Tuesday Fine Wine Dinner

Wine dinners with local friends are always fun. Sometimes they are casual, sometimes formal, but always a good time. In Northern California, we are blessed with numerous great restaurants and surrounded by equally great wines. Each wine dinner is unique and the themes always vary. Last week, the theme was simple, a five course meal for eight, paired with two fine wines per flight! The restaurant choice was awesome, Bungalow 44 in Mill Valley.

The first flight of the evening was a complementary pairing. The 2002 White Burgundy was mineral, earthy and distinct. In contrast, the Kongsgaard Judge was a rich full bodied wine, stony, creme brulee, and layered. It was a very complex chardonnay. The Judge was surprisingly similar to the 2005 Kongsgaard Chardonnay, just a little more of everything!

2002 Vincent Girardin Puligny Montrachet Les Combettes
2005 Kongsgaard Chardonnay The Judge

Progressing up the scale of intensity, moved on to a few Pinot Noir. The 1997 started out light to medium bodied and put on weight over time. The 1998 was medium bodied and had a consistent taste over time. Both wines were mineral, earthy, with some asian spice. Quite a few 1997 California Pinot Noir are currently at or past maturity, but this wine was surprisingly youthful. 1998 California Pinot Noir are generally showing very well, and the 1998 Littorai was no exception.

1998 Littorai Savoy
1997 Littorai One Acre

After a few nice Pinot Noir, moved onto a few very rare and special wines. The 1974 Heitz Martha was by far the best Heitz Martha I have ever tasted. It was classic Heitz Martha, with distinct eucalyptus, mint and toasty fruits, more depth and complexity than any other. It is still very youthful. The 1975 La Mission Haut Brion is what great Bordeaux is all about. Complex, elegant, balanced, youthful, earthy, and a mineral driven wine.

1974 Heitz Martha's Vineyard
1975 La Mission Haut Brion

After this amazing flight, moved to another! The 89 La Chapelle started out just gorgeous. Not over the top, but classic Rhone, with subtle minty fruits. Over a short period of time, it fell apart unfortunately. The 2002 Sine Qua Non Just for the Love of it was excellent. It had ripe over the top fruit. Having had this wine before, no question, it is high in alcohol, but the fruit is so big, it is disquised. The Sine Qua Non is so big, it overpowered the La Chapelle making the wines not very complementary with one another.

1989 Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle
2002 Sine Qua Non Just for the Love Of It

With dessert, we had two Oro Puro Late Harvest wines. It is a concentrated Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon blend. While both wines were enjoyable, the 2007 showed better. This is definitely a producer to watch in the future.

2006 Oro Puro Late Harvest
2007 Oro Puro Late Harvest

As often happens in fine wine dinners, a special rare wine was shared. This night, it was a 1969 Freemark Abbey Petite Sirah. Being a long time fan of Freemark Abbey Petite Sirah for some time, this was special as it was the first one made by the winery! The bottle condition was as pristine as they come, firm cork, high fill, and excellent provenance. The color was as youthful as the taste. And what a taste it was, blueberry surrounded by blueberry, wrapped around a blueberry! A very compelling and seductive wine.

1969 Freemark Abbey Petite Sirah

Overall, the dinner was a combination of great food, wine and company. What more could you ask for? Cheers to fine and rare wines!

Nick Wittman
Santa Rosa Fine Wine
http://www.santarosafinewine.com/

Decanting Wine

A lot has been written on wine decanting as to when and why it should be done. No question, decanting exposes wine to a lot of oxygen in a short period of time, and to many, it is beneficial for the immediate enjoyment of certain wines. Among the reasons to decant commonly sited:

Decant to aerate a young or tannic wine – Not surprising, a lot of newly released wines are shut down and closed. What might otherwise be an enjoyable complex wine right out of the bottle is completely masked by its tightness. Decanting accelerates the time to breathe and opens up the wine.

Decant to separate clear wine from that containing sediment - Sediment is very common in older fine wines. As wine is properly stored on its side over a period of time, sediment collects at the back surface of the bottle. When ready to open the wine, the bottle is generally stood up vertical a few days before pouring to allow the sediment to settle to the bottom of the bottle. At this point, some will decant and leave approximately an inch to half an inch in the bottle which contains the majority of sediment.

While both points have merit, generally speaking, Santa Rosa Fine Wine rarely, if ever decants when opening and evaluating fine wines. Why?

Decant in the glass instead of a decanter – Pouring a full bottle of wine into a decanter is a big shock for the wine, exposing it to a lot of air rapidly. This rapid aeration has an increased probability to rob a wine of its full potential, particularly for older fine wines. We prefer to drink slowly over a span of time to allow the wine to evolve and open up in the glass. Pouring a few ounces in a good quality wine glass and swirling as appropriate will give you better control over how the wine opens up.

Open wines that are ready to be opened – There are numerous wines that are simply too young, tight, and incredibly closed down for immediate enjoyment. Some are shut down so much, it will literally not move for a good amount of time, even with decanting. Thinking of a 1986 Mouton and 1982 Leoville Las Cases for some reason! To fully enjoy a wine and all its complexities, it is simply best to open when a wine is mature and ready to drink. Opening young wines will always happen, be it to see how it is evolving year and year or just being impatient to wait, the ideal is to allow age to bring out the best in a wine!

Dealing with sediment in wine – Any wine that has sediment should be stood up vertical days before opening the wine whether decanting or not. This will give sediment a chance to settle at the bottom of the bottle. When pouring into a glass, do so slowly, and leave an inch to half an inch at the bottom of the bottle. Decanting for the sole purpose to remove sediment exposes wine to air pouring both into a decanter, and then into a glass.

Reduce risk by not decanting wine – While not common, but certainly possible, you may encounter decanters, and wine glasses for that matter that are less than clean. Exposing so much wine to a decanter with soap residue or other contaminates will impart to the wine, making it a less than enjoyable experience. Unfortunately, had an experience where glassware was less than clean and had a negative impact on the wine at a local restaurant.

So when is it wise to decant wine in our opinion?

Pouring from a very large format bottle - If you have ever handled a six liter bottle of wine, you know it is quite difficult to manage and quite heavy. Pouring into numerous glasses gracefully is no easy task. Pouring some of the wine into a decanter, in order to pour for guests is much easier and highly advised.

Like many things, decanting wine is not a black and white issue. Decanting a young German Riesling will remove a good bit of gas resulting in a more appealing wine, decanting a very young Bordeaux will result in showing a little more of the wines future potential, and decanting a young acidic, tannic wine of any quality level will lose some of its edge, when there may not be enough wine or time to fully appreciate and taste over time.

Cheers to a fine older wine that has not been decanted!

Nick Wittman
Santa Rosa Fine Wine
http://www.santarosafinewine.com/

Cajun Harvest Party 2009

This past weekend, Santa Rosa Fine Wine hosted its annual Harvest Party. Fortunately we were blessed with both beautiful fall weather and a visit the same weekend by family from Louisiana and Texas. One of our relatives is an amazing Cajun cook, so drafted her ahead of time to create an authentic Cajun menu for our guests. What a great choice! In summing up just how good a job was done, a guest succinctly summed up the entire party by saying, "This is one of those rare instances where the food outshined the wine!" It truly was that good and with that said, some discussion of the food first is in order.

For anyone who has not experienced a lot of authentic Cajun food, it is not all about heat! It is not just a liberal use of cayenne pepper or blackened seasoning to the point you take one bite, and feel like you could breath fire. Good Cajun is well spiced, and the heat slowly builds. Like a complex wine, good Cajun tempts the palate for more, not assaults it with overwhelming force. To prepare for the party, we flew in essential products from Louisiana and cooked everything as close to lunch time as possible! The guests were fun to watch, the smells from the kitchen were enticing, and it was clearly difficult for folks to resist a quick visit to the kitchen and snagging a quick taste. As food was served, it was even more interesting to watch guests go back for seconds and thirds!

Cajun Menu:

Gumbo
Jambalaya
Crawfish Etouffee
Corn Casserole
Crawfish Pie
Eggplant Shrimp Casserole
Deep Fried Alligator
Coleslaw
Bread Pudding

We enjoyed a variety of wine. And what wine would go better with spicy Cajun food than German Riesling? The pre-Lunch and Lunch wines were focused toward whites with a strong emphasis on Riesling. Afterward, we moved on to various California and French Reds.

German Riesling

1976 Engelmann Hallgartener Schonhell Beerenauslese
1989 Bollig Lehnert Piesporter Goldtropfchen Spatlese
1994 J J Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese
1997 J J Prum Graacher Himmelreich Auslese
2002 Von Othegraven Kanzemer Altenberg Spatlese Auction
2004 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Spatlese Auction
2005 Keller Westofener Morstein Auslese
2006 Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Auslese
2006 Donnhoff Norheimer Kirschheck Spatlese
2007 Emrich Schonleber Monzinger Kabinett
2007 Keller Dalsheim Hubacker Troken
2007 Prinz Hallgartener Jungfer Kabinett
2008 Gerhard Hattenheimer Schutzenhaus Pradikatswein Spatlese Trocken

Assorted Whites

1998 Chapoutier De L'Oree Ermitage
2001 Trimbach Cuvee Frederic Emile Riesling
2005 Chateau St Jean Reserve Chardonnay
2006 Solter Brut
2006 Beringer Sbragia Limited Release Chardonnay
2007 Paradise Ridge Sauvignon Blanc
2007 Copain Tous Ensemble Viognier
2008 Jemrose Egret Pond Vineyard Viognier

California Reds

1968 Souverain Cabernet
1987 Ridge Monte Bello
1991 Stags Leap Winery Merlot 6L
2003 Rivers-Marie Cabernet
2003 Pride Reserve Merlot
2004 Beringer Marston Vineyard Syrah
2004 Sine Qua Non Covert Fingers Pinot
2005 Ceja Cabernet
2005 Etude Pinot Noir 1.5L
2005 Justin Isosceles Reserve
2007 Jemrose Foggy Knoll Grenache
2007 Sojourn Howell Mountain Cabernet

French Reds

1986 Cos d'Estournel 1.5L
1990 Malescot St Exupery Margaux
1995 Thomas Moillard Vosne-Romanee Malconsorts
1996 Bizot Vosne Romanee Les Reas
1998 Jean Jacques Confuron Clos Vougeot
2000 Denis Mortet Gevrey Chambertin Lavaux St Jacques
2001 Domaine du Caillou Chateauneuf de Pape
2002 Jean Paul Chevenet Morgon Vieilles Vignes
2003 Jean Foillard Morgon Cte du Py

Sweet Ending

1988 d'Yquem

The 1988 d'Yquem was my wine of the night, and think this wine will be one of the all time legendary d'Yquem as it continues to age. A wonderful second favorite white, the 1976 Engelmann was surprisingly reminiscent of a quality Sauturnes at a fraction of the price. In terms of reds, the 86 Cos d'Estournel showed very well and would allow for additional aging. In 750ml, a well stored bottle is probably mature. Enjoying Burgundy more and more over the last few months and found the 1998 Jean Jacques Confuron Clos Vougeot an elegant and multi-layered wine.

Top 5 Best Wines (in order):

White: 1988 d'Yquem, 1976 Engelmann Hallgartener Schonhell Beerenauslese, 2004 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Spatlese Auction, 2005 Keller Westofener Morstein Auslese and 1997 J J Prum Graacher Himmelreich Auslese.

Red: 1986 Cos d'Estournel 1.5L, 1998 Jean Jacques Confuron Clos Vougeot, 1987 Ridge Monte Bello, 1990 Malescot St Exupery Margaux and 2003 Pride Reserve Merlot.

Leading the pack as the least favorite wine of the evening was the 1991 Stags Leap Winery Merlot 6L. A guest was generous to bring the not so small bottle, but unfortunately it was oxided and showed poorly. Other disappointing wines included the 2006 Solter Brut, 2006 Beringer Sbragia Limited Release Chardonnay, and 2007 Paradise Ridge Sauvignon Blanc.

Finally, honorable recognition goes to:

Our Chefs: Lolly Saari and Beverley Wittman
Our Co-Host: Kris Wittman

Our Winery Friends in Attendance:

Ceja - http://www.cejavineyards.com/
Jemrose - http://www.jemrosevineyards.com/
Sojourn - http://www.sojourncellars.com/

Cheers to an awesome afternoon and a successful 2009 Harvest!

Nick Wittman
Santa Rosa Fine Wine
http://www.santarosafinewine.com/

Pinot Noir Harvest 2009

Santa Rosa Fine Wine does not make a wine, but we do own and sell grapes from our Pinot Noir Vineyard in Carneros located just outside of Sonoma. Our first harvest last year did not go as anticipated. Like quite a few of our neighbors, we had record frost and lost about 60% of our crop. The quality of fruit was excellent with tight clusters and evenly sized berries. In contrast, this year, the crop size was great, over double the tonnage of last year, but with loose clusters and various sized berries. Will be interesting to see how the last two years of Carneros Pinot Noir are drinking on release. The end of harvest this year was the result of a lot of hard work by our Vineyard Manager, Armando Ceja and his team as well as two other very important contributors, Henry our Border Collie, and Abby our German Shepherd.

Henry, pictured as a puppy above, is now a year and a half old. For this growing season, trained him to chase birds out of the vineyard. On command, he will run up and down the rows, and cross between them as necessary to chase birds off the property. If not familiar with Border Collies, they are tireless workers of great intelligence, focus and endurance, bred to work all day under demanding conditions. We have never owned a dog that is as easy to train, and with so much energy. While most people are familiar with Border Collies herding sheep, catching frisbees or performing in agility sports, they are adaptable and capable of performing numerous jobs. Personally view them as the number one dog choice for work on a vineyard, ranch or farm. The key point here is, work! Border Collies are eager to please and happiest when they have a job!

Abby, pictured at left, is our second vineyard worker! Also shown as a puppy, she is now a little over a year old, and about twice the size of Henry. Abby is our protector. Bred from world class German Shepherd bloodlines with a long history of titles in Schutzhund III, she is stable, big, powerful, intelligent, and well rounded. Once she realizes your not a threat, she is a sweetheart. If not familiar with you, she will growl, bark and bite if necessary to protect her property and pack. The versatility of the German Shepherd is well known. While she does not have the endurance of the Border Collie, she has the intelligence, speed, instinct and strength to serve her owners well. It is amusing to watch her mimic Henry, chasing birds out of the vineyard, but stopping often to scan the property at the sound of any unusual noise, she is always on the alert. Similar to the Border Collie, the German Shepherd makes for a wonderful vineyard, ranch or farm dog.

Both dogs share one other very important job, perhaps their most important one! Each is a companion showing unconditional love, attention and loyalty to their owner. Much has been written on the health benefits of moderate wine drinking, but believe that even more healthy is the special relationship owners have with their dogs. They exercise us, work with us, protect us and distract us from everyday stresses.

There is a fun book in just about every tasting room in Napa and Sonoma called Wine Dogs. Basically, an illustrative book of wineries and their respective dogs. In our opinion, working dogs make the best vineyard and winery dogs. Working dogs not only perform practical jobs, which are numerous, they also serve as wonderful pets. Like all breeds, each one has very distinct characteristics that should be considered in making a selection. We chose two dogs with strengths that complement each other.

Henry - Border Collie

1) By far, the most intelligence breed we have ever encountered. They learn extremely quick, and are eager to please. Sometimes, two repetitions are all that is required to learn.

2) Their energy level is unparalleled. The dog could probably run 20 miles and just start to get warmed up. They tend to be pain tolerant focusing more on the job at hand.

3) Border Collies are always thinking and require significant mental stimulation. The ideal owner should have a lot of energy to keep up with their dog.

4) Care must be taken with children. Border collies will tend to view children as sheep and try to herd them. They are hard wired to herd just about anything that moves.

5) Quirks - Our Border Collie Henry has lots of interesting quirks. He will vertically jump six feet to lick the side of your face. and enjoys giving a border collie boop, a quick thrust with his nose that will knock you off balance. He fearlessly snaps at dogs three times his size to protect the property or his pack. For a 40lb dog, has no fear of our neighbors schutzhund trained German Shepherd. Finally, he has the infamous Border Collie stare, seeking to eye you down to go in the direction he wants you to. His eyes are trained on you at all times.

Abby - German Shepherd

1) An extremely versatile breed, German Shepherds have various energy levels, ours is calm, stable, patient, strong, alert and cautious, making for a wonderful watch dog.

2) Energy level is moderate in comparison to the Border Collie. This fits the German Shepherd well for longer periods of patrol and observation.

3) German Shepherds are very intelligent dogs. They are easy to train, and typically learn with five to ten repetitions of a task.

4) They are great with children, even as a protection dog. If socialized and trained properly, they are gentle and can be a trusted companion with both adults and children.

5) Quirks - Our German Shepherd Abby learned at a young age, when she is thirsty, to sit in front of the kitchen sink and just stare at it. She knew that is where her water came from. As she got older, learned that to go outside, you have to pull down on the back door handle. She now jumps up with both paws, and opens the door. Finally, when excited, she squeaks, which is exactly what happens as soon as she sees a leash or tug toy! It is a stark contrast to her very strong warning bark to stay away.

Cheers to Henry, Abby, and a successful 2009 Harvest!

Nick Wittman
Santa Rosa Fine Wine
http://www.santarosafinewine.com/

Burgundy in Sonoma

As owner of Santa Rosa Fine Wine, have the privilege of being invited to amazing wine tastings throughout the year, both formal and informal. Just recently, joined a group of informal folks, some in the wine trade, some not, that get together regularly to enjoy Grand Cru and Premier Cru Burgundy! Having had very little Burgundy in the past, found it to be an eye opening experience to try so many great wines in so few sittings. In such informal tastings, the focus is generally on a particular region, but often branches out to other wines that attendees want to share with the group.

Before listing specific wines tasted, what is hopefully an obvious observation: White and red wines of Burgundy are distinctly unique compared to their California counterparts. Am often at trade tastings where a producer says they make a Burgundian style Chardonnay and Pinot, but in fact, seldom find this to be the case. Two recent examples illustrate this point. First was a bottle of 1998 Meo Camuzet Corton Clos Rognet. Burghound.com put the drinking window beginning at 2018+ Could not imagine Pinot Noir just starting to drink well at this age, so opened one to test that theory. Sure enough, tight, tannic, backward, extracted, well made, and will likely be a great wine, in 2018+. Most California Pinot Noir are pushing the limit of maturity at 10 years. A second recent example was a 2004 Bouchard Corton Charlemagne. Started out as tart, but highly complex and ageworthy with toast, lemon and citrus. It slowly evolved into a gorgeous creme brulee sweet wine. Find few California Chardonnay make this type of impressive transformation over time.

The following are brief notes of wines tasted at the last two Burgundy get togethers. In each case, indicated a red and white wine of the night.

Tasting #1

White WOTN: 2004 Bouchard, Corton Charlemagne
Red WOTN: 1989 Remoissenet Pere et Fils, Grands Echezeaux

• 2002 Latour Giraud, Meursault Genevrieres des Pierres - Floral, full bodied, lemon finish, no noteable tannin.
  
  
• 2002 Louis Jadot, Puligny Montrachet Les Folatieres - Tighter, more elegant and citrus, nice.
  
  
• 1970 Jaffelin, Corton Bressandes - Light browning, burnt oak, especially on the finish, sherry, oxidized, but pleasant, notable tannin remains.
  
  
• 2004 Bouchard, Corton Charlemagne - Toast, petrol, lemon and citrus, with air became more creme brulee sweet, finish lengthened.
  
  
• 2005 Domaine Castagnier, Morey Saint Denise Aux Chezeaux - Hard, tannic, gamey and mineral, decanted, went downhill quickly, terrible.
  
  
• 1997 Domaine Dujac, Clos De La Roche - Cloudy, minty, rich fruit, gamey, spearmint, earthy, softened with time, a gorgeous wine.
  
  
• 2003 Domaine Dujac, Clos St. Denis - Metallic, green, short tight finish, cool menthol, foxy, barnyard nose.
  
  
• 1999 Rapet Pere et Fils, Pernand Vergelesses - Floral, somewhat restrained and backwards in style.
  
  
• 1999 Alex Gambal, Chambertin Clos de Beze - Bright fruits, cherry, raspberry, very fresh.
  
  
• 1999 Denis Mugneret, Richebourg - Clean, barnyard nose, rich, tannic, balanced and ageworthy.
  
  
• 1990 Mugneret, Ruchottes Chambertin - Barnyard nose, baked dark berry fruits, full bodied, tied for second best red.
  
  
• 2001 Domaine Annick Parent, Volnay 1er Cru Fremiets - More barnyard, tight, just an ok wine, not showing as well as others.
  
  
• 2002 Bouchard, Beaune Marconnets - Light, not very distinct or complex, another just ok wine.
  
  
• 1989 Remoissenet Père et Fils, Grands-Echezeaux - Awesome wine, earthy, mineral, minty cola nose, cherry, gamey, tannic.
  
  
• 1995 Tokaji Oremus Aszu - Honey, orange rind, apricots, some tartness and good overall balance.

Tasting # 2

White WOTN: 2005 Bouchard Corton Charlemagne
Red WOTN: 1998 Comte de Vogue Bonnes Mares Chambolle Musigny

• 1993 Remoissenet Le Montrachet - Straw, banana, good structure and balance
  
  
• 2000 Remi Jobard Meursault 1er - Gamey, foxy, tart, just ok


• 2004 Michel Voarick Corton Charlemagne - Diesel, fuel, dry meadow, black tar


• 2005 Bouchard Corton Charlemagne - Floral, citrus, rich, very ageworthy


• 1972 Louis Remy Clos de la Roche - Light, sherry, saddle leather, oxidized


• 1976 Pierre Gelin Chamberin Clos De Beze - Leather, sherry, asian spices, old cognac


• 1990 Louis Jadot Gevrey Chambertin Clos St Jacques - Cherry, rich tropical fruit, candied


• 1993 Darviot-Perrin, Volnay La Gigotte - Spice, light baked rhubarb, dark berry


• 1993 Louis Trapet Chambertin - Light, closed, astringent, not a lot going on


• 1995 Daniel Rion et Fils Vosne-Romanee Les Chaumes - Also relatively light, not as distinct as others


• 1995 Hudelot Noellat Romanee St. Vivant - Cool, cola, tight, clean, carmel


• 1998 Comte de Vogue Bonnes Mares Chambolle Musigny - Sweet, bright, cola, perfect balance


• 1998 Michel Bonnefond Ruchottes Chambertin - Barrel sample like, young, silky, gamey


• 2000 Des Comtes Lafon Volnay Santenots - Elegant, minty, baked fruits, green


• 2000 Meo Camuzet Corton Clos Rognet - Young like a barrel sample, fruit forward, methol


• 2001 Henri Bonneau Chateauneuf du Pape Celestins - Prune, prune, prune and some plum


• 1996 Henri Bonneau Chateauneuf du Pape - Menthol, cool, then some prune


• 2003 Pegau Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee da Capo - Well made, concentrated, prune, plum


• 2003 Pegau Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve - You guessed it, more prune


• 1965 Barbaresco - Wax, light, older earthy bordeaux like in style


• 1999 Bernard Burgaud Cote Rotie - Barnyard, cool, gamey


• 2000 Spinetta Vursu Barolo - Grassy, tar, a little vegetal


• 2000 Chateau Montrose - Dry, young, balanced, lively, vegetal nose that blew off


• 2005 Courbis La Sabarotte Cornas - Rich and cool drinking, some plum


• 1953 Massandra Red Stone White Muscat - Carmel, sweet, rich and full bodied, gorgeous wine

In this tasting, there were some strong wines worthy of honorable mention. They included the 2004 Michel Voarick Corton Charlemagne and 1990 Louis Jadot Gevrey Chambertin Clos St Jacques. The 1990 Jadot actually started out as the wine of the night, but went to the 1998 Bonnes Mares after revisiting the wines later in the evening. The 1998 held up much better. Overall, a very close horse race however! The Michel Voarick was very distinct and can think of few wines that fully display diesel, fuel and tar so well. A very compelling wine in an odd sort of way.

As a final note, this tasting include some Chateauneuf du Pape. Did not find these wines enjoyable at all due to the predominance of plum and prune. Overall, politely suggest that they are the sort of wine you like, if you like that sort of wine!

Cheers to Burgundy!

Nick Wittman
Santa Rosa Fine Wine
http://www.santarosafinewine.com/

Bardessono Dinner

Last night, Santa Rosa Fine Wine hosted an amazing dinner in Yountville California at a new restaurant called Bardessono. Chef Sean O'Toole created a special 5 course menu to pair with a very nice lineup of quality wines. The restaurant service was impeccable and the environment both warm and inviting. We highly recommend this restaurant!

Beyond the excellent food and wine, the group was joined by two special owner winemakers to the Napa and Sonoma Valley. First, Armando Ceja of Ceja Vineyards. In addition to making enjoyable wine, he is our good friend and neighbor in Carneros. Second, we were joined by our good friend Todd Anderson of Conn Valley Vineyards. Todd is a genuine nice guy and adventure seeker with a rich and long history working in the Napa Valley. Todd's wines are nothing short of spectacular!

After some conversation with our starter wines, we moved into the tasting. Wines of the flight, wines of the night, and brief tasting notes follow:

White Wine of the Night - 2005 Aubert Lauren
Red Wine of the Night - 1926 Calon Segur

Starter Wines - The Ceja was a fresh, big mouthfeel, well integrated fruit driven wine. By contrast, the Benovia was a refined elegant, yet highly balanced wine. Both were a nice way to start the evening!

1) 2006 Ceja Chardonnay 1.5L
2) 2007 Benovia Chardonnay

Chardonnay Flight - The wine of the first flight was the 05 Lauren. It was floral, melon, lemon, complex and elegant. The 04 was second favorite that also had a lemon oil component, and opened up after some time. The 06 Lauren was light, tight, not very intense fruit, and not very exciting, just ok.

1) 2004 Aubert, Quarry Chardonnay
2) 2005 Aubert, Lauren Chardonnay
3) 2006 Aubert, Lauren Chardonnay

Pinot Noir Flight - Overall, this was the least favorite flight. The favorite wine was the 03 Cohn with cranberry, dark fruits, but still, just an ok wine. By contrast, the 03 Koplen was hot and pruney, opened up, but did not show well. Finally, the Littorai was a little green, light, and fresh cut grass.

1) 2003 Kosta Browne Cohn
2) 2003 Kosta Browne Koplen
3) 2006 Littorai Mays Canyon

Grenache/Syrah Flight - The 02 Alban was the favorite wine in this flight with balanced, forest floor, dark berry fruits. While ok wines, the 01 and 03 had some plum and harder tannin. The level of acid/tannin was quite pronounced on the 03.

1) 2001 Alban Pandora
2) 2002 Alban Pandora
3) 2003 Alban Pandora

Cabernet Flight - Tied for wine of the flight were the 02 Colgin Cariad and 06 Seven Stones. Completely different in style, but both great in their own way. The Cariad was balanced, with dark fruit, dusty, complex, a solid wine, the Seven Stones had distinct blue and black fruits, no question, an elegant and age worthy wine. As for the 99 Cariad, lavendar, floral, tigher, opened up nicely, the Harris Estate, minty, well integrated and full bodied. Finally the El Nido had bright fruits, more plum, but did not find it to have a lot of depth, just hits the front palate.

1) 2002 Colgin Cariad
2) 1999 Colgin Cariad
3) 2006 El Nido
4) 2006 Seven Stones
5) 2004 Harris Estate Treva Vineyard

Dessert Wine Flight - Similar to the Cabernet Flight, a tie for wine of the flight between the 06 Ceja and 01 Doisy Daene. The Ceja was very bright, sweet, with a full mouthfeel in contrast to the elegant more sweet mineral style of the Doisy. The 01 Giraud was liquid honey with age, and the 82 Sonoma-Cutrer was fortified, oxidized, and somewhat port like. Did not like this wine.

1) 2001 Giraud Sauternes
2) 2001 Doisy Daene
3) 2006 Ceja Dulce Beso
4) 1982 Sonoma-Cutrer Late Harvest

Surprise Wine - We were fortunate to have a friend sitting at a table next to us, who shared a surprise wine with Todd and I. When thanking the group, they showed us a long cork in amazing condition. Maybe a centimeter of wine absorbed into the cork at best. The bottle itself was representative of what you would expect for its age. Clearly, the overall provenance was exceptional!

1) 1926 Calon Segur - Gorgeous! This was an exotic gamey, mineral, earthy wine with nice tannin and surprisingly good, yet subtle fruit. Would never have guessed this bordeaux was over 80 years old and can still vividly recall the taste of this wine the day after!

The 5 course menu specially created for us by Chef Sean O'Toole included:

Main Lobster Salad
williamson farm avocado, spicy tomato gelee, lemon creme fraiche, watercrest

Wild Striped Bass
chanterelle mushrooms, glazed black mission fig, spiced jus

Liberty Farms Duck
daikon radish, white crane springs ranch sylvetta, bitter chocolate sauce

Marin Sun Farm Beef
braised short rib, potatoes pont neuf, curry eggplant, cezanne condiment

Gravenstein Apple Tart Tatin
mascarpone chantilly, green apple sorbet

Links:

Bardessono - http://www.bardessono.com/
Ceja Vineyards - http://www.cejavineyards.com/
Conn Valley Vineyards - http://www.connvalleyvineyards.com/

It was a very great evening with wonderful food, wine, and company. A special thanks is owned to Bardessono and Chef O'Toole. Their exceptional service and food was appreciated by all! Very much look forward to hosting future wine dinners with them! Cheers to a great evening!

Nick Wittman
Santa Rosa Fine Wine
http://www.santarosafinewine.com/

Pre-1990 Bordeaux Dinner

This past Saturday, had an amazing dinner with friends in San Francisco. The theme was pre-1990 First Growth and Super Second Bordeaux. Everyone brought bottles in excellent condition and exceptional provenance. Pictured at left are 3 examples (from left to right: 1947 Chateau Caillou, 1942 Chateau D'Arche, and 1945 Rieussec.) For wines over 60 years old, they are quite remarkable in color and overall condition.

Unlike a large fraction of wines made in the US today, the wines of Bordeaux tend to drink their best with age. It is not uncommon for them to mature slowly for 15, 20 and even 30+ years from the time they were originally made. For sauternes, maturity can reach 50, 75, and even 100+ years! Many Red Bordeaux vintages from the 1980's are just coming into maturity, so was a pleasure to try a broad cross section of wines from these years.

Flight 1 - The Champagne flight was a great way to kick off the evening. Both the 88 Krug and 85 Veuve were quite young and crisp. The 85 Dom Perignon was slightly oxidized. Aged Champagne can be hit or miss in this regard. The Krug is a great example of how age will improve a wine while the Dom Perignon showed how it can turn for the worst.

1988 Krug
1985 Veuve Clicquot Rare Rose Disgorged 2007
1985 Dom Perignon

Flight 2 - The white bordeaux, like the Champagne flight, was a great way to start the evening. Light, crisp and refreshing, each vintage was unique. The 02 had notes of peach, with a creamy mouthfeel, while the 01 and 04 were lighter with floral notes. The acidity in the 04 was high and a little disjointed.

2002 Margaux Pavillon Blanc
2001 Margaux Pavillon Blanc
2004 Margaux Pavillon Blanc

Flight 3 - Argueably, the best flight of the night. The 45 Rieussec was a huge, carmel, sweet, concentrated wine. In contrast, the 42 Chateau D'Arche was the youngest drinking of all the wines. It was crisp with citrus notes. The 47 Chateau Caillou had notes of butterscotch and cognac. All were incredibly rich in style.

1945 Rieussec
1942 Chateau D’Arche
1947 Chateau Caillou, Crème De Tete

Flight 4 - The first red wine flight of the evening was intentionally the oldest. With the exception of the 70 Pichon Lalande, all the wines showed well tending to be more earthy and mineral in style. The 70 Latour was outstanding, with considerable tannin and ageability. Unfortunately, the Pichon Lalande was grassy and herbaceous with notable brett.

1970 Latour
1975 Lafite
1975 Mouton
1969 Haut Brion
1970 Pichon Lalande

Flight 5 - The 83 Cheval Blanc was the best wine of this flight, and best red of the tasting. Noted sweet, jammy, baked raspberry fruits. It was simply outstanding! While 81 is not generally considered a great year in Bordeaux, the 81 Latour showed very well. The other wines were lighter bodied, yet elegant in style.

1983 Cheval Blanc
1981 Latour
1983 Lafite
1981 La Mission HB

Flight 6 - Mouton made an outstanding wine in 85. It showed better than all the other 85 wines tasted. It was gamey, balanced, ripe and complex. Sadly the 85 Ducru was corked. 85 Leoville Las Cases was cool with a distinct and enjoyable menthol component. By contrast, the 85 Gruaud was grassy, forest floor with notable brett.

1985 Mouton
1985 Leoville Las Cases
1985 Gruaud
1985 Ducru

Flight 7 - An awesome flight, the Pichon Lalande and Mouton both stood out, and shared much in common. Both were very young tight wines with menthol and dark concentrated fruits. Both will age considerably longer. No rush to open either wine if well stored. Having had the 86 Talbot 6+ times, it did not show as well this time as others, a little green.

1986 Pichon Lalande
1986 Mouton
1986 Talbot
1986 Leoville Barton

Flight 8 - One of the richer flights of the dinner, all four wines were remarkable and full bodied. Having had the 88 Mouton and 88 Latour previously, they showed far better in this flight than in the past. All of these wines were big with well proportioned tannin and acidity. Each could be aged considerably longer without worry.

1988 Mouton
1988 Latour
1989 Lafite
1989 Lynch Bages

As with most dinners, there is a final special wine to end the dinner. In this case, a 1937 Massandra Rose Muscat. What a great evening of food, wine, and friends. Cheers to aged Bordeaux!

Nick Wittman
Santa Rosa Fine Wine
http://www.santarosafinewine.com/