Three Flights, With Pairings

Red Barn, Santa Ynez
Tasted Wednesday, May 11, 2016 by JonnyG with 478 views

Introduction

Our chef-host wanted to use blind tastings to focus on the elevation achieved through an outstanding food pairing, in this case three of his very favorites. We had ten-fifteen minutes with each set of wines before the food accompaniment was brought in.

Flight 1 - Sweet Wines and Foie Gras, Two Ways (3 Notes)

I loved starting off with stickies, and this of course is a classic pairing. The protein was served simply sautéed with Asian pear, and seared then placed atop a grilled brioche cake. The three sweeties were tremendously different from one another. I mistook the Ojai Eiswein for something from the Okagon Valley. The Dolce was probably the best alongside the food. I found the Sauternes to be a touch on the flabby side, lacking the acidity to really soar alongside the unctuous foie gras.

  • 2010 Dolce Winery Late Harvest 90 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Moderate sweetness and good acidity, in balance. A bit simple on the palate, and lacking in concentration.

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  • 2012 Ojai Viognier Ice Wine Roll Ranch Vineyard 91 Points

    USA, California

    My first encounter with this, and there's a lot to like. Notes of pear, tea, honey and herbs. For me, it hollowed out on the mid-palate, and lost all vibrancy on the finish.

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  • 1996 Château d'Yquem 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

    The best -- and most traditional -- of the flight, with tremendous freshness and youthfulness. Still a baby, with a somewhat simple palate for an Yquem, lacking the vibrant acidity I look for, similar to my last (non-blind) encounter with this.

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Flight 2 - Pinots and Mushroom Risotto (4 Notes)

I have to confess I would not have thought of risotto as a classic Pinot pairing, and I am not sure it worked to perfection, but it was delicious and did evoke an interesting discussion around whether the Sta. Rita Hills' signature varietal would ever develop a go-to pairing of its own -- maybe salmon, some thought. It is interesting to note the close association of so many of the world's iconic wines with a local specialty (Barolo & truffles came to mind). Is this a requisite to achieve "classic" status, or just the outcome of centuries of culture, branding and the power of suggestion?

Flight 3 - A Funked-Up Cabernet Flight, Paired with Grilled and Fried Squab (4 Notes)

"Funked," in that each of the wines featured its own rather different set of issues on the nose, a bit odd for the varietal. None lasted too long, and the squab played well off of the soft fruit and structure of most of the wines.

  • 1998 Dry Creek Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 91 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley

    It took a while for a mold-like funk to blow off. Mature, but also a touch austere, with restrained red fruit and a touch of green, true to the vintage.

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  • 2008 Joseph Phelps Insignia 91 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    This should have been held for a few more years, or at least given a generous decant. As it was, the wine was restrained and backwards, displaying little of the dominant Cabernet. Tart black fruit and a touch of menthol. Should merit a meaningfully higher score over time.

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  • 1998 Henry's Drive Cabernet Sauvignon 92 Points

    Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Padthaway

    I found it a bit surprising to realize that I think this was my first Henry's Drive, and I really enjoyed it. Distinctly Aussie, with signature mint aspects that did not distract from ripe blue fruit and a nice spice palate. Lush, fully integrated tannins. No signs of aging.

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  • 2002 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 88 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    A barely-there bouquet was my first warning sign that this wine might not be offering up too much, and while I'm on record for being skeptical about almost all 2002 Bordeaux, bear in mind please that this was served blind. On the palate I got muted red berries, green pepper and a clipped finish. The bottle did not seemed to be flawed, who knows...

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Closing

Chef: mission accomplished -- the shared focus on the food took pressure off of discerning nuances of the wines within each flight, and let us instead indulge in how complementary your food was to each vinous offering. I am grateful to have been included.

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