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Fantastic location and aspect in MollymookJulia2016-07-28T00:00:00Z
Enjoyed our stay very much!! Wishing it was more than a couple of days! Gaining access to the property was a breeze! The house was clean and tidy, and beautifully furnished. All ammenities were in good working order. Melissa was prompt in responding to our emails or messages. Would definitely stay again if traveling South!Caitlin2016-08-01T00:00:00Z
This property in Mollymook is in a very beautiful, quiet and relaxing place. Very close to beautiful beaches and a very cute and "everything you need" shopping centre. Melissa was fantastic throughout and a great communicator. Thanks for having ustania2017-01-21T00:00:00Z
The host made us very welcome and the neighbourhood was great.Neil2016-10-29T00:00:00Z
一个可爱的休闲之地,一个美妙的看法。我们喜欢坐在午后,俯瞰海浪拍打的声音的海洋。一个伟大的位置 - 距离Mollymook酒店的海滩有2分钟的车程。梅丽莎是非常有益和翔实约到来。 我们走过了两个为期两年的幼儿,它是完美的为我们所有人。我们强烈推荐它。Ian2016-10-05T00:00:00Z
มอลลีมุก บีช, นิวเซาธ์เวล์ส, ออสเตรเลีย
Great location, a short walk to the beach, you don't even have to cross the road. Advertised as Pet Friendly but when my dog barked just a little (total of two times), the host sent sms in what I found an unfriendly tone. I just popped on my dogs citronella bark collar (that I always travel with just in case). So the issue was fixed immediately and I always take her with me so there was no issue. I do understand the host wanted to do the best (total quiet) by his neighbours who are all very close by (3 neighbouring yards joined the short garden). I would not take my dog there again as it isn't the right setting for her. Anyway, all is well that ends well. Very comfy beds, brekky, tea and coffee provided. And thanks for the yummy caramel Tim Tams, delicious John. Such a great location, I loved Mollymook North, so much nicer than the main Mollymook.Serena2016-12-30T00:00:00Z
Good place to stay for a night. I'm sure the hosts will purchase a small fan heater to help warm up the entire space quicklyTodd2015-07-17T00:00:00Z
A lovely place to stay for a short time.Elaine2017-05-13T00:00:00Z
The location of the flat was lovely and within walking distance of Mollymook beach, which was great for swimming. John was very welcoming and gave us tips of where to visit on our way up the coast. However the kitchen is very limited and only has, kettle, toaster, microwave and fridge, (and electric barbecue on request) so probably don't plan to cook an evening meal. There is no washer as listed.Joanna2016-02-27T00:00:00Z
John's property was sensationally located on Mollymook Beach in a nice quiet area. The accomodation was 1st class with comfortable bed and lounge area and nice soft towels. Little extras like breakfast cereal, biscuits and beautiful coffee were nice touches. There is a great little cafe around the corner.john2015-10-26T00:00:00Z
John made us feel very welcome and provided extra blankets just incase we were cold. The heater was good and the existing bedding kept us warm enough. The location of the accommodation was perfect close to the beach and just a hop, skip and jump to the local shops. Best thing for me was to fall asleep to the sound of the waves crashing on the beach. Will definitely return. Thank you John.Sarah2015-09-24T00:00:00Z
Positives: John was friendly and easy to communicate with, fresh organic coffee, milk and cereals provided, nice location very close to the beach and you can hear the waves crashing. Negatives: There was a pervasive smell inside, of something old or not quite right. Perhaps the rug or the sofa needs replacing. Also one of the mattresses was not very supportive and the sheets were not the best quality either. Apartment is under John's house, so you can occasionally hear people walking around above.Nicole2015-10-04T00:00:00Z
มอลลีมุก บีช, นิวเซาธ์เวล์ส, ออสเตรเลีย
Luke's place was perfect for a weekend away with friends. Very modern, well equipped house with multiple bathrooms, open plan kitchen/living area. Across the road from the beach and short drive to Milton. The house was immaculate and Luke was very friendly/easy to deal with. Will definitely book again!Lillian2017-03-04T00:00:00Z
Large beautifully styled house overlooking the golf course and walking distance to beachAdam2017-04-22T00:00:00Z
We had the most amazing time in Mollymook. Perfectly located property with no detail forgotten. Beds were super comfortable. Luke even organized for a private chef to come and cook us the most amazing meal! Would definitely recommend and we hope to return soon! CheersShann2017-04-30T00:00:00Z
The host canceled this reservation 11 days before arrival. This is an automated posting.abdullah2017-01-09T00:00:00Z
มอลลีมุก บีช, นิวเซาธ์เวล์ส, ออสเตรเลีย
Lovely house with a magnificent viewLeigh2017-03-12T00:00:00Z
Thank you, beautiful location and houseNikki2017-02-26T00:00:00Z
Great accommodation & locationKathryn2017-03-25T00:00:00Z
Awesome place to stay.Alexander2017-03-05T00:00:00Z
A home away from home. Max very accommodating with any questions and help if needed. Views amazing, sleeping listening to the ocean was amazing - great location directly across the road from the beach. Home well appointed and comfortable. Had a very relaxing stay and look forward to returning.Stephanie2016-01-17T00:00:00Z
Lovely house and spacious with spectacular view over the beach, good size bedroom and common areas are fantastic and breezy, big balconies was great for BBQ, the house was clean and the kitchen was sufficiently equipped, me and my family had a wonderful stay and looking forward to return.. Thank you Max..Souha2017-05-14T00:00:00Z
Amazing views, beautiful comfortable house and walking distance to the shops and a great cafe. Couldn't have asked for a better stay! Five stars!!Anna2017-05-08T00:00:00Z
Great home in a perfect location.Brent2017-02-04T00:00:00Z
มอลลีมุก บีช, นิวเซาธ์เวล์ส, ออสเตรเลีย
Amazing house in a perfect setting. Plus a very easy and friendly host - Thank you!Jennifer2017-05-06T00:00:00Z
We had an amazing stay in Milton. The house was very clean and comfortable and the view was amazing! Rhonda and her family met us on arrival and were very friendly hosts. Thanks for having us!Dane2017-01-22T00:00:00Z
Terrific view and a lovely house. Very close to town but feels remote.Kyle2017-03-25T00:00:00Z
Beautiful house. Just as all the previous reviews say, it's a beautiful house and we had a wonderful stay.Shane2017-04-30T00:00:00Z
Serene, picturesque... Magical! Surely one of the best Airbnbs you could hope to stay at. Clean, quiet and comfortable. Watching the sun set over the Budawangs from the deck was a highlight.Chris2017-04-14T00:00:00Z
Our stay at Blue Ridge was amazing. When we arrved it was raining but that didn't matter as the home was so lovely we enjoyed spending time in doors. By the morning the clouds cleared and the view was pretty spectacular!! Milton is such a lively and gorgeous town a great place for a get away. I would recommend to anyone wanting a romantic get away to stay at Blue Ridge. Rhonda was a great host. Open to answer any questions and made us feel very welcome. Thank you Rhonda and Family!Kate2017-02-26T00:00:00Z
Fantastic property, immpecably clean and well fitted out. Communication with Rhonda was great. Perfect location for a secluded getaway.Mel2017-05-21T00:00:00Z
We had such a wonderful stay at Blue Ridge-we will definitely be back! An absolutely gorgeous country escape.Roxy2017-04-09T00:00:00Z
Milton, นิวเซาธ์เวล์ส, ออสเตรเลีย
Die Gastgeber storniert Reservierung 14 Tage vor Anreise. Dies ist eine automatische Buchung.Robert2016-10-26T00:00:00Z
The house was great for our family close to the beach and pet friendly, we will be back again son we hopeNic2017-04-09T00:00:00Z
We did not stay as we were so disappointed. We felt the description was very misleading. A Surf Shack would imply the property is very near the beach if not backing on to the beach. The photos were also not an accurate portrayal of the property.Peter and Pauline2017-01-15T00:00:00Z
Ausgezeichnete Kommunikation und klare Anweisungen. Wir hatten einen wunderbaren Aufenthalt - danke Ashleigh!Shelly2016-03-30T00:00:00Z
This Ian This is a nice quaint house in a great location, close to the beach, golf course at back door and a quiet neighborhood.Peter2017-03-04T00:00:00Z
Nook am Mook ist ein großer Strand zu entkommen. Der Nook liegt zentral in Miiddle Mollymook so alles zu Fuß erreichen. Der Nook ist ein großes Haus mit allem, was Sie mit Hängematten mit einem fantastischen Garten benötigen. Ashleigh war ein reaktions Gastgeber sogar thouh er auf der anderen Seite der Welt war! Ich würde das Nook am Mook für einen großen Wert Strandurlaub sehr empfehlen.Christine2017-01-09T00:00:00Z
Dear Ashleigh, Thank you for our stay. We loved our Christmas Holiday at the "Nook". We spent time walking to swim at beautiful Mollymook beach, cooking prawns on the BBQ and strolling in the evening on the golf course behind the house. With the simplicity and charming whitewashed aesthetic of the coast houses of my childhood, the "Nook" was perfectly relaxing, comfortable and convenient. We could lie in (our very comfortable!) bed and hear the ocean at night with the Summer breeze coming through the awning windows or laze away the time with a book in the hammock at the bottom of the garden. Our five year old boy loved every minute! Thank you again.....Sophie2015-12-30T00:00:00Z
Wir waren absolut begeistert von unserer Zeit bei The Nook. Wir waren zwei Erwachsene und zwei Kinder und das Haus war perfekt. (Würde auch mit einem anderen Paar von Kindern in Ordnung sein.) Die Küche hatte alles, was wir brauchten (obwohl ich, dass das der Golf Club eine einigermaßen regelmäßige Abendessen wurde zugeben müssen - sicherstellen, dass Sie einen Tisch reservieren, so dass Sie am Fenster sitzen und auf den Strand Blick nach unten), und wir schätzen die Extras wie die Hängematte (aaahhh, Weg nach unten den Hinterhof mit den Kindern weit weg - für ein bisschen), die Außendusche (leicht selbst zu bereinigen - und Tauchanzüge - nach einer Brandung am Nord Molly), DVD-Sammlung (obwohl die Zeit hat, mit solchen zu sehen einen herrlichen Strand in der Nähe?) und sehr bequeme Betten (erholsamen Schlaf). Die Lage war super - leicht zu Fuß in der Mitte des Strandes und nicht so weit von South Mollymook des patrouillierten Bereich. Wir fanden uns in Nord Molly und Süd Narrawallee viel - das ist eine sehr, sehr kurze Fahrt entfernt. Neben dem Hauptstrand genossen wir die mudflats bei Narrawallee Einlass und den Fuß auf den Punkt. Ein Vergnügen - wie immer - zu haben Ashleigh verfügbar Ratschläge zu geben und unseren Aufenthalt stellen Sie sicher, war perfekt. Wir werden zurückkommen.Naomi2016-12-25T00:00:00Z
มอลลีมุก บีช, นิวเซาธ์เวล์ส, ออสเตรเลีย
5 stars all round. Beautiful little place attached to the back of the house, fully self contained, clean, comfortable, pretty and even a great shower! Short walk in to town, and super friendly hosts (without being over the top)Lenny2016-11-26T00:00:00Z
A beautiful little getaway with a beautiful view of the rolling hills out the back of Milton. Enjoyed our stay. Thanks to Pip!Nathan2017-04-02T00:00:00Z
Great little studio providing terrific location to discover the Milton experience. Lovely decor, bed and facilities. Right in the heart of Milton within walking distance of shops/restaurants etc. Highly recommended.Sue2016-10-13T00:00:00Z
The studio was clean, beautiful, private and cosy! A great place to chill and rest, close drive to local eats and beaches!Yery2017-04-27T00:00:00Z
We had a great stay at Pip's accommodation in Milton and would love to come back one day!!Anika2016-10-15T00:00:00Z
Pip and her partner's place is very clean, with lovely modern renovations and furniture. They provided helpful info about nearby by cafes and places. Though the place is shared to the main house, the own door and deck gave us privacy, ease and comfort! Thanks very much Pip!Denae2017-01-05T00:00:00Z
Pip's place was perfect for a getaway in Milton. We were only there for a night but it was exactly what we needed. It was situated a short walk away from the great St Isidores restaurant and the main road of Milton was a short distance the other way. Mollymook was also only a 5 min drive away, which was very convenient. The actual place had everything we needed with a nice and new bathroom and comfortable bed. Thank you again Pip for letting us stay at your place!Christopher2016-10-30T00:00:00Z
Pip's place is modern, lovely and close to town. We stayed a night on our way through and she was easy to communicate with and check in was very easy. Thanks Pip.Lisa2016-12-21T00:00:00Z
Milton, นิวเซาธ์เวล์ส, ออสเตรเลีย
Highly recommend staying in this comfortable beach house. For starters the views are amazing from so many areas of the house. The balcony and BBQ decking area was a welcomed convenience that we used almost daily. The house itself was spotlessly clean on arrival and highly appreciated. The little personal thoughts our host left for my young daughter and her little cousin was more than you would expect from a host and it made the place feel special for them. Towels, linen, beds, kitchen equipment are all good quality and everything you need. Games, dvd's, books a plenty for comfortable days spent inside. Seeing as the house felt so homely to us thats what we did for most of our stay. Our host was always available for any assistance with information or personal needs and went out of her way several times for us to make our stay even more enjoyable. We are certainly missing the house being back home and my toddler keeps asking to go stay in the lady's house which goes to show how much impact the comforts had on us all.Adam2016-04-23T00:00:00Z
A sensational house in an awesome place with an even better view. Would 100 % stay again. Heather was very helpful and accomodating !antony2016-03-23T00:00:00Z
愉快的经验对书刊住在礁。装饰高雅,美丽的床单和毛巾和床也很舒服。该位置是海洋的几码和破碎波麻痹你在晚上睡觉舒缓的声音中。 希瑟是一个非常温馨的主机和留下了无数周到的项目我们。James2016-04-01T00:00:00Z
Heather foi um anfitrião muito acolhedor que chegamos a uma bela casa com uma vista incrível e nós tinha sido deixado algumas guloseimas para desfrutar! As camas foram confortável, o espaço de vida é muito grande, a cozinha bem equipada e o deck foi um belo lugar quente para se sentar em um dia de inverno frio. Heather era muito fácil de se comunicar com e flexível com o tempo da partida. Tivemos um fim de semana maravilhoso e ficaremos definitivamente voltar.Carolyn2016-07-25T00:00:00Z
这是一个神话般的位置,优秀的意见很大的海滨别墅。在现实中,它远比照片更好。彻底享受我们的两个天的休息那里。还赞赏提供的食品的规定。我们在做一个阿尔迪店乌拉杜拉前到达 - 这是没有必要的。希瑟约wifi接入和地点去查询很有帮助。全力推荐,将是肯定会在未来的回访。Sue2016-03-18T00:00:00Z
The house was perfect. Could not have imagine a better location.Russell2016-01-27T00:00:00Z
我住在希瑟的漂亮的房子与一群朋友一个长周末。这些照片实际上并没有的地方正义 - 的观点是大量的甲板和客厅不可思议,和一个可爱的海滩就在马路对面。这房子是完美的,完美的海滩周末 - 宽敞的空间,舒适的床,并可以需要的一切放养。我们熟我们在那里两晚和厨房是令人难以置信的储备充足,甚至比我们有我们的家园更好!虽然我们从未谋面希瑟面对面她是一个神话般的主机,提供明确的指示和之前我们逗留期间有用的提示。绝对没有,我可以故障对整个的经验,不能推荐的地方就够了!Madeline2016-03-09T00:00:00Z
We loved staying at Heathers home. The street was quiet, close to the rockpools for the kids and not too far to the beach and shops. The house was perfect for two families, clean and everything you needed. We would like to book again!Alex2017-01-05T00:00:00Z
Mollymook, นิวเซาธ์เวล์ส, ออสเตรเลีย
Mollymook is a really beautiful part of the world. We loved it. Ian and Julia's house was extremely clean and tidy and the room in which we stayed was equally clean and tidy. They were very helpful and advised us on local sites and eateries. Excellent bathroom. No hesitation in recommending Mollymook, Ian and Julia.Heather2016-01-19T00:00:00Z
Great experience, lovely and comfortable room. Friendly hosts who managed to welcome us with a last-minute request.Valentine2016-06-14T00:00:00Z
This is a clean, pretty and peaceful place for a stopover.Helen2017-02-27T00:00:00Z
My partner and I stayed at Ian's for a night and had a great time. Lovely bedroom and private bathroom and a short walk to town. Would highly recommend staying here!Jazmin2017-01-13T00:00:00Z
We had a nice and comfy stay at Julias&Ians house! They where very friendly hosts and we had some nice chats together. But if you prefere to be at your own they totaly respect your privacy. Julia&Ian are living on the top floor and 'reserved' the basement for their guests. That means you have a nice and little room (no TV and WIFI - just to let you know) and a big private bathroom with washing machine and a rotary clothes dryer in the garden. You can enter the garden directly through your bathroom. You'll find your own fridge and kettle with tea and coffee in the corridor. If you want to prepare some food Julia&Ian let you kindly use their own fully equiped kitchen upstairs. There is a big folder in the room with a lot of helpfull information what to do and where to go. Because we just stayed one day we only went to the beach - which is beautifull and easily to reach by a 10-20 minute walk. The only thing that was a little pitty was that the house is really clairaudient. So if you like to sleep long and/or are sensitive to noise you should have this in mind. All in all it's a good place for staying at the beach or exploreing the surroundings :)Christina2017-01-16T00:00:00Z
Cosy, easy and a great shower!! Thanks Ian!Tim2017-02-05T00:00:00Z
Nice quiet place for a quick stop over.Stuart2017-04-02T00:00:00Z
On a last minute escape to Jervis bay for the weekend, we had the chance to find this nice place to stay, exactly as shown on the pictures, friendly hosts and really good price for the area. I would definitely recommend this place. All the best. GeraldoGeraldo2016-03-14T00:00:00Z
มอลลีมุก บีช, นิวเซาธ์เวล์ส, ออสเตรเลีย
Cool place, newly renovated. Had a great stay, very comfortable and had everything we needed. Would definitely stay again. Thank you!Lauren2017-05-21T00:00:00Z
Firstly we didnt stay at this place, it was cancelled the day before. You will notice this happens a lot with the reviews as they use multiple sites (as (SENSITIVE CONTENTS HIDDEN)). On the plus side they did in fact find us another place for the same price and close location although it was annoying as i was with my family of 3 couples and the original place had 3 double rooms and a bunk room and the place they found had 2 double bedrooms with the 3rd full of 6 bunk beds. The place they put us up in was still nice and we had a great weekend although if you're dealing with the real estate group tucker, stay on there case to check if they have double booked.Terry & Lucy2015-12-13T00:00:00Z
We loved this place. A nice walk down the beach, a great kitchen with lots of little extras that most other places don't have, fantastic dvd selection, quiet street, and comfortable beds. We stayed here for a week with our two small children, which was perfect for us and them. On the cold & rainy days we enjoyed the extra heaters in the house and the covered back deck. On the warmer days we loved walking down to the beach and park. The house was very clean and tastefully furnished. We will definitely book again.kate2015-10-01T00:00:00Z
Little welcome pack of tea & coffee bags & chocolates was a nice touch.Janet2016-08-29T00:00:00Z
A group of friends and I stayed in this place and had an awesome time! This "beach-shack" looking house on the outside was nice & clean on the inside and had a homey feel whilst still being modern. The kitchen was great to use and opens out onto the back deck, so we were able to have people cooking in the kitchen and some on the BBQ whilst all still being together. Bathrooms and bedrooms are also great. It only takes 10 minutes to walk down to beautiful Mollymook beach and it's a quick drive to surrounding areas such as Milton & Ulladulla. If you're looking for a relaxed, beautiful getaway I would highly recommend this house!Ruby2016-05-10T00:00:00Z
We had a great holiday staying here! Everything was as advertised. Great communication as well from our hosts (:Nic2017-02-17T00:00:00Z
Lovelt stay - comfortable, spacious modern house close to everything in Mollymook. Steve was great and very accommodating; would stay again.Rebecca2016-04-05T00:00:00Z
Mollymook, นิวเซาธ์เวล์ส, ออสเตรเลีย
Narrawallee, นิวเซาธ์เวล์ส, ออสเตรเลีย
Didn't meet Anne but really open communication so made the whole process really easy. Julie was there when we arrived and was really helpful.Deborah2016-12-27T00:00:00Z
An amazing idyllic spot on Mollymook Beach, what a great weekend.Jeremy2016-05-30T00:00:00Z
Beautiful location and comfortable house. However not suitable for 5 adults with the small single bedsLindy2016-08-29T00:00:00Z
The location is about 1/3 along Mollymook book, closer to the Golf Club (south) end. 5 mins drive to Golf club which has amazing beach views and good quality club meals. The house is not within walking distance of the shops (IGA), which we never found until we were leaving, but it is at the North end of the town, a bit inland. We saw an echidna in the front yard, beautiful black and yellow cockatoos from the front veranda, which was special. The natural bush location fronting onto the beach is very special. If you're willing to pay a premium for this beautiful property this place may be for you. There's only one master bedroom. The other 2 rooms are clearly for children- not couples. So, this house suits one couple or a family with young children. There's only one shower though!Judy2016-11-18T00:00:00Z
The house is right in the beach. Plenty of birds around very peaceful and laid back Enviroment.Steven2017-03-04T00:00:00Z
We had such a lovely stay at Mollymook Beach the house was perfect! A gorgeous private garden that leads to the beach where we saw dolphins swimming. The kitchen is very well equipped am with everything you could possibly need. The beds were super comfortable. A great fireplace topped off the stay where the kids had their first toasted marshmallows. We loved the house and the location which has great wide footpaths leading to the park and shops. We can't wait to come back!Sarah2015-07-28T00:00:00Z
We really enjoyed staying at this lovely beachside cottage. Walking distance to shops and eateries, but most importantly, the beach is part of the backyard! Clean, tidy and comfortable. Would definitely stay again!Teal2016-11-27T00:00:00Z
Beautiful little cabin on the beach. There is everything you could possibly need there. Hope to go back one day.Kai2016-05-19T00:00:00Z
มอลลีมุก บีช, นิวเซาธ์เวล์ส, ออสเตรเลีย
A stunning location and wonderful place to enjoy with family or friends. The kitchen and dining areas are stunning! We also made use of the cosy fire pit out the back. Bo was easy to contact and very accomodating.Jessica2017-05-14T00:00:00Z
Great location and very well equipped beach house. Lots of seating and an absolutely excellent view on a safe swimming beach. Will definitely return!Sally2017-04-10T00:00:00Z
The house was amazing! There was heaps of room with an amazing view which was able to be taken full advantage of using the front deck. Each room was decorated with a quaint and unique beach vibe. The kitchen was well equipped allowing us to eat in on one of the nights we stayed there but the house was close enough to everything that we didn't feel like we had to. Bo and Cabby were both extremely friendly and were quick and easy to contact. This is fantastic property and you'd be crazy not to consider it!Thomas2016-12-11T00:00:00Z
Great location fabulous facilitiesLaura2017-02-25T00:00:00Z
Communication was great from the host. The listing was accurate. The location is unbeatable if you want to spend time at the beach and enjoy amazing ocean views. Great value for money!Rob2016-10-22T00:00:00Z
What a beautiful home! You can tell Bo has put a lot into it. Lots of space, lots of character, and right on the beach! Bo and Cabby were wonderful hosts, and very responsive. We will be back!!T2016-10-03T00:00:00Z
Great home! Very spacious, clean, right on the beach. Fantastic value for $$!Natalie2016-12-17T00:00:00Z
Absolutely fantastic! Quick responds and very accommodating. The house was at a fantastic location and neighbourhood. Beautiful views of the beach, just stunning. The bathrooms are a bit run down and bring your own towels and sheets. Really, the whole house was so nice and relaxing, that those were really minor things.Aylin2016-11-26T00:00:00Z
มอลลีมุก บีช, นิวเซาธ์เวล์ส, ออสเตรเลีย
Danielle was great . Her communication with us was fantastic and she made our stay thoroughly enjoyable. The location was amazing and we could of stayed a lot longer if we'd of had the chance !! Watching dolphins frolicking in the surf this morning was a highlight ! Caroline & Andrew .Andrew (& Caroline )2017-05-07T00:00:00Z
What a view! Thanks Danielle. The apartment was quiet, very clean and had everything we needed. It was in a great spot for exploring the south coast! We loved the private path down to the water.Mark2017-03-25T00:00:00Z
Stunning location - from the glass doors through the back of the studio apartment we had sweeping ocean views and the soothing sound of the ocean as we slept. The place was really well equipped for a few peaceful days away - all the comforts we needed with a bonus of a beautiful big bath! Danielle was a wonderful host and always very obliging and helpful. Highly recommended!Rebecca2017-03-15T00:00:00Z
My husband and i had a memorable trip. Thoroughly recommended! Thank you Danielle!Simona2017-04-21T00:00:00Z
Gorgeous & amazing light filled space with unsurpassable open ocean views. And how exciting to see a pod of dolphins swim right out front. We rarely left the property .... we relaxed immediately and could not have wished for better hosts. Thanks again Danielle!Fiona2017-04-25T00:00:00Z
Danielle's beachfront studio is clean, comfortable, quiet and tastefully furnished with everything we needed to make ourselves at home. The view of the ocean, lounging in the living room with a glass of wine, is so relaxing and hypnotic. There are lots of great restaurants a short drive away in Ulladulla and also in Milton. We highly recommend this retreat for its location, style and comfort.Trevor2017-03-18T00:00:00Z
Ulladulla, นิวเซาธ์เวล์ส, ออสเตรเลีย
la place de Kym et Tony était propre, bien rangé et un endroit vraiment charmant. Idéal pour les familles et près d'une plage pour les familles. La maison était bien équipée et communication grand. séjour fabuleux!Sharon2017-01-28T00:00:00Z
The house was fantastic! So much better than the photos. We will definitely be staying here again. Thanks so muchTessa2016-07-22T00:00:00Z
Tout était super, mais avait du mal avec four. Peut-être quelques instructions supplémentaires sont nécessaires. Nous avons eu un merveilleux week-end.Donny2017-02-14T00:00:00Z
Host was efficient. Bit of a main road.Sarath 2017-01-07T00:00:00Z
Super endroit, magnifiquement entretenu.Cindy2017-02-18T00:00:00Z
We are a family of six (4 kids from 7 to 16) and Kym and Tony's house provided a wonderful 5 night stay. The space was amazing inside the home and the yard with a cubby house just topped it off. The whole home was very well equipped particularly the lovely modern kitchen! Even the laundry was a great size and well situated for the chaos after a day at the beach! A lot of thought has gone into the 'extras'.... the dvds, the books and the fantastic collection of games and kids toys was certainly appreciated by all. Belinda from the linen hire company was also terrific to deal with. Thank you Kym and Tony!Karen 2016-12-15T00:00:00Z
มอลลีมุก บีช, นิวเซาธ์เวล์ส, ออสเตรเลีย
มอลลีมุก บีช, นิวเซาธ์เวล์ส, ออสเตรเลีย
Grande escapade et maison parfaite pour notre ami à quatre pattes qui aimait le soleil de jardin et à la recherche sur le pont. Impressionnant cuisine bien équipée!Paula2017-01-01T00:00:00Z
This is such a beautiful space for a coastal escape. The artwork provides a unique vibe and the garden is gorgeous. Will definitely visit again. Andrew's communication was excellent and everything went smoothlyAnthea2017-04-15T00:00:00Z
An absolutely beautiful house and amazing garden. We loved it! The house is comfortable, bright, and stylish. The garden is lovely to spend time in. Wish we could have stayed longer-will definitely return soon.Kerry2016-03-08T00:00:00Z
We had a wonderful time - it's a lovely house and we would stay again.Esther2015-03-15T00:00:00Z
Our host kept in touch with us regularly leading up to our stay which was lovely. The House was spacious for a couple, including our dogs who loved the back yard. The house is located close to the Mollymook beach which was really handy.Susie2015-10-06T00:00:00Z
Andrew made our stay at Elysian very easy and enjoyable. He is a great communicator and is always there if you need any questions answered. His beautiful artwork around the house makes the space feel homely and really adds a special personal touch.Chelsey2015-12-23T00:00:00Z
We stayed in Andrews house for 3 nights and thoroughly enjoyed our stay. Andrew was very helpful and easy to communicate with and you could tell he wanted us to have a good time. The location is close to wonderful beaches, there is a great garden to relax in and the house itself is really neat with a lot of open spaces. We liked the house and the area so much that we decided to stay for an additional 3 nights.Paer2016-08-12T00:00:00Z
Myself and three friends stayed at Andrew's place in Mollymook, and could not be happier with our choice. The photos do not do it justice! The garden is absolutely beautiful and having a second toilet out back was really useful. Walking distance to the local beach and it's a quick drive to Jervis Bay. Andrew was incredibly helpful and answered the few questions we had on the day of checkout. I would recommend turning on the backup hot water the same day you arrive, however, as the solar heating wasn't quite sufficient for four people. (Thanks Andrew, we'll be back!) -ClovelleClovelle2014-02-27T00:00:00Z
Mollymook, นิวเซาธ์เวล์ส, ออสเตรเลีย
Large room and modern, large bathroom - seperate entty, very clean and comfy. Thanks Anna!!!Lance2016-12-28T00:00:00Z
We stayed 4 nights at Anna's place over the Easter long weekend and it was absolutely perfect. Just outside the main strip so nice and quiet but close enough to everything via taxi or walking. Beautiful homely touches in the room, freshly squeezed orange juice, home-made muffins, crackers and granola. It really is a special little place and feels like home. Very clean, divine luxurious bathroom. Easy access and check in, great comunication, dropped fresh towels at our door half way through our stay and offered an extra night earlier last minute so that we could miss some Easter holiday traffic and get the entire next day in at Mollymook. We took it! Thanks for a fabulous stay Anna. We will be back :)Rachael2017-04-17T00:00:00Z
Faultless, great place.Caroline2017-02-15T00:00:00Z
The finishing touches in the room were great. Anna has a great eye for detail and is very warm and hospitable.Anne2017-01-06T00:00:00Z
Beautiful place to stay. Very close to everything. Great for a weekend away. Comfy bed and massive bathroom.Sam2016-11-26T00:00:00Z
Wir genossen den Aufenthalt in Hannas zu Hause! Es war eine tolle Zeit in ulladulla :)Antonia2017-02-04T00:00:00Z
Moderne proche de tout et de grande valeur avec des touches supplémentaires spéciales et une salle de bain extraordinaire adoréPenny Anutosh2017-01-08T00:00:00Z
Close to town, very cleanSandra2017-01-21T00:00:00Z
Ulladulla, นิวเซาธ์เวล์ส, ออสเตรเลีย


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Two Movenpick hotels in Jordan listed in Conde Nast Traveler's Top 10 Middle East Resorts
Two Movenpick hotels in Jordan have been named in the list of Top 10 Middle East resorts by readers of the luxury U.S travel magazine Conde Nast Traveler. The Movenpick Resort and Spa Dead Sea and Movenpick Resort and Residences Aqaba were ranked in 6th and 10th place, respectively in the prestigious list.
Two luxurious Movenpick Resorts in Jordan have been included in Conde Nast Traveler magazine's Top 10 Middle East resorts.
The Movenpick Resort and Spa Dead Sea and Movenpick Resort and Residences Aqaba in Jordan were ranked in 6th and 10th place, respectively, in the prestigious list by readers of the renowned U.S travel magazine. The two Jordan hotels were rated on their location, food, guest rooms, activities and design and Movenpick Hotels and Resorts was the only hotel group in Jordan to have two of its properties included in the list.
Peter Hoesli, the General Manager and Regional Manager in Jordan for Movenpick Hotels and Resorts commented:
"Being included in this prestigious list of resorts is a fine achievement that speaks volumes about the attraction of Jordan for today's luxury travellers. Visitors remember the country for its warm hospitality and this is mainly due to the friendly and helpful hotel team members who work tirelessly to create exceptionally memorable experiences for our guests."
Movenpick Resort and Spa Dead Sea is no stranger to receiving an accolade by readers of Conde Nast magazine and the luxury resort has been voted as "Jordan's Best Luxury Resort Spa" in the World Luxury Spa Awards for the last three years in a row.
In 2014, the Green Globe-certified Jordan hotel will be undergoing refurbishments that will see the addition of a botanical garden with an intimate seating area and renovated guest rooms and suites. The luxury hotel's facilities include swimming pools, a fitness centre, a children's club, nine gourmet restaurants and bars and the award-winning Zara Spa with its 31 treatment rooms and wide selection of rejuvenating treatments inspired by minerals from the Dead Sea.
Movenpick Resort and Residences Aqaba is located on the shores of the Red Sea, between the soaring mountains and the Gulf of Aqaba. The resort features Arabesque architecture with intricate wall mosaics and windows with traditional 'mashrabiya' latticework. Guests taking Jordan holidays will have access to a private sandy beach, four swimming pools, a health club, and eight gourmet restaurants and bars.
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Experience the magestic beauty of Jordan with this amazing package
Enjoy spectacular views as you relax and uwind surrounded by the beauty of Jordan
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Unleash the mesmerising beauty of Aqaba and bathe in warm, crystalline Red Sea waters, ideal for snorkelling and diving.
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- Go on a hiking trip, camping in the desert or a day excursion to see what jewels Jordan has to offer
The best way to discover and uncover real Jordan
Prepare to be wowed and dazzled by mystical encounters, ancient cities, marvellous wonders and unique sites as you discover the real and magical Jordan.
- Enjoy a full day visit of the "Rose Red City" of Petra - a treasure of the ancient world
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- Spend a day by the Dead Sea, at over 400m below sea level the Dead Sea is a wonderful must-see sight
Discover Jordan - Superior Tour
This unforgettable 7 night tour is the perfect way to discover the Arab Kingdom of Jordan. Set on the East Bank of the...
Movenpick Resort and Spa Dead Sea
In a wonderfully quiet and serene location with a traditional village setting facing the stunning azure waters of the...
Discover Jordan - Superior Tour + Days Inn Hotel Aqaba
This unforgettable 7 night tour is the perfect way to discover the Arab Kingdom of Jordan. Set on the East Bank of the...
Discover Jordan - Deluxe Tour
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Landmark Amman Hotel
If you want the best location in Jordan's dazzling capital coupled with top notch service and facilities, you'll...
Le Meridien Amman
The centric and charming Le Meridien Amman is a superb hotel, wonderfully located in the middle of all the action, right...
Days Inn Hotel Aqaba
The Days Inn Aqaba offers a personal touch with true Jordanian hospitality, where each guest can expect a unique and...
Essential Jordan - Superior Tour
This unforgettable 3 night tour is the perfect way to discover the essential sites of the Arab Kingdom of Jordan. Set on...

subset: commoncrawl


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Tutustu kiinnostaviin ideoihin!
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Lemon cream puffs are the zingy, summery and creamy version of the original! Filled with an easy lemon cream, these huge cream puffs are sure to make you fall in love with dessert all over again.


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tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38669186596678525962017-07-21T17:41:20.644-07:00Santa Cruz Mountains and Santa Clara Valley WinesMusings about the wineries, vineyards and winemakers of the Santa Cruz Mountains and surrounding area.Davehttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-73579535240327647632017-07-21T07:30:00.000-07:002017-07-21T17:41:20.669-07:00La Vie Dansante

Jeffrey Fadness has led an interesting life. I'm not going to try to summarize it, he does a way better job than I can. But a couple of years ago he took over the old (and - let's be honest - somewhat dilapidated) Thomas Kruse winery in Gilroy and opened "Blended, a Winemaker's Studio". Since then he's transformed the old barn into a modern winemaking facility and built a new tasting room alongside it.

The space is shared with two other wineries, which I'll write about separately; here I'll focus on his own label, La Vie Dansante. The first vintage was made in 2013, with white grapes sourced from Mendocino and reds from the local Besson Vineyards. Since then the capacity and range has steadily increased; current production is around the 1200 case mark.

Jeff's primary interest in Rhône grapes; in fact his endeavor has its roots in a Santa Clara Valley Syrah from Jason/Stevens, which led to him spending time as an intern there for the 2009 harvest. Almost all the wines are Rhône-style blends, apart from a little Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel sourced from the former Kruse vineyard, now renamed Summers Ranch. The tasting room is open weekends from 12-5PM, and at other times by appointment. The wines are all very reasonably priced at under $30.

2015 Overture, Santa Clara Valley
This is Jeff's salute to Tablas Creek, one of the primary advocates of Rhône varieties in California, and the reason why so many of the more obscure varieties are now grown in California. A blend of Rousanne, Grenache Blanc and Picpoul, there's an interesting soy component to the nose. On the palate there's rich stone fruit, smooth oak and some light acidity. Very nice.

2016 Rosé of Mourvèdre, Santa Clara Valley
A refreshingly crisp rose, with nice color and tart cherry flavors.

2014 Grenache Noir, Central Coast
Grenache from Monterey County is complimented by a hint of local Syrah adding a little extra depth. Lots of strawberry fruit on both the nose and palate; nice acidity with a hint of oak.

2014 Prelude, Central Coast
The Prelude is a full-on Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre blend with a light, floral nose that's still remarkably easy drinking

2013 Rehearsal, Santa Clara Valley
An outstanding blend of old vine Syrah and Carignane from Besson Vineyard. It's dense and spicy with a soy component; there's plenty of structure that suggests it'll be even better in a couple of years.

It's great to see new wineries opening up in the area and shifting the focus away from the traditional Bordeaux and Chardonnay. The valley's climate seems very well suited to Rhône varieties, particularly the whites, and I can't wait to see what else Jeff has in store.

La Vie Dansante
3200 Dryden Avenue, Gilroy, CA 95020
(408) 852-0779
firstname.lastname@example.comDavehttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-14968217107864914542017-06-26T12:50:00.000-07:002017-06-26T14:48:15.640-07:00Vidovich Vineyards

2012 Lake Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

While driving up to Ridge this past weekend I was surprised to see signs indicating that Vidovich Vineyards was open for tasting. I first discovered Vidovich and their Monte Bello Road Cabernet Sauvignon around 10 years ago. It was on the wine list at Habana Cuba, a great Cuban restaurant in San Jose (try the ox tail, it's superb). It was a rather heavily oaked wine; lots of coffee and chocolate, quite tannic but with a good fruit core. The 2001 vintage was unremarkable; rustic with chewy tannins and not much fruit, but the 2002 certainly showed a lot of promise. I managed to obtain a few cases and for a while it was my standard midweek drinker.

In 2008 I was at a trade tasting where it was being poured and finally got some background on the winery. The vines were still very young, having been planted in the late 1990s, and 2001 was the first proper harvest. Initial vintages were made by Fetzer; the winery was completed in 2004 and local wine consultant Nancy Freire, whose resume includes Kirigin, Fortino and Morgan Hill Cellars, was hired as winemaker. The winery had been in a state of flux following the death of its founder, but the family had plans to continue, had apparently secured a distributor and were confident about the future.

Ideen and Pat run the tasting room

After that, I would occasionally see wines from Picchetti or Jason-Stephens made with the fruit, but I didn't see Vidovich on sale anywhere. So I was very interested to find out what was happening at the winery.

Vidovich Vineyards is right at the top of Monte Bello Road, a mile beyond Ridge. It's an impressive property with a panoramic view across Silicon Valley. But if the 20 minute drive to the summit doesn't discourage the casual visitor then the $25 tasting fee (not refunded with purchase) might. The newly opened tasting room is currently pouring 3 wines, all Cabernet Sauvignons; two vintages of the Monte Bello Road and one of Lake Vineyard. The latter is sourced from a second property in Los Altos Hills.

2012 Lake Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, $55
Rich and tannic, with notes of blackcurrant and coffee. Quite intense; it really needs around 3-5 years to soften, but has good potential

2008 Monte Bello Road Cabernet Sauvignon $90

Very tannic indeed, with not much fruit evident. Seems rather flat and one-dimensional. One can only hope that it will improve with time.

2007 Monte Bello Road Cabernet Sauvignon $110

A beautiful nose, with lots of blackberry and coffee. Unlike the 2008 the fruit is lush and sweet, lots of bramble and currant, and the tannins are smooth and silky. It's really quite delicious.

Panoramic view of Silicon Valley

The winery also produce small quantities of Zinfandel from fruit grown on the Monte Bello property, though I've never seen it on sale anywhere; it's mostly kept for friends and family.

While I'm pleased to see that Vidovich is still around and wish them every success I'm somewhat confused and disappointed by the excessive tasting fee as well as the 4X price increase over the 2006 vintage.

Vidovich Vineyards
18101 Monte Bello Road, Cupertino CA 95014
650-521-3198
firstname.lastname@example.com
Open: Sundays only, 11AM to 5PM
Davehttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-56698552705191603362017-05-16T21:37:00.001-07:002017-05-16T22:25:41.341-07:002016 Ridge Monte Bello Assemblage

Library wines in large formats

A visit to Ridge is always fun, particularly when it's for the Monte Bello tasting. Ridge hosts three tastings in March, April and May where we get the chance to try barrel sample of the latest vintage of Monte Bello; if you've never been to one of these events, you've definitely missed out.

Alongside the official tastings many collectors bring gems from their cellars to enjoy with friends or to share with other enthusiasts, and there are occasionally older library wines available to taste and even purchase.

Ridge Winemaker Eric Baugher

2016 looks to be another stunning vintage for Ridge. At the March event, where they pour samples from each of the four components, the Merlot was outstanding; fragrant and floral on the nose, with beautiful berry fruit and already some cocoa from the oak. The 2016 Monte Bello first assemblage shows all the signs of being another long-lived vintage, and the 2014 that's just been released is a fine example of what the Santa Cruz Mountains has to offer; powerful fruit, with eucalyptus, minerals and great structure. Buy it for your kids.

Two stunning new releases

Alongside the 2014 Monte Bello, Ridge were pouring the Estate Cabernet and their 2014 'Historic Vineyard' series. From this vintage they have released a Klein Cabernet Sauvignon and a Perrone Merlot. The Klein was taut and chewy, showing harsh tannins and hiding its fruit; no doubt it'll come around with time but on the day I didn't care for it, whereas the 2014 Perrone Merlot was luscious and rich, with velvety tannins. It's a beautiful wine, and I just wish that it wasn't $75 a bottle. The Estate Cabernet is as good and consistent as ever; it's normally the wine to buy and enjoy while your Monte Bello have a ten year nap.

I say normally, because Ridge were also pouring the 2015 Geyserville, and it's a stunning wine. Quite possibly the best young Geyserville I've ever tasted. At $40 it's a great value for a wine that, while delicious now, will only improve with time. Highly recommended.Davehttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-4723258547038467082017-05-14T22:19:00.000-07:002017-05-16T22:19:36.464-07:00Photos from Ridge

Davehttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-34551902021221286402017-04-23T22:21:00.000-07:002017-05-16T22:21:41.677-07:00Tasting at Ridge

Davehttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-55194459480706379552015-10-04T10:47:00.003-07:002015-10-04T10:48:27.348-07:00Ridge expanding on Monte Bello RoadRidge finally announces expansion plans in association with the Mid-Peninsula Regional Open Space District. 32 more acres of Monte Bello land to be planted over the next two decades. Details on 4488, the official Ridge blog.Davehttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-49382699742050198622015-09-30T20:21:00.000-07:002015-09-30T20:26:14.986-07:00MJA VineyardsCan America's best coffee grower also be a top winemaker? Marin Artukovich thinks so. He established the Koa Plantation on Hawai'i over 20 years ago and soon established a reputation for quality; so much so that Forbes selected them as the coffee grower in an article on 50 of America's Best.

Around 2007 he sold a majority stake in the plantation and relocated to California, buying an 18 acre parcel just north of Lake Hennessy and established the label Serene Cellars. Early releases were from purchased Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc; the first estate release was from 2008.

However having lived in Hawai'i for so long, he found that Napa's ambiance didn't quite suit him, so he purchased a new property high in the Santa Cruz Mountains, not far from Burrell School. The tasting room in Napa was closed, and two new ones were opened; the one on Highland Road is part of the Summit Wineries group while the other in Santa Cruz is part of the Surf City Vintners on Ingalls Street.

The winery still uses the Serene Cellars brand for its Napa wines; all others are sold under the name DaVine cellars. There is an extensive range of varieties from all over, including several sourced from the Santa Cruz Mountains and Santa Clara Valley.

The tasting room in Santa Cruz is open daily and is a light-hearted affair. Most of the wines have nicknames such as Classy, Macho and Happy Ending. The staff offer you chocolate-covered coffee beans to taste alongside the wines, and the tasting room even has it's regular visitor, with her name affixed to her place at the bar. There are several flights available; each comprises 6 wines and costs $10 except for the reserve tasting which costs $20, and the fee is comped with purchase.

Since I was driving I concentrated on the local wines, which are all in the DaVine Cellars range.

2012 Chardonnay, Santa Cruz Mountains
A first sample seemed somewhat oxidized, so a fresh bottle was opened. The nose showed lots of butterscotch and vanilla, and flavors of sweet apple pie with not much acidity. It seemed rather too sweet for my taste, and quite mature for a 2012. $32

2013Chardonnay, Santa Cruz Mountains
Again quite sweet. Showed less of the butterscotch than the 2012; instead had some crisp stone fruit on the nose and peach flavors. $32

2012 'Sweet Thang' Merlot, Regan Vineyard, Santa Cruz MountainsThe nose is ripe and hot - almost port-like (it was a little warm, and the ABV is almost 15%). On the palate there's lots of sweet, jammy fruit and a tannic finish. $54

2013 Pinot Noir, Fog's Edge Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains Possessing the funky barnyard nose that you often get from Pinot. On the palate it's rich with flavors of soy and cooked cherry and lots of tannin.

2013 Sangiovese, Solis Vineyard, Santa Clara County
Interesting nose, reminiscent of a highland malt whisky; notes of heather among the oak. Ripe and fruity, with flavors of preserved cherry and again plenty of tannin. $36

My companions tried some of the Serene Cellars wines, including a 2013 Sauvignon Blanc called "Hot Flash" that was sweet and citrus, and slightly effervescent due to the injection of a small amount of CO2 gas ($24), and a silky soft, sweet 2009 Stag's Leap Cabernet Sauvignon called "Dos Hombres" that was in barrel for over 4 years. ($85)

Overall MJA Vineyards' style emphasizes sweet fruit over structure; approachability over ageability. And while there's nothing wrong with that - I can think of plenty of successful wineries that have taken that approach - I found the prices to be significantly higher than I would be prepared to pay. Davehttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-73800317605824983412014-10-23T09:01:00.002-07:002014-10-23T09:03:42.167-07:00Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard/Vino Cruz
2013 Grenache Blanc, Bokisch Vineyard

An unoaked white wine, made entirely in stainless steel. The nose is floral and creamy with a hint of vanilla; it's balanced and rich with a tannic prickle on finish.

2012 Verdelho, Silvaspoons Vineyard

Smoky nose; flavors of candied Ginger and mineral notes, but the finish is quite quick.

2011 Pinot Noir, Branciforte Creek, Santa Cruz Mountains

SCMV has always been known for its excellent Pinot Noirs, and this is no exception. Lots of Umami, fruit and pencil shavings; Good structure, nice acidity. There's a long finish with flavours of sour cherry. Very good indeed. Recommended.

2012 Grenache

There;'s plenty going on here - the nose shows white pepper and leather; lots of tart cranberry flavors backed by good structure. At the price this is a wine you should buy by the case. Highly recommended.

2010 Tempranillo Reserve

Ripe (but not overripe) fruits, backed by flavors of licorice and coffee. Spicy, with good acidity

2011 Graciano

Barnyard nose; palate is earthy with liquorice and black fruits.

2010 Touriga

I liked this wine so much that I barely made any notes, beyond the nose of fresh cut grass and flowers. A blend of two grapes - I think it was Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca - and a great price. I bought some and plan to give it the review that it deserves soon. Highly recommended.

2010 Souzão

Blind I'd have guessed Cabernet Sauvignon; it's got that blackcurrant/blackberry character and eucalyptus notes. But it after a good start it tails off toward the end.

2011 Petite Sirah

I've said many times that Petite Sirah is a difficult grape to do well; this is one of those cases where it works. The dark fruits shine through the tannins; but even so it needs a couple of years at least.

2007 Rabelo

If anyone outside Portugal is making a better port-style wine then I'd like to know it. Intense plum, pepper and spice - like a Christmas pudding in a glass.

Davehttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-60536627583347842012014-10-22T22:14:00.000-07:002014-10-22T22:15:03.939-07:00SonesFormer Bargetto winemaker Michael Sones has been crafting interesting wines under his own label for around 10 years, initially focusing primarily on good value Zinfandel and Petite Sirah - two varieties that Bargetto isn't well known for.
Production is around the 1300 case mark.

2012 Cancion Del Mar
A lone white wine in a sea of reds, this is a blend of
Viognier, Pinot Gris, Torrontés and Sauvignon Blanc. The nose is floral, with mineral notes; it's a rich, smooth creamy wine; less crisp than I remember previous vintages being, but still a good wine to have with seafood.

2010 Zinfandel, Zayante Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains
An intense, rich wine whose raspberry nose follows on through the palate into the finish. Good structure. Recommended.

2009 Syrah Zayante Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains
This is a wine that calls out for a slow cooked pot roast or stew. From the gamey, meaty nose to the tart, raspberry finish it continues to evolve and change, revealing notes of eucalyptus, cocoa and pepper on the way. Recommended.

2010 Cabernet Sauvignon, Wiedeman Vineyard, Santa Clara Valley
Sporting a label by local artist Ben Davis Jr, this archetypal valley floor Cabernet shows blackcurrant, brambles and coffee. Nice acidity and a good finish. Recommended.

2011 Fashionably Late Zinfandel
I was a little surprised to see any kind of late harvest red wine from 2011; a cooler vintage where mildew, odium and botrytis were a constant issue and rains at harvest forced many to pick early - yet here we have a Zinfandel with 5% residual sugar.
As you'd expect it's intense with plenty of raspberry flavors, but little else; it cries out for something to give it more backbone (a hint of Petite Sirah maybe?)

2012 Sack

Caileen with the 2010 Wiedeman Vineyard
Cabernet Sauvignon

Sack was an old English term for fortified wines from Spain. It grew in popularity in the Elizabethan age despite - or because of - the ongoing war between Elizabeth and Philip II. In Henry IV part 2 the character Falstaff performs a monologue in praise of "sherris sack", concluding "If I had a thousand sons, the first humane principle I would teach them should be, to forswear thin potations and to addict themselves to sack."

This wine was produced in association with Shakespeare Santa Cruz, and some of the profits go to support that group. It began as a base white wine made from Torrontés which was then fortified with brandy and sweetened with grape must. It comes in at 18% ABV.

Hard to know what to compare it to. It doesn't have the same oxidation or maturity of a modern Sherry; neither does it have the freshness of a Pineau or Mistelle or the sweetness of a Tokaj. Instead the Torrontés gives it a very appealing floral nose, with notes of peach or apricot, but unfortunately on the palate it's rather flat; there's either too much heat from the brandy or not enough sweetness from the must. A curiosity that will appeal to some but doesn't really work for me.Davehttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-69047019317187153282014-10-19T15:02:00.000-07:002014-10-20T09:39:41.772-07:00Savannah-Chanelle

Stefani at Savannah-Chanelle

The history of Savannah-Chanelle goes back to the early days of the California wine boom. Pierre Pourroy emigrated to California from France in 1887 and was joined by his brother Eloi six years later. Together they bought land - including a vineyard - in Saratoga from the Bonjetti family and planted Zinfandel, Carignane and Cabernet Franc, among other varieties. They also planted fruit trees and produced prunes. By the 1920s the family owned over 400 acres.

The winery was established in 1917. The Pourroy wines were sold in jugs or small barrels - there was no commercial bottling - and Eloi Pourroy did not even own a truck, preferring to use horse drawn sleds and wagons. They continued producing wines and selling grapes even during prohibition, finally stopping in the mid-1950s. Many of the Pourroy family were buried in the Madronia cemetery in Saratoga.

By the late 1960s the vineyards were largely derelict. A group of Lockheed employees got together intending to purchase a parcel of land to establish a Christian camp ground. However they ran out of resources and asked a local businessman, Victor Erickson, for help. He eventually purchased 53 acres of land and raised vegetables.

A neighbor tended to the old vines and took the crop, and through him Daniel and Robin Gehrs learned about the property and persuaded Erickson to re-open the winery. In 1976 Congress Springs was established, with Gehrs as winemaker and Erickson as owner. Together they refurbished the old vineyards and planted some Chardonnay. In the mid 1980s Erickson sold the company (but not the land) to Anglo-American, a world-wide agricultural business who also owned vineyards in the San Ysidro District. However the company lost millions when a venture in Australia failed, and were bought out by some east coast bankers, who had no idea how to run a winery, and so it went bankrupt. Daniel Gehrs left to become winemaker for Zaca Mesa and eventually established his own label in Santa Barbara.

In the early 1990s the property was leased and then bought by John Del Mare, with the intention of resurrecting the Congress Springs winery. In 1996 he then then sold it to Kellie and Mike Ballard, who renamed it after their two young daughters - Savannah and Chanel. Today The winery produces Pinot Noir from a variety of sources, and a tiny amount of estate wines from the original Pourroy plantings, which are among the oldest of their kind in the country.

2013 Pinot Noir rose

A bone-dry rose showing strawberries on the nose and palate.

2013 Chardonnay, Tondre's Grapefield, Santa Lucia Highlands

An unoaked Chardonnay; notes of asian pear on the nose.

In the mouth there is crisp acidity and minerality with a chalky, lemony finish.

2010 Pinot Noir, Regan Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains

Savory nose with some black cherry. The palate has rich, dark fruit and some soy or nori notes.

2011 Pinot Noir, Tondre's Grapefield, Santa Lucia Highlands

Despite its youth the nose shows notes of leather and earth. My friend said it reminded him of "a wet dog running in the countryside". Good red cherry fruit, with a longish finish.

2008 Syrah Coast View VineyardHerbal nose; there's a good core of fruit, but it's under a mass of tannin. Definitely needs cellar time.

2011 Estate Zinfandel, Santa Cruz MountainsGood as the other wines are, the stars of Savannah-Chanelle are the estate bottlings.
 This Zinfandel comes from century old vines, producing around 1.25 tons per acre.
Nose is minty and herbal, with a slightly metallic note. In the mouth there's stacks of concentrated ripe raspberry fruit. The finish is long, rich and peppery. Wonderful stuff; highly recommended.
Davehttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-3990233705442827602014-08-22T22:08:00.002-07:002014-08-22T22:08:51.490-07:00Santa Clara Valley Wine Trail

Gene Guglielmo

The Santa Clara Valley may well be the state's most under-recognized AVA - Wikipedia's entry on the History of California Wine doesn't even mention it by name, in spite of over 160 years of continuous commercial grape growing and wine production. Visitors to the area would scarcely know that so many quality wineries were so close by since, unlike many other AVAs around the state, there's almost no visual indicators to advise them.

The Official Unveiling

So a group of local wineries banded together and enlisted the help of representatives from the cities of Morgan Hill and Gilroy to lobby the county for greater recognition. This has borne fruit, as it were, in the form of the Santa Clara Valley Wine Trail. The county has invested around $25,000 in new signage to direct visitors in a loop connecting around 16 wineries located around the Gilroy, San Martin and Morgan Hill areas. The trail runs roughly parallel to 101 on the east side of the valley from Morgan Hill down to Leavesley Road, then along Hecker Pass and back up Watsonville Road. While the signs have been in place for a few weeks, the official launch of the trail took place on Friday, at Guglielmo Winery.

Guglielmo was an ideal choice to showcase the potential of the Santa Clara Valley AVA. The oldest family-owned winery in the area, the Guglielmos have transformed their business from producing 'jug' wine to a range of high quality estate vintages, as well as being the driving force behind the establishment of the Santa Clara Valley AVA in 1989.

Thomas Kruse disgorges his Chardonnay

The launch saw speeches by several civil dignitaries, followed by a tour along part of the trail and lunch in Gilroy. On the way we tasted quite a number of local wines, including a quite good 2009 Syrah at Morgan Hill Cellars, a freshly disgorged, hand-riddled sparkling Chardonnay at Thomas Kruse, the final vintage of Fratelli vineyard Fiano from Solis, a brand new 2012 Zinfandel from Medeiros Family and a rather fine Port style wine called Eredita from Guglielmo.

The celebrations will continue over the weekend with a special promotion. Tickets cost $40 at participating wineries.

Davehttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-36596305160268708312014-08-06T11:49:00.001-07:002014-08-06T17:36:24.689-07:00In defense of Two Buck Chuck(Note: Please be sure to read the comments to this post - there's more interesting information there, some of which contradicts what I wrote. Dave)

There's an article doing the rounds at the moment that's trashing Trader Joe's Charles Shaw wines. Personally I didn't think there was a need to; I find they vary from poor to undrinkable myself, and won't have them in the house. But some people will drink anything - look at how much Budweiser gets sold every day. I'm not going to link to the publishers; that just encourages them.

However the article contains a good deal of misinformation which really deserves to be addressed. I should point out that I haven't visited the factory winery myself, but there are some things that are common to just about all facilities, from the smallest to the most industrial.

Are there rats, birds and insect bits in the wine? Well, rodents don't tend to live in vines 3 feet off the ground, and if they did they'd certainly get out of the way as soon as a tractor came close. Gophers tend to be the biggest pest in vineyards; they live in the ground and attack the roots, not the fruit. Similarly with birds; in fact most winemakers net their vines to prevent birds from getting access. The odds of wildlife getting caught by the harvester is very small indeed - but not zero.

No winemaker that I know of, even at the highest level, will search through the grapes to ensure that there are no insects or frass present. It's just not going to happen. Some wineries have what's called a shaker table - it's effectively a long tilted metal table that vibrates. The vibration moves the grapes from one end to the other. Insects and other detritus will typically fall off in the process; the whole clusters will move through to the crusher-destemmer. Top wineries will have human sorters who will remove any leaves and clusters that don't look healthy or ripe.
Wineries that need to process large amounts will still need some kind of conveyer system. Bugs will have plenty of time to get away, but obviously some won't.

Having travelled along the conveyer the clusters enter the destemmer. This is a rotating drum with holes in it; the grapes fall off the stems and go through the holes. Very unripe grapes will remain attached to the stems and come out of the other side. If a bird or rodent did make it this far it will be ejected too. The grapes then fall through into a crusher that breaks the skins, and from there are transferred into the fermentors.

So it's possible that a trace of animal material can make it into the bins. And as I said, that's true of just about every winery I know. It's also true of just about every food production method I know; that's why there are legal limits on the amount of foreign matter allowable in just about every food there is; it doesn't mean it's necessarily there, but it does mean that the food isn't considered to be contaminated by it. In the case of wine however that matter will get removed when the wine is pressed - and if for any reason it didn't, then it would be removed by the racking and filtering. that goes on when the wine is finished.

The article also states that the wine is sweetened with grape juice and sugar. Well there is nothing illegal about adding grape juice to wine - if there was then Tokaj, one of the world's greatest sweet wines would not exist. Adding sugar is illegal in California - as is adding water except under certain circumstances - but why would you sweeten with sugar when you can use grape juice? (The adding of sugar is called chaptalization, and is permitted in some countries when the wines don't have enough fermentable sugar to start with. )

There are plenty of legal additives such as Mega Purple that wineries can use to improve the perceived quality of their cheap wines. They don't have to disclose them, though some wineries have started to and I greatly encourage that.

So while I don't encourage anyone to drink Two Buck Chuck if they can possibly avoid it, there's no reason to believe the false claims being made against it. If you really want to avoid something nasty in your diet then look out for partially hydrogenated oils - that stuff is seriously bad for you.Davehttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-28181052637395666102014-07-05T12:52:00.002-07:002014-07-05T13:14:01.237-07:00Mindego RidgeThis looks like an interesting new project. The site is a 10 acre vineyard in La Honda, producing around 600 cases of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The winemaker is Ehren Jordan, formerly of Turley and owner of Failla, and a former San Francisco Chronicle Winemaker of the Year. The first release from the 2013 vintage isn't until November, so now would be a good time to head over to their web site and sign up for their mailing list.

Davehttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-8754258511179129392014-07-02T16:00:00.003-07:002014-07-02T16:01:10.799-07:00The 101 best wineries in AmericaWeb site The Daily Meal has come up with their list of the 101 best wineries in America, and not surprisingly several of them are from the Santa Cruz Mountains.

At #54 that have the legendary Mount Eden - should have been higher of course, but that's fine.
Just above at #52 is Woodside's Thomas Fogarty.
Inside the top 20 at #18 we find the idiosyncratic Randall Grahm and his Bonny Doon Winery.
And taking the #1 spot is Ridge. Congratulations!

For the full list see The Daily Meal.Davehttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-23891326472494648662014-06-26T21:05:00.000-07:002014-06-25T21:11:52.728-07:002010 Big Basin Estate Syrahs

Since 2002 Bradley Brown has been producing excellent estate Syrah; intense wines that deserve - nay, demand - cellaring. As the vines have aged and other Rhone varieties have been planted the range has expanded. The latest release features two siblings that are very different from each other.

2010 Big Basin Old Corral Syrah
The 2010 Old Corral is a dark, brooding wine featuring 13% Grenache and 1% Viognier. There's a deeply rich nose; lots of dark fruit - plum and blueberry, with herbal tones. Lots of young tannins back up a nice fruit core. It's almost painfully young at this stage; needs at least 3-5 years cellaring and will reward more. Highly recommended.

2010 Rattlesnake Rock Syrah

Blending just 11% Grenache into the Syrah somehow gives a lighter wine than the Old Corral. The nose is floral, almost soapy; it comes across more like a white wine than a red. Where the Old Corral showed black fruits the Rattlesnake Rock leans towards the red; more cherry than plum, with smoky, meaty notes and great structure. Again. this is a wine you shouldn't plan to touch for a while. Highly recommended.
Davehttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-48099321748988294262014-06-25T00:25:00.000-07:002014-06-25T21:11:41.334-07:002012 Cinnabar Chardonnay, Santa Cruz Mountains

Since the sale of the old vineyards off Highway 9 to Mount Eden, George Troquato has been sourcing fruit from all over the state, particularly Paso Robles and Monterey. However he still produces a couple of wines from local fruit - a Pinot Noir from Lester Family Vineyard, and a rather nice Chardonnay.

The fruit for the 2012 Chardonnay was sourced from two small vineyards high above Los Gatos; the 40 year old Wright's Station Vineyard - http://www.wrightsstation.com - and the nearby 25 year old single acre Skyland Vineyard on Skyland Ridge.

A fairly typical Santa Cruz Mountains style of Chardonnay; citrus and tropical fruits on the nose; plush apple, lemon and vanilla on the palate. There's French oak but it's not excessive.

$38 at the winery tasting room in Saratoga.Davehttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-60210860213360266662014-06-24T23:46:00.000-07:002014-06-25T00:25:57.303-07:002010 Martella Syrah, Camel Hill Vineyard

Michael Martella has been making wine in the Santa Cruz Mountains for over 40 years as former head winemaker at Thomas Fogarty, and since 1999 under his own label from purchased fruit. I'll confess that in the past I haven't been the greatest fan of his label; I've found his "Hammer" Syrah to be aptly named and not really to my taste.

So I was pleasantly surprised by this latest Syrah from the Camel Hill Vineyard in Los Gatos, which displays finesse rather than raw power. The nose is lovely, showing black fruit and leather; on the palate there are gorgeous fruit flavours backed by good acidity and tannin. Recommended.Davehttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-32955405155619297122014-06-23T23:25:00.000-07:002014-06-25T00:26:09.392-07:00 2011 Big Basin Pinot Noir, Lester Family Vineyard

The Lester Family Vineyard is located in Corralitos, towards the southern end of the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA, at an elevation of around 500 feet. The vineyard is planted to seven different clones of Pinot Noir; primarily Dijon clones 667, 777 and 115, but also Mount Eden, Wadenswil, Mariafeld and Jackson. Since 2002 the fruit has been used by several local wineries and has produced a variety of structured, age-worthy wines.

2011 was a tough vintage; a cool summer that also had rain in June and October. While this was bad news for late ripening grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon, the cooler weather didn't affect Pinot Noir quite so badly; so while it's by no means a classic vintage, good wines can be made even in bad years - and this is one of the finest 2011s that I've tasted.

The nose is beautiful and expressive; floral with plenty of savoury cherry. On the palate it's long and smooth, with fine tannins; a lovely complex interplay of fruit, herb and meaty flavours. Overall I think this is one of the best wines I've had from the Lester Family vineyard. Highly recommended.

Davehttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-967429649028502752014-04-20T14:51:00.000-07:002014-06-25T21:09:59.377-07:00Fellom Ranch
Montebello ridge has long been known as an ideal place to grow Cabernet. From the earliest plantings at the end of the 19th Century to the present day the area has hosted dozens of small wineries. And while the mountain top is now dominated by one of the finest wineries in the world, there is still room for lots of smaller vineyards and wineries such as Vidovich, Naumann, Relyea-Wood - and Fellom Ranch.

Looking south from the vineyards

In 1929 Senator Roy Fellom purchased a 250 acre ranch on Monte Bello Road. A few acres of land had been planted with vines by the previous owner, Paul Cena and the family traded the grapes with a neighbour, Andrew Mikulaco, who paid them back in wine.

In the early 1980s Senator Fellom's son and grandson decided to replant the vineyards and open a winery. Around 10 acres were terraced and planted, almost entirely to Cabernet Sauvignon, with a small block of Petite Verdot. The winery was bonded in 1987.

I recall first encountering Fellom Ranch Vineyards at a Santa Cruz Mountains vintners festival in the mid 1990s. At the time they had a barrel sample of their Saratoga Zinfandel which so impressed me that I ordered a case. I was invited to the release party at the winery - up near Ridge, a half mile from Monte Bello Road down a winding single-track lane called Flintlock Road, and thankfully was able to persuade a friend to act as a designated driver.

Bud and Brookes Fellom

The wines could occasionally be found at local retailers and restaurants, but they gradually became harder to find and I haven't seen any since the 1999 vintage. When I first started writing the blog and wiki I contacted the winery and saws told that they were temporarily closed to visitors, but planned to re-open. Due to family legal issues the winery remained closed until last fall. I heard about the opening in time to visit on the spring Passport day.

Roy 'Bud' Fellom III is the current owner and winemaker. Assisted by his family he has been making wines continually since 1987, though in recent years he got disillusioned in dealing with wholesalers and distributors and decided to concentrate on sales direct from the winery.

The temporary closure has certainly impacted production - at present they are down to 400-500 cases annually, but plan to get back to their earlier peak of 1500-2000 cases. The winery no longer has the lease on the Saratoga vineyard that produced the Zinfandel that I enjoyed so much; instead they source fruit from a number of vineyards both locally and as far afield as Shennadoah valley and Paso Robles.

The winery should be open at weekends during the summer months for tasting and sales - the web site is www.fellom.com

2012 Chardonnay, Santa Cruz Mountains.

Sourced from an unnamed vineyard over by Cooper Garrod this is fairly typical of the more restrained Santa Cruz Mountains style - plenty of lemon, pear and chalk with some tropical fruit notes. Recommended. $20

2011 Pinot Noir, Central Coast

From vineyards in the Paso Robles area the nose is floral, with strawberry and preserved cherry. Smooth flavours of chocolate and cherry - an easy drinker, similar in style to those from Carneros. $22

2010 Cabernet Sauvignon, Douglas Crest Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains

From a nearby vineyard opposite Vidovich this has a perfumed, floral nose and nice berry flavours. There's some good acid and soft tannins. Doesn't seem like a candidate for cellaring, but tasting very nice right now with a little air. Recommended. $25

A magnum from the first vintage
of Fellom Ranch estate cabernet

The winery were also pouring two barrel samples from the 2013 vintage:

2013 Zinfandel, Shenandoah Valley

A bright raspberry nose with a hint of VA. Lots of sweet raspberry fruit; quite a bit of residual sugar - more than I care for, but the other tasters seemed to enjoy it.

2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, Estate, Santa Cruz Mountains

Similar in style to the Zinfandel; nose and palate showed blueberries with some apparent residual sugar.

And finally there was a magnum of the estate Cabernet Sauvignon from the maiden vintage:

1987 Cabernet Sauvignon, Estate, Santa Cruz Mountains, from a magnum

Lovely old nose, with lots of leather, cedar and herb. Nice acidity. Still has plenty of good blackcurrant fruit supported by lots of secondary notes. 1987 was a very good, ripe year and this wine has held up beautifully. showing the true potential of the site. A real treat.

Davehttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-34751205179712622642014-03-01T19:01:00.000-08:002014-04-20T19:02:44.997-07:00Oral History of the Santa Cruz Mountains Winemakers

In the early 1990s the writer and historian Charles L. Sullivan was comissioned by the Bennion Trust to create an oral history of winemaking in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Over a period of two years he interviewed many of the prominent winemaking families in the region, and compiled a 700 page document which provides a fascinating insight into the state of the appellation at the time as well, as the history over the previous century.

The book was self published by the Bennion Trust and was only available to those in the know who purchased a copy directly from Fran Bennion herself. $40 got you over 350 sheets of velobound copier paper.

Some years ago I contacted first Mr Sullivan and then the Bennion Trust, offering to host a copy of the manuscript on the internet, to bring it to a wider audience. The original source material was still in existence on early Apple Macintosh disks, and could have been converted to a modern format without too much difficulty. The offer was politely declined at the time, but I recently learned that the trust has since gone ahead with publishing a version of the project online.

At the present time it's still incomplete. All of the interviews are viewable as PDF scans; they are readable, but are not currently indexed or searchable. The quality is perfectly readable and I've successfully processed some of the pages with OCR software. The appendix - which consisted of various photographs and commercial documents from Ridge - are not yet present, nor is the original map of the appellation drawn by Jan Sherrill.

You can view the project at drbenniontrustfund.orgDavehttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-80576269448108957232013-01-24T14:51:00.002-08:002014-06-25T21:10:58.879-07:00MontallegroI got an email today from a wine retailer thanking me for the blog - he'd used some of the information from a post on Montallegro on his web site. It turns out that he has an allocation of the 2006 Montallegro Cabernet for sale at $30 a bottle, which I think is a very good price. You can check it out at PrinceOfWine.com

By coincidence I opened a bottle of the 1999 Montallegro just this last weekend. It's a lovely Cabernet with a nose of campfire and brambles. The palate is what I expect from Saratoga Cabernet (think Mount Eden, Kathryn Kennedy, Cooper Garrod etc.) - lots of blueberry, blackcurrant and earth. There's still plenty of slightly bitter tannin; it's drinking well now but I'm sure it'll continue to improve over the next few years. Recommended.

Now where's my credit card...Davehttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-8253414531154963362013-01-20T11:43:00.004-08:002013-01-20T11:43:55.861-08:00Rebooting the blogWhile I don't make New Year Resolutions, I have decided to try and make more of an effort in updating the blog, and the winery wiki. There have been several new wineries that have opened in the past couple of years, both in the Santa Cruz Mountains and the Santa Clara Valley, which I have yet to cover or even sample.

The Santa Clara Valley AVA has some top class vineyards, particularly in the western foothills, and several under-rated, high quality producers. So my goal is to try and visit every Santa Clara Valley winery this year, or at the very least the ones I haven't been to before.

I'm also looking forward to a presentation by local historian Charles Sullivan on The History of Winegrowing in the Foothills of the Santa Clara Valley next Tuesday at the Immanuel Lutheran Fellowship Hall -14103 Saratoga Avenue in Saratoga. The presentation is free; there is also a wine tasting featuring four local producers. For details see the Saratoga Historical Foundation's website.

You can find out more about the Wineries of Santa Clara Valley at their website or on their Facebook page, as well as on my local wineries Wiki.Davehttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-8056046076318372202013-01-05T10:59:00.000-08:002013-01-19T10:59:56.613-08:00Blind tasting at RidgeThere's nothing like a blind tasting to make you think about how difficult tasting and describing wine is. When you look at a label there's a certain expectation, which may be met or may not. Even when the professional critics have their blind tastings for publications they know up front at least something about the wines in front of them - they are all new releases and they know the region and grape varieties.

When Christopher Watkins hosts blind tastings for bloggers at Ridge he loves to test his audience. Just before Christmas a group of us were invited to a tasting that he titled 'Three Blind Mice'. The rules were simple: three flights, of three wines each. Identify what the wines had in common as well as what differentiated them. Then finally identify the common thread between the 9 wines. Sounds simple enough.

In a corner of the room stood 9 bottles, covered in paper bags, and 9 decanters. I noticed something different about the fill level of one of the decanters but thought nothing of it at the time. That was unfortunate, as it turned out to have been a vital clue.

So, on to the wines. The first flight seemed easy enough. The first wine had a bright purple colour, indicative of a very young wine, possibly a barrel sample. The nose was smoky and dusty, the palate had some lean berry fruit, but it was almost painfully young. I guessed the Estate Cabernet - probably 2010 or maybe even 2011.
The second seemed more polished. It had a similar smoky, dusty nose but with more black fruit and the tannin was very evident on the finish. The colour was less purple, so clearly it was older. I guessed 2009 Estate Cabernet.
The third wine was darker still and the nose seemed riper and more mature. It was rich and smooth, with more tart black fruit and a smoother finish. So I guessed 2007 Estate Cabernet.

We didn't find out until the end, but the wines were in fact all 2009 Estate Cabernet served in three different formats! The first was from magnum and the last from a half bottle (the clue I'd missed earlier). I've never had such a clear demonstration of the difference that bottle size makes to the maturation of a wine - if you get the chance to try this at home I highly recommend it.

Having (incorrectly, and unknowingly) concluded that the first flight was a vertical, we moved on to the second. Here the differences were even starker. The first wine was clearly older; the colour had gone to that lovely brick red and there was significant sediment. The nose had leather and dried cherry and the fruit and tannins were mature. I guessed an Estate Cabernet at around 10 years of age.
The second was also mature, but seemed younger than the first. The nose had a hint of balsamico but the palate was long and sweet blackcurrant fruit - absolutely delicious.
The third seemed younger still; higher in acidity but with loads of complexity.
So my first thought was another vertical of the Estate Cabernets, but knowing Christopher it wouldn't be anything so simple. I was so sure that the first flight had been a vertical that I had to come up with an alternate explanation. Maybe a horizontal? Ridge doesn't usually make more than 2 Cabernets in a vintage, but it does happen occasionally, such as 2002. It didn't seem quite right; none of the wines had the depth of Monte Bello, but it was worth a try.

Should have stayed with my first guess. The wines were 2004, 2005 and 2006 Estate Cabernets respectively. The 2004 (I DID say it was about 10 years old) is as good as it's likely to get; a nice example of a Cabernet from what was my least-favourite vintage of the decade. The 2005 is a lovely wine that could be drunk now or held for a few years longer. The 2006 is a wine that needs time - it'll be stunning in a few years, but it's not ready yet.

For the final flight all three wines seemed very similar. The first had a raspberry component that I hadn't detected in any of the previous wines, leading me to suspect that this might be a Zinfandel. It shared some of the brambly mountain fruit hallmarks as the estate cabernet. Now Ridge makes many Zinfandels but only one - the Jimsomare - comes from estate fruit. It's pretty low production and although I have a few bottles in my cellar I haven't tasted it very often. The second had the same raspberry and bramble flavours, with the nose showing lots of coffee and a savoury Bovril note, and not as lean as the first. The third didn't seem to have much of a nose, but the flavour profile was nearly identical to the second; perhaps a little richer. I could tell that Christopher was playing a trick, but I wasn't sure what it was, so I guessed a vertical of Jimsomare Zinfandel.

Wrong. All three wines were exactly the same - the 2007 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon from three different 750ml bottles. The only differences were in our heads. The first glass tasted slightly different perhaps because I'd eaten some cheese just prior to tasting it (I try to avoid eating anything but bread while I'm tasting, but I'd not had lunch). The nose on the third seemed shy because our olfactory senses are designed to detect changes; if you smell the same thing within about 30 seconds the brain doesn't properly register the second time. A mean trick which caught out most of the tasters, but a very effective lesson.

So what did I learn? The biggest lesson for me was that bottle format makes much more of a difference to a wine than I'd realised, even in the short term. I just wish that half bottles were more readily available; even the best wine stores usually have a rather small selection.

Another key takeaway is just how good Ridge's second label cabernet is. The 2005 and 2006 vintages in particular were excellent wines that really punch above their $40 price point.

And finally - blind tasting is tough!Davehttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-54713596702835466172012-12-22T11:15:00.000-08:002013-01-19T11:16:22.175-08:00Alesia Sonoma Coast vertical

They say the best way to make a small fortune in the wine business is to start with a large one. Kevin Harvey certainly began that way; after successful careers first as a software entrepreneur and then as a venture capitalist he founded Rhys Vineyards to explore his love of Pinot Noir. However his amazing, vibrant wines quickly gained a near-cult following and the winery has steadily grown in both size and reputation.

The Rhys label is reserved solely for the wines from the estate vineyards, mostly located in the Santa Cruz Mountains. A sister label, Alesia, is used for wines made from purchased fruit, which mostly comes from vineyards in Sonoma.

Last November I attended a blind tasting of Alesia and Rhys wines. The event, organised by local wine aficionado Ross Bott, featured a vertical of Alesia Sonoma Coast Pinots alongside an assortment of other Alesia and Rhys wines. Each taster ranked the wines in order of preference and an overall ranking was calculated.

2004 Alesia Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

This had a lovely savoury nose, with smoke and cherry notes. On the palate it was deliciously complex; lots of fruit, earth and herbal notes, continuing to develop in the glass. The finish was long, with just a hint of bitterness. 93

This was the group's overall #1 wine, and my #2

2006 Alesia Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

The nose on this was odd, with ash, campfire and earth. The acidity showed on the palate, with earthines and some dried cherry/cranberry notes, and bitter tannins on the finish. Although some of the tasters clearly enjoyed it there was some debate as to whether it was corked; I took the remains of my pour home and found that after an hour or so it had become undrinkable. I rated it 7th, which tallied with the rest of the group. No rating, since it was corked.

2007 Alesia Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

This had a dusty green pepper/jalapeño note to the nose which I didn't care for. The green note showed up on the palate, along with some cherry and Dr Pepper flavours. The finish also had a bitter, green note to it. 85. My 8th place, as well as the group's.

2008 Alesia Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

There was an odd, slightly artificial note to the nose which reminded me of some kind of air freshener. On the palate there was some rustic brambly fruit, earthy cherry and herbal notes, with a nice finish. 90.

This was the group's overall #3, but I had it 6th, mainly due to the odd note on the nose.

2006 Alesia Falstaff Road Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast

Bright nose of maraschino, oregano and orange. More fruit than most of the others, with cherry, cranberry and cola notes. Lots of vanilla oak on the finish. 91

Both the group's and my 4th place

2004 Alesia Kanzler Vineyard Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast

A savoury, plummy nose led to a much sweeter and richer wine than the others, with lots of fruit and an oaky, almost saccharine finish. I really liked it at first and initially had it ranked #1 but after retasting it slipped to third place. The group's overall #5; I suspect this was because some of the tasters in this particular group really don't care for the fruitier style of Pinot. 92

2008 Rhys Alpine Vineyard Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains

Noticeably darker in colour than the others. The nose had black fruit and smoke, flavours of black cherry, dry leaves and, forest floor; lots of complexity and a nice, long finish.

Initially I ranked it 3rd, but as it got more air it continued to develop and evolve; in the end I scored it 95 and rated it #1 - the group had it as their second place.

2006 Rhys Family Farm Vineyard Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains

Nose showed dried cranberry and herbal notes. Lots of earthy, rustic fruit; more developing with time. Chewy, oaky tannins on the finish. I gave it 90 points and rated it 5th; overall the group ranked it 6th.
Davehttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-79946555704521122402012-09-16T12:04:00.000-07:002012-09-16T12:04:17.096-07:00My response to an anonymous commentI don't get many comments on the blog, but recently this one was posted on my report from Pinot Paradise. Someone posting anonymously said...

Really? you are using a 100 pt. system? I bet you can't replicate those scores twice in a blind tasting within 3 points. And all those smokey note you were picking up on the 2009 wines from the Corrilotos area: smoke taint dude! but you must be too sophisiticated as a wine expert to pick up on that.
Now I could just ignore it or delete it, but I think maybe it's worth responding to.

As regards the 100 point scale, I hate it for a number of reasons which I've probably posted here before. For one thing it's not a 100 point scale at all. At best it's a 50 point scale; however the range from 50 - 80 is meaningless. Anything from 50-70 is flawed, so what's the difference in the scale? Anything from 70-80 is un-flawed, but 'average' - bottom shelf, sub-$5 supermarket plonk. So we are left with a 20 point scale. In my view a score of 80-85 means a wine is drinkable but not worth buying, 85-90 means I'll buy it if the price is right and 90+ are the ones to look out for. I so rarely find wines that I'd rate above 95 so now I'm down to a 15 point scale.

For a while I resisted using it. In the early days of the blog I'd just list wines as recommended, highly recommended, good value etc. But eventually I gave in to the pressure of a scoring system and adopted the 100 point scale simply because it's the most recognised one. Maybe I should go back to the old system; it's certainly worth considering.

Could I replicate those scores twice in a blind tasting within 3 points? Probably not. I probably couldn't replicate them non-blind. I've found that wines show differently on different days. Bottle variation, palate variation, context - to me wines show differently on different days; that's part of their charm.

As for the issue of smoke taint from the Lockheed Fire in the 2009 vintage - I haven't seen that much of it to be honest. Sure, I picked up smoke in the 2009 Alfaro Estate and 2009 Pleasant Valley Estate. But I didn't pick it up in the 2009 Alfaro Lindsay Paige or the 2009 Pleasant Valley gold label, nor the 2009 Big Basin Woodruffe or Alfaro. In fact of the 5 tasting notes mentioning smoke only 2 were from the 2009 vintage. I find that interesting in itself.

As for my being a sophisticated wine expert- not really, just an enthusiastic amateur trying to cover the local wine region. I don't claim to be anything more. If you don't like my blog then fair enough; there are plenty more; you can even start your own. Davehttp://firstname.lastname@example.com


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