Leslie Fisher Hits the East Bay: 90 Ravenswood, Copain, Niepoort, etc..

Traci and I heard Leslie Fisher would be in town so we quietly invited her to come on over for a nice homecooked meal. Of course no dinner would be complete without a couple of other wine friends so our good friends Jason Brandt Lewis and his lovely wife Lynn and our good friend Ken Zinns came over for dinner. JBL and Lynn brought some wonderful cheeses from a couple of CA producers - hopefully JBL will chime in with the producers b/c both were well worth searching out. Traci made a terrific mushroom pate, a terrific pancetta studded beef tenderloing with crispy garlicky potatoes and asparagus...all in all a terrific evening of good food, good friends and good wine. What wine is all about in my book!!!

• 2005 Hartford / Hartford Court Chardonnay Seascape Vineyard

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

  This is one of my favorite Chardonnays and one of the last vintages made by Mike Sullivan (Currently winemaker at Benovia). Just terrific balance of everything...fruit, structure, finish, texture. Hazelnut, citrus, a hint of crushed stone, stone fruits all in a gorgeously balanced package. Glad to have 3 more of these and gotta keep Traci from getting to them...

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• 2007 Mandola Vermentino

  USA, Texas, Texas Hill Country

  Served blind to the gang...this wine Traci and picked up around Christmas at a small winery outside Austin. Pretty nice wine actually and the best we tasted there by far. Ripe peach/apricot fruits, a little bit of white flower, good acidity...it actually tastes like a Vermentino...nice.

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• 2005 Delaney Vineyards Cynthiana Delaney Vineyards Grapevine

  USA, Texas

  Jason served this red blind....fun to end up comparing it to another Texas wine on the same evening. Tasting it is interesting in that it tastes like no other wine you've had...loads of Christmas spice, red fruits, a little anise, a little cigarette smoke...interesting but we all agreed to move on. And this winery should be sued for directly ripping off Far Niente's label. I think I guessed, just before it was unveiled, that this was probably a Norton wine...

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• 2006 Sandler Wine Company Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

  This was very nice...loads of dark fruit - cherries and blackberries - but not heavy at all. A little pine note, cola and spice. Medium length finish and gorgeous texture. Very good!
  
  Disclaimer: Ed K and I are good friends and I help him out at his winery from time to time...including bottling.

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• 2002 Copain Syrah Hawks Butte Vineyard

  USA, California, North Coast, Yorkville Highlands

  Generously brought by Ken Z. This is in a beautiful place if you like a little age on your Syrah. The big fruit has settled down to show iron, olive tapenade, some cassis in the background along with some pepper/spice. Finish is very nice. this is really good!!!

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• 2006 Copain Syrah Spirit Rock Alder Springs Vineyard

  USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino County

  Generously brought by our guest the lovely Leslie Fisher. This bears some similarities to the 02 Hawks Butte but more frisky fruit a little more chocolate notes. pepper, whole cluster spice, a little spearmint, with some chewy tannins on the back end. This needs to be held for a little bit.

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• 1990 Ravenswood Zinfandel Sonoma County

  USA, California, Sonoma County

  Paired next to the Ravenswood 1990 Merlot (Sangiacomo Vineyard, Carneros). Showing very claret like with notes of tobacco, cedar and a little blackberry fruit. It has decent acidity hanging in there and nice chewy finish. All in all for a Sonoma County wine (probably not their best barrel selection) this is hanging in nicely and was a real treat to drink.

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• 1990 Ravenswood Merlot Sangiacomo Vineyard

  USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros

  I really liked this very unique wine. others would probably be turned off by the greenness. Sweet blackberry fruit, bell pepper, green tobacco and a little hint of cocoa. On day 2, this is showing really well and to may have a little more life than the Sonoma County Zin...hmm. Nice acidity that grips a little but a silky smooth texture...terrific.

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• 2003 McGrail Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Livermore McGrail Vineyard Flawed

  USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Livermore Valley

  Corked...badly corked.

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• NV Niepoort Porto 10 Year Old Tawny

  Portugal, Douro, Porto

  This was paired with my creamy caramel pudding and well, I don't think I got to it...so a quick taste and spit this morning...I don't know why I don't drink more Port. Or share my bro's obviously love...but for an inexpensive Port this is very tasty. Toffee, figs, cassis all in a nicely balanced package...no heat whatsoever just a beautiful over performer for the money! Right on!

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