Fall Feast at Sandy's

Sandy is an excellent cook, and we're lucky that she also likes to entertain regularly. Her homemade gravlax were yummy on top of the arugula from my garden, and everything else was delicious as well. The '08 Palmina Malvasia Bianca paired beautifully with a couple of the dishes, and is a complex and tasty food wine. The '95 P. Dubreuil-Fontaine Corton-Charlemagne showed the best of the 3 times I've tried it, but it was a little too rich as a pairing for the soup. Two of our Syrahs went very well with the stewed beef, and it was the first time I've tried the Lillian Winery Syrah, which is quite impressive. The '06 Rhys Alesia Syrah Fairview Ranch is a killer Syrah for the price (about $20). The '06 Saxum was overly hot. The '98 La Sizeranne went nicely with our cheeses. Many thanks to our generous hostess.

with salad, goat cheese and tomato-shiso jam

• 2008 António Lopes Ribeiro Vinho Verde mica 89 Points

  Portugal, Minho, Vinho Verde

  Light yellow color; citrus, lime, mineral nose; very tart, lime, tart peach palate; medium finish

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• 2008 Palmina Malvasia Bianca Larner Vineyard 92 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley

  Light golden yellow color; mineral, herbal, acacia nose; tasty, white flower, white pepper, acacia, mineral, citrus palate; medium-plus finish (great pairing with our Thai spice squash soup)

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Thai spice squash soup

• 1995 P. Dubreuil-Fontaine Père & Fils Corton-Charlemagne 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru

  Medium golden yellow color; lovely, clarified butter, truffle, nutty, mineral, mushroom nose; tasty, hazelnut, mineral, tart lemon palate; medium-plus finish 93+ pts.

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• 2007 Domaine Vrignaud Chablis 1er Cru Fourchaume Vieilles Vignes 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru

  Light canary yellow color; lemon, cream nose; tight, tart lemon, mineral, citrus palate; medium-plus finish 91+ pts.

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with homemade gravlax

• 2008 Gerhard Hattenheimer Hassel Riesling Kabinett 91 Points

  Germany, Rheingau

  Very pale yellow color; apricot, baked apricot, lime nose; tasty, tart and ripe melon, nectarine, ripe lime, tart apricot, mineral palate; medium finish (best pairing with our gravlax)

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• 2007 Weingut Robert Weil Riesling Kabinett halbtrocken 90 Points

  Germany, Rheingau

  Tight citrus, mineral nose; good minerally, tart citrus, tart white peach palate; medium finish

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porcini mushroom stewed beef

• 2005 Lillian Winery Syrah 93 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County

  Opaque black red violet color; black fruit, plum, floral, anise, tar nose; very tasty, black fruit, meaty, anise, mineral palate; medium-plus finish 93+ pts.

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• 2006 Rhys Alesia Syrah Fairview Ranch 93 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands

  Black red violet color; herbal, deep, aromatic, menthol, smoke, black raspberry nose; young, tart black fruit, olive, herbaceous, mineral, smoke palate with balance; medium-plus finish

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• 2006 Saxum James Berry Vineyard 88 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  Very dark red violet color; menthol, plum, berry nose; big, black fruit, berry, tar, hot palate; medium-plus finish

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• 1998 M. Chapoutier Hermitage La Sizeranne 93 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Dark red violet color with pale meniscus; touch of brett, tobacco, roasted meat, bacon fat nose; tasty, tart black fruit, roasted meat, mineral, olive, bacon fat palate; medium-plus finish

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• 1986 Château de Rayne-Vigneau 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  From 375 ml - light medium gold color; reduction, grapefruit, botrytis nose; tasty, brown sugar, pineapple, botrytis, apricot palate; medium-plus finish 92+ pts.

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JR and Renee