Ottawa's Premier Wine Appreciation Organization - National Capital Sommelier Guild

California Dreaming

Thursday, 29 November 2007

Reported by Natale Lofaro

Well I was certainly dreaming of California after our first major storm of this winter. Twenty five guild members gathered to taste through fifteen California wines, of which eight were less than $30 a bottle.

The tasting was organized into five flights. We stated the night off with Gloria Ferrer Blancs de Blancs sparkling wine—one of California’s best in my opinion—it offered lovely apple, citrus, tropical notes.

First flight of reds (let’s face it, Chardonnay is the only white California has done consistently well) was taken by Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir. These guys have been making Pinot for almost three decades and offer a classically Burgundian style of Pinot—elegant, smooth, cherry, smoke aromas, crisp acidity, and moderate alcohol.

Flight two was very close. The group gave the nod to Irony Cabernet Sauvignon from the Napa Valley—a great buy at $22.95. This was full bodied, with ripe fruit and sweet oak aromas and flavours.

In flight three the crowd favourite was a Zinfandel blend from Marrietta Cellars located in Geyserville, Sonoma. Another great buy at $22, the wine was very smooth with beautiful fruit and spice aromatics and with very little influence from oak.

The final flight featured two top Cabernets from Shafer Vineyards in Napa Valley, but the Ridge Geyserville 2004 was the favourite. A Classic Geyserville—great mouthfeel, luscious fruit, and even though at 15% alcohol incredibly balanced, the alcohol was seamless.

A list of the food that was enjoyed and the wines follows.

California Wine Tasting – The Food Part

Flight 1

Goat milk gouda – Friesland Foods – Product of Holland

Flight 2

Bresoala – air dried beef – Critterio – Product of USA
Brie de Chevre – Woolwich – Product of Canada

Flight 3

Speck – Smoked Proscuitto – Critterio – Product of USA
Fior di Capra – Sardinian Goat milk cheese – Product of Italy
Cave Aged Gruyere – Kaltbach – Product of Switzerland

Flight 4

Chorizo – smoked paprika pork sauasage - Palacios, Product of Spain
Pecorino Toscano stagionato – aged Tuscan Sheep milk cheese
Pecorino Toscano stagionato affienato with hay and honey

California Wine Tasting – The Wine Part

Aperatife

Gloria Ferrer, Chard, Carneros (Sonoma), 2003, $29.95

Flight 1

Au Bon Climat, Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara County, 2005, $28.95
Cambria, Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley, 2005, $34.95
BV Coastal, Cabernet Sauvignon, Coastal, 2004, $12.95

Flight 2

Jardine, Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles, 2002, $21.95
Delicato Irony, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, 2002, $22.95
Sebastiani Secolo, Cabernet blend, Sonoma County, 2004, $37.95

Flight 3

Morgan, Syrah, Monterrey, 2004, $28.95
L'Aventure, Zinfandel, Paso Robles, 2000, $36.95
Kunde, Zinfandel, Sonoma Valley, 2002, $19.95
Marietta Cellars Old Vine, Zinfandel blend, Sonoma/Napa/Mendoza, Lot 38, $22

Flight 4

Shafer Red Shoulder, Chardonnay, Carneros (Napa) , 2005, $60
Ridge Geyserville, Zinfandel blend, Sonoma County, 2004, $47.95
Shafer , Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, 2003, $74
Shafer One Point Five, Cabernet Sauvignon, SLD (Napa Valley), 2004, $82

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