Stein Eriksen Blog

​Ah, wine! It’s something that can add so much to a meal, and is also perfect for simply sharing with someone special. The more you learn about wine, the more you begin to detect the differences and understand your own palate and preferences. Whether you enjoy all wines, prefer reds or whites, or have begun to find select varietals and vintages you adore, a wine tasting is always a great experience. It can open the door to new wine favorites; for example, those who lean towards dry reds like cabernet and merlot may find that they enjoy a white like chardonnay as well. And as you further pursue the art of wine tasting, you’ll begin to notice differences depending on region, the year the grapes were harvested, and even specific vineyards. The more you know about wine, the more you can appreciate it – but even novices can enjoy a wine tasting led by an experienced sommelier.

Here are a few tips to get you started.

1. Glass size and shape. There are different wine glasses for red and white wines for good reason. Red wine glasses tend to be taller and wider than white wine glasses because they usually hold stronger, bolder wines that need to breathe. The larger glasses allow the aroma and flavor to fully emerge.
2. The swirl. The reason for swirling a glass of wine is to help it breathe and to raise the aroma, so that you can detect more subtle smells that overlap. It also allows you to see the “legs” – the lines that form on the sides of the glass in runnels – on full-bodied wines.
3. The aroma. 80% of taste actually comes from smell, which is why it really helps you to enjoy the wine more by taking in the aroma first. You may also find that you can detect things in the aroma that aren’t as apparent when you simply rely on your taste buds.
4. The sip. While many may feel the urge to take a full swallow right away, when you take just a small sip and let it slide over your tongue slowly, you are better able to detect individual elements of the wine:

•           The tip of your tongue perceives sweetness
•           The inner sides notice sourness and/or acidity
•           The outer sides of the tongue sense saltiness
•           The back part of the tongue tastes bitterness and/or alcohol
•           The aftertaste is known as “the finish” and is often different from what you tasted while the wine was actually in your mouth

1. Tastes vary. Everyone has differences in their senses of smell and taste, and even the number of taste buds you have varies from person to person. This is why it's important to try a wine for yourself instead of simply taking an expert’s opinion.
2. Why spit? Some wine tasters feel that they get a better sense of the wine by not swallowing, while some people would prefer to save their palate for future wines. If you tend to be a lightweight, you may find that swallowing early on in a wine tasting is detrimental to your ability to enjoy later wines. But it’s completely up to you!
3. Build the intensity. Because some tastes can be more overpowering than others, the general rule is to try dry wines before sweet wines and white wines before reds, which tend to be stronger.
4. Food affects the taste of wine. You will find that a good sommelier instructs you on which foods to try with the wine… and enables you to try the wine alone first. This is because the flavors of the food will mix in your mouth with the wine's taste, altering it in subtle or substantial ways.

Ultimately, the choice of choosing wines when eating out or relaxing at home is completely up to you. Some people prefer to choose their wine to fit their meal, while others simply choose the wine they like best to enjoy. The bottom line is that the “right” way to drink wine is the way you enjoy it!

Stein Eriksen Lodge features over 1,100 different wine selections. During your stay with us, you can enjoy a Blind Tasting (we select the wines) for up to 20 guests, offering two white and four red wines paired with a selection of plated meat and cheese for $150 per person. Or, you can choose your own wines to enjoy with up to 20 guests. You simply pay for the bottles you select, along with a $100 Sommelier Fee, and may also choose to purchase a meat and cheese plate to accompany your wine selections. Either way, it’s a memorable way to spend an hour or more, held within our distinctive cellar tasting area.

For more information on how you can enjoy your own personal wine tasting experience, call (435) 645-6455

Grab your skis, because Deer Valley Resort’s Opening Day is just around the corner.  In the meantime, we caught up with Director of Mountain Operations, Steve Graff, for the inside scoop on skiing in beautiful Deer Valley this winter season.

It’s already a winter wonderland out there! Your snowmaking team must be working very hard.

We have been incredibly productive. We’re looking better than we were last year. We’re gotten an early start on it, and are ahead of schedule.  We’ll continue to make snow, and have more runs ready for Opening Day [December 8th].

For Stein’s owners and guests in particular, we tripled our capacity to make snow right out front of the Lodge, and we brought snowmaking all the way to the top of Viking Chair. Before, we had to run a hose from Sterling. Now, by installing this new snowmaking line, we’re able to capitalize on that cooler weather, and make more snow in a shorter period of time.

Additionally, it has been determined by the Utah Division of Water Quality that snowmaking is a noncumsumtive use, becuase over 85% of water used for snowmaking actually melts and goes right back into the ponds.

What’s new this year?

We are working on Homestake Lift, and we are very hopeful and confident that it will be open by Opening Day. We replaced an old quad that went about 300 ft/min with a new high speed quad that will run about 900 ft/min. The ride from Silver Lake to Bald Eagle will now be under 3 minutes.

We continue to replace a number of our snowmaking installations with energy-efficient snowmaking guns. We are making a lot of behind the scenes energy-efficient upgrades around the resort.

We also got four new snowcats! All of our snowcats are Tier-4, and the emissions that come out of our diesel snowcats are almost non-existent now. You can actually wipe your finger in the inside of the exhaust stacks, and there’s nothing.

What are you personally most excited about this year?

I’m excited for snow. We’re due for another snowy year. I’m excited about World Championships. This is the largest event outside of the Olympics that this area has ever seen, and we’re very excited about that.

Do you have a favorite trail or a favorite lift?

Yes, but it varies. One of my favorite things about skiing, and why I’ve done it a hundred plus days a year for over 25 years now, is it’s always different. I absolutely love it. The mountain is such a dynamic place, and it changes all the time. A favorite for me on a sunny day is Solid Muldoon, on the lower mountain. I like its multi-pitches and flat spots in between. I like the way it undulates. My favorite place to ski on a powder day is anywhere in the Sultan area- lots of vertical, really good tree skiing, good opens shots. Everyone runs towards Empire, and I go the other way to Sultan/ Mayflower. I like Stargazer in the morning, when the sun shines on it, and it softens up just a little bit.

Deer Valley is consistently ranked one of the top ski resorts in the country and in the world. Why do you think this is?

It’s the people that work here. It’s our staff. In the beginning, the vision was set by the Sterns. When Edgar Stern decided to create a ski resort and operate it more like a luxury hotel, he laid the groundwork for that vision. For us as staff, it is incredibly easy to get who we are and what our mission is, because that hasn’t wavered since our opening day 38 years ago. It’s all about customer service, anticipating our guests needs, delivering the highest quality product and experience that we possibly can. When that doesn't change year to year, day to day, it just builds on itself. So the staff is how we do it.

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For more information about Deer Valley Resort, visit the website here.

Additionally, our concierge is alway happy to answer any questions and help you book your ultimate ski vacation.  435-645-6460

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​Home to the 2002 Winter Olympics, Park City is a world-class training ground for athletes competing at the highest level. For Park City youth, the allure of snow sports can be very exciting. However, from gear to proper training, participation in winter sports is expensive. Youth Sports Alliance (YSA) makes pursuing winter sports possible for thousands of youth each year. YSA supports seven competitive winter sports teams, after school programs, and scholarships for junior athletes. The non-profit gives kids an opportunity to pursue their sports dreams while teaching them sportsmanship, optimism, and the power of teamwork.
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Over the past decade, Stein Eriksen Lodge has made a cash donation to YSA each year to support their noble efforts. In 2014, an endowment fund was created in Stein Eriksen’s name. The vision for this endowment was to provide the opportunity for every child to experience winter sports.

At the endowment's launch, Eriksen noted, "It is an honor to help support the athletic dreams of Park City's youth. My life's passion and work has been about the outdoors, sportsmanship, and perseverance, and it is rewarding to be able to help make this lifestyle a reality for the young members of our community. I hope to encourage the benefits of teamwork and camaraderie and inspire our local youth to excel in the sports they love."

By 2016, that endowment reached $2 million dollars, and it continues to grow. The Lodge has been a major contributor to this effort, and it’s a privilege to witness the impact this endowment has on so many young athletes. In addition to the endowment, we are delighted to host Jans Winter Welcome in our luxurious ballroom each year to ensure they will always have a beautiful space to hold this annual charity event. We just hosted the 38th Annual Jans Winter Welcome last month. These efforts raised over $400,000 to support teams and fund scholarships for junior athletes.

It’s never too late to support youth winter sports programs. Visit the YSA website to learn more, or participate in the annual Live PC Give PC fundraising event. This one-day community event celebrates the spirit of giving for 24 hours. This year’s Live PC Give PC event is all day on Friday, November 9, 2018. The YSA is one of many incredible nonprofits participating in the fundraiser. Learn how you can join in and give back to the local community today.

The first dusting of snowfall blankets the vibrant yellows and deep reds of Park City's surrounding hillsides. Some treasure the remaining days of fall, while others welcome a crispness in the air and the promise of winter.

Most outdoor activities are seasonally specific. Mountain bikers cherish a few more trail rides, while winter enthusiasts eagerly dust off their skis. Looking forward to seasonal sports is fun, but there is one activity you can enjoy all year-round. Strap on your waders and take to the great Provo River, because it’s time to learn how to fly fish!

Fly fishing has been deemed “the quiet sport,” and rightfully so. Tranquil alpine valleys and the gentle calm of the meandering river make for a very peaceful experience. However, you still have to be on your game to catch a fish! Unlike spin fishing, the sport of fly fishing requires that you constantly cast your line. It takes practice, patience, and the right technique to reel in a fish. ​​

For you first-timers, we highly recommend you utilize the help of an expert guide. With so many nuanced factors, it is difficult for a beginner to read the river on your own. 

Not only are guides happy to provide tips and tricks, but they love sharing their enthusiasm for their favorite sport. We asked an avid fly fisherman, Blake, to describe his passion.

“For me, fly fishing is an art. Every aspect is meaningful. The bait is intended to mimic the lifecycle of ever-changing river fauna. When you craft flies that work, it’s incredibly gratifying because it means you understand the river.”  

A beginner certainly does not need to craft his or her own flies. In fact, a lot of experts prefer to purchase their flies too. However, it’s nice to consider the subtleties of the sport in order to better understand and appreciate what really goes into catching a fish. 

Park City is the ideal place to start your fly fishing adventure. It is teeming with blue-ribbon streams (designation of extremely high quality), and beautiful mountain scenery.  ​​
Our concierge team is happy to book your trip with one of our preferred vendors to ensure your first time on the river is a rewarding and meaningful experience. 435-645-6460 

Try something new this fall, reconnect with nature, check a new sport off your bucket list, and if you’re lucky, you may even discover a new lifelong passion. ​​