Seafood and David Arthur Chardonnay BYOB at Waterway Cafe in Palm Beach Gardens

Seafood and David Arthur Chardonnay BYOB at Waterway Cafe in Palm Beach Gardens (FL)

Vacationing with friends in Singer Island, Florida, we dined at the trendy, chic, picturesque Waterway Cafe waterfront restaurant in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. 

The iconic Waterway Restaurant is on the Inter-Coastal waterway transformed in 1986 on the former Waterway Marina site. The extraordinary and amazing restaurant consists of a main contemporary skylighted dining room, cozy lounge area wtih a fireplace, waterfront/waterside dining areas including a Tiki Bar, Florida’s only floating bar, boat-up dockage Boat Bar for boaters, waterfront terraces, and flexible private dining spaces.

The main dining room skylight bar …

And cozy fireside lounge and dining room … 

The Tiki Bar and waterview dining terraces  ...

And the fabulous, iconic floating bar and adjacent moorings are a signature highlight, refreshed to match the new main bar/dining room designs …

All this provides an unbeatable,  memorable, on-the-water and waterway experience in a fabulous setting with spectacular views, and the entertaining coastal waterway boat traffic. 

The menu features fresh imaginative seafood entrees, steak, pizzas, the usual salads and some amazing desserts. 

Our entree selections included a pizza shared by our friends …

Linda ordered the Jumbo Lump Crab Cake with Roasted Corn Salsa / Key Lime Mustard Sauce. She loved it, especially the Roasted Corn Salsa relish! 

I had the Pistachio Crusted Grouper with Roasted Seasonal Vegetables and Honey Basil Lime Vinaigrette, with a side of Au Gratin potatoes … both were delicious! 

We took BYOB a special favorite Napa Chardonnay from one of our favorite producers that we enjoyed recently from a different vintage, featured in this blogpost - David Arthur Chardonnay at Vintij Grand Blvd. This provided a comparison tasting of two near vintages of this label. 

David Arthur Napa Valley Chardonnay 2021

A highlight and targeted visit of our Napa Wine Experience 2013 was our visit to David Arthur Napa Valley Estate Vineyards and Winery. I wrote about that day in this blogpost - David Arthur Napa Valley Estate Vineyards and Winery.

We written in earlier posts, we've been collecting and enjoying David Arthur wines since the late nineties since the 1997 vintage but have been pacing our consumption as we watch this wine age and achieve its true potential. The property is situated up at the end of Long Ranch Road up atop Pritchard Hill in the Vaca Mountain range. The drive up offers some spectacular vineyard views and vistas of the Napa Valley below. The adjoining vineyards represent some of the premier producers of Napa Valley wines - Brand, Bryant, Colgin, Continuum, Montagna, the new Del Dotto property Villa Del Lago, and Ovid. Not (yet) designated an appellation, never-the-less, it is fast becoming one of the premiere wine growing areas of Napa Valley.

David Arthur wines represent the unique terroir of the mountain with its rough rocky terrain. They have 21 acres on their Pritchard Hill estate (left) planted in the Bordeaux varietals, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petite Verdot, as well as Sangiovese and Nebbiolo which go into their unique Meritaggio.

We first discovered this wine when we purchased a case back of the 1997 vintage release and still hold about half of those bottles, but we quickly turned and became fans of their Cabernet Sauvignon and their flagship wine Elevation 1147, creatively names for the vineyard site situated 1200 feet above the valley floor. All are crafted 100% from estate grown grapes. This visit offered us the opportunity to experience (and acquire) their latest vintage releases as well as their new Three Acre and Old Vines labels Estate bottled Cabernet Sauvignons and a new release bottling of David Arthur Napa Valley Cabernet Franc.

David Arthur, named for the grandfather of the owner/producer, is a family affair consisting of three generations of the Long family, who over the years acquired the mountain land to raise cattle. Today it is operated by brothers David and Bob along with Joye Long, all are co-owners, with David acting as General Manager and his daughter Laura running the office and daily operations.

A point of interest and fun part of this trip was the fact that Linda (nee) Long and Pat (nee) Long, daughters of Indiana farmer Ned Long were with us. Wife Linda and I were joined on this Napa trip by sister/sister-in-law Pat (Long), so it's only fitting we saved our David Arthur visit and this Long reunion for this trip together.

Adding to the Long legend and heritage on Pritchard Hill, adjacent to the David Arthur vineyards are Long Family Vineyards owned by Napa Valley legends Bob and Zelma Long, who gained notoriety in the 70s as chief enologist at Robert Mondavi Winery. Divorced from Bob, today, Zelma and husband Phillip produce wines in Germany and South Africa under their Zelphi label..

David Arthur Napa Valley Chardonnay 2021 

Like the 2019 vintage of this label from that recent tasting, the grapes for this vibrant and expressive wine are grown in the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley at the southern end of the valley floor. The close proximity to San Pablo Bay provides a cooler climate for which these vines thrive. Morning fog and cool off-shore breezes allow the fruit extended hang time resulting in lower sugars and higher acidity.

Winemaker Notes - “A golden straw color with tints of green offers aromas of ripe Bartlett pear and Fuji apple. There is a freshness to the fruit as well as notes of lemon rind, pineapple and white fig. The oak spice is subtle with vanilla bean crème brulee notes. The palate is broad and expansive yet a mineral acidity balances the texture while flavors of white peach, green apple skin and kiwi carry the length of the palate.”

This release was rated 95 points by James Suckling.

Golden colored, full-boded, rich round, creamy textured and balanced, notes of apple, pear and accents of almond and hints of caramel and whisper of butterscotch with a long expressive finish. 

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?5167578

https://www.davidarthur.com/

For dessert, we had the outrageous decadent Waterway signature Snickers Explosion - Layers of chocolate cake, Snickers, and Reese’s pieces ice cream, blended with Butterfinger pieces, for four. 

Hudson Chardonnay BYOB dinner at Commelfo Miramar Beach

Hudson Chardonnay BYOB dinner at Commelfo Restaurant Miramar Beach

Visiting Destin, FL, we dined at Commelfo Restaurant in nearby Miramar Beach. Commelfo, whose name is a French word meaning “done the proper way,” was founded in 2022 by husband wife team Vincent and Nady, building upon Vincent’s 15 years of experience managing restaurants and Nadya’s background in hospitality, and their shared vision and dream to own and operate their own establishment.

We found Commelfo tucked away off major Highway 98 as it adjoins the adjunct auxillary (rear) entrance to our Destiny Worship Center local church. 

Commelfo offers a bright vibrant dining room, stylish and upbeat, with open seating in the main dining room, and more intimate booths opposite the bar. 

Commelfo service was exceptional - the staff were professional, personable, attentive and sensitive to requests and desires - seating us in an intimate booth adjacent the bar, serving us some delectably warm focaccio bread, with oil, providing lemon wedges for our water, and providing careful and proficient service of our BYOB wine. 

The menu offers a broad range of starters, soups and salads and entrees that reflect the available seafood as well as prime steaks, lamb and chicken dishes, and an assortment of delectable desserts. 

For starters we shared the Roasted Beet Salad - noted as a “Customer Favorite”, Roasted beets served with fresh arugula, creamy goat cheese, toasted pine nuts, pistachio and mandarins over honey Greek yogurt topped with homemade blood orange vinaigrette.

Linda ordered the fresh catch locally caught Grouper, grilled and paired with creamy saffron risotto, a medley of carrots, and leek sauce, garnished with crispy leeks.

I ordered the Lobster Ravioli, almost noted as a “Customer Favorite” - Lobster ravioli, served with vodka cream sauce, cherry tomatoes, topped with lobster meat and shaved Parmesan. 

Afterwards, we had the delectable chocolate lava cake with cream and fresh berries. 

All the dishes were delicious, creatively prepared, artfully presented and appropriately served. Commelfo clearly becomes one of our favorite, notable go-to eateries on the Emerald Coast. 

To accompany our dinner, I brought from our home cellar a favorite Napa Carneros Chardonnay, which they honored and supported BYOB with careful handling and presentation, (albeit expensive at $35 per bottle (corkage fee)). The basic limited wine list offered but two Chardonnays, one modest label and a ‘crowd pleaser’ selection Jordan RRV Chardonnay (at $85). Hence, our BYOB was the best option and right choice. 

Hudson Ranch Napa Valley Carneros District Chardonnay 2018

Notably, the east coast big box super merchant Total Wine, just opened one of their super stores in Destin, providing the broadest and extensive selection of wines (and beverages) in the local market. They offer the big box store selection with the broad price range from modest to ultra-premium First Growth labels. (They actually offer the recent release of this label (at $73 ($84 at Wine.com))). This selection/range was/is available at nearby Chan’s Wine World, however not at such scale. It’s great to have such options now in the neighborhood.

We opened our second to last bottle of this label recently, BYOB, at a favorite eatery at home, and featured this wine and its producer in a detailed blogpost at that time - Saturday afternoon Mother’s Day Eve Dinner - BYOB @ Entourage DG, excepted here. That entire experience, from starter and entree choices to wine pairing, was delightfully, remarkably similar to this evening.  

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2025/05/mothers-day-eve-dinner-byob-entourage-dg.html

This is from the legendary Hudson Ranch vineyards in Carneros, down at the bottom of the Mayacamas Mountain range that separates Napa Valley from Sonoma Valley. Like the legendary ToKalon Vineyard up in Rutherford, this is the source of many notable labels from classic ranked producers. It might be a stretch, but to that point, Hudson Ranch Vineyard is to Chardonnay what ToKalon Vineyard is to Cabernet Sauvignon - source to many premier producers’ labels. 

I love Hudson Ranch wines, that represent some of my most memorable tastings. I wrote about Hudson Ranch Carneros Vineyard Chardonnay in earlier blogposts - Hudson Chardonnay at Oceana NYC, having had it at this popular New York City restaurant, and again featuring another premium Chardonnay - Napa Valley Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignons flight and Carneros Chardonnay, and at another fabulous wine dinner - Pour Boys Wine Dinner at Del Ray Beach Wine Kitchen.

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I also featured Hudson Ranch Vineyard Syrah in other blogposts, at another classic Chicago restaurant - Cherry Circle Room dinner features super wine flight, and at home - Kongsgaard Hudson Ranch Vineyard Syrah 2002.

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Hudson Ranch Carneros has ideal terroir for Chardonnay, ideal well drained soil and a micro-climate with ample sunshine with warm days, and cool nights from the fog and cool breezes from nearby San Pablo Bay.

Hudson Chardonnay is found in bottlings from ultra-premium producers Albert, Kongsgard, Kistler and Ramey to name a few - some of the top rated Napa Chardonnay’s to be found anywhere. Beyond growing wine grapes for the most respected winemakers in Napa and Sonoma, they also provide fruit for more than 30 wineries from the 2,000-acre contiguous property, 

Only 200 acres of Hudson’s 2,000 are under vine, in vineyard blocks planted with twenty different varietals, each carefully matched to the block based on its specific terroir and that varietal’s growing characteristics. 

In addition to 90 acres of the primary grape varietal Chardonnay, owner Lee Hudson, working with vineyard manager Andres Ureña, also cultivates 30 acres of Merlot, 27 of Syrah, 12 of Cabernet Franc, 9 Cabernet Sauvignon, 35 Grenache, 26 Sauvignon Blanc, 4 Friulano, 25 Ribolla Gialla and one of Arneis.

One of these, the Old Master block, Hudson Ranch’s most prized vineyard is more like two different vineyards, with two distinct soil types. It was determined Merlot thrives on the Huichica formation soil, rich in alluvial, bay and river deposits, and Cabernet Franc loves the well-drained, rocky Sonoma volcanic soils that spread across the other half of the block. 

One of those famous producers writes, “What attracts us to this vineyard is the rich history of Lee Hudson being one of the preeminent and pioneering chardonnay growers in the new world. The vineyard is planted in southern Napa where the rolling hills form a micro-valley of their own. These vines are graced by both the Napa heat as well as cool ocean-born breezes from the San Francisco bay.”

Hudson Ranch is the dream and passion of proprietor Lee Hudson, who transformed the land into the highly esteemed vineyard it is today. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Lee received his B.S. in Horticulture at the University of Arizona. He then worked with the esteemed Jacques Seysses of Domaine Dujac, in Morey St. Denis, Burgundy, where he learned how great grapes from hallowed vineyard sites produce world class, fine wines. 

Lee returned to the States to continue his graduate studies in viticulture and enology at University of California at Davis, where many of his classmates are now his clients. Lee searched for property from Santa Barbara to Mendocino, before deciding on the Carneros property in Napa Valley, founding Hudson Vineyards in 1981.

Co- Owner, wife Cristina Salas-Porras Hudson had a distinguished twenty-five year career in food and wine, hospitality, and design, working alongside Alice Waters of Chez Panisse. Then she spent ten years consulting for Hermes, Slow Food International, Steve Jobs, and Rockfield Japan. She now works with Lee, at Hudson Ranch and Vineyards overseeing their Napa Valley-based business, Hudson Greens & Goods. 

Also a native Texan, from El Paso, Cristina received her BA in East Asian Studies from Middlebury College in Vermont, and a graduate degree in Japanese from Keio University in Japan. She helped to open the renowned Park Hyatt Hotel in Tokyo, and the art-driven Bardessono Hotel in Yountville, California, as well as co-founding O Olive Oil Company. 

The 2,000-acre Hudson Ranch is one of the most celebrated properties in Carneros. After decades of selling their fruit to other wineries, Hudson began making their own wines in 2004. 

The Hudson Winemaker is Andrew Holve, who most recently served as Head Winemaker for Newton Vineyards. After earning a master’s degree in Viticulture & Enology from UC Davis he gained experience at Ridge, MacRostie, and Patz & Hall.

Andrew works closely with the legendary John Kongsgaard, Hudson’s founding winemaker and current consulting winemaker. 

This 2018 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard is the estate grown label produced, bottled and marketed by the proprietor/grower sourced from some of the best sections of the larger vineyard, some of the original most established and acclaimed blocks that were planted in the 1980s. 

This release was rated  98 Points by FMW, 94 points by Jeb Dunnuck and Wine Advocate, 93 points by Wine Spectator, and 92 by Vinous. 

Winemaker Notes: “The 2022 Chardonnay showcases a combination of 4 distinct blocks from the Hudson Estate planted to Heritage Shot Wente clone. We hand-select barrels from each site to create a Chardonnay that fully expresses the elegant and balanced style of Hudson Vineyards. The wine is rich with bright acidity and mouthwatering notes of citrus, stone fruit, and brioche.” 

The 2018 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard was aged for 14 months in French oak barrels, 60% new. 

Golden straw colored, medium to full bodied, bright, rich concentrated, structured, unctuous, full, round,  layers of sharp lemon citrus and stone fruits, notes of apricot and pear accented by hints of brioche and tart apple with vibrant acidity on the mineral laced finish. 

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?3509983

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3509983

https://hudsonranch.com/

https://commelfo.com/

Louisiana Lagniappe Destin Waterfront Dining Seafood Dinner

Louisiana Lagniappe Destin Waterfront Dining Seafood Dinner 

Our last night hosting Linda’s lady friends at The Cove, our Destin, FL vacation rental home, we took them to LOUISIANA LAGNIAPPE for dinner. Louisiana Lagniappe is a Destin institution since 1984 known for Gulf seafood with a Creole flair.  The upscale restaurant offers waterfront dining at the end of Destin Harbor. 

They also offer beachfront dining ant their two sister restaurants The Back Porch, and our favored Pompano Joes a beach walk from our vacation home. We regularly walk the beach to Pompano Joe’s for dinner or for their Happy Hour Signature PJ’s Punch. Shown below is our kids/grandkids there.

Among the hundreds of restaurants in Destin, Lagniappe is consistently ranked in the Top 10 restaurants on TripAdvisor and wins the Award of Excellence every year.  

The extensive Lagniappe menu features steaks but focuses on fresh seafood with a broad selection of “Chef’s Selections” and “Lagniappe Favorites”.

Lagniappe Chefs Selections include:

GROUPER PONTCHARTRAIN - Fresh Gulf Grouper, pan sautéed and topped with fried jumbo soft-shell crab, hollandaise sauce and honey roasted nuts 

TOURNEDOS OF BEEF - Medallions of Certified Angus Beef Filet Mignon topped with sautéed jumbo lump crab meat and shrimp and finished with béarnaise sauce

BAYOU GROUPER - Fresh Gulf Grouper, pan sautéed, topped with jumbo lump crabmeat and jumbo shrimp, then finished with meuniere sauce 

SHRIMP & GRITS - Jumbo Gulf Shrimp tossed in a smoked tasso ham cream sauce served over stone-ground cheese grits

BLACKENED REDFISH - Fresh filet of Redfish, blackened then topped with jumbo lump crabmeat, medallions of lobster and both hollandaise and garlic-beurre blanc sauce 

TWIN LOBSTER TAILS - Two Maine Lobster tails cooked to perfection

GROUPER CREVETTES - Fresh Gulf Grouper, pan sautéed and topped with grilled jumbo shrimp and hollandaise sauce

CHARGRILLED YELLOWFIN TUNA - Fresh Yellowfin Tuna topped with jumbo lump crabmeat and hollandaise sauce

BLACKENED SHRIMP OR SCALLOPS - Your choice of blackened jumbo shrimp or blackened bay scallops served with a pineapple-rum butter sauce, and 

SEAFOOD LAGNIAPPE - Gulf Grouper, sautéed and topped with medallions of lobster, hollandaise sauce and a light garlic-beurre blanc 

The Lagniappe Favorites include:

SNAPPER DESTIN - Gulf Snapper, stuffed with jumbo lump crabmeat, rice and cream cheese 

BARBECUE JUMBO SHRIMP - Peeled, spicy New Orleans style barbecue shrimp

JAMBALAYA - Chicken, sausage and shrimp cooked together with rice in a rich tomato sauce 

GROUPER LOUISIANNE SAUTÉED OR GRILLED - Fresh jumbo lump crabmeat in a seasoned butter atop a fresh fillet of Gulf Grouper 

GROUPER ALMONDINE - Fresh Gulf Grouper, pan sautéed and topped with toasted almonds and lemon butter

LAGNIAPPE STUFFED SHRIMP - Fresh jumbo shrimp topped with our shrimp and jumbo lump crabmeat stuffing

GROUPER MEUNIERE - Fresh Gulf Grouper, pan sautéed and finished with meuniere sauce

GROUPER PECAN - Fresh Gulf Grouper, pan sautéed and topped with toasted pecans and meuniere sauce

OYSTERS LAGNIAPPE - Baked with Lagniappe stuffing and jumbo lump crabmeat

CRESCENT CITY FETTUCCINE - Jumbo shrimp tossed in a smoked tasso ham cream sauce with fettuccine, finished with Parmesan Romano cheese

For our dinner we all selected variations of the Grouper selections … all were delicious, perfectly prepared, served hot, and included their signature twice baked potatoe and vegetable, along with their signature hush puppies starter.  

BAYOU GROUPER - Fresh Gulf Grouper, pan sautéed, topped with jumbo lump crabmeat and jumbo shrimp, then finished with meuniere sauce

Sonoma Cutrer Chardonnay 2023

From the basic fundamental wine list, we ordered this standard pleasant drinking Chardonnay. Sonoma Cutrer are consistently recognized for good value Chardonnay. 

This was ideal for pleasant easy sipping pairing with our fresh seafood.  

Wine Spectator-California - Sonoma County - "Appealing for its seamlessness and texture, this white is creamy and supple, with lemon meringue pie, shortbread and peach notes at the core on an elegant frame. Accents of lemon zest and wildflower honey linger on the finish..."

https://www.sonomacutrer.com/

https://www.thelouisianalagniappe.com/destin-menu

Beach view dinner at Beach Walk Cafe Destin

Beach view dinner at Beach Walk Cafe Destin (FL)

Hosting friends Bob & Gloria and Jose and JaJa, at our Destin, FL vacation home, we dined at scenic Beach Walk Café, Henderson Park Inn, Destin, with its picturesque views of the Gulf Coast beach and off-shore horizon, and the towers of Destin across Henderson State Beach Park in the distance, arguably one of the best views along the Emerald Coast.

I’ve written about Henderson Beachwalk Cafe Dinner with a view in this blogpost in many blogposts in these pages as it has become one of our favorite go-to dining destinations in the area which where we dine regularly when in town. 

While we love the atmosphere, ambiance and menu selections, although their wine list is limited, especially for pairing with coastal seafood. So, as is our usual practice, tonight we brought from our home cellar BYOB our own Napa Valley Carneros single vineyard designated label Chardonnay.

For starters, Linda and I ordered the Mixed Greens Salad with Strawberries, Pecans, Goat Cheese, and Maple Bacon Vinaigrette.

Jose ordered my favorite dish, from the menu fresh seafood local catches and one of their signature dishes, Grouper Vince with Pecan Crusted, Crispy Potato Cake, Haricot Verts, Honey Worcestershire Sauce.

Gloria and I each ordered the Snapper with Corn Truffle Risotto, Madeira Mushrooms, Matchstick Truffle Fries, Citrus Beurre Blanc sauce. 

Linda ordered the Beachwalk Cafe signature crab cases. 

Bob ordered the Sesame Crusted Yellowfin Tuna with Garlic and Ginger Black Bean Bok Choy with Ponzu Sauce (shown) while Ja Ja had the Shrimp.

We ordered from the limited wine list a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc for pairing along with our BYOB Chardonnay, featured below:

Nickel & Nickel Napa Valley Carneros Truchard Vineyard Chardonnay 2022

This is from Nickel & Nickel, a subsidiary of the legendary ultra-premium producer Far Niente Winery and Vineyards. If you've visited Napa Valley, you passed their winery estate on St Helena Highway 29 in Oakville as you enter Napa Valley from the south.

Nickel & Nickel was established by the partners of Far Niente in 1997 focused on producing single-vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from the appellation's most significant growing regions. Dedicated exclusively to producing 100 percent varietal, single-vineyard wines that best express the distinct personality of each vineyard, they expanded their portfolio to also produce single-vineyard Chardonnay, Merlot, and Syrah wines.

Nickel & Nickel focus on 100% varietal, single-vineyard designated wines, sourced from as many as seventeen different vineyards, primarily in Napa Valley, but now extended to include some sites in the Sonoma County Russian River Valley appellation.

Their approach emphasizes selection of the very best vineyard locations and unique soil compositions required to make superior single-vineyard wines. Each Nickel & Nickel wine is a celebration of 'place' or terroir. It's amazing how such can reveal how vineyards only miles apart, but of the same grape varietal, yield wines of unique character and distinction.

This label release is 100% Chardonnay from the Truchard Vineyard located in the heart of Carneros AVA, prized for its rolling hills, sun exposure, and cool, breezy conditions that allow long, even ripening. 

Nickel & Nickel wines are produced from 14 select acres of this 270-acre vineyard, planted in 2007, composed of volcanic ash and rock with a southwestern exposure. The growing season tends to be long in this cooler area, allowing for fully mature fruit at harvest.

The Carneros region straddles the southernmost portions at the confluence of the Sonoma and Napa valleys, lying just north of the San Pablo Bay (an offshoot of the San Francisco Bay). There, the bay winds and fog, created when warm inland air meets cool sea air, keep temperatures relatively low, making this California wine region perfect for growing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Indeed many of our favorite and many memorable wines are from Carneros vineyards from some of the most heralded producers.

Nickel & Nickel Napa Valley Carneros Truchard Vineyard Chardonnay 2022

Winemaker Notes - "Nickel & Nickel Truchard Chardonnay 2022 is a wine that stands out for its full-bodied and flavorful taste, thanks to its carefully selected grapes from the famous Truchard Vineyard in Napa Valley, California. Upon opening the bottle, the wine releases an enticing aroma of citrus blossom and melon, which will leave your senses longing for more. This is followed by a silky and creamy texture on the palate, which is perfectly balanced by the wine's vibrant acidity.'

"The flavors of pear, melon, and green apple dominate the palate, and the wine is complemented by subtle hints of toasted oak that add a unique touch to the wine. The wine finishes with a long and mouthwatering taste, which leaves a lasting impression. Whether you are an experienced wine enthusiast or just starting your journey, Nickel & Nickel Truchard Vineyard Chardonnay 2022 is a wine that can be appreciated by anyone who values quality and craftsmanship.'

"This golden-hued vintage strikes the most beautiful balance between freshness and tropical lushness. Aromas of lemon peel and melon captivate the nose, while silky pear, peach blossom, and melon flavors cascade across a palate that is at once creamy and lifted. The finish is lively and bright, with juicy acidity, whispers of lightly toasted oak, and a refreshing minerality."

At initial review time, this vintage release has not yet been rated but the previous two vintage years it was rated 93 points and 95 points in 2019.

Golden straw colored, medium bodied, full round concentrated pear and apple notes with expressive sprites of mineral and roasted nut with hints of toasted oak on a full lingering bright acidic finish.

RM 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4763512

https://nickelandnickel.farniente.com/

https://twitter.com/NickelandNickel

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2023/10/nickel-nickel-truchard-vineyard.html

Beach Walk Cafe and BYOB Dusky Goose Chardonnay

Beach Walk Cafe and BYOB Dusky Goose Chardonnay

Vacationing with fellow Pour Boy, Lyle, and Terry, at The Cove, our vacation rental in Destin (FL), we took them to one of our favorite notable dining spots in the Destin area. 

For special Friday night outing, we dined at scenic Beach Walk Café, Henderson Park Inn, Destin, with its picturesque views of the Gulf Coast beach and off-shore horizon, and the towers of Destin across Henderson State Beach Park in the distance, arguably one of the best views along the Emerald Coast.

I wrote about Henderson Beachwalk Cafe Dinner with a view in this blogpost during our visit there last fall, excerpted below. 

While we love the atmosphere, ambiance and menu selections, their wine list is limited, especially for pairing with coastal seafood. this is made up for with a reasonable corkage policy/fee which we prefer anyway, so we can bring our choice of wine for appropriate pairing.

We dined on the deck overlooking the Gulf shore amidst the surf overlooking the beaches, Henderson State Park and the Destin skyline in the distance.

Tonight we brought from our home cellar BYOB this ultra-premium Willamette Valley Chardonnay. 

We had with the starter course this delicious Mixed Greens Salad with Mixed Greens, Strawberries, Pecans, Goat Cheese, and Maple Bacon Vinaigrette.

Lyle ordered the Lobster Corn bisque which was also delicious. 

The last two times we dined here, we had the Seared Blue Crab Cakes with Mixed Greens and Jalapeño Horseradish Aioli, which was delicious. Tonight, Terry ordered this for her entree with a side of the garlic mashed potatoes (shown). 

For dinner I ordered from the menu fresh seafood local catches their signature dish, my favorite selection, Grouper Vince with Pecan Crusted, Crispy Potato Cake, Haricot Verts, Honey Worcestershire Sauce.

Linda and Lyle both ordered the Snapper with Corn Truffle Risotto, Madeira Mushrooms, Matchstick Truffle Fries, Citrus Beurre Blanc

After dinner, we enjoyed the Crème Brûlée and Carrot Cake with Ice Cream for dessert. 

With the salad and dinner courses, we enjoyed from our home cellar, BYOB, this Burgundian full flavored Chardonnay which proved to be an ideal pairing with the starters and seafood selections.

Dusky Goose Willamette Valley Chardonnay 2022

This is from producer Dusky Goose, founded in 2002 in the Dundee Hills of Oregon’s premier wine growing region, by native Oregonians John and Linda Carter. 

Dusky Goose seeks to craft premium wines that they hope will rival the finest Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the Old World. In addition to their estate Rambouillet vineyard, Dusky Goose sources fruit from some of the Willamette Valley’s most iconic sites including Dundee’s Lillie’s Vineyard and Yamhill-Carlton’s Fennwood Vineyard.

Dusky Goose winemaking was established by founding winemaker Lynn Penner-Ash, an icon in Oregon wine. Today, Hans Van Dale, a native of Santa Cruz, CA serves as winemaker in her legacy, seeking to craft wines that embody elegance, depth, and a sense of place.

Hans brings a wealth of experience having worked with Pinot Noir in Carneros, Anderson Valley, Central Otago, and all of the Willamette Valley’s nested AVAs. Before joining Dusky Goose, he served as assistant winemaker at Andrew Rich Wines. 

Hans oversees the production of both Dusky Goose and Rambeaux Wines at their winemaking facility in Carlton, OR. 

This label is 100% Chardonnay, 82% sourced from the Fennwood Vineyard in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA,  and the remaining 18% from the Coulee Vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA. It was harvested in two picks to strike a perfect balance—preserving acidity while developing rich, layered flavors. Whole-cluster pressed, it was aged for 11 months in French oak, 42% new, before bottling.

Winemaker notes -  “The nose opens with flinty, waxy aromas, layered with honey and a blend of spices—nutmeg, cardamom, and clove—alongside fragrant orange blossom and honeysuckle. The palate delivers a warm, round entry, lifted by fresh acidity and a crisp, savory-salty finish. Flavors of French toast, caramel, and pear meld with flinty minerality, wet stone, and marzipan.”

Case production was 400. 

This was rated 91 points by Wine Enthusiast.

Golden straw colored, medium-bodied, full and round with crisp soft acidity, aromas of sweet floral, citrus fruits with flinty wet stone, roasted nuts, cardamom and a clean crisp elegant finish. 

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?4584471

https://shop.duskygoose.com/product/2022-Chardonnay

https://www.hendersonparkinn.com/dine/beachwalk-cafe/