The Century Club

As always, if you get this as an email, please visit http://purpletooth.blogspot.com/

Hey, happy 100th blog entry!

It just so happened that I had a fantastic weekend of friends and wine for the occasion.

Last night, we ventured south on the 15 (twice actually, if you count Beth driving home and not knowing that we live closer to Riverside than San Diego. Thankfully, I directed her off at the first exit and we didn't take the kids on their first ever Mexico trip/impromptu Tijuana run). As always, it was a great trip to see the Jansens, bonus points for getting to see the Vettraino's (including new baby Zoe), and double bonus points for tremendously big Pinots. Good stuff.

balance 2009 Red Field Blend ($17.99)

I wrote about balance nearly 14 months ago, after an evening with the Grabers. I wasn't crazy about it then, and I liked the 09 even less. We had some 7 year Bass Lake Cheddar out, among other things, and balance just couldn't rise to the occasion. It started out ok, pretty good nose, very floral tasting, I was thinking "B/B-." But it was downhill from there. It got more tart and didn't finish all that well. We came to a consensus grade.

Grade: C+

Then it was showtime. Cue the Johnny Gill, "My, My, My":

Tom had some gourmet burgers and sausages to accompany these two bad boys.

Belle Glos Clark & Telephone Vineyard 2010 Pinot Noir ($44)
Wine Spectator score: 93 Points

Sojourn Gap's Crown Vineyard 2009 Pinot Noir ($48)
Wine Spectator score: 92 Points


Nothing disappointed.

In the side-by-side showdown, Belle Glos was the unanimous winner. On any other night, Sojourn would have shined. That's how yummy things were last night. Both wines were great, no, outstanding.

The Belle Glos is in the conversation for best Pinot I've had. Ever. Really big, zippy, delicious berry flavor with a long finish. Wow. Worth the rating, and worth the money.

The Sojourn just lacked a few adjectives in comparison. As I said, an outstanding wine that got better over time.

Belle Glos Grade: A
Sojourn Grade: B+

I'm a big fan of the 2010 Pinots. I'm a bigger fan of Saturdays at the Jansens.

Discovered By The Germans, 1904.

Named after the high school in San Mateo, Junipero Serra, where Tom Brady (and Barry Bonds, Lynn Swan, Jim Fregosi, Greg Jeffries and legendary coach, John Robinson ) attended.

Minassian-Young 2009 Junipero ($24)

Or maybe the Minassian-Young's have a cat named Father Junipero Serra? Or there's an outside chance it's named after Junipero Serra, founder of the Catholic mission chain in present day California. I think it's cooler if it's a tribute to Tom's HS though. Everything's cooler with Tom Brady.

Is it not?

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On to the wine.

This is becoming our new "Special Occasion Wine." Or at least our, "Family Time Wine," which is always special.

Over Labor Day weekend, my dad, Susanne, Aimee, Travis, Austin and one of his buddies came out. Aimee brought this, not knowing she was replacing the only bottle Keira has ever broken (and will ever, knock on wood). It easily stole the show from the meal, (unimpressive BBQ) while Michigan played scout team to Alabama's NFL-ready squad. Actually, I think this was the lone bright spot on the evening.

This red blend is a really rich, textured, flavorful wine. It's a tad sweet (as was their 09 Zin), but it still has a peppery finish. Lovely.

Sunday, Matt and Jen made their way out west. Again BBQ'd, this time with much better results, and cracked the Junipero. And again, it was great. I love the Minassian-Youngs. Good stuff.

Wine Grade: B+
Beth's Wine Grade: B
Family Grade: A+

Siduri- Rosella's Vineyard 2010 Pinot Noir ($35ish) Sorry, lost the receipt!

Wine Spectator 2010 Pinot report lives here.

I skimmed the list, found this bottle at Total Wine and thought I was in for something special. I bought a 2008 Siduri in New Jersey and wasn't impressed, but 08 wasn't a banner year for Pinot, so I thought they deserved another shot.

SIDURI
Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2010	91	$30
Pinot Noir Russian River Valley Ewald Vineyard 2010	92	$45
Pinot Noir Russian River Valley Keefer Ranch Vineyard 2010	94	$49
Pinot Noir Russian River Valley Parsons' Vineyard 2010	93	$45
Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands 2010	87	$30
Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands Garys' Vineyard 2010	93	$50
Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands Pisoni Vineyard 2010	92	$55
Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands Rosella's Vineyard 2010	93	$49
Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands Sierra Mar Vineyard 2010	92	$49
Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2010	88	$30
Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast Sonatera Vineyard 2010	90	$48
Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills 2010	92	$30
Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills Cargasacchi Vineyard 2010	92	$50
Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills Sebastiano Vineyard 2010	93	$48

That's a pretty impressive stat sheet. I found their 2nd highest rated bottle for $15 less than the Spectator price. This called for salmon!

Well, the salmon won the meal. Siduri didn't even put up a fight. It was a little too light (for my big style Pinot taste), a little too bumpy (not smooth), and a little too dry. As we finished the bottle, wishing there was a new Breaking Bad to watch, but settled for Dexter, Beth said, "It's getting worse." Not a good sign.

I do have to say, I'm in 100% palate agreement with the Wellesley Wine guy. He didn't have Siduri on the list. I'd take Wagner's Meiomi at $15 less everyday of the week.

Grade: C-

But this was really good with our shrimp cocktail appetizer with Peter Lugar's steak sauce that Max ate almost all of.

Let's Cook.

Much thanks to all who clicked the http://purpletooth.blogspot.com last time. There's more of you out there than I suspected! 

Perhaps I've been under the influence of Breaking Bad lately, not to the point of kickstarting my own meth lab, but when I saw those pretty blue bottles of Euro juice, I went right in with two hands. 

The bottle on the left, Han's Schiller 2010 Liebfraumilch ($3.99),
I discovered a few months ago. I thought I was on the cutting edge of discovery, and sure enough, 6 weeks ago, Total Wine had a huge mid floor display of the blue. My secret is out and I couldn't be happier.

If you're at all into semi-sweet white wine, there's not a huge reason to drop over $4 on a bottle of something decent. I had the Liebfraumilch before cracking my favorite German Riesling, Monchhof, and honestly, I can't say the Monchhof was that much better, certainly not $10 better.

Grade B+  (price curve: A)

On the right, Blue Nun Ravaner ($7 I think) is just ok. It's a little tarter and dryer than the Liebs. I'd pass

Grade: C

What else in cheap consumption you ask?

Castellana ($6ish)

This was a cheap Italian dry wine that exceeded my very low expectations. We had it with a thrown together pasta dinner mid-week. Not bad at all.

Grade: C+

Whitley Gardens 2009 California Zinfandel ($5.99)

$6 for a Zin with a "Staff Member Pick" tag hanging on it? Sure, why not. Based on the price and it's light color I thought it'd be crap, but it wasn't. I'll pick it up again.

Grade: C+

I'm looking forward to cracking something good Saturday night. I'm thinking a big pinot. Whatdya got?