Each Wine Tells a Different Story

May 10, 2010
Another great night spent on the Mesa. When the cat is away, the mice will play and on this night, Mike and I really out did ourselves. Salami and crackers led into shrimp and bay scallop linguine. The lemon infused olive and wilted rocket were an especially nice touch.


Domaine Leflaive Bourgogne Blanc 2006***
Elegant and bright with huge acidity. Wonderfully refreshing with all of that nuance that you look for in Chardonnay. High tones of citrus peel and the salinity of minerality gave way to hints of marzipan and honey.

Kutch Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2008**-***
Unfortunately, campfire was clearly present in this wine. Despite the apparent smoke taint, it had all the stuffing to be a very nice wine. The smoke came and went as it was open and when it wasn't there I got plums, bacon fat, and a hint at something similar to soy or teriyaki beef jerky. The palate was one very nice constant offering bramble berries and was mouth filing while staying quite elegant.

Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley 2005*-**
Tons of new American oak on this wine that completely dominated the nose and dried your palate. Fortunately with air, the initial singular focus of the wine began to relax and the fruit began to emerge. With this experience I can now say that I agree with large group of people that question the value of the hype surrounding this winery.

Food for thought:
How does a wine inherit the aromas of the atmosphere around the vines during the grapes maturation? The reason for me asking that question is in response to the Kutch wine enjoyed on this particular night, but leads into further questions about the actual depth of the concept of terrior.

There were massive and destructive wild fires all across the state of California during the summer of 2008 with several being caused by lighting strikes especially close to the vineyards of Sonoma. Could the smoke from these fires really impart it's distinct aromas into the very fabric of grape growing nearby and subsequently alter the fermented juice of those grapes? Apparently the answer is yes, but how? How does any outside influence get integrated into a finished wine? Even though I am sure there is some scientific reasons for its occurrence, I like to think that it is something more than that, something more beautiful and mysterious, like divine providence.

This issue is at the very heart of wine and why wine has been so celebrated for thousands of years. The ability to express a sense of place is what makes a wine so special and creates an undeniable sense of loyalty and pride amongst those that grow it, make it, and live it everyday of their lives. This is why wine isn't grown in hot houses and mass produced...well, good wine for that matter. The idea of terrior is paramount when thinking about wine. Without it, you might as well be drinking Budweiser.

Here is a question for everyone to think about: Why do you drink wine?

Until next time, cheers!



0 Stars - No rating
1 Star (*) - Not of significant quality or interest
2 Stars (**) - A notable wine of legitimate interest
3 Stars (***) - Great wine that should be searched out
4 Stars (****) - Fantastic wine that should not be missed
5 Stars (*****) - An absolutely mind-bending wine - beg, borrow, or steal to get your hands on some of this amazing juice!

Disclaimer: This rating is based on my palate and at the given time when tasted and may differ from yours. Also, I may catch a bottle in a dumb phase or it just may not speak to me at that particular time.