Syrah 2007: A desirable red wine for Valentine’s Day
Looking for some sexy wine to drink over Valentine’s weekend? Then I would recommend Silver Mountain’s full-bodied Syrah.
This gorgeous rich wine has the classic meaty quality of Syrah with an abundance of dried blueberries, pepper and a touch of prosciutto. With juniper and allspice on the palate, and fennel, blackberry and blueberry on the nose, this is a delicious wine to simply enjoy. Syrah is also a very easy wine to pair with a variety of different foods—especially with all the decadent stuff you might want to eat this Valentine’s weekend—chocolate, oysters, voluptuous desserts, titillating delicacies, and so on.
I took some of Silver Mountain’s Syrah ($28) to the new Lago di Como restaurant to share with friends. Six of us polished off a couple of bottles and everybody loved it. And the wine went so well with all the marvelous food prepared by chef and owner Giovanni Spanu. My husband really appreciates a good spaghetti Bolognese so he was thrilled with this perfectly prepared Italian specialty. Spanu says that he uses only fresh food—and my fish tasted like it just jumped out of the ocean. With Silver Mountain’s delicious ruby-red Syrah and Spanu’s beautifully prepared temptations, we all had what I can only describe as a delicious evening filled with complex flavors.
Why not enjoy Valentine’s weekend to the max and indulge in Bacchanalian delights for four whole days. Wear red, eat red food and drink red wine.
Silver Mountain Vineyards, 402 Ingalls St., Santa Cruz, 466-0559. Open noon to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday. The winery off of Old San Jose Road in the Santa Cruz Mountains is open every Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. Info: silvermtn.com. Lago di Como, 2-1490 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, 454-8257, lagodicomoristorante.com.
Wine Events
Cava Wine Bar
Bob Hollaran joined Cliff Livingston as an owner some time ago and the two of them make sure you have fun when you go wine tasting at their lovely little wine bar in the heart of Capitola village. Pay them a visit over Valentine’s weekend and try a fine Champagne or something red and luscious. Cava, 115 San Jose Ave., Capitola, 476-2282, cavawinebar.com.
Twisted Tasting
This fun event features unique, experimental and twisted beers. Hosted by the Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing Company, about 40 beers will be featured and the ticket includes unlimited food and beer tasting. The location is the top of the Rittenhouse Building in Downtown Santa Cruz, and tickets are $65. The event is 6-9 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 16. For tickets visit twistedtasting.eventbrite.com.
