Fabulous premium wine flight for tenderloin surf and turf dinner
We had a double newlywed dinner with Sons Alec and his bride Vivianna, back from New York, and Sean and his bride Michelle joining us for a gala post celebration dinner. Linda prepared beef tenderloin that Alec grilled (right) and lobster tails, baked potatoes, sweet potatoes, haricurt verts and ceasar salad.
Due to the extensive fires in the area their tasting at Hall Wines and others were canceled. Never-the-less, our wine flight included the trifecta of Hall, Lewis and Del Dotto premium labels.
Prior to dinner we opened Champagne. We also tasted a Chateau St Michelle Merlot, a fun wine recognizing our daughter-in-law. We closed the dinner with a birth year vintage port with desserts.
We opened the evening toasting the newlywed couples with Champagne - Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Rosé.
Consistent with earlier tasting with a layer of smokiness ... Rustic orange color, crisp, full-bodied, complex and zesty, lively red currant, red berry and citrus fruits with a good core, fine acidity, crisp texture, chalky minerality and hint of apple, smoke and spice with a long, vibrant finish.
RM 89 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=27316
Hall Exzellenz Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
This is sourced from the finest blocks of the Sacrashe Vineyard which is just above the Rutherford Winery adjacent to the estate home. We were introduced to this wine during our Winery Tour and Tasting back in the summer of 2017 and prior to that back in 2013.
Tonight this was the WOTN - Wine of the Night.
Jeb Dunnuck describe this wine's "awesome depth and richness with crazy levels of purity".
Deep garnet-purple color, full-bodied, firmly structured yet perfectly balanced and silky smooth, elegant and polished, full concentrated black berry fruits with notes of crème de cassis, graphite, hints of cigar box and what Robert Parker described as tree bark turning to a long sinewy spicy oak laced finish.
RM 96 points
https://www.cellartracker.com/barcode.asp?iWine=2508295
Del Dotto Napa Valley Vineyard 887 St. Helena Connoiseur's Series Colbert French Oak Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
Succumbing to some sentimentality, I selected this label from our extensive Del Dotto holdings. The kids encountered the Del Dotto experience on their honeymoon last month. This label has a special place in my heart with fond memories of our prior trips to Napa.
We tasted and then procured this wine during our Napa Valley, Del Dotto Winery and Caves Tasting and Tour in 2018. This single vineyard designated select label is crafted from fruit from the Del Dotto 887 St Helena Vineyard. This vineyard is named for the address, 887 St Helena Highway, on the south approaches into the town.
The property is the site of a guest cottage, amidst the vineyard surrounded by the vines. Linda and I had the pleasure of staying in the cottage during a Napa Valley Del Dotto winery, estate, vineyards and cave tour back in 2003.
The single vineyard designated label didn't exist back then, it came along the next year, but we didn't discover the label until our 2018 estate and winery visit and tour. We purchased this label at that time, much in remembrance of that earlier visit, and had great anticipation of tasting this
We have
hosted wine dinners where we served a flight of the Connoisseur Series
of the same wine aged in different oaks. Only the most discriminating
experienced enophiles appreciated and discerned the subtle differences.
Dark
garnet colored, medium-full bodied, complex, concentrated, forward,
structured black berry and tangy black currant fruits with notes of pipe
tobacco, black tea, graphite and hints of milk chocolate, anise and
spicy cinnamon turning to firm but silky smooth approachable tannins on
the long tangy acidic lingering finish. Needs a few more years to
settle, soften and integrate further.
RM 94
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2743499
https://www.deldottovineyards.com/our-wines
@DelDottoWine
Lewis Cellars Napa Valley Reserve Chardonnay 2015
The winemaker notes say; "Neil Young's "Cinnamon Girl" best captures the
character of our rocking 2015 Reserve Chardonnay. Ripe succulent
D'Anjou pear, gardenia blossom, sweet mineral spice and toasty brioche
aromas come singing through. Broad shouldered with creamy textured leesy
flavors, the wine reaches great depth while maintaining precision and
serious structure."
Butter colored, medium full bodied, very pleasant bright vibrant crisp
notes of citrus laced pear with notes of floral, soft sweet oak and
hints of lychee fruits.
RM 92 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2586833
https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2017/08/lewis-cellars-napa-chateau-tasting.html
https://www.lewiscellars.com/
Warres Quinta da Cavadihna Vintage Port 1990
with fresh berries. With the dessert flight we served a 1990 vintage release from Alec's birthyear, Warres Quinta da Cavadihna Vintage Port 1990.
