Some ODD FELLOWs Keep the Good CHEERS! Flowing with a Post-Party!

For the short attention spanners of the community – CHEERS! after-party this Friday. Read on to learn more! If you live in the Up Valley or threaten to keep up on it’s antics you should be aware that this Friday (May 7) marks the onset of another CHEERS! season of slip, slurp’in, and slid’in good times. If none of this sounds familiar it’s time to step out from under the rock you’ve been sleeping under in your fruitless attempt to ward off the wet season. More on the actual CHEERS! shindig later this week. For now, let’s cut to the “after” party high-jinx. If you’re like me, CHEERS! is so much of a good thing it leaves you yearning for more. Why should a good time have to end at 9PM when most tweens are allowed to stay up well past nine, shouldn’t we, as residents and visitors to St. Helena be allowed to stay up too? Hell Yes!

For those of you that are with me on these sentiments, the good fella’s of the St. Helena chapter of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows are answering our call by keeping the good times rolling this Friday. The after-party kicks up its boots at 9PM, exactly when CHEERS! is rolling up its wine soaked carpet. Here is what ten of your hard or easy earned beans will buy ya:

1. Entrance to the hippest (my words not theirs, they're far too humble to boast) post-party in town (located in the exclusive and often times elusive Odd Fellows Lodge @ 1352 Main Street - entrance between I.Wolk and Martin galleries)
2. Live Music provided by CRV = boogieing and bopping until you drop
3. Fresh Mex plates from Villa Coronoa, beer, and more wine (all available for purchase)
4. Be a part of random acts of kindness - a portion of the proceeds from the event will go back to local communities in need
5. You’ll finally receive answers to your burning questions about what “gentleman’s” clubs like the Odd Fellows are really up to during their secretive meetings.

It’s a tell-all kind of night! So yell and tell everyone you know.

Vercelli – St. Helena’s Savory Sidekick

Hailing from Manhattan where casual, affordable (yes, you heard me!) Italian food haunts are as plentiful as subway rats, you can imagine how shocked I was to find no such establishments (Italian, not rat-filled) in the Up Valley. When I would ask friends, foes and anybody that would listen, where such places were hidden I typically got back blank-faced stares in return. Or, I would be given a rundown of places that serve good homemade pasta (Cook!), and while I certainly love such places, I wanted a truly all-Italian experience – red checkered table cloths, Chiantis, and all! When left to my own devices I finally stumbled into Vercelli Ristorante Cafe on St. Helena’s main strip. I had lowered my expectations considerably since I hadn’t heard much about this joint, though I had walked by it countless times, rubbernecking on the outside looking in, and sometimes lingering around the outdoor cafe. The few tiny tables squished on the sidewalk had Manhattan written all over it. It was then that I decided to give it a taste-test drive. Outdoor, streetside dining is arguably the best way to eat and imbibe in the warm weather months. The ambience at Vercelli was everything I’d come to expect from my east coast dining counterparts. Inside, very cozy, Sinatra and his Rat Pack buzzing in the background, an Italian maitre d buzzing about, and the sweet scent of garlic overtaking the airwaves in the best possible way. The outside section of the restaurant is the closest I’ve come to experiencing true alfresco dining in these parts. If you don’t know what that means, now is your chance to live and learn. Because everything from the service (very friendly, attentive, lacking of all pretense) to the ambience was winning rave reviews, my cynical side expected the food to fall short. Note to self: the times they are changing baby! After a ravishingly good meal I decided to kick my cynicism to the curb, for good maybe. I fell in love, mad, fleeting, food love with the pillow pasta (gnocchi) in gorgonzola cream sauce. As a fellow Italian with a granny that made pitch perfect gnocchi, she also schooled me in all the ways that this type of pasta is done horribly wrong. I did my part over the years by tasting one too many of these “soggy” carb blobs posing as pasta, the type that give pillow pasta a bad name. I can honestly say that my dearly departed granny would give her stamp of approval on Vercelli’s version. They’ve perfected the perfect pillow in consistency, taste, and well, what else is there? The Cesar salad was also a winner. I was weeping by this point so it’s hard to pinpoint what made it so special other than the obvious, superb dressing, gaggles of fresh grated cheese and homemade gigantic croutons. Unfortunately I've started salivating and am at risk for destroying my already aging keyboard, so enough said. If you’ve been craving the perfect pasta in a low-key, casual, and arms wide open setting, do yourself a favor and drop in for some alfresco dining. If you’re lucky Juana will be your server, and serve she will, with a broad smile, all night long until she rolls you out the door in a food coma. Wacky WineSense Rating: 4.7 Grapes!

A “Swift” Kick You’ll Be Glad to Get

It’s possible that you may tire of my cutesy plays on words, but I'm betting you’ll never tire of the wine behind my latest dalliance. Orwin Swift wines, one of them aptly named “Prisoner” are worthy of a jail break to score this juice. Lucky for you such drastic measures aren’t necessary unless that’s the only way you get your kicks. With one sip you’re led down a path packed with a bounty of cherries and berries that guarantees nothing short of a big fruit finish that lingers long after you’ve slurped your goblet bone dry. There’s something in this red wine beaut for just about everyone with an unbalanced blend of Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Charbono, and a scant trace of Grenache. What does this mean to you the able-bodied wino? You’ve got nothing to whine about because this stuff will tickle your palate senseless. The Papillon Red, another delight, is a mingling of Cab, Cab Franc, Petite Verdot and Malbec. I can’t be certain what you’ll experience when you suck down this wine, but for me, each sip made me feel like I was lying in bed smashed pleasantly between a mixed berry pie mattress and a comforter that smelled like the after affects of a night spent around a smoky, toasty campfire. I could lie nestled in this wine wonderland for days. Wacky WineSense Rating: 4.75 Grapes!

Wine and Art Do the Dance at Eric Kent Cellars

Some days (usually those dastardly rainy ones that I thought I escaped when I moved from the Big Apple) I feel like wine has lost its luster. One wine after another, one vine blurring into the next. And sure, it is the wine country, so what did I expect in moving here? Quite frankly-to be WOWED! Continuously. Luckily, rain or shine, there are still spellbinders out there begging to keep my WOW ways alive. Gray weather blues were cured, with just one sip of Eric Kent wine. He was an ad man back in the day, much like myself and that delish Don Drapper on Mad Men, but he, like me had the good sense to leave advertising behind for a far sexier and satisfying sport – winemaking! (I just drink it, he makes it). Not wanting to leave creativity trailing in the dust, him and his other half Coleen have gone on to make it their mission to display works of art on each and every bottle of the wine. So not only was I knocked out of my wine swilling socks because of the grape stuff, but also because of the arty labels swathed across each bottle (each vintage featuring a different artist). Every tasting I go to there are stand outs and fall short-ers. In the case of Kent’s wine, no such bad luck. Every drop I downed was just as dandy as the next. I even, shock to my own horror, liked their Russian River 2008 pinot. If you follow my ramblings regularly you understand the magnitude of me asking for seconds of this wine. It was light, zippy, spicy and flavorful. The 08 Chardonnay was equally alluring with its delectable and decadent pineapple tendencies. Just when I thought I could be wowed no more, I was. Kalen's Big Boy Blend Syrah was just that, a big, beefy mouthful of a wine. Or so I thought until I tasted my favorite of the night, the 2008 Dry Stack Syrah. Everything I dream about in a wine became my reality with this one. Juicy, deep on flavor and finish, sturdy and reliably delicious, sip after sip. Ok one more S, it was downright succulent. Made me want to dance all night long and I don’t even like to boogie unless I am forced to at a bachelorette party. I have sung one too many songs by now on these wines and the art that adorns them, so hip hop your way to the web, and taste for yourself. You too will be busting some moves soon enough. Wacky WineSense Rating: 4.8 Grapes

Duckhorn - Beyond Ducky!

As toddlers easily entranced by heated games of duck duck goose, we yearned to be “goose” and cringed when we were just a “duck.” Luckily, we all grow up, and life gets better by the second, or at least that’s what we strive for. Whether your luck, your birthright, or your laurels brought you to the wine country, you’re in a land where “duck” is one of the best tags you can score. Duckhorn’s wine is as ducky in taste as the property is divine. A place where quacks could easily linger along a peaceful pond, and while as of this moment the only ducks you’ll see are on the wine bottles, don’t let that discourage you from enjoying all the happenings at this tranquil yet happening spot. The tasting room provides a great view inside (think chic bustling café) as well as outside on the deck. And while all of that is ducky (last reference, promise) the wine is what rules this coop. This is heady, heady stuff, folks. Every damn drop of every darn wine I slurped caused me to god bless America that I live in such a wondrous land. The Sauvignon Blanc, light and loose on my tongue with a flavorful punch. Perfect for lulling in the springtime sun. The Merlot – berry bomb, one attack you actually wish for. The Howell Mountain Red, a delicious concoction of all your favorites: cab, merlot, cab franc, and petite verdot. This vino brought me to a blissful state akin to childhood days of dancing down the driveway to the Mr. Tastee Freeze truck to score a fruity cherry pop during the dog days of summer in New York. My favorite, though all the others are uber high on my “must have” list, is the 2006 Cabernet. Splish-splash I was taking a fruit-filled bath! Deep on taste, rich finish and long legs, if you care about that sort of thing. In a word – downright ducky! Sorry, promises are meant to be broken when the cause warrants it. So get on out there and check out what all the quacking is about. Wacky WineSense Rating: 4.9 Grapes!

You Need Not Know the Pope to Slurp This Vino!

Sure it’s called Pope Valley Winery, but this hometown wine haunt is not restricted to those visiting the Vatican. In fact these wines and this property are down right accessible and friendly too, with a mere haul up the hill. Pooches and people are welcome here and if you’ve always wanted to hone your Bocce skills this is your chance to sip some tasty wine as you scoot balls on the court. I suggest you pack up your pup and a picnic and make a day of it. Lots of enjoyable wines here and no tasting fees apply. I can’t remember the last time I said that. Maybe a decade ago when our valley was a simpler varietal. I was jazzed up about the 2006 Chenin Blanc, of all things, not my normal pick, but pleasantly surprised. Smooth, slick, and fruity with scant traces of nutmeg and pineapple. Delightful! The 2006 Eakle Ranch Sangiovese was a dandy doozey. Smokey-toasty, light and flavorful. This has BBQ written all over it, just in time for spring. They always seem to be serving up some type of festival or outdoor bonanza to make your wine all the more sweet. So skip church (sorry Mom!) and settle in with this Pope instead, and prepare to enjoy some guiltless pleasures. Wacky WineSense Rating: 4.5 Grapes!

Skipping for Skewis

I will digress again to a county other than our own, because as I mentioned in last week’s post, there are many scrumptious wines over the hill that are worthy of your attention, not to mention the killer views that are bursting all over the place, equally rivaling our own. If you’ve been following me all these months since my arrival to Napa last summer, you know that I have never hopped aboard the Pinot-by-way-of-Sideways-the-movie bandwagon, even though I thoroughly enjoyed the movie (don’t kill me townie locals!). In my droves of postings I have only written about a pinot one other time, than today. Reason being, pinots never seem to make my palate percolate, but like a diligent pupil I keep on trying. I have a very simple pinot litmus test. Upon slurping, does the pinot remind my of the cough syrups of my youth. If so, I drink no further. This is another example of my low brow approach to wine, but it works for me. Usually, every swig of pinot garners my “icky” face and I move happily onto Cabernet or Petite Syrah. But the friendly folks at Skewis, who were pouring at Acme Fine Wines caused my lips not to curl, and instead dance with delight. Striking news! Not one of their pinots caused the “icky” face (yay!). Instead, I cornered a new look, my tickled pinot face. My favorite was the Peters Vineyard. It was light and zingy on my tongue with a rich and fruity finish. Despite all the plum and blueberry tendencies bashing around in my mouth (super yum) this baby was nothing but smooth sliding down my wine tube. Get your fix quick because this is small lot production stuff. Wacky WineSense Rating: 4.4 Grapes!