Crush into me

I was reading through some old Food & Wine and Bonappetite magazines that I had in my cooking bookshelf (Yes, I have a whole bookshelf dedicated to cooking, wines, and bartending). While reading through a Food & Wine, I came across an article about Dave Matthews and his love for organic farming and his love for his vineyard. The Dave Matthews Band became active in Farm Aid (non-profit concert that raises awareness about family farms) and it was through working with Farm Aid that he found a deeper concern the way our food is produced. Mr. Matthews has been a rock star for the ages but is certainly now a rock star in the farming and vinting community.

Mr. Matthews bought land just outside of Charlottsville, VA near where he and his family moved to in his late teens from South Africa. Two decades ago at the Earth Day Festival in the City of Charlottesville, the Dave Matthews Band was publicly launched. Over the last decade Matthews, his brother Peter, and his close friend Brad McCarthy spent years bringing the soil to organic farm standards so that they could begin the farm and vineyard.

I became increasingly interested Matthews wine, Blenheim Vineyards, so I went to a nearby store and went to the local section. I lucked out and there was a 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon at the store. While I was drinking my glass of wine, I looked up the site and found out that Matthews is venturing out again into wine country. Matthews is launching another collaboration in wine making with Steve Reeder of California called The Dreaming Tree Wines, named after the song. So that is next on my list to try.

The 2009 Cab was very good. The mouthfeel is balanced and the wine has great depth that runs through the long finish. It is also very affordable. The majority of Bleinheim’s wines are priced under $21.