Princess Pleasures

In an effort to dine at all 3000 San Francisco restaurants(800 and counting) and to visit all 600 wineries(350 and counting), my wife Linda, Hall Of Fame son MJ and myself recently had the pleasure of cruising on the Princess Cruise line, Grand Princess Cruise Ship to the Mexican Riviera for a Christmas Holiday cruise. We cruised  from San Francisco, to Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, Ensenada and back to San Francisco. Our favorite benefit was that the cruise departed and returned to the great "city by the bay" with no airports to deal with during the busy holiday season. In addition, it was a treat sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge and a photographers dream with the spectacular background of the city and Oakland Bay Bridge.

The weather, entertainment, service and food  were all fantastic on this memorable trip. We had the pleasure to meet with Executive Chef Joel Directo who trained under two famous chefs - Charley Palmer and Alain Ducasse.  

Chef Joel is from the Philippines. He surprised us by serving two special Philippine dishes with our dinner one evening. Both of these were the national dishes of the Philippines and their excellence derives from the balance of flavors, in the alchemy of the slow cooking process   First was Pancit, which is a combination of fresh noodles, shrimp, vegetables and Philippine spices and is a staple second to rice.  This dish is always served during Fiesta, birthday parties, and other special occasions.  Next was a dish called "Adobo" which is a crazy delicious slow cooked chicken and pork dish with a seasoned sauce. Whether consumed in Manila's heat or on a Princess Cruise, these dishes hold the power to change moods and alter dining habits!  The food was not only delicious but the presentation rivaled a Michelangelo work of art.

We attended a cooking seminar that Joel presented.  He prepared four wonderful dishes and gave us a lot of information about the inner workings of the food service and kitchen preparation and cooking of the food for 2400 people each day.  Joel and his large staff of over 400 serves 15,000 meals each day that includes 1700 pounds of fish, and 1,400 pounds of poultry, 1,700 pounds of beef, 1,400 pounds of pork, 300 pounds of veal and 200 pounds of lamb! Now that is a BIG protein order!

To add to all that  there are 1,600 pounds of salad, 400 pounds of shrimp, 13 gallons of mayonnaise, and 1,500 sandwiches served.  500 pounds of pasta, 2,700 pounds of potatoes, 2,500 pounds of vegetables and 550 pounds of soup are served daily.  The bakery uses 1,500 pounds of flour daily to make sweet rolls, bread rolls, bread sticks, pizza, croissants and biscuits.

In the pastry shop 6000 assorted pastries, 100 gallons of ice cream and 300 cakes and pies are served daily.
400 pounds of butter, and 6,000 pounds of fresh fruits are served daily.  In the coffee pantry 470 gallons of coffee, 62 gallons of coffee cream, and 400 pounds of sugar are consumed daily.

57 people are in the dishwashing area cleaning 70,000 dishes and 21,500 glasses each day.

Although these numbers seem shocking, the real shocker to all of it was the food was sensational! It was fresh and beautifully presented  buffet or sit down style.  The service was prompt and always friendly with servers who were willing to help with anything your mouth or heart desired.

There was also a full wine and drink list.  We chose to bring wine from our cellar for a modest $15 corking fee. It was really a holiday celebration to drink our favorite wines for 8 nights in a row! We were very happy with our decision to bring our wine.

 In conclusion, this is a great way to plan a future Holiday Trip.  Not only do you avoid cooking and cleaning up, but the entertainment for all members of the family is spectacular.  Las Vegas styled shows were on twice each evening and music was buzzing in all 5 of the ship bars.  There are family games and informational presentations as well as a huge big screen movie theatre over the outdoor swim pool.  The gym and Rumba classes also provide a great way to work off all the luscious desserts you may have sampled the night before.

 The Holiday spirit was alive and well and the Magic of Christmas was bursting on board this floating resort.

 
 Princess line Holiday Cruise rocks.😋😋😋

Judd's Hill Winery: Your Chance To Be A Winemaker For The Day

In an effort to dine at all 3000 San Francisco restaurants(800 and counting) and to visit all 600 wineries (350 and counting),my wife Linda and I recently traveled to Judd's Hill winery in Napa to be a "winemaker for the day."  Our foodie and wine friends Ron and Josiane Hable joined the fun.

Judd's Hill winery is a small winery owned by Art and Bunnie Finkeistein original owners of Whitehall Lane. That winery was sold in favor of a smaller and more manageable one. Judd's Hill produces 3000 cases and their son Judd and wife Holly are highly involved in managing the operation.

 In 1992, they pioneered "microcrush" giving grape growers an all inclusive opportunity to make their own small lots of high quality wine.

 In addition, you can be a "Winemaker for the Day" and schedule a blending experience.

Our experience was conducted by our knowledgeable host CJ who has forgotten more than most will ever know about wine. We began with an explanation of how to drink wine with the important swirl, smell and tasting process of the 4 wines we would blend, bottle and name. When completed, we each took one bottle of our carefully crafted creation home with us.

We experimented with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petite Verdot. After careful analysis and tasting various percentages of the wine, we agreed on a blend of 70 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 20 percent Merlot, 5 percent Cabernet Franc and 5 per cent Petite Verdot.  We named our wine "Le Reve"  which is French for The Dream.  We then bottled the wine, corked it and finished it with a black foil using their high tech equipment.

The final touch was placing the Le Reve label on the bottle proving "Dreams do come true."

The entire process takes around 2.5 hours and it is a unique and fun experience that is highly recommended for people who love wine. In addition, CJ also has a session on pairing wine and food that we plan on scheduling at a future date.

 For more information and to make an appointment
 http://www.juddshill.com/page?pageid=577F16F9-D1A1-48FF-AA47-5529D756510E

The Resort At Pelican Hill: "Refined, Relaxed 5 Star Luxury On The Deep Blue Sea"

Picture Courtesy of Pelican Hill

In an effort to dine at all 3000 San Francisco restaurants (800 and counting) and to visit all 600 Napa wineries (350 and counting), my wife Linda and I recently traveled to the 5 star luxury resort at Pelican Hill in Southern California.

From our home in Danville, it is a easy 1 hour flight to Orange County Airport and 15 minute drive to a 504 acre slice of heaven on the deep blue pacific that offers "something for everyone."

 

From the moment you drive into this Italian Renaissance inspired 504-acre luxury Resort with 750 mature olive trees, all your cares and concerns quickly disappear as you are greeted by a happy staff of people with a " What can I do for you " attitude dedicated to making your stay a memorable experience. The architecture was inspired by the renowned Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio. Many of the resort furnishings are antiques imported from Spain, Italy and France. A self guided tour book is provided to guests describing Palladio's influence throughout the property as well as excellent descriptions of the art and tapestries located in the Lobby, Hallway and Great Room Social Lounge.   Our favorites were the Flemish Tapestries that were from Brussels located on the walls beside the fireplace in the Great Room Social Lounge.  These tapestries date back to the 17th century and depict flower filled vases lined by cupids on each side. The colors are vivid and provide the beautiful room with a tranquil effect as guests gather and linger at the heart of the Resort.

                                                                                                                                              

We checked into our elegantly appointed Bungalow guest room complete with fireplace, balcony and ocean views ranging from 847 square feet to 2100 square feet.   If you require more room for a family affair or other event, the resort offers villas that are much larger and up to 3500 square feet of luxury. These accommodations may be reserved by the evening, weekly or monthly.

The 23,000 square foot Spa has been Awarded the Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star rating consistently each year since opening.  It offers a wide array of services to soothe your senses from the rigors of modern life and where every moment is one of extraordinary pampering and rejuvenation.

After a spa treatment, relaxing by the  unique "Coliseum Style" pool forming a 136-foot diameter circle with over 1 million hand cut mosaic tiles and stunning ocean views is a great way to wind down before dining at one of the Resorts 3 restaurants or 2 cafes.

For the more adventurous, guests can enjoy the Crystal Cove Experience. You can explore 3.5 miles of ocean front strolling the beach, swimming, jogging or cycling along the trails at Crystal Cove State Park on one of the last oceanfront preserves left in Southern California

Executive Chef Jean Pierre Dubray brings his French Culinary training and passion for perfection to the resort's  restaurants. There is a dining experience for every mood a guest may have.   Our experience included Andrea Ristorante, the Pelican Grill at the Golf Club and the Coliseum Pool & Grill.

Andrea Ristorante offers Northern  Italian cuisine with an extensive wine list and fresh pasta homemade daily in a temperature controlled pasta room. Pasta Chef Julia also offers weekly classes in traditional pasta making. We especially enjoyed the risotto prepared in a unique manner. A large 90 pound wheel of parmesan cheese that is imported from Italy is wheeled to your tableside. The chef shaves the inside of the cheese wheel and then puts the hot Italian Risotto into the middle. The melted cheese and risotto then are expertly mixed together resulting in a burst of incredible flavor for the diners.  We loved this experience and highly recommend it.

The Pelican Grill also offers an extensive wine menu and outstanding coastal California cuisine prepared in an open kitchen. Views from the ocean view terrace make for a "very special " culinary experience. There is also a popular lounge with two huge 9’ x 6’ HD TVs for viewing sports events after your golf game or for a more casual get together.

There are also 2 World Class Golf Courses designed by legendary architect Tom Fazio that offer panoramic views from each of the 36 holes. A modern and high tech Golf Academy led by Glenn Deck and a team of knowledgeable PGA professionals is also available to help improve your game.

We played the Ocean North that was a par 70 and offers tees for all levels of golfers. Linda found the ladies tees to be very friendly and fair. The ocean views on every hole made you not care about hitting a bad shot or missing a putt.

The sad part about enjoying this great Tuscan like refuge is...... having to leave. The service staff prides themselves in making you want to extend your stay or to come back soon. We definitely plan on returning soon and highly recommend that you put The Resort At Pelican Hill on your bucket list to experience this pinnacle of excellence. 

For more information and to make reservations go to: pelicanhill.com.

 

St Francis Wine and Food Pairing "Simply the Best"

 In our quest to dine at all 3000 San Francisco restaurants(800 and counting) and to visit all 600 Napa Wineries(350 and counting),my wife Linda and I recently traveled to St. Francis Winery near enchanting downtown Sonoma. From our home in Danville, it is about a 90 minute drive.
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Having been to many fine dining experiences all over the world, we would highly recommend this unique experience. The wines are fantastic and wine club members enjoy access to exclusive parties and wine club discounts. In addition, on your tenth anniversary of being a wine club member, you receive a vine in their vineyard with your name on it.

The St. Francis wine and food pairing has been voted number one in America by Open Table Diners in 2013 and 2015.  We were not disappointed as Chef Bryan Jones prepared a wine and food pairing that can be described as "Simply The Best."

They offer this exceptional foodie experience Thursday thru Monday at 11, 1 and 3. Reservations are required and the cost is 68 dollars for non wine club members. It is less if you are a member. 

The pairing is limited to 16 people and the fun begins with the ringing of the large church bell on top of the winery that resonates throughout the vineyard. A knowledgeable wine host leads you into a beautiful and spacious room overlooking the scenic and serene property.

You are seated at an elegantly appointed circular table with the menu, tasting notes and wines that will be paired for this unique experience. The menu changes every six weeks and chef Bryan's passion for excellence is perfectly presented in each of his creations. Our favorite tasting was the King Salmon topped with bacon jam. When paired with the Chardonnay the flavors exploded in your mouth.

The menu and wines for our tasting consisted of the following:

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Compressed Persimmon & Grilled Asian Pear
Red Endive and Wild Arugula |  Pomegranate | Toasted Hazelnuts
Honey Goat Cheese | Cardamom-Moscatel Vinaigrette
2015 Wine Wine, Estate Cuvée Blanc, Sonoma Valley

Pan Seared King Salmon
Blistered Sweet 100s | Corn Pudding | Bacon Marmalade
2014 Chardonnay, Wild Oak Vineyard, Sonoma Valley

Roasted Tomato Braised Pork Collar
Ricotta Gnocchi | Long Cooked Romano Beans | Pine Nut Relish
2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, Lagomarsino Vineyard, Russian River Valley

Applewood Smoked Duck Breast
Rogan Josh Spiced Beluga Lentils | Honey-Ginger Eggplant
Pickled Antohi Peppers
2013 Artisan Collection Zinfandel, Sonoma County

Chocolate Pudding Cake
Chocolate Florentine Cookie | Blu del Moncenisio
Candied Pecans
2014 Port, Sonoma County

We especially enjoyed the 95 point rated Cabernet Sauvignon and the 750ml size of port that was smooth and loaded with power at 21.5% alcohol. We took home a bottle of each.

For further information and to make a reservation, go to:
 http://www.stfranciswinery.com/culinary/wine-food-pairing/ 

Barnett Vineyards: "Passionate Perfection Proudly Perched On The Top Of Spring Mountain"

In an effort to dine at all 3000 San Francisco restaurants(800 and counting) and visiting all 600 wineries (350 and counting), my wife Linda recently traveled to Barnett Vineyards at the top of Spring Mountain with our foodie friends Ron and Josiane Hable.

Owners Fiona and Hal Barnett purchased this 40 acre labor of love in 1983. Perched 2000 feet above Napa Valley their grapes produce world class wines and the views are heavenly. Driving to the top of Spring Mountain, you feel you have arrived at a special place as the iron gates open to this majestic hillside vineyard.

Our host today was Kevin who was very passionate and proud of the highly rated  Barnett wines. We began our tasting with the 2013 Chardonnay from Anderson Valley that was crisp and very refreshing. It retails for $42.00.  The  2015 Pinot Noir from the Russian River Tina Marie Vineyard was light, lively and retailed for $45.00. We also sampled the 100 percent 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Rattlesnake that was a full bodied rich wine that would be great paired with a juicy filet or for any special occasion or celebration.  It retails for $175.00.  The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon was a "perfect" blend of 85 percent  Sauvignon, 10 percent Cabernet Franc, 4 percent Merlot and 1 percent Petite Verdot. It retails for $75.00.  We took home a few bottles of the Cabernet and our favorite the 2014 Spring Mountain District Merlot. It was blended with 12 percent Cabernet Franc with an elegant and beautiful smooth finish,  It retails for $65.00

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After our tasting, we dined at the R and D Kitchen in Yountville that is part of the Hillstone Family of restaurants that also owns the Rutherford Grille in Napa. The servers are very knowledgeable, happy and helpful and the restaurant has an open kitchen with a friendly ambience and plenty of comfortable booths. If you want to enjoy the many days of the perfect Napa weather, there is an outdoor bar with fire pits and plenty of seating.

There is no corking fee so we brought in a bottle of the 2014 Merlot to enjoy with the famous Fried Chicken Sandwich and Chicken Thai salad that was highly recommended and presented  picture perfect. We were not disappointed.
To complete our meal, we all shared the generous Ghirardelli hot fudge sundae that brought smiles of joy to all of our faces. It was also served with extra hot fudge that added to this excellent, decadent and delicious dessert.

For more information and to schedule  an appointment go to: https://www.barnettvineyards.com/

Schweiger Vineyards: 4 Generations of Family Fun

In an effort to dine at all 3000 San Francisco restaurants(800 and counting), and visit all 600 wineries (350 and counting), my wife Linda and I recently traveled to Schweiger Vineyards. It is 55 acres of serenity located on the top of Spring Mountain about an hour ride from our Danville home.

The Schweigers  have owned this pristine piece of property for 53 years spanning 4 generations of family living and working this spectacular piece of real estate producing elegant wines.
Our host for the day, Laurel Shapiro, was full of wine passion and very proud to share her knowledge about their great juice.  We enjoyed sampling the wines on the balcony of their warm and friendly tasting room overlooking the happy vines planted on the heavenly hills surrounding their property

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We began with their 2013 Chardonnay that had rich flavors of peach, lemon, pear and apricot that was refreshing and retails for $35.. There are only 3 wineries that produce Chardonnay on Spring Mountain and have created a winner. Although my palate like Laurel's is described as "ABC- anything but Chardonnay", this was great and came back to Danville with us.

We then tried the 2011 Merlot hailed as Spring Mountain's "signature varietal" with blueberry characteristics that was very good and sells for $52.
The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is a blend of 97 per cent Cabernet  Sauvignon and 3 percent Merlot. It is aged in French Oak for 32 months creating a full yet elegant mouth feel. It retails for $65..
The 2011 "Dedication" is a blend of 58 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon, 32 percent Merlot, 6 percent Cabernet Franc and 4 percent Malbec creating intense berry and stone fruit aromas with a silky and balanced finish. It retails for $95.

Our favorite was the 2012 Family Cuvée that had a memorable blend of 76 percent Cabernet Sauvignon,  19 percent Petite Syrah and 5 percent Cabernet Franc and retails for 65 dollars. We also took a bottle of this home with us.

Schweiger also offers private parties and a wine club. They were preparing for their annual lobster fest that sounded like lots of fun.

After our tasting, we had lunch at one of our favorite places famous chef Thomas Kellers Bouchon in Yountville. The restaurant requires reservations offering an elaborate Oyster Bar and carefully crafted specials with superior service. We enjoy their warm and delicate Quiche that is the best we have ever eaten. Linda enjoys their Irish Coffee made with Equator coffee and we always enjoy treats from their  fabulous bakery next door. This time we especially enjoyed their toffee and decadent chocolate eclairs.
For more information and to schedule a tasting go to:
 http://www.schweigervineyards.com/About

Justin Winery: Producing World Class Wine On The Central Coast"

In an effort to dine at all 3000 San Francisco Restaurants( 800 and Counting) and visit all 600 Napa Wineries(350 and counting), my wife Linda and I  recently traveled to Paso Robles home of 200 great wineries on the Central Coast.

From our home in Danville, it is an easy 3 hour drive and about an hour South of Pebble Beach and the Monterey Peninsula. We stayed in the heart of downtown Paso Robles at the famous Paso Robles Inn.  It is walking distance from the park and downtown area, packed with many great restaurants and wine tasting rooms. The Inn also has a great Steak House and each room is named after one of the 200 wineries nearby. The rooms also have patios with a mineral bath tub overlooking  impeccable gardens and modern 2 person swings to take you back to your childhood days and relieve any stress from the rigors of city life.

We chose to have a private tasting at nearby Justin Winery. In 2015, it was named Winery Of The Year by Wine Enthusiast. If you dine at their great restaurant, the wine tastings are complimentary. Also, if you are a Wine Society Member tastings are nearby at an elegant tasting room paired with various cheeses and very good prices to take a few bottles home with you.

There are also 5 spacious rooms available ranging from 600 to 1400 square feet if you want to stay and visit the many wineries nearby.

Our tasting host was very knowledgeable and passionate about sharing his wine knowledge. The cheese pairing with the tasting is very well done and adds to the richness of the wine.

We began with the 2013 Chardonnay that was aged in French Oak for 18 months, very refreshing on a warm day and retails for $40.

The 2013 Justification is composed of 58 per cent Cabernet Franc and 42 per cent Merlot billed as blending the old world and new world. It retails for $50 .

Our favorite was their celebrated Isosceles 2013 composed of 75 % Cabernet Sauvignon,16 % Cabernet Franc and 9% Merlot. We also tasted the 2012 Isosceles Reserve that is a blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14%  Cabernet Franc, 12% Merlot and 1% Malbec. Both were great with the 2013 retailing for $70 and the 2012 Reserve for $105 per bottle.

The final taste was the 2013 Savant composed of 65% Syrah, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Grenache, and 4% Petite Syrah. It retails for $50.

The bottom line is that "Paso Robles Rocks" and is producing some great juice. We would highly recommend a visit to this wine making heaven on the Central Coast. The area is a very beautiful and has lots of great wineries to visit and it is not too far from Danville and the San Francisco Bay Area.

For more information and to schedule a tasting at Justin go to:

http://justinwine.com/

Bacara Resort And Spa: Relaxed Oceanfront Luxury

In an effort to dine at all 3000 San Francisco restaurants (800 and counting) and visit all 600 Napa wineries(350 and counting), my wife Linda and I recently traveled to Santa Barbara. 

From our home in Danville, it is an easy 5 hour drive. We stayed at Bacara Resort and Spa on the Santa Barbara coast offering 78 acres of relaxed luxury. It is located about 2 hours north of Los Angeles and offers 3 restaurants, world class spa, meeting rooms, wine tasting, and some great golf courses nearby.

We had a nicely appointed room and very comfortable bed with pool and ocean views from a large balcony.

The service staff has golf carts that will shuttle you to the restaurants or spa after a day at the beach or nearby Sandpiper Golf course that is known as the "Pebble Beach" of the Central Coast. We enjoyed playing the course with many holes overlooking the deep blue Pacific. It offers 4 sets of tees for to satisfy all skill levels. After golf, the spa offers an extensive list of treatments to soothe your soul and pamper any of your golf aches and pains. 

On site, Foley Wines has an elegant tasting room with many of their great wines and daily wine tastings and a knowledgeable staff of wine lovers. If you purchase one of their great wines, you can bring it to dinner for a $15 corking fee. 

Angel Oak is their new restaurant that just opened 1 month ago. Like an eagle, it proudly sits high above the ocean with spectacular vistas and sunsets. We ate on the patio of this great place and enjoyed a knowledgeable, attentive and happy wait staff feeling lucky to be working at this beautiful restaurant. They have an extensive wine and drink selection and blankets and gas heaters provided if it gets too cool. 

We began this foodie experience ordering one of their specialty cocktails called "Smoke On The Water." It is fabulous and finished tableside  with Woodford Reserve Select Barrel, Apple Brandy, Creme De Noyaux, All Spice, Smoked With Cherry Wood. 

Chef Alexander Bollinger recommended we try the bone marrow for an appetizer. We were not disappointed as it was cooked to perfection with oxtail marmalade, pistachio gremolata, herbs and grilled sourdough.

There is a wide variety of steaks and seafood dishes all served with warm homemade rolls and house butter made with coriander-lime-espelette or truffle and herb. 

We chose to dine on the light side ordering a jumbo shrimp cocktail with 3 large shrimp served on a bed of popcorn, Caesar salad with Pecorino Romano, boquerones, radishes and herbs. We also tried the French Onion soup served steaming hot with a variety of imported cheeses that was the best we have ever experienced. 

Since it was Linda's birthday we were advised to try their famous candy bar desert. It was presented with a birthday candle and happy birthday written in chocolate gracing the plate. It is dark chocolate cremeaux, peanut butter crunch and salted caramel ice cream that was fabulous. The couple seated next to us ordered Baked Alaska flamed at table side with toasted coconut ice cream, strawberry elderflower gel and grand mariner that added to the fun of this special foodie experience.

We would highly recommend this resort and on your way home to stop at one of the 200 wineries making great juice in Paso Robles only 2 hours away. 

For more information go to:

http://meritagecollection.com/bacararesort/

Palmaz Vineyards.. "Passionate Pursuit Of Perfection"

In an effort to dine at all 3000 San  Francisco restaurants(800 and counting) and visit all 600 Napa wineries(350 and counting), my wife Linda and I recently returned to Palmaz Vineyards. We shared this "special wine experience" with our Danville wine and foodie friends Ron and Josiane Hable.

We met this warm and passionate wine family many years ago and their spectacular story is unique and impressive.   We had the pleasure to travel with Julio, his wife Amalia and daughter Florencia on a fabulous trip to South America in 2013 .  The wine cruise sailed from the 2016 Olympics town of Rio De Janerio down the coast ending in the vibrant city of Buenos Aires. The trip included fabulous private wine dinners  served on the attentive Silver Seas Cruise Line.  The trip was highlighted with an elegant luncheon and day of "fun in the sun" at the Palmaz oceanfront summer home in Punta de Este, Uruguay. 

Palmaz Vineyards features over 100,000 square feet of caves and a gravity feed winemaking system that produces high quality wines. In addition to quarterly shipments of wines, their wine club members enjoy elegant theme parties throughout the year.  Upon joining  the wine club, you receive an Argentinean Gaucho facon, a  silver personal steak knife, that can be used at the Palmaz Winery annual Asado barbecue.

From the web site:

"Julio Palmaz was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Julio invented the Palmaz Coronary Stent, a device that revolutionized medicine. (Artifacts related to his research now sit in the Smithsonian Institution’s medical collection.) Having moved to the United States from Argentina in the late 1970s to pursue medical research at a notable institution, Julio completed his residency at the University of California, Davis, where his passion for wine first emerged. To unwind on weekends, Julio and his wife, Amalia, would drive through Napa in a white Triumph Spitfire, visiting wineries and restaurants. “I had wanted to make my own wines since my days at U.C. Davis,” he would later say. “And where better to make the best wine in the world than Napa Valley?”

Our host for this tour and elegant tasting was Nick Woodhams. He reflects the "passionate pursuit of excellence" of the family and the entire staff. He proudly toured us through this high tech winery producing world class juice. Having been on this tour before, it is still very impressive. It was the first visit for our friends and they marveled at the attention to detail and gentle care of the precious grapes and gravity feed process. We learned  a tid bit about "Angels Share" of the wine which was fun to hear.  If you visit the winery make sure to ask your tour host what that means.

Following the tour, the tasting took place in an elegant tasting room overlooking the 600 aces of heavenly beauty and paired with carefully selected foods. The long wood table was accented with fresh flowers and a  high tech presentation of each wine.  We began with the 2014 Amalia Chardonnay that was chilled perfectly and paired with Edamame Purée and Piave Vecchio Curls and Hawaiian Sea Salt.

The next selection was the 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon. It is 97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2 % Petite Verdot and 1& Cabernet Franc. It was perfectly paired with a bite of a smoked duck breast with cream cheese and fig preserves.

The 2012 Cabernet was next and a blend of 96% Cabernet, 3% Petite Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc. Vineyard Pasty Twigs with olive, garlic and Parmesan added to the this bold and beautiful wine. The final taste was 2014 Florencia Muscat paired with fresh goat milk cheese with apricots on a short bread cookie that was sensational. A dark chocolate truffle completed this elegant tasting experience.  We enjoyed all the wines and took a few of each back to Danville with us. We also took a bottle of olive oil that is supposed to be fantastic

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In conclusion, this winery is very very "special" and well worth making an appointment to visit.
  
For more information go to  https://www.palmazvineyards.com

"Lake Tahoe Edgewood Country Club Hosts Super Bowl Of Celebrity Golf"

In an effort to dine at all 3000 San Francisco restaurants(800 and counting) and visit all 600 Napa wineries(350 and counting), my wife Linda and I will travel to beautiful Lake Tahoe.

Edgewood Country Club hosts the American Century Celebrity Golf tournament and this year is number 28. The golf course is a slice of heaven located on the shores of beautiful Lake Tahoe. The tournament gets bigger every year with 80 famous sports celebrities and movie stars trying to win the $125,000 first place prize. 

For the past 15 years, I have been playing in the Celebrity Pro Am  with many interesting people like Alphonso Riberio ala "Fresh Prince", 5 time Champion Dan Quinn, Hall of Famer Tim Brown, and  Super Bowl MVP Joe Theisman to name a few.

I am given Celebrity names prior to the tournament and our son, MJ, chooses the celebrity and rides with him/her during the tournament.  Last year we played  with former Olympic Tennis Star, Mardy Fish, who is also a great golfer and one of the favorites to win. He finished second to Michigan State Spartan Mark Mulder who was also a great pitcher for the Oakland A's. This is the second year that he won the tournament and we hope  to play with him. 

My foodie and avid golfer friend from Chicago Brad Browder is also joining us again this year. 

Linda and her friends have an annual tradition to play Edgewood the Monday before the tournament begins. We enjoy our traditional lunch on the patio of Brooks Bar at Edgewood that is fueled by their famous mojitos.  Brooks Bar overlooks the lake and the famous 18th hole pond ala "Lake Lambier" named after Detroit  Piston Basketball player  Bill Lambier when he deposited a lot of balls a few years ago.  Brooks Bar has also been named as one of the best 19th hole bars in America.

A new tradition this year is staying at the grand opening of Edgewood Lodge, a magnificent 151 room 100 million dollar development right on Lake Tahoe and next to the golf course. We will also have a dinner there the nigh before the pro-am and start a new tradition. 

Another tradition is dinner at Friday Station on the top of Harrah's Hotel. It has spectacular sunsets and full of celebrities enjoying the great service and fantastic food.  Many of the waiters have worked there over 25 years. They are  professionally dressed in black tuxedos and intent on making your eating experience a memorable one.  It is no wonder many of them have worked there such a long time as the spectacular sunsets over Lake Tahoe each evening make for a soothing working environment  and "I love my job" attitude. 

The event is also televised on NBC. NBC has just renewed their contract through 2022. Watching it on TV is great but attending the tournament is much more fun.

It is also fun to watch your favorite sports and movie stars try to master the difficult game of golf.  In addition, the deep blue lake guarded by towering pines and snow capped mountains feels like being in heaven. It is no wonder the nearby ski slopes are named Heavenly Valley. 

In conclusion, mark your calendar for July 10-18 in 2018. For more information, go to:

http://tahoesouth.com/events/american-century-celebrity-golf-championship/