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Wednesday, April 16, 2008
MOVIN’ UP IN THE NEIGHBORHOODOur last column promised to say a little something about some of the more upscale
(read expensive) wines and producers that take up quite a bit of space in my Lil’ Fat Notebooks. These are wines for
special occasions be it a birthday or dinner invitation, you realize that you deserve a break today, you know, when you only
want to send the very best (hey, that has a ring to it). So I sat down to pick and choose and the better part of an hour later
I was still at it. What do you say we talk California Pinot Noir. For starters, I was particularly taken with the most Burgundian
of the line-up, the Calera Mills Vineyard 2005 ($46.50, alcohol 14.0) from the Mt. Harlan appellation of San Benito County.
Both nose and palate were rather refined with a delicious, delicate middle succulence; classy stuff. And I had a rare (for
me) opportunity to compare three single vineyard 2006 bottlings from Morgan Winery. In the past I have leaned toward the Double
L Estate Vineyard planted to 13 clones in 1996 and farmed organically. I found the new release ($62, 14.5 alcohol) fluid and
tasty if a bit simple. The Rosella’s Vineyard came off a touch austere and not up to the same yikes price-tag. Jan wasn’t
pouring the Gary’s Vineyard version but this one is usually my least favorite, not because it isn’t a quality
Pinot but rather because the powerful, extracted style of which just about everyone else is enamored doesn’t fit my
model. That’s where the Tondre Grapefield ($45, 14.4) comes in. The Morgan’06 displayed a lovely touch of elegance
(which can be difficult to appreciate at the price I know) that I am finding common to wines produced from this vineyard by
other wineries as well. More on the Tondre connection and some positive prose on Testarossa and Keller Estate next time.
Wed, April 16, 2008 | link
Saturday, April 5, 2008
THEY SURE KEEP ME HOPPIN’ DON’T THEY – PART 2Our journey outside the box moves from Italy to Argentina and the Martin Fierro
80/20 Chardonnay-Torrontes 2007 or Bivarietal. My notes read bright, fresh, bit of spice, yes. Along with the undeniable food
pairing possibilities came 12.7 alcohol and a $7.50 price-tag; ka-ching. The pairing process got off to a propitious (I like
to throw a big word in every once in a while) start when the wife prepared chicken thighs braised in chicken stock with cumin,
mushrooms, and onions; yummy dish, yummy combo. On day two I was determined to test the wine’s sushi potential so I
stopped by Ocean Deli Sushi which turned out not to be open in spite of a
sign announcing their new Sunday hours. Oh well, not to worry, a quick trip to Trader Joe’s to pick up a Sushi Sampler
should do the trick. I have to remember not to do that again, at least not on Sunday. The Fierro earned recommendations with
three of the sugary California roll concoctions including crab, carrot, and spinach (?) in a kelp wrap, sesame studded rice
with tuna (?) and spinach (?), and something resembling yellowtail??; just so so with what I feel confident was a salmon version.
There was a smidge of wine left in the bottle so on day three I ran it by some deli corned beef (not bad) and a Save Mart
Roast Chicken; another poultry triumph. OK, OK I know some of you feel more comfortable inside the box so I think my next
column will regale (a big word in my book) you with the lowdown on a bunch of pricier Pinot Noirs and maybe a Zin or two.
Stay tuned.
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