Burger Heaven

Memorial Day weekend brings barbeque season into full swing. Whether you’re a fan of beef, pork, chicken, veggies or all of the above it’s a time of year full of fabulous grilled food and even more fun. Tonight, the hubby and I will indulge in a little barbeque pork paired with pinot, but while planning the menu there was talk of burgers which made me remember my two very different burger experiences while in wine country. Both burger indulgences were tasty, one being a well known outpost and the other being a local and tourist favorite.

The first experience and less well known was at Taylor’s Automatic Refresher, shortened to Taylor’s Refresher and is a must stop for anyone in wine country. The original located in St. Helena opened in 1949. The concept, uniforms and seating is old school but the food is anything but! Niman Ranch beef, Ahi tuna burgers, all natural chicken, fish tacos, garlic and sweet potato fries, there truly is something for everyone. Wash it all down with a local beer, glass of wine or a white pistachio shake. So, after many recommendations and driving by a few times, the hubby and I decided we had to try these famous burgers. Now of course we wanted to try a little of everything, so the order: two burgers, chili cheese fries, garlic fries, onions rings, white pistachio shake and a soda. Yes, it was a ton of food, but we had just heard about so many items that we jumped in head first. Every bite and sip was delicious, fantastic and fresh, as you can see, but what did set the experience apart was definitely the price. Granted we did get enough food for ourselves and a small village but the hubby definitely did a double take when the cashier said $22, but what was even more astounding … he didn’t hear correctly and the bill was $42, YIKES!!!! But, vacation is for indulging and the food was all worth it.

(serious garlic fries)


The second burger experience included a little burger chain … In-N-Out Burger. On my many trips out west I have never had the opportunity to indulge in this well known classic stop and with this being the hubby’s first trip, it was a must. Also started in the 40’s In-N-Out Burger is about the freshest ingredients and to this day the french fries are still made in house and you can watch them being cut. I consider myself a fry expert and while Taylor's Refresher had all the flavors, you could taste the aspect that the fries from In-N-Out were not out of a bag! A little less food and a fraction of the cost, In-N-Out Burger lived up to the stories and fame and was another magnificent burger experience.


We enjoyed two different burgers and very different price points but each worth every bite.

A Day of Malbec

For those that know my love of wine, they also know that I have quite a soft spot for wine from Argentina. The adoration of the vine from this beautiful country is a layered one, from the fabulous wine makers I have met to the extraordinary elevation, temperature and terrior that exists throughout so many vineyards. While many wine lovers may not be familiar with an array of Argentine wine, one name needs no introduction, Nicolás Catena (if you’re reading this, I hope it needs no introduction!). The Catena name is one that is synonymous with pioneering a movement into the world of wine.

The Catena winery is a family affair with Nicolás and daughter Laura (who also has her own artisanal line of wines under the Luca label which are super fantastic!) being involved in the final decision making of the Catena wines. Together with their vineyard management team, this father and daughter identify key microclimates and high altitudes to produce each of their wines. There are three levels of wines produced by Catena: Catena wines, Catena Alta wines and the top tier Catena Zapata. Within each of these tiers the varietal focus is on Chardonnay, Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon. Each of the wines are wonderful in their own right (and price point), the Catena Alta Chardonnay is a real treat, at a fraction of the cost of some other new and old world Chardonnays.

Recently I had the opportunity to attend a component tasting for the Catena Alta Malbec, and once again the ground breaking family has impressed. I always love (infer disdain here) the individuals who say “Malbec is just a Bordeaux blending grape”. Sure in France, but take it across an ocean and introduce a few more thousand feet in elevation and you’ve got yourself a whole new ballgame, and grape!

The Catena Alta Malbec is made up of the same grape grown in five different lots within four vineyards, at different altitudes and thus different temperatures. The four vineyards that make up each of the components of the final product are: Angélica, La Pirámide, Nicasia, and Adrianna Lots nine and three. Each of the vineyards and lots are located at the following elevations above sea level: Angélica 2,850 feet, La Pirámide 3,100 feet, Nicasia 3,870, Adrianna Lot 9 4,600 feet and Lot 3 4,725 feet. The first two vineyards at the lower altitudes make up about 15 – 20% of the final product, while the last three components make up 70 – 80% depending upon the vintage. The Angélica component was predominantly fruit forward and did not have the high acidity, which makes sense, as it’s the vineyard with the lowest elevation. La Pirámide was less fruit forward and had a wonderful white pepper on the nose and palate. Both lots, nine and three from the Adrianna vineyard proved to add incredible acidity, structure and alcohol. The one component that really stood out was from Nicasia, as it had so many characteristics similar to a Syrah, and you definitely knew where the “backbone” was coming from in the final product. And the final product did not disappoint. Violets bound out of the glass, as well as a touch of cinnamon. This wine is incredibly supple on the palate, with a beautiful minerality that Argentina is known for in both red and white wine. The dark fruits, spice and chocolate make this a perfect wine to enjoy with dinner, and dessert. And of course, if you know Malbec you know it’s a perfect pairing with grilled beef, so grab a bottle on your way to the next BBQ. Cheers!

Wine Country Lunch

While traveling through wine country, there are definitely some of the most fabulous restaurants to choose from, and that’s in Yountville alone! Before our trip to the west coast, the hubbie and I held the Row Eleven wine dinner at the restaurant with president and wine maker Richard de los Reyes. The dinner was amazing and Richard shared with the hubbie a few of his favorite stops for lunch, one of which was Bistro Jeanty. We always jump on the recommendations of the locals and with that ,spent a glorious American afternoon, eating and drinking French.

James Beard nominee Philippe Jeanty is the man behind this cozy restaurant with lovely service and even better food. Hailing from Champagne, France Chef Jeanty shows his love for the seasons, as well as an inviting and welcoming environment. Our lunch was not a light one by any means, but perfect in every aspect.

Our lunch began with Crôutons de Foie Blond, duck foie gras paté with a port poached pear. There is no picture, as I do so try to diligently take, as it was so good, luscious and mesmerizing that I could not stop eating long enough to take a picture.

Our entrees consisted of a few classics. The hubbie had a rabbit sheppard’s pie with a horseradish, mashed potatoes crust. I fought for my one bight and it was as scrumptious as it looks.

I went serious old school style with mussels and frites. Mussels were cooked perfectly (and cleaned perfectly too, which is always a biggie for me!). The frites were fried to essential crispness and served with mayonnaise. Now, for some this seems odd for others it is the only thing frites should be served with and I must say it’s a nice European alternative to ketchup. And according to the hubbie, being able to make real, handmade mayonnaise is one of the essential foundations to being a chef.

So, while there are many famous restaurants throughout wine country take this recommendation from the hubbie and me, as well as a local and stop for lunch at Bistro Jeanty. Cheers!

Brown Estate

Last winter I had two fabulous wine lovers truly turn me onto Brown Estate Zinfandel. I say “truly” because while I was familiar with Brown Estate, I did not know the depths in which the Zinfandel went, until I tried their Zinfandel from Chiles Valley, and to be even more specific the 2002 vintage. Let’s just say that not all Zinfandels are created equal and the 2002 has all the beautiful aspects of Zin, but with the 2002 the spice has mellowed a bit and the wine has become amazingly lush.

With the power of social networking, I had the opportunity to visit Brown Estate on the recent trip out west. Brown Estate is a family owned and run operation that will celebrate thirty years in the Rutherford of Napa Valley. The first vintage of Zinfandel was released in 1996, followed by Cabernet Sauvignon in 2000 and finally in 2002 a small production of Chardonnay was added. Brown Estate also produces a few other gems, such as Chaos Theory, a Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel blend, a rosé and a port style wine, named Arrested Zinfandel which is a Double Estate Dessert wine.

Chaos Theory is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel, where rose petals and cloves bound out of the glass. There is a beautiful gamey aspect from the Cabernet Sauvignon that blends well with the elegance of the Zinfandel. This is a wine perfect with grilled meats to be enjoyed on a crisp, spring evening. The small production of Chardonnay has 25% aging in French oak, with no malolactic fermentation, allowing for creamy texture, bright acidity and wonderful tropical and citrus of pineapples and Meyer lemon. Arrested Zinfandel gets its name regarding that the Zinfandel is “arrested” by the addition of distilled spirits, namely a 153-proof brandy made from Brown Estate Zinfandel. Super concentrated black berries and black cherries abound, and this wine is a fantastic way to end a meal with any cheese you adore.

The Brown family was incredibly hospitable on our visit, with a tour of the grounds and new caves leading into the tasting room. President Celia Brown and Director of Sales and Marketing Coral Brown tell the family’s story and show the wines with such sincerity, that one really never wants to leave. Lastly, but absolutely not least, a huge thank you to Stefanie Kelly who made this fantastic visit possible. See for yourself below just how beautiful the Estate is, and you won’t want to leave either. Cheers!

A16 Brunch

We spent the morning at the Green City Market. It was the first Wednesday where everyone was back outside, and it felt great. Seeing all the farmer’s was fantastic, and so were the flavors and aromas, especially of the Italian garlic from Nichols Farms. The raw flavor reminded me of the brunch the hubbie and I had at A16 on our recent trip to San Francisco. A16 just received accolades from Food & Wine magazine for their recently published book. The book is fantastic and our brunch was even more so.

The hubbie deferred to me on the vino and since we knew we were sharing a multitude of Italian dishes, we definitely had to go Italian white. Chose a Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio DOC Campagna and it hit perfectly with many of our dishes.


First dish was poached eggs over chestnut polenta with a ricotta salsa. The chestnut polenta made this dish.

With our eggs, we also had mozzarella burrata with olive oil, sea salt and crostini. Simply perfect and delicious.

When we see goat on a menu, we are always intrigued and more often than not it always ends up on the table and this brunch was no exception. This dish was braised in a red sauce and was quite tender.

A16 has received a good amount of press on their pizzas, and it was the best part of our meal. We chose the Salsiccia: fennel sausage, spring onions, mozzarella, grana padana, garlic and chiles. We of course had to add an egg!


Just thinking of that pizza (and posting the picture) makes my mouth water and I cannot express enough, that it is as good as it looks.

I am not a dessert girl, I always opt for cheese instead of dessert, but at A16 a panna cotta caught my eye and choosing dessert was the way to go. Panna cotta and an apple and lemon empanada was fantastic!


So fantastic, we couldn’t wait to eat it before snapping a picture!

The brunch was amazing, and the memories along with spending this morning at Green City Market, makes me cherish this time of year and all of amazing foods we get to enjoy. Cheers!

On The Road Again ...

Most of April was spent on the road, between San Francisco, Sonoma and Napa Valley. A food and wine extravaganza that kept me away from the keyboard while enjoying the bounty of the west coast. But, we’re back (and the fiancé is now the husband!) and ready to share all of the fabulous experiences from the many tables we enjoyed. Stay tuned for all of the juicy tales of our road trip. Cheers!