The Bargetto twins, Peter and Paul, invited me and my husband for lunch on one of the days they were bottling. Bottling is exhausting, so they were all glad to sit down with us and take a break.
The Bargettos, along with their partner Jon Morgan—who was scurrying around that day doing a multitude of jobs—are the main team behind the wonderful wines produced at Soquel Vineyards. As Peter poured some of his 2014 Partners’ Reserve Nelson Vineyard Chardonnay to have with our lunch, it struck me what top-notch wines are coming out of Soquel Vineyards—and what a ton of work it is to run a winery.
But it can pay off hugely, as is the case with this superior Chardonnay ($28). It got a 91-point rating from the July issue of Wine Enthusiast, and a double gold from the 2016 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.
“This steep mountain wine dances across the palate with apple and pear,” say the proprietors, “and follows with layers of sweet French oak. Lemongrass flows from the bouquet—classic!” they add. It’s well worth a trip to Soquel Vineyards to try this Chardonnay and all the other wines they make. They have a welcoming tasting room and a beautiful patio where you can sit and linger.
Soquel Vineyards, 8063 Glen Haven Road, Soquel, 462-9045. soquelvineyards.com. Open for tasting Saturday and Sunday.
La Vie’s Flu Fighter Wellness Shot
I recently had a terrible bout of flu, which totally flattened me. While still feeling miserable, I happened to be at the Walnut Creek farmers market and came across our local La Vie products. One of them was a small bottle with “Flu Fighter” on the label ($3), so I gave it a whirl and downed it. Fresh ginger juice, oregano oil, fresh lemon juice and cayenne—all organic—zapped through me and I experienced a little surge of energy. While not a cure for flu (I actually ended up with antibiotics), the “Flu Fighter” certainly helped, and it tastes great.
For locations of La Vie wellness products, visit drinklavie.com.
