A chance encounter with a long-time friend lead us to meet in glorious and historic Old Town Alexandria, Virginia.
I was born in Alexandria and that adds to my sentiment. We don’t choose where we’re born but it does choose us. And each time I wander around this town I’m more and more grateful that I was one of those chosen ones.
This town fits me. I appreciate it more as times goes by and I get older. The cobblestone streets, the small shops, the walking paths, the mom and pop restaurants, the museums, the water, and everything else gives me that feeling of peace. There’s plenty of beautiful towns in this country and world, and I’d love to explore more. But this one is mine.
How I ended up here on this day I’ll chalk up to the universe. And the universe can be so kind. I’ve wanted to meet my friend several times over the past year or so, but circumstances and timing prevented it. It all lead to this one. And thank goodness, because this will likely be the last one for a while.
He suggested a tea shoppe but that sadly closed unceremoniously. There’s the downside to local business. Rent may be too high to justify attempting a new venture.
However, there’s a plethora of wine bars in the area and we walked into the first one we saw. That would be Sonoma Cellar on King Street, the heart of everything.
We walked in a few minutes early but the staff didn’t seem to mind. We literally had no sense of time or direction which makes sense in context. The wine literally took us where we were meant to go.
After some careful deliberation, we took a seat outside in their wine garden.
The menu is loaded with all kinds of fun and excitement. And with that comes some pricier options. Fortunately, we were only coming in for a glass and a small bite to eat. I understand the location and prices, but some did look a bit steep for my taste. Thankfully this was happy hour and there’s affordable options to be had as well.
I love that the majority of the wines are from California. Makes sense of course.
My choice was the 2012 Chardonnay from Bluewing Vineyards. My pal went with the 2015 Rose of Sangiovese from Barnard Griffin. Yes this is one of those rare posts where I talk about two separate wines from two separate wineries. Very exciting I know.
I’ll let the menu do the talking on the descriptions.
The Chardonnay was good but I didn’t find it particularly memorable. But I could tell right away that it was aged in stainless steel. I dig that. I couldn’t tell that it was finished in oak but it’s all case by case. I may not always want my whites to be too oaky That’s a matter of taste more than anything else.
Lemon meringue on the nose? Hmm, I don’t know. Apple and lime blossom flavors? The former I could taste. The latter? Well, maybe next time.
I was grateful to get a sip of the Rose of Sangiovese and this was the winner. That color stood out immediately. It looked even rosier than your typical rose. I was happy to taste the cranberry and pomegranate before I even looked at the synopsis. That made me happy. This is a wine you can drink all the time. The weather encourages it even more so now.
Great wine means great food. A cheese and charcuterie plate was the perfect second to our glasses. It’s contradictory to say that the food never had a chance. Wine and small plates are meant to be savored. But I suppose we were hungry. The rosemary focaccia bread was a brilliant touch.
Speaking of brilliant. I love this place. Our server was kind of enough to allow me to take pictures where I could.
There’s an aura and energy of a pricier experience, but I would love to come back. Money shouldn’t always be an issue. If you’re with good company, having a good conversation, and enjoying yourself you forget about finances. And you can’t put a price on great experiences.
This post takes us to New Orleans, where I had the honor of visiting over a month ago. Even with all the wonderful foods and cocktails I got to try while I was there, I still had to make time for the inspiring bottles I love so much.
And I love this city so much too. I didn’t want to leave. And as a wanderer, I found myself at the French Market everyday I was there. It’s a small town feel within one of the greatest places I’ve ever visited.
It was a warm day and we heard some amazing jazz music up the street. This calls for cigars, relaxing, good food, and a bottle of red. The latter part may sound like an oxymoron, but this is a vacation!
The night before on a leisurely stroll towards Frenchmen Street I came upon the market as it was about to shut down for the night and saw the stand for Alberto’s Cheese and Wine Bistro.
And this place looked so quaint, cozy, and charming. I knew I had to at least come back the next day to see what this place (and the Market as a whole) is all about.
Coming back the next day, the Market was so alive and so vibrant. I have been to many local markets before with a similar sentiment, but not like this. This felt like home. I belonged here. And everyone was so friendly. It’s the type of love and comradery I can get used to.
Alberto’s had a very welcoming and small town feel, just like the rest of the French Market. I felt like something had to be wrong. The folks behind the counter were so accommodating and answered any questions about the menu that I had.
New Orleans is known for a lot of amazing things. I didn’t know the Muffuletta was one of them. So I ordered one and it was incredible. So what about a great wine to pair with it?
I grabbed the Banfi Tuscany Centine Rosso and it paired with my hearty sandwich perfectly.
The sandwich killed it. I could have had another. The meats and cheeses with this amazing sesame bread just made my day. The house made olive salad was a nice complement although I barely had room to finish it.
And the wine could have tasted like garbage and wouldn’t have mattered. And it didn’t. It was fantastic. And regardless, for the moment in time we were in, it was perfection. The mix of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot gelled perfectly. A nice mix of light and full-bodied to make it the right wine to pair up with a filling meal such as mine.
No fancy glasses were necessary today. And we can’t walk around with the streets with those anyways. But plastic cups will do just fine.
As a bonus, to make this day even more meaningful in hindsight, I am pulling this directly off their Facebook page : first winery in the world to be awarded international recognition for exceptional environmental, ethical and social responsibility. How amazing is that? When I looked at the back of the label at the time, All I read was first winery and didn’t think to read further. I am thrilled that my purchase represents something good and pure.
More information on this wine can be found here.
Everything about this setting was perfect. Great weather, wine, food, company, and people watching. This city is magical. I felt so at ease. I feel like I belonged there and after this trip was over, I was left to ponder what took me so long. That just means I need to come back soon!
There’s going to be pictures all over this post. Many will revolve around the wine and the meal. And many as a tourist.
I didn’t expect to write as much as I did. Actions speak louder than words, as do photos. So here you go.