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ENKIDU Pinot Noir
Sonoma County 2008 $26/bottle
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Greetings!
If you could see me as I compose, this is why people often say "boy, I wish I had your job!" With wines as good as I'm tasting right now, true, it ain't bad.
The wines? Joseph Kent Sauvignon Blanc and "Gris-Gris," a Bordeaux-style red blend by young, talented winemaker Kent Jarman. He was in earlier today (Monday) to show these two rare (175 cases combined!) beauties. The SB is peach, mango, apricots, lemons and grapefruits.
The "Gris Gris" red blend is lush, rich, heady, viscous and an easy recommendation at $45/bottle. Kent is bringing me his last five cases of the red this week. The SB will be in a little later, once some room clears out in the Cal white section. The late spring has cramped "Refreshing White Wine" sales.
But no more, buster. It's nice outside now!
Have with Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus & Tarragon Aioli  |
Speaking of delicious Sauvignon Blanc, WALTER HANSEL Sauvignon Blanc from Russian River Valley 2009 ($16/bottle) was the unequivocal hit at last Friday's "100 Perfect Pairings" tasting and book signing. Author Jill Silverman Hough sold 46 books and we all had a good time eating, drinking and enjoying each other's company. The Walter Hansel Sauvignon Blanc was paired with prosciutto-wrapped asparagus with a tarragon aioli. With or without food, but preferably with, this was the party favorite.
My latest Food & Wine Blog entry explains why the pairing worked so well. We recommend you buy some of the Hansel from Back Room Wines. Operators are standing by.
Back Room Blow Out XXXVII is just 10 days away!
Friday, June 18, 5 to 8 PM.
We're going back to the good ol' days and welcoming FIVE guests for this our 37th such event. Visit and taste with Green & Red Winery, Cloud View Vineyard, Bedrock Wine Co, Spotted Owl Winery and European wine importer WINEWISE will be pouring.
Nine wines to enjoy. It's just $10, and as always at a Blow Out, we credit $5 of your tasting for each bottle of BLOW OUT wine you purchase. Blow Out XXXVII Info is here.
And Hot Dogs & Wine countdown is 32 days.
Saturday July 3, Noon to 5. Details here.
Got a story to tell you about a corked bottle of wine I came across yesterday afternoon.
It's after my Enkidu "Money Wine" write up. Worth reading.
From the time flies department: Prince turned 52 last week. 52!
Dan
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Money Wines
June 8, 2010
Money Wine: a wine that anyone who loves good, rich, utterly delicious wine will enjoy A LOT, and is an EXCEPTIONAL VALUE.
TODAY
A tasty Sonoma County Pinot Noir that's easy to wrap your arms around.
ENKIDU  Pinot Noir
Sonoma County 2007
$26/bottle
Since my introduction to Enkidu in 2008, I've admired the texture, purity, richness and balance in their wines. As a whole they boast the taste that the California sunshine makes possible while letting the grape speak first, winemaking second. In other words, the Enkidu Pinot Noir, as all their wines, is concentrated, but not too concentrated.
The ENKIDU Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast 2008 is an easy recommendation for anyone who likes California Pinot Noir.
Tiny Pinot berries from cool-climate vineyards are cold-soaked for three days before fermenting. Aged 10 months in French oak, 20% new, before bottling last summer. The result is a supple, spicy, fruit-driven Pinot Noir with layers of fruit and earth.
Taste black, dark cherries and raspberries along with cola, black tea and Italian herbs. You gotta have some flavors of-the-earth to qualify as top-notch Pinot Noir, and the Enkidu has it.
Food matches: beef tenderloin with grilled earthy mushrooms (creminellis work well), pork shoulder roast, ratatouille or somesuch fresh vegetable mixture with tomato and/or tapenade.
Buy ENKIDU Pinot Noir here.
1. Order On-Line by clicking the link above
2. Reply to this email with your order,
3. Call us, toll-free, at 877-322-2576
Thank you!
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LANGUEDOC, ROUSSILLON & more of Southern France
This Thursday and Friday,
June 10 and 11
5 to 8 P.M.
We'll pour wines so good, they deserve two nights!
From the south of France...whites, reds and an apéritif.
Here's the wine line-up
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My cork story
| A couple visiting from St. Louis came in yesterday afternoon and asked if we carried Pedroncelli Pinot Noir. Since we don't, I suggested a Pinot Noir that I knew was similar if not better, and a good value as well: ARMIDA Pinot Noir "Castelli Knight" Russian River Valley 2006, $19.
"A little stronger than Pedroncelli. Darker fruits and a little more bite. Very good for drinking without food," as their plan was to drink it at their hotel before dinner. They accepted my recommendation and bought the wine.
My new customers from St. Louis then wondered if they could find a corkscrew at their hotel. It's Napa, so of course they could, but still I lifted the cork to save them the step. Since it's opened, I might as well check the wine. Yes, it was corked. Not super-corked, but definitely not the wine I described to them. I opened bottle #2 and it was good.
This was a perfect opportunity to pour them a taste of each: the good and the bad. This was uncharted territory for them, so they were a little confused, but the taste difference was apparent and it made sense to them.
The unique situation of my opening and checking their bottle prevented them from drinking a corked wine. Had I not done this, they would not have known it was "corked" and would have assumed it was exactly as it was supposed to be: stronger style as I had said, but not very fruity, quite tart and not very good. Their feeling for Back Room Wines, Armida Winery, and probably Pinot Noir would have been negative. Heaven knows how often I've lost a potential repeat customer because my recommendation was accepted, the wine was corked, and the customer figured that it was just a bad wine and a bad wine shop. This is the #1 reason I'm all for non-natural cork closures. I listen to all reasons for natural cork, but loss of business trumps them all.
Drink more Silvaner. Dan
Daniel Dawson
Owner, Back Room Wines Corner of First & Main Streets (First Street
Entrance) Downtown Napa, California 94559 Phone: (707) 226-1378 Toll Free # is
877-322-2576 email: daniel@backroomwines.com |
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