Carneros • Livermore • Lodi • Mendocino • Monterey • Napa Valley • Paso Robles • Santa Barbara County • Santa Cruz Mts. • Sierra Foothills • Russian River • Sonoma Valley

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