Christmas with Opus

On my many visits to California, and Napa Valley in particular, I had visited some amazing vineyards, met with some crazy owners and winemakers and to top it all tasted some exquisite juice. Some really fine wines that I have savoured over the years have been Cabernets produced by Midsummer Cellars, a wonderful Chardonnay by Wend Tyler, Bob Egelhoff's blend of Australian Shiraz and Napa Valley Cabernet called Two Worlds and others which I will mention by and by. But there was this one wine that I had always been eager to try but until tonight it had in many ways eluded me.

As far as appeal goes, it is one of the premium wines of California, a case of the first joint venture selling for $24,000 dollars at the first Napa Valley wine auction in 1981. This venture was put together by Baron Phillipe de Rothschild and Robert Mondavi after they had met for the first time in 1970. I had over the years thought that this would be another one of those wines that had inherited a big name (in this case two big names) and not only that, Opus One has a tremendous marketing machine behind it because of those two big names. Now with the umbrella of Constellation Bands above, the three names cannot get any bigger. So perhaps, it was just a case of judging a case of wine by it's heritage?

This Christmas evening though, there it was on the table standing tall next to the serving dish full of a plump turkey and some excellent stuffing. I was quite excited and at my first sip I was completely convinced. It is one of the top five Cabernets I have ever tasted. From France, Australia, Italy or California. Dark, a deep garnet with a tinge of violet in colour, the nose was quite difficult to fathom at first but gradually I got plum, cocoa and black fruit. And then as I took my first sip not really knowing what to expect, my tongue was transformed. The Opus One 2003 has tremendous depth, each sip is like a dark toast - to dark chocolate, liquorice and black, black berry. It is lush, concentrated, quite intense and will develop over the years into a powerhouse.

The finish is endless.

Varietals:

Cabernet Sauvignon 91%
Cabernet Franc 3%
Merlot 2%
Malbec 1%
Petit Verdot 3%

Barrel aging:

17 months in New French Oak

The Savannah Tea Room

Before leaving Savannah we had to try one of their famous tea rooms. In fact the city has quite a few of them scattered around it's lovely squares- each offering a distinctive experience of its own. The Savannah Tea Room was a welcome respite from the afternoon sun. Upon entering we browsed around the shelves with their incredible array of tea, tea ware and little bric- a- brac. Afternoon tea service was in progress and it seemed befitting that we partake of it.

Sitting in such a soothing atmosphere,
the little sounds from tea spoons
clinking with delicate tea plates,
is a most heavenly experience
that needs to be indulged in
whenever passing by Savannah.

White Oolong tea accompanied by warm scones with softly whipped cream cheese and strawberry jam were the perfect ending to our experience of old Savannah. Sa-va-nnah.... even the name is sensual. It makes me think of

Spanish moss and
banyan trees and
old forgotten mansions
with music drifting through
silk and chiffon curtains...
and I love tea rooms,
they make me want to
fall in love,
in love
in love
over
and over again.


7 East Broughton Street
Savannah, Georgia 31401
tel: 912 369 9690

Toccoa Riverside Restaurant

Closed!

The setting for this particular story is the Toccoa River which runs through the Blue Ridge mountains. These mountains along with the Smokey mountain range are known to be the oldest mountains in the US. Georgia, I discovered besides being known as the Peach State has a multitude of outdoor recreational opportunities, a wide array of available lodging, excellent camping in national forests, an incredible and easy access to the mountains and the most gracious and hospitable people that I have ever met in this country.

Getting back to the restaurant...! It is located on the river and has some of the best fresh fish available, especially where trout is concerned. If you're ever down here- try the trout which can be prepared in a multitude of ways and remember to bring your own bottle of wine or beer as this is a BYOB. This particular evening the trout and salad was accompanied by a Zinfandel from Ridge. There is usually a local band performing bluegrass music aptly suited to the rustic country decor of the restaurant. You can also admire the scenic view of the area sitting on the deck which overlooks the river or just lie next to the riverbank and watch people go down river tubing or rafting -which of course was part of my range of recreational activities during my stay for the next few days here.

8055 Aska Road
Blue Ridge, Georgia 30513
tel: 706-632-7891