The Diz-Wheat

Sq St Bernard et St Bernard de la Chapelle

"Oh, you're in the 18th? That area is so...... um, cosmopolitan!"  Yes, my friend's exclamation upon hearing of my new neighborhood in Paris would certainly be the word to describe the 18eme arrondissement.  Not quite the 'Sex and the City' type of cosmopolitan (although this side of Paris certainly feels more like New York than down along the Seine), but a true mélange of cultures from across the globe.  At the foot of Sacré-Coeur and Montmartre to the East, you will find residents from Senegal, New Delhi, Turkey, Morocco.  It's an area that is slowly becoming gentrified and invaded by Parisian hipsters looking for the next creative neighborhood, as well as young professionals and families looking to buy within the Paris Centre without paying 800,000€ for a 60 square meter apartment.  But today, it is still a true testament to the real underside of Paris.  Of course, up on Montmartre (also part of the 18eme), apartment prices are most likely approaching that range, since the area seems already settled by the young, creative and fabulous.  And the views of Paris aren't that bad, either.  But it's when you drop down into the valleys of Montmartre that the colorful neighborhoods thrive.

Rue Myrha

Entry to the Goutte d'Or is off of Metro Line 2, 'La Chapelle', which drops you precisely at the epicenter of India, Africa and the Middle East.  Looking for a good Kebab?  You'll find about 6 comptoir pour emporter within a city block.  Need a smart-looking weave and an authentic salon that can give you a good design?  Head to Rue Myrha, where I counted 8 shops along the 2 block walk up to Montmartre. Craving truly spicy Indian cuisine that exports you directly to the heart of New Delhi?  Faubourg Saint Denis running alongside the tracks of the Gare du Nord is your stop.  But in between all of this are sights that are truly Parisian: cafés and brasseries scattered along the various rues filled with men leaning up against the carved wooden bars drinking Kronenberg or 1664 in large goblets. Beautiful tree-filled parks and squares encased in black wrought-iron gates dotted with pigeons and children running merrily about.  And the artesian boulangeries, with lines out the doors at 6:30 pm as residents gather baguettes tradition for the evening meal.  And even here, in this truly 'cosmopolitan' neighborhood hides a trend-setters 'cosmopolitan' hotel, the Murano's Kube Hotel, with it's famous Ice KUBE bar, (interior temperature set at -10°C), whose exclusive parties attract celebrities and rap stars from around the globe.

Ice KUBE Bar at KUBE Hotel

Furniture upholstery at the base of Montmartre

Venturing west from the KUBE, you'll pass over the tracks of the Gare du Nord and start the climb up to Montmartre and Sacre Coeur.  Once you've traveled up Rue Myrha and crossed Rue Cligancourt, the broken and unrepaired asphalt suddenly becomes old stone pavés beneath your feet, and the lights of the Sacré-Coeur do not have to compete with the glaring neon signage of the international calling salons lining the streets.  The romantic appeal of the bohemian in Paris slowly starts to come into focus as you pass tiny boutiques selling artwork and hand designed jewelry, and you spot the streetlights dissecting the various stairways leading up to the basilica.  Just at the foot of the hill, running along the stunning Square Louise Michel, is the textile district of Saint Pierre, anchored by Le Halle Saint-Pierre, where fabrics and other tissus that form the base of so many smartly-designed Parisian chambres and couture are produced and sold at wholesale.

Once on top of Montmartre, it's tough to get away from the tourists, and all the brightly lit shops that encourage you to buy several keychains that say 'I Love Paris'.  But at night, it's particularly charming, and I find myself wandering the Place du Tertre examining the faded marquees of the famous eateries that hosted so many Parisian luminaries of the past: La Bonne Franquette, Le Consulat, Chez la Mère Catherine, offering the same comfort to visitors today as they did in the 18th and 19th centuries.  A cup of vin chaud offered by a brasserie on the back side of the basilica makes a perfect accompaniment for a cold and drizzly autumn night.

Vin chaud for sale up on Montmartre

Basilique du Sacré-Coeur amid the tourist traps

Diverse is just the tip of the iceberg in describing the Goutte d'Or and the 18eme arrondissement.  From Pigalle and the Moulin Rouge, to the Basilique du Sacre Coeur and the hilltop art studios of Montmartre, to the Kube Hotel next to the kebab counter on Rue Max Dormy, there is certainly a lot to discover here.  It seems that even after 111 years, the spirit of la bohème is still alive and well in this little corner of Paris.

Gare du Nord

View down into the textile marchés of Saint Pierre

IKEA and the City

For many people across the world, their home is a sense of pride.  Parties are thrown in honor of a finished kitchen.  "Look, we have new lights! Isn't it fantastic?" And so it is the same in Paris, where throngs of Parisians flock to the tony home decor boutiques in the city and the outlying bricolage centers to shop for tiles, rugs, kitchen sinks and rainfall shower heads to make their cozy little apartments in the Ile de France très fantaisie.  And this is Paris, where art of design is at the center of living, and so they take it all very seriously.

So I couldn't have been more excited to journey out to the fringes of Paris to the Ikea Paris Nord, adjacent to CDG, for a very familiar home deco shopping experience (and hopefully the same Swedish meatballs) with a distinctive French influence.  But instead of arriving in my Jeep Liberty, ready to be loaded with all types of necessary items to complete an apartment renovation, we were arriving by scooter.  All of a sudden, the shopping list was limited to exactly what we could pack in the top case.  And so it goes with every shopping experience in the city where a car is viewed as a ridiculous excess.

Shopping for lighting ideas at Fleux in Le Marais

We were not alone in our venture; several other scooters stood parked just outside the entrance, many equipped with the standard cases on top and at the sides, ready to be stuffed to the brim with hjalts  and tallviks and other exotic sounding household items.  And so with numb fingers and helmut hair, we folded into the pack of DIYers and started down the Ikea maze.  After about 4 hours of examining all the different showrooms and discussing the benefits of this rug color over that, and which canapé would be arriving to the apartment shortly, we arrived at the marché de l'éclairage. And actually, it was kind of exciting to be picking out new lighting systems for the kitchen, living rooms, the bedroom.  But what was even more exciting was that we got it all to fit on the scooter, and soon we were zooming back to Paris with new suspension lamps for the cuisine.  They won't be up until after the room has been painted, but believe me, when they're installed, I can't wait to have a party to show them off.

The Completely True Adventures of a Napa Winemaker Living in Paris

So, somehow, I ended up living in Paris.  Not even one year ago I had the crazy dream that it could be possible, and through hard work, luck, and tons of love and support from my family, it actually happened.  And so with a vintage in the Rhone Valley behind me and recorded in the history books, I face the greatest adventure of all: living abroad.

What's a winemaker from Napa Valley to do for work, you may ask, when she finds herself making a home in a very lovely city with absolutely no wineries to be found?  Luckily, the Parisians like wine and food, and French wine at that, so this seems the perfect place to explore the various brasseries, cafes, bar à vins, restaurants and cavistes that have been serving fantastic wines for decades.  Many of these wines do not make it out of France for us to enjoy in the States, and so I hope to find work in one of these establishments to do some reconnaissance on the best wines that have yet to be discovered.  A difficult task, I assure you, but I am ready to take on the challenge.  One producer to look for now on the shelves in your favorite wine bar or wine shop?  Domaine François Villard.  Not that I have any bias....

But first, some sightseeing.  Paris is quite a magical city, on so many different levels, that it's hard not to look up from your baguette or verre du vin rouge and just marvel in the majesty of the structures in front of you and relish in the tranquility of the gardens hidden behind the gold tipped iron gates.  You see, it's really all about balance.

A tout à l'heure!

 Opéra Garnier

 Jardin du Palais Royal

Basilique du Sacre Coeur

Au Revoir Napa Valley....

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Moving soils again....
This time to France, to explore the region of Condrieu with Francois Villard. It's surreal to know that in just a few short weeks, I'll be digging my hands into the fabled soils of Vienne, with the majestic Rhone river snaking slowly below le cave.

But for now, I am living and breathing Paris. Smoke, exhaust, and crowds of people in the summer balances with perfumes of roses, jasmine, Ricardo and the damp chestnut trees. It rained this afternoon, and there is nothing better in the summer to cool off the pavements. Before Paris there was London, where in addition to caving many pints and fish and chips, a most wonderful evening was spent at the American Bar at The Savoy hotel. Cocktail after cocktail were designed with precision by our bartender, Latislav, who was planning to head to New York to open a cocktail bar with some of his friends. I highly recommend searching out this bar.

Then on to Paris, where magic has been happening since day one. For example: I arrived on a Sunday, which happened to be a glorious day, and the city seemed so quiet. Too quiet. It was a dramatic change from the craziness of London. As I wandered over to the Rue di Rivoli, to get across to the Seine, it occurred to me that there might be a parade happening, as the streets were completely blocked off. Slowly I realized that the only way the whole city of Paris would be gathered at the edge of this street would be for one event. The thousands of people wearing yellow jerseys and tshirts confirmed this belief. I had happened upon the final stage of the Tour de France. In a few short minutes, the competitors, leaning in close over their graphite and lightweight bicycle bodies, came hurling past me and in an instant I caught a photo of the Yellow Jersey, le Tour Eiffel, le Concorde Obelisk and le Tuleries, a fantastic shot.

But for now, I intend on taking my time in Paris, and avoiding the hustle that seems to dictate so many visitors to this great city. It is nearly August, and already the boulevards are packed with people from all over the world on holiday. For once, I feel no pressure to see every museum, dine at every great restaurant, see every great monument. I know I will be back, and very soon. This is the beginning of a very long sojourn into the French culture, and for now, I just want to walk the various arrondissements and discover Paris on my own terms. And let those on holiday rush by me on the boulevards just as the riders in the Tour de France did. I'll be happy just to sit back and watch.

Day 2: Christmas Feasts

This is my favorite time of year, mostly because of the excuse we have to eat and drink with a free pass.  The best wines, the most creative accompaniments to large platters of beef and poultry and pork.  And lots of sweets.  Gingerbread people with candied buttons and eyes. Spicy persimmon cake, French macaroons in the same persimmon, pistachio and vanilla and See's Candies.  Pumpkin pie and coconut cream and apple pies.  So much overload, you forget when to stop.  Two days later, you wonder why you didn't exercise more restraint.  And the word 'exercise' is a frightening thing to think about. 

But when your belly's full and your senses overloaded, you realize just how much you have to be thankful for.  And this past week, the wines have been flowing.  

Starting Sunday December 20th in Los Alamos, CA at Flatbread, I brought out a bottle of my newest release, 2006 Symbiotica Syrah from a vineyard about 1/2 mile south of the restaurant, and purchased a bottle of my 2005 Lysander Pinot Noir that they feature on their list.   The Lysander was showing quite well, with a bright bouquet of dusty chocolate-covered cherries on the nose and earthy elements of mushroom on the palate.  Quite a nice, lenghty finish for a wine just now starting to enter into it's peak.  The Symbiotica offered a dark contrast of wet-earth driven chicory and plums, with a distinct heady aroma of must and Gruyere on the initial pour.  Acidity and tannins balance nicely, allowing this wine to open up after decanting and show off it's aging potential.  Both wines paired gorgeously with a mushroom and sausage flatbread and Wild Mushroom 'Crespelle' with Rappini and Green Garlic Sauce.  

Fast forward a day or two (or so it seemed), and I was home in San Diego, preparing for the Big Christmas Feasts.  In our house, one is not enough:  we have two.  The focus this year, it seemed, was entirely on preparing the meal for Christmas Eve (Roast Beast AND Glazed Ham), and then the Christmas dinner (a beautifully brined 25-lb turkey).  This was the perfect opportunity to break out some good vino to pair with these beautiful meals.  

I am really the only one in my family who freaks out over really good wines.  So this year, I ensured that we had some really tasty ones at the table.  Starting with the obligatory glass of Zonin Prosecco (purchased at the local Trader Joe's for $5.99 - a great bargain, and my Mom's favorite), we popped open the 2008 Frias Family Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc from Spring Mountain and started into the cheese plate.   Following was the 2005 Palmina Barbera from Zotovich Vineyard.  A beautiful wine - with stunning elegance, and a deep rich berry and plum notes, it was showing quite youthful and offered a long and deeply complex finish.  Second, a gorgeous showing of Chad Melville's 2005 Samsara Pinot Noir from the Melville Vineyard stole the evening, pairing beautifully with homemade cheese and herb gougeres.  Supple, elegant, layered with bright notes of cherry and cola, and a hint on fresh herbs on the finish, this wine is drinking amazing now, but only has room to flourish over the next few years.  

For dinner, we sampled the 2004 Destiny Bay 'Magna Paremia' from Waiheke Island, Auckland, NZ, an elegant, old-world styled Bordeaux blend lead primarily with Cabernet Sauvignon, which was the absolute perfect compliment to pepper-crusted Prime Rib Roast with mushroom-Armagnac sauce.

The next day was Christmas; and so one more dinner to prepare and enjoy.  This time it was herb-crusted and brined turkey, with homemade cranberry sauce, mashed sweet potatoes with brown butter and sage, and grilled asparagus with smoked chipotle sauce.  With this, we paired the 2001 Silver Nebbiolo from Santa Barbara County.   Soft and supple, the tannins were evenly dispersed among the mid-palate and finish of the wine, with a deep presence of baking spice and cigar box on the nose and palate.  A lively acidity kept the structure and fruit in place, and added depth and brightness to the turkey, acting very much like the cranberry sauce.  A glass of Norm Yost's 2005 'Goat Bubbles' helped finish off the night (and assisted in the celebration of the Chargers' 42-17 rout over the Titans.  Playoff time for San Diego!!)

I hope everyone out there had as full and as enriching holiday season as I have had.  Great wines, good food, and time with family and friends - this is what this holiday season is all about.  And although no '61 Cheval Blancs were opened, the most important memories were made with the wine and food provided us.  Sometimes all you need is a good glass of bubbles and a properly aged and paired red wine with a killer holiday meal to make your season complete.

Cheers, and happy holidays!

Day 1: 1982 Chateau Margaux, among others

Whenever another year comes to a close, we tend to think, 'where did the year go?' and 'what on earth do I have to show for it?' Many times, I always wonder what happened to taking copious notes on all the wonderful wines I've had the good fortune to sample over the year. And the memorable meals I've experienced. And all the exotic locales I've visited (usually with the purpose of eating good food and drinking beautiful wines).

So, I figured the best way to remember all of these great experiences is to share them all with you. So, I will attempt to document, over the next 365 days, 365 memorable food, wine and travel experiences.

Living in Napa Valley, having memorable food and wine experiences is quite an everyday affair. It's really why so many of us decide to pursue the dream of working in the wine industry. Contrary to popular belief, it's not to become an overnight millionaire. It's all about the lifestyle. And last night was a perfect testament to that belief.

I was invited by a good friend of mine to attend his wine company's holiday party, which started off at the wonderfully diverse Oxbow Market in Napa. We then moved on to Taylor's Refresher next door, which has some of the most delicious and sustainably produced burgers, fries and shakes in the Valley.

And then, we saw the line up of wines on the back table:
A magnum of Domaine Weinbach Riesling Schlossburg, Cuvee St. Catherine;
1987 Dominus;
2001 Domaine de la Janasse Chateauneuf-du-Pape;
2006 Araujo Estate;
1978 Duckhorn;
1974 Camus;
(and the most amazing wine I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing:)
1982 Chateau Margaux

So, with my Blue Cheese burger from Taylors, I paired the 1982 Margaux. Simply beautiful, and the blue cheese did not even come close to eclipsing the beauty and supple elegance and power of the Bordeaux. The Caymus was showing very beautifully, and the Duckhorn still held on to much of it's fruit. The Janasse was just the right balance of earth and structure and fruit, and the Cuvee St. Catherine was actually a great pairing with the calamari!

As if this was not enough, after burgers, fries and ridiculous amounts of some of the best Cabernet and Bordeaux in the world, we all boarded the Party Bus, bound for ??, but stocked with bottles of MV Krug and Kara's Cupcakes. We ended up at a bowling alley nearly an hour from Napa, but the Champagne and playlist on the bus made the trip seem short. Unfortunately, Bordeaux and bubbles gave way to Irish Car Bombs and beer, but when you lace up those rented shoes and start cosmic bowling with a big group of great people all hopped up on some killer wines, and you know the Party Bus is gonna get you home safe, you realize why you gave up your fast-paced corporate life to live the life in Wine Country.

Over the next year, I will attempt to write a post a day on whatever it is that I'm eating and drinking at the moment. With holidays coming up and a year ahead with some interesting trips planned, there should be some very interesting things coming up..... Thanks for following, and Abaluche!