Jet Set Lara: travel, decadence and the pursuit of pleasure

Happy new year and Champagne overindulgence

I'm back after a rather hedonistic New Year's Eve celebration. I've always had mixed feelings about NYE parties because there is a sense of predictability about them and expectations tend to run high. People also tend to overindulge in expensive champagne. After a few glasses of Krug, it can become easy to forget it's insulting to open another fine bottle when one is no longer able to fully appreciate it.

Anyway, my NYE secret is to keep expectations low and change social environments during the evening (for example go to something fun after something formal). As the night unfolds it often takes surprising turns...

Happy new year to each and everyone of you!

I'll return to my usual (chaotic) posting schedule later in the week.

Until then, feel free to share your favorite champagne or champagne story by posting a comment below. From a Krug Clos du Mensil to the (relatively) less expensive Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame or Pommery Louise, I'm waiting to hear from you!

Lara

For the lovers of wine and architecture

There is a winery in Yountville, Napa Valley that's truly worth visiting if you manage to somehow receive an invitation (since it's generally not open to the public). The main grape variety at Dominus Estate is Cabarnet Sauvignon although, in order to achieve perfection, the final product is a blend. It has been delivering consistently good wines for many years.

The reason however I am writing about it in this blog is because the winery is also home to a remarkable building designed by Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron who received the 2001 Pritzker Architecture Prize. The structure blends the ancient and the modern, by using local basalt stones encased in a wire mesh. The stones filter the natural light and help maintain optimal temperature conditions year-round by controlling air flow and regulating daytime/nighttime temperature variations. Counter intuitively, and in a decidedly modern twist, the smaller stones are placed below and the heavy ones on top. At night, indoor lighting diffuses through the stones creating a unique effect for the approaching visitor.

The building is large and linear, housing the huge chrome tanks (used for the first stage of fermentation), the cellar where the wine matures in oak for two years, and the bottling/storage area. The dimensions are 100 meters long (333 ft), 25 meters wide (82 ft), and 9 meters high (30 ft).

Lara

Fear as a marketing tool?

As we have all noticed during this election campaign, perception of security can serve as an effective marketing tool. I recently learned that Hotel Bel Air in LA, a location routinely hosting VIPs, installed a network of more than 100 cameras on the 12-acre property's periphery to guard against "intruders and paparazzi". I'm ok with it as long as they don't end up installing a camera in my bedroom:)

I am willing to bet the most likely and frequent intrusion is through (surprise!) the front door. Pure social engineering by elegantly dressed ladies and gentlemen hoping to enjoy the beautiful pool with its fresh fruit buffet and celebrity eye candy, rather than criminals practicing acrobatics to climb over the fence!

By the way, if you get the chance to visit the hotel, try to attend one of the signature winemaker's dinners with cuisine by Executive Chef Douglas Dodd. The following is the calendar of events courtesy of Mariani's newsletter:

Nov. 8: Tenute Sette Ponti with Dr. Antonio Moretti;
Nov. 11: Sterling Winery Wine and Cheese Dinner with Ron Lilly, Cellar Master;
Nov. 18: Cain Vineyards, with Chris Howell;
Dec. 2: Dom Perignon

Make sure to call in advance (310) 909-1602 for reservations ($125 per person)

Not so well known Northern California wines

There are occasional gems one comes across here in Northern California and they are outside the usual Napa/Sonoma corridor. One of those little surprises was tasting a Pommard clone 2001 Pinot Noir by the modest David Bruce winery in the Santa Cruz mountains. The wine itself was under $100, but I felt it belonged to the realm of significantly more expensive vintages. Unfortunately, I doubt there are any bottles left at this point (and just to tease you, I have several of them!)

Have you discovered an exceptional and relatively unknown wine? If so, I'd love to hear about it!

Lara

David Bruce, 2001 Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir, Bien Nacido Vineyard - Pommard Clone

Imported comments from my old livejournal blog (please email me if you want to add a comment):

From: (Anonymous) Date: October 25th, 2004 - 10:26 pm
wine tip

thanks for the wine tip. I enjoy drinking the wines from
Pine Ridge in Napa and Oregon. They have uniformly great wines and are a lesser known, although praised, winery.

By the way, how do you justify your rates? They are among the highest ever glimpsed.

Thanks,
Rod

From: (Anonymous) Date: October 26th, 2004 - 12:55 am

1. Chateau de Latour 1995 - Excellent and a bargain at just over 400 euros a case.

2. Turkey Flat Shiraz 2000 - This Australian winery has the oldest shiraz vines in the world and it shows. If you manage to find any 2000 buy at least 2 bottles and make sure you keep one to hold for at least 5 years Under $100 CAD.

3. Onyx Pinotage, You can not go wrong with South African Pinotage, its to die for! This pinotage from Darling Cellars is marvelous at under $50 CAD.

4. Tignalello 99 from Italy is divine!  Under $100 CAD.

Ian

From: (Anonymous) Date: October 26th, 2004 - 02:46 pm
Wines......

As you certainly know, Italy is among the wine homelands. The cultivation of vineyards dates back to the pre-Roman era. Among the huge variety of wines you can find here, there's a red wine that is described as to be one of the finest expressions of Italian wine making. This wine is the "Sagrantino of Montefalco 25 anni" by the Arnaldo Caprai winery in Umbria region.
It is relatively high priced, around 50 Euros/bottle.
What other could I tell? ...... cheers!

Carlo

From: (Anonymous) Date: November 15th, 2004 - 10:26 pm
exceptional and unknown

1996 Flowers Camp Meeting Ridge- Moon Select- only this vintage, only the Moon Select bottling. Like yours, almost impossible to find though. Another good producer is Littorai (sp?)- both of these are Sonoma coast area I believe. I do like many of the Bien Nacido vineyards pinots- a bit more tannic, darker, stronger, more depth than many cal offerings.

cheers

Oh yeah, I was going to mention that whne you are in the area, you should get a tour of Ridge in cupertino if you have not been, also Pichetti Brothers right down the hill- not great wines, but amazing location next to open space preserve hiking trails.