The best chardonnay that Calfornia makes sells for

$1.99 a bottle at Trader Joes. The Charles Shaw 2005 California chardonnay (yes, the $1.99 “Two Buck Chuck” made by Bronco Wine Company sold at Trader Joe’s) was judged Best Chardonnay from California at California State Fair Commercial Wine Competition. Why am I posting this? I have no idea, since I hate wine and I especially hate wine snobs and their wool scarves and witty repartee in the kitchen before and after one of those "slow food" miasmas. But here is the story anyway:

http://www.napavalleyregister.com/articles/2007/06/29/features/food_and_wine/doc4684875e0c50f434254801.txt

I don't know why two buck chuck is three bucks here, but it is.

You have to pay a certain percentage to cover import/distribution costs and state taxes thanks to our wonderful Liquor Control Board.

Seriesly!!!111

:P

haven't done in years

...the bane of the "high end" wineries around here..."inexpensive" and eminently drinkable!

:D

I've taken it to many parties and served it without shame for years. :D

Painter; about the last 12 of it was as a decorative painter. I was gold-leafing some ceiling rosettes in Beringer's "Founder's Room" tasting area one day (they kept the area open for tasting while I worked 'cause it wasn't intrusive and the groups found it interesting to watch). After one group left the area the server (an older gentleman who had worked there for years) looked up at me (I was on a 12'ladder) and declared that he was "sick and tired of people and their fucking wine geekdom".

You almost have to live here to realize the level of wine snobbery and "Oh...we live in NAPA" attitude that permeates the place.

I will admit that working on the monster homes in The Valley provided me with a good living...but I despise much of the attitude that was too often associated with it.

(sigh)...I know, I know...(sigh)

edit to include sighs...

with an event coordinator for Mondavi. She was very French and a delight and sort of devoid of all that crap because she was real. I've always been sorry we didn't stay in touch because she was fun, unlike snobbery which is the anti-fun.

I still smoke but part of their program involved learning how to take walks and now I have two addictions, smoking and walking.

To their credit, they did help me quit for about a year with all kinds of great tools -- I needed every one. But, soon as I got married, I went back. :(

hosted by the Seventh-Day Adventist Church (the hospital was one of their original "health sanitariums"). That program has been very successful, and what a beautiful location.

I was born there... :D ...back in the Dark Ages...

It's a great program and the staff was outstanding. Even though I "relapsed", I still use the tools they gave me. And man, was it beautiful there. :)

heavy on fresh veggies and fruits, exercise, water... SDA's who follow the overall lifestyle consistently live longer than average, and retain better than average health in old age. And the staff at the hospital (we used to call it "The San") are very nice and supportive.

My younger daughter was also born there. The next evening they treated Mom and I to an excellent dinner on a balcony overlooking that beautiful part of the valley.

But, it was okay. Maybe the most important thing I learned was that I was more flexible than I thought! That was a very important lesson.

I may just go back. Now that the stress level in my home have been reduced by 1000%, I've been hankering to try it again. Plus, at the end of the week, you get to go shopping in Yountville. lol

"excites the nerves and may lead to dancing"... :D (sorry...old joke).


Recognize this guy?

Got that one down. lol

chef and owner of The French Laundry in Yountville. My daughter took this picture of him presenting the "Gift of Music" to VOENA, a children's choir she belonged to.

If I do go back there, the loud whining you hear will be me. :)

from the late fifties through the seventies? I met his wife in their home which used to be our family winery many years ago, but lost my notes that contained her name. Here's an old photo of the winery taken in the late forties before it was converted to a wonderfully comfortable residence.



Off topic, but my Grandfather was born on Glass Mountain, not far from the clinic.

I've been to that hospital more times than I can count, but I don't know the names of any of the administration.

I grew up and lived in Napa for most of my life, and spent most of my working life working "up-valley". Where was your picture taken? If you aren't still in the area I would be glad to seek out the spot and take a present-day picture and post it for you.

2825 St. Helena Highway, at Deer Park Road

I've been curious as to what is going on there as the property recently changed hands for a cool 5.5 million and is being converted back to a working winery. The new owner is Bryant Morris dba Flying Horse Winery.

http://flyinghorsewines.com/about.html

The history of the winery as stated by Flying Horse web site is wildly erroneous, and my family is presently assembling correct information and a more complete history of the operation to present to them, to include copies of the Deed of Sales on parcels purchased from Charles Krug, Charles Krug and Wife (Carolina Bale), and J.C Weinberger.

If you do travel up valley, please take a couple of digital pictures of the building. Last time I was there, I didn't own a digital camera. Bummer.

I will let you know by pm when I post it.

:D

:thumbsup:

:puke:

I don't know what it is about chardonnay but it all tastes like cat piss to me.

I had a $40 Chard a few weeks ago, and it tasted just as nasty as the cheap stuff. Give me a good Sauvignon Blanc
or Pinot Gris anyday.

Mz Pip
:dem:

If I taste it and I like it...it's a good wine.

Still trying to figure out how to be snobby about that.

if it tastes good it is all you need to know. I have found a lot of wines out there that are under $8 a bottle that I have really really liked. Some..not so good, but perfectly OK in a stew or something or as a marinade.

Works for me

If I don't happen to like the taste, then it's perfect for cooking!

Once I've decided what type of wine I'm looking for, my method of finding something new is usually looking for the coolest looking label!

The last wine I bought was purchased purely for the name of the wine...
Two Brothers TATTOO with a big Fleur de Lis on the front.
This because my daughter is a tattoo artist and I knew she would get a big kick out of it.
She did.

Have you seen "Goats Do Roam" wine? It is a South African wine, and there are little goats on the label. I love the groaning pun of this wine. Haven't actually bought it but do get a chuckle out of it.

Every Halloween I buy Vampire wine from Transylvania, and Black Cat from Germany in the black satin cat shaped bottle.

and it's great! Much better than many pricey wines. And look at all these awards:

http://www.barefootwine.com/california_wine/chardonnay.html

(Their merlot is great, too.)

It's about $5.50 here. I really like their Cab.

didn't have my wine. Hooked now! :)

I love the Chardonnay. :bounce:

price range here but who knows out of state. I can't find a website for them but it's a good chard and it's in the same price range. And I hope bob isn't mad at me.

:blush:

I can cop to. :)

And then wonder if there is a gender-neutral version of fraternitie, and if I misspelled all of those, and whether I should be anal enough to wonder about accentuation... Hell, I think I'll just see if I can find the wine in Austin.

wine buying experiences. We have great wine here for a few dollars and it was SO marked up in Dallas!

:wow:

I guess they charge you for the warm fuzzy of buying local.

that was some beautiful country. And what is that ice cream? Blue Belle? Bonnet? Best vanilla ice cream ever. :)

Around Austin and west of it the hills are more dramatic, and there are a lot of little wineries floating around. Some are very good (at least to my simple, non-developed tastes).

one day. Came away with 3 bottles! Their Muscat wine is to die for.

There was a story awhile back where researchers put red food coloring in the white wine, and the "connosieurs" never realized it.

...that the judging at the state and county fairs isn't always the greatest. I occasionally buy (and drink and cook with) two buck chuck, but I don't really think it's the best chard in the state, and I'm pretty sure anybody familiar with the fair competitions would probably agree (the Paris tasting it ain't). I've personally tasted many that are exponentially superior (and not all high-end wines, either).

:P

:)

from one of LA's trendiest restaurant and she ranked it dead last.

I thought that was pretty funny.

:puke:

and on edit...

I have been selling wine for over ten years, in either a retail setting and wholesale. I prefer reds over whites, but have some white wines that I do enjoy.

https://www.montezumawinery.com/

It is called Cranberry Bog wine and I LOVE IT!! I have tried many of their other wines as well and they delight!

I probably drink a bottle of Cranberry Bog a month- it is that good!

Cranberry Bog- Cranberry Wine
Our almost world famous cranberry wine has a unique cranberry nose. This wine starts sweet but quickly balances out and leaves you this a distinctive tartness that is the signature of the cranberry. No poultry dinner should be without this great wine. A real favorite.