A small sampling of our culinary treats

Lasting as long as the closing volume to Peter Jackson’s vision of The Lord of the Rings, our wine group battled through fourteen different wines, four different cheeses, some amazing appetizers (including smoked salmon) and a dinner of beef tenderloin, Varenyky, grilled veggies and broccoli salad. It was epic.

For only our second formal gathering, I have to say the bar was set quite high with this particular cast. As usual, it was heavy on the new world wines, though all three of the whites did come from Europe which I found to be interesting.

To begin the festivities, we started with some Louis Roederer Brut Premier Champagne, which was actually purchased 2 to 3 years ago. I commented to the provider (and our gracious host for this installment) I thought that was actually the best way to consume NV (non-vintage) Champagne, as the extra time in bottle typically adds some richness and nutty character to the wine. It was a solid example of the region, with nice citrus and hints of yeast and toasted nuts coming through as well. We had four cheeses to snack on (along with smoked salmon, fresh chopped liver and assorted other munchies) and I thought the Champagne went best with the Robusto. A solid above average wine, but I still prefer their domestic stuff for the money.

After that, I made un-inspired sips at two of the whites. I didn’t care for the 2007 Chateau de la Greffiere Macon-la-Roche-Vineuse, but that is just more for personal taste reasons. It was a solid example of the region and for under $20, it is a nice introduction to white Burgundy. The 2008 Vina Godeval was a 100% Godello from Spain that was one of the more interesting whites I’ve had in quite a while. It had a nice complexity to it, with stone fruit, floral notes, spice and beeswax. If you want something off the beaten path for summer, this is a solid choice. I didn’t try the 2004 Carl Ehrhard Spatlese Riesling, but I’ve had wines from this producer and they have always been solid. I really meant to get back to it after all the reds, but I totally forgot about it.

Now, onto the reds, which from beginning to end were all above average to outstanding.

2005 Tolo Cellars Asini Paso Robles Red Wine (16.2% alcohol): A $28 from the winery blend of 60% Sangiovese and 40% Zinfandel, this had been opened in bottle for 5 hours, then decanted for 2 hours the day before. It was still as peppy as your local Starbucks barista who has enjoyed too much of their own product for anyone’s good. A bright melange of red fruits and licorice on the nose (the Sangiovese) gave way to more blackberry and bramble on the palate. I’d call this a  danger Will Robinson wine because of the high alcohol and too easy to slug palate. I wouldn’t pay $28 for it, but I was more than happy to drink it.

2007 Santa Ema Amplus One: I didn’t sample because I’ve had and raved about it before.

2004 Frog’s Leap Rutherford: A very easy to drink style of Cabernet that was lacking in any real tannin, but had enough acidity to keep it from falling flat on its face. A glass of subtle, yet flavorful black currant and black cherry. If you’ve got Napa Cabs from this hot and juicy vintage, I’d start drinking them now.

2003 Stella Maris Columbia Valley Red Wine by Northstar (14.5% alcohol): A blend of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon; 45% Merlot; 4% Malbec; 4% Syrah, this was the early contender for WOTN (wine of the night) for me. Earthy smoked herbs danced with dark red cherries in a graceful manner those folks on reality TV dancing shows can only dream of. It had a long, smooth finish and was a great pairing with the beef tenderloin. A fine second label effort that is drinking in its prime right now. As the evening wore on, the wine did begin to give way a bit and wasn’t as good the second time around, but I still enjoyed it. #2 for me, as I really liked the mix of both old and new world style.

2000 The Ojai Vineyard Santa Barbara County Bien Nacido Vineyard Syrah: A bowlful of blueberries and spice, this was smooth and easy to drink. I’m not a big California Syrah person typically and while this didn’t convert me, it was a fine effort for a wine I really thought would be past prime.

2005 Kilikanoon Barossa Valley Testament Shiraz (15% alcohol): I remember when my wine sensei first touted Kilikanoon wines to me. Like many red wine newbies, it was easy to love the fruit-laden style of Barossa Valley Shiraz, like a teenage boy falls for Sports Illustrated swimsuit models. I still find Kilikanoon wines to show more restraint and deft hand in obtaining balanced and refinement from their wines, as opposed to Mollydooker where the volume knob starts at 10 and goes up from there. Unfortunately, these big Aussie bombs have fallen on hard times and for those who like them, you can often score tremendous bargains. This wine has loads of tooth-staining black fruits, with nice baking spice and vanilla notes to round out the flavors. A big wine with soft tannins, a core of acidity and big rich flavors that will overwhelm all but the biggest of food.

2001 Stags’ Leap Winery Petite Syrah (14.2% alcohol): One of our two offerings, this was one of my earliest wines-to-lay-down acquisitions. Another wine I read about in Karen McNeil’s The Wine Bible. One of the most fascinating things about this wine is how it got trashed by one publication, but then lauded by two others. If I had been paying attention, I probably would have drank this earlier. It failed to exhibit my expectation of wrestling alligators with their teeth bared that makes Petite Sirah (I have no idea why they spell it with a Y instead of an I) such a great wine. It still had nice spice, black plum and blackberry fruit with hints of toast, but it just lacked the power I expected. Yes, I know the wine is 9 years old, but I wasn’t expecting it to have totally lost its grip. From what I am now reading, it may have never really had that strong of one to begin with. A good wine, but I really was hoping for more.

1999 Pieve Santa Restituta Brunello di Montalcino Sugarille (14% alcohol): A wine from famed Italian winemaker Angelo Gaja, whom I associate more with Barolo than Brunello. I believe this wine had been opened for over 24 hours by the time we drank it and in talking with the host (and provider of this wine), we both concluded that may have been too much. While nowhere near dead or shut down, it seemed to have lost a bit of luster that you’d expect from such an expensive (retail is estimated around $130 – 140) and highly rated (91, 92, 93+) wine. Now don’t get me wrong, it didn’t suck, but it didn’t blow anybody out of the water either. It exhibited classic Brunello dark cherry, leather and floral character, but also a good bit of oak character in the smoke and chocolate notes. Tannins were relatively mild, but I should hope so after breathing as much air as this did. I think this would have been better the day before and a more fair comparison to the next wine. All in all, my third favorite.

2001 Talenti Brunello di Montalcino Pian di Conte: This was one of my first Brunellos, having tasted (and bought it for the store) it as a wine retail buyer. It was later in the day and we were the rep’s last stop, so after drinking and loving this so much, he offered me the remainder of the bottle. I corked it and proceeded to consume it later that evening, taking the same time to breathe in its perfume as I did in drinking it. When I departed my store, the owner gave me a bottle of this as a gift, as he remembered how much I loved this wine. I think the retail was $59.99. A very modern style, this drinks beautifully right now. Yes, it was a bit on the chewy side when we opened it, as it came right out of storage and was popped and poured, no decant time permitted. As the wine opened up, the spiced cherry with smoky cedar flavors sailed on in a finish that was easily in the 45+ second range. Fans of more old world, “traditional” Brunello might find this too much, but it wasn’t like we were drinking Napa Cab. You knew this was Italian, you knew this was Brunello and most important of all, you knew this was just down right tasty. While it wasn’t the overall crowd favorite (I don’t know what was), I know myself and two others were in agreement that it was ours.

Many thanks to our hosts for their generous spread of delicious food and wine, along with great hospitality. I know that myself and my wife are looking forward to the next gathering of Wineaux 75. Until then, be well, drink well and love well.

To kick things off...

Saturday night was a cause for celebration.

Okay, more like a post-event celebration, since the actual event we were celebrating had happened earlier in the week. A close friend of ours was celebrating her birthday and our present was to provide dinner, along with the wine. Nothing fancy, just a simple feast of grilled rib-eyes, bacon wrapped scallops, roasted potatoes and mushrooms with cheese (I forget what kind…but it was good…and that is all that ever matters). Oh yeah, there was also a Whole Foods bakery Tiramisù cake.

The kick off wine was, but of course, a Champagne. The funny thing was, it was actually one I purchased myself. You see, grower Champagnes are pretty much impossible for a guy like me to get samples on. At least, that has been my experience so far.

It was a 2003 René Geoffroy Empreinte, a wine that I purchased at Tower on Piedmont for $49.99. 2003 was generally a bad year in Champagne, with a crop demolishing frost in spring and scorching temperatures in summer that sent the wines into sugar shock, leeching life preserving acidity from the picture. Okay, that is an oversimplification, but overall, it wasn’t a good year for most Champagne producers. All of us found this wine in tip top shape, with a soft and round palate being the one clue to the year. It wasn’t overly soft, just enough to make it a very nice apéritif to go with cheese and crackers. Flavors were lightly honey misted apples with a slight toastiness. Overall, an above average Champagne.

Next up came the first red and for me, the WOTN (wine of the night). It was a bottle of 2004 Concha y Toro Terrunyo Carménère that I’ve had for a few years. I don’t remember how long I’ve had it, but it has probably been around 2 years. I think the retail was around $35, though it sells for closer to $40 in the current release.

This is a premier example of the Carménère grape variety, with a fantastic interplay of green pepper, herbs, tobacco and rich black fruits. A strong presence of green bell pepper is something I find off-putting in this variety, but I also find its absence displeasurable as well. The wine had soft, almost imperceptable tannins and enough acid to keep it from feeling flat. I’d say the wine is prime to drink right now, though I’m sure it will stay quite tasty for at least a few more years. My only regret with this wine is not having more of it to drink. Check out the video and see how much sediment this puppy throws when you get to the “dregs”. Outstanding wine and one that never disappoints in any vintage I’ve ever sampled.

For dinner, we went the 2003 Seavey Caravina Cabernet Sauvignon. Another bottle I’ve had for a few years and I wanted to drink. I tend to go for Napa wines in their youth, preferring their luscious fruit, but not wanting to wrestle with overbearing tannins. From what I remembered, this was one of my sensei’s great value gems from Napa. A second label wine that was as good as the “big” wine, but at a more budget friendly price. I don’t remember what the wine went for, but I’m pretty sure it was in the $30s when I did buy it. I’m not sure what it retails for (I haven’t seen it at all anywhere lately) now, but the winery sells it for $55.

Plush, with black currant, grilled herbs, a touch of gravel and a dusting of cocoa powder in the long finish. This wine runs between worlds, with obvious oak and fruit laying claim to the New World, but with the finesse of a Bordeaux. California fans will still favor this, as I think most Bordeaux fans just don’t like this much fruit, which while present, isn’t overwhelming or jammy in nature. Time has and will continue to be kind to this wine. Another mark in the outstanding column, though I still found it just a smidge behind the Concha y Toro.

To conclude the meal, our guests opened up a bottle of 2004 Alvear Pedro Ximénez Montilla-Moriles de añada, an intensely flavored dessert style sherry. Again, not my usual sort of wine to have with the finish of a meal, as the alcohol is something that just pervades the nose and keeps things a bit out of balance for me. This wine belongs on pancakes. For me, it was like drinking raisin and fig reduction, cooked down to the consistency of motor oil. The alcohol was overwhelming and throws the wine out of balance. One might try it with ice cream to cut the burn. Overall, it was good, but not a wine I’d personally seek out. I’ll stick to my late harvest styles thank you.

So, there concludes our intercontinental wine adventure. Four wines, four countries, three continents and overall, quite a worthy excursion. Cheers!

2007 Continuum

Yesterday, I was fortunate enough to share lunch with a descendant of the most important man in the history of US wine. Her name is Carissa Mondavi and of course, you know who her grandfather is. Myself and fellow wine blogger extraordinaire Ed Thralls were there with Carissa and Stu Harrison to share great food and of course, great wine.

The setting was Chops, the renowned steak house located in Buckhead. Oh yeah, full disclosure time: The wine and food were all paid for by Continuum Estate and didn’t cost me a dime…except for the gas and time I spent in transit and in writing this piece. A small price indeed.

The wine we were there to sample was Continuum, the latest project from Tim Mondavi, family and friends. The 2007 we tasted is only the third release of a wine destined to rank with previous family wines like Opus One and Robert Mondavi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, not to mention other heavy hitters in the Napa Valley Cab and red blend categories.

Dom Ruinart Brut Rosé

The initial treat for me was when Stu said that in honor of me and my quest, we would be starting with some bubbly.

Hello understatement.

We started with a bottle of Dom Ruinart Brut Rosé. A gorgeous light ruby color, the wine was Grace Kelly floating across the dance floor in a flowing evening gown, commanding of your attention without being overt or trying too hard. A full-flavored wine, the lack of mushrooming (aka expansion) on the cork indicated a release with some age. Lovely red fruits framed on a medium body with a lovely hint of rose in the finish. Excellent way to start things off.

Up next was the reason we were there, to taste the 2007 Continuum. This wine is a blend, with a composition of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Cabernet Franc and 18% Petit Verdot.

One of the first things you will notice is the label. It is actually a shadow painting entitled “Light of the Vine” produced by Chiara Mondavi. The original is a 12′ x 6′ depiction of a 25 year old Cabernet Franc vine that her father Tim planted. It represents the energy and expression of life as seen in the vine. I liken it to the fact you can view grape vines as a metaphor for life and the Mondavi’s life is in the vines.

The nose screamed fruit. There was an intensity that I always associate with Napa Valley wines, especially those with a high degree of valley floor fruit. You see, this wine’s current primary source of fruit is the famous To-Kalon vineyard, which sits on the valley floor. If vineyards were rated as they are in Burgundy, this would surely be one of the leading contenders for “the title”. In time, this will change as the estate vineyard on Pritchard Hill comes online, with 2008 being the first vintage that will be a majority of fruit from this esteemed site. Case production is about 1,500 cases right now, with plans to achieve a maximum of somewhere around 5,000. Compare this to 10,000 for Robert Mondavi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and 20,000 for Opus One. This makes it obtainable, but without any plan to compromise quality for the sake of producing more.

At an approximate retail of $140, this is not a cheap wine. Then again, there is that one guy who forked over $140,000,000 for a Jackson Pollock. Personally, I’d rather have 1 million bottles of $140 wine than a painting…any painting. Maybe I’m weird that way.

So, is there value? Value is a relative term and while $140 is well beyond my normal spending range, I’d say this wine holds up to others in the same price range and at this stage, actually outperforms some of the others I’ve tasted. There is a huge core of black currant fruit, which is is enveloped by spice, coffee and what I can only describe as tar, but in a good way. Stu suggested the term graphite, but I associate that more with certain Bordeaux than what I was smelling in this wine. I think Parker calls it creosote. Maybe smoke that were the consistency of molasses would serve, but then I’m describing a texture more than an aroma. This is why I’m a blogger and not Parker or Laube or Tanzer.

2007s from Napa that I’ve had certainly live up to the hype, though I’d be cautious with aging many of them for too long. This wine is had very supple tannins, but a strong backbone of acid that kept the wine from laying waste to your palate through brute force.

Tasked with standing up to a perfectly cooked (and seasoned) rare N.Y. Strip, the wine came out on top with a knockout. Overall, an outstanding wine and a brand you should keep your eye on as they switch fruit sources. I’ve only had a Pritchard Hill wine once and it was spectacular. I have no doubt the Mondavi clan will establish Continuum as one of the must have premier wines of Napa Valley over the next several years.

Haiku
passion handed down
the torch burns without dimming
Continuum rocks

UPDATE: On Wednesday April 28th, two days after tasting this wine, the 2007 Continuum was given a score of 97 points by Wine Spectator. Congratulations to everyone at Continuum on their highest score so far. See, I told you this was an awesome wine.

I also wanted to link to Ed’s article, which provides additional information and another perspective.

Toast of the Town 2010 - Atlanta, GA - Georgia Aquarium

Last night was our third year of pouring wine at Toast of the Town, an annual event put on by Wine Enthusiast and held in the private ballroom of the Georgia Aquarium. For my wife and I, it is a great event. We spend the first couple of hours trying wine and sampling the food, then spend the rest of the evening pouring some great Italian wines at the Prestige Wine Imports table.

As with big events like this, there were loads of things to try, but we generally stuck to the bubbles and a few other select items. I don’t take formal notes, just some general impressions of things that really stood out for one reason or another.

2008 Lucien Albrecht Riesling Reserve: I don’t remember the retail, but I think everything at this Riesling table was under $20. It was really nice to see a table devoted to one of (if not THE) greatest white wine grapes in the world. Pity it still plays the understudy to Chardonnay. The first offering was this bone dry bowl of lime juice squeezed over white rocks from Alsace, France. For anyone who ever says Rieslings are too sweet, this is the wine to show them the exact opposite. Well done.

2008 The Crusher Wilson Vineyard Pinot Noir: You should be able to find this wine for around $12 or so and I recommend you do so. It has a Homer Simpson drool inducing nose of applewood smoked bacon that has been wrapped around black cherries and toasted over an open fire. The medium bodied wine has a light grade of sandpapery grip and more of that smoked black cherry taste profile which begs for smoked salmon or grilled portabella mushroom dishes. Above average wine with more character than most Pinot Noirs in this price point. Distinctive and worthy of your hard earned dollars.

Barefoot Bubbly Brut: I’ve seen these around town for $7.99 and honestly, I wasn’t expecting a whole heck of a lot from these wines. The Brut wasn’t my cup of tea, as it was a little rough and coarse with minimal fruit flavor. Not recommended.

Barefoot Bubbly Pinot Grigio: This was quite nice and I could see this as being a great party wine or for mixing with fruit juices for Sunday morning brunch. Good.

Barefoot Bubbly Extra Dry: The extra sugar really improves this wine and makes the tropical fruit really pop. I’d have this with cheese and fresh fruit on those warm summer evenings where the road tar is hotter than La Brea. Good.

Barefoot Bubbly Rosé: Umm, no.

Barefoot Bubbly Moscato: If you like Moscato d’Asti, this will be a nice change of pace for you as I think the sugar is slightly lower and won’t quite put you in diabetic shock like the Italian versions. Wines like this really belong in half-bottles. It isn’t my cup of tea, but for what it was and the people it is targeting, it delivers the goods. Good.

Leo Hillinger Rosé Secco: You can find this Prosecco (hence the name) patterned sparkling Pinot Noir from Austria at Whole Foods for about $19.99. Pleasantly filled with fresh strawberry and ripe red cherry flavors, this is very easy to drink. The new packaging includes a pink ribbon and they are donating $1 to breast cancer research for each bottle sold. I didn’t catch for how long they are doing this, but it is always a great thing to see any company giving back and in a specific way. Good.

2006 Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs: From the original sparkling wine house in California comes this delicious apéritif made from 100% Chardonnay. Quick lesson: Blanc de Blancs means white from whites, so in Champagne and most other producers, it means 100% Chardonnay, which would make an excellent and different selection for the upcoming Twitter community Chardonnay wine tasting. Check it out! Oh yeah, the wine was quite good and one of the more refined Blanc de Blancs you can get. Above average.

2001 Schramsberg J Schram: This tête de cuvée is elegant, refined and one of the most Champagne like wines you’ll ever drink, though I don’t think you’ll mistake it for the “real deal”. It still has a certain California foundation and that is a good thing. A well balanced mix of toast, apple and citrus, this is still very youthful and will sleep well without any diminishment over the next 5 to 7 years. For $100 or so that you’ll pay, you get a premier domestic bottling. It would be awesome to have a full bottle of this to put up against the other heavyweights of the domestic sparkling market and see who comes out on top in a blind tasting.

So, that gives me another 8 wines in the quest, putting me at a total of 87 sparkling wines tasted this year. Not bad.

2006 Robert Mondavi Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve: This will set you back $130 or so and while Mondavi is no longer a family affair, the quality is still in the bottle. An outstanding wine that doesn’t rely on power, but does deliver a great deal of concentration. I know, that doesn’t seem to jive, but it does. When I think of power, I think Australian Shiraz or yes, California Cabernet. The Mondaiv Reserve is full of flavor and still quite young, with loads of currant, grilled herb and cocoa powder. I will say that this should be drunk over the next 5 years, as it doesn’t have the stuffing to go much longer before it will fall off the mark.

2006 Concha y Toro Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon: I’ve grown to love Chilean Cabernet over the past couple of years and there is no finer example than this bottling. While it is no longer the value it once was, it still delivers a powerful mouthful of whiskey soaked blackberries that have been stewing over a fire of graphite and coal. A long finish, this is still a baby and needs another 3 to 4 years before I’d actually open it up for consumption. I think you can do better for $80, but you can also do a lot worse.

2006 Cardinale – or the Steve Heimoff of Wine Enthusiast 100 point rated wine: While I missed out on the same opportunity that Ed got (great write up on the wine you should go read), I was able to squeeze in at the last minute and get a shot at tasting my first 100 point rated wine. You can read Steve’s review here. This wine carried the 15% alcohol really well, with only the slightest sign of heat on the back palate. It was rich, concentrated and you could smell the intensity of the ripe mountain fruit long before you got your nose near the rim of the enormous Riedel glasses they were pouring it into. Black currant, smoked vanilla, toasted herbs and black cherry reduction in a glass. I’m not one to spend $200 on a bottle of wine, but I will say that it was a damn fine drink and was begging for a blue rib-eye fresh off the grill. I’m envious Ed got to actually sit and taste, because this is the sort of wine you want to kick back, relax and have a conversation with. If you have the funds, I’d go for it. Classic, though I’m not really sure about the whole 100 point thing.

iPad: No, Apple hasn’t created a wine called iPad, but there was one guest who stopped at our table who had one with him. I asked, what was the killer app? He didn’t really have an answer and we talked about the unit as he displayed it like a proud father does his All-American football playing son. I said that when they put a camera in it and you could video-conference call with it, along with document sharing / review, then you’d have something. Throw in some real time voice translation and the international business market will fall all over themselves to buy them faster than the fans have accepted Tiger back into their hearts. Amazing.

The perfect bite: I’m really disappointed in myself for not remember which restaurant was serving these delectable delights, but I have to say that bacon wrapped and grilled shrimp really may be the most foodgasmic single bite I’ve had in quite a while.

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Cheers and happy weekend to you! Thank you so much for stopping by and taking time out of your busy day to read what I have to say. It is very humbling. I will have to toot my own horn for once and say I was named Tweep of the Week by the fantastic folks over at Atlanta Dish, which is run by the super fabulous Melissa Libby and Associates.

Haiku
One hundred point wine
Great food, better company
Oh my what a night

Woodfire Grill

My second visit to Woodfire Grill was for a wine dinner featuring wines from Robert Sinskey, a winery I was not real familiar with before this day. I was peripherally knowledgeable of them, knowing their reputation for Pinot Noir more than anything else.

The winery has been farming organically since 1991 and have also incorporated the practices of bio-dynamics. To learn more, watch this video on their website, it explains the concept much better than my words. This philosophy produces what I call slow wines. These are the wines you should appreciate with food, not on their own like some cheap vodka-tini drink (I hate those -tini modifications…shows no imagination whatsoever and disrespects the original drink…but I digress).

For $109 per person (all inclusive of tax and tip), we were treated to one amuse bouche, four courses and five wines, which was one more than promised. There were 37 of us total, all seated in the very back of the restaurant across several tables. Our table included a chef and his wife, who suggested we all rate the courses on a 1 to 5 scale. The below will cover each course, with comments on the food, the wine and the pairing.

Before I get to that, I have to make a quick comment on the 2006 Van Duzer Estate Pinot Noir Willamette Valley that my wife enjoyed. First off, it was $9.50 a glass. Last time I remember seeing this wine, it was about $28, so this price by the glass was pretty decent. I’m guessing some sort of closeout deal to move out old stock, but what a deal. Plenty of dark cherry fruit and well placed spice notes make this a good choice to have on its own or with food.

Amuse bouche: Pimento cheese prefiterole

• Spicy and creamy, but mine squished out and got on me. I would have preferred a flatbread with the cheese. (B)

Seared scallop

First course: Seared scallop, ras el hanout, creamed lentils, walnut apricot jus with 2008 Abraxas Vin de Terroir

• My scallop was perfectly cooked through, but I would have preferred just a bit more crust. One guest said their scallop wasn’t done all the way through, but he didn’t send it back. The creamed lentils complimented the soft texture and sweet flavor, adding a welcome earth note to the seafood. Overall, I liked the dish. (B+)
• The wine is a blend of Pinot gris, Gewurztraminer, Riesling and Pinot Blanc. The two Pinots were most dominant to me, with plenty of clean, white and green fruit flavors, pear being the strongest taste. A fine wine for summer time and it went well with the dish, helping to cut the creamed lentils. (B+)
• Pairing: (A) – A case of where the two actually elevated one another.

Coca-Cola glazed pork loin

Second course: Coca-cola glazed smoked pork loin, truffled beets, spiced cranberries, tarragon puree with two wines, the 2004 Vandal Vineyard Pinot Noir and 2007 Pinot Noir.

• I loved the pork loin, though I will say I didn’t find a lot of the Coca-cola flavor. A couple of guests found the texture a bit firmer than they liked, to which I commented it reminded me of a thick slab of canadian bacon, which I like. The truffled beets and spiced cranberries made great accompaniments, but the tarragon through things off for me, adding a rather un-welcome note of licorice to the dish. (A)
• The 2004 Vandal Vinyeard Pinot Noir was very open and fruit forward, with wonderful baking spice notes. It was very fragrant and easy to drink, just like a library wine should. The heat of the vintage definitely showed and I’d recommend drinking these now and over the next year. (B)
• 2007 Los Carneros Pinot Noir: Tight as a drum, this really showed much better with the food. The bright red fruit flavors seemed to come out of the dark when you’d take a sip after eating the pork. This will benefit from aging and for those who drink it now, make sure to air it out for a bit. (B now, with B+ to A for potential)
• Pairing: I liked the Vandal better with the food. I’d say both were an A in terms of pairing up well with the dish.

Wood grilled quail

Third course: Wood grilled quail, currant-garlic glaze, roasted farro, mint, sweet potato paired with 2006 Merlot.

• Most folks found this really delicious, even those who commented they typically don’t like quail. I think I even heard the comment that quail were like chickens that never grew up. I think their portion size make them well suited for multi-course menus like this one. The quail was well cooked, but my favorite part was the bed of roasted farro and sweet potato the little birds nested upon. It was just the right balance of sweet and savory, with a variety of textures to please me. (B+)
• 2006 Merlot: Plums and spice, so nice. A medium-full body, this wine had some guts to it and wasn’t over ripened or oaked. I’d say this is a more classic style of Merlot, but still very California. (B+)
• Pairing: (C) I thought the wine was a bit overwhelming for the food. I could have seen this as a second course served with a nice Rose or another Pinot Noir.

Wood grilled painted hills beef strip loin

Main course: Wood grilled painted hills beef strip loin, roasted mushroom ragout, red wine glace, carmelized onion grits, pork fat croutons paired with 2005 POV (Point of View).

• First off, the flavors of this dish were my favorite of the night, but we had one big problem. The temperature was much too cool. Even our plates were cool. The chef at the table gave this a 3 on our 1 to 5 scale. I know it is difficult to serve 37 people the same dish at the same time, but if you can’t accommodate that many people, then keep the size smaller. Again, I don’t know what happened, but it happened to everyone at our table. Outside of that, everything else about the dish was awesome. The beef was well seasoned and perfectly tender. The mushrooms and grits added great layers of flavor, but without overwhelming the tender strip. I tried one of the pork fat croutons by itself, but it was too small to really get a lot of flavor out of. They added a nice crunch and make me think adding them to grits is a great idea. As served, (B-) due to temperature. Otherwise, an (A+).
• 2005 POV: A blend of 45% Merlot, with the remainder equally split between Cabernet brothers, Sauvignon and Franc. The most Bordeaux like, but with the signature fruit of California. Nice earth and dark red fruit notes made this my favorite wine of the evening, though that could have as much to do with the pairing as the wine itself.
• Pairing: A solid A.

Overall, the evening was quite enjoyable. We had very nice company and vibrant discussions, including one about the appeal of sugar sweetened Coca-Cola vs. HFCS, as one of our tablemates worked for the Latin American division of Coca-Cola. For those interested, read this article on the cult of Mexican Coca-Cola.

Have a great weekend.