LENNDEVOURS

WBW #40: Fleur de California 2006 Petit Sirah

Well, it's Friday and I'm finally getting around to posting my entry for Wine Blogging Wednesday #40, hosted by everyone's favorite Wannabe Wino. Of course, is she really just a wannabe? Some would say not.

But anyway, her theme Que Sirah SIrah, asked us to turn our palates towards a grape that is sometimes overlooked, Petite Sirah.

My experience with PS has mostly been relegated to Bogle's $10 version, which I've alway enjoyed as a value wine for with grilled foods. My pathetic local wine shops just don't stock much of the stuff beyond that. So, I had to do some searching online and eventually I found this bottle from Greene Grape in Brooklyn.  I ordered a couple bottles just in case I really liked it.

Did I? Yeah, I liked it. I'm not going to order more, probably, but I did enjoy it.

I liked that it didn't seem as heavily oaked as the Bogle. I think this wine gives you the opportunity to really taste the grape. And, at 13.8% ABV, I knew I wouldn't be knocked over. I'm used to 12.5% in these parts.

It was dark purple-black in the glass with a decent nose of blackberries, blueberries and spice. The palate is hefty but not overly brawny. There is definitely a juiciness to it to go along with gently gripping tannin. The flavors closely match the nose with the spice coming through mostly as black pepper. With a little time in my glass, I picked up some dark chocolate flavors too.

Overall, it's tasty, if simple, and like I said before, I'd enjoy it with burgers or even steak fajitas hot off the grill. I'd give this wine  (2.5 out of 5 | Average-to-Very Good).

A big thanks goes out to our host this month. It was a great theme and one that has attracted a lot of new participants...which is awesome.

 

Humanitas Wines: Good Wine. Good Price. Even Better Cause.

News Flash: I've found some California wines I can enjoy, afford for every day drinking, and feel good about.

Humanitas Wines, founded in 2001 by Judd Wallenbrock, is a California winery unlike any you've heard of before. Seriously.

Many wineries are involved in philanthropic endeavors. They host fundraising events or give a portion of wine sales proceeds to various causes, but Wallenbrock takes that to a whole other level. All of his profits go to charity. Every cent. Specifically, the profits are donated to address three primary issues – hunger, affordable housing, and illiteracy.

A two decade veteran of the California wine business, including stints at prestigious Robert Mondavi and De Loach wineries, and his current gig at Michel-Schlumberger Wine Estate, Wallenbrock founded Humanitas because, his "passion is in the enjoyment of wine, my expertise is in building strong wine brands, and my heart is in philanthropy."

But these wines aren't run-of-the-mill plonk. He describes his desired style as 'over-deliverance' meaning that his wines deliver quality beyond their price points.

Wallenbrock told me earlier this week that he wants people to say, “Wow, that is a wonderful wine. So approachable, yet pretty darned complex. Oh my gosh, it only costs that much? Fantastic, and, oh my gosh number two — the profits go to charity? Sign me up!"

He strives for a style where "one sip invites another" where the whites are about fruit, not oak, and a cabernet sauvignon that offers "a great nose up front, full middle body, and soft, sweet tannins on the finish."

Best of all, these wines are affordable because he sources the grapes for his wines in the Central Coast and he doesn't have his money invested in a big estate and a big winery. Of his operation, he says, "I have zero overhead because I functionally 'rent' space to make my wine in other people's wineries…and I focus on nothing but the wines and the charitable contributions."

Humanitas' latest releases—two whites and that cabernet—are all priced under $20 and avoid the overmanipulation found in many California wines at their price points.

Wallenbrock made 490 cases of his Humanitas 2006 'Oak Free' Monterey Chardonnay ($16), it is a fine example of why I love unoaked chardonnay so much. The nose offers lemon, apple, and a faint hint of pineapple. On the palate, it is medium bodied and shows loads of apple flavor with just the most subtle tropical notes. There is just enough acidity to bring balance. All in all, this is a nice wine, and this definitely isn't your typical flabby, over-oaked Cali chardonnay.

Many of Long Island's most exciting whites are made with Sauvignon Blanc, but I've long found many California bottlings less tasty. It seems like some West Coast winemakers like to treat Sauv Blanc as if it is chardonnay.

But again, Wallenbrock eschewed all oak in making his Humanitas 2006 Monterey Sauvignon Blanc ($14) which is fresh and delicious. It's fairly simple, but the clean, pure grapefruit and mandarin orange flavors are well balanced by acidity in a medium-bodied package. At $14 — and with screw cap closures — this is a terrific house white. Fewer than 300 cases were produced.

The Humanitas 2005 Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon ($18) is a fruity (no surprise) cab with well integrated tannins. The aromas and flavors are all about blueberries and subtle brown spice — almost reminiscent of blueberry pie. He's hit the style he's going for on the head here. And while this is more a cocktail wine than anything else, it's better than many California cabs I've had for twice the price.

When I asked Wallenbrock what his short-term plans are for Humanitas, he said that, "Humanitas will have a sub-$20 tier always — to allow people to 'drink charitably' just about every day." But he is also planning to release some small lot, vineyard designated wine within the year.

"I have about 80 cases of a 2005 Napa Cab from the Caldwell Vineyard about to be bottled — in the Vino-Seal closure, the glass bung-like closure — that will be released in the Spring. I also have a little Pinot Noir, Cab Franc, and Malbec — all in tiny quantities coming out next year. Really fun stuff."

Between his full-time "day job" and running Humanitas, I had to ask him how he keeps going, how he finds the energy to do it all.

"What keeps me going is knowing that I'm doing something really good for the world. I have a vision that wine can and will change the world, and I'm leading the charge. I really like the artistic side of the wines I make — it balances my life a bit. And, I believe that someday Humanitas will be discovered by someone I can truly partner with to take it to the next level — one where it can grow to the level where it really makes a difference, both financially for charities and emotionally for how people make their purchase decisions. There are literally tens of thousands of wine choices out there – Humanitas actually has clear point of differentiation and a compelling 'reason to believe'. This is what revs my engine."

To order these good wines and good prices for even better causes, visit www.humanitaswines.com. You can even choose which of Wallenbrock's chosen charities your purchase goes to.

This story originally appeared on Hamptons.com

How Will Global Warming and Climate Change Impact the Wine World?

By Special Wine Columnist, Richard Olsen-Harbich

Will it be a brave new wine world?

During the past year, discussions about the potential impact of “global warming” have dominated the mass media. Although the exact outcomes and causes are in dispute, few now doubt the existence of the phenomenon. What does it mean for the wine industry? As wine is all about long-term agriculture and entirely dependant on the weather, I’d say a great deal.

The eventual consequences of climate change on the wine industry are unclear, as are the possible effects on the rest of the planet. The real question is: Are the changes something we will only see in the distant future or are they something we’re living and breathing right at this moment?

When I was a graduate student in science education at Stony Brook in the late 1980s, I did my Masters thesis on climate change and the potential effects on Long Island. At the time, the concept was little more than a derided footnote in the public consciousness. However—even back then—the research was clear that climate change was real.

I particularly remember conversations I had with Dr. Anthony D. Del Genio at the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) at Columbia University. Dr. Del Genio is a planetary physicist who has been studying climate models since the 1970s. He is also a wine buff and had done some investigation of his own into the effects of climate change on the wine industry. Most importantly, I remember when he told me, “All of us will begin to feel the effects of climate change by the end of the 1990s.” He not only was prescient—he also had some really good data.

One of the main tools used to track climate in agriculture is Growing Degree Days or GDD. This is a system that cumulatively calculates the average daily temperature of the growing season using a base of 50 degrees F. Winegrowers have used this system for many years to determine the boundaries of local climate as well as helping predict the quality and timing of the vintage. Cooler regions have fewer GDD and warmer regions have higher GDD. I’ve listed some examples of GDD as described in the seminal textbook General Viticulture by A.J. Winkler, published in 1974:

I        < 2500           (Geisenheim, Germany, Geneva, NY)   
II       2501-3000    (Napa, CA, Bridgehampton, L.I.)
III     3001-3500    (Oakville, CA, Riverhead,  L.I.)
IV     3501-4000    (Lodi, CA, Sidney, AU)
V      4001              (Fresno, CA, Tehran, Iran)

I decided to look at some more recent data from the past 20 years and see if anything new turned up. For one, Northern California is becoming much warmer. The city of Napa, which used to be classified as a Region II back in the 1970s, is now averaging seasons that are well into Region III and often as high as Region IV. Other areas within Napa Valley and Sonoma have reached well over 4000 GDD in past 5 years—approaching conditions that might make it difficult to produce quality wines in the near future.

Back East, things get a little more complicated. Data obtained for the Finger Lakes region since the 1970s show no statistically significant increase in GDD. It is surprisingly consistent, with average GDD hovering around 2600 for most areas around the lakes.

WTN: Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnays (Sonoma)

I've taken more a few swipes at California wines over the years.

I've called them over-oaked. I've deemed them "wines without elegance”. And I've panned their high levels of alcohol. One of the most-frequent targets for my detestation is California chardonnay—which is often guilty of all three infractions. 

I'm the first to admit it—I can be judgmental. Sometimes fairly. Sometimes unfairly. And, I think that a lot of wine writers are guilty of making broad generalizations more often than they should. I'm certainly guilty of it.

I don't loathe every wine made on the West Coast—far from it. After Long Island wines, my favorites are German Rieslings and California zinfandel—which rarely, if ever, display elegance and are almost always high alcohol.

But what about those oaky chardonnays that I bash incessantly? Am I being unfair in bashing them? Yes, but just how unfair?

To find out, I decided to taste three different chardonnays from Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards in Sonoma. Sonoma-Cutrer is a well-known producer and one with wide distribution, so it's a good choice for this little investigation.

I started with Sonoma-Cutrer's 2005 Russian River Ranches Chardonnay from the Sonoma Coast AVA. This is perhaps S-C's most popular wine—it's targeted at restaurants and works its way onto many wine lists. It's 100% chardonnay and was fermented and aged in French oak and clocks in at 14.2% ABV. A medium yellow-gold, the nose is somewhat fresh and shows nice aromas of pear, pineapple, roasted nut and vanilla. The palate is medium-bodied and shows similar flavors, with the vanilla really stepping forward and expanding on tongue. There is nice acidity here and a medium-length finish that has a nice minerally note. While not heavy or flabby—as many California chards can be—this wine is a little hollow on the mid-palate. It's like there's a whole in the middle. Overall, I'd call this wine average, but very versatile with food because of the nice acidity. Rating: (2 out of 5 | Average) 

Next, I tasted Sonoma-Cutrer's 2005 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, a wine targeted at the retail wine market. It's just a little darker gold in the glass and there is a lot more oak apparent on the nose—buttered nuts and toasty coconut aromas dominate. There's very little fruit character there. Fuller bodied, this wine is heavier across the palate, but still has plenty of acidity. It’s not flabby at all. The flavors are fairly simple—butter-roasted pears, caramel and lemon—but the fruit flavors aren't strong enough to stand up to the heavy-handed oak. The finish is also slightly marred by just a little alcohol heat. I didn't like this wine at all and wouldn't recommend it. Rating: (1.5 out of 5 | Not Recommended-to-Average)

After these first two, I was feeling pretty good about my historical comments about Cali chardonnay. Sure, both avoided being flabby, but neither stood out either. Then I tasted Sonoma-Cutrer's 2003 Les Pierres Chardonnay, a vineyard designate wine that impressed me. The color is most similar to the Russian River Ranches bottling but, despite being two years older, the nose is much fresher and more focused. Lemon and lime zest, fresh flowers and subtle spice join attractive Granny Smith and Golden Delicious apple aromas. Medium-bodied, balanced and lively, apple and citrus flavors are accented by just a little vanilla and minerality. The balance and elegance are terrific here and this is absolutely a wine I'd buy and drink again. Rating: (3 out of 5 | Recommended)  

See? You can't make generalizations.

Not all California Chardonnay is bad…just most of it.

WBW #36: Getting Naked On Both Coasts

Three years seems like a lifetime in many ways. Three years ago Nena and I were engaged, not married like we are now. Jackson wasn't even a consideration. We were renting a house instead of paying a mortgage.

And, three years ago, I also threw the idea of Wine Blogging Wednesday out into the blogosphere. The food blogs had Is My Blog Burning, so I figured the wine geeks among us might enjoy a similar virtual, international event.

Three years later, we're going strong and seemingly growing stronger with every vintage.

Thank you to each and every person who has ever taken part. It's just so much fun to see what wines everyone finds for each theme. Sometimes we see the old standbys, but I love seeing the unique stuff...even if I can't get my hands on it.

This month, I asked participants to Get Naked. I've met a few of you guys in person, so trust me, nude wine drinking is not something I'm interested in doing with you, haha. Rather, I wanted to 'force' you to drink a chardonnay not made (marred?) with oak.

Before I moved to Long Island, I had never tasted or even heard of steel-fermented chardonnay. I thought that drinking chardonnay meant tasting overwhelming flavors of butter, vanilla and oak. I didn't like those wines...mainly because I had only experience cheaply made chardonnay.

But, moving to Long Island and discovering the region's young wine industry, I saw the light. Long, relatively cool growing seasons help the chardonnay grape retain it's natural acidity...and those chardonnay grapes lend themselves well to the "no oak" treatment. So that is why I picked this theme. I hope you all found these wines unique, interesting and maybe--just maybe--you've come back to chardonnay the way I have.

It's no shock that I usually pick New York wines for WBW when possible. And I did again this time around. But, I also tried a California chardonnay that has "Oak Free" right on the label. So, without further adieu, let's get to the wines:

First up is the local wine, Raphael's 2006 Grand Cru Chardonnay ($15). Winemaker Richard Olsen-Harbich calls it Grand Cru because he doesn't want the first thing people to see to be the word chardonnay. Members of the Anything But Chardonnay club are one of the big target audiences here.

Rich thinks that Long Island chardonnay fruit shines most brightly when fermented entirely in stainless steel tanks, so thats what he did with this new white. The nose is somewhat austere, but offers fruity pear and melon aromas with a wonderful smell of the sea in the background. That almost-salty minerality carries through and drives the palate with the pear and melon character taking a step back. Medium bodied with substantial--but balanced--natural acidity, this would make a great house wine this summer. One doesn't expect much of a finish on these wines, but it lingers here longer than expected.

Looking to California, Nena and I also tried Humanitas' 2006 "No Oak" Chardonnay ($16). I've written about Humanitas in the past, and if you haven't heard about what owner and winemaker Judd Wallenbrock is doing, check it out. Basically, Judd makes these wines in his garage and the proceeds to go charity. With a model like that, I'd support them even if the wines were only mediocre, but they aren't. I've really enjoyed some of Judd's wines over the past couple of years. But how would this un-oaked chardonnay fare?

Well, to be fair, it was bottled very recently and he only sent me some because of this little bit of WBW fun, so I think this wine would show a bit better in a month or two, but even still, it is a fine example of why I love unoaked chardonnay so much. The nose, still a little tight from bottle shock, offers up some lemon, some apple and a faint hint of pineapple. On the palate, the body is medium, and there is loads of apple flavor with just subtle tropical notes. I'd like to see a little more acidity here, but that might just be because I'm so used to the racy local renditions. All in all, this is a nice wine, though I do prefer the Raphael bottling.

So there you have it...two naked chardonnays from two coasts. Quite different, but both nice summer wines. Don't over-think unoaked chardonnay--it's a waste of time. Just enjoy it.

Cheers everyone. Thanks for keeping WBW alive for so long and I'll have the roundup ready in a few days I hope!

Sips and Slurps (March 23)

I taste a lot of wine—and I mean a lot of wine. I hope that doesn’t sound like complaining, because it’s anything but. I love exploring the world of wine and bringing the best—and sometimes even the worst—to you, my readers.

As spring begins, I thought it a good time to catch up on some one-off wines and news bits that I have dog-eared in my tasting notebook—notes that just haven’t made it into any stories for a variety of reasons.

This is the beginning of a new periodic feature here on LENNDEVOURS...Sips and Slurps.

If you love Zinfandel, look for Monte Rosso Vineyard. Monte Rosso Vineyard, which means “red mountain” is named for the red volcanic soils you’ll find there, high above the Sonoma Valley. Over the past several weeks, I’ve had three different zinfandels made with fruit from this well-known vineyard—one from Rosenblum Cellars, Rancho Zabaco and Ravenswood. All were outstanding, balanced renditions of my favorite West Coast grape. In particular, the 2002 Rosenblum stands out. If you see this wine, pick it up. You’ll be glad that you did. I know that there are other great zin vineyards, but this is one I like a lot.

Rkatsiteli—hard to pronounce, easy to enjoy. Dr. Konstantin Frank Wine Cellars is one of only a handful of U.S. wineries to grown and make wine from Rkatsiteli—a wine most popular in Eastern Europe. That’s no surprise, the producer’s namesake founder pioneered the growing of classic European wine grapes on the Eastern United State. Smelling and tasting like a racy, exotic blend of Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Gruner Veltliner, this $25 white is impeccably balanced and just might be the perfect wine to serve with Asian cuisine.

A hearty congratulations. This isn’t directly related to any particular wine, but I’d like to extend my heart-felt congratulations to Christopher Tracy and Allison Dubin of Channing Daughters Winery. The winemaker and general manager respectively, they are use to raising delicious, hand-crafted wines…but now they get to try their hand at raising their first child, a boy, who was born a couple weeks ago. Salute!

WBW #31: Trove 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon (California)

Wine Blogging Wednesday is upon us again people and this time around, that means wines in non-traditional packaging.

I'll admit is--as open as I was to the theme, I had my reservations. First of all, I've never had a bag-in-box wine that I've found even gulpable. Second, I was worried that we'd lose a lot of our wine geek participants.

I guess we'll find out in the next day or two if some of our more "high class" WBWers stuck with us and expanded their horizons a little bit. I hope they do and I hope they found some interesting wines, even if they are more interesting as curiosities than they are as something worth drinking.

I actually had a much harder time finding a boxed wine than I expected. I didn't want to choose Franzia or Almaden for WBW. I knew I wouldn't like those. And a local wine shop that used to have single serving boxes of Bandit Trebbiano didn't have them anymore when I went there.

So, after stopping at three shops, I came upon this three-liter box of 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon from Trove. It cost me $22, which when you consider that it holds the equivalent of four regular bottles, is a pretty good deal.

IF the wine is good.

And you know what...I wouldn't call it "good" or something I'd normally rave about, but it was much better than I expected.

Is it simple? Yup. But you know what? It's not offensive in the least and you can even taste just a little bit of varietal character. Lots of red berries, especially cherries, throughout, fruity but not Australian or overdone. Very little oak and rather juicy, medium body.

I'd serve this at a big bash attended by people who enjoy wine but aren't geeks. It seems like a perfectly fine wine to serve at a big BBQ in the summer where burgers and grilled chicken are the primary fare.

Grapes Gone 'Ganic at Bonterra Vineyards

Most of us can agree that organic farming is a good thing. Good for the plants. Good for the land. Good for the groundwater. And, good for those eating the resulting produce.

But questions remain about whether or not organic vineyard practices lead to better wines. I haven't formed an opinion yet—mostly because I haven't had that many organically grown wines.

In fact, I had only tasted a couple marginal ones until last week when I got my hands on a set of wines from Bonterra Vineyards, a producer that has bet the farm—literally—on the quality of their organically grown wines.

Their 378-acre vineyard, located in the Russian River benchlands of Mendocino County, is certified organic, and they describe their farming practices are "back to the future" because they focus on composting, cover crops and natural cycles to "create a soil that is rich and vital. From this fertile soil grow naturally healthy vines and intensely concentrated, flavorful grapes."

I can't be sure if their "green" vineyard practices are responsible for the quality of the wines, but the quality is there—even if the ripe, California style is a bit much for my taste in some cases.

Bonterra Vineyards 2005 Roussanne ($22) was my favorite of the whites. Roussanne has a unique flavor profile and this wine is a fine example with honey, apricots and fresh flowers on the nose. There are a lot of over-oaked, chardonnay-wannabe roussannes out there, but this isn't one of them. Ripe peach flavors dominate a well-balanced, medium-bodied palate that features just the right amount of acidity. There are also honey and floral notes, particularly on a deliciously long finish. Buy this one if you see it.

Also fairly well balanced was the Bonterra Vineyards 2005 Viognier ($18). On first sniff, this wine has a lot of gewürztraminer-esque, exotic character with rose petals and lychee-lemon aromas. Moments later, just-ripe honeydew melon steps forward on the slightly underwhelming nose. The finish leans a little towards sourness, but there are loads of lemon, lemon zest and green melon flavor here. At 13.9% alcohol by volume, there was a little heat on the finish too, but it wasn't overwhelming.

My disdain for many California chardonnays is well documented and while Bonterra's 2005 Chardonnay ($14) doesn't suffer from the usual flabbiness, a noticeable green pea aroma and flavor was off-putting. No thanks. 

Moving on to Bonterra's red offerings, they make a serviceable, if overly soft, Bonterra Vineyards 2004 Merlot ($15) that is one dimensional and a little hot on the finish. If merlot is your thing, you're much better off looking locally.

I did enjoy their 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon ($16), however. It is filled with plum and cherry flavors with just slightly gripping tannins and a lengthy finish. It's unique for California because it's not over-oaked, and at $16 is a nice value.

If you like Australian shiraz, but want a little more complexity, pick up a bottle of Bonterra Vineyards' 2004 Syrah ($18). This dark, almost inky, red wine offers deep, big black fruit flavors with hints of spice, tar and caramel. The caramel is most apparent on a flavorful yet supple finish that lasts long after the wine is swallowed.

A Special Bottle: Rosenblum Cellars 2002 Monte Rosso Zinfandel (Sonoma County)

Nena and I first tasted this wine during the best meal we had in the Bay Area last summer. In fact, this bottle was a gift from Alder at the end of the meal.

But, as you may remember, Nena was pregnant at the time and when we got back to Long Island, I was given strict orders "Do not drink that bottle of wine without me." So into the wine fridge it went. And I had to wait. And wait and wait.

I wanted to open this wine on several occasions before this weekend. Nena had dreams about this wine during her pregnancy.

We're both glad that I didn't open it sooner.

I didn't take any notes, but this is the single best bottle of wine I've had in a long time. Rich, robust and powerful (16.6% abv) it--somehow--exhibits amazing balance. The flavors range from chocolate to currant to raisins to caramel to black pepper to raspberry to molasses. If I had taken notes, I'd have had to scribble on more than one page.

And it was also a special bottle of wine because it marked the return of my tasting partner to full-time LENNDEVOURS duty. Welcome back and I love you :)

I always say that any wine can be heightened by a great setting. Take a great wine and a great setting, and you're in for quite an experience.

Now I'm off to scour the Internet for more of this wine.

Regular programming (New York wines) will commence tomorrow. And thank you, Alder, for this bottle.

A LENNDEVOURS Pork and Pinot Tasting

When it comes to food-friendly versatility, it’s hard to do any better than pinot noir. But, as you may have noticed, there aren’t many pinots made on Long Island and those that are out there tend to be extremely inconsistent year to year or extremely expensive for the quality.

Of course, there is a reason for both the up-and-down quality and the sometimes-hefty price tags—pinot noir is extremely difficult to grow even under the best conditions. It is quite tolerant of cool and cold growing conditions, but because it is an early-leafing variety, it is extremely susceptible to spring frosts.

Pinot vines are also not very vigorous and sometimes lack adequate leaf coverage to protect the fruit from birds, which is a common problem on Long Island because we're right in the migratory paths of many birds.

And, even if the grapes survive the birds and other maladies, the thin-skinned and tender berries shrivel and dry out quickly if not picked promptly once ripe.

They don’t call it the heartbreak grape for nothing.

You could call it the bankbreak grape too, because I've rarely found a pinot noir for under $20 that is worthwhile.

But, last weekend we had my in-laws and our friends M and T over to try a few different pinots along side a slow roasted pork shoulder crusted with garlic, fennel seed, coriander seed and fresh herbs. Pork and pinot is a classic pairing and I think all agreed that this is one classic that holds true.

Of course, I also could have served dry Riesling or even Gruner Veltliner, but perhaps we'll explore those another time. Today we're talking about pinot.

We ended up with four wines—ranging in price from $12 to $39: one from the Burgundy region of France, two from California and one from the North Fork of Long Island. All four were tasted blind.

Far and away my favorite was the Fort Ross 2001 Fort Ross Vineyard Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast ($37) a gift from a certain obsessive. Unfiltered, the nose offered complex aromas of red cherry, cranberry, smoke, leather and dry earth. The palate featured similar flavors with delicate, dusty tannins and superior mouthfeel. It was also the best pairing with the pork roast.

 

The second-favorite wine of the night—both for me and for my dining companions—was Castello di Borghese’s 2003 Barrel Fermented Pinot Noir ($39). Almost as complex as the Fort Ross, its nose featured cherries, earth and barnyard aromas. A little less delicate, the palate was still refined and well-suited to the dinner table. I’ve long enjoyed Borghese’s pinots and this wine continues that tradition of quality, even if the minerality that I usually love was absent.

The surprise, at least in terms of bang for your buck, was the bottle of Louis Latour 2005 Bourgogne Pinot Noir ($12). Its much more “New World” in style than many Latours, but the fruit-forward red berries were balanced with some earthy, tea-like flavors. I’ve had Burgundies for $50 or more that weren’t as good, even if it’s somewhat simple.

 

One thing that all six of us agreed upon was the dud wine of the night—Angeline 2005 Pinot Noir Mendocino County ($14). Light-bodied, simple and juicy, this is the kind of pinot noir that you expect
when you order house pinot by the glass at a middling restaurant. And that’s not a good thing.

Don’t bother with it—seriously