Thursday, July 29, 2010

Edna Valley Pinot Noir


2007
PARAGON
San Luis Obispo County, CA

First, I must apologize for the earlier post that follows this one (Dancing Bear by Cakebread Cellars) - once again, I was supremely lucky enough to not have it be a budget wine (or one that I paid for!). But I apologize to any readers truly looking for a "real" budget wine. As I've mentioned earlier, if we are gifted or fall into the throes of a more expensive wine, we ARE going to review it, even if it's not budget. Just like, if you readers were out visiting friends, or were invited to a function where you didn't have to pay for, but received a glass of expensive but truly magnificent wine, you would rave about it. So, that said, I move on to more budget-friendly material. Thank you for your patience. :)

This was a Pinot Noir with some substance. This tastes bigger than it is. I was impressed. It was a nice surprise from a co-worker, MC, who has been telling me about this "great Pinot Noir" he's been having for several months. As we don't see each other very much anymore (he has been relocated to our other building), I was SO very happy when our QA girlfriend brought it back for me following her inspection time up at P2. Meanwhile, MC had called me and told me it was coming back with her. As it is recommended to serve with grilled seafood (as well as lamb chops, game hens & rich pastas), I waited for Thursday when I knew our "Fish Man" would be in town and grabbed some salmon.

I enjoyed this on it's own, but it was really enjoyable with the salmon too. I made out pretty well this week - wine from one co-worker and fresh, Swiss Chard from another. Salmon and sauteed Swiss Chard accompanied this wine nicely.

Interestingly enough, I couldn't quite place the fruit I was tasting. It was a bit cherry like in addition to black pepper, but there was something else I couldn't quite describe. I try to find my own likes prior to reading the label descriptions, but after giving up guessing, it came in handy to turn the bottle over and read the label. The label mentions pomegranate and that's what the missing flavor was that I couldn't quite place (I am a "POM" juice freak).

The Guy was totally impressed with the substance of this Pinot Noir. He felt it tasted more like a Cab. Interestingly enough, I had an Edna Valley Chardonnay last month that was good, but I didn't write about it. I got it through the WSJ Wine Club. We have previously received very obscure run-of-the-mill wines from them. A few catch our attention, but nothing that I am usually inspired enough to write about. I find it pretty cool that this was bought at a local store and recommended to me and it's from the same vineyard as the Chardonnay I had a ways back. I can't wait to tell MC that it's a winery I was unknowingly familiar with!

8.0 out of 10
$14 / 750 ml. bottle
13.9% alc. by vol.

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Cakebread Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Blend

2006
Dancing Bear Ranch
Howell Mountain
NAPA Valley, CA

79% Cabernet Sauvignon
4% Cabernet Franc
17% Merlot

The first 3 words to come to mind upon first sip: "Oh My God". The next 3 words that followed: "Yes! Yes! Yes!" This wine blew the sandals right off my feet and into LI Sound. I have not had a wine that tasted SO good in SO long. The flavor was AMAZING. The finish was SILKY. The scent prior to tasting was buttery lobster. I don't like lobster. But I used to. The scent of of this wine was how lobster tasted to me at the height of my actually really liking lobster. The flavor was super dark fruit with herbs and oak and a bit of wonderful minerality. The flavor just lasted and lasted. It has a fairly high alcohol content - but I never even knew it - it was so incredibly smooth.

What was amazing to me was it tasted just as phenomenal with food as it was on its own. And we had food that was more conducive to white wine. I actually was drinking a Pinot Grigio prior to this wine being introduced. I made chicken sauteed in olive oil, garlic and basil. I made a brown rice dish with spices. We had regular summer salad with cukes and tomatoes. ANY of which I was sure would ruin the flavor of the wine for me. NONE of it did. This wine just stood right up and dominated!! It MADE me come home tonight and finally post something again. I am its slave.


9.5 out of 10
14.8% alc. by vol.
$100 / 750 ml. bottle