Torrey Pines 2021: 121st US Open

Torrey Pines is a special place for our family. In 2008, we were the guests of the Golf Channel to the US Open Championship as a result of MJ winning the Father’s Day Essay Contest. Tiger Woods dramatic win in a playoff against Rocco Mediate is arguably one of his best victories. He played virtually on one leg as a result of a painful knee injury.  MJ's essay was selected from 25,000 entries. He also won merchandise including a set of custom-made Taylor Made golf clubs and pro bag with his name on it.  His win put us on national television on Father’s Day. It is an eternal memory in our rich memory bank.

As a Hall-of-Famer golfer, MJ was invited by the USGA to attend the 2021 US Open Championship this year.  Torrey Pines is a slice of heaven with 2 great courses flanking the great blue Pacific.

We stayed at the nearby Hilton Torrey Pines. It is a fantastic facility with stellar service, multiple restaurants, pool, spa and balcony rooms with heavenly views of the manicured golf course and hang gliders soaring over the majestic cliffs and ‘deep blue’ Pacific Ocean.

This year was also very special as the golfers enjoyed perfect weather and challenging conditions with the golf course playing 7800 yards, lightning-fast greens and a penal rough for wayward golf shots.

It was a battle to the end with Jon Rahm winning by one stroke and being crowned the 2021 US Open Champion with a score of minus 6. It was only fitting after being disqualified the week before as a result of testing positive for Covid.  He also proposed to his wife on the 18th hole last year.

Here is MJ's winning essay. It had to be 200 words or less. The words are ‘inspiring’ for any golfer or any person.   Enjoy

Golf Channel Winning Father’s Day Essay 2008 US Open Torrey Pines

By Michael (MJ) McColgan

I have been playing golf since I was 5 years old.

Having been born with a walking disability, my Dad taught me to focus on my ability and not my disability.

As a result, I have won 7 straight Northern California Special Olympics State Championships, 3 National Championships, and been inducted into 2 Hall of Fames—2004 San Francisco Tri Valley and 2006 Michigan having been born there.

My Dad taught me that golf, like life, is a hard game but with a positive attitude, proper instruction and a will to win, anything can and will happen. In a round of golf, never-never give up.

He also told me to enjoy the beauty and many friends I will make in this game. He often told me that one could go out as a single player and meet three strangers on the first tee and by the end of the round be friends for life.

Finally, he taught me to never get nervous on the first tee. Like life, getting off to a good start is very important.

Thanks Dad!

 

Theorem: Diamond Mountain Gem

Recently, we had the pleasure to visit Theorem Vineyards on the Northern Slope of Diamond Mountain.

Theorem Vineyards officially opened its doors on September 15, 2018. Tastings and tours began featuring their fine wines and extraordinary views.  Tastings are limited to a few people at a time and are by appointment only.

Owners of the property- The Itkins — he a trial lawyer and she a geophysicist/chemical engineer — first came to the Napa Valley in 2008. Theorem boasts 60 heavenly hillside acres on Diamond Mountain that produce world class wine with the motto “in truth there is wine.”

 

Our host James Cerda, VP of Sales and Marketing, welcomed us with chilled glasses of Sauvignon Blanc. We enjoyed tasting these wines outside the guest house with an outstanding view of Mt. St. Helena and the Vaca Mountains. The rebuilding of a 19^th century historic dairy barn on the property is currently the newest construction project which will provide yet another tasting area for visiting wine lovers.

 

We tasted the estate cabernet, called Voir Dire, which is a legal term originally referring to the oath taken by jurors “to speak the truth.”.  We also tasted the 2019 Moon Mountain Chardonnay, 2018 Moon Mountain District Cabernet, 2018 Hawks Prey Cabernet,   These wines were paired perfectly with Cabot Clothbound Cheddar Cheese from Vermont, Mount Tam Cheese from Petaluma, and Chiraboga Blue Cheese from Bavaria, Germany.

 

We enjoyed all of the wines and took a bottle of each home with us. We also booked a reservation to attend one of their private luncheons prepared by Chef Josh Mitchell. 

 

This winery is a ‘must do’ and is a great addition to the Napa wine scene. 

 

For more information and to make a reservation go to: 

 

https://www.theoremvineyards.com/

 

Gandona Estate: A Must Do Napa Experience

 

Manuel Pires has farming in his blood and is living his “Dream”. A Connecticut native, originally born in Douro Valley, Portugal, he made his fortune in guard tour and key management systems. The story of Gandona is rooted in transforming the land into something extraordinary.  The site is located on prestigious Pritchard Hill with 120 acres and sensational views of Lake Hennessy and the Napa Valley.  The winery was completed in 2010 and wines are barrel-aged in the caves located within Pritchard Hill’s rocky interior. Renowned winemaker Phillipe Melka crafts the Gandona wines. Wine neighbors include cult wines Colgin and Chappellet..

The name Gandona was Manuel’s grandfather’s nickname as known by villagers. He did many acts of “kindness” for the locals in his hometown. In English the word gandona translates to ‘humble man’.

Our hosts were Estate Director Peter Greerty and owner Manuel Pires. We began with a stroll around this heavenly property enjoying a glass of Rose Cabernet Franc. We then moved to the elegant tasting room with sensational views of Lake Hennessy.  Part of the charm of the tasting room in the winery is the black and white stone flooring patterned in a wave. It is a pattern that was inspired from 1849 in Lisbon’s Rossio Square. This wave pattern atlternates black and white waves composed of small stones cut and laid by hand by a team of craftsmen from Portugal.

We tasted the 2017 Chardonnay Encosta, 2018 Meia (95%Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon), 2016 Encosta (76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petite Verdot) and 2016 and 2012 Gandona (100% Cabernet Sauvignon). Each of these wines were crafted to the high winemaking standards of Phillipe Melka.  We completed the tasting with the 2013 Gandona Fraga Do Arco Port. It had the aromatics of black currants, raspberries and hints of herbs and licorice. We enjoyed all of them and took a bottle of each home with us

The wines reflect the beauty of this sensational piece of property. It is a ‘must do’ to add to your Napa Wine Experiences.

 For more information and to make a reservation go to:

www.Gandona.com

 

Sensational Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa

 

We recently had the pleasure to travel to Sonoma and stay at the fabulous Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa.  From our home in Danville, it is an easy 1-hour picturesque drive.

Upon arrival at the Fairmont Sonoma, guests are welcomed with a glass of perfectly chilled Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut from their champagne cart that is proudly displayed out front. It is a great way to begin a magical stay at this elegant Sonoma oasis. The iconic Hotel is within a 10-minute drive of Sonoma Plaza and Mission San Francisco Solano, 3.5 miles from Sonoma Train Town Railroad and 11.1 miles from Domaine Carneros.  The world seems far away which is the whole idea of this laidback yet elegant resort.

 

The resort’s 226 rooms are nestled in the trees and have private outdoor areas that provide for the ultimate in relaxation. The décor is Spanish Mission inspired style with dark wood, stone floors and warming fireplaces scattered around the property and in the rooms. The grounds include a pool with cabanas and a bar. The full-service spa has several different treatment selections including massages, facials and its own source of thermal mineral water.

 

Complimentary Wine tasting is featured at 4:30 in the lobby from various local wineries each day.  Food and drink feature prominently at the Restaurant Sante where we experienced an upscale dinner prepared for us by Chef Jared Reeves. Scallops, Blackened Cod and a wonderful dessert selection provided for a perfect end to our day.

 

The next day we played the Sonoma Golf Club winding through this sensational property. It was in pristine condition and had a variety of tees to challenge all golfing skills. The course was designed in 1928 by Sam Whiting, architect of San Francisco's prestigious Olympic Club Lake Course.  The Sonoma Golf Club was the former home of the PGA Champions Tour Charles Schwab Cup Championship. The golf experience is set on 177 acres of rolling terrain highlighted by massive oaks, lakes and sweeping vistas, and neighboring vineyards.  Golf at Sonoma Golf Club is reserved exclusively for Sonoma Golf Club Members and guests of the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa.

 

For dinner, we enjoyed great food and superior service at the highly acclaimed Girl and the Fig in downtown Sonoma. We were not disappointed and enjoyed watching many ‘happy’ people strolling around the Sonoma square without masks.

 

In conclusion, the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa is a great place to enjoy a long weekend and break from the stress and rigors of daily life.  The service staff, accommodations, world class spa and restaurants are all first class. The staff is very friendly and makes guests feel very special.

 

It is definitely a ‘must do’ to add to your bucket list. The best part is that it is a short drive from our community in Danville.

 

For more information and to make reservations go to:

https://www.fairmont.com/sonoma/

 

Round Pond Estate: Rutherford Gem

 

Recently we had the pleasure of visiting Round Pond Estate located in Rutherford.

In the early 1980's, Bob and Jan MacDonald bought this rich, and fertile piece of 460 acres overlooking the Mayacamas mountains. Today brother and sister Ryan and Miles MacDonnell continue the dream of their parents, making world class wines.

We were escorted to the second story of the winery to the tasting lounge which is a covered terrace with panoramic views of the vineyards.  Our host was Victoria, who was born and raised in this beautiful part of the world, and generous with her wealth of wine knowledge.

Estate Chef Ryan Searl created an elaborate gourmet food board to enjoy with these fine wines. We especially enjoyed the ‘barely buzzed’ cheese that went well with the wines.

We started the tasting with the 2019 Proprietary White Wine that was a perfect blend of 73% Semillion and 27% Viognier. Next was the 2018 Super Proprietary Tuscan Blend with 54% Sangiovese and 46% Cabernet that was a medium body wine with an eloquent expresso finish. Finally, we tasted the 2017 Bovet Reserve 100% Cabernet with dark fruit and supple firm tannins recently rated at 97 points.

All of the wines were fantastic but we especially liked the Proprietary White and Super Tuscan and took a couple bottles of each back home with us.

Finally, Round Pond has their own Olive Mill where they freshly press the olives to produce wonderful aromatics and fresh flavors.  We took home a bottle of their Meyer Lemon Olive Oil made from their 2400 Olive trees gracing this spectacular piece of wine heaven

This winery is first class and a ‘must do’ to add to your Napa wine bucket list.

For more information and to make a reservation go to:

https://www.roundpond.com/

 

Las Vegas: Bellagio Hotel and Exclusive Shadow Creek Golf Course

Recently, we had the pleasure of playing the exclusive

                 “Shadow Creek Golf Course “ 

in the ‘city that never sleeps’, Las Vegas, and staying at the famous Bellagio Hotel. 

Southwest Airlines offers a great selection of 1.5 hour direct flights from the Oakland airport.

The famous Bellagio Hotel is a 5 minute drive from the airport. Bellagio means ‘elegant relaxation’ and is named after a town in Lake Como, Italy. It is known for its 8-acre lake with multi-colored waterfalls that dance to perfectly choreographed music.

This massive hotel is a Las Vegas favorite living up to its billing of ‘elegant relaxation’ with  stately appointed rooms, multiple restaurants, pools, spa, entertainment and a first-class service staff.

The ‘dancing waterfalls’ are very soothing to your soul and attract many people to enjoy the 24 hour show on the Las Vegas strip.

After checking in, we enjoyed a great dinner at Gordon Ramsey’s English Pub at nearby Caesars Palace. This was our second Ramsey experience as we also ate at his Black Cat restaurant in London. We were not disappointed and enjoyed great service and food in a casual atmosphere at his pub.

On another night, we enjoyed great service and a fabulous Italian dinner with a very good international and domestic wine list at famous Rao’s also located at Caesars Palace. The meatballs and lemon chicken are not to be missed. The cannoli for dessert was one of the best we have experienced!

We had the pleasure of playing the Tom Fazio designed 7500 yard masterpiece Shadow Creek Golf Course. Originally built by casino owner Steve Wynn, it has hosted many famous celebrities, Presidents and golfers on its hallowed grounds.  

Recently, Phil Mickelson beat Tiger Woods in a 4-hole sudden death $10 million match.  In 2020, long hitting Jason Kokrak won his first PGA tour event in a star studded field CJ cup that was moved to Las Vegas due to Covid travel issues.

Your exclusive golf experience begins when a Limo picks you up at your hotel and takes you to the course. The 7500 yard golf wonderland has multiple tees to challenge any golfing skill level.

Long time General Manager, Monte Montgomery, assigned us to a famous caddy named Bogey, who navigated us around this meticulously manicured slice of golf heaven.

Every hole can be considered a signature hole. Bogey’s stories of many famous people playing here were also interesting and entertaining.

When we asked him who was his favorite person to caddy for, he said very politely, “aside from Linda and Mike today, I really enjoyed Mark Wahlberg, Justin Timberlake and President Obama. “

You can play this formerly very private course if you stay at one of the MGM resorts. MGM purchased this heavenly property a few years ago. It is truly a ‘must do’ bucket list experience for the avid golfer. 

For more information go to:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadow_Creek_Golf_Course

Faust Wines: A Napa Treasure

Recently, we had the pleasure of visiting Faust Wines. These high-quality wines showcase what makes the Coombsville Region so special.

Faust is part of a winery/brand portfolio owned by Huneeus Vinters including Napa based Quintessa.

The Faust House is one of Napa’s newest tasting rooms that opened in 2020.There is a refurbished 1870s Victorian Mansion and outdoor shaded patio areas overlooking terraced vineyards where we enjoyed these great wines.

The mansion’s lavish interiors are meant to recall its namesake Dr. Faustus, the literary character who made a pact with the devil.

Nate, assistant guest services manager showed us the lower- level speakeasy. Supposedly, it is haunted by 3 ghosts-August, Joanna and Mary.  As the story goes, August liked whiskey and as a result they keep a bottle of Jameson always open for him.

Our knowledgeable and energetic host today was Ty. He did a great job telling us about the wine and the snack pairing that went with the wine.

We enjoyed a sensational sun splashed day on the patio overlooking Napa. We began with a refreshing Sauvignon Blanc, followed by the 2016 ‘The Hour’ a unique blend of Merlot and Petite Sirah.  We concluded with an elegant 2016 and 2018 ‘The Pact’ 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon. We especially liked the 2016 Hourd and 2016 100 percent Cabernet. One bottle of each went home to Danville with us.

This winery is a ‘must do’ to add to your Napa wine tasting bucket list.

For more information and to make an appointment, go to: https://faustwines.com/

Sullivan Rutherford Estate: Established in 1972

Recently, we had the pleasure of visiting Sullivan Rutherford Estate sitting on 26 acres of beauty in the heart of Napa.  It is a boutique winery that has been making Bordeaux style wines since 1972.

James (Jim) O’Neil Sullivan founded this  winery and his vision of making world class wines continued when the winery was sold in 2018.

Now under the guidance of Juan Pablo Torres Padilla, this winery continues their ‘quest to be the best’.

Our host today was Laura.  She met us with a great smile and two glasses of Chardonnay when we arrived. Her passion and proud description of these great wines made for a very enjoyable day.

In addition to the 2018 Chardonnay, we tasted the 2016 Coeur Du Vigne, 2016 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, 2015 James O’Neil Merlot and 2015 James O’Neil Cabernet Sauvignon.

We especially enjoyed the 2016 Coeur Du Vigne which was a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec and 2% Petite Verdot.  

The label on the  bottle is also graced with a  colorful painting by James O’Neil’s daughter. We took a couple of bottles home with us.

The peaceful, pastoral setting and perfectly manicured grounds reminded us of being in Ireland. This is a ‘must do’ Napa wine experience. 

For more information and to make an appointment go to: Sullivanwine.com

Oakville Grocery: Established 1881

In our quest to visit 600 wineries in Napa, we enjoy having lunch at one of the many great Napa restaurants after our tastings.

One of our favorite places is the Oakville Grocery that was established in 1881. The owner of Raymond Vineyards Jean-Charles Boisset has continued to make the Oakville Grocery a popular place to enjoy lunch on one of their many picnic tables and taste wines in their elaborate tasting room and museum.

Wood fired pizzas, salads and a variety of sandwiches make for a great Napa experience. We especially enjoy their Muffuletta sandwich.

If you are a Raymond member ,as we are, you also qualify for a discount.

In addition, you get a complimentary glass of Raymond wine poured from their high tech perfectly temperature controlled dispensers.

We enjoyed their ‘1881‘ Cabernet that paired well with our Muffuletta sandwich and is only sold at the grocery.

There are also many other great wines to taste or purchase.
The dispensers hold 4 bottles of wine and one had 4 bottles of ‘100’ point wines you could taste.

We also learned in the near future you will be able to taste world famous and sensational “Screaming  Eagle‘ wine.

In conclusion, Oakville Grocery is a ‘must do’ experience for great food and wines after a day of visiting Napa wineries.

For more information go to:
https://oakvillegrocery.com/

VGS Chateau Potelle: Premium Wine and Food Tasting Experience

Recently, we had the pleasure of visiting VGS Chateau Potelle and enjoy their premium wine and food pairing experience located in the heart of St. Helena.  French winemaker Jean-Noel Fourmeaux was sent to the Napa Valley by the French government in 1980, shortly after the Paris Tasting in 1976, to “spy” for 6 months. He was the son of a Bordeaux winemaker, and he sent a telegram home saying: “Looks good, I stay.” VGS (Very good shit) Jean-Noel Fourmeaux was enticed by the richness of the Napa Valley fruit. He admired the freedom given to California winemakers that allowed for great creativity and expression.  Hence the name of the winery evolved as VGS Chateau Potelle.

The wines were perfectly paired from Chef Ken Frank Michelin star rated La Toque restaurant in Napa.

Our host today was Luis. His knowledge and passion for these great wines made for a very enjoyable day.

We began the tasting with a 2018 Chardonnay paired with a vichyssoise soup with chive oil and a crispy potato. The VGS 2018 100% Zinfandel was next with a duck rillette with fig, pickled plums and tarragon.  Next was VGS Potelle Two with a blend of 36% Cabernet Sauvignon,44% Grenache,16% Petite Sirah and 14% Merlot. It was paired with a Moroccan Spiced Lamb Loin with eggplant purée and pansisse cake.  The final taste was the 2017 VGS Cabernet Sauvignon. It was 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Malbec and paired with beef loin with choucroute duxelles and garlic aioli on fried rye. All the wines were great and the food pairings very well thought out and sensational.

We especially enjoyed the VGS Potelle Two and took 2 bottles home with us. 

We would highly recommend this wine and food pairing experience.

For more information and to make an appointment go to:
https://www.vgschateaupotelle.com/