Going to Northern Italy soon. Gonna sample the Amarones. We’re staying in Bardolino, on Lake Garda, for a few days, and I wanted to know what to expect for “table wines”.
Locally, I found a Zenato Alanera, 55% Corvina, 25% Rondinella, 10% Corvinone, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot from the Costalunga Estate in Veneto, Italy. 50% of the grapes used to produce the wine are partially dried for 45-60 days (appassimento method). And the vineyard “partly hugging Lake Garda”.
And Santi Ventale, Valpolicella Superiore…similar composition and location.
We tried the Zenato, and it was pretty good. Fresh, lots of fruit and acidity. Good alone, but it will be great with an Italian dinner.
@klezman
I had never heard of it either but got invited and jumped at the chance. East Hollywood done at the chefs home I think? He used to do popups? One massive table that seats 16, pretty fun meeting people who actually traveled to be there (who knew). Iirc 8 dishes and two desserts and you can bring all the wine you want, no corkage. Pretty great food too. I took a few pics. The bottle you brought me we drank last year
Wow I have a beach and cool weather but best of all we know @danandlisa who put together a fantastic dinner in a place that God has to smile on sorry no food pics it was devoured
@ScottW58 Beautiful! Just got back from the Isles of Shoals in NH/Maine. In the 60s for most of our stay. Love these little tucked away corners of the world!
Another oldie. Was this a Woot Cellars? No indication on the bottle, but when I pulled the cork, the exclamation was right there staring at me. Better on day 2.
@chefjess@hscottk@klezman
CT shows 5 vintages. I don’t recall WW ever having more than a one-off, but I don’t recall the vintner/producer either…
But a bit of a search found it to be Blue Nomad Wine Company
@chefjess@hscottk@klezman@rjquillin
It was a Gun-Bun second label. Swami Pinot Noir was the wine with which they gave out stickers. I believe Lisa from Gard was their rep at the time.
@hscottk@InFrom@klezman@rjquillin
Here is the back of the bottle and the cork. As I mentioned, no mention of WW on the bottle, but the cork is very clear. Maybe @Winedavid49 can chime in.
@klezman@radiolysis
Also positive a few weeks ago. Out a week and now struggling to catch up with 12+ hour days on the postponed work. Yesterday a medic ride to ER, after HR didn’t like the fact I way curled on my office floor in pain, to get diagnosed with a renal stone.
I need a break to catch up with personal stuff…
But I at least can now also pull corks.
[this really should have gone to the pub]
@radiolysis@rjquillin yeah, mild cases for me and molarchae. Kids appear to have escaped without getting it, thankfully, so they could stay in school. I’m done with masking as of now, too.
@kawichris650@radiolysis@rjquillin
Thanks!
I am. Molarchae is 95%+. More of an inconvenience and annoyance than anything else - and that is the best possible outcome.
Catching up is hard when you’re having so much fun 2 nights ago @danandlisa put together a rockfish and pork belly dinner and yes green stuff, did mostly Italian wines.
Last night a great dinner at the Salishan hotel. Tonight we are making them cook us a 3 or 4 course meal Lisa is a hell of a cook! They are going to need rest after we leave!
Final night on Friday knocked out some of Kelley’s wines and a couple others with some flannery Ribeyes green stuff stuffed mushrooms and polenta that @danand Lisa put together. But honestly we were wiped out!
Some nice wines above! Hey this is late but the Flannery lamb ribs basted with a little homemade demi-glace deserve inclusion. Chicago Bears game yesterday in a torrential downpour. The last pic is our rain gauge which got emptied several times. A few more wines not in pic but just more label chasing and more food of course
Lucky my friends in Oregon secured a 6er of this really fine cab for me! Hopefully it will come up again? Really need lots of air a few hours in the decanter. Singing with grilled sausages and onion, cheddar and chive drop biscuits and green stuff. This is really a great Rutherford cab clocking in a 13 percent ABV.
2012 Wellington Vineyards Syrah Estate Vineyard,
still holding it’s own, have 3 more, will not be in a rush to drink them.
2017 Denier-Handal Sangiovese Venturi Family Vineyard
@catcoland
Interesting. I opened the 2010 Wellington Syrah Englandcrest and was very disappointed. Fruit had faded. Flabby. Light-bodied. Would never have guessed Syrah. Sipped over three hours with a 3-hour decant. Dumped the rest of the glass and saved the rest of the bottle to try again today. Still have 2 bottles so maybe just this one was flawed. Opened a 2018 Giornata Rosso. An hour in, this was delicious.
@catcoland@klezman
Oh, I didn’t know. Bummer. I hope the others still have some life left. The good news is I have several of the estate bottles. Maybe I’ll crack one of those later this week. I guess I need to check on all of the non-estate bottles across all varietals or is this specific to the Syrah? I assume the cabs will still go another decade or is that an incorrect assumption?
@catcoland@chefjess they should both still be good, though. Nearly all Peter’s reds are long lived. I’d bet this less than excellent bottle was a less good cork more than the wine being over the hill.
I drank my period bottle of the 2010 almost 2 years ago and still have one left.
All the Cabernet bottlings should age at least a decade effortlessly, and many will improve for at least 20 years from vintage.
@catcoland@klezman@Mark_L
Thank you both. My home cellar is a mess. Stored properly but completely random so I’ve been working through the bottles over the last few weeks inventorying and organizing between home and storage as I didn’t start using CT until recently. Big mistake. I still have a little over 9 cases of Wellington so I need to drink them. I found a ‘95 merlot which I hope is still fantastic. That might be on tap for next week with a backup Meeks just in case.
Happy to report, the syrah is better today, very much a bold syrah. I’m going to save a glass for tomorrow and see what happens.
@InFrom
Tin and a fork is really good! but for dinner cause I need some substance just toast a baguette/half rub a garlic clove on it (had some leftover garlic confit tonight so easy to spread) pour some of the oil from the can on it, piece of lettuce and stack up the tuna. Meal for the gods IMHO
@InFrom@ScottW58
I’ll have to try the lettuce, but do the same with the garlic baguette. Sometimes I add white beans and fresh herbs. They go beautifully with the Ventresca.
@InFrom@ScottW58
Agreed. I don’t let any go to waste. I do drizzle the oil as do you and when I include the beans and herbs, they get mixed into the oil after the delicate tuna has been removed. If you let the herbs sit for a bit they infuse slightly. Delicious.
@klezman mine leaked and we’re replaced. Unfortunately they leaked too. So tonight is Tri- tips and Notre Vin. Very good with a decant but better on day 2.
@klezman@ScottW58 this week. all three Notre Vin corks we’re wet the whole length in 2-3 places. Very good with air. A little more fruit and more tannins than the Leonetti.
@klezman@ScottW58 High temps this week we’re 68-78 here. From warehouse to door was 48 hrs. Leaked on both shipments. Had leakage one time with WD in > 600 bottles/ since early w.w. But problem resolved with the help of good friends.
@kaolis What’s there is good, it’s just that there’s not much there. I’ll give it a couple of days in the fridge and see what happens. Bottle clearly recorked I’d guess within the past five years or so. It did go well with a Morgan wagyu hanger.
@ScottW58 Sauce was a wing and a prayer, so maybe a bastardized version…a ton of garlic and some red onion, bit of fresh jalapeno, a handful of cilantro, chili garlic sauce, tomato paste, tad of sesame oil, homemade chicken stock…
@ScottW58 Flannery? My new favorite. Don’t be afraid to cook them longer than you think. Thanks I think to @klezman to turning me on to them awhile back
@kaolis@klezman
Yeah seeing your pics from Sunday football day and hearing about them I couldn’t wait! I’m basically retired so every day is Friday/Saturday wines pretty sure that’s why I bought so many of them. Although damn I don’t have any stuffed jalapenos
@kawichris650 I was at a charity event last night and they opened a bottle of 2019 Something-or-other but managed to bungle the Waiter’s Friend so bad it broke the cork. I’m pretty sure I made a groan and winced when that happened. I haven’t really gotten the hang of my Ah So but I know enough to not obliterate corks…
Rosh Hashannah dinner last night:
Jose Michel Brut Rose
2014 Yarden Merlot, Upper Gallil
2014 Ca’del Grevino Pinot Noir Estate Santa Maria Valley
2019 Erica Orr Grenache
Tonight:
a Basque cider, aged 24 months on the lees. It’s really good and fully dry.
Then 2003 Sakonnet Vineyards Vidal Winterwine, from a winery in Rhode Island, although the wine says Southern New England as the AVA.
Going through Marcella Hazan Essentials of Italian cooking made the Fricasseed Chicken with rosemary and lemon. Pretty sure I’m going to cook everything in this book during retirement
Okay Chinese chicken salad but instead of chicken Morgan ranch tenderloin tips marinated in soy ginger mirin and some red pepper flakes and a little sugar. Oh yeah I will never use chicken again
Running, well not running, from Hurricane Ian (we ended up fine, others not so much, prayers) we decided to land in a Renaissance Inn inland so we took a few things with us to cook if need be. Flannery 30 day prime short loin tails and a tater and a smattering of green stuff.
@klezman
Zachys. Decided to try it on a whim during one of their crazy sales. Great purchase. I went back to see if they had any left and unfortunately no. I bought three so I’ll space out the remaining two to see how they develop but this is drinking great now. If you see a bottle, don’t hesitate. Very fresh, light mousse, nice acidity with a touch of toast and apple. Lingering finish with a slight creaminess. Fun is a good descriptor.
Going to Northern Italy soon. Gonna sample the Amarones. We’re staying in Bardolino, on Lake Garda, for a few days, and I wanted to know what to expect for “table wines”.
Locally, I found a Zenato Alanera, 55% Corvina, 25% Rondinella, 10% Corvinone, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot from the Costalunga Estate in Veneto, Italy. 50% of the grapes used to produce the wine are partially dried for 45-60 days (appassimento method). And the vineyard “partly hugging Lake Garda”.
And Santi Ventale, Valpolicella Superiore…similar composition and location.
We tried the Zenato, and it was pretty good. Fresh, lots of fruit and acidity. Good alone, but it will be great with an Italian dinner.
Quite the pair!
My last one of each and they were delicious
[1]:
NV Abacela Vintner’s Blend 23
2019 Pedroncelli Sonoma Classico
Been going through the cellar rediscovering oldies and some new.
Had a great night at Wolvesmouth a few days ago.

@ScottW58 where’s that? Never heard of it.
But damn that’s one crazy lineup! That the bottle we brought across the ocean for you?
@klezman

I had never heard of it either but got invited and jumped at the chance. East Hollywood done at the chefs home I think? He used to do popups? One massive table that seats 16, pretty fun meeting people who actually traveled to be there (who knew). Iirc 8 dishes and two desserts and you can bring all the wine you want, no corkage. Pretty great food too. I took a few pics. The bottle you brought me we drank last year
@ScottW58 Looks amazing
Some Valpolicella with bacon wrapped petite sirloin, a skewer of spicy garlic shrimp, and vegetable kebabs.

A beautiful sunset to pair with 2018 Limerick Lane RRV Zinfandel
This should (I hope) get Andrea and I through 7 days on the Oregon coast

@ScottW58
Have a great trip!
@karenhynes
@ScottW58 Enjoy! Jealous you get to escape this heat wave.
Wow I have a beach and cool weather but best of all we know @danandlisa who put together a fantastic dinner in a place that God has to smile on
sorry no food pics it was devoured

@ScottW58 Beautiful! Just got back from the Isles of Shoals in NH/Maine. In the 60s for most of our stay. Love these little tucked away corners of the world!

@hscottk nice!
Worst bottle from TJ’s in a while – the TJ Blanc de Blancs. Ick.
Along with a 2014 Kendric Sangiovese that was nice and bright with pizza.
Another oldie. Was this a Woot Cellars? No indication on the bottle, but when I pulled the cork, the exclamation was right there staring at me. Better on day 2.
@chefjess I thought Rockus Bockus was its own label
@chefjess @klezman I remember there was a white from the same winery. There was something in the box – maybe extra labels, or some kind of stickers?
@chefjess @klezman It was, and a nice daily drinker. And the best WW of all time at $49.99/case.
@chefjess @hscottk @klezman
CT shows 5 vintages. I don’t recall WW ever having more than a one-off, but I don’t recall the vintner/producer either…
But a bit of a search found it to be Blue Nomad Wine Company
@chefjess @hscottk @klezman @rjquillin I want to say it was Gundlach Bundschu, but that may only be because I like to say Gundlach Bundschu
@chefjess @hscottk @klezman @rjquillin
It was a Gun-Bun second label. Swami Pinot Noir was the wine with which they gave out stickers. I believe Lisa from Gard was their rep at the time.
@chefjess @hscottk @klezman @rjquillin I found the white…
@chefjess @hscottk @klezman @rjquillin There was also a Pinot Noir that was sold in a mixed six with the Rockus. I bought all of them, I remember they were really popular with my work wine-sharing friends.
@chefjess @hscottk @InFrom @klezman
So it was the white from Gun-Bun that was the Woot bottling.
@hscottk @InFrom @klezman @rjquillin
Here is the back of the bottle and the cork. As I mentioned, no mention of WW on the bottle, but the cork is very clear. Maybe @Winedavid49 can chime in.
2019 Sandlands Red Table Wine Lodi
Tegan makes really great stuff!
Happy Wellington Wednesday!

@kawichris650
yum!
@chefjess
Yep, this definitely doesn’t suck.
Was recommended so I picked up a bottle. Still a bit too acidic. Better with air and probably a few more years.
Finally back to regular wine consumption after our brush with covid.
2012 Wind Gap Wines Pinot Noir Gap’s Crown Vineyard
@klezman I had a scare myself – seems like it’s just a cold. Hope you’re all on the mend!
@klezman @radiolysis
Also positive a few weeks ago. Out a week and now struggling to catch up with 12+ hour days on the postponed work. Yesterday a medic ride to ER, after HR didn’t like the fact I way curled on my office floor in pain, to get diagnosed with a renal stone.
I need a break to catch up with personal stuff…
But I at least can now also pull corks.
[this really should have gone to the pub]
@radiolysis @rjquillin yeah, mild cases for me and molarchae. Kids appear to have escaped without getting it, thankfully, so they could stay in school. I’m done with masking as of now, too.
@klezman @radiolysis @rjquillin
Wow, I’m glad you’re all okay and hope you each feel back to 100% soon.
@kawichris650 @radiolysis @rjquillin
Thanks!
I am. Molarchae is 95%+. More of an inconvenience and annoyance than anything else - and that is the best possible outcome.
Catching up is hard when you’re having so much fun
2 nights ago @danandlisa put together a rockfish and pork belly dinner and yes green stuff, did mostly Italian wines.

Last night a great dinner at the Salishan hotel. Tonight we are making them cook us a 3 or 4 course meal
Lisa is a hell of a cook! They are going to need rest after we leave!

@ScottW58 How’s the Notre Vin doing?
@hscottk @ScottW58 Great bottle of wine.
@danandlisa @hscottk @ScottW58
DH and I know our way around a kitchen. Come visit! We love to gourmondize and pull corks!
@pseudogourmet98 Where do you live? Can you cook without onions as we are allergic?
Saying farewell to my old grill with a prime Tomahawk rib steak from Costco and grilled zucchini. Yum.
2008 La Fiorita Brunello
2014 Gruet Grand Blanc de Noirs
2016 Heart’s Needle Riesling
2020 tercero Cinsault Rosé
2012 La Rioja Alta Rioja Viña Ardanza Reserva
Daou rose
Iron horse unoaked chard
Keller Pinot noir estate
J Dusi red blend
@CorTot Any standouts?
@hscottk I didn’t try the white or pink but have had those before.
The Keller was new to me and I thought it was really solid.
2017 Stringer Metal Bender red blend. Not bad. Definitely overperformed for the $1 promo tariff.
Final night on Friday knocked out some of Kelley’s wines and a couple others with some flannery Ribeyes green stuff stuffed mushrooms and polenta that @danand Lisa put together. But honestly we were wiped out!

![enter image description here][4]
[4]:
2014 Bedrock Wine Co. Heritage Wine Papera Ranch
NV Egrot et Filles Champagne
@klezman
With fried chicken
Some nice wines above! Hey this is late but the Flannery lamb ribs basted with a little homemade demi-glace deserve inclusion. Chicago Bears game yesterday in a torrential downpour. The last pic is our rain gauge which got emptied several times. A few more wines not in pic but just more label chasing and more food of course
@kaolis
Really nice! Jalapenos stuffed with cream cheese?
@ScottW58 Yessir…nothing crazy just a little seasoning…get 'em hot and gooey
Lucky my friends in Oregon secured a 6er of this really fine cab for me! Hopefully it will come up again? Really need lots of air a few hours in the decanter. Singing with grilled sausages and onion, cheddar and chive drop biscuits and green stuff. This is really a great Rutherford cab clocking in a 13 percent ABV.

@ScottW58 Glad to assist and glad to know.
@danandlisa
Oh and travel shock is a myth
@ScottW58 Glad you both are enjoying it! Maybe someday you will enjoy the benefits of year round shipping.
2019 Le Piane Maggiorina
Nebb blend
2012 Wellington Vineyards Syrah Estate Vineyard,
still holding it’s own, have 3 more, will not be in a rush to drink them.
2017 Denier-Handal Sangiovese Venturi Family Vineyard
@catcoland
Interesting. I opened the 2010 Wellington Syrah Englandcrest and was very disappointed. Fruit had faded. Flabby. Light-bodied. Would never have guessed Syrah. Sipped over three hours with a 3-hour decant. Dumped the rest of the glass and saved the rest of the bottle to try again today. Still have 2 bottles so maybe just this one was flawed. Opened a 2018 Giornata Rosso. An hour in, this was delicious.
@catcoland @chefjess The Estate is deeper and longer lived than the Englandcrest, FWIW.
@catcoland @klezman
Oh, I didn’t know. Bummer. I hope the others still have some life left. The good news is I have several of the estate bottles. Maybe I’ll crack one of those later this week. I guess I need to check on all of the non-estate bottles across all varietals or is this specific to the Syrah? I assume the cabs will still go another decade or is that an incorrect assumption?
@catcoland @chefjess they should both still be good, though. Nearly all Peter’s reds are long lived. I’d bet this less than excellent bottle was a less good cork more than the wine being over the hill.
I drank my period bottle of the 2010 almost 2 years ago and still have one left.
All the Cabernet bottlings should age at least a decade effortlessly, and many will improve for at least 20 years from vintage.
@catcoland @chefjess @klezman I posed a question on Wellingtons a few years back.
@catcoland @klezman @Mark_L
Thank you both. My home cellar is a mess. Stored properly but completely random so I’ve been working through the bottles over the last few weeks inventorying and organizing between home and storage as I didn’t start using CT until recently. Big mistake. I still have a little over 9 cases of Wellington so I need to drink them. I found a ‘95 merlot which I hope is still fantastic. That might be on tap for next week with a backup Meeks just in case.
Happy to report, the syrah is better today, very much a bold syrah. I’m going to save a glass for tomorrow and see what happens.
@Mark_L
Outstanding link!
I hope we don’t lose these like we did with all the WW threads…
Thanks
@rjquillin

/giphy knock on wood
Easy dinner tonight!

@ScottW58 So, how do you serve it? Lemon and capers on the side? Or do you go the Haagen-Das route, just open the tin and get a fork?
@InFrom
Tin and a fork is really good! but for dinner cause I need some substance just toast a baguette/half rub a garlic clove on it (had some leftover garlic confit tonight so easy to spread) pour some of the oil from the can on it, piece of lettuce and stack up the tuna. Meal for the gods IMHO
@ScottW58 Sounds good to me!
We visited our local Spanish import store last week and picked up a tin of ventresca, so I’ve been wondering.
@InFrom @ScottW58
I’ll have to try the lettuce, but do the same with the garlic baguette. Sometimes I add white beans and fresh herbs. They go beautifully with the Ventresca.
@chefjess @InFrom
Good call! But don’t forget to use some of that oil in the can it’s liquid gold.
@InFrom @ScottW58
Agreed. I don’t let any go to waste. I do drizzle the oil as do you and when I include the beans and herbs, they get mixed into the oil after the delicate tuna has been removed. If you let the herbs sit for a bit they infuse slightly. Delicious.
2018 J. Wilkes Chardonnay
Opened a 2018 WineSmith Grenache.
2013 Two Jakes of Diamonds Cabernet Reserve.
Intense flavor, dry as popcorn farts.
@FritzCat …hmmmm…

@FritzCat Day 2, Absolutely Fantastic!
Celebrating my retirement future… Every day

2016 Lorenzo Sassetti Montecucco La Querciolina
Finally trying one of those 2014 Notre Vin. Seems like it needs a ton of air! Surprisingly on the lower end of ripeness, it seems.
@klezman I’ve also held off. Sounds like there’s no hurry.
@klezman mine leaked and we’re replaced. Unfortunately they leaked too. So tonight is Tri- tips and Notre Vin. Very good with a decant but better on day 2.
@klezman @msten
Did you have them ship in the summer?
@klezman @ScottW58 this week. all three Notre Vin corks we’re wet the whole length in 2-3 places. Very good with air. A little more fruit and more tannins than the Leonetti.
@klezman @msten
Way too hot should have waited!
@klezman @ScottW58 High temps this week we’re 68-78 here. From warehouse to door was 48 hrs. Leaked on both shipments. Had leakage one time with WD in > 600 bottles/ since early w.w. But problem resolved with the help of good friends.
@klezman @msten
That’s great! Well except for the TSO leakers.
@msten @ScottW58 That sounds like faulty corks or maybe they decided to run the package through an oven!
1997 Château Haut-Piquat
@rjquillin and? not a stellar vintage but love me some inexpensive Bordeaux
@kaolis What’s there is good, it’s just that there’s not much there. I’ll give it a couple of days in the fridge and see what happens. Bottle clearly recorked I’d guess within the past five years or so. It did go well with a Morgan wagyu hanger.
Sisters came over so kind of all over the place, the white is stupid good tho.
That’s what I’m talkin’ 'bout!
@CorTot Not very bubbly-looking bubbly! It does look refreshing though.
Another winner! Red fruited dusty and young

Well, this guy, although chunky, wasn’t going to be enough for a meal…
So grabbed a few shrimps off the boat. Nothing too exciting but hey it’s Tuesday…
@kaolis
Lol, nice pairing talk to me about the sauce. Is that an Etouffee? btw looks delicious!
@ScottW58 Sauce was a wing and a prayer, so maybe a bastardized version…a ton of garlic and some red onion, bit of fresh jalapeno, a handful of cilantro, chili garlic sauce, tomato paste, tad of sesame oil, homemade chicken stock…
Man I can’t wait to get some flame on these lamb riblets!

@ScottW58 Flannery? My new favorite. Don’t be afraid to cook them longer than you think. Thanks I think to @klezman to turning me on to them awhile back
and nice Tuesday everyday wines…
@kaolis @klezman
pretty sure that’s why I bought so many of them. Although damn I don’t have any stuffed jalapenos 
Yeah seeing your pics from Sunday football day and hearing about them I couldn’t wait! I’m basically retired so every day is Friday/Saturday wines
@kaolis @ScottW58 yeah those riblets are excellent.
I’m drinking a 2005 Calera Mt Harlan Cuvée and damn it’s good.
2001 Château Barde-Haut
[carp, just realized it’s Wednesday…]
@rjquillin Nice. I’m pretty ambidextrous but a sweet spot for St. Emilion. 2008 Louis Jadot Clos des Ursules here tonight.
Happy WW!

@rc70 that a Flannery hanger? And grilled avocado?
@klezman
Yes Flannery hanger, avocado not grilled just has Veleta EV olive oil and Cavedoni balsamic drizzled over them.
@rc70 Well that sounds like it doesn’t suck
2014 A Tribute To Grace Grenache Santa Barbara Highlands Vineyard
@CorTot
mixed CT notes, loved my first bottle; how is it doing?
@rjquillin this was excellent. Sad I’m out of these.
2020 Aseginolaza & Leunda Matsanko Garnacha
1991 Ravenswood Zinfandel Cooke
@karenhynes I remember ratting the Flying Goat offering, and the 2013 was the one that I enjoyed the most.
2017 Y. Rousseau The Musketeer Tannat with green (collards and beet tops) shakshouka
@CorTot We opened the 2010 last night. I always breathe a sigh of relief when the cork comes out in one piece. The wine was in nice shape, too.
@CorTot @InFrom
I’ve made it a point to use an Ah-So with any “old” Wellington bottles, just to play it safe.
@kawichris650 I was at a charity event last night and they opened a bottle of 2019 Something-or-other but managed to bungle the Waiter’s Friend so bad it broke the cork. I’m pretty sure I made a groan and winced when that happened. I haven’t really gotten the hang of my Ah So but I know enough to not obliterate corks…
2014 Harvest Moon Zinfandel Sonoma County RandyZin
Rosh Hashannah dinner last night:
Jose Michel Brut Rose
2014 Yarden Merlot, Upper Gallil
2014 Ca’del Grevino Pinot Noir Estate Santa Maria Valley
2019 Erica Orr Grenache
Tonight:
a Basque cider, aged 24 months on the lees. It’s really good and fully dry.
Then 2003 Sakonnet Vineyards Vidal Winterwine, from a winery in Rhode Island, although the wine says Southern New England as the AVA.
Going through Marcella Hazan Essentials of Italian cooking made the Fricasseed Chicken with rosemary and lemon. Pretty sure I’m going to cook everything in this book during retirement

With a standing rib roast.
How is the Fontalloro?
@ScottW58 Hot smoked salmon along with the rib roast. Went well with the fatty food.
@msten
Nice! God loves the acid in Italian wines
2012 Virage Bourriquot
@klezman and…?
@rjquillin delicious. Nice drinking window at the moment, too.
2019 Château La Borie Côtes du Rhône Villages
Happy Wednesday!

I forgot to include the grub!
Caprese with fresh tomatoes straight from the garden. And of course, Cavedoni balsamic on top.
2017 Turley Petite Syrah, Estate Vineyard, Napa Valley
Don’t know if anyone here grabbed them, but had the 2018 Vinum Cellars Monterey Pinot Noir off the truck last night. Tasty.
Okay Chinese chicken salad but instead of chicken Morgan ranch tenderloin tips marinated in soy ginger mirin and some red pepper flakes and a little sugar. Oh yeah I will never use chicken again

Fresh out of the mail room!
Running, well not running, from Hurricane Ian (we ended up fine, others not so much, prayers) we decided to land in a Renaissance Inn inland so we took a few things with us to cook if need be. Flannery 30 day prime short loin tails and a tater and a smattering of green stuff.
@kaolis
Great to hear everything is good! Good call on the food and wine! Love me some GPL
molarchae asked for something cold and low alcohol. So that basically means German Riesling: 1998 Haubs-Barzen Bernkasteler Graben Riesling Kabinett
@msten other bottles lurking as well
Lovely
@chefjess that sounds like a fun one… Where’d you get it?
@klezman
Zachys. Decided to try it on a whim during one of their crazy sales. Great purchase. I went back to see if they had any left and unfortunately no. I bought three so I’ll space out the remaining two to see how they develop but this is drinking great now. If you see a bottle, don’t hesitate. Very fresh, light mousse, nice acidity with a touch of toast and apple. Lingering finish with a slight creaminess. Fun is a good descriptor.
@chefjess @klezman
Wine Searcher has it from a couple of sources for <$70
2012 Kendric Vineyards Pinot Noir Reserve