My favourite events as you all must know by now, involve food, fashion and wine. Yes, in that order. Especially when the experience is inspiring, simple and beautiful. Today was no exception. I was overjoyed to meet Garen and Shari Staglin. They are the proud founders and owners of the Staglin Vineyard in Napa Valley.
They spoke with passion about how they discovered the place, the terrain, soil and how it has grown to be what it is today. I am not a wine connoisseur but I do know what I like. Each tasting of todays selection just got better and better. To make the experience more pleasurable, Chef Tippi Tambunting of M Dining served dishes that perfectly complemented the wine.
SALUS estate, 100% chardonnay offers expressive notes of ripe citrus, subtle tropical fruits and white flowers with lifting notes of galangal and lemongrass. the clean medium-bodied palate shows a bit more than typical crispness and minerality underlying the lush lemon, infused melon and pineapple flavours into a beautifully balanced and lengthy finish.
an appetizer of tuna tartare and pork iberico belly wrapped in cucumber
chorizo puffs with an alioli dip
we moved on to have their estate chardonnay’s, 2010 and 2013. for the 2013 notes of ripe citrus, butterscotch and split honeydew entices. refreshing wafts of spearmint and nutmeg give lift to a heady saline infected marmalade of grapefruit and blood orange that liberally swirls into a palate of pureed white melons that finishes with a touch of salty tang. while the 2010 is an expressive mix of white flowers and tropical fruits intermixed with kaffir lime and citrus rind. the clean medium bodied palate continues the citrus with a creamy interplay of key lime and banana cream pie tinged with madagascar and vanilla. the crisp finish makes tho a pleasure to drink.
black ink tagliatelle, octopus ragu. delicious, especially with those crunchy pork crunches sprinkled atop!
cabernet sauvignon’s, 2010 and 2011. the 2011 estate is a complex nose of savoryherb and camphor infused blackcurrant while mission fig is deepened by rich notes of forest floor and green olives with hints of anise. an impeccably balanced ethereal palate of cinnamon inflected black&blueberries melts seamlessly into a leather loam and mineral driven finish that is given a delicate structure with fine grained tannins that mark the vintage. the 2010 has an animated nose of red and black fruits emboldened by a rich undercurrent of tar and licorice with a camphor and rosemary herbal lift. the palate turns darker dominated by black raspberries, blueberries, ripe damson plums with ribbons of baker’s chocolate dusted with espresso roasted coffee beans with hints of creosote, fresh ground cloves. delicious!
perfectly cooked lamb loin, lentil ragu and charred brussel sprouts
too many shadows but just had to post this and tell you how perfect my lemon soufflé was. like sunshine and clouds on a clear spring day!
shari&garen staglin, alicia sy, tippi tambunting and i
The Staglin Vineyard practices organic farming with the use of solar power as well. It is their belief that the healthier the vineyard, the better the fruit and thus the quality of the wine. One hundred percent of the winery and residential power is produced by the solar field. I personally think that these wines are beautiful to drink in Manila as they are a good match to our weather and climate. Staglin Wines are available at Premium Wine Exchange.
shari staglin and i. some trivia, i was thrilled to learn that the house in the movie ‘the parent trap’ is the staglin home in the vineyard! i must have seen this movie over a dozen times when my kids were growing up
So when in Napa Valley, this vineyard in Rutherford must not be missed.
Premium Wine Exchange is located at: The Ground Floor, Smith Bell Building, 2294 Chino Roces Extension (formerly Pasong Tamo) Brgy. Magallanes, Makati City, 1230.
To contact: (632) 812-3823
Email: www.pwxchange.com.ph
Nicole, thank you for the wonderful coverage of our lunch together. We invite your readers to contact us for a visit if their travels bring them to the Napa Valley. Write to us at info@staglinfamily.com or call 01 707 963 3994. We are only open by appointment. Regards and happy holidays, Garen and Shari Staglin