On the calendar for a month, lots of preparation from our host and great anticipation from all of us, we were able to get the gang back together for a memorable night of food, wine and friendship...It never starts off innocent, we know what to expect, late night, lots of laughs, amazing wine and beautifully prepared food. The Brennan's (Peter & Stephanie) our host this evening and the Kings (Scott & Lynn) along with their friend from out of town, my husband and myself arrive to the Brennan's. Awaiting are warm hugs, big smiles, Champs and a concert that will out perform any 5 star dining experience.
Here we go....
We start the evening off with a bottle of 1998 Roederer Estate, Anderson Valley L'Ermitage. Delicious, light, hazelnut and complex. This sparkling wine from the California region, was very nice, I love Champagne and usually drink from its origin of birth but I found this to be a wonderful brut. Also out is a bottle of 2005 Black Jack Chardonnay "Black Cap Reserve", Santa Barbara County. As I was so busy sipping on the champagne, I finally did get a chance to sample this wonderful wine. Obtained from the Brennan's last trip to the Santa Barbara wine country, this is the single greatest Chardonnay by this producer. Clone 76 Dijon fruit, with a touch of vanilla, rich, concentrated, creme brulee. I found this to be a lovely wine with great character, I will find some to put in my cellar for future consumption. Our lovely host paired this with pears, blue cheese and prosciutto.
As I stood around the kitchen island, my dear friend and host, Peter pulled out a bottle of
2005 Saint-Aubin 1er Cru, Les Murgers des Dents de Chein. Knowing how much I love this wine, I was very happy to enjoy a few glasses. This wine won the wine of the evening at our last dinner party and there are many reasons why. Perfect pale yellow in color, amazing nose of pear and apple fruit, to the palate; butter flavors, smooth, elegant with a perfect mineral note with a long finish. By far a fabulous white burgundy that I will always follow and continue to enjoy. This exceptional wine paired nicely with the most delicious Petite Cheese Tarts and salmon dolloped over mini yellow potatoes.
The white burgundy was consumed in a matter of minutes, before I could look for more Peter pulled out another favorite of mine; 2006 John's Creek Chardonnay, Nickel & Nickel. Nickel & Nickel has always produced exceptional wines that are consistently good. All their wines are from a single-vineyard which takes talent and skills from the winemaker, no blending allowed to help enhance the flavor. This particular wine showed a beautiful nose of fig and apricots, to the palate; soft orange flesh, vanilla, pear with a lingering finish. Simply yummy. No time for pairing on this one, it went way to fast.
As we all are assigned our seats and sit at the dinner table with great anticipation from the parfumes in the kitchen, we get a taste of our next wine. 2005 Casa Lapostolle, Clos Apalta Colchagua Valley, Chile. This wine was voted the #1 wine of The Year by Wine Spectator. Lynn and I tasted this wine blind, we contemplated it being a Bordeaux. This wine was tight nosed out of the bottle and needed some time to develop. Once decanted the nuances changed immediately and became a different wine. This is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, sourced from the estates oldest vines in Colchagua. To the eye this wine was dark blueberry jam, to the nose; dark berry fruit, dark plum flesh, to the palate; velvety, smooth, elegant with a smoky finish. This wine can lay down for many years, simply elegant. This was paired with a Rib Roast topped with a Thyme-Mustard Jus, Potato Gorgonzola Gratin and Roasted Asparagus. I closed my eyes to savor the moment of being in heaven.
As you are learning from this group wine goes pretty quickly and it is all amazing, next to enjoy was a 2005 La Jota Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Howell Mountain. Howell Mountain is located on volcanic soil and deep elevations, which yields wine of great structure and intense fruit. To the color this wine was dark blueberry, the nose; rich dark fruits, cherries and a hint of smoke, on the palate; earth, minerals, with lush dark fruits on the finish. I found this wine to be amazing. As the evening evolved this wine enhanced and became softer and sexy.. I will definitely seek this wine out to lay down in my cellar.
And yet another bottle of amazing juice. 2003 Whispering Dove Stags Leap Reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon. Made from some of Napa's best fruit, this is a dark concentrated Cabernet. Intense nose of blackberries and leather, tannis dominate the palate with a long finish. Such a great bottle of wine, I have no idea how Peter has saved a few bottle after all these years.
As our dessert is in the oven and the smell of vanilla fills the house we all decide to keep drinking the many bottles still lingering on the table of the La Jota and Whispering Dove. Our beautiful host, Stephanie brings everyone a homemade dessert of Vanilla Bean Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream and Caramel. This looked so amazing and the presentation was so beautiful you hated to touch it but it had to be done. The only thing I could think of that would go so perfectly with this was a Sautern. Knowing Peter like I do, he thought exactly the same thing. 2001 Les Cypres de Climens, appellation Barsac, sub-region Sauterns. Beautiful deep honey color, intense nose of vanilla, apricots, lemon curd and oranges made my palate jump for joy. Loads of flavour, very rich, great depth and very complex. Very good indeed! This paired so nicely with the Vanilla Bean cake and even on the palate made the vanilla so profound.
As we ended the evening with great gratitude and kindness towards Peter and Stephanie, I appreciated the love and attention they put into such an enjoyable evening. When you can go to your dear friends and they open their home, their cellar and spend the whole day preparing a 5 star of epicurean delights just for you, you know you are truly fortunate and this brings warmth to my heart.
Thank you for such a treasured evening!
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About Me
- The Purple Palate
- Orange County, CA, United States
- I grew up with my Father, who had a great love and passion for wine and food. In the early 70's he collected many of the Grand Cru and wines that we now seek for collecting at a very high price. To my Father and a small group of friends, these wines were not marketed and highly worshiped as they are today, they merely collected them at a small price and educated themselves on each unique bottle. With this passion came a movement that started the wine shock in the early 70's and has continued until today. These same friends are very influential in the wine world today, wine editors, wine shop owners and highly praised collectors that keep us all on a watch for the next great wine of the year. Learning and tasting the great wines of the world at such an early age, forged a great love for admiring and collecting the grape. With this passion I bring to you along with my tasting notes, education and travels to find the grapes that make us all want to collect and experience a new bottle of wine, that dazzles our palate and makes us smile with each sip. I hope to share my love and experiences with you, Cheers!
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