TheBackwardsOwl: Wine Tasting at New Clairvaux Abbey

To kick off my weekend I had a very tasty experience at New Claivaux Abbey in Vina, CA. Only about twenty minutes from Chico. Winemaker, Aimée Sunseri, would be a hero to any wine connoisseur with her perfect wine blends. The wines we tasted weren't too sweet or too bitter, they were refreshing from white to the red.

"Helping with the first vineyard plantings in 2000, Aimée Sunseri has been an influential part of the winery since the beginning. In 2003, she graduated from the University of California, Davis with honors from the Viticulture and Enology department. During her studies, she worked with the monks in the vineyards and for her families' wineries: the Nichelini Winery in St. Helena and the Boeger Winery in Placerville. Aimée has embraced the opportunity to not only continue her family tradition but is also helping to rebuild Vina's wine legacy with the monks of New Clairvaux. " --newclairvaux.com

We tasted an assortment of goodies, including their own handmade olive oil. It was divine.

Our wine tasting session included:

2012 St. James Tempranillo

2012 Napa Valley Aimee Primitivo

2013 Napa Valley Aimee Pinot Grigio

2013 St. James Syrah Rosé

2012 St. James Syrah

(All wines were served to us by the sweetest monk).

My mother-in-law,bought me the 2013 St. James Syrah Rose'. This Rose' was unique as it was not sweet, like common Rose'. It was like a refreshing white with the richness of a red.

This wine tasting was different than most wineries, as you were able to tour the Abbey and orchards and learn about its history after experiencing the wine. It definitely gave you an appreciation for the monk's hard work and devotion to their vows.