Q1 (and Q2) Wine Dinner

Since we didn't get a wine dinner put together in proper Q1, we made a nice big one happen for Q1 and Q2 combined.

Generally thought it would be fun to compare 2012 Rhone-style wines from California. Largely because I had just received 6 bottles of the brand new Andremily, and wanted to see what it was all about.

Dinner was Santa Maria style mesquite-smoked trip tip and prime beef tenderloin; arugula salad; prosciutto-wrapped asparagus.

Robert and Rachel brought a selection of lovely cheeses to enjoy with the whites and the pinot while we were visiting and finishing dinner.

• 2014 Corra Tail Feathers 92 Points

  USA, Oregon, Southern Oregon, Rogue Valley

  Consistent with prior notes. Popped for dinner guests and they were equally intrigued and enjoyed this wine.

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• 2013 Rivers-Marie Chardonnay Sonoma Coast 88 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

  Well made wine, just a bit too much toasty oak for me. Some lemon in this. Medium body and medium finish. Just not as good as the B. Theriot single vineyard from the same vintage.

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• 2013 Rivers-Marie Pinot Noir Silver Eagle Vineyard 92 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

  This is a great pinot to enjoy now. Lucious fruit, but not a total fruit bomb. Great "perfume" of ripe, sweet red fruit and orange zest. Popped and poured at cellar temp. Disappeared quickly.

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I had the guests taste the reds blind and score their favorites. Andremily received two votes, SQN received one vote, Pott received one vote and the final vote was "split" between Andremily and SQN.

The split voter correctly pegged the Saxum and the Pott, and knew the other two were Andremily and the SQN. But he flip-flopped the two when pressed to guess, which in my mind was a nod towards the quality of the Andremily.

• 2012 Andremily Syrah No. 1 96 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County

  Decanted for 4 hours. Smokey, gamey nose. Dark, brooding purple. The finish on this wine is amazing. Truly epic, long and rolling. Dinner guests tasted blind with 2012 SQN Stock and 2012 Saxum James Berry. This was the group #1.
  
  I think the SQN might have edged this one out in my opinion later in the night once it got more air, but the finish on this wine is hard to argue with; approaching perfect.
  
  Will be fun to see how cellaring treats this wine.

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• 2012 Saxum James Berry Vineyard 94 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  Decanted for one hour at room temperature. Nose still opened quickly, with a striking acetone/super glue note that I actually quite liked.
  
  Drank next to 2012 syrahs from Andremily and SQN (Stock). This was a lighter wine. More red in color. Definitely shorter on the finish. Not to say that this wine has a "short" finish, but that it was up against some massive competition. Blind tasters ranked this #3 (tied with the 2012 Pott Kaliholmanok that we also included).
  
  Really a good contrast, and was a fun wine to revisit during the night. The nose persisted, but the flavors developed more secondary tones.

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• 2012 Sine Qua Non Syrah Stock 96 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast

  Decanted for 4 hours at room temp. Drank with 2012 Andremily and 2012 Saxum James Berry. This was the deepest/heaviest of the wines in both color and weight. Similar to the Andremily in profile and flavors.
  
  Blind tasters rated this #2 behind Andremily, and almost all noted that they were very, very similar. Difference was largely the finish; the SQN is huge, but the Andremily is a skyscraper.
  
  Once this had another couple of hours in the decanter, it developed even more and became more complex than the Andremily. Really classic SQN with a kaleidoscope of flavors. Big wine, but still well balanced.

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• 2012 Pott Wine Cabernet Sauvignon Kaliholmanok Kicu'me 94 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District

  Slow ox'd this guy in the bottle for 4 hours prior to tasting. Deep, dark purple. Notes of tobacco, smoke and tender box. Big, solid finish. Good steak wine.
  
  This wine showed better later in the evening, when the purple fruits came out. Would recommend a decant and/or even more oxygen in the short term. And should be great in 2-4 years.

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Really impressed with the Andremily and how it showed in comparison to so big guns. Definitely a wine to lay down, but glad to know it has the stuffing and will (hopefully) buy more next year.

Ashleigh made a wonderful riff on a dessert that we had at Saison in Napa. Tangellos that were hollowed out, frozen and then packed with home-made vanilla bean ice cream.

Good times had by all.