Wow, no posts since before World Cup?

Maybe yes, I got a bit too wrapped up in World Cup. Maybe I'll explain my absence on mourning the US team's less than stellar finish. Maybe I should have just gotten over it and kept up with the blogging.

It's Labor Day weekend and that means that summer's end is right around the corner. Too few are the remaining days of porch pounders. My favorite time of year, however, is fast approaching. I simply love the transition of summer into fall, and it also happens to be the perfect time of year for Pinot Noir. Whenever anyone asks me for a suggestion on a Pinot, I always reach for Muirwood Pinot Noir.

I always say that it's very hard to find a good, well priced Pinot Noir. Muirwood retails for around $15.00 and is best described as a diamond in the rough. Many Pinots at this pricepoint take several costcutting (and therefor quality-cutting) measures to ensure they remain compatitive; such as blending in up to 25% Syrah or sourcing inexpensive and low-grade fruit.

Muirwood Pinot Noir uses 100% Pinot Noir in the bottle, no blending of other varietals to keep costs down. Also, all of the fruit is estate-grown. They don't source their fruit, meaning they have more quality control from start to finish. Finally, the Muirwood estate is located in Arroyo Seco, which produces some top-notch bargain Pinot Noir. Arroyo Seco is located in Monterey County, southeast of Monterey Bay. With it being so close to the Pacific Ocean, the region is considered a cool climate, perfectly suited for the Pinot Noir grape.

Most importantly, this wine has passed the Mother In Law test. This rigorous trial consists of my Mother In Law tasting and approving or disapproving of the wine. Flying colors. It basically sealed my fate as her go-to wine guy.

Just activated my phone for mobile blogging. You know, for when I'm drinking wine on the go.

South African Wines

June 11th is the start of World Cup and all eyes will be on South Africa. What better time to talk about some of the absolutely fantastic wines that come from this beautiful country.

I know that South African wines don't really get the respect that they deserve. There were a lot of really bad wines out there, for a really long time. I'm going to be blunt, there still are a lot of bad wines coming out of South Africa. But let's be fair, there's bad wine from every country on the planet. Thankfully, I'm not going to be writing about bad South African wines.

So, let's talk wine! First of all, you can find some tremendous values from this country. The first value that comes to mind are the wines from Fairvalley. As most of the wines from South Africa, Fairvalley is a product of a co-op winery. 36 family owned vineyards from different wine regions (mostly from the Stellenbosch and Paarl) team up to create varietal wines that reflect exactly what South Africa is made of. What's brilliant about co-op wines is the pricepoint; Fairvalley sells at most retailers for about $10.

Chenin Blanc is the most widely planted grape in the country, about 30% of all grapes grown in South Africa is Chenin Blanc. The Fairvalley Chenin Blanc (which is also known as "Steen" when from South Africa) is light bodied, with beautiful acidity and bone dry. It would be a perfect compliment to a hot summer day.

Pinotage is a grape that is uniquely South African; it is a hybrid grape, a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault. What that creates is a wine with the fruit of a Pinot Noir with the earthy qualities of a Rhone wine. Great idea, but it's not always executed properly, many Pinotages have a smoky funk that have been compared to wet band-aid. Fairvalley, however, nails it. It has bold fruit up front with a complex mid-palate with notes of cedar, leather and campfire. During barbeque season, it's a must have. Ribs, burgers, steak, oooh portabella mushroom!

One more? Okay, I have one more. Little known fact about me, I love riesling. Make that good riesling, I love a good riesling. Paul Cluver makes the best riesling from South Africa that I've ever tasted. The estate has been in the Cluver family for the last four generations. The wine itself is vibrantly fruity and floral, acidic and lightly sweet. I love spicy foods and this gem would pair beautifully with some pad thai or some tika masala.

While you're watching World Cup this year, maybe a little bored due to lack of goal scoring, make it a little easier on yourself by enjoying the fruits of the land that is hosting this great event.

Bennett Lane Maximus

I went to visit a friend while our wives went shopping at a baby consignment sale. Just to be clear, they were selling baby gear (strollers, clothes, etc) not actual babies. Of course, I brought a few bottles of wine; Bennett Lane Maximus, Orin Swift Papillon and Knipser Rose of Cabernet. All of them were delicious, but I think that the Maximus was a real crowd pleaser, so I'll talk about that one.

Now, the 2005 Bennett Lane Maximus isn't exactly a budget wine, coming in at about $30 at most retailers, but it's stellar. Keep it for special occasions or holidays. This wine is so delightful, it might even make Thanksgiving dinner at your parent's bearable. For the sake of my non-existant legal department, I should say that this wine is delicious, but it will not work miracles.

Bennett Lane is just up the road from the town of Calistoga, in Northern Napa Valley. What does this mean? Basically, they have access to some of the region's prime grape growing dirt. The wine is a delicate blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, which creates a fruity, lush, well balanced delight. Rich dark fruit flavors like blueberry, black plum and a wonderful hint of caramel, cedar and a bit of nutmeg. Just a fantastic wine, simply fantastic.

My First Ever Blog

Hopefully this will go down as easily as the first glass of wine I ever had: Zeller Schwarze Katz. Classy, I know. Really easy to drink though, simple and apparently memorable.

Those are things I'd like my blog to be. My goal is to simply write about good wines, in an easy to read, memorable fashion. Sounds completely possible, let's see how the execution of my plan works out.

About me; I love wine and I really love sharing wine with friends. The blog is entitled Wine Sherpa because I tend to haul great amounts of wine to any gathering of friends, I can't just bring one - I just have too much to share!

I'll be talking about wine on a more personal level. Not every glass of wine is meant to be dissected and analyzed, wine is to be enjoyed, hopefully with enjoyable people.