Re: [CH] California Wines-perfection w/Chiles

R.Solarion - Apollonius.Net (damis@apollonius.net)
Tue, 22 May 2001 20:17:02 -0600 

Thanks, Joan.  Actually after I sent that message, I recalled that the
"village square" where we visited on that tour was that park in the center
of Sonoma.  But --- yes, for tourists, it is difficult to distinguish these
nuances of location between Napa and Sonoma.  Does Valley of the Moon have
a website?  Regards, Rob


>I'm back after 2 weeks vacation & forgot to turn off my mailing lists,
>so.....512 messages later I'm responding to this old one.  Sorry if it's
>already been taken care of.  I haven't read that far.
>
>Valley of the Moon Winery is in the Sonoma Valley of California (named
>Valley of the Moon by author Jack London), not the Napa Valley.  They're
>"next door" to us in the east.  The winery is near the town of Glen Ellen.
>
>I won't get into the "us vs. them" between Sonoma & Napa Valleys, but it
>does become frustrating when people visit our lovely area & actually think
>they're in Napa.
>
>As Tommy Smothers says (he owns a winery near Kenwood, in the Sonoma
>Valley), Sonoma is where you get good wine, Napa is where you get good auto
>parts.
>
>Cheers, Joan
>
>> From: "R.Solarion - Apollonius.Net" <damis@apollonius.net>
>> Reply-To: "R.Solarion - Apollonius.Net" <damis@apollonius.net>
>> Date: Mon, 7 May 2001 12:11:22 -0600
>> To: chile-heads@globalgarden.com
>> Subject: Re: [CH] California Wines-perfection w/Chiles
>>
>>
>> Mary Anne, I agree with you.  There is absolutely nothing "inferior" about
>> California wines, compared to Europe.  But watch out!  The burgeoning wine
>> industry in Texas is about to give California some major competition.  Some
>> of the Texas wines are excellent.  My current favorite is "Ste. Genevieve
>> Texas Red" table wine.  Once on the Napa Valley Tour, I bought a very
>> unusual white wine ("semillon") made by "Valley of the Moon".  Subsequently
>> I have asked around at several large Texas wine stores about it, but nobody
>> ever heard of it.  Personally I am not a big fan of zinfandel.  I tried a
>> whole slew of them at various wineries and didn't prefer any of them over
>> others.  But the nice thing about wines is that there is something for
>> everyone if one looks long enough for that "perfect wine"!  Rob
>>
>>
>>> << (I seldom buy anything from California >>
>>>
>>> I am surprised to read you don't like California wines.  If you drink
>>> Zinfandel (I don't refer to the blush soda pop crap), but the earthy
>>>full red
>>> wines of Amador County, etc.  There is nothing like a 100 year old vine
>>>Zin.
>>> Not to mention some of our Cabernets, etc.  Of course my palate is tuned to
>>> Cotes de Rhone, Bordeaux, Tuscany, and lovely Shiraz from Oz, and thus love
>>> California's artisanal vin.
>>>
>>> There is nothing more synergistic with Chile laced food than an old
>>>vine Zin.
>>> IMHO
>>>
>>> Hint stay away from screw tops you might find a California wine you might
>>> like.
>>>
>>> Considering that Mondavi won 1st place in blind tastings against the French
>>> wines in the International Paris Competitions-they must be doing something
>>> right.
>>>
>>> Mary-Anne
>>
>>
>>