“There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort.” – Jane Austen If you’re looking to add a little panache to your next holiday soirée, have I got a Fabulous Find for you! I recently discovered Juliska’s “Amalia” Champagne flutes and was instantly smitten by this line of exquisite, handmade stemware that can make drinking bubbly feel even more special (yes, it is... Read More
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“Odette is a fabled princess… a mistress…a judge…a heroine. Odette is both of antiquity and modernity. You will find her in works of fiction and tales from history. Odette encapsulates our inspiration for this property – femininity, strength and power.” How’s that for an introduction? In this case we’re introducing a new vinous endeavor from Napa Valley’s famed Stags Leap... Read More
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“Odette is a fabled princess… a mistress…a judge…a heroine. Odette is both of antiquity and modernity. You will find her in works of fiction and tales from history. Odette encapsulates our inspiration for this property – femininity, strength and power.”
How’s that for an introduction? In this case we’re introducing a new vinous endeavor from Napa Valley’s famed Stags Leap District. Odette is the sister winery of PlumpJack and CADE, founded in Oakville and Howell Mountain respectively by the dynamic trio of Gavin Newsom, Gordon Getty and John Conover. Like its sisters, the name for the project was inspired by Shakespeare, however, Odette was also the name of a French judge from the 1976 Judgment of Paris, an event which rocked the wine world. This legendary blind tasting pitted French against American wine and was judged by some of the most respected palates on the planet; however, in a stunning defeat for the French, a red wine from California’s Stags Leap District took first place, officially putting California wine on the map (Bottle Shock is a great film about this historic event). Comprised of 45 acres, Odette is a new addition to this historic appellation and is dedicated to producing full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon which represent the region’s unique terroir.
Odette Winemaker, Jeff Owens, & Moi
2012 marks the inaugural vintage of Odette and winemaker Jeff Owens is off to a smashing start with the new label. His 2012 Odette Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve was extremely well received, garnering a perfect score of 100 points from esteemed wine critic Robert Parker, the first winemaker to do so in his inaugural vintage. Owens was originally poised for a career in landscape architecture but became smitten with wine, graduating as a member of Cal Poly’s first class in Wine & Viticulture. After completing an internship at Cakebread, he made the move to the smaller, boutique PlumpJack winery where he began as a cellar worker. Owens rose quickly through the ranks and became assistant winemaker at PlumpJack in 2008, and then made the move to CADE in 2010 where he remained until being tapped for the Head Winemaking position at Odette in 2012.
The land for Odette was purchased from the Steltzner family who established their eponymous winery in the Stags Leap District in 1965. The family sold 49 acres to the PlumpJack group while retaining 30 acres on which they will continue to make their own wine. The Stags Leap American Viticultural Area (AVA) is the first in the United States to be approved based on the uniqueness of its soils, which include both loam and clay sediments from the Napa River, as well as volcanic soils from eruptions which took place millions of years ago. These soils are coarse and retain little water, which produce fruit of great intensity and flavor. The Odette team takes their role as “stewards of the land” very seriously and is currently building a LEED Certified winery on the property while also pursuing a rigorous, organic certification for its estate vineyards.
I recently had the pleasure of meeting the affable (and young!) Owens and tasting through the Odette wines at Ft. Lauderdale’s Capital Grille. We began with Odette’s second tier of wines, Adaptation, which consists of a Chardonnay, Petite Sirah and Cabernet Sauvignon made from fruit sourced from the Napa Valley:
The 2013 Adaptation Chardonnay ($32) was pleasantly crisp and refreshing, the result of being fermented and aged primarily in stainless steel – no oak monster here! This wine had delightful notes of white flowers, green apple, and pear complemented by a food friendly acidity and dry finish making it an excellent pairing for the Crab & Lobster Burger.
The 2012 Adaptation Petite Sirah ($36) exhibited this grape’s hallmark, inky purple hue which had my wine glass looking like a stained glass window. Heady aromas of black fruit and spice followed through on the palate with mouth-filling flavors of juicy blackberry, ripe plum, and baking spices. Appreciable tannins and a lengthy finish made this wine a perfect match for the Grille’s juicy Signature Cheeseburger.
The 2012 Adaptation Cabernet Sauvignon ($46) is a “celebration” of classic Napa Cabernet which was aged in 50% new French oak and 50% used for 20 months. The result is a full-bodied red with aromas of bright red fruit, vanilla and spice while on the palate, red currant, cranberry, mocha and smoky oak predominate. Chewy tannins and a lively acidity make this wine an excellent partner for grilled meats such as the Filet Mignon with Cipollini Onions and Wild Mushrooms.
Our final wine of the flight was the 2012 Odette Estate Cabernet Sauvignon ($98), a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot and 11% Cabernet Franc from one of Napa’s most acclaimed vintages. This wine had an opaque, purple hue and fragrant aromas of black fruit, cassis and spice. On the palate, this full-bodied beauty revealed layers of black cherry, raspberry, violet, and licorice while tannin and acid struck an elegant balance which persisted through the lengthy finish.
The Adaptation and Odette wines provide wonderful representations of their respective grape varieties as seen through the unique prism of California terroir. I hope you enjoy experiencing them and next time you’re in wine country, be sure to stop in for a visit!
Odette
5998 Silverado Trail, Napa
Telephone: (707) 224-7533
Website: www.odetteestate.com
Cheers,
A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of judging the 8th Annual American Fine Wine Competition. As many of you know, the competition was founded eight years ago by the fabulous Shari Gherman and dynamic duo of Monty and Sara Preiser and showcases some of the finest wines in the United States. While many of the highest scoring entries... Read More
The post The Results of The 8th Annual American Fine Wine Competition! appeared first on The Glamorous Gourmet.
A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of judging the 8th Annual American Fine Wine Competition. As many of you know, the competition was founded eight years ago by the fabulous Shari Gherman and dynamic duo of Monty and Sara Preiser and showcases some of the finest wines in the United States. While many of the highest scoring entries hail from California, Oregon, and Washington state, there are always some delightful surprises! Over the past few years, wines from Virginia, Ohio, and New York have definitely impressed and serve as reminders that, when it comes to wine, we should all think (and shop) outside the box.
The judging of over 700 vinous entries took place over two days at Florida International University’s state-of-the-art Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management. Each day began promptly at 9am with all the judges divided into teams of four – palates primed and ready! We then sipped and spit our way through flight after flight of white, red, sweet, and sparkling wines, evaluating and assigning medals where appropriate. With our teeth-staining task complete, I’m happy to share the results with you (drumroll please!):
“BEST OF CLASS”
Dry Riesling – 2013 Glenora Wine Cellars, Finger Lakes
Cabernet Sauvignon – 2012 Peju Province, Napa
Chardonnay – 2012 Maldonado Los Olivos, Napa
Dessert Wine – 2014 Glenora Wine Cellars Riesling Ice Wine, Finger Lakes
Dry Rosé – 2014 Burbank Ranch Picnic Meadow Grenache Rose, Paso Robles
Merlot – 2010 Rombauer, Carneros
Other Red Blend – 2012 Cougars Leap, Black Rock Cuvée, Lake County
Other Red Single Varietal- 2012 Michael David, Inkblot Tannat, Lodi
Pinot Noir- 2011 Russian Hill, Ellen’s Block, Russian River Valley
Cabernet Franc- 2011 Cairdean, Napa
Red Bordeaux Style Blend – 2012 Arietta, H Block, Napa
Sauvignon Blanc – 2012 Arkenstone, Howell Mountain
Sparkling – 2012 Hagafen Cellars Brut Cuvée and 2008 Domaine Carneros Le Reve (tie)
Syrah – 2012 Cline Cellars, Carneros
Viognier – 2013 Russian Hill Estates, Russian River Valley
Zinfandel – 2012 Frank Family, Napa
“BEST OF SHOW”
Dry Rosé – 2014 Burbank Ranch Picnic Meadow Grenache Rosé
Dessert Wine – 2014 Glenora Wine Cellars Riesling Ice Wine
Sparkling – 2012 Hagafen Cellars Brut Cuvée and 2008 Domaine Carneros Le Reve (tie)
Red – 2011 Cairdean Cabernet Franc
White – 2012 Maldonado Chardonnay, Los Olivos Vineyard (second year in a row!)
I hope you enjoyed the results and I’d love to hear what you think: are you fans of any of our winners or did you make any new discoveries? Please let me know in the comment section below. Also, on April 24th, 2015 the American Fine Wine Competition Charity Gala will take place at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino. This promises to be another amazing evening filled with fabulous food, wine, and fun so be sure to mark your calendar! For more information and/or to purchase tickets, please click here and I hope to see you there.
Cheers,
“I only drink Champagne on two occasions, when I am in love and when I am not.” – Coco Chanel Nothing says Valentine’s Day like Champagne – especially when it’s pink! And in honor of this most romantic holiday, we’re giving away a very special selection this month to a lucky winner, the Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé Champagne (a $75 value)!... Read More
The post Valentine’s Day Giveaway: Win a Bottle of Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé Champagne! appeared first on The Glamorous Gourmet.
“I only drink Champagne on two occasions, when I am in love and when I am not.” – Coco Chanel
Nothing says Valentine’s Day like Champagne – especially when it’s pink! And in honor of this most romantic holiday, we’re giving away a very special selection this month to a lucky winner, the Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé Champagne (a $75 value)!
In the 1960’s, making a non-vintage rosé Champagne was virtually unthinkable but Bernard de Nonancort, the charismatic Chairman and CEO of Laurent-Perrier at the time, was just the man to make it happen. Laurent-Perrier’s Cuvée Rosé was launched in 1968 in an elegant bottle inspired by those made in the time of French King Henri IV. This gorgeous sparkler is a lovely, salmon pink hue with seductive aromas of fresh red berries, minerals, and smoke. The palate is lively and layered with notes of strawberry, black currant, gingerbread, and a hint of anise followed by a delightfully lengthy finish. While perfect on its own, the Cuvée Rosé pairs beautifully with a variety of dishes including foie gras with red currants, roasted chicken with mushrooms, beef tenderloin – or whatever your heart desires!
To enter the giveaway for the Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé Champagne, simply leave a comment at the end of this post and tell us your favorite romantic restaurant. Whether it’s in your home town or halfway around the world we’d love to know! Entering the giveaway is as simple as that and for an additional chance to win, you can (1) sign up to receive our weekly newsletter by clicking here and/or (2) leave a comment on another one of our blog posts. Each additional comment will count as one additional chance to win.
This giveaway is open to anyone 21 years of age or older who lives in the continental United States and ends Sunday, February 8, 2015 at 6:00pm EST when a winner will be randomly drawn. The lucky winner will be contacted immediately to arrange shipment in time for Valentine’s Day – the cost of standard ground shipping is included as part of the contest!
Best of luck and remember, you have to play to win so leave your comment now!
Cheers,
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