The most interesting part of this particular evening was how the taste of the wines changed with the wide variety of foods prepared. It was surprising that some of the food enhanced wines for which they were not specifically paired. It was a learning experience for all of us on how dramatically food can improve or detract from the taste of wine.
All of us looked forward to the next offering, the 2008 La Rochelle Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir. Michael called this "a Pinot for Cab lovers and I like Cab." Amy loved the color, mouth feel and flavor. Ken commented on the garnet color and full nose of raspberries and dark cherries.
I had seen Phil Baily earlier and he sent me off with a bottle of his Baily Winery 2008 M & M, 60% Merlot/40% Malbec blend. Tony wasn't shy with his opinion: "Super great nose!Awesome taste! Drinks like a $100 bottle."
First sniff - acidity. Had the Riedel glass allowed the acids to escape more readily? Sniff-sniff. Where are my pleasant layers? In fact where are any aromatic sensations? Now this wine is totally off-balance and I don't have the slightest desire to taste it, or even recommend it.
From Sonoma County we meandered to Spain via the 2010 Robaliño Albariño from Rias Baixas. Albariño is a delightful Spanish varietal and this one didn't disappoint.
Of all the wines I tasted, the barrel sample of 2010 Pinot Noir from Frostwatch Vineyard & Winery blew me away. I had a nice visit with owner and winemaker Brett Raven and wound up ordering a case of this wine at a special futures offering. Trust me, that's rare for me.
We stayed down under for the 2008 Jacob's Creek Reserve Shiraz from Barossa, Australia. "What a deal", said one of us. Most liked the nose, calling it smoky and earthy. Tony felt it got better as it sat in the glass. At $10 we all felt it was a terrific value.
Some wineries showed off their creative side with works of art created from cork. Once again, I made it my mission to visit all 34 participating wineries and the question I was asked most was 'what was the best?'
I found the representatives, many of them Château owners, to be charming and quite passionate about their wineries. Many of the châteaux have a history dating back centuries ago. Each has its unique tale to tell.
Where we've fallen short I believe is in engaging you and opening a dialogue with you. I take full responsibility and I intend to change that. We've always wanted this to be a two way street and I encourage you to let us know how we can improve the experience for you.