To Brie or Not to Brie The first time dining at Thomas Keller’s famous Napa Valley 3-Star Michelin rated restaurant, The French Laundry, was a culinary experience like no other. I was nervous as this was my first 3-Star Michelin restaurant, and I didn’t know what to expect. I had only heard stories built upon hearsay and reputation, and when I sat down and the service began, I finally felt comfortable enough to loosen my tie a bit and enjoy the ride. The reputation certainly held up: the dishes were delectable, the service impeccable, and the entire journey was decadent. I loved it, but I had unanswered questions—one of them being where they got their fantastic butter from. It was rich and creamy (yet light in texture) with full flavor characteristics I had never encountered before. I inquired and asked many people for this information to no avail. Finally I got the gold nugget of information I had been searching for: Animal Farm’s butter produced by Diane St. Clair from Orwell, Vermont! “Cream from her
As I’m still coming back down to Earth two weeks after the legendary NYC Robert Parker Matter of Taste event, I find myself experiencing exhilaration and a sense of validation for pursuing my life dream of winemaking. Make no mistake, people still struggle pronouncing my last name, and in the grand scheme of things I’m still the new kid on the block. However, after participating in the recent Matter of Taste events, I have a renewed excitement for winemaking––and I’d like to share with you how that whole story unfolded. A month ago, I was invited to participate in Robert Parker’s Matter of Taste event in London, then two weeks later was invited to participate in the same event in NYC (which required a 95 or above rating by The Wine Advocate to attend). I’m not just honored to have participated, but also feel rejuvenated with self-assurance as though returning from a meditation retreat with Gandhi. I finally got to meet, not just a wine god, but THE wine god: Robert Parker himself. He is
I usually only write about wine related topics, but a week ago my mind was absolutely blown away with a 17-course meal that was so divine, I’m still lost in euphoria. My palate was equally mesmerized as it is with the finest of wines, and to put it quite simply, IT. WAS. THE. BEST. MEAL. OF. MY. LIFE! The experience was so revolutionary and mind-bendingly complex, it reminded me of my first “Aha moment” with wine (which I elaborated on HERE). As I’ve gotten older, it’s harder to wow me like the old days. One might say I’ve sadly become more jaded over the years, so when something like this occurs with either food or wine, you need to recognize why this occurred and how lucky you are to have experienced something like this again. Calling this meal “special” would be an understatement; it was empyreal! The chef integrated a level of fun, choreographed semi-loud rock and roll for each dish, and fine cuisine that spoke deeply to the core of my soul. On Thursday September
What exactly makes a vintage “epic” or “historic?” What’s the secret special sauce that promotes it from ordinary to extraordinary? People hail Bordeaux’s 1982 vintage as if though it were a magical celestial event where the stars and constellations aligned, unlocking another dimensional realm allowing unicorns to sprinkle rainbows and fairy dust into those wines. I may be over exaggerating just a little bit, but seriously, what was it about the ’82 vintage that made it so significant in comparison to its neighboring vintages? We still hear about it to this day. As a Napa Valley vintner, I’m fortunate and blessed to have experienced amazing vintages almost every year. In my opinion, our prestigious older sibling Bordeaux arguably has two fantastic vintages in a decade (interestingly, over the past quarter century the year usually ended in a five or a zero) with eight vintages being “just okay.” Napa is the exact inverse with eight great vintages and two lackluster ones per decade. Mother Nature works in mysterious ways and has a lot to do with
Hertelendy Vineyards 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley People commonly ask me when they should drink Hertelendy wines. It’s a great question that does not have any easy, one-size-fits-all type of answer since everyone’s palate is completely different. Wine is liquid art—just like how you may have an affinity for Picasso’s artwork, someone else might think a kindergartener painted it, having his “genius” go over their heads (which I’m totally guilty of). The best way to go about answering this question is to begin by breaking down people’s palates into three categories: youthful (0-5 years), middle-of-the-road (5-10 years), and vintage (10+ years). I acknowledge that I have a different palate than many other wine enthusiasts. I personally LOVE to drink young wines and decant them for 1-4 hours (or sometimes even days like with a Barolo). I’ve even gone to sacrilegious extremes with hyper-decanting (i.e. putting wines into the…ahem…blender) super late at night when I’m with friends, and we lack the time to properly decant. There is an art of knowing when to drink your wines
Vandalism was a common sight on these signs. With the exception of some of Napa’s diehards, my guess is that June 5th’s Measure C wasn’t a major concern amongst voters on this year’s ballot. However, for those of us that live and/or work in Napa Valley, it was a dividing line amongst neighbors. We had to choose if we fell under the category of environmentalist or agriculturalist. Driving along Highway 29, signs that read “Yes on C” and “No on C” sprinkled fences with competing slogans that urged you to protect the environment or protect Napa. These same signs were vandalized and stolen from private properties, Facebook arguments ensued, and friendships amongst neighbors were broken. This picture was taken just after this sign was taken down. As a self-proclaimed environmentalist, when I first heard about Measure C, it seemed like a simple choice to support the measure, and when the Napa Valley Vintners originally named their support for the measure, I figured I’d follow their lead without looking into it too much. As it turns
Hello Friend, You may or may not know me, but I’m Ralph Hertelendy, founder and vintner of Hertelendy Vineyards. I wanted to share my insights with those who are not necessarily in the wine industry because it’s a constant roller-coaster ride and it is not what it may always seem to be. There are extreme highs and lows in this industry, and the public only sees the picture of what we want them to see. I strongly believe in connecting and engaging with people either personably or through wine experiences. That’s why I’ve chosen to go the extra length to create this blog to share my experiences. I may go against the grain and veer against the norm (as I tend not to follow the rules), and that’s why I’ve named this blog: “Vintner’s Veer.” I thought, why not go the extra step further and share the ride so you may live vicariously as I showcase experiences throughout this journey. Many people I encounter tell me that “I’m living the dream” and assume that everything
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