Korbin Kameron Merlots and Cabs

Posted on February 4, 2020 by thewineraconteur

A nice afternoon of wine tasting with Korbin Ming of Korbin Kameron Vineyards and Moonridge Vineyards at my local wine shop The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan.  I have had the good fortune to have tried and bought some wines from Korbin Kameron in the past, but this by far was the biggest tasting that I have had.  They were pouring and offering wines that were both current and from their Library, as there was a vertical tasting of four Merlot wines, and a vertical tasting of five Cabernet Sauvignon wines. 

We started the red wines with a selection of their Merlot wines.  The years of the vertical run of the Korbin Kameron Merlot, Moon Mountain District AVA was 2007, 2009 2011 and 2015.  The Moon Mountain AVA is a very new subregion of the Sonoma Valley, as it was only awarded status in 2013.  The wines were all aged for eighteen months in French Oak, of which half was new.  Production of the wine averaged around three-hundred cases each year and easily ten plus years of cellaring would be wonderful.  I am and have always been partial to Merlot wines since my teens, and these were some of the best Merlot wines that I have had with a nose of red fruits and spice, with a taste of lush cherries and they all had a charming silky tannin finish.  At first, I thought maybe there was something wrong with me, as everyone was gushing about the 2015, but I just wrapped my arms around the 2007 as I thought it delivered the biggest bang of flavors and sensory temptations.   The finish on the 2007 just would not end, and I am glad that I nursed it, before going on to the newer vintages. 

After all of the lovely Merlot wines, I had to have some hefty swigs of water before I went with the Cabs.  Once again there was a vertical run of the Korbin Kameron Cabernet Sauvignon, Moon Mountain District AVA and we tasted the 2006, 2008, 2010, 2014 and 2015 vintages.  These wines, just like the Merlot wines were aged for eighteen months in French Oak, of which half were new.  There was an average production of about six-hundred cases of each vintage.  This was a big wine, a big bold Cabernet Sauvignon.  They were all impeccable with a nose promising dark fruits and spices, black cherry took center stage on the taste and big tannins to finish with, and I really did not expect anything less.  They were well made wines and my tasting notes hardly had any variations, but once again, the crowd around me, were going for the newest vintage and I was enraptured by the 2006, as I thought the taste was more rounded.  Perhaps I am just enjoying my wines a bit more mellow, or maybe I am mellowing, but I am sure that you can guess what I was leaving home with.

Posted in Wine | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Tasting With Korbin Ming

Posted on February 2, 2020 by thewineraconteur

A little while ago, I had the good fortune to do a tasting with Korbin Ming of Korbin Kameron Vineyard at The Fine Wine Source of Livonia, my go-to wine shop.  Mitchell Ming first started drinking California wines in the Seventies and fell in love with the area after his first trip to Napa Valley.  Unlike others, that only dream, he took his family out there and settled on a homestead high up on Mount Veeder and now has one-hundred-eighty-six acres for his family endeavor.  His home over looks acres and acres of rolling hills and so high that it is sometimes above the clouds.  Out of this, he created Moonridge Vineyards and the winery is named after his two twin children Korbin and Kameron.  The third child Kristin, who is the Director of Design has also been remembered at the winery as well.

Korbin Ming is the Wine Club Manager, and the tasting was conducted by Korbin Ming who wears many hats, when he isn’t wearing a knit ski cap to brave the weather of Michigan.  Korbin is the General Manager, the Vineyard Manager and the Assistant Winemaker; just in case he was hoping to have some time for himself.  He received his B.S. from Boston University in Hospitality Management and established the brand’s e-commerce and distribution markets.  He slowly became more of a hands-on guy at the winery in the vineyard and the cellar, which eventually let to a Master’s Degree in Viticulture & Enology from UC Davis.  He worked harvests in Bordeaux, Sonoma, Sierra Foothills and then Napa, before returning to Korbin Kameron and Moonridge Vineyards.

Well during that afternoon, there were fourteen wines being poured and sampled, but I maintained my resolve to make sure that I reported the wines to you.  I will start out with the first wine, which is a good place to begin, but it was also the only one like it being offered.  We had the Korbin Kameron Rosé 2018 from the Moon Mountain District AVA and part of the much larger Sonoma Valley.  Moon Mountain has volcanic origins and the iron rich soil is quite distinct from the other soils in the valley, it also has a longer growing season because of the elevation and the additional warmth; and the AVA status was awarded in 2013, which is quite new, so very few wines have taken advantage of it, and it may take some time for the public as well.  The wine is pure Merlot and was aged for five months in neutral oak to keep the fruit fresh.  There were only one-hundred-twenty-five cases of this wine produced.  With it being Merlot, the fruit was bigger and more enjoyable immediately to me, as I have always been partial to that grape from my teens, and I guess some things never change.  It was very well balanced, big with red fruit and a nice finish.  A great harbinger for the wines to follow.

Posted in Wine | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Mesa Del Sol Syrah

Posted on January 31, 2020 by thewineraconteur

The last of the three wines that I received from “A Taste of Monterey” is from Mesa Del Sol and this is the third wine that I have received from this winery.  Years ago, when we discovered this wine club in the Cannery Row section of Monterey, we were actually killing some time, shopping and discovering what we could before dining at the famed and historic restaurant The Sardine Factory, and if you are in the area, I would highly recommend dining there.  Anyways, getting back to the wine club, at the time they offered us a choice of two different wine club packages, one with two wines shipped monthly that were more of the popular price category and the other was the Reserve Wine Selections that sends us three bottles of wine four times a year, and this is wine that we would never be able to get in Michigan. 

Mesa Del Sol Estate Retreat & Winery is located on an upland promontory at the junction of three major watersheds, and has been a favorite place for travelers for over a century.  There is a small stone water house and a portion of one of the cabins that date back to the 1800’s and it is believed to be a stop for the overland conveyance from the Mission San Antonio to the Carmel Valley.  The hot dry air of the Arroyo Seco Highlands became a health center for those suffering from tuberculosis and other similar ailments.  One of the more prominent visitors back then was Teddy Roosevelt.  In 1927, a California Senator Fred Weybret purchased the property for his family and the new main home was built in 1936, and the family resided there until his death in 1945.  The property then was purchased by a noted lettuce baron from Salinas, who named the property Mesa Del Sol, adding more buildings, gardens and a pool for his family.  In 1998 another Salinas agricultural family purchased the property, they planted the vineyards and a trout pond was reinstalled.  Since the gentleman’s death his widow has continued to restore the fourteen-acre vineyard estate, won awards for the wines and also has crops of fragrant Provence Lavender that is used in sachets, lotions and oils. 

We have received two other wines of this estate, their Primo Rosso and their Zinfandel, and now we have their Mesa Del Sol Syrah Arroyo Seco 2014.  The winery leaves no information about their wines, other than a limited advertising statement referring this as “the Marilyn Monroe of wines; voluptuous and luscious, with nice structure and lots of legs.  Big ripe cherry, blackberry blast with hints of pepper, sage, eucalyptus and mocha.  Velvety tannins and a long, well-rounded finish.”  Most of you know that I do not write about wines like that.  Now until the next batch of wines from my club. 

Posted in Wine | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Scott Family Estate Pinot Noir

Posted on January 29, 2020 by thewineraconteur

I never get an advance notice on what wines we are to expect from “A Taste of Monterey” a wine club that we joined years ago, on our first trip to Carmel-by-the-Sea.  I realize that most people just refer to the city as Carmel, but I enjoy the quaintness of the real name.  I am getting side tracked already, which is not that uncommon.  Carmel is known for many things to a myriad of people, and besides the celebrities, the city is known as an art colony, though you better be quite an accomplished artist to reside there.  The funny thing is that we have never bought any art work in Carmel, but as we wondered around Monterey, even before we found our wine club, we found a piece of art that has the premier center of attention in our home. 

Through the efforts of “A Taste of Monterey” and their Reserve Wine Selections we have encountered the Scott Family Estate wines from Arroyo Secco (Dry Creek) AVA, a sub region of Monterey County.  The funny thing is that Scott Family Estate is from Carneros in Napa Valley and is actually part of the much larger Rutherford Ranch Winery of Napa Valley, and they actually have a total of nine different labels and the wines can be tasted at their tasting room in Rutherford, Napa Valley. 

The Scott Family Estate Pinot Noir Arroyo Secco 2017 is actually our first Pinot Noir from them, as I have had two distinct vintages of their Arroyo Secco Chardonnay and they also produce a Chardonnay from Carneros in the Napa Valley, but I have never had it.  As you may have noticed I have discussed a couple of areas in Monterey that produce great varietals that one normally associates with the Burgundy region of France.  The growing season in the Arroyo Secco is usually a couple of weeks longer than in Napa, and it is perfect for the finicky Pinot Noir grape.  The entire estate vineyard is planted with Dijon Clone Pinot Noir and this wine has been aged for ten months in a mixture of French and American Oak.  The tasting notes promise a well-balanced wine with bright acidity, with a nose of cherry and sage, a taste of cherry and berries, vanilla spice, silky tannins and a nice long finish.  All of the right notes have been mentioned and Pinot Noir wines are very popular in this house and it will not go to waste.  

Posted in Wine | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Cima Collina Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon

Posted on January 27, 2020 by thewineraconteur

Normally when I get a new shipment from my wine club “A Taste of Monterey” is always a good time.  Unfortunately as I am finally getting around to writing about some wines that arrived in December, I find that the winery has closed down, there was no mention about it, in the newsletter from the club, but I went to their website and to their Facebook page and both had announcement that they were shut down, with no further explanations, other than it was an enjoyable experience for them. 

Through my membership, I have received three other wines from this winery; Chardonnay Tondre Grapefield 2012, Meritage Lockwood Oaks Vineyard San Antonio Valley AVA 2010 and a Private Reserve Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands 2007.  Their first harvest was in 2005 and that they were old school, in that they harvested by hand and used a mix of new and used French Oak barrels.  Another interesting side note, and things that I really enjoy learning about, was that their tasting room was once the post office for Carmel Valley.  I am sure that this may be the last bottle of wine that I discuss from this winery, unless my club buys up the remaining inventory, which I know that they have done in the past. 

In 2001, Dick Lumpkin, a business man and resident of Carmel Valley planted three acres of Pinot Noir and a half acre of Pinot Gris on his Hilltop Ranch.  He then contacted Annette Hoff to nurture the new winery and she has been with the winery since then.  In 2017 he also had a chance to buy some fruit from the Heller Vineyard that has been organically farmed since the ‘70’s. The Cima Collina Heller Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon Carmel Valley 2017 is a blend of fifty-four percent Merlot and the balance is Cabernet Sauvignon.  There was a total production of three-hundred-twenty-seven cases of wine.  The aging potential for this wine is suggested for ten to fifteen years, by the time of maturity the wine will be long gone.  I do hope that there will be another winery to take their place in the future.

Posted in Wine | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Mr. Lucky – Part Two

Posted on January 23, 2020 by thewineraconteur

Some of you may have thought that my reference to the movie with this name, might be too arcane, so you might remember the television show with John Vivyan and Ross Martin; or you may just think that I have lost my mind and there might be some validity to it.  Any ways, I am feeling lucky for having won six bottles of Bordeaux wine from a drawing on Instagram.  It can even happen to a guy like me, and not to gloat, per se, but I will discuss the last three bottles that were in the carton.

The fourth bottle that I pulled out was Clos des Lunes Lune d’Argent 2016 from the Société Civile Domaine de Chevalier Famille Bernard.  Situated on prime property in Sauternes, of which there are a famed group of twenty-six Classified Growths, in 2011, Olivier Bernard and his Domaine de Chevalier team decided to create a dry white wine.  There is no designation or appellation for a dry white wine from the district, so it is a Grand Vin Blanc Sec and carries a Bordeaux A.O.C. The wine is a blend of seventy percent Semillon and thirty percent Sauvignon Blanc and the fruit comes from acreage in Sauternes, Bommes and Barsac.  The fruit is slow pressed in a pneumatic wine press without destemming or maceration, and is aged on the lees for six to seven months, with a quarter of the wine in barrels and the balance in small vats to allow the fresh fruit to shine.  According to the winery this is a light-yellow wine with pale green tints with a nose promising exotic fruits and florals, with a rich taste of fruit and a finish that balances salinity and terroir of the plots.  I seem to have run into some other Dry Bordeaux Whites, so perhaps we are seeing a new trend emerging in an area, that is slow to change.

The fifth bottle that came out of the carton was Chateau Haut-Bergey Pessac-Leognan 2014.  This appellation was created in 1987, as before then it was a sub-region of Graves, and many of the leading wineries that were recognized in the Graves Classification of 1959 are in Pessac-Leognan.  The ground is basically the same as Graves consisting of gravel and sand.  Chateau Haut-Bergey is recorded as going back to the 15th Century, while the current chateau was built as a leisure residence when the vineyard was abandoned around 1850.  The current owners, the Garcin family have owned and operated the property since 1991. Its history as a wine producer reaches back to the 15th Century, while the current château, built as a leisure residence at a time when the vineyard was abandoned, dates to 1850. The Garcin family have owned and managed the property since 1991.  The current estate is twenty-eight and a half hectares, mostly planted with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon with two hectares planted with Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon.  There are no production notes, and I will presume that the Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon were aged in oak barrels, consistent with the traditions of the neighboring estates.  I will report on the wine, when it is opened. 

The final bottle of the shipment is Les Terrasses de Saint Christophe Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2014, the second wine from Chateau Tour Saint Christophe.  Saint-Emilion is a major supplier of wines from the Bordeaux region, including its four sub-regions.  The two major varietals grown in Saint-Emilion are Merlot and Cabernet Franc.  When I first learned about the Bordeaux region, this area was referred to as the feminine side of Bordeaux, because it was felt that the wines were softer and more elegant, and it is also known for some of the longest-lived wines from the region.  In 1954, a Saint-Emilion Grand Cru was created with restrictions, and the rules have been under scrutiny and criticism from the first day, as it seems that there is twice as much Grand Cru wine produced compared to Saint-Emilion wine.  The classification has been updated in 2006 and once again in 2012.  The wine is a blend of ninety percent Merlot and the balance is Cabernet Franc.  This wine is made from the terraces that were built in the 18th Century and are being rebuilt by manual labor, section by section and the grounds of the terraces are eleven hectares in size, so it is a massive undertaking. Fermentation is done in concrete tanks and then the juice is aged for fifteen months in oak, a third new oak, a third used once, and a third used twice.  The tasting notes furnished by the winery claims a nose of crushed berries, with a balanced taste of black cherry and licorice with elegant tannins and a finish of terroir and oak spiciness.  Saint-Emilion wines were one of my first loves, because even as a kid they were much more affordable compared to the Medoc.  I am looking forward to trying all of these wines in the future.  

Posted in Wine | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Mr. Lucky

Posted on January 21, 2020 by thewineraconteur

That is kind of how I feel, not that anyone would confuse me with Cary Grant, and I am not a gambler either.  From the moment that I started writing this blog, I have gotten more into Social Media, with the thought that perhaps I could entice more people to read my writings.  Some sites are more interesting and fun, and the one that has the least drama and the least political strife is Instagram.  I am fortunate that my nom de plume has been used on the sites for continuity.  I really enjoy Instagram and there are certain sites that entice readership or followers with contests.  They usually involve following a given site, perhaps answering a question and also to lure others to the site as well.  I am game for some frivolity, I mean wine in all of its aspects for me, should be fun, since it is an avocation and not a vocation.  I tried once for a bottle of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, and once for a personal size wine vault.  I didn’t win either one.  So, I was touted for another contest, and I was at first reluctant and told my friend that, and he said that I should try anyways.  I won six bottles of Bordeaux wines, which is kind of exciting, since I am blogger that doesn’t solicit samples.  I will mention three of the six in this article.

The first bottle in the carton was Amelia Brut Rosé NV a Cremant de Bordeaux.  While Sparkling wines have been made in Bordeaux for over a century, the appellation was not approved until 1990 and it is purported to be not as clear and defined as the other Cremant appellations.  There are over five-hundred parishes in Bordeaux that can make Cremant, so it is one of the largest appellations in the country.  To be a Cremant de Bordeaux the wine had to be made in the Methode Traditionelle.  The wines must have contact with the lees for a longer period than Champagne requires, also the wine may not be disgorged for at least nine months after the initial bottling.   Then the wines cannot be released for sale until twelve months have passed since the disgorgement.   Amelia Brut Rosé ferments the grapes for three weeks at cool temperatures, and then two months Sur Lie before bottling.  It also stays in the next step for eighteen months, twice as long as required.  The wine is a blend of eighty-five percent Merlot and the balance is Cabernet Franc.  The winery suggests that wine has the nose and finish of red fruits and floral notes with balanced acidity.  It sounds very interesting, and we have always enjoyed a good Cremant. 

The next wine in the carton was Chateau Guiraud “Le G de Chateau Guiraud” Bordeaux Blanc Sec 2016.  Chateau Guiraud is an estate in Sauternes, and was classified as a Premier Cru in 1955, the grounds are planted with Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc.   The estate was originally known as the Noble House of Bayle, until purchased by Pierre Guiraud in 1766.  The estate continued in the family until sold to a group of winemakers in 2006.  Since the main wine is Sauternes, their second wine “Le G de Chateau Guiraud” is Sauvignon Blanc is predominately Sauvignon Blanc and is a dry wine, and made from younger vines, vines on the average of thirty-five years of age.  The wine is made with eighty percent aging in the oak that was used for the last Sauternes great growth and twenty percent in Stainless Steel.  On the average the wine is aged for seven months with regular stirring of the lees.  I think that we will really enjoy this wine. 

The third bottle that I pulled out of the carton was a split of Chateau Coutet Barsac 2015, a Grand Cru from the 1855 Classification and I have had the good fortune to have enjoyed the 1970 vintage.  It is one of the oldest producers in Sauternes and has the longest cellar in the region.  Coutet is a Gascon word for knife, denoting the wine’s crisp and ripping acidity.  The Chateau was originally an English fortress built in the 13th Century.  The winery dates to 1643 and has changed hands, and even survived the beheading of one of the owners during the French Revolution.  It is now owned by the Baly family who purchased it in 1977.   The wine is seventy-five percent Semillon, twenty-three percent Sauvignon Blanc and two percent Muscadelle in French Oak barrels, of which half were new for eighteen months.  The winery remarks that this vintage is defined by its finesse, with a nose of exotic fruits, fresh with a nice balance and finish highlighting the terroir.  This needs the proper dinner and guests.    

Posted in Wine | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Some Bubbles for the New Decade

Posted on January 19, 2020 by thewineraconteur

Well Barbara Walters did not come out of retirement to say “Good evening, I am Barbara Walters and this is 2020.”  I think it would have been lost on the television viewing audience, but then I didn’t recognize anyone on the show, that everyone was watching in the house.  I should really watch television once in a while, I guess, nah, it isn’t that important.  No more Guy Lombardo, or that great countdown in the original Ocean’s 11.  We did it here at the house, and of course I forgot to bring up the noisemakers, hats and tiaras. 

Excluding the Sparkling Juice that we had for the little ones, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they sampled some of the good stuff, we had three different types of bubbles for the partiers.  The first bottle was one that we discovered on our last trip to the wine country in Michigan and the great sparkling wines from Larry Mawby, one of the elder gentlemen of wine in the Traverse City region.  Mawby Sparkling offers wines made in both forms, Traditional and the Charmat Method.  The Mawby Sparkling US NV is a classic blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, aged in Stainless Steel, then later blended with some reserve wine, aged and with an added dosage to maintain a certain finish and bottled.  This wine is an excellent bottle of sparkling wine that is affordable, dry and crisp, with a steady flow of small bubbles, but still offering some fruit in the finish. 

The second wine that we opened was from France and it was JP. Chenet Rosé NV.  JP. Chenet is a French value wine that has world-wide distribution.  It was established in 1984 by the beverage company Les Grands Chais de France, and they even have their own unique shaped bottle with a curving neck.  They were one of the pioneers in France to list the varietal first instead of the region.  A very popular priced wine with only a French Appellation, made in the Charmat Method.  The wine is made from the Bobal grape that is a native of Spain and is now seeing some planting in France.  A very pretty pink, not as dry as I suspected with a finish of strawberries and small bubbles to add to the festivities.

The third bottle that I opened was also from France and the only one to be labeled Champagne.  We had Champagne Moet & Chandon Imperial Brut NV, and they may be the most famous house in Champagne, with one-thousand-one-hundred-fifty hectares of estate vineyards, plus contract growers, their seventeen miles of cellars and a production capacity of sixty-million bottles a year.  The house was founded in 1743, and their prestige cuvee is Dom Perignon; and in the Seventies partnered with Louis Vuitton to create LVMH.  Some of their other brands are Krug, Veuve Clicquot, and Chateau Cheval Blanc.  Considering the huge production, they have managed to have quite a consistent style of fresh and fruit forward wine, especially in their Brut non-vintage wine which is basically Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and some Chardonnay.  This wine was a golden straw color with a constant stream of tiny bubbles, with a nose of citrus fruits, mineral terroir and fruit and brioche in the finish, it was very elegant and tasty. And onto another decade, our seventh one. 

Posted in Wine | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

New Year’s Eve 2020

Posted on January 17, 2020 by thewineraconteur

Somehow, I can’t see this new decade surpassing “The Roaring Twenties” of the last century.  New Year’s Eve is one of those holidays that my Bride prefers to have at the house.  I mean periodically I think of how nice it might be to go out, but then I remember those nights of yore, where the menu is truncated to facilitate the potential rotation of an extra turn or maybe two of tables; not only is the menu truncated, but it normally does not have the classic dishes that you admire from that restaurant.  The service suffers, because of the extra crowd and the hustling of the people, and perhaps the worst part of the evening, it is one of those nights where people think they have to go out.  I feel sorry for those that go to a place that has an allocated price for drinks for the evening.  There is nothing worse, than those that never go out, try to get their “money” worth of drinks for the evening.  They make a fool of themselves and are a pain for all concerned. 

My Bride would rather have everyone come over for the evening and she fusses even more, because she gets upset with those that decide to waste their money for the evening.  I have to admit that the majority of the clan comes for the evening, including the Louisville group.  She was making quite a dinner, and because of the night, we were not going to dine in the afternoon, but everyone could rest and hopefully sleep in that morning.  We had a charcuterie platter, and of course several hard cheeses, she also baked Brie in a pastry shell, one with savory accent and one with a fruit accent.  I think she said that she bought thirty pounds of jumbo shrimp and a good fresh horseradish cocktail sauce to clear the sinus cavities.  She made a whole slab of Salmon in a Bourbon Sauce.  There was a roasted ham and a perfectly roasted pork tenderloin carved into medallions.  She made sides, and more sides were brought by the guests.  She made desserts and plenty more desserts were brought in as well. 

We have wine, but some wine was brought in by my Brother-in-Law from Louisville and he wanted to see how one of his wines was holding on and he brought another one as well, and rather than discuss some of the earlier wines that we opened, I will center on the two that he graciously supplied.  The second wine was opened first and decanted, while we enjoyed his first selection for the dinner.  We started our dinner reds that night with a bottle of Terralsole Brunello de Montalcino Riserva DOCG 2007, which was founded by Mario Bollag and his wife in 1996.   Terralsole has twelve hectares combining two distinctive terroirs in Montalcino.  One vineyard is at 1,200 feet on the slope, while the other vineyard sits at 750 feet.  All of his wines are estate grown, hand harvested and bottled.  Brunello is a prized appellation in Tuscany and received it DOCG in 1980.  This wine is made purely from Sangiovese Grosso which is known locally in Montalcino as Brunello.  The rules for making Brunello state that the wine must be pure Sangiovese and aged for at least four years (five for Riserva) and bottled for four months before selling.  Traditional method for making this wine is to use large vats and the “Modernists” are shortening the times and using smaller barrels for a more fruit forward wine.  This wine after fermentation was aged for eighteen months in large French vats and then an additional fifteen months in smaller barrel, with an additional six months in the bottle in a climate-controlled facility.  This wine may have been at the perfect time for tasting, as the winery suggested cellaring up to 2025 and it was a beautiful garnet toned wine, totally balanced with beautiful notes of black cherry and a long lingering finish.  It would have been sad when this wine was finished, but we were waiting to try the other wine that I had decanted earlier.  We had a bottle of Chateau Lafite Rothschild Pauillac 1986, the year of my In-Laws wedding, and he stocked up on that vintage for years to come to celebrate.  Chateau Lafite Rothschild does not mention it on the label, but they are the first of the Premier Crus or First Growths of the Medoc, a very lofty position.  The first recording of the property was in 1234, and in the 17th Century, the Lafite and Latour families became entwined by marriage.  Chateau Lafite was regarded even back then as the King’s wine.  The property covers one-hundred-twelve hectares of gravel and sand over limestone, with an additional four and half hectares that is technically in Saint-Estephe, but is allowed to be listed as Pauillac for the estate.  Each year the blend of grapes can change according to the winemaker, but the estate is planted with seventy percent Cabernet Sauvignon, twenty-five percent Merlot, three percent Cabernet Franc and two percent Petit Verdot.  The wine is aged for up to twenty months in new oak barrels.  This wine had a beautiful deep color and had a great nose, it was very mellow and the tannins had softened and it was very velvety and lush, and yet still very regal.  I find it hard to express in words, as it was very unique and only a couple of us were drinking it.  The dinner time for New Year’s Eve was complete and now to ring in the new year and decade.

Posted in Dining, Wine | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

When Worlds Collide

Posted on January 15, 2020 by thewineraconteur

When worlds collide is rather catchy, but it really was nothing ominous, we were enjoying the last night of Ms. Yoga being in town and the first night of the Louisville clan in town and everyone decided to meet at Rocky’s.  Actually, everyone knows each other and Ms. Yoga has even stayed at their home in Louisville with my Bride, when they were both there for business.  We have been eating there quite a bit, as my Bride likes their Happy Hour Menu and we are starting to sound like we need to be in Florida.  I also have written about some of my club meetings that are being held there.  It was the week between Christmas and New Years and they were packed and even though we had a reservation we had to wait a little bit for a table of seven.  The parking lot was even packed, as I had to park about six lanes back, but it is good to see an older restaurant still packing them in. 

This was an evening for the poor waitress, but I think she survived as this time there was a lot of changes and alterations, but it all went smoothly.   While we were all just catching up at the table and enjoying being right next to the fireplace, we started with a couple of orders of Fried Calamari with Roasted Garlic, Capers, Banana Pepper Rings and Provencal Sauce.  It didn’t take long to empty those two orders and then there was an assortment of salads and soups, my Bride had their Onion Soup, which was really old school and excellent, and I had the Black Bean Soup which had some nice zing to it, and it was the first time that we actually had the soup there.  After that, the food was all over the board with fish and seafood, chicken, steaks and I tried their Braised Short Rib dinner, which is a dish and we actually made it at home and decided that it was so involved, that it is now better to let the restaurants do all of the work and I will just enjoy the fruit of their labors. 

We had a couple of bottles of wine for the table and we started off with Robert Hall Winery Viognier Paso Robles 2016.  Paso Robles is in the San Luis Obispo County of California and the AVA was granted in 1983. Robert Hall Winery is four different estate vineyards totaling one-hundred-fifty acres and they grow twelve different varietals.  Robert Hall Winery is a division of O’Neill Vintners & Distillers.  The wine was aged for three months on the lees in French Oak.  It had the charming floral nose and spice that this varietal always seems to impart and the better the winemaker, the better the grape behaves in their administration.  The other wine we had that evening was Rodney Strong Vineyards Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2016 in Sonoma County.  Rodney Strong founded the winery in 1959, initially buying bulk wine and sold under the Tiburon Vintners label.  In 1962, he bought a winery and vines and formed Windsor Vineyards and then eventually it became Rodney Strong Vineyards.  He was the first winery to produce a single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon out of Alexander Valley and one of the earliest for Pinot Noir in Sonoma.  In 1989 the Klein family bought Rodney Strong Vineyards and kept Strong on as a consultant until his retirement in 1995.  They now have fourteen estate vineyards.   This wine had a total of twenty-one months of fermentation and cellaring in French Oak, of which thirty-five percent was new and it was a well-balanced wine with some fruit and a nice finish.  The two wines offered a good choice for everyone and a great send off for Ms. Yoga and a good starting point for the Kentuckians.

Posted in Dining, Wine | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment