Summer Kickoff

June 22, 2010


Getting together for a casual night on the Mesa with good friends to kick off the beginning of Summer is as good of a reason as any to uncork some wine, right? If you are reading this, my guess is that you agree with me when I say that the answer to that question is obviously yes. We kept the food simple with a meat lovers pizza and hot wings from Mesa Pizza, managing to make it as unhealthy as we possibly could. Well, time to move past that decision and go onto the wine:

Jaffurs Rose 2009**
Saying that this wine has lively acid would be an understatement. It has that Terry Theise, enamel stripping acidity, that without the right food and served cold on a hot day could easily be over-whelming for some. The nose is showing peach and cherry skins while the bright palate offers Meyer lemon and cherry pit.

Palmina Barbera Honea Vineyard 2007**-***
What a great wine, Barbera is possibly the most versatile pairing varietal out there! Hot wings and pizza? No problem. Lovely nose of blackberries are dark red stone fruits led the way for the rich palate full of black currant. The mouth feel is what really separates this wine and other Barberas. Soft tannins and great acidity give you a luscious yet lively mouth full of wine. Wish I had more...

Babcock Pinot Noir Ocean's Ghost 2008**
Fairly primary still, deep and dark with smoky meat and blackberries. Nice wine but lacked that elusive enriched mid-palate that I am always looking for.

Calera Pinot Noir Mt. Harlan Vineyard 2006**-***
Savory and meaty leading into pretty perfumed fruit. Nice balance and mouth feel. This wine has huge potential and would almost certainly be a real treat to revisit in 5 years.

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.