Markham Merlot

2007
NAPA


Vanilla oak, heat, blackberry, pepper ~ worth it


THANKSGIVING 2011

The room was so quiet

Not like when you were in it

The walls weren’t echoing your laughter

The wine glasses emptied

Without you here to refill them

We go on because we must

But life just isn’t at the level you brought it to

Your grandson is just learning to walk, he was lucky, though he may never remember

You held him, you spoke to him

You’ve got a grand-daughter on the way

She should have heard your voice, your laugh, your off-key notes, your poems, your songs

Still, we must be thankful for the times we had

For you rarely turned down an opportunity

You made the most of the life you had

You knew how to live and embrace life

You were a burning star to be followed

And though we can no longer see your brightness burning

We can remember the light of your presence and bask in the remnants of its warmth

$24 / 750 ml. bottle
8.25 out of 10
14.2 % alc. by vol.

Kistler Pinot Noir

2007
Sonoma Coast
Sebastopol, CA
Bottle #00319

Not a budget wine. Sorry again. But it was our anniversary. A berry good wine - this is very fruit forward with a hint of minerality and wood. It tasted even better with French goat cheese, smoked gouda and aged cheddar and each tasted equally as good with the wine.

I wanted to go out to eat tonight - we never do that anymore. I didn't want any of the super expensive places, just a place that's worth the money: da Capo - my favorite italian ristorante. But it just wasn't meant to be.

So I went to the local grocery and bought various cheeses I thought would accompany a Pinot Noir well. We had the smoked gouda, aged cheddar, and French goat cheese which I baked for a bit drizzled with olive oil and thyme and spread over heated ciabatta. We also bought Sopresseta and red and green pears. It was a pretty good "at home" feast.

Upon our return, we discovered our house could have burned down. We left our kids home while we went 2 minutes to the store (16, 14 and 10 - old enough to be OK for less than half an hour). When we pulled in the driveway, our eldest was opening windows and doors. I immediately asked what was wrong. She announced that the oven wasn't "acting right" and had smoke billowing from it for no reason. She was correct -I'd turned it OFF before we left. I put pumpkin bread in it to keep it warm from when the oven was previously on an hour before. I walked into the smoke-filled kitchen to find the oven was still OFF but smoke was indeed billowing forth. I opened the door and found the pumpkin bread was BURNED black and smoking. It looked as though it had been on fire. The oven was indeed OFF, yet the temperature setting was registering at 500 degrees!!!! So, it's (4) days before Thanksgiving and I have no choice but to go get a new oven. I just finished getting my SEARS credit card down below $250 and now I have to throw an oven on there! One step forward, two steps behind.

Anyway, the wine was indeed NOT lost on me this evening. I just sucked it up and put together an appetizer plate for me and the Guy and we sat and ate and sipped in the haze of charred pumpkin bread with the distant sound of an upstairs fire alarm still beeping.

This wine was a gift my aunt brought to me from dear and late Uncle Bob's cellar. As Thanksgiving is nearing, and that is the holiday I will always remember him at, I felt it apropos to have on my husband and my eighteenth anniversary. A deeply felt thank you once again to my uncle for providing me with some of my greatest wine experiences - we miss him so incredibly so and can't believe he is no longer in our lives.

8.5 out of 10
$95 / 750 ml bottle
14.1 % alc by vol.

the Dreaming Tree; Crush

2009
Red Wine
North Coast, California


A blend of Merlot and Zin, this was not what I was hoping it would be. A collaboration of winemaker Steve Reeder and Dave Matthews, Dave should maybe stick with his songwriting and singing. It was not bad - it's just, for the price, I expected more. I've had better for less.

The description on the bottle hints there is some smoky berry-ness, but it just isn't as dream-worthy as the label makes it out to be. There is definite berry and slight smokiness, which means there is potential, but it was a bit flat, a bit thin, and lacking general ooomph. I would have priced this at $8.99/750 ml. bottle. But, it appears to be a designer label alone.

Honestly, I think it just needs a little more of what we all need: TIME. How long, I'm not sure.

So, my eldest daughter told me awhile ago that there is this new song that a few people have told her reminds them of her, but she didn't know the specifics of it other than she keeps hearing it and it is about someone dying young and it was making her nervous that so many thought of her. Shortly after our conversation, I kept hearing a song that I liked a lot, and it reminded me of her, though I didn't really listen to the words until one day when I did and it suddenly clicked that the song I kept hearing must be the same song that reminds others of her. The lyrics now slay me whenever I hear it and my eyes spill over. However, I believe that because my daughter is 16, and pretty, and just starting out having met someone special, and she sings beautifully, and dresses up a lot, and she writes, sings, and plays love songs on her guitar, and she isn't sure of her belief in God but she knows its my greatest hope for her, there really is no question why we think of her with this song.

Lord make me a rainbow, I'll shine down on my mother
She'll know I'm safe with you when she stands under my colors, oh and
Life ain't always what you think it ought to be, no
Ain't even grey, but she buries her baby

The sharp knife of a short life, well
I've had, just enough time

If I die young, bury me in satin
Lay me down on a, bed of roses
Sink me in the river, at dawn
Send me away with the words of a love song

The sharp knife of a short life, oh well
I've had just enough time

And I'll be wearing white when I come into Your Kingdom
I'm as green as the ring on my little cold finger,
I've never known the loving of a man
But it sure felt nice when he was holdin' my hand
there's a boy here in town says that he'll love me forever
Whoever thought forever could be severed by

The sharp knife of a short life oh Well,
I've had just enough time

...So put on your best boys,
and I'll wear my pearls . . .

--The Band Perry--

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NJqUN9TClM

7.5 out of 10
$14.99/750 ml bottle
13.5% alc. by vol.
DreamingTreeWines.com

Old Vine Red Lot Number 50

OLD VINE RED #50
MARIETTA CELLARS
CALIFORNIA


I had Lot #42 in April of 2007. I gave it an 8.0 at the time and I concur that this one is around the same. It is nice to know the Lots are consistent, but I was excited to try this and I was hoping it would be even better than Lot #42. Lot #50 is peppery with floral notes and fruit bomb remnants. It is another blend based off of Zin. I had it with grass-fed beef and asparagus, but it was really good with a piece of home-made fudge.


Tugged the moon into the ground

Turn this bedroom upside down tonight

Took my faith and I breathed it out

Walked right through a cloud of flashing lights

Bright lights

Pain takes my heart's place

The love we made we can't erase it

Don't wanna face it

Erin McCarley, Pitter-Pat

8.0 OUT OF 10

$12.99/750 ML. BOTTLE

13.5% ALC. BY VOLUME