Cambria Pinot Noir Julia's Vineyard 2004

This is a review of Cambria Pinot Noir Julia’s Vineyard 2004 which I drank over a period of three days while stuck on a fishing boat off the coast of Mexico. As a general rule I wouldn’t recommend drinking red wine on the open sea, sea sickness being only the first of many possible complications. Nevertheless there I was, about ninety miles west of Ensenada on open water, with twenty other people fishing for Dorado, Yellowtail and Tuna, and wishing I was home sipping wine out of a wine glass instead of a polypropylene coffee cup.

This wine, by Cambria Vineyards (Santa Maria Valley) is an excellent example of California Pinot Noir. Fairly big and very round, the wine tastes strongly of caramelized cherries and lingonberry jam, with the usual nose of cherries and spice. Acidity and sugars are in perfect balance, and the finish is long, with barely any wood or alcohol to spoil the ending. A tasty, evocative wine, better than any Merlot at any price point, in my humble opinion.

At first I thought this wine was overpriced ($28) but then I found it at Costco for ten dollars less. I would rank it alongside any other very good California Pinot such as the excellent entry level wine made by Au Bon Climat. As with most wines of this variety, they go well with almost anything. I experienced favorable results while eating king crab and seared yellowtail on the boat. You would not be able to do that with a Cabernet, I’m thinking. Given the choice, I’d prefer to enjoy this wine alongside roast chicken with herbed mashed potatoes, but hey, beggars can’t be choosers. In addition to being good out of the bottle, the wine held up well for three days stashed next to the condensing plate of our bunk room’s AC unit.

Cheers!

Zaca Mesa Syrah 2001

I had an opportunity to try a bottle of Zaca Mesa Syrah that had been left at our beach house by someone who clearly knows something about wine. I'm usually a bit tentative about trying new Syrahs because they can be so variable in quality and taste, depending on where the grapes were grown and how the wine was made. Some Syrah's can be way too herbal and peppery, like an overdone Zin with peppercorns and sage floating around in the bottom. This Syrah by Zaca Mesa Vineyards is not one of those. I found it to be one of the best Syrahs I've tried. Very round and smooth with an incredible balance of sweetness and acid. I tasted subtle pepper and spice notes on the palette but vanilla and rich chocolaty berries were the dominant flavors. The finish is long and sweet and no alcohol to speak of. A very worthy effort, and at $20 I'd call it a good buy.

McManis Petite Sirah 2004

There are few wines in the less-than-fifteen-dollars category that compare with this luscious Petite Sirah by McManis Family Vineyards. This modestly priced wine has a full, spicy nose on it, but the real quality is all in the mouth. Rich, jammy black cherry and blackberry flavors are accompanied by a very noticeable core of chocolate, and the finish is surprisingly long, leaving behind traces of cocoa and blueberry. An absolutely delicious wine that has blown everyone away, including Kariman who usually won't finish a glass unless it really appeals to her. A medium-big wine but not overdone, with modest alcohol and a very round balance of sugars and acidity. Oh, and the tannins and oak are barely there at all, just a hint in the background. A superb wine that I would serve by itself or with just about any savory or spicy dish. Move over Merlot. It's time for the real deal.

Pre-Monsoonal @ 4050

Well, the party was an unbelievable success. If you couldn't make it, I'm sorry, you'll have to wait until next June. The band Mystery Tour were awesome and provided the perfect accompaniment to a dozen naked young children splashing in the kiddie pool and sprinklers. The food was great. Thanks to Samanthi for the excellent tandoori chicken which I cooked on the new grill. Thanks to everyone who brought food and drinks and good vibrations. The weather was kind to us--no rain. A perfect Tucson night in the middle of July. We finished the evening with an impromptu drum circle with Dan and Rand and Tim in attendance. All in all it was the kind of blowout that I crave, the kind of experience that bounces people into a better reality.

This is what I live for, folks. This is all there is, all we have left. If you haven't figured that out yet, you haven't been fired enough or hurt enough by life to really let go.

I'll see you all at the next one. Long may you live, and may the time be short until we meet again.

-Tyler and the 4050 crew

Why Don't We Celebrate?

Tomorrow night we're throwing a huge back yard party with a live band. The weather forecast calls for a 40 percent chance of precipitation. We're smack dab in the middle of the monsoon season and we'll probably get hammered with big rain and wind, the kind that makes national news.

Now why would a guy who lost his job, who has no reasonable financial prospects, who is a fine artist trying to support his family on a single flimsy income want to throw a big old party in the middle of the summer in Tucson?

Exactly.

You see, when you're already totally screwed, the very best thing you can do is invite everyone over for a celebration.

The more you near your destination the more you're slip slidin' away...

June Lake Gazpacho

When life gives you tomatoes, make gazpacho. The following is the story of, and the recipe for, the best gazpacho you’ll ever eat. It is much better than the variety I used to make while working for the Blue Willow Restaurant, and much simpler.

Now, in the interest of full disclosure, I hate gazpacho. I hate raw tomatoes and just about anything made from raw tomatoes, gazpacho being one of those things. Nevertheless, during our stay at June Lake we were gifted with an entire flat of large, ripe, raw tomatoes by a nice woman who no longer needed them. Bob and I took the tomatoes and gave them a home, and pondered what, if anything, we might use them for. A couple days went by and the tomatoes sat there on the kitchen table, looking dejected. One of them even started to ooze a little, as if to say “Use me now you stupid &@#hole, or you’ll be sorry.”

It was then that Bob came up with the brilliant idea of making gazpacho. At first I cringed at the thought of slicing up all those terrible tomatoes, but then I reminded myself that I didn’t have to actually eat the gazpacho, just make it. So I dove into the job, dragging out a couple loose vegetables from the fridge, and adding a few other items purchased from a nearby convenience store. When I was finished, I tossed the whole mess back into the fridge and forgot about it, secretly hoping that everyone else would do the same. In a couple days I would flush the gazpacho down the toilet, and that would be the end of the experiment.

The next day we all went to Mono Lake for a post-wedding picnic. Karen brought the gazpacho along (by then it had begun to stink up the fridge) and offered it to anyone with courage enough to try it. I attempted to distance myself from these poor guinea pigs, and hoped for the best. Perhaps they wouldn’t know it was me that made the gazpacho? Maybe I could blame the awful taste on the donated tomatoes?

Well, my June Lake Gazpacho was, according to everyone who tried it, the best @#cking gazpacho they’d ever had. They gobbled up that nasty stuff and came back for more. What can I say? I hate gazpacho, but once again managed to appease the collective soul of the people.

Here is the recipe:

JUNE LAKE GAZPACHO (makes about a gallon)

2 quarts tomato juice (not V-8)
7-8 medium, ripe tomatoes, finely diced
1 ripe honeydew melon, finely diced, including any juice (the secret!)
3 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded, finely diced
1 avocado, finely diced
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped super fine
1t garlic powder (not garlic salt, not raw garlic)
2t salt (careful!)
1/2t sugar (the real thing, please)
4t chili powder (Spice Hunter is best)
1 pinch black pepper (freshly ground, if possible)

t = teaspoon

Put all the ingredients together in a large pot or bowl, enough to hold two gallons. Mash the resulting slurry with a potato masher to break down any big chunks and bruise the smaller ones (not really necessary, but that’s what I did in the cabin at June Lake). You can also use a hand mixer, just don't overdo it. You want some chunks in there. Cover the gazpacho and place it in the fridge overnight. Waiting overnight is not necessary but a little fermentation helps to break down the cellulose and seems to transform all the disparate flavors into one mysterious uber-flavor, difficult to describe and impossible to resist (or so I’ve been told). At any rate, gazpacho is supposed to be served cold and raw, so chill it for a good hour or more before serving.

Good luck and enjoy!

Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir

Jim Clendenen, the proprietor of Au Bon Climat Winery, must have a pact with the devil. His entry-level wine is truly outstanding and can be found in most major cities, including certain Arizona backwaters. Known simply as "ABC" to the guys down at the Rumrunner, Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir is without a doubt my favorite wine in the $20-$30 price range, and possibly my favorite wine of all time. What makes this wine especially interesting is the addition of Mondeuse grapes which give the wine a touch of racy sensuality that complements the already sexy nature of the Pinot Noir. When my friends at the Rum Runner are able to stock this wine, they usually run it as one of their glass wines at The Dish Bistro next door. It is an instant take-me-to-bed wine and should be handled carefully in mixed company. Thank you, Mr. Clendenen, and whatever inspiration went into this delicious, seductive wine.

June Lake Meditation

This is the painting that I gave to Greg and Melissa for their wedding. It was created using a composite of two different photos from the June Lake area. I had never been there before. When we finally made it to June Lake for the wedding, I was delighted to discover that the painting does justice to the real thing. I hope Greg and Mel enjoy this painting for years to come, since it represents a place of great significance to them.