Carolyn Nichol's Birthday Party

Carolyn and Chris have played email tag for months trying to set a date for a get together. Carolyn's birthday was the perfect time and with all of their close friends it made for a great evening. Mark made scampi, pasta, meatballs, meat sauce, greek salad, snacks of olives, and plenty of cheese and crackers. It was our first time meeting almost 20 new people and sometimes that can be a challenge when the group has a long history. Well, not with these guys. We couldn't stand by ourselves for more than a minute before someone would come by and strike up a conversation and each and everyone was more entertaining than the last.

• 2008 Erath Pinot Noir Oregon 80 Points

  USA, Oregon

  Extremely simple wine. very light color. Palate was muted and watered down. No finish whatsoever. Even at $16, not a QPR for an Oregon PN.

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• 2007 Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 90 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  This will be a very good wine. You can drink it now but I think you'll be rewarded for waiting. Dark color and fruit with smoke/oak and big tannis. Good Cali cabernet.

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• 2007 Bridlewood Estate Winery Viognier Reserve Central Coast 85 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast

  Most unusual for a viognier, not a style I've had before. This looked like a chard and tasted like a chard. Nice tin of gold in the glass. Pears, honey, and an overall "sweet" sense on the tongue. There was definitely a buttery taste and mouth feel.

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• 2002 Silver Stag Cabernet Sauvignon Parsley Family Estates 92 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  This is a big boy. bold, strong, and structured. And that goes for the bottle too, there's a lot of glass in that bottle and I certainly wouldn't want to drop it on my foot.
  
  This can cellar for quite some time based on the structure. nice wine.

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• 2007 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon 91 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Lots of tannis, it's still a baby. But a very nice caymus for sure. dark fruit and medium finish. Still too tight right now but this has promise to jump a couple points higher after a long nap.

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• 2002 Rubicon Estate Rubicon 90 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford

  Very smooth wine, nearly complete lack of tannis at this point results in a silky mouthfeel and very plesant drinker but I'm questioning the drinking window until 2016, it wont get better IMHO.

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• 2006 Adelaida Pinot Noir HMR Estate 91 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  I like this wine, I opened the bottle and poured a small taster and went to get some food from the buffet for Carolyn's birthday. Upon my return, the bottle was "missing in action". I heard people on the patio talking about a great pinot and then I saw it... the dead soldier laying on the table. "No man left behind" I yelled and proceeded to drag the bottle back to the kitchen for a proper burial.
  
  nice fruit, funk, mouthfeel, and finish.

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• 2006 Mounts Family Winery Petite Sirah 88 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley

  Super dark wine as you'd expect. lots of fruit and plenty of tannis. medium finish.

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• NV Veuve Clicquot Champagne Brut 88 Points

  France, Champagne

  This is a good solid bubbly but not a great QPR.

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Great wines and a better time had by all.