Double Gold
2008 Muccigrosso Vineyards
Gold
2011 Beauregard Vineyards, Byington
2010 Savannah Chanelle Vineyards Muns Vineyard
2010 Savannah Chanelle Vineyards Regans
2010 Soquel Vineyards Reserve
Tasting
The weekend of Pinot Paradise we all got together. We started off with a delicious 2011 Beauregard, Bald Mountain, Chardonnay. All the usuals except Lili were in, 10 of us in total, requiring more than the usual one starter. I added a nice 2011 Woodenhead, French Colombard. We enjoyed cheese, Michel's truffle pâté, some scrumptious, sometimes mouth burning bacon wrapped potatoes, and catching up as we waited for everyone to arrive.
I brought out my Waterford wine glasses, a gift from years ago. The weekend before I gave all the glasses a 10 minute dip in a vat of CLR to remove all those embarrassing hard water stains that had prevented their appearance.
Jose arrived with a wonderful gift, a birthday gift if you will: A 2009 Stag's Leap Cellar, Fay. He told me that it was supposed to be really good and it had been given a rating in the mid 90s. I was thankful for the gift. At the time I found it ironic, thinking that Jose had rated the same wine, although a different vintage, a 1 in our Return to Napa Cab Tasting. Paul had brought the 2007 Fay and still gets riled up whenever Jose's rating is mentioned. I knew everyone would get a kick out of this and dutifully told them as they arrived. Jose later claimed the 2009 was rated much higher than the 2007. I didn't follow up.
Correction: The following Monday Jose alerted me that my ginkgo hadn't been working. In the Return to Napa Cab Tasting, Jose actually gave the Fay a 3. I had confused this with another tasting where Jose gave Paul and Jennifer's SLV a 1. My sincerest apologies for the accidental slander Jose.
Bob and Carolyn arrived with a lovely arrangement of tulips, which Sue couldn't stop going on about.
After everyone arrived, we tasted, compared notes, and enjoyed each other's company.
Results
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| Top to Bottom from Left to Right |
C - 2010 Soquel Vineyards, Partner's Reserve, Santa Cruz Mountains came in first place with an average of 3.65. It cost $60.
We went to Soquel earlier in the year. We even bought this award winning Pinot. Unfortunately, I bobbled it when transferring it into the house, breaking it in the driveway. I was glad to see it on the list, so I could try it again. I called them up and ordered another one for the tasting.
E - 2010 Savannah Chanelle Vineyards, Regan Vineyard came in second place with an average of 3.54. It cost $50.
My daughter Alex needed some practice before taking her license test, so she drove us up to Savannah Chanelle. We picked up their winners, which interestingly enough, were not even being generally sold yet.
D - 2011 Beauregard, Byington Vineyard came in third place with an average of 3.48. It cost $40.
Sue and I went to Beauregard for Winter Passport and luckily picked up a couple of their 2011 Byington.
A - 2010 Savannah Chanelle Vineyards, Muns Vineyard came in fourth place with an average of 3.19. It cost $50.
B - 2008 Muccigrosso Vineyards came in last place with an average of 2.95. It cost $35.
We had never tried Muccigrosso. They do not have a tasting room. You can purchase their wine from the website and they'll bring it to your door. I mistakenly got the wrong vintage, 2009, and they were gracious enough to get me the 2008. After trying them both, I believe I prefer the 2009.
After
Sue then served us a spectacular meal of seafood chowder, lobster mac and cheese, coleslaw, and beef, chicken, and shrimp kabobs. We enjoy some Windy Oaks and a Domaine Serene that Michel brought.
For dessert we enjoyed a delicious Kahlua cake Shannon made and some Mochi Jose brought.
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| What was Left of the Cake |
We saved the Artimesis Paul and Jennifer brought, along with the Fay for another day, perhaps even another tasting.
