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1995 Château Troplong Mondot, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru

Château Troplong Mondot 1995, Saint-Emilion Grand Chu, France.

We had not tasted the goodness that is fine bordeaux until treated at dinner tonight with our friends George and Angela.  The four of us met at the Capital Grill for steak dinners and were not disappointed by any facet of our evening.  All of us started with fantastic salads–three chopped wedges and me with a spinach and bacon salad that was perhaps the best of the bunch.  Our main courses were nicely salted and perfectly cooked filets, strips, and the like.  The photos shown here will definitely not do justice to the meal, which we accompanied with creamed corn and mashed potatoes.  The most important accompaniment, of course, was the 1995 Château Troplong Mondot red to which George treated us.

Eschewing the house options for a corking fee and this red bordeaux, produced by the Château Troplong Mondot and of the appellation Saint-Emilion Grand Cru.  It was perhaps the most expensive bottle of wine I’ve ever enjoyed, and I believe even my course palate understood that it was being treated to some of France’s best work.  A deep, pungent red, it was decanted for us and extremely smooth on the finish.  Here’s a word or two from the producers:

“Château Troplong Mondot is grown on extensive vineyards rich in limestone clay soils. Powerful, well-structured with pronounced complex tannins, its deep aromas of truffles and blackberries develop over time.”

Deep aromas indeed.  Really impressed that folks buy wines like this and can stand to hold them over time, when they’ll increase (not just in value but) in taste and in turn our appreciation.

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DaVinci Pinot Grigio 2010

As the sultry summer slugs slowly onward, we decided preventative medicine would include a white wine along with our dinner tonight.  We had an amazing meal (pictured below) of Italian turkey sausage, spiral pasta, and a warm vegetable salad that included organic rainbow chard, mushrooms, zucchini, and garlic.  Our ongoing pinot parade required the performance of the DaVinci Pinot Grigio, on this occasion the 2010.

DaVinci Pinot Grigio 2010

As I understand it, this light white originates from the Trentino-Alto Adige region of Italy.  Here’s what the big shots have to say about this vino:

DaVinci Pinot Grigio has a brilliant light straw color and a full, ripe palate. It is an extremely well-balanced wine with a bouquet of floral aromas coupled with ripe flavors of fresh apple, citrus, and tropical fruit flavors. This crisp, clean Pinot Grigio finishes with notes of minerals and a vibrant acidity.

I concur with this assessment and would be back for more.

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Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio 2010

Our summer of the Grigio stays in high gear as we enjoyed this light summer fare at the end of a sultry Sunday afternoon.  We pulled together some delicious shrimp on the grill, where we also blazed up some fresh mango to go with a fresh salad and jasmine rice.  The Domani was predictably enjoyable.  Not an earth-shattering success by my standards, but a solid double into the gap.

Meal that accompanied our Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio 2010

The mango was an experiment; I’d rather have it fresh and cool than grilled in the future but it did work well.  The rice and shrimp, though, were definite highlights.

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2010 Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay

The 2010 Kendall Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay, California, USA.

We stayed up at Lake Monomonac an extra night for an opportunity to relax after the family picnic, and it was time very well spent.  After saying goodbye to the departing guests and rafting leisurely in the humid summer afternoon, it was time to head out on our hosts’ party boat for a relaxing cruise in Vermont and New Hampshire waters.  Six of us–plus Finn the dog–checked out the amazing waterfront properties and felt the lake breezes in our faces to great effect.

Already I’ve forgotten the good champagne that immediately preceded this bottle, but I recall it being a lovely, light way to celebrate the coming of dusk.  Next up was the 2010 Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay.  We’re no strangers to KJ and this one was definitely on point.   California is easy territory for us and never disappoints.  I don’t know if it was the great company or surroundings (how can you have an unsatisfactory bottle, away from the pressures of work and with family on the lake?) but had to be certain to document this label for the blog.

I’m sure there are some taster’s notes available to assist you if you’re looking for a professional’s writeup of the Kendall-Jackson.  But if you’re looking for plain speak, just know this varietal is affordable, a light citrus dynamite, and entirely pleasurable–even if you’re not enjoying it in scenic boating spot like we were.  You can thank me later!

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2011 San Giuseppi Pinot Grigio

The San Giuseppi Pinot Grigio was, at least in 2011, a pretty nice, affordable Italian white.  Definite rich taste and a fresh sniff for your nose…liked this one a lot and it seemed to approach the Margherita territory at a less expensive price point.  I’m slightly behind the posting of this wine, though, so can no longer say what meal originally accompanied this nice breath of fresh air.

2011 San Giuseppi Pinot Grigio, Venezia region of Italy.

 

 

 

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Ruffino Pinot Grigio Lumina 2010

The summer pinot parade continued today with the 2010 Ruffino offering…not really the best.  Don’t misunderstand–it wasn’t awful either, but rather a middle-of-the-pack wine.  It was a value buy on our part, and we’ll hopefully encounter better grapes and vintages in the future.  The folks at Ruffino packed a powerful whiff of pear and floral fragrances into this little bottle, and we did drink it down with big smiles on our faces.   Here’s a little something from the winemaker:

“Crisp, aromatic and full of body.  Lumina is a versatile match with food.  Serve as an apertif or with dishes such as soft shell crabs, grilled fish, pasta primavera, and roasted chicken.  Lumina also pairs well with ethnic dishes such as Mexican enchiladas, Greek dolmas, and Thai green curries.”

Ruffino Pinot Grigio Lumina 2010, from the Tuscany region of Italy.

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2009 Buena Vista Pinot Noir – Clone 5 Pommard

Tonight was a good livin’ night.  Broke out a new pinot noir–this 2009 Clone 5 Pommard–to celebrate the end of the work week from the comfort of our deck.  We snacked on some favorites (e.g., olives stuffed with jalapeno peppers, cheddar/colby cheese) and broke out this red and some Miller Lites to enjoy the sunset and great temperature here in New Jersey.  Buena Vista remains one of our favorite Sonoma wineries, and it’s in no small part due to great pinots like this Clone 5 Pommard.  Perfect for a barbecue and outdoor grillin’.

2009 Buena Vista Pinot Noir Clone 5

2009 Buena Vista Pinot Noir Clone 5 Pommard, Buena Vista, Carneros, California.

This bottle was a screw top (still getting used to this trend) and was promising even from the first pour.   A deep lovely red, and all kinds of great berry smells wafting up even as it splashed down, inviting, into a stemless glass.  I didn’t let it sit at all, simply swirled it around the Reidel for a quick second, and then took a first sip.  Great stuff!  I’m pretty sure I got a feel for some cherry in this mouthful, and all kinds of amazing undercurrents that you know I don’t have the palate or experience to better describe.

I can say that we enjoyed this bottle with a lovely salad (arugula, onion, corn, real bacon [and cooked perfectly], blue cheese, and pepper) that didn’t even need dressing it was so good.  Our main course were grilled filets that helped bring out some of the character of our pinot.  Wish we could enjoy ambiance and tasty treats like this every night!

Not being familiar with this Clone 5 varietal, I thought I would share with you here the winemaker’s comments on it:  “Our Ramal Vineyard Estate in Carneros includes 112 vineyard blocks and 13 Pinot Noir clones.  Each vintage, winemaker Jeff Steward crafts small bottlings of clones that display distinct style and character.  The Clone 5 Pommard shows intense aromas of red cheery, black plum, and jasmine over opulent red and black fruity with a forest floor base.  Note the depth of color and remarkable intensity.”  If you’re reading this post because you’re thinking about grabbing this bottle for yourself, know that I am nodding vigorously.  Enjoy!

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2010 Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling

A rare miss.  Sometimes it seems that every entry here is a raving success, an unmistakable masterpiece that has to be enjoyed time and time again.  This is not one of those times.  This 2010, from the highly regarded Columbia Valley in Washington, is described by some as “refreshing” and “off-dry”.  It may be those things, but even more so it is sticky sweet.

2010 Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling

The 2010 Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling, from Woodinville, in the Columbia Valley region of Washington state.

If memory serves, we pulled the cork on this to accompany a lovely pasta dish, penne with peas and bacon in a delicious white sauce. The food was very much the highlight of the meal, as my unrefined taste buds could only handle a single glass without needing some water chaser for the sugary taste of the Riesling (which I normally enjoy immensely come the summer months).

What else can I say here?  One, that it tasted better after we left the bottle sitting uncorked in the fridge overnight; and two, it was better when used as a cooking wine later that week.  As I said at the start, this one was a rare miss for us.  But give it a shot and let us know what you thought!

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2008 Smoking Loon Pinot Noir

It’s the Memorial Day weekend and no better time to barbecue.  Fired up the grill and some fun snacks while we readied some steaks with Mediterranean sea salt and fresh ground pepper, and filled up our glasses with some 2008 Smoking Loon Pinot Noir.  This California pinot was in our ‘regular’ rotation of pinot noirs a few summers ago and was like an old friend stopping by to visit.   We didn’t allow it to sit upon uncorking but went straight to the pour.

2008 Smoking Loon Pinot Noir

2009 Smoking Loon Pinot Noir, from California, USA.

Very consumable, with a soft fruity red that left you an enjoyable berry aftertaste. I’m sure the experts have more erudite comments about the wine so I’ll simply remark that the second bottle always tastes just as great as the first. That should be testament enough.