Open Your Mouth

and your mind in order to expand your wine knowledge. PLEASE! 

Nothing and I mean nothing bugs me more than friends who have not tried a new wine since the inaugural release of Sonoma-Cutrer.  I love your loyalty but it's time to expand your drinking pleasure people.  I taste a lot of wine. I spit a lot of wine. I read my ass off about wine.  I don't drink to get drunk, I drink to enjoy the taste and I fall in love with new wines and learn about them almost daily.  No secret really,  it starts with opening your mouth and mind at the same time and constantly reaching for unfamiliar producers, varietals you can not remotely pronounce correctly and not being afraid to try something you know absolutely nothing about.

 

Quick Advice: Notice what the wine blogs are talking about, turn the bottles while shopping in a store to the back labels - read read read. Follow importers that you've found a few goodies from and keep it going. Ask the Sommelier "what's something really cool you've tasted recently" next time you're out for dinner.  Learning then discovering a whole new world is what wine drinking is all about to me. Join the club if you dare, it's an incredibly interesting and delicious group. 

So what am I honestly drinking outside my beloved Sonoma County producers? You name it really.  Our house is full of wines from all over the planet and we've enjoyed almost every single region at some point...don't be afraid, just go for it.  Funky town is fun! 

Big thanks to the Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant, Arlequin Wine Merchant and K&L Wines yesterday for helping me create quite the birthday celebration stash yesterday! 

Left to right from back to front: 

2011 Mas de Daumas Gassac Rose Frizant, Languedoc, France

2010 Hirsh Vineyards The Bohan-Dillon, Sonoma Coast, California

2006 Annie et Philippe Bornard Cotes du Jura Savagnin Ouille les Chassagnes

2010 Matthiasson, White Wine, Napa Valley, California

2009 Paolo Bea Santa Chiara Bianco, Montefalco, Umbria, Italy

2010 Luigi Baudana Chardonnay, Piedmonte, Italy

2011 La Clarine Farm, Sierra Foothills Rose, Somerset, California

2011 Ameztoi "Rubentis" Rosé Getariako Txakolina

2009 Hirsch Vineyards Reserve Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, California

2010 Brovia Roero Arneis, Castiglione Falletto, Italy

2010 Monasterio Suore Cistercensi Coenobium Bianco Lazio, Italy

2009 Chanin Wine Company Chardonnay, Bien Nacido Vineyard, Santa Maria Valley, California

2011 Copain Rose of Pinot Noir "Tous Ensemble", Anderson Valley, California

2010 Arnot-Roberts Ribolla Gialla, Napa Valley, California

2011 Edmunds St. John Bone-Jolly Rose of Gamay Noir, El Dorado County, California

2010 Villa Locatelli Friulano Isonzo del Friuli, Italy

2010 Monasterio de Corias Joven Vino de la tierra de Cangas, Asturias, Spain

2009 Domaine J. Chamonard Morgon, Le Clos de Lys, France

2009 Michel Tete Domaine du Clos du Fief Beaujolais Villages, Beaujolais, France.

***not a single wine above 13.5% alcohol***

Cheers and thanks for listening!  - TexaCali Ali