Sea Smoke Gratis, King Richards, Del Dotto Highlight Beef Tenderloin Dinner
Saturday evening wine dinner with Dr Dan, our Lindas, and Beth visiting from SC featured beef tenderloin, haricot verts and scalloped potatoes. I pulled from the cellar this Del Dotto Estate Napa Cabernet 2001 and Fantesca King Richards Reserve Pinot Noir. Dan brought Sea Smoke Gratis Chardonnay and Chassagne Montrachet 1999.
Sea Smoke 'Gratis' Santa Rita Hills Chardonnay 2010
Dan brought this allocated limited production Chardonnay from his collection. At eight years, this must be at the apex of its drinking window. I cannot imagine it getting or ever being any better. This was the richest and most vibrant flavorful Chardonnay I've ever had. I've certainly never had one more enjoyable or suitable to my pallette.
Gratis Chardonnay is Sea Smoke's way of telling their direct customers 'thank you for your support!' This wine is only available to regular club members as a gift by Sea Smoke Cellars, and was not available for purchase to the general public.
Golden colored, medium full bodied, this was rich, flavorful, a nice balance between creamy and acidic, a symphony of nicely integrated and harmonious layered flavors of layers of vanilla, toasted almonds, notes of apricot and hints of caramel with a thick mouth puckering finish.
RM 93 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1329721
https://www.seasmoke.com/
Fantesca King Richards Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2008
We tasted and acquired this wine at the Fantesca Estate and Winery on Spring Mountain during one of our several visits there with Duane and Susan Hoff, proprietors.
Readers of this site know we're Cab drinkers and not normally into Pinots but this was part of the Club allocation deliveries from Fantesca. King Richard refers to Susan's father who is a Pinot lover so they arranged to acquire a Select barrel of Russian River Valley special product and bottle it under the Fantesca brand.
This was opaque garnet colored, light medium bodied and tastes like red berries, strawberry, raspberry, and notes of cranberry with tones of dusty rose, leather and tobacco.
RM 90 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1044739
https://fantesca.com/
Del Dotto Estate Napa Cabernet Sauvignon 2001
Since Dan and Linda and Beth were with us at our visit to the Del Dotto Estate for our cave tour and estate wine tasting last year, I chose to pull a vintage Del Dotto Cab from the cellar in remembrance of that event. Also, our Delicacies Tasting at the new Del Dotto Piazza Napa Valley Winery was a highlight of our Napa Valley trip last month when we acquired several cases of current release Del Dotto wine at that visit so we also need to clear out some room in the cellar and will hence replace some of the older Del Dotto with a more recent vintage release.
Consistent with earlier tastings notes, medium to full bodied, deep dark ruby color - black berry and sweet black cherry fruits accented by clove spice and a hint cassis and whisper of English toffee on the 'Rutherford Dust' moderate silky tannin finish.
RM 91 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=13349
Saturday evening wine dinner with Dr Dan, our Lindas, and Beth visiting from SC featured beef tenderloin, haricot verts and scalloped potatoes. I pulled from the cellar this Del Dotto Estate Napa Cabernet 2001 and Fantesca King Richards Reserve Pinot Noir. Dan brought Sea Smoke Gratis Chardonnay and Chassagne Montrachet 1999.
Sea Smoke 'Gratis' Santa Rita Hills Chardonnay 2010
Gratis Chardonnay is Sea Smoke's way of telling their direct customers 'thank you for your support!' This wine is only available to regular club members as a gift by Sea Smoke Cellars, and was not available for purchase to the general public.
Golden colored, medium full bodied, this was rich, flavorful, a nice balance between creamy and acidic, a symphony of nicely integrated and harmonious layered flavors of layers of vanilla, toasted almonds, notes of apricot and hints of caramel with a thick mouth puckering finish.
RM 93 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1329721
https://www.seasmoke.com/
Fantesca King Richards Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2008
Readers of this site know we're Cab drinkers and not normally into Pinots but this was part of the Club allocation deliveries from Fantesca. King Richard refers to Susan's father who is a Pinot lover so they arranged to acquire a Select barrel of Russian River Valley special product and bottle it under the Fantesca brand.
This was opaque garnet colored, light medium bodied and tastes like red berries, strawberry, raspberry, and notes of cranberry with tones of dusty rose, leather and tobacco.
RM 90 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1044739
https://fantesca.com/
Del Dotto Estate Napa Cabernet Sauvignon 2001
Consistent with earlier tastings notes, medium to full bodied, deep dark ruby color - black berry and sweet black cherry fruits accented by clove spice and a hint cassis and whisper of English toffee on the 'Rutherford Dust' moderate silky tannin finish.
RM 91 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=13349
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