Queen Elizabeth dubbed Sir John Falstaff from Shakespeare’s “Henry IV” and the owners of a restaurant in San Francisco in the Fillmore district liked it and used it.  When we were at Caymus Winery, there was another group that was having a tasting at the same time.  One of men from the other group asked “Have you been to PlumpJack?”  I have to admit that I had never even heard of the winery.  He continued to tell me, that they have one wine that they were pouring, but if you pressed the issue, they had another selection that they keep down below.

The gentlemen gave us the address of this new winery, and when we completed our tasting and purchases at Caymus, we were off on a new adventure.  Armed with the address and our trusty “freebie” map of the valley, we found the road.  We drove back and forth on this road, studying every small sign or mailbox looking for the winery, with no luck.  Almost out of patience on this wild goose-hunt I saw a dirt road in the middle of a large vineyard (there was no signage at all) and we took a chance and turned on the dirt road.  There as we slowly went on this dirt road we encountered this very eclectic setting and finally saw a sign that proclaimed “PlumpJack.”  I looked at my Bride and said that I hoped that this was worth it.

There was a very small tasting room with a gift shop on the grounds.  We entered it, and we were the only ones there.  This was a similar feeling to when you walk into a restaurant that has been touted to you as great and you are the only ones present.   We were greeted very cordially and invited in for a tasting.  We had the one wine poured and enjoyed it.  As we could monopolize our host, being the only ones there, we explained how we arrived at their doorstep.  Lo and behold, our host reached below the counter of the tasting bar and produced another bottle PlumpJack Founders Reserve 1996.  I had really enjoyed the first glass of wine; this second glass far surpassed the first.  The color of both was quite similar, but that is where the family trait ended.  The nose and taste made the original wine an also-ran.

This was a great unexpected experience and one that I look forward to again.  One of the great pleasures that wine enjoyment can bring and it added another purchase to add to our growing cellar collection.