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Windsor Wineries By Heather Irwin Chez Felice Lowdown: We were a little unsure about the paté pops. Chef Laurie Souza hates it when people call them that, but she admits that the little panko bread-crumb-covered paté slabs on lollipop sticks do have a certain, well, candylike quality. Try them anyway, she encouraged. No regrets, as they paired beautifully with Chateau Felice's 2001 Estate Chardonnay on Chez Felice's food and wine pairing, Tour of the Terroir. The tour ($15) matches four wines (or carefully selected flavors of Sonoma Sodas for the teetotaler) with small hors d'oeuvres. Opened in February, Chez Felice is a tasting room and restaurant featuring the food of Souza, a former Applewood Estate Inn chef, and wines of the up-and-coming Chateau Felice. Vibe: A little-known gem, Chateau Felice is neighbor to Chalk Hill Winery. After purchasing the land--which they've converted from pastures over the last several years--the family has been turning out unique and tasty wines well under the radar. There's not doubt that the French bistro-like atmosphere of the restaurant and well-paired foods with excellent wines will bring more attention. Nestled in the heart of the new Windsor square, the bistro is tiny and quaint, with just a handful of tables. Lunch and dinner are served Wednesday through Sunday, with flights served at the bar until 10pm. Mouth value: Daughter Genevieve Llerena is the family's winemaker, holding a degree in mechanical engineering along with her seven years of work in wineries. In talking to her, you realize that her wines reflect her scientific mind--working to pair unique flavors and fermentation styles into solid finished wines. The 2002 Acier Estate Chardonnay ($16) is aged in steel tanks with a bright, fruity apple and pear taste. Their 2001 Chalk Hill Estate Chardonnay ($20) is an oakier California-style Chard with luscious caramel flavors. The standout is the 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon ($27), with a deep fruit-forward cherry taste and a limited amount of tannins on the palate. A unique wine to try is the Vermillion ($9), a blush-colored wine that is drawn off the reserve Zinfandel grapes after the skins have soaked 28 hours. Cool and bright, it is the essence of Zinfandel for a hot summer day. Don't miss: Grab a gelato at Powell's Candy Store (720 McClelland Drive, Windsor) and sing along to "The Candy Man." Five-second snob: Are you a super-taster? Certain individuals have an abundance of taste buds on their tongues, giving them the ability to taste sweet, salty or bitter flavors with much more intensity than the average person. In general, women tend to be endowed with this ability in greater numbers than men. Want to find out if you're a super-taster? Put a round reinforcement tab on the front of your tongue. Place a drop of blue dye in the empty center of the ring. Then, with a magnifying glass, count the number of buds in the hole (they'll remain pink). If you have more than 14, well--you're a super-taster. Congratulations! Spot: Chez Felice, 716 McClelland Drive, Windsor. Open Wednesday-Sunday, 11:30am-10pm. 707.836.9922. (From the "Swirl n' Spit" column in the May 12-18, 2004 issue of the North Bay Bohemian.)Martinelli Winery Lowdown: It's all an elaborate ruse, you see. The big red barn, the sign hawking apples, the deftly placed jars of jams and jellies that keep the riffraff from making their way to the tasting bar. . . . Oh yes, we're on to you, Martinelli. Just like everyone else who isn't toting around a Parker's Wine Guide, we blew past the River Road barn for months, assuming it was part of the Martinelli apple empire--you know, the sparkling apple juice you buy for the kids at holidays? How wrong we were.Vibe: Actually, there's no relation between the Sonoma Martinellis and the apple-juice Martinellis, aside from the name. The local clan has been farming in Sonoma since the late 1800s, when old grandpappy Giuseppe came over from Lucca, Italy. It wasn't until the 1980s, however, that the family got the idea to start bottling their own grapes and make wine--pretty good wine, but not great wine. A few years ago, the family hired winemaking legend Helen Turley (once called "the Goddess of Wine") to consult, giving her free reign over the winemaking process. Lo and behold, the wines got a whole lot better--as in "Robert Parker, the dean of wines, personally visits here once a year" better. The funny thing is that no one seems to get very torqued up about the whole thing. They still have the red barn, the squeaky wooden floors, the "how ya doin'?" attitude going on while quietly churning out some of the best wines in the state. Mouth value: Guess what? Gewürztraminer doesn't have to make your teeth hurt. The 2001 is an off-dry--meaning not very sweet--and leaves a yummy lingering apricot and peach flavor. The 2000 Reserve Pinot Noir is a powerhouse from 25-year-old vines further inland, while the 2001 Bondi Home Ranch Pinot Noir has a more elegant Burgundian quality. The best bet, however, is the 2001 Giuseppe and Luisa Zinfandel, with its super spicy, super zesty, super-high alcohol (15.3 percent compared to an average 11-13 percent) one-two-three knockout punch. Five-second snob: The jewel in the Martinelli crown is its Zinfandel--most notably, the Jackass Hill Zin, which is nearly impossible to come by. Only about 500 cases are made from grapes grown on a 60-degree incline. Understandably, the steep slope makes for some challenging harvesting of the more than 100-year-old vines. A hill only a jackass would farm, according to one of the Martinelli ancestors. Spot: Martinelli Winery, 3360 River Road, Windsor. Open daily, 10am to 5pm. No tasting fee. 707.525.0570. (From the "Swirl n' Spit" column in the April 21-27, 2004 issue of the North Bay Bohemian.) |
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