Ok, so about 8 months ago I want to San Fransico to see my Aunt and visit a friend. It was a badly needed vacation. It also gave me a chance to go to the wine country. I went with my Aunt first… and although a long time Bay Area resident, she really had no idea where to go. So we wandered with very limited success. Although we had a very nice time at Mum Napa… Beautiful place!
The meal we had was good… for a shared chuckle when we remember it. The food was overly complicated and frankly a bit odd… the less said about it the better.So then, I went to visit Danielle. Who is MUCH better informed about the wine country. Off we went… frankly I do not remember much about any of the places… except, Plumpjack and Cakebread.
Plumpjack was awesome tasting, but the tasting room was crowded and nobody really had the time to talk you through all the wines… I got the sense that they were waiting for the next crowd to come in… but while they were waiting, they would pass the time and talk to me. Grounds were quirky but there was not a tour so I did not see much.
Cakebread on the other hand… gives you the full tour.
And the wine! Wow, it is sooo… good. I had been to many a vineyard by this time. Dutifully collected the paperwork for the wine clubs… So I could haul it back to Texas and throw it away in a year when I stumbled over it again. But not this time. I handed over that cash lickity split! Danielle and I made a solemn vow to co-cook remotely and report back to each other on our findings… We didn’t but you know how that sort of thing goes… Seems like such a good idea at the time. Anyway I have been receiving my bottles and drinking them with pleasure… Reds at first and too my disappointment a season of whites. And then this last shipment came.2005 Chardonnay Reserve, Carneros, Napa Valley
I wanted to drink the whole bottle all by myself… I wanted to lick my glass… I wanted to order a case (sadly even with my discount that is not an option). I have had some lovely wines in my time…. but this wine… it is something special. Literally buttery, nice fruit… soft and smooth, with just the perfect amount of bite. I have had some very nice wines in my day. But I thought… this is what makes sommeliers wax rhapsodic… this is what all the fuss is about. This makes me want to eat a bottle aside just to see what it will be like in 5-6 years. Alas I have no wine cellar and I can’t see buying enough bottles that I will have one or two that I will just let sit. I have one more bottle, and I can’t wait to share it with someone who will get as much of a charge off of it as I did. Seriously… order a bottle if you can spare the $54.00 and shipping. It rocks!
