Cakebread Cellars Napa Chardonnay at Il Postino NYC

Cakebread Cellars Napa Valley Carneros Chardonnay at Il Postino NYC

For the second time in as many months, I found myself in NYC and a special dinner at what is becoming one of my favorites dinesites there, Il Postino Ristorant Italiano. Once again, the food and service were spectacular in a classic cosmopolitan setting, ideal for a special business dinner.


As with my last visit, I ordered the Dover Sole, one of my favorite dishes, although I am happy with a less extravagant regular sole, or SFO native Petrale, or my absolute favorite, Sand Dabs, also known as Rex Sole, which is primarily found on the middle west coast Pacific from Monterey (CA) up to San Francisco.

Tonight, they prepared the dish to my request, in a lemon caper

butter white wine sauce. It was spectacular, just the way I like prefer. I might have opted for a lighter Sauvignon Blanc but I opted for a Chardonnay in consideration of my guests and mates who were having Calamari, Pasta and Shrimp, and Pasta with Lobster.

From the winelist we ordered Cakebread Napa Valley Chardonnay and Sonoma Cutrer Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2015.


Cakebread Napa Valley Chardonnay 2015

The 2015 Cakebread Napa Valley Chardonnay consists of 90% of the grapes came from the cool-climate Carneros district at the southern tip of the valley, with 40% of the fruit from Cakebread estate Carneros vineyards. Situated down at the bottom of Napa Valley where it meets Sonoma, off the San Pablo Bay estuary, the cool breezes and fog waft in, giving Carneros a long, cool growing season. This allows the fruit to fully ripen while retaining the bright acidity that gives Carneros Napa Valley Chardonnay its freshness and vitality. For this vintage, Cakebread blended fruit from Carneros with chardonnay grapes from just north of the city of Napa that yield especially luscious wines resulting in a elegant and complex chardonnay.

The 2015 vintage produced a light crop with small chardonnay berries and clusters yielding bright, intense varietal flavors.. A warm, dry winter brought early bud-break, and consistently mild summer weather, with a few late-season heat spikes, led to the earliest harvest in Cakebread Cellars forty-five vintages dating back to their inaugural release in 1973.

Straw colored, medium-full bodied this has aromas of green and golden apple, pear and citrus with hints of mineral. Complex and crisp with nice depth and balance, the long finish highlights notes of pear with hints of lemon, peach, vanilla, and spicy oak.

RM 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2470938

https://www.cakebread.com/

Cakebread Cellars Napa Valley Chardonnay at Il Postino NYC

Cakebread Cellars Napa Valley Carneros Chardonnay at Il Postino NYC

For the second time in as many months, I found myself in NYC and a special dinner at what is becoming one of my favorites dinesites there, Il Postino Ristorant Italiano. Once again, the food and service were spectacular in a classic cosmopolitan setting, ideal for a special business dinner.

As with my last visit, I ordered the Dover Sole, one of my favorite dishes, although I am happy with a less extravagant regular sole, or SFO native Petrale, or my absolute favorite, Sand Dabs, also known as Rex Sole, which is primarily found on the middle west coast Pacific from Monterey (CA) up to San Francisco.

Tonight, they prepared the dish to my request, in a lemon caper butter white wine sauce. It was spectacular, just the way I like prefer. I might have opted for a lighter Sauvignon Blanc but I opted for a Chardonnay in consideration of my guests and mates who were having Calamari, Pasta and Shrimp, and Pasta with Lobster.

From the winelist we ordered Cakebread Napa Valley Chardonnay and Sonoma Cutrer Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2015.

 Cakebread Napa Valley Chardonnay 2015

The 2015 Cakebread Napa Valley Chardonnay consists of 90% of the grapes came from the cool-climate Carneros district at the southern tip of the valley, with 40% of the fruit from Cakebread estate Carneros vineyards. Situated down at the bottom of Napa Valley where it meets Sonoma, off the San Pablo Bay estuary, the cool breezes and fog waft in, giving Carneros a long, cool growing season. This allows the fruit to fully ripen while retaining the bright acidity that gives Carneros Napa Valley Chardonnay its freshness and vitality. For this vintage, Cakebread blended fruit from Carneros with chardonnay grapes from just north of the city of Napa that yield especially luscious wines resulting in a elegant and complex chardonnay.

The 2015 vintage produced a light crop with small chardonnay berries and clusters yielding bright, intense varietal flavors.. A warm, dry winter brought early bud-break, and consistently mild summer weather, with a few late-season heat spikes, led to the earliest harvest in Cakebread Cellars forty-five vintages dating back to their inaugural release in 1973.

Straw colored, medium-full bodied this has aromas of green and golden apple, pear and citrus with hints of mineral. Complex and crisp with nice depth and balance, the long finish highlights notes of pear with hints of lemon, peach, vanilla, and spicy oak.

RM 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2470938

https://www.cakebread.com/

Cakebread Cellars Napa Chardonnay at Il Postino NYC

Cakebread Cellars Napa Chardonnay at Il Postino NYC

Visiting NYC on business, I had dinner with son Alec and roomate Dean. We dined at Il Postino on East 49th Street, a favorite neighborhood ristorante, a short walk from the apartment. The ambiance is cosmopolitan and stylish, the menu offers a broad selection of Italian specialties including pesce and pasta favorites. The signature artwork of a 19th century bicyclist rises over a corner table (shown left) and is their branded identity on their business cards and matches.

Their daily specials menu is so extraordinary that Alec had never seen their actual menu. The recitation by the server is worth price of admission. While not necessarily an Italian specialty, I couldn't resist the Dover Sole and it did not disappoint, being as good as any I've ever had.

As a wine geek, I tend typically order the wine to complement and pair with the food, and tonight was no exception.

To pair with my Sole and Alec's shrimp dish I ordered a bottle of Cakebread Chardonnay of the wine list.



Cakebread Cellars Napa Chardonnay 2015

Cakebread Chardonnays are  classic Napa Valley Chardonnay, crisp, ripe and round. The style reflects the range of vineyards from the lower Carneros to the central Napa Valley floor.

Straw colored, medium full bodied, aromas of green and golden apples, pear and citrus with notes of citrus spice and mineral.

This is a blend of 90% Carneros district, 10% Napa Valley.

RM 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/notes.asp?iWine=2470938

http://ilpostinony.com/