THE VINO FINO ANNUAL
HOLIDAY WINE DINNER
2008
And we began with a magnum of Ruelle-Pertois Champagne...
Chef Mehrdad Dabir brought out three platters of oysters to
get the proceedings started!
And the wines for the evening were prepped and decanted.
John McGlothlin took care of pouring the Champagne...
Miyagi oysters.
Mark "Hooked on Oysters" Naismith
Allen can tell great stories, even in his sleep!
The Champagnes were both very fine. The Ruelle-Pertois was mildly yeasty
and crisp, while the Pierre Moncuit was steely-edged and had even more finesse.
Tout le monde a table!
We began with Seared Diver Scallops with Jamon Serrano
on a Jerusalem Artichoke purée.
The Jaboulet Crozes-Hermitage was perfect with this combination of flavors!
This was artistry on a plate!
We had a wonderful bottle of 1996 Ridge Santa Cruz
Mountains Chardonnay as the "John Vignau Memorial" bottle...
We know J-V would have enjoyed this wine as it was exceptional.
Duck Confit and Cipolline Onion "Turnovers" with Escarole and
Citrus.
A bottle of 1998 Quintessa displayed the green leaf
tobacco notes associated with cool vintages in California. This was a
pleasant, nicely developed bottle.
The Heitz Cellar 1997 Martha's Vineyard was very fine. Deep in fruit and
showing plums and blackberry notes, this wine is still blossoming. It's
youthful and firm, with a bright future.
The 1991 Heitz' Martha's Vineyard was spectacular in my view.
This was a grand bottle (David Greiner offered this wine)!
Beautifully developed, the fragrances were oh-so-complex and oh-so-classically
Heitz' Martha's!
There was a lovely bottle of Viader's 1991 Napa Valley
red...very fine with dark color and nice fruit (still). I suspect this
wine can be cellared for another 5+ years. It's an entirely different
animal than the Heitz 1991.
At this stage, Chef Dabir's lamb arrived at the dinner table.
Dick Otstott's bottle of 1994 Diamond Creek's Gravelly Meadow was also close to
its peak...a very fine, elegant, deep bottle of Napa Cabernet.
Nace brought a very old bottle--a 1974 Clos du Bois "Proprietor's
Reserve" Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine was old and smooth, with some
tarry notes on the nose.
A 1979 Château Cos d'Estournel was typically earthy and nicely developed.
It was a lovely match for the lamb.
Our red wine marathon concluded with Jack's bottle of 1984 Ridge "Monte
Bello." This was a glorious wine and illustrated why this vineyard
(along with Heitz' Martha's) is worthy of "grand cru" status.
The Ridge offered wonderful black fruit aromas and a deep, complex
bouquet. Layers of flavors and beautifully integrated tannins made for a
perfect match with the savory lamb.
Allan found a nice bottle of 1971 Rieussec in the cellar
and this was a delicious interlude between the main course and the chocolate
dessert...
"Allan, you said you paid three-dollars-and-fifty cents for
this???"
Yup!
I picked out a couple of favorites...
Then the chef came out and took a bow...
Valrhona Chocolate Mousse parfait
with Cocoa Nibs...
And so we concluded another wonderful evening of wine and
food...
Next meeting: January 2009!
BACK TO THE MAIN VINO FINO PAGE
VINO FINO TASTING ARCHIVE
2007 RUSSIAN RIVER PINOT NOIRS February 2010
A
RANGE OF FRENCH CHABLIS WINES January 2010
HOLIDAY DINNER
& WINE MARATHON December 2009
ROSÉ
SPARKLING WINES November 2009
ARGENTINEAN
MALBECS October 2009
WEST
COAST CHARDONNAYS September 2009
GREEK
RED WINES August 2009
2005
BUDGET BORDEAUX July 2009
CAMPANIAN
WHITE WINES June 2009
MIXED
BAG OF CALIFORNIA PINOT NOIRS April 2009
RIOJA
WINES, MOSTLY FROM THE 2004 VINTAGE March 2009
NORTH
COAST PETITE SIRAHS February 2009
SYRAH
& PETITE SIRAH COMPARISON January 2009
A
VINO FINO CHRISTMAS December 2008
MOSTLY
2005s: NAPA CABERNETS November 2008
SONOMA
COUNTY PINOT NOIRS October 2008
SANTA
RITA HILLS -2006 VINTAGE- PINOT NOIRS SEPTEMBER 2008
NEWLY
RELEASED ZINFANDELS August 2008
WHITE
RHÔNE VALLEY WINES JULY 2008
LOIRE
VALLEY SAUVIGNONS JUNE 2008
FRENCH
CHABLIS 2005-2006 MAY 2008
NORTHERN
RHÔNE SYRAHS APRIL 2008
SANTA
CRUZ MOUNTAINS PINOT NOIRS January 2008
ANNUAL
HOLIDAY CHRISTMAS DINNER December 2007
WEST
COAST CHARDONNAYS November 2007
AUSTRALIAN
SHIRAZ October 2007
SPANISH
TEMPRANILLO WINES September 2007
SONOMA'S
2005 VINTAGE ZINFANDELS August 2007
CURRENT
RELEASE (2004-2005) ZINFANDELS July 2007
ROS
WINES FROM ALL OVER June 2007
ITALIAN
LAGREIN WINES May 2007
ARGENTINEAN
MALBECS April 2007
SOUTHERN
HEMISPHERE PINOT NOIRS March 2007
MOSTLY
2004 CABERNETS February 2007
CRU
BEAUJOLAIS January 2007
A VINO
FINO CHRISTMAS December 2006
CALIFORNIA
ZINFANDELS November 2006
PINOT
NOIRS of VALUE-PRICING October 2006
WORLD
OF SYRAHS TASTING September 2006
AUSSIE
CABERNET-SHIRAZ BLENDS August 2006
ALEXANDER
VALLEY (California) and MARGARET RIVER (Australia) CABERNETS July
2006
CALIFORNIA
PETITE SIRAHS June 2006
2004
NORTH COAST PINOTS and a FRENCH INTRUDER May 2006
AGLIANICO
: BASILICATA & CAMPANIA'S MAJOR RED WINE April 2006
NERO
D'AVOLA - A TASTE OF SICILIA March 2006
UNDER THE
VINO FINO RADAR ZINFANDELS January 2006
HOLIDAY WINE
TASTING & DINNER December 2005
BUBBLIES FROM AROUND
THE WORLD November 2005
NORTH
COAST PINOT NOIRS October 2005
STATE
OF CONFUSION CABERNETS September 2005
TIM
ZAINER'S SIDEWAYS LOOK AT MERLOTS August 2005
LOIRE VALLEY CABERNET
FRANCS June 2005
CALIFORNIA
SYRAHS March 2005
2002
CALIFORNIA CABERNETS February 2005
VINO
FINO HOLIDAY WINE MARATHON December 2004
CHARDONNAYS
OF MODEST PRICE November 2004
SPANISH
TEMPRANILLO October 2004
2002
CENTRAL COAST PINOT NOIRS September 2004
AUSSIE
SHIRAZ-CABERNET BLENDS August 2004
GEWRZTRAMINERS
FROM ALSACE July 2004
2001
SOUTHERN RHNES (7 Chteauneufs & a Vacqueyras) June 2004
AGLIANICO
WINES FROM CAMPANIA & BASILICATA May 2004
MONTEPULCIANO
WINES FROM THE ABRUZZO & MARCHE REGIONS April 2004
SONOMA
ZINFANDELS February 2004
1997
BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO January 2004
VINO
FINO HOLIDAY BACCHANALIA 2003
2001
CTES du RHNES September 17, 2003
2000
OREGON PINOT NOIRS August 20, 2003
WEST
COAST SYRAHS July 16, 2003
2000
Bordeaux June 18, 2003
2000
CALIFORNIA CABERNETS May 21, 2003
OFF
THE BEATEN PATH SYRAHS APRIL 16, 2003
2002 NEW ZEALAND
SAUVIGNON BLANCS March 19, 2003
1999
California CABERNETS February 19, 2003
VINO
FINO HOLIDAY BACCHANALIA December 4, 2002
AUSTRALIAN
SHIRAZ August 21, 2002
CHAMPAGNES
& SPARKLERS July 17, 2002
Interesting
Paired CHARDONNAYS
May 15, 2002
2001
Southern Hemisphere SAUVIGNON BLANCS Feb. 20, 2002
1999 ZINFANDELS January 16, 2002
HOLIDAY
SEASON BACCHANALIA
December 5, 2001
1999-2000
New PINOT NOIRS November 14, 2001
1999
CALIFORNIA ZINFANDELS October 17, 2001
1998
CALIFORNIA CABERNETS September 19, 2001
1999
LANGUEDOC REDS August 15, 2001
1997
SAUTERNES July 18, 2001
Mostly
1998 NEBBIOLO June 20, 2001
1999 PINOT NOIRS May
16, 2001
1996
SAINT-MILION Tasting April 18, 2001
CARNEROS
CHARDONNAYS March 21, 2001
1984-1985
NAPA CABERNETS/John Vignau Memorial Tasting October 20, 2000
1997
CALIFORNIA CABERNETS September 20, 2000
1998 CALIFORNIA
CHARDONNAYS August 16, 2000
WINES
FROM THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE: CLARETS June 21, 2000
WINES
FROM UNDER THE TUSCAN (and Umbrian) SUN Aprile 19, 2000
1997 BORDEAUX: MEDOC May 17,
2000
