Good Taste is the Worst Vice

Uncorked, Squaw Valley CA

Living in Chicago, there aren’t a lot of options for skiing.  I think there may be an 800 ft landfill somewhere nearby, but…. I’ll pass.  Fortunately I’m always looking for an excuse to make a trip to California, so I headed out last month for my annual ski holiday at Tahoe.

Unfortunately, the weather gods didn’t get the memo, so while the morning skiing was great, the afternoons got too warm.  Fortunately, there was an alternative option – wine tasting!

Uncorked Squaw Valley is a little wine shop in the Village, which also has a bar and a few tables (and outside seating on nice days).


For $10, you can choose three wines to taste from a fairly long list – I went with a selection of reds: Chianti, Syrah, and Zinfandel.  The Zin, Ottimino Rancho Bello 2007 from Russian River Valley, was my favorite, dry and full-bodied, with a good balance between fruit and tannin.

It’s always nice to have some nibbles with wine – Uncorked offers a nice selection including cheese, almonds, smoked salmon, and salami.  I went with the simple option of bread and olive oil; the bread was a pleasant surprise, locally-baked “Squaw bread” from Truckee Sourdough.  It’s a hearty, slightly sweet whole wheat that I really enjoyed.

No, it’s not skiing, but I can’t complain about a day that starts on the slopes…

 …and ends up here!


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