A  couple of years ago I was introduced to  Dorland Mountain Arts Colony (Dorland), located just outside of Temecula, CA.  Lucky me. 

You’ll find it  in Southern California, about 90 minutes from San Diego or Los Angeles.  It’s a nonprofit artist’s community set on 300 acres along a ridge overlooking the Temecula Valley. The Colony covers about 10 acres with the rest of the land left in its natural state. It also happens to be just 10 minutes from the trendy Temecula Valley Wine Country.  Dorland’s mission statement is to provide a unique working and performance retreat fostering creativity, and a community connection to the creative process, in a secluded natural setting.  They do this by offering a unique residency program in their two self-contained cottages that can accommodate up to two people per cottage. Residencies are intended as professional development opportunities for writers, composers, visual artists and most other artistic media’s. So whether you’re trying to finish your latest book, compose a new song, paint a masterpiece, write, or do some serious scrapbooking, this is the place for you.  And you can do it for about $250 a week!

As I write this article, I am on day two of a two-day retreat. I thought long and hard about what I wanted to do with my creative “reboot” time.  The key to getting it right was understanding what my heart and soul needed.  I was craving some downtime after all of my wine  travels this spring and summer.  I also wanted some “mountain time ” –not to scale it of course – but to meditate to the sights and sounds and vibes only a mountain retreat can offer.  Then again I also wanted to listen to my “creative” without distractions.   I call this kind of getaway, Going Away to Go Within. If you’re an artist of any kind you’ll know exactly what I mean. Lucky me, I found it all at Dorland.

Last night’s reboot activity was conducting a small Wine Council meeting in my retreat cottage.  There were just four of us instead of the usual seven or eight members I usually organize.  It turned out to be a nice calm intimate sharing of six very good wines , four wonderful friends and of course , excellent complementary dishes. 

Without the distractions of our usual meeting places in the homes or offices of members, this wine council meeting will forever be seared into my mind as a time of relaxed taste, sense of place and mindful wine reviews.

I hope you enjoy the reviews as musch as I did conducting the tastings.

Pepi Pinot Grigio 2012, $10–  Sue was tasked to bring ONE bridge dish for both the Pinot Grigio and the Sauvignon  Blanc . She choose two soft cheeses available at Trader Joes:  Le Delice de Bourgogne and a Gorgonzola Torta.  The Le Delice was the hit of the evening going with not only the whites, but the reds and the Tokaji.

The wine was a favorite of the group.  It goes well with all types of food and would be an excellent appetizer wine.  Fruity apricot, apple and pear nose and a bright finish greets on the first sip. Smooth bodied, and fruity in the mouth.    Blend: 100% Pinot Grigio from the Monterey, Sacramento Delta/ area. Closure: screw cap. Made the top three group best choices.

Tin Roof Sav Blanc 2012, $10 –The Tin Roof Cellar label is one of several bargain priced brands from O’Neill Vintners in Parlier, California.  O’Neill Vintners other brands include Pepi, Camelot and Moscato Allegro and as a rule generally are a good value. If you see any of these brands in the supermarket or wine store, grab it and enjoy the price point and the taste.  In the glass: Clear with light yellow hints. On the nose: Pour  cool swirled vigorously. Shows light, sweet grapefruit with hints of classical sweet grass aromas.  On the palate: Gently fruited sweet citrus and clean acids, creating an overall impression of a bright, clean wine.  It came in last in the group choice, but in all fairness it had stiff competition.  In another wine council review, it could score easily in the middle.

Tin Roof Merlot 2010, $11 – Todd was assigned to create ONE bridge dish for both the Merlot and the Wrangler Red. He choose to do a non-traditional meatball dish which had no tomato sauce, but instead depended on masala and curry spices to create an Indian dish that was just big enough to stand up to the two assigned wines, but not so spicy that it overpowered everything. The wine:  A classic medium texture  with plum flavors and a bit of Jolly Rancher Cherry candy taste. Good to sip on its own its own and a versatile food wine.  Enjoy it with beef, lamb, roast duck with cherry sauce, red-sauce pastas, black olive and mushroom pizzas, and soft-ripening cheeses.

Shannon Ridge Wrangler Red 2009, $18:  Wrangler Red  is a blend of several varieties:  37% Zinfandel, 35% Syrah, 18% Petite Sirah, 5% Barbera, 3% Mourvedre and 2% Tempranillo.  We expected it to be the a full-bodied wine .  Not so much. It was more of a medium bodied  one. We did enjoy the fruitiness on the nose and red and black fruit with vanilla oak notes on the palate. The wine is easy-drinking with smooth tannins and pairs well with grilled foods. It should be served at cellar temperature.

Cookbook-cover

Stags Leap Artemis Cab 2010, $43– Tom came out of the kitchen swinging with a delicious  Beef Bruschetta appetizer for this wine from the Idaho Preferred 10^th Anniversary cookbook , Live. Eat. Local: Idaho Recipes for All Seasons(  $25, http://idahopreferred.com/) . The ooh’s and ahh’s from the group as they tasted first the wine, then the pairing was a true wine mantra of goodness. 

Stags Leap 2010 Artemis

The wine: Elegant, Cassis, Cherry, Mocha, Full-bodied .  True definition of a smooth drinking wine.  Could probably be laid down for another five years, but you can drink it now and love every drop of it. It’s aA really special wine that can be found on the shelves for up to $80 a bottle.  At $43 dollars, each one of our group would buy it without blinking, and take a second one to stash away for a cold December night.  This wine was in first place UNTIL we tasted the final wine.

Tokaji Pairing

Buena Vista Tokaji Aszu 1999, $75- Linda: Part of the Heritage Collection.  This was the group’s winner and for good reason.  The beautiful topaz color in the glass engages while the complex nose with  characteristics of  dried apricot, vanilla and holiday spices seal the deal.  Its great acidity, coupled with an elegant style, result in an absolutely stunning wine. Serve it cold (or add in an ice cube) with pumpkin pie and a dollop of fresh whipped cream.  Also just fine to sip it all by itself by yourself or with a friend.  Somewhat high price point, but with its grand character I’ll gladly hand over my credit card.

You can buy many of the  wine selections at http://www.winechateau.com/