The new year has officially begun but warm memories linger as I
think about the wonderful holiday just spent with loved ones. As is
common to most families, my family relationships can be messy at
times, but in the end, I realize how tremendously blessed I am to
have them.
So Im still thinking about my familys annual Dungeness Crab
Cioppino with angel hair pasta dinner – as we have every Christmas
according to our Italian heritage. We squeezed 14 people around the
dinner table, holding hands in prayer. Then, with each hand, we
grabbed the end of a popper and at the count of three, pulled our
respective ends. Tiny toys and paper hats flew everywhere. Amid the
hilarity, we donned our differently colored paper hats and dug into
the huge bowls of crab. Like our relationships it was a messy – but
entirely enjoyable – affair.
We washed down the crab and pasta with a selection of wines -
both white and red. I kept an eye on the bottles that were poured
the most and noticed three that emptied out first: the Fetzer
Riesling (Safeway $6.99), the Taz Pinot Noir (Costco, $12.99) and
the Opolo Mountain Zinfandel (Bevmo, $24.99).
The Fetzer Riesling was popular with the appetizers of spinach
and cheese phyllo spirals my sister made and Humboldt Fog cheese.
This Riesling is easy-to-drink, slightly sweet and nicely
balanced.
The Taz Pinot Noir is fantastic for the price – plenty of
strawberries with a sweet vanilla undertone. It complimented the
mild crab and the zesty marinara sauce.
The Opolo Mountain Zinfandel from Paso Robles was the knock-out
wine of the night – bursting with berries. Its an intensely
flavored wine with a smooth, round mouthfeel that everyone loves.
In fact, we went through two bottles of it. Many times, due to its
popularity, this wine is sold out in the stores and you will need
to wait until a new order arrives.
Local Winery Buzz
My family and I rang in the New Year in Capitola, the oldest
beach resort on the West Coast and only a 45-minute drive from the
South Bay. The village, as the locals refer to the small
downtown, is a gem of a weekend getaway. Everyone is out riding
bikes, walking dogs, pushing baby strollers and toting fishing
poles to try their luck on the wharf. Capitola Village boasts
trendy shops, up-scale restaurants and several great wine-tasting
bars – all within a couple of easy-to-walk blocks.
Although the Armida Winery tasting room, from Healdsburg, pours
a wonderful selection of reds and whites, they are especially
well-known for their zinfandels. One of their most popular
zinfandels is called Poizin – The Wine to Die For. My favorites
are the Il Campo Estate Field Blend Zinfandel and the Maple
Vineyards Zinfandel. Stop by and say hello to Sebastian, the
friendliest and most knowledgeable wine pourer in town.
We walked a few steps down the street to Cava Wine Bar, owned by
Cliff Livingston and Bob Holleran. Cava Wine Bar is located a
half-block from the beach and offers imaginative wine-flights,
wines by the glass and gourmet appetizers. The marinated white
Spanish anchovies with Manchego cheese and olives are excellent
with their Mel Blancos – Sauvignon Blanc wine flight. They also
sell the wildly popular Opolo Mountain Zinfandel by the glass.
Knowledgeable and friendly staff, generous pours and live music
make Cava a favorite hangout for locals.
Its Wine Tyme, Capitolas newest wine bar, opened just in time
for the holidays and is owned by Tina Metzger. Its Wine Tyme is a
friendly and fun place to sample a great selection of wine, beer
and nibbles and enjoy the HDTV and free Wi-Fi. Frequent customers
get their own wine glass with their name on it. I thoroughly
enjoyed a glass of The Offering, a Rhone blend from Santa Barbara
with notes of cherries, sweet herbs and spices.