September Wines will Knock Your Socks Off....

BONJOUR!!!!! (in my best Julia Child voice),

It feels as if summer has just arrived! Toasty, toasty temps, but there is some hope for this Labor Day weekend. The weather forecast for SLO is to be a bit cooler as the winds shift and the morning fog returns to cool down the nighttime and morning hours...I am so ready! September welcomes in Fall (my favorite!).

I had to say good bye to my Annie today as she packed up her car and drove back to Santa Cruz to begin her junior year at UCSC. Although classes don't begin until later in September, (same as Cal Poly), she is involved in the Sustainable Living Project on campus and she will have meetings etc. Anyway, I will miss her chatter and her companionship. Andrew just began Graduate School at CLU ... he will be b u s y .......... AND, just as John and I get into a routine of being empty nesters, the kids will decide they need to come back to SLO for a "home" fix. C'est la Vie...no?

(secretly, I love the home visits!)

For September Petit Soleil is highlighting a few really special and innovative wines:

Jean-Luc Colombo 2007 "Rose de Cote Bleue" A traditional and exceptionally lovely true Provencal Rose. Oh, on this warm eve - perfect!

Clayhouse Winery (Paso Robles) 2007 Chenin Blanc. If you haven't had a Chenin Blanc lately you will be delightfully surprised. It is a real treat!
Infact, we are enjoying a bottle with dinner tonight. It is perfect with grilled chicken and grilled zucchini fresh from the garden..!

Dan, one of our FAVORITE wine guys, turned us on to a very elegant French Chardonnay from the heart of the Macon wine-growing region
Chanson 2006 Vire-Clesse
This wine is clean and fresh with a nice mineral touch to it...not oaky. It is a perfect food wine! We are serving it tonight at Petit with a curry cream cheese bruschettta topped with mango chutney and toasted almonds and a few fresh grapes, dried apricots and our famous red pepper fennel almonds.
oooo delish!

Ortman Vineyards Sangiovese is a local stellar wine. It is a light red wine but it has such lovely rich, berry flavors...so good!!

2006 Mazzoni vineyards Toscana Rosso OK, OK !! Not a French nor a local wine but OH, MY, this super Tuscan will KNOCK YOUR SOCKS OFF! We will have some fun with some bold new appetizer treats to highlight this wine - my challenge! I have close to a bazillion recipes in binders at home, so this weekend is my challenge and to find some really fun appetizer recipes to pair with this wine!

and 2006 Clayhouse Winery (Paso Robles) Malbec We love this wine! Need I say more?

Voila! Les vins! A sante to your health!

Tidbits:
Beerfest this weekend, Saturday Sept. 5th in Mission Plaza Fun local brews and food and music! A hoot!

Pops by the Sea _ Avila Beach on Sunday Sept 6th - fun!! (John and I had our first real date 12 years ago at Pops....whoa! time flies!)

Rugby Tri- Tip Sevens on Sat. Sept. 12th - Damon Garcia Fields
.Real true RUGBY BRAVADO.. We know about this event as Andrew has brought his whole rugby team home traditionally to play this weekend for the past four years and they have been housed ( AND FED) at our home.....The event is fun! .BIG and happy boys. if your like the energy of rugby, this is your weekend!

Glen Miller Orchestra at the PAC on Thursday, September 10th...Chattanooga ChooChoo, Moonlight Serenade, I'll Be Seeing you and the tunes that captivated our parents and the troops of WWII.... good stuff!

Cal Poly WOW week begins September 12th...Wow-ees everywhere! A super fun week in SLO! It is all about Cal Poly this week! The energy and smiles, and anxiety, is EVERYWHERE!

So many more events happen in SLO during the month of September.. check out the website:
www.visitslo.com

It is a great month for a fun-filled getaway or for a quiet romantic escape or to simply get out from the intensity of daily life and come up to SLO and Petit Soleil to chill..............

What, John? there is still some Chenin Blanc left?

Ok.., so ta ta for now.....

Best, Dianne