One more...it's a good one!

Happy Thanksgiving

So I've been out in California for a few days, many business meetings, many bottles of wine, many laughs, many good friends sharing great times with TexaCali Ali! It's been a very big year, so it's nice to begin the holiday season among the special producers, importers and friends I've trusted my life with over the past few years.

Here are a few pictures taken over the past few days - I promise more later. It's an amazing time to be in the California wine country - it's like driving through an Autumn patch-work quilt.

Last weekend my dear friend Mulan Chan celebrated her birthday along with 40 or so other foodie friends in San Francisco. It was a food and wine feast that would make you salivate just seeing the pics, we had everything from black truffle linguine to butter cream frosted cupcakes. The San Francisco good-weather Gods were on our side - giving us a clear night with no fog or wind.

I've been staying up at the Handal Vineyard, enjoy the pics and check in for a complete Thanksgiving Day tasting report by Saturday.

Cheers - Ali

The Fray , Fish and Chips

Classic night in San Francisco - I found tickets on Craigslist for "The Fray" in concert at the Warfield. AWESOME group of guys just playing music together. You can check out a tune of theirs on www.myspace.com/texacaliwines

Afterwards, we hit up my favorite pub in the city for a pint, fish and chips - delivered in a nifty wrap of newspaper. I miss this city. Off to prepare for a darling b-day celebration this evening - bubbles all day for all! Cheers - Ali

Parties with Turkeys

Thanksgiving festivities are here - everyone is loading up on the goods this weekend, so please don't forget to support TexaCali Wine Co. producers! Enjoy the pics....(I went on a fabulous hike in Marin, visited Woodhouse Chocolates in Napa Valley - how cute are the Chocolate Turkeys playing football?)

Thanksgiving Wines to Buy - these are a must - just ask for them at your favorite wine store....

*Luca Chardonnay from Argentina $30
*Handley Pinot Noir from Anderson Valley California $25
*Fort Ross Symposium Pinot Noir from the Sonoma Coast $25
*Pellegrini Olivet Lane Pinot Noir from the Russian River $25
*Storrs Chardonnay from the Santa Cruz Mountains $18
*Crios Torrontes and Rose of Malbec from Argentina $14

Stay tuned for more soon, this is the biggest food and wine weekend of the year...

Gobble Gobble! Ali

I lost at bowling tonight -

but I was able to taste Davis Family Vineyards wine this afternoon - so it's a wash baaabyyy!!!

This is the deal according to Guy "I made Sauvignon Blanc for years in California, and it has long been a favorite wine to drink because of its crisp, refreshing character. I have always preferred my Sauvignon Blanc in the more vibrant style, without the heavy character of oak barrels, a style I started to admire coming out of New Zealand wineries in the 90’s.

Well, the seasons in New Zealand are opposite those here in the Northern Hemisphere, so when my California vineyards are sleepy and quiet, awaiting the arrival of Spring – it is Fall in New Zealand and the grapes are starting to ripen! In 1998 I arranged to work the harvest in the Northern tip of New Zealand’s South Island, in a region called Marlborough. I went to study and experience the winemaking styles and techniques, although what I discovered is a microclimate that turns the Sauvignon Blanc grape into distinctive and delicious flavor reflections. The Cook’s Straight which separates New Zealand’s two islands, creates a constant funnel of marine breezes, continually cooling the coastal vineyards. The soils are rich in calcareous deposits, the benefit of the island geography. This translates into vigorous vines and long growing seasons – layers of aromas and flavors that push the envelope on true Sauvignon varietal character. Since that first harvest I have stopped making Sauvignon Blanc in California and return each and every vintage to craft a reflection of Marlborough. I have secured grapes from 2 of the older vineyards in New Zealand both planted in the 1970’s by true pioneers in the New Zealand wine industry. The first block is right on the coast in a sub appellation called Brancott – this piece keeps very crisp acidity and pronounced aromas of fresh herbs.

The second vineyard is about 10 miles inland from the first in another sub appellation called Rapaura. This vineyard is slightly warmer and dryer and gets flavors of grapefruit, passion fruit and other tropical notes like guava and lime depending on the vintage. That Rapaura vineyard also gets riper so the acidity is tamed a bit and the body of the wine is more mouthcoating. I craft the two blocks separately in individual stainless steel tanks at very low temperatures to highlight and never mask the character of each vineyard. Once the fermentation is finished I return back to California to begin farming the new vintage in the Russian River Valley. In the middle of our summer, their winter, I return to New Zealand to assemble a final blend of the two tanks – a layered combination that creates a harmony between the tropical notes and the fresh herbs,-- the bright, crisp acidity and the rich mouthcoating texture that leaves the flavors hanging on your palate. A unique, exciting expression that can be achieved no other way and from no other place.

I think by the end of the first bottle you’ll see its worth traveling half way around the globe to make! - Guy Davis.

Yep - no kidding, you all know that I love Sancerre and extremely well made 2005 SB - here's my one token from NZ, it was chosen #1 from (in) New Zealand from the Beverage Tasting Institute - YES THIS IS A BIG FRIGGIN' DEAL - I MEAN THE BIGGEST....drink it up with a side of goat cheese and pesto - ALI

Killer Sake

I'm running off to dinner in San Francisco, but quickly wanted to copy the following for you all! I met Alder last Wednesday night at Wine 2.0 and thanked him for being such the pioneer for the world of wine blogging - Vinography. Groundbreaking sight for wine and sake content and the most excellent website and blog to learn about other bloggers like me out there...

So posted below is a great entry Alder posted on November 7th about one of the Vine Connections Ginjo Sake breweries that I actually had the pleasure of visiting last February while in Japan.

SOOO COOL - check it out - Ali

Daimon Brewery, Katano City, Japan: Current Releases

Filed under: Boutique Wines , Sake , Wine Reviews

I'm a sucker for a good story when it comes to what I'm drinking. Of course, what I'm drinking has to be good, but it becomes so much better for the addition of a great story about where it came from and how it was made. Quite often, however, the story also comes from who made it. The people behind the wine we drink are literally the reason it tastes so good, but the stories of winemakers, vineyard workers, winemaking families, and vineyard owners can add a special dimension to the understanding and appreciation of what's in the glass.

Especially when the folks who make what we're drinking defy the odds.

Philip Harper is a man going where none of his kind have gone before. Specifically, he is the first and only Toji, or master brewer of Japanese sake, that also happens to be not Japanese. Harper is the sort of modest unassuming Brit that still hasn't gotten used to answering the question that everybody always asks. His answer to how the heck he ended up where he is today is "purely by accident."

What started as a personal passion for sake led to volunteering for the backbreaking work associated with the sake making process, eventually getting paid for it, and then, after a long road of apprenticeship, being certified as the first foreign-born Master Brewer in the country. The author of several books about sake, Harper recently published The Book of Sake: A Connoisseurs Guide, which is a handy combination of instruction, history, and recommendations for those interested in exploring the higher-quality realms of sake.

Harper works for a brewing company called Daimon Shuzo (the shuzo just means "brewery") near the city of Osaka in western Japan. Confusingly, the brewery is also known as Sakahan Shuzo. Don't ask me why.

Founded in 1826, Daimon has been run by a single family for 6 generations. The brewery sits at the foot of the Ikoma mountain range in a town called Katano city, an area that has been renown for centuries as a destination for viewing the cherry blossoms and other seasonal scenery.

Sake production in the area began in the Edo Period (between 1600 and 1850) and Diamon is one of only two remaining brewers that have survived since that time. Its longevity can certainly be attributed to making a great product and sensible management, but may also be a consequence of the brewery's modest aspirations. Diamon has never made much sake. It produces about 90,000 liters of sake per year (the equivalent of 10,000 cases of wine), which makes it rather small by Japanese standards.

Harper works alongside another Master Brewer named Yokomichi Toshiaki to produce the brewery's various different sakes for domestic and export markets. Most sake breweries have a large portfolio of different sakes that are made in various quantities, some large, some miniscule. I've never seen a sake brewery that didn't have at least several different products and several different sub-brands. Diamon offers its products under the Diamon, Tozai, Mukune, Sakahan and Rikyubai.

The Tozai line of products, both of which are reviewed below, is a special collaborative project between Harper, the brewery's US importer, and artist Daniel Kelly, who provided the artwork for the labels. The name Tozai appropriately means "East-West."

The existence of these products, not to mention the employment of a British guy with wild curly hair and a penchant for wearing hooded sweatshirts and tie-dyes, totally impresses me. It's quite inspiring to see even just a single example of such innovation and open-mindedness in an industry whose complex traditions and convoluted laws make the French AOC system look like kindergarten playground rules.

Below you'll find tasting notes for the four sakes that the brewery currently exports to the US. Full disclosure: I received these sakes as press samples.

TASTING NOTES:

Tozai "Well of Wisdom" Honzojo
Colorless in the glass, this sake has a yeasty nose of wet wood and malted milk. In the mouth it is silky, with subdued acid levels and somewhat straightforward flavors of chocolate milk and cedar. Score: 8. Cost: $22.

Mukune "Shadows of Katano" Junmai Ginjo Nigori
Cloudy white with a fine sediment and just the tiniest hint of bubbles, this sake has a very unique nose that has the lightest yeasty notes of Vegemite mixed with more dominant aromas of freshly baked bread, and sweet wet earth. In the mouth it is lightly sweet, with a nice satiny feel on the tongue, and can best be described as tasting like what you might imagine milkweed to taste like before you actually give it a try (the real deal is somewhat bitter). There is something magically organic and essential about the milky earthy flavor and its accompanying notes of floral tones. This is the first Junmai Ginjo Nigori (unfiltered) sake I have had, but it has me itching for more. Score: 9. Cost: $40.

Mukune "Root of Innocence" Junmai Ginjo
Crystal clear in the glass, this sake has a very light, nearly imperceptible nose of light rainwater and mineral aromas with a hint of floral complexity. In the mouth it has a somewhat unusual combination of woody flavors and a richer butterscotch aspect that is quite pleasing. The sake is very balanced with a fine texture and weight on the tongue. A solid Ginjo that most people would have to try very hard to dislike. Score: 9. Cost: $40.

Tozai "Voices in the Mist" Nigori
Dense and milky white in the glass, this unfiltered sake smells classically of warm bread. In the mouth it is lighter than its thick cloudiness would suggest, and has a surprising peachy and citrus aspect to it, hinting at oranges at times as it moves across the palate, with only a tiny bit of sweetness to it. This is a more classic nigori-style sake, uncomplicated and approachable. Score: 8.5. Cost: $22.

Now go buy some sake - located at Central Market, Spec's, Centennial and your favorite wine shops who "get it". Cheers - Ali

Fort Ross Winery

Linda and Lester, the owners of Fort Ross Winery and Vineyards are visiting Dallas this Friday. Oh how lucky you will be if attending the amazing Fort Ross Dinner at the Park City Club Friday night!

Check out the recent reviews from the Wine Enthusiast - oh yeah!!! Read more about Fort Ross here.

Cheers - Ali

Insider tidbit.

For the thousands of you that check the TexaCali Wine Trail each day...Yep, here it is, so glamorous! This is the first day in almost 7 weeks I've been home all day - so after sending and replying to over 900 emails, I'm sipping on a little Crios Rose of Malbec tonight, still in my pj's from this morning, and totally sucked into the CMA Awards on TV - and I don't even like country music (but think it's fun to eat crackers in bed anytime baby!). Seriously! I've logged over 18,000 miles on my car in Texas since July - where is the high-speed train I need???

What's on tap over the next few weeks???

I'm out in Cali, talking to investors, trying a few new wines, making sure Texas keeps buying the great wines of TexaCali Wine Co., partying with lovers of European butter, laughing with cheese-mongers, sleeping on my favorite couch, walking through vineyards, hiking a trail or two in the Marin headlands, hearing some super-cool music in San Francisco, drinking some great draft beer, eating the best organic Thanksgiving meal in the world, running the show from the Bay Area, maybe even taking a day off to go fishing, hanging out on my favorite porch in Dry Creek Valley (pictured on the right), driving over the Golden Gate Bridge at least 10 times and hugging all the folks that helped TexaCali Wine Co. make a nice, deep and successful mark of greatness in the Lone Star State!

Check out these links for a little peak into the Holiday Season, 2007 and beyond...

www.winetwo.com
www.medlockames.com
www.lairdfamilyestate.com
www.duchampwinery.com
www.spencerroloson.com
www.valdezfamilywinery.com
www.goswinery.com
www.pellegrinisonoma.com
www.manzanitacreek.com
www.handleycellars.com
www.colgincellars.com
www.longboardvineyards.com
www.fortrossvineyard.com
www.davisfamilyvineyards.com
www.vineconnections.com

Oh and Stay tuned for updates along the way and don't forget to ask for TexaCali Wine Co. wineries when buying wine in Texas! www.texacaliwine.com Cheers - Ali

A Week with Handley Cellars

So Handley Cellars "cool climate" wines certainly fit the bill this week in Dallas, Fort Worth, Georgetown and Austin! It's COLD in Texas (not kidding in the slightest). What a wonderful week of talking up, sipping on and being reminded how wonderful Handley Cellars portfolio of wines are - I'm stocking up myself, just LOVE their wines. On Thursday, we had a very "cool climate" lunch. A big shout out to Rudy, Paul, Eric and Andrea for a very fun time!

So here was the line-up this week, each hour of each day the wines changed and became more interesting and exciting to taste. Talk about perfect fall weather wines and absolutely incredible compliments to Thanksgiving Dinner...

2004 Anderson Valley Chardonnay - an owner of a Plano retail shop asked me why I like this wine and why I think his customers would..."it's the anti-Rombauer", I replied without skipping a beat. Those who like finesse and elegance without the extra squirt of butter totally dig this Chardonnay - in fact, it reminds me of so many Grand Cru Burgundies...

2005 Handley Gewurtztraminer
93 points, Wine & Spirits Top 100 Wines of 2006
There's beautiful fruit clarity to this coastal gewürztraminer, an exotic flavor like ripe cherimoya (what the heck is this?) and fresh litchi. It feels luscious and gentle in the middle, then constricts around steely acidity, a tense balance that leaves the mouth refreshed.

YIKES - More later - running out for the afternoon - Cheers - Ali

Points and more points...

The November 30th Issue of the Wine Spectator just dropped - Argentina was featured...here's a list of my Vine Connections Beauties! Yep - this collection of wines are a rockin'...you can find them on the Argentina shelves at your favorite fine wine shop in Texas!

New Wines section in Buying Guide (pg 158 -160)

Luca Beso de Dante 2003 – 92 pts

Mendel Unus 2004 – 92 pts

Tikal Jubilo 2004 – 91 pts

La Posta Malbec Paulucci 2005 – 90 pts

Mendel Malbec 2004 – 90 pts

Susana Balbo Cab Sauv 2003 – 89 pts

Mapema Malbec 2004 – 88 pts

La Posta Bonardo Armando 2004 - 87 pts

In the Aphabetical guide to ARG wines section (pg 180)

BenMarco Expresivo 2003 – 90 pts

BenMarco Cab Sauv 2004 – 87 pts

BenMarco Malbec 2004 – 90 pts

Crios Cab 2004 – 88 pts

Crois Malbec 2005 – 88 pts

Crios Rosé 2006 – 81 pts

Crios Torrontes 2006 – 84 pts

Budini Chardonnay 2005 – 82 pts

Budini Malbec 2004 – 85 pts

Luca Beso de Dante 2003 – 92 pts

Luca Chardonnay 2004 – 88 pts

Luca Syrah 2004 – 91 pts

Mapema Malbec 2004 – 88 pts

Mapema Sauvignon Blanc 2006 – 84 pts

Mapema Tempranillo 2004 – 89 pts

Mendel Malbec 2004 – 90 pts

Mendel Unus 2004 – 92 pts

Susana Balbo Cab Sauv 2003 – 89 pts

Susana Balbo Malbec 2004 – 91 pts

Susana Balbo Brioso 2003 – 91 pts

Tikal Jubilo 2004 – 91 pts

Tikal Amorio 2004 – 92 pts

Tikal Patriota 2004 – 90 pts

Always trust this logo when picking out Argentine wine and Ginjo Sake! Cheers - Ali

Spooktacular Wine

Yes - Halloween is the busiest pizza night of the year - forget football games, Halloween is the biggest evening of all among our favorite pizza parlors! How else can you get all the kids to eat dinner with all the candy lurking (and for parents to relax during the tricks and treating)???

Perfect Pizza Pairings...

• Pellegrini Carignan
• Budini Malbec
• BenMarco Cabernet Sauvignon
• La Posta Bonarda
• Crios Syrah/Bonarda
• Handley Cellars Zinfandel
• Storrs Merlot

It's a fact - Check out the article on www.sfgate.com

BOOO - Ali

Vintage TexaCali Ali

Click on this link from last January...it came up in conversation last week so here it is folks... "Breathtaking Beauty & Grace"

Cheers - Ali

30 Hours with TexaCali Wine Co.

Friday at 5:00pm Robert Pellegrini landed in Austin - exactly 24 hours after harvest ended for Pellegrini Family Vineyards! Talk about running on adrenaline...his trip to Austin wrapped up the most "high-energy" week TexaCali Wine Co. has accomplished yet! Whewwww- we made it!

So back to Bob's visit...Friday night I whisked him quickly from the airport to Spanish Oaks CC, for a beautiful sit-down winemaker dinner with members of the club. I'll let the pictures do the talking...

As for Saturday, I'd like to thank the accounts we visited for their support and time with Robert while in Austin. Texas is a VERY important market for Pellegrini Family Vineyards and your enthusiasm for Cloverdale Ranch, Olivet Lane and Pellegrini wines are so appreciated!

Also, thanks to everyone who came by the Austin Wine Merchant to meet Mr. Pellegrini and taste through his Olivet Lane Chardonnay, Olivet Lane Pinot Noir, Pellegrini Carignan and Pellegrin Zin...a total treat for all!

We ended the 30 hours with a stop into Cork & Co., these guys were fortunate to have visited the Pellegrini Winery a few weeks ago and caught the passion-bug for Pellegrini wines like I did many years ago. Nothing like watching a great college football game in the coolest wine bar on Congress Ave.!

Cheers - Ali

This is a BIG DEAL!

Who: Meet Mr. Robert Pellegrini, owner and head winemaker of Pellegrini Family Vineyards of Sonoma.

What: A fabulous wine tasting and bottle signing of the Olivet Lane Chardonnay, Pellegrini Family Zinfandel and Pellegrini Family Carignan.

When: This Saturday, 3-5pm

Where: The Austin Wine Merchant (512 W. 6th Street)

Why: Because a winemaker of this caliber rarely makes it to Texas! For four generations, the Pellegrini name has stood behind a family of award-winning, handcrafted California wines produced from grapes grown on their estate vineyards in Sonoma County. Pellegrini Family Vineyards produces estate wines under the Olivet Lane, Cloverdale Ranch and Pellegrini labels, and the great state of Texas can’t get enough of these beautiful wines!

Please bring your favorite wine loving friends to meet Mr. Pellegrini! A signed bottle will make a super-cool gift! Cheers - Ali

For the 1000 Folks in Fort Worth tonight!

The 7^th Annual

Sixty-Five Roses Wine & Food Extravaganza

Sponsored by Anne. T. and Robert M. Bass

Benefiting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

For the second year, TexaCali Wine Co. is a proud sponsor of the Wine and Roses event benefiting the North Texas Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in Fort Worth.

TexaCali Wine Co. was founded in the spring of 2005 with a mission of assisting family owned wineries across the world in gaining access to Texan’s who love wine! Alison Smith, the owner of TexaCali Wine Co. is a Fort Worth Native, Baylor University Graduate and is actively involved in the promotion of “real winemakers” bottles making it onto dinner tables all over the Lone Star State.

In under two years, TexaCali Wine Co. has grown to representing over 50 wine producers such as Fort Ross Vineyards from the Sonoma Coast, Susana Balbo from Argentina, Colgin Cellars from Napa, Pellegrini Family Vineyards of Sonoma, Handley Cellars from Anderson Valley and the great Burgundy wine from Domaine de Montille in France. TexaCali Wine Co. also represents the best Ginjo Sake producers from Japan – and yes Texas is a huge premium sake market!

Please take time to learn more about TexaCali Wine Co. producers on the web at www.texacaliwine.com and support these family owned producers when shopping for wines at your favorite retailer and ordering wines off a wine list. TexaCali Wine Co. thrives on giving back to the local community such as this great event for the North Texas Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

See you tonight! Cheers - Ali

Bringing Sexy Back From Argentina!

Vine Connections "Sexy Reds (and Fuchsia) Tour of Texas" is in full swing! Luca Beso de Dante is truly the STAR of the show this week. Click here for details.

I think it's the splash of Malbec that creates a little magic around this sexy cabernet kiss from Argentina. Bring it!

A big shout out to our dinner and late-night-shenanigan companions in Austin! We should start on our own little screenplay now...camels, bathing in India, bubbles and all! Cheers - Ali

Budini Cab - Wine of the Week!

2004 Budini Mendoza Cabernet Sauvignon $10 bucks in Texas!

The Chronicle Podcasts Wine of the Week celebrates the beginning of Cabernet season.

Not only are premium Cabernet grapes finally being harvested in Northern California - the cooler weather means it's time for heartier food and fuller bodied wines, and according to Chronicle wine reporter W. Blake Gray, this one's a steal.

Blake also podcasts about the label featuring a wild pampas cat of Argentina, which lives in the Andes mountain foothills, where Argentina's best wine grapes are grown.

Listen/Download Audio | 3:22 min : 3.26 MB

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/category?blogid=5&cat=132

Cheers - Ali

Fort Worth Knows Malbec

Posted on Wed, Oct. 18, 2006

You should get to know malbec

By Jeff Siegel

Special to the Star-Telegram

A couple of years ago, no less an authority than Robert Parker suggested that malbec would become the next great everyday wine.

It hasn't happened yet, but Parker's reasoning was sound. Malbec -- which is to Argentina what shiraz is to Australia -- is food-friendly, mostly inexpensive and much easier to drink than similarly priced cabernet sauvignon and shiraz.

So why hasn't Parker's prediction come true?

"I think it's because Americans just don't know it," says Leslie George, who runs the wine department at Market Street in Colleyville. "Americans know cabernet, merlot and shiraz. So there's no reason why we should look for something else."

In fact, malbec is something that even Parker and those of us who drink the $10 stuff can agree on.

It's a red wine with black- and blue-fruit flavors; but with more heft than a California merlot, fewer puckery tannins than cabernet and less of an overwhelming presence than shiraz. It pairs with red-wine dishes such as beef as well as white-wine dishes that include plenty of garlic or some fat, such as roast chicken, to balance its fruitiness.

Malbec, a typical New World wine, came to Argentina from France, where it was used in Bordeaux as a blending grape. The Argentines do some blending with malbec, but for the most part they leave it alone, and they have figured out how to make it the star of its own wine. Some of this might be a function of where it's grown, in the high-altitude Mendoza region in the Andes.

You might find malbec from elsewhere (both Chile and California do it), but the Argentines are better at it than anyone else.

These malbecs will give you a good look at what the grape offers. Serve them at room temperature; if they're too cold, they lose some of their distinctive character......

Mapema Malbec 2003 ($22). An outstanding example of what can be done with malbec if you're willing to pay more. All the classic fruit is there, but so are oak and intriguing minerality (something not often seen in this style of wine). It's a bright, lively wine.

Cheers to Fort Worth for being one of the best Malbec supporting cities in Texas! Ali

This Saturday in Austin

Come by Grapevine Market for a taste of Argentina!

It's a come and go tasting from noon - 6pm, I'll actually be there from 3pm - 6pm doing my thing! We'll uncork Mapema, Crios Syrah Bonarda and a few other goodies...please stop in and at least introduce your self!

Click here for directions - http://www.grapevinemarket.com/

Cheers - Ali

Last Sunday in The Times...The 2006

Dining & Wine

Wine Under $20

Dry, Delectable and Memorable

By HOWARD G. GOLDBERG

Published: October 8, 2006

Dominio del Plata’s 2006 Crios de Susana Balbo is a brilliant example of torrontés, Argentina’s principal dry white. Its floral scents bring to mind a perfume shop. Its citric flavors are delectable.

Ms. Balbo’s torrontés incorporates characteristics of young, light riesling, alberiño and viognier. Given a quick chill, it is a show-stopping aperitif. Its spiciness can enhance Thai, Chinese, Korean and Japanese dishes. $14.99 in Texas. Cheers - Ali