Vino! Vino!

Vino! Vino!

Looks like I might have to start frequenting Livermore more often. My trip over the weekend to celebrate one of my friend's birthday was a big eye opener...

I visited Murrieta's Well a few years back and definitely don't remember it being THIS nice! I vaguely remember the main building and a bunch of land around it...more of a barn room tasting set up. I can easily appreciate the amount of effort and time put into the remodel...

However, along with the fancy ambiance comes the higher price tags and gone is the small town local winery feel... The tastings fees are a very Napaish now, at $25 per person! I remember the tasting being $10 or $15 per person...I guess things change. Looks like it's for the better in this case.

On to the Wine tasting...
We were told to make a reservation since we had decent size party at 8 people. The staff prepared a table for us near the lawn.
As soon as we got there, we were served with a glass of White Wine; The Whip, a white blend. Easy to drink, but nothing outstanding.

Next up was the Dry Rose; This was a hit at the table. Definitely not sweet, but not too dry either, crisp and refreshing. Perfect summer wine. We actually ended up getting a bottle.

We also had the fortune of trying the Muscat Canelli. This was my fave of the day...as I am not a huge White Wine fan. I usually associate any sort of Muscat with sugar on the pallette. The Muscat Canelli surprised me; it had a pleasant floral scent and was light, crisp and refreshing. Brilliant for a warm day.

All the Reds were smooth, easy to drink and flavorful. However I can't say any of them stood out to me. I will have to come revisit all of them. I believe the tasting menu included Merlot, Malbec and the Petit Verdot.

In order to thoroughly immerse ourselves in the tasting experience we also opted to try some of the bites offered from the kitchen. We got all 3 Small plates from the Patio Menu

- Market Fresh Board: I wasn't a big fan of this plate, but that is due to my own personal preferences. The root vegetable theme did not work for me. I didn't think this was a good complement to a wine tasting. I did however appreciate this dish and its uniqueness, and the Cauliflower Hummus was pretty good. I was just not expecting to eat Parsnips, Heirloom Carrots and Celery Roots.

- Charcuterie & Cheese Board: What's not to like? Cheese, Meat, Fruit & Nuts complimented with what I believe to be homemade flatbread crackers. My only complaint is...well more like a personal gripe...I wish the Cheese selection included Sharp Cheddars or heavier and more flavorful Cheeses.

- Housemade Barrel Bites: Brilliant! This was the best plate of the three IMHO. Inspired by Indian Cuisine; some sort of Naan bread with a Garlic, Cauliflower Humus dip. Great flavor and aroma.

Well done Murrieta's Well! I look forward to returning here with a group.