Guest Post: Lorri Soaks up the good stuff in California.

Hi Di Ho, guest blogger from from San Francissss-co.

Barb asked me to do some reconnaissance on Californian wines while I’m out here on a course, and assigned me the kind of homework you don’t mind doing – taste as many wines as possible, and report back!

Can I first say that although I am trapped in class within this hotel for 13 hours a day for four days straight (not kidding – Barb warned it could be a cult – no sign of Tom Cruise so far , phew). The hotel is spectacular – Sofitel – which looks and feels like it was transported straight from Paris. Even the staff here speak French. God Bless boutique hotels. They have gone to every extravagance in this hotel to make it feel like you ARE in Paris. Except you are in California.

So how could I say no – of course I took Barb up on her challenge to head up a good old fashion Smackdown, pitting wine mecca against wine mecca – France vs. California.

(Barb – take note – Canadian wines not mentioned here whatsoever. Sorry)



The first night I tried a Hess Cabernet Sauvignon - $14 a glass I thought this better be good.

Oh my goodness, this wine embodied everything you dream about Californian Cabernet’s - I do confess I have a personal bias for Californian Cabernet Sauvignons.

To channel Barb for a moment, the wine smelled rich and fruity but had an amazing velvety texture like drinking liquid velvet, with an amazing deep oak-ey finishing taste – positively sensual from beginning to end. She would probably say that it is almost as nice as Alan Rickman’s armpits or something like that – well if that is good, then she is right. It made me crave brie wrapped in smoked salmon (the wine, not his armpits). My perfect wine, really. A TKO in Smackdown terms – really spectacular. I actually sampled the wine on a break which seemed to end far too quickly; as they called us back into class, yes I did bring my wine back to class with me – hell, no way I was giving up that last 3-4 sips of liquid gold. The nice thing about travelling outside of Canada is that local people think that you are exotic and excuse your behaviour, writing it off to cultural differences. Charming. Oh those Canadians are so European! Yep, I milked that one all the way. Oh...what do you mean you can’t drink wine in class? Oh sorry about that, well it’s gone anyways. Tee Hee Hee! However the few fellow Canadians that attended the conference were completely on to me and were either laughing or said – Hah – nice one! You look like fun, I’m sitting with you tomorrow.

End of Thursday.

Next.....Friday.... Zinfandel!

I was dragging my ass Friday afternoon in class – still screwed up from the time difference, and a long 1.5 hours till our short dinner break when an intriguing text message comes in from Barb. “SONOMA ZINFANDEL – Try some tonite and tell me what you think!” She was drinking chateau neuf du pape at the time, which I’m sure we will all be reading about sometime soon.(n.b.--yes you will! B.) She loves those fruity wines.

So, of course doing what I’m told, I order a glass of Seven Deadly Sins Zinfandel from Sonoma, and highly recommended from our austere looking lounge hostess (Note - not a waitress – a lounge hostess). Also $14 a glass, so given my previous evening experience I have high expectations of heaven part deux.

The bouquet was very promising – definitely had a strong, inviting aroma, the kind that really makes you look forward to savoring that first tasty sip. And, I never stick my nostrils in my glass – unlike someone else we know – but just setting it down on the table suddenly made the room smell like the Glade Air Fresheners were Zinfandel scented and had just spurted out a mist of Zinfandel from one of their timed room scent fresheners. Well I am sorry to say that is where the fun ends.

In hindsight, I should have never tried anything that rhymes with Death to the Infidels. You just know you are in for a whole lot of trouble. The first sip started fine, and suddenly I could feel the acidic reaction building in momentum. As it snaked its way into my gullet I could instantly feel it rising again in the form of instant severe heartburn. After the third sip, I could feel cankers forming in my mouth, and giant subterranean zits starting to form on my face.

I Know Less Than Nothing about wine – so I can’t even use the right terms – but I can tell you: Eww yuck. Me no likey.

And I don’t know if it’s because it’s a Zinfandel grapes, or because of the winery, or the year or whatever – all I know is me no likey.

So far – the Ying and Yang of what California has to offer. 1 Good, 1 Evil.

Tonite I tackle the French side of the menu, and see if their wines have a better success then their military history.

--Lorri