Big Reds with Tomahawk beefsteaks

Big Reds with Tomahawk beefsteaks 

With fellow ‘Pour Boy’, Lyle, and Terry, of our wine group at The Cove, our vacation rental in Destin (FL), we grilled out tomahawk ribeye beefsteaks.

For wine pairing with the dinner, Lyle brought this Sangiovese Brunello di Montalcino from his home cellar to share, and I opened, from our home cellar a Bordeaux varietal.

I was eager to taste this premium Brunello from this producer since we have some vintages of this label at home, and for a comparison with several Sangioveses we had a dinner the just the other evening.

Uccelliera Brunello di Montalcino 2016

I was eager to taste this premium Brunello from this producer since we have some vintages of this label at home, and for a comparison with several Sangioveses we had a dinner the just the other evening.  

The Uccelliera estate has 30 acres of vineyards almost entirely planted to Sangiovese, made up of vines between 5 and 45 years old. The site consists of sandy loam with presence of crumbled fossils in the zone of Castelnuovo dell’Abate.

The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino is sourced from three vineyard sites on the sun-drenched southern side of Castelnuovo dell'Abate in the southern half of the appellation. The vineyards sits at an average altitude of 150, 250 and 350 meters above seal level adjacent a natural barrier provided by the proximity to the height of Mount Amiata in the south-east side and of Poggio d’Arna in the south-west. 

Also, the nearby Orcia river provides a marine breeze rising up from its valley contributes to create a unique microclimate that is particularly well-suited to viticulture. This label consistently shows a sense of place of this specific Montalcino location.

Dark ruby colored, medium to full bodied, smooth and balanced, plush, round, complex black raspberry and blackberry fruits with tones of dark chocolate, tobacco, licorice and spice with hints of mushroom and smoke, reserved with polished tannins.. 

RM 93 points. 

https://go.cellartracker.com/wine/3830792

https://www.uccelliera-montalcino.it/

To complement the dinner, I opened from our home cellar this Bordeaux varietal blend. 

Long Shadows "Pirouette" Columbia Valley Bordeaux Blend 2017

I wrote about this label in detail in a recent blogpost, Long Shadows Pirouette 2016 with beef roast.

I wrote, after enjoying the Long Shadows Pirouette 2014 at Sullivan’s Steakhouse, Linda prepared a beef roast and I pulled out the next vintage release of this label to enjoy, and compare with the earlier vintage in a mini-vertical comparison tasting. 

As I wrote in that recent blogpost - Pirouette Red Blend at Sullivan’s Steakhouse Naperville, This is one of our favorite labels for a Bordeaux varietal red blend, a sleeper, not well known or sufficiently regarded, given the pedigree of the winemaker and the quality of the product. 

This is the Bordeaux varietal red blend from the Long Shadows Vintners's Collection that features world class winemakers and Washington State Columbia Valley fruit. 

This label is produced by legendary winemakers Philippe Melka, named one of the top nine winemakers in the world by Robert Parker, in collaboration with Agustin Huneeus, Sr.. another legendary wine producer. I;ve written about about Philip Melka numerous times in these pages including that recent Sullivan’s Steakhouse post and previously - Château Boswell Napa Valley Estate Reserve Red Wine 2016. I featured Huneeus in a recent blogpost here - Faust Napa Cab with St Pat’s Dinner.

We’ve featured Long Shadows and their vintners collection, and our visit to their hospitality center and tasting room in Woodinville (WA) in these pages. 

We’re members of the Long Shadows wine club and hold nearly a decade of vintages of their various label releases. 

Checking our cellar inventory, we hold nearly a decade of vintages of this label so we pulled the oldest in our holdings, and one year adjacent to following the earlier release tasting. We supplemented our wine club allocation with several bottles of this label acquired at auction, some of which I took to Florida to our vacation rental home which we opened tonight. 

The 2017 Pirouette is a left-bank Bordeaux blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 13% Malbec, and the rest Petit Verdot, crafted from small lots from Washington State's finest vineyards.  It was aged 22 months in French oak barrels with 85% being new.

 

Winemaker notes - “The Cabernet Sauvignon, primarily sourced from a collection of Red Mountain’s best vineyards, gives Pirouette the structure and textured richness that has come to characterize this acclaimed growing region. A small percentage of old vine Cabernet from Sagemoor Vineyard, planted in 1972, adds complexity. Merlot brings juicy richness to the finished wine. Malbec from Sonnet Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills adds spice. Finally, Dionysus Vineyard’s Petit Verdot enhances the wine’s color and contributes to the wine’s layers of intense aromas and flavors.’

“The 2017 Pirouette has an expressive nose with a firm core of dark fruit and mocha flavors, displaying a layered concentration of black cherry and well-integrated oak spices. Vibrant and full-bodied across the mid-palate, this is a texturally pleasing wine with a broad and lengthy finish.” 

This was a blockbuster release, rated 96 points by Jeb Dunnuck and International Wine Report, 94 by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate and 93 by Steve Tanzer.

Dunnuck wrote - “It can be drunk today but will develop additional complexity with 3-4 years of bottle age and keep for two decades or more.”

Dark ruby colored, full bodied, vibrant expressive expressive vibrant blackberry, plum and black currant fruits with savory accents of cinnamon and clove spice, bitter dark chocolate and crème de cassis with smooth polished tannins on a sumptuous finish.

RM 94 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?3581703

https://longshadows.com/library/pirouette/6951

https://longshadows.com/

@LongShadowsWine

@unwindwine

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2018/08/long-shadows-cellars-feature-world.html

Paradigm Napa Valley Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 with Tomahawk Ribeye steak dinner

Paradigm Napa Valley Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 with Tomahawk Ribeye steak dinner

Linda prepared one of our favorite indulgent dinners, a Tomahawk Ribeye beefsteak with baked potatoes and grilled asparagus. I pulled from the cellar a memorable classic Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from a producer we visited two decades (twenty five years) ago. 

On further review, this is a replay of an earlier dinner featured in these pages two years ago and tonight’s experience was totally consistent with that latest review, so I will replay it here.

Sunday, June 26, 2022

Tomahawk Beefsteak and Paradigm Napa Cab

Tomahawk Beefsteak and Paradigm Napa Valley Oakville Cabernet 

Friday night dining in, we grilled a Tomahawk bone-in ribeye beefsteak, with baked potato and asparagus, served on the deck, one of our favorite sumertime meal experiences. 

I pulled from the cellar this vintage Oakville Napa Cabernet for the occasion, Paradigm Napa Valley Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 2004.

We visited the Paradigm Oakville estate winery and vineyards and were hosted by owners Ren and Marilyn Harris back in 1999, as part of our Napa Valley Wine Experience 1999.  

We've collected this label ever since and continue to hold a decade of vintages in our vertical collection. I wrote about Paradigm in more detail when I last posted about Paradigm in March, 2019 when we tasted Paradigm Napa Valley Oakville Merlot 1996.

Ren and Marilyn Harris, have deep roots in Napa Valley (pun intended); Marilyn's grandparents immigrated from Italy to Napa Valley in 1890, while Ren's family came to California in 1769. Marilyn and Ren moved to Napa Valley in the 1960's and settled into their home just east of where Paradigm sits today. 

The Paradigm estate consists of fifty acres of vineyard, the winery, two homes, a warehouse, a barn, and an acre of olive trees. 

Paradigm vineyards are planted to Bordeaux varietals Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot along with some Zinfandel.  

Paradigm Winery produced their first vintage in 1991. Our cellar holdings still include a few bottle of 1994 case from that era, as well as early releases from the 1992, '95, '96 and 1997 vintages, several 2002-2006 era vintages, and several recent vintages.

From the earliest days, Ren and Marilyn hired talented legendary winemaker, Heidi Barrett, who has been with Paradigm ever since.

Paradigm Napa Valley Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

At eighteen years this may be at the apex of its drinking window and profile and while it has several years remaining, its not likely to improve with further aging. The fill level, foil and most importantly, the cork were in ideal condition. 

 

This is one of several bottles of this vintage we acquired at auction while early releases were acquired directly from the producer, in recent years we obtain it at Binny's, our Chicagoland super merchant. 

Our records show the we last tasted this label back in 2008 at Tra Vigne in St Helena, Napa Valley. Back then, it was a fine dining restaurant and had the outdoor deck and patio garden, which has been repurposed as a pizzeria, which is sad as we had many memorable wine dinners there. 

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, bright lively concentrated black berry and black currant fruits with a layer of cedar accented by tobacco, earth, hints of licorice and mint with a moderate tannins and tangy acidity on the finish. 

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=282068

https://paradigmwinery.com/

https://twitter.com/paradigmwinery/

Paradigm Oakville Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

Domaine Serene "Evenstad Reserve" Willamette Valley Pinot Noir and grilled beefsteak

Domaine Serene "Evenstad Reserve" Willamette Valley Pinot Noir and grilled beefsteak

Beautiful Saturday night dine-in on the deck, we grilled a Cowboy Tomahawk Ribeye beefsteak, served with roasted potatoes, grilled onions and fresh vege plate. In light of the 90 degree temp weather, I pulled from our cellar an aged vintage Pinot Noir as an accompaniment, offering something lighter and more approachable than a full throttle Bordeaux varietal. 

This turned out to be a perfect pairing accentuating the enjoyment of both the wine and the dinner. In addition to the beefsteak with grilled onions, the effervescence of the wine was especially amplified by the robust tomatoes and a side of sourdough bread with honey butter!  

Readers of these pages know we typically favor Bordeaux varietal wines but on occasions such as this we will turn to Burgundy. Part of tonight's selection was also inspired by the fabulous memorable Vosne Romanee Burgundy Pinot we had at our Pour Boys Winers and Diners dinner the other night. 

This is one of the select few Pinots that we collect and hold in our cellar and I pulled this aged thirteen year old, the oldest vintage as part of proper cellar rotation management, which we'll likely replace with a current vintage as part of maintaining this vertical collection. 

This particular label has some special significance since Linda and I discovered it at a memorable outing during one of our get-away weekends to Chicago. We had a bottle at Smith & Wollensky sitting outside overlooking the Chicago River for a summer afternoon wine, salad and cheese interlude. Its been a favorite ever since. 

This is from producer Domaine Serene, whose owner proprietors Grace and Ken Evenstad who, after 20 years building a successful business in Minnesota, settled in the Oregon Willamette Valley in 1989. They acquired a 42-acre hilltop estate that had just been logged in the Dundee Hills with the intent of growing and producing world-class Burgundian style Pinot Noir. They established Domaine Serene, naming the winery after their daughter, Serene, and their first vineyard on the estate after their son, Mark Bradford Evenstad.

Today, the Evenstad's land holdings have grown to over 1,000 acres, more than 360 of which are planted to vine in three AVAs of the Willamette Valley.

Domaine Serene produces wines from six individual vineyard estates, planted exclusively to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Each estate offers a diversity of soils, clones, rootstocks, microclimates, slopes and elevations that add distinguishing complexity and elegance to the wines.

Since the first vintage in 1990, Domaine Serene has produced award-winning wines, including this Evenstad Reserve Pinot Noir, recognized as the World’s #3 Wine of 2013 by Wine Spectator Magazine.

Their 2012 Winery Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir was named the Top Pinot Noir in the World by Decanter magazine in 2016. The 2014 Evenstad Reserve Chardonnay received 95 points and was ranked the #2 wine in the world on Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of the Year. As a result, Domaine Serene became the only winery in the world to receive a Top 3 rating in Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of the Year for both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Over the years, Domaine Serene’s wines have produced 200 wines scoring 90 points or higher by Wine Spectator.

In 2017, the 2013 Domaine Serene Jerusalem Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir was awarded the Top American Pinot Noir at the Decanter World Wine Awards. 

Domaine Serene "Evenstad Reserve" Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2010

This label release is 100% Pinot Noir sourced from eight of the estate vineyards of the 142 acre estate in the Dundee Hills AVA of which 84 acres are planted to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the oldest vines dating to 1993. The vineyard sits at an elevation of 520-825 feet in the rolling hills of the Willamette Valley. 

This release was rated 95 points by Wine Spectator and was #3 Wine of the Year, Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines of 2013, 93 points by Wine Advocate and 92 points by Wine Enthusiast, the highest-scoring Evenstad to that date.

6,000 cases were produced. 

Winemaker Notes - "Wonderfully complex wine that delivers an array of red fruits, caramel, baking spice, vanilla, dried flowers, and potpourri. On the palate, this elegant wine shows a harmonious balance of structure, richness and acidity with soft tannins and a clean, lingering finish."

Wine Spectator said to drink through 2020, Wine Advocate in 2015 said it drink it over the next decade (through 2025), and I believe it is at near the end of the apex of its drinking window, not likely to improve further with aging, time to enjoy!

Despite the soiled label, importantly, the fill level and cork were in ideal condition

Bright ruby colored, medium bodied, vibrant expressive black raspberry and plum fruits with sprites of cherry, cinnamon spice, black tea and hints of graphite and what Advocate called 'bay leaf', with a long tangy finish. 

RM 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1601874

https://www.domaineserene.com/

https://twitter.com/SereneWine 

@SereneWine

Steady State & Walls Curiositas

Josh Phelps Grounded Steady State & Walls Curiositas Big Reds with grilled tomahawk ribeye beefsteak dinner

Dearest friends Eric and Cathy stayed with us passing through the area and we prepared a gala dinner with grilled tomahawk ribeye beefsteaks with mushroom sauce, baked potatoes and sweet potatoes, wedge salads and desserts. 

For a wine accompaniment pairing, we pulled from the cellar two hearty big red wines from the same 2015 vintage, one from Napa Valley, and one from Washington State Columbia Valley, for a mini-horizontal tasting; Walls Curiositas, and Grounded Wine Company Steady State Red Blend.

Ground Wine Company Steady State Napa Valley Red Wine 2015

Winemaker Chris Phelps and his son Josh work from their Napa Valley work space adjacent to a coffee store in the town of St. Helena.  They meld contrasting styles and approaches to synergistically punctuate their emerging, growing presence in the California and West Coast wine scene.

Chris Phelps is a well known winemaker, terroir-driven producer of super premium Cabernet Sauvignon wines from specific and illustrious plot of grapes across Napa Valley. Son Josh Phelps, a native of Napa Valley, is a millennial winemaker with a launched his own new brand called Grounded Wine Co. in 2015. Josh has developed the ability to produce high QPR - (quality price ratio) affordable every day drinking wines ($15 to $20) from grapes sourced from distinctive growers and locations across California and the northwest states. Both father and son each own their own companies; both work to enhance their mutual capabilities.

As a relatively new name among the category's leading wines Winemaker Josh Phelps and his Grounded Wine Co. produce a diversified portfolio of whimsically named wines from across the western states, "Grounded in heritage, grounded in soil, grounded in simplicity". Josh Phelps' Grounded wines are a testament to Josh’s connections with growers throughout his home state and the broader west coast. Phelps new releases from growing regions in Washington State, Oregon, Napa and Paso Robles. 

While he strives to produce wines priced to be accessible to younger wine drinkers, don’t discount low priced wines from a young winemaker. If he continues to release wines as good as Phelps’ early releases, this is a winemaker and label you’ll want to follow. 

The Grounded collection consists of:

• "Grounded" California Cabernet Sauvignon and a California Sauvignon Blanc, "Grounded in heritage, grounded in soil, grounded in simplicity." Grounded wines by Josh Phelps are a testament to Josh’s connections with growers throughout his home state and the broader west coast.
• "Land Form", a Pinot Noir from Oregon Willamette Valley, Landform is a reaffirmation of Josh's commitment to creating wines that evoke a sense of place.
• "Collusion" Washington State Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, his Washington-based project, focused on prohibition and the rich history of West Cost vintners; a tribute to those who kept the wine industry alive by any means.
• "Space Age" California Central Coast Rosé
• "Public Radio" a Grenache based Red Blend, a tribute to the call sign on the front label was that of Josh’s late grandfather who was an avid amateur radio enthusiast.
  
• and this, his 'premium' label,"Steady State".

Grounded Wine Company Steady State Red Wine 2015  

This is the initial inaugural release of this Bordeaux blend, from Grounded Wine Co. an extraordinary Red Blend that might be considered his flagship label. Josh explains the name of this wine this way: "If a system is in a steady state, then the recently observed behavior of the system will continue into the future. The concept for this Cabernet Sauvignon pays homage to growing up in the Napa Valley and learning from its traditions." Phelps fermented this Cabernet in steel, and left the juice on the skin for three weeks before aging it in French oak barrels, 40 percent of which were new. The result is a lively Cabernet with red and dark fruit flavors underscored by a bramble note.

This is sourced from several of Napa Valley’s well known growers and vineyard sites. 

I found this at a local merchant with its simple label but expensive ultra-premium packaging with extra heavy glass, deep bung, and quality capsule, and grabbed every bottle available. I wish I could go back and get more. Watch for it and get some if you can. This shows much higher than its pricepoint and provides significant QPR - quality price ratio. 

This is a blend Bordeaux varietals, 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Malbec, 7% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot, and 6% Petit Verdot. It is sourced from vineyards in Rutherford, Oakville, Saint Helena, and Yountville.

This was rated 93 points by Wine Spectrum, and 91 points by Wine Enthusiast.

Deep ruby garnet colored, medium-full bodied, full, round, forward bright expressive but nicely balanced and integrated aromatic black and red fruits highlighted by notes of cola, dark mocha chocolate, tobacco and hints of graphite and expresso with bright acidity and lush gripping but approachable tannins on a long finish. 

RM 93 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2871211

https://www.groundedwineco.com/

Walls Curiositas Red Mountain Cabernet

Walls Winery Curiositas Columbia Valley Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

With Mike Martin, Owner Walls Vineyards

For this special dinner,, we open this special label to pair with the grilled tomahawk dinner Linda prepared for the occasion. 

We discovered and acquired this wine during our visit to the producer during our recent Walla Walla Wine Experience. It was our favorite of the portfolio of wines tasted with Mike Martin, owner/producer Walls Vineyards and Winery.

This is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Red Mountain AVA in central Washington but it tastes more like an old World Bordeaux than a fruit forward fruit bomb from Napa - with its refined, polished and elegant style.

As I wrote in an earlier blogpost almost four years ago to the day, this was my favorite of the flight that we tasted at the winery. Of course I tend to favor Bordeaux varietals  but I found this especially appealing.

The fruit for this is sourced from the Obelisco Vineyard on the higher slopes of the Red Mountain AVA. The vines get increased exposure to the sun and are planted in higher density to further stress the grapes. The result is a wine of great complexity but one that is elegant and lush, yet subtle with tones the winemaker describes as possessing 'freshness that evokes a Margaux-styled fragrant' Cabernet'.

While  I grabbed a case of this to serve with grilled steak, it is so approachable, this is suited for  elegant but casual sipping. It was great leading up to dinner and with the salad course, yet it stood up well and was an ideal accompaniment to the beef tenderloin. 

From my Walls Winery producer visit report:

The Walls Curiositas Red Mountain Cabernet 2015

2015 Curiositas is an elegant, complex and lush, yet subtle, wine. Its tone of freshness evokes a Margaux-styled fragrant Cabernet Sauvignon.

Sourced from the Obelisco Vineyard, high in the Red Mountain AVA where the vines get full exposure to all the elements.

“It is beautifully situated, with more vines doing less work, and planted with higher density,” says winemaker Ali. “It lends itself to complexity so how could we not take advantage of that?”

Bright garnet ruby colored, it was medium bodied and did not have a firm gripping backbone structure expected watching the glycerine legs cling to the glass, the polished elegant tannins were so smooth and silky that it made for enticing casual sipping - bright red and black fruits accented by notes of creme de cassis, spice, tobacco leaf and subtle vanilla and oak. Jeb Dunnuck of Robert Parker's Wine Advocate talks about its 'well-integrated tannins, solid grip, coupled with a swath of fresh acidity that delivers muscular structure' but then talks about it being 'light footed through the long finish'.

RM 92 points.

Jeb Dunnuck, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate gave this  “Editor’s Choice" and rated it "Extraordinary (95-100 pts.) "

331 Cases were produced.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2965947

https://www.thewallsvineyards.com/

Pour Boys Fall Wine Dinner

Pour Boys Fall Wine Dinner features spectacular wines and food pairings

We hosted our Pour Boys wine group fall wine dinner. Bill & Beth came in from South Carolina, escaping Hurricane Ian, Dr Dan & Linda from Indiana, and Lyle and Terry out from the City. 

We were joined by son Sean and Michelle and grand-daughter Lavender, recently new neighbors, and son Ryan and wine buddy Dave M. 

 Each time we think we have out done ourselves with a spectacular wine flight, we seem to step it up another level, and tonight was another such occasion. 

We started with a pair of premium California Chardonnays with grilled scallops in beure blanc sauce, baked brie in pastry with toasted almonds and figs, with fresh berries and toast points, and deviled eggs. 

Nickle and Nickle Sonoma County Russian River Valley Stiling Vineyard Chardonnay 2013

Sea Smoke Santa Rita Hills Santa Barbara County Chardonnay 2010

Dan brought a recent release of this label which we set aside to drink this older vintage release. 

Lyle wanted to try a certain St Julien Bordeaux from his cellar so I opened an older vintage of the same label for a mini vertical tasting of Château Branaire-Ducru. We then opened another Bordeaux from the same vintage for a mini horizontal tasting as well. 

Château Branaire-Ducru St Julien 2005 and 2010

Linda and I visited and toured Château Branaire-Ducru Chateau winery and vineyards (below) during our St Julien Bordeaux Wine Experience in 2019. We also visited Pauillac and the vineyards and grounds of Château Pichon Lalande (below), one of my absolute favorite producers' labels.

 Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande Pauillac 2010

As we then moved to the dinner courses we opened a selection of California Bordeaux varietals and blends, starting with Linda's stuffed mushrooms followed by chopped wedge dinner salad. 

Linda then served grilled Tomahawk Rib-eye beefsteaks with a medley of grilled vegetables - corn, brussel sprouts, carrots, haricot verts, and onions, and scalloped potatoes.

Linda then served with the grilled Tomahawk Rib-eye beefsteaks a delicious medley of grilled vegetables - corn, brussel sprouts, carrots, haricot verts and onions, and her super scalloped potatoes.

Flight of California Bordeaux varietals and red blends - 

Chateau St Jean 'Cinq Cepages' Sonoma Red Blend 1997

We have visited the magnificent Chateau St Jean in northern Sonoma Valley numerous times over the years during trips to Napa and Sonoma, including a couple visits with Bill and Beth. 

Most recently we visited Chateau St Jean in Sonoma and did a Reserve Private Tasting with Dr Dan and Bill during our Napa Sonoma Wine Experience in 2017 (shown left).

Peter Michael 'Les Pavots' Red Blend 2011

Fellow wine buddy Ernie couldn't make it tonight. He's a wine club member from this producer and often brings this wine to our dinners. We've been fans and collectors of this wine for decades and pulled from the cellar this vintage release of a favorite label to match/compare with the same vintage Diamond Creek, another legendary label. 

Peter Michael hails from Newbury in Berkshire, England where I worked for fifteen years back in the eighties and nineties. I regret this was in the early days before he became a legendary American wine producer and hospitality entrepreneur over there, and that I never got to meet him during my almost two hundred trips to the region. 

Diamond Creek Vineyards Napa Valley Diamond Mountain Gravelly Meadow Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

We've visited Diamond Creek Winery on several occasions over the years. We did a private tasting with Bill and Beth during our Diamond Mountain Wine Experience - Diamond Creek Vineyards back in 2011, and then again with Bill and Beth and Dan for the Diamond Creek Open House 2015 Release Tasting in 2017 (shown left).

Beaulieu Vineyards Georges De Latour Vineyard Napa Valley Red Blend 2009

Brandlin Mt Veeder Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

We were then joined by son Ryan and his neighbor, wine buddy, Dave; Ryan brought a couple of big reds from Napa Valley and Dave brought a classic Aussie Shiraz/Syrah. 

Ryan and Dave recently hosted a spectacular Boy's Night Out cellar tour and tasting that I wrote about in these pages.

Phillippe Melka 'Metisse' MontBleau Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

Seven Apart 'Expedition' Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

To accompany and pare with the Melka I pulled from our cellar a vintage release for a vertical comparison. It was fun to compare these Phillippe Melka labels in light of our recent visit to Galena Cellars Vineyards and Winery where we met Eric White, President and Winemaker for Galena Cellars who in 2015,  went to cult-cab Napa Valley producer Brand, and worked with Phillippe Melka there.

Phillippe Melka 'Metisse' Napa Valley Red Blend 2000

Wine buddy Dave brought from his cellar this classic Australian Shiraz/Syrah signed by the producer.

Mollydooker Velvet Glove McLaren Vale Shiraz 2006

 This signed bottle is especially appreciated as a special bottle as it is signed by Mollydooker co-founder producer Sparky Marquis (who has since left the business). Sparky is a personal friend and fellow racing enthusiast with a colleague and business associate,  Peter F, who manages Australia and the Asia Pac region in my business.  

For dessert, Linda served her delectable chocolate mousse with homemade profiteroles with fresh berries and whipped cream. 

To accompany the dessert course we pulled from the cellar an aged birthyear vintage port from Ryan's birth year.

Warres' Late Bottled Vintage Port 1982

As the evening progressed, to settle or substantiate debates and claims, and open questions about the Napa Valley vintage years 2004 and 2005, the guys ventured back down to the cellar to pull a couple Napa Cabernets from those vintages.

Ryan and Dave - photo from
Caroline Ct Wine Boys 22

Darioush Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvigon 2004 

This was somewhat special because we were first introduced to Darioush and first had a wine dinner together with Bill and Beth at a Cress Creek Country Club wine dinner back around the millennium.

We've visited Darioush several times over the years. Most notably was a private wine dinner hosted by Darioush and Domaine de Chevalier at Everest Dining Room. Chicago, with a special dinner matched to a flight of wines from Darioush and Domaine Chevalier. 

 

This fabulous private dinner was hosted by Darioush & Shaptar Kaledi of Darioush Winery and Olivier Bernard of Domaine de Chevalier (shown left with a much younger me). Dr Dan attended with us as our guest for this special dinner.

Most recently, we all visited the Darioush Napa Valley Estate Winery Visit & Tasting during our 'Pour Boys'  Sonoma/NapaValley Wine Experience back in 2017.

 

Paradigm Napa Valley Oakville Cabernet Sauvingnon 2005

 

Linda and I visited the Paradigm Oakville estate winery and vineyards and were hosted by owners Ren and Marilyn Harris back in 1999, as part of our Napa Valley Wine Experience 1999, and have been collecting this label every since.

Unless we manage another group dinner in the meantime, we'll next meet for our annual OTBN - "Open That Bottle Night", as is customary, the last Saturday in February. Following the seasons, we'll meet down on Seabrook Island in Charleston at Bill and Beth's. We hope then to possibly be joined by Bob & Gloria from Palm Beach County, and perhaps Ernie, and possibly Eric and Cathy, whom were all unavailable for tonight's gala.

Tensley Wines Tensley Vineyard SBC Syrah

Tensley Wines Tensley Vineyard Santa Barbara County Syrah 2020

During our tour of the Santa Maria Valley Foxen Canyon Wine Trail we were advised by one of the other producers to check out Tensley Wines. We drove by the Tensley Vineyard and then visited the hospitality tasting room downtown Los Olivos. We were so impressed with their wines that we joined their wineclub and subsequently received our first shipment which included this label, which we did not taste during our tasting room wine flight. 

For a grilled tomahawk beefsteak dinner, with grilled asparagus, mashed potatoes and ceasar salad, we opened this special Syrah that we just received in our wineclub allocation shipment from Tensley Wines. We were anxious to try this label since we did not get a chance to taste it during our visit to the producer's hospitality tasting room downtown Los Olivos.

Tensley Wines Tensley Vineyard Santa Barbara County Syrah 2020

This vineyard was planted in 2011 in Tensley's backyard in Los Olivos.

Winemaker notes: "Talk about meticulous farming! Being in our backyard this vineyard gets a lot of love, probably to much! All of the time spent in the vineyard here results in a rustic savory style with amazing texture, while toeing the line of finesse. Tiny berries and low yields make this wine dark in color and tannic in the mouth. Not a wine for the meek. If you plan to drink this wine in the next 3-4 years give it an hour to open up so you get the full experience of the texture and complexities."

This release was awarded 93 points by Jeb Dunnuck and 93 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate.

This is the classic big bold Syrah style that we love. Deep dark inky purple colored, full bodied, rich, round, concentrated black currant fruits with notes of anise, menthol, clove spice and wet earth with firm tannins and tangy acidity on the lingering finish. 

RM 93 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4140592

https://tensleywines.com/

https://twitter.com/tensleywine

@tensleywine

 

Rodney Strong Alexander Valley Sonoma County Reserve Cabernet

Rodney Strong Alexander Valley Sonoma County Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon with tomahawk beefsteak dinner

Linda prepared one of her classic tomahawk ribeye beefsteak dinners with smashed potatoes and asparagus tips. I pulled from the cellar this vintage Reserve Sonoma Cabernet. My view is that Sonoma Cabs tend to be a bit lighter, less structured and therefore more approachable than those from Napa with its slightly warmer climate, lacking the cooling influences of the Pacific. Having less cache' perhaps than Napa cabs, Sonoma cabs also tend to be less expensive as well, often providing higher QPR - quality price ratios - as Napa wine prices have escalated through the roof in recent years. 

This wine is labeled Sonoma County, Alexander Valley, which is in the northern, eastern portion of region.

It has been written that Sonoma winemakers like to think of their region as a quieter, less glitzy alternative to the Napa Valley — though in fact, it produces roughly 50 percent more grapes annually, covers more than twice the ground, and boasts about three times the population. 

I write in more detail about Sonoma County and its diversity in my chronicles of our Sonoma Wine Experience 2017.

Sonoma had grapes planted earlier than Napa did, with the first plantings dating back as early as 1812. Legendary Hungarian writer and entrepreneur Agoston Haraszthy, called "the father of California viticulture," bought a property in Sonoma in 1857 and founded the still-extant Buena Vista winery there,  (it is the oldest commercial winery in the state). He later traveled around Europe collecting vine cuttings and is said to have introduced some 300 new varieties to California (among them, according to legend, zinfandel — though this has been disputed). 

Sonoma County boasts a broader range of more diverse soil types and microclimates due to its size and proximity to the coast on the west, and the inland mountain ranges and valleys to the east. The numerous subregion appellations are suited to many grape types with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir being more predominant to the west and Russian River Valley, and Cabernet and Zinfandel thriving inland in the warmer climate areas. 

Dating back to 1959, Rodney Strong Vineyards was the 13th winery bonded in the nascent emerging Sonoma County wine industry.

The current owner proprietors, the Klein family, 4th generation California farmers, took over in 1989.

Rodney Strong Alexander Valley Sonoma County Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

This would have been crafted by winemaker Emeritus Rick Sayre, who carried on the Rodney Strong vision, crafting wines for almost four-decades before handing over winemaking duties to current Director of Winemaking Justin Seidenfeld in 2018. 

This vintage release label was awarded 90 points by Wine Enthusiast. 

Wine Enthusiast notes, "The winery is trying very hard to boost the quality of their Reserve Cab. The challenge is to build in those extra layers of complexity and depth." I think this sums up well the impression left by this wine, that it lacks any wow factor and is less than inspiring, lacking that complexity and firmer backbone or structure one might expect or hope for.  

They did package it in a heavy stock grade bottle, indicative of more expensive premium cabernets, found commonly today.

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, black berry fruits with notes of cassis, herbs and hints of spice and cedar with moderate tannins on the finish. 

 

RM 88 points. 

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