Top 20 Wines of 2011

Another year gone and hundreds upon hundreds of wine bottles that I got to taste or drink. I am a lucky man with some serious wine people as friends. I don't think I can ever repay them back for there huge amounts of generosity and knowledge except in the only way I know how. By continuing to open and share my own bottles of wine whenever I can. We can sit there together going over the wines one by one. Trying to get an understanding of sense and place for each wine. Giving up our personal opinions of them and in the end, deciding whether it is a wine that you will never forget or just another bottle filled with grape juice. In the past 7 years, I believe my best knowledge of this fruit has come. All thanks to a group of individuals with the same kind of passion I have for it.

This year I believe that was a bit more guilty of choosing my top 20 wines from my own collection and not from my friends and family. Were they just better than everything else I had the chance to taste? Not at all! But this year is different then in years past. With a connection that I can only explain at the end. So lets get started~~~ Enjoy~

#20
2009 Altovinum Evodia Old Vine Garnacha Calatayud

One of my very best finds. Simple and to the point. Garnacha at a price of $9.99 from 100 year old vines. Strawberry, raspberry and blackberry all integrated perfectly. Not a big fruit bomb like most new world Grenache tends to be. This wino needs bottles at this price or he would be penniless.

#19
2008 Flor de Pingus Ribera del Duero

My other favorite wine grape from Spain, Tempranillo. Only problem is that this wine cost a bit more than $9.99 per. Thank you wine buddies for your serious generosity. I didn't guess right when this wine was brown bagged. Simple Tempranillo just taste "SIMPLE". I must of not noticed the spices, cocoa powder and cherry notes or the finish that just would not end. Oh but what a happy camper I was.

#18
2008 Zotovich Estate Pinot Noir

Now we fly back home to California. The only place that I really enjoyed Pinot for the longest time. I am still waiting to build the cash flow for Burgundy. So you take a short 3 hour drive from my place to Central Coast, namely Lompoc's "WINE GHETTO" and you see pinot after pinot after pinot. Some are good, and some are just not right. Zotovich use to only supply fruit but now they bottle wine. At $38.00 per, it is one of cheaper producers in the Ghetto. I mean everybody else is in the $40.00 to $55.00 dollar range these days. The Zotovich estate has that balance of Cola and Forest Floor that I love so much from Santa Rita Hills AVA. Beautiful acidity with a clean finish. I did buy a few bottles to squirrel away for a few year. We shall see how they develop.

#17
1995 Vieux Telegraphe - Chateauneuf du Pape

It is time to fly across the pond to my favorite land of them all FRANCE! Those popes in France were having a good time 700 hundred years ago. Makes me wanna party with them! I will stick to the wine, because this Chateauneuf rocks! Deep with color and structure. Black cherry and plums on the nose and a mouth feel to make you believe that this wine is still young at heart. It is probably still 10 years away from full maturity. How lucky I am to taste it now.

#16
2010 Jalama Clementina La Presa

An interesting blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling makes my cut at #16. It made for a perfect wine pairing with crab & Lobster one day. Tropical fruit aromas followed by good minerality and acidity. Oh! and a great price point to boot, $26.00. This was one of my wife's favorite wines of the year. Gotta give her some props you know~ :-)

#15
2000 Vina Ardanza - Rioja

I am very proud to say that I owned this wine from the day of it's release. I am also very proud that I did'nt jump the gun and drink them all way to early. This wine delivered a bouquet of cedar, leather and some forest floor. The wine was definitely ready to drink. Poured for my wine group, it could of used some food. Ropa Vieja sounds about right. I will dig in the back of my cellar, because I still have one left. I better get cooking.

#14
2007 Mad Hatter

From the age and grace of Spain to the rock stars of California. Yeah! we are all "Star Fuckers" once in awhile. When you have Dave Abreu in the vineyard, Andy Erickson making the wine and Michel Rolland consulting. Your credit card just instantly flies out of your wallet without you even knowing it. Did I buy this wine because of the star power? Actually, it is fruit from one of my favorite areas, Howell Mountain. It is planted to five Bordeaux grapes and it did exhibit vanilla and dried cherry characteristics. Tannins were soft and in check. Some hints of graphite, sage on the palate made me keep coming back. Who wouldn't wanna say hello to there favorite star if they walked by you once.~

#13
2004 Pago de los Capellanes - Crianza

Another wine that I am very proud to say I owned since its release date. I do love, love Tempranillo, but add a splash of Cabernet and we are in heaven. This wine was very clean and well balanced between fruit and oak. The fruit is ripe black berries and pepper with hints of leather and licorice. I continue to buy and buy this wine for its perfection in the glass and on the wallet.

#12
2003 Blankiet Estate Cabernet

This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon is a huge gigantic monster. Oh no! The Robert Parker effect is starting to show. Why the heck did I love tasting this wine so much. Perhaps it was the notes of coffee, graphite, blackberry, blueberry, cassis, etc, etc, etc!~ The wine went on and on and had beautiful minerality with super tight tannins. Something tells me that this was a wine to age another 10 to 20 years. Perhaps someday I will buy a couple of bottles.

#11
2005 Marc Bredif Vouvray

Chenin Blanc really? You have to really love France to understand that they are the kings and queens of wine making. I just don't believe the US or anywhere else can get some of the unusual grape varietals correct. This wine was sweet but laced with acidity and bite that I have never experienced before. Citrus peel with hints of tropical fruit. The texture is rich and silky at the same time. A very very refreshing, tart and clean wine. What more can you ask for?

#10
2008 Spottswoode Fieldbook

My favorite Cabernet on earth now making a Paso Robles Syrah/Grenache blend. Sounds strange, but I can't say no to such a great family project. I have almost tasted every vintage of Spottswoode's estate Cabernet. I will keep that tradition going with there Field Book blend as well. This wine being a blend of 95% Syrah with 5% Grenache exhibits a traditional dark Paso Robles color. Just enough deep rich fruit and pepper to keep me coming back to the glass. I have always said that it's the Rhone blends that I love from Paso Robles. So why wouldn't my favorite Cabernet producer from Napa get in on the action.

#9
2005 Chateau D'Aiguilhe - Bordeaux

Bordeaux doesn't always have to be expensive just made well. Add the company of good friends and a perfect dinner, price doesn't matter anymore. I always try to remember those good meals with friends and family so that I can repay them back someday with my own wine. This bordeaux is 80% Merlot & 20% Cabernet Franc. Beautiful notes of cassis, charcoal, and espresso came out of the glass. It is full bodied, layered, and super concentrated. The wine went perfect with my Lamb Sausage. A meal to remember with good friends. Is there nothing better in this world??

#8
2005 Saxum Heart Stone

Oh me - Oh my! A GSM monster blend from Paso Robles! I told you! That Robert Parker Effect is taking over me and my head. Damn that S.O.B.! How could you get away from the HUGE amounts of bacon fat and liquid smoke that this wine turns out. So compelling and complex at the same time. I wanted more! Oh well another rejection letter from Saxum came in the mail. "Sorry sir, you will not be getting any wine this year". Boy, do they know how to tease you or what??

#7
2007 Puligny-Montrachet Etienne Sauzet

Some good friends treat you and your wife to dinner so you wanna pay them back with something special of your own. White Burgundy will do just fine. How about a wine with solid purity of fruit and elegant oak length. Something this wino just can't seem to get when drinking California chardonnay. There are some beautiful green fruit characteristics on this wine. It does have a reserved finish which I loved very much. I hope my friends enjoyed it as much as I did.

#6
2007 John Anthony Cabernet Sauvignon

Way way back in time, I started buying this wineries 2004 and 2005 vintage wines. I skipped on the 2006, but came right back to something comfortable and delicious in 2007. We got 2 chances to taste this wine from a brown bag in 2011. I brought the wine first and gave it a monster score. When someone else brought it several months later, she didn't fair as well. You see!! this is what "brown bagging" wines does to you. Either way both times the wine was over 90 points, so who really cares. This wine has a pleasant nose of blackberries, allspice and dark chocolate. A perfectly priced lush, jammy wine with nice tannins and a complex finish. Need I say more???

#5
2007 Collina Dalla Valle Cabernet Sauvignon

Your wine friends are so generous. What a special birthday gift this was! Despite this wines youth. Huge amounts to ripe berries and mocha come right at your nose and palate. This wine is elegant yet refined. Perhaps that has something to do with the pedigree. What an honor it was to try it.

#4
1994 Chateau Monbousquet Bordeaux

You buy wine and you collect wines. As you will see at the end you are really buying memories. The 1994 Monbousquet I was saving for another occasion. A very important one. That is okay though, there will be other 94's coming along in 4 years. This was a wine that was ready to drink NOW! It did get beat up a bit at this tasting being that there were some far more superior Bordeaux's in the line up. But if you don't know me by now as a guy that collects memories. I guess you just don't really know me. On the nose this wine was classic french. Earth and lead pencil. The wine was tight with not a whole lot of fruit coming thru. Simple yet exactly what I needed on that day. Any and all wino's should buy wine for that perfect moment in time. This was one of them for me.

#3
1999 Stags Leap Petite Syrah

There is nothing petite about this wine. Heck, when I first tasted it from the brown bag, I was convinced it was a 2008 Syrah. Nope! 9 years older and the wrong varietal. I don't mind being wrong on this occasion. I mean how often do you get a chance to taste a wine that is inky, dark and delicious. Yeah did I mention it was a 1999. I really can't mention that enough. There was still so much complex berry and oak from the very first sip. I truly believe that no one would of guessed this wines correct age. I DARE YOU!! Either way, what a wonderful wine to taste from a good friends personal collection.

#2
1998 Hermitage La Chapelle

From an old California Petite Syrah to an old French Syrah. This deep purple wine exhibited black cherry, blackberry, leather, smoke and truffle aromas. Perfect delicate tannins with outstanding length on the finish. I kept wanting to taste and taste this wine. What a treat from a great wine friend that I have gotten to know. He really does know how to bring out the right wine for the right occasion!

and the number 1 wine of the year is????
If you really do know me!
You really know just how special saving and drinking certain bottles of wine is!

August 29th 1990

12:17pm

The birth of your first child? I still remember the nurse telling me to put on the scrubs, that my wife was 10 centimeters and ready to deliver. I sat there for a minute wondering what kind of father I was going to be. If I would raise my children with good morals and values. I was only 22 years old on that day. A young man still planning his future. I walked into the delivery room not knowing the answer to that question yet. My wife the warrior laid on the delivery table. I call her that because in no way would I ever want to change places with her. As young as we were, we planned the birth of our first child. Married just over 2 years, we both wanted to start a family early on. My parents waited till there mid thirties to even get married. My mom was 39 years old when she gave birth to me. I suppose that I wanted to be different from my parents. That I wanted to have a relationship that would last 50, 60 or even 70 years. My parents would never get that chance getting married as old as they did.

My mom was so happy on that day, for she was an employee of the hospital that delivered my child. A housekeeper for 17 years. She knew everybody in that building and they knew her as the Grandmother to be. She was working that day and swept and swept that same hallway just outside the delivery room over and over waiting for the news.

When the birth came my child was put on Angie's belly turned away from me. We never found out what the sex of the child was during the pregnancy. I so wanted to reach over and turn him or her towards me just to see if it was a boy or girl. I stopped myself though! Then, 30 seconds later I was cutting the umbilical cord to my daughter Jacqueline Lucia Rodriguez. Angie and I were truly blessed. Jackie was born 1 month early at 12:17pm weighing 5 pounds 7 ounces. She was so little!

I lost sight of my mother as I walked out of the delivery room. She still had a job to do. It didn't take long to have someone call her back to the maternity ward.

I hugged her and cried! She thought something went wrong, but they were tears of joy. A tiny but healthy baby girl. My mom always wanted me to be a girl! So I gave her the next best thing, a granddaughter that she could spoil! And that she did for 12 years till her passing.

Hearing your child say her first word. Dada of course! Seeing your child take there first step. Having them draw there first picture for you. Priceless moments in the raising of a child. But when things go wrong, no parenting book can prepare you enough. My daughter was struck by a car at the age of 9. She had to be airlifted to Children's Hospital in Los Angeles because they thought she might lose her arm. You are helpless! With nothing to do but pray for the best. I held her in my arms as hard as I could whispering in her ear that everything was going to be okay. You are numb with pain and worry. Something no parent should ever go through. I am not a very religious man, but I believe someone was looking after her that day. Doubt creeps into your head as to what kind of parent you are for your children when things like that happen. Then they grow up with beautiful smiles, hearts of gold and good strong morals. Your job is complete. ~~~~~~

August 29th 2011
12:17 pm

So my number 1 wine of the year is not one but 2 wines.
1990 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon
and
1990 Chateau Chasse-Spleen Bordeaux

In the dinning area of my home sits a shelf that holds several dusty, empty wine bottles. Why do I keep them? For the memories that they have given me. Every so often they get dusted off. This allows me to reminisce about that moment when I drank it and what that moment meant to me personally. There are wines on the that shelf that fill me with sad emotions and ones to remember joyful, historic moments in my and my families lives. Now on that shelf sit 2 more bottles to honor the birth of my first child and to celebrate her 21st birthday. This is why I collect wines!

My brother gifted me the bottle of 1990 Spottswoode back in 1996. His idea! Pop it open to celebrate my daughters 21st birthday in the year 2011. How quickly he forgot that I even still had that bottle. He thought we drank it way back when. This wine still had lots of life! It was a bit funky on the nose when first we opened it, but that blew off over the first half hour. Hints of chocolate were still there with cedar and dark fruit on the nose as the wine evolved. I waited for 15 years, and I got exactly what I wanted. A moment to remember what it was like to become a father 21 years earlier. This is my #1 wine of the year~ My daughter thought it was pretty darn good too! :-)

The 1990 Chateau Chasse-Spleen, I purchased in 2000. I have always had a fondness for Bordeaux. I also have a fondness for a little friendly USA vs. FRANCE competition. Add into the mix the fact that both wines are from my daughters birth year just makes it more exciting. On this day, it was not to be for FRANCE~ This wine, although still showing some forms of structure and intensity, started to putter out after an hour of being opened. Then again I want to never forget this wine memory, so she will sit on my wine shelf right along side her counterpart.

So we come to the end~~ What a year! As I mentioned at the beginning, this list was a little heavy handed in my favor. I only hope my personal wines that I got to share with my fellow wine geeks brought as much joy to them as theirs did to me!! It truly was one of those kinda years.

A year that I will never forget!

CHEERS~

Top 20 Wines of 2010

WOW! What A Year!

This year I didn't pull no punches. I went for the Jugular. Last year I posted my top 15 wines of 2009, but this year how I even came up with a top 20 list is insane. From opening bottles to celebrate birthdays or parties, to opening bottles to toast family that has passed away. From meeting "Rock Star" wine makers to opening one of the rarest bottles of wine around. It was one hell of a ride. My light estimate of 400 plus wines that I tasted this year would make it pretty hard to narrow it down to a top 20 list. Last year I tried to educate my fellow blog readers by including what I thought were great value wines that I bought and drank throughout the year. Unfortunately this year only one bottle made my list as a bottle that I bought and drank several times throughout the year. Every other bottle I would think deserves a place in history not to mention one in a museum.

I would like to thank my very very generous friends from La Canada, Whittier and Monrovia for having the desire to share some of there most prized wines. I really do hope that my friends enjoyed the wines from my own collection as well. I always follow the rule, that I don't collect wines. I collect memories of wines shared with friends and family.

So without further delay! Let us Begin~

#20
2006 & 2008 Seasmoke Botella Pinot Noir
Okay, I lied, it's actually my top 21 wines, but I cannot put a price on 2 wines that were shared amongst friends on Christmas Day to honor the passing away of my mother-in-law on Christmas Eve. Then again Sea Smoke is my all time favorite Pinot producer from Central coast. I was together with my wife and some of my very best friends around. We all laughed and shared stories about relatives living and gone. A perfect wine moment with 2 perfect wines. Nothing can be better.

#19
1988 Piper-Heidsieck Champagne
From my very good friend Ken Rushworth came a gift that was given to my brother for helping him with his annual Halloween party. To our surprise this bottle was in pristine shape for 22 years old. Super tiny bubbles and great amounts of fruit were still very present. This particular wine comes with a wine medallion hiding under the foil cap. It required my brother to explain to me how Heidsieck made a vintage champagne that included a medallion to be worn as a charm. I had never heard of any other winery ever doing that before. Let's hope my brother wears it.

#18
2005 Domaine Du Vieux Lazaret Chateauneuf Du Pape
It may have a long name and it was the BIGGEST bottle of wine that I have ever drank from at 6 liters, but what a treat it was to taste this wine not once but twice from the same bottle. Large format bottles seem to last forever. There is no exception to the rule with this Chateauneuf Du Pape. I first tasted it at the "Envy Tasting" from Wine Warehouse. That same bottle was then given to my good friend Ernie Ceja of Vinatero Wine Shop 7 days later. To our surprise the wine was still drinking very well. This wine could easily last another 25 years. Still young and closed up the first time we tasted it. The wine developed ripe and sweet fruit 7 days later. Very soft tannins with good amounts of acidity. What a special wine treat~

#17
2007 Peter Michael Chardonnay Belle Cote
I will continue to say how Chardonnay is not my favorite white wine varietal. So why was I buying some Peter Michael Chardonnay? What was I thinking? Oh yeah there is that thing about my wife loving Chardonnay and of course very expensive Chardonnay like Peter Michaels to boot. Of course my wife ended up not getting any of this particular bottle because I shared it with my good friends the "Padres Panel" Yeah I think it went over really well. Peter Michael is a solid producer of exceptional wines. I will say that I would prefer there big red wines ahead of there whites, but my wife is very special to me and must be allowed from time to time to have exactly what she wants. I guess I better start saving up again.

#16
2005 La Sirena Syrah Barrett Vineyard
When you meet and hang out with a rock star like Heidi Barrett everything tastes better. She is a legend and probably the most approachable person in the wine business that I will ever get the chance to meet. I have always said how famous wine makers are like your "Rock Star" Chefs that you see on TV. What a special treat it was tasting Heidi's wines with her personally explaining them to me. The Barrett Syrah isn't very fruit forward on the nose, but makes up with huge amounts of blackberry and spice that I have become accustomed too with Syrah. This was the year that I tasted more and more Syrah. This was the very best one I had all year long.

#15
2000 Arietta Red H Block
What happens when a good friend opens an exceptional wine. Like every other time before that, we sit back and say WOW. What a treat it was to have finally tasted a wine from Arietta. It only took forever, but was worth every patient moment. This wine was enormous with oak and chocolate. It had big tannins for a 10 year old wine. Could very well have lasted another 10 years. This is what you get when you have the coolest friends ever.

#14
2002 Spottswoode Estate Cabernet
What happens when a bottle of your favorite Cabernet of all time finally gets opened to share with friends. Just like the Arietta above, you sit back and say WOW again. I cherish so much the wines from certain wineries. Spottswoode is my all time favorite producer of Cabernet. Hopefully I will continue to buy some forever. This wine had plenty of perfectly ripe fruit, aromas of fresh berries, leather, mocha, with a touch of smoke. Was in a perfect stage for consumption. I guess that is why it didn't last long.

#13
2008 Rivers Marie Summa Old Vine Pinot
Rivers Marie makes some pretty damn good Pinot Noir. I put my name on there mailing list last year but decided not to buy any of there wines in 2010. That was a big mistake, because after one of my good friends allowed me to taste all 3 of there Pinot Noirs, I quickly tried to pick up some of my allocation. Like many small producer, if you "snooze you loose" and the wine was all gone. Then again it's nice to have friends in high places. I was still able to pick up a few bottles months later. The Summa Old Vine is the most expensive of the 3 Pinots Rivers Marie produces. This is a super ripe California Style Pinot. Ripe red cherries, wild strawberry, and herb on the nose. Light acidity that makes it very refreshing. Not sure about the wines longevity, but I can't wait to find out years from now.

#12
2007 Ketcham Estate Pinot Russian River Valley
Twice I tried this wine in 2010 and both times, I was surprised on how much I really like the efforts from this winery. To me the biggest surprise is how this wine doesn't come off as your typical Russian River Valley Pinot. The wine has potent acidity and back end structure that isn't too typical to Russian River Valley Wines. It shows a touch of oak on the nose with black cherry and blackberry. I may have to look into purchasing some of these wines in the near future.

#11
1998 Cuvee Louie Champagne
One of my best efforts this year was the pairing of this beautiful vintage Champagne with some perfectly roasted potatoes and crab cake with a garlic aioli. When your wife is about to have a major surgical procedure and wants a great meal. I put my best foot forward. Many thanx to my good friends the Ceja's for there enormous hearts and generosity for supplying this bottle. The wine made a harmonious connection with the food that I prepared on that day. I couldn't of asked for a better wine and food moment. Then again there are many more to come~

#10
1979 Karthaeuserhof Kronenberg Reisling Auslese
Did I just write down that I drank a 31 year old bottle of white wine? Yep that is not a typo. Best part was sharing it with my good friend Ken Rushworth for our birthdays. I would say that it's rare to find another friend that shares the same birth date as your own. Then add the fact that he happens to be a very generous huge wino and wine collector. Extra Rare~ I must admit that when the cork of this wine came out, I was a bit scared. Then a beautiful golden glow poured into the glass and the nose of honey, apricot jam, and petrol filled the air. The wine is medium sweet on the palate and the acidity is still very high. What an effort from an old world wine. Can California ever produce something like that? I guess I will have to wait and see in about 25 more years.

#9
2007 Brown Estate Chaos Theory
Okay so far every wine on my list has been a rock star - cult wine that few people ever get a chance to see let alone drink, but I had to include the most drinkable, approachable wine that I bought several times in 2010 on my list. I was first introduced to Brown Estate wines at Vinatero Wine shop 2 years ago. The Chaos Theory is a blend of Cabernet and Zinfandel that makes this wine perfect to pop open any time or day of the year with so many food options as well. I bought several bottles throughout the year and shared them with my wine club members. They in turn bought more of the wine for the same reason I did all year long. The wine opens up very nicely with a nice long finish that makes it a perfect bottle to just drink by itself or have with food.

#8
2004 J. Rochioli Chardonnay - South River
One of my best efforts this year was the pairing of this beautiful Chardonnay with my famous Cashew Crusted Chicken Breast in Apricot Curry Sauce. When your wife is about to have a major surgical procedure and wants a great meal. I put my best foot forward. Didn't I just type that about 3 wines ago?? Either way, what an effort from the famous Rochioli Vineyard and how lucky am I that my good friend had wine to sell me. This was a perfect pairing with the Chicken that I made. The wine is drinking perfectly for an 04 vintage. Lots of tropical fruit aromas with a full mouth feel. This is a wine with strong acidity and more mineral on the finish than most California Chardonnay's. I may just have to buy more for Angie's sake. I better start saving again~

#7
2003 Pride Merlot
No more Merlot jokes please. I love the movie, but am getting tired of it. I had a few chances to try Pride wines this year. The Pride Merlot supplied by Chris Poole for our Merlot Tasting was the last wine that I got a chance to taste that night. Instantly, I declared that it was the best wine of the night. Absolute perfect balance of flavors, fruit and tannins on this wine. Soft color with cherry, mocha, and oak aromas. Perfect mouth feel and balance. The finish lingered for just the right amount of time. I am glad it was the winner that night.

#6
2003 Sea Smoke Southing Pinot Noir
I have already talked and talked to much about how I love this winery. The 06 and 08 wines perhaps were young, but oh how I still enjoyed having them this year. The 03, Southing happened to be the very last bottle I had. This time I checked really good in my cellar and there are no more of them left, I swear~ The wine was fantastic! Tons of Cherries and berry on the nose. It still had plenty of life and not showing any age at all. What a way to enjoy Mother's Day. That is just how I roll.

#5
2004 Bodegas El Nido Clio
I continue to buy and buy this wine every year. It has yet to disappoint me once. From having the 2002 make my list last year, to finally opening my 04 this year for my birthday. What a treat it was for my friends in Monrovia on that day. The fruit on this wine is so precise, so tasty and enjoyable. Not jammy at all and yes the oak is there but receded into the background as the wine opened up. Not to expensive, so I will keep on buying it over and over again.

#4
1995 Chateau Lynch Bages, Bordeaux
So many friends I have made in the last 4 years. Thad Brennan is no exception. He loves bringing out curious old world wines. He also loves pulling the trigger and bringing out BIG BOY wines. This was definitely one of them. Well structured with the lead pencil, leather, black fruit and forest. Big french Terroir comes screaming at you. This is a great reason to collect and hold onto certain wines. Perhaps that is why the next wine made my list! Please continue reading~

#3
1986 Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Bordeaux
It probably belongs in a museum. Braised Lamb Shoulder Roast was a perfect pairing.
ENOUGH SAID Shhhhhhhhhhhh~

#2
1994 Ken Wright Freedom Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir
I am still learning every year just how good the wines from the United States can compete against the French. When I first started drinking Pinot it was from California. I still don't have the wallet to buy top notch Burgundies from France, but what a treat it was on that summer day to pour myself a glass of 16 year old Pinot Noir not from California, but from Oregon. Some of my wine expert friends that I know swear by Oregon for there ability to produce high end Pinot's that can rival French Burgundies. The Ken Wright makes me hold out hope for a few of the California Pinot Noir's that I have collected the last 5 years. It also makes me want to learn more about the Pinot's being produced in Oregon. The Ken Wright had a beautiful nose of cherry, spice and flowers. In the mouth a young tasting Pinot with serious acidity, cherry and cranberry flavors. Very well integrated Tannins as well. What a treat! Thank you Mr. Rushworth.

AND THE NUMBER #1 WINE OF 2010 IS?????


2006 Didier Dagueneau Blanc Fume de Pouilly - SILEX

Oh gee~ I just finish talking about how wines from the United States can compete against the French then this happens. I will take you back to January of 2010 and just one of many many "Padres Panel" tastings that took place throughout the year. I brought Peter Michael's Sauvignon Blanc in a brown bag for the group to try and my good friend Jon Jilg brought Silex. I remember my brother talking about Didier Dagueneau dieing in a plane crash in 2008 and how he was using unconventional French methods to make some serious wines. Little did I know just how good this wine would turn out to be. Everything about Silex that day was in perfect harmony. Intense nose of exotic fruit, melon and white pear. On the palate the wine has good weight with a heavy fruit concentration but in balance with perfect acidity and a very long mineral finish. To me, it is the absolute perfect expression of Sauvignon Blanc. The only thing missing that day was food. Then again, I will have another chance at the perfect food and wine pairing as a bottle of this fine wine made it's way into my locker for Christmas. Thank you Mr Jilg for the coolest wine gift of the year. I have already stated to some of my friends that this could very well be a wine that may make my top 5 wines of all time EVER!.

Lets just hope I get to drink wine for another 45 plus years!

~So there is my list~
~As I said last year~

Wine Geek? - Wine Snob? - Wine Collector?

Perhaps you should listen to me!
I may just know something!

Cheers~