Wine and Food Adventures

Carneros, Napa Valley, California
14.7 % Alcohol
Tasted 2016-06-24 & 2016-06-25

Medium to deep, rich cherry red. Aromas of blackcurrants and blackberries are dominating. Very, very young. Green notes still noticeable. After a while also some smoked bacon and cocoa beans become visible. On the palate the dark fruits are dominating; the tannins are still present and are clearly influencing the flavor profile. Waiting an hour: Now the wine becomes smoother and smoother. So the message is clear - decanting is the key. The next day: Now the tannins are perfectly integrated. Taking the small number of remaining sips is pure joy.

I met Edwin Richards - the General Manager of Adastra - two weeks before I tasted the wine in the Adastra tasting room at Sonoma Square. It was a coincidence meeting: We arrived early in Sonoma and Adastra was the first open tasting room. What a stroke of luck! We stayed for more than an hour and were allowed to taste a lot of the fascinating Adastra wines. All of them were anything but superficial. You need time to understand the idea behind the Adastra style. Nothing for straightforward drinkers. This Merlot is a very good example for the Adastra style. I love it.

Pair this capriccioso with Ossobuco alla milanese - but wait another three years.

Napa Valley, California
14.9 % Alcohol
Tasted 2016-09-10

Clear, medium ruby red. A slightly restrained bouquet of prunes, red berries, cinnamon and some other spices. On the palate the Luna Sangiovese develops its whole power. An explosion of red fruit opens all senses. Then a very charming acidity fights against an incredible velvety to get the upper hand. No winner. The fight continues during the whole medium-long finish and ends in a silent, a little bit wistfully final chord. After that the whole throat seems to be paralysed - waiting for the next sip.

I visited Luna Vineyards several times during the last five years. For several reasons. First of all it is within a stone's throw of Napa on the Silverado Trail. Second the environment is absolutely beautiful. Third and finally nearly all wines I tasted there were of exquisite quality. Like this Sangioves Reserve. Definitely one of my favorites from Luna. We enjoyed this shy beauty with a vegetarian pasta dish. And another strength of this wonderful wine becomes obvious together with the pasta. It accompanies the dish without dominating it but also not losing its own character. A great food pairing wine.

Drink this more silent Sangiovese representative now or during the next three years.

Mendoza, Argentina
14.0 % Alcohol
Tasted 2016-08-20 & 2016-08-23

Medium golden yellow. Ripe apricots and quince. In addition a hint of smoke and honey. Strong with a gentle acidity. Pure vanilla. A little bit like the old California style.

I selected the "Finca Los Nobles" as starter for the Maal tasting (see former entries). It was a very good selection. Our host prepared a nice salmon tartare and the Chardonnay harmonized wonderfully. This was a piece of luck because this big, bold Chard is not so easy to pair. Salmon is in any case a good choice.

Three days later. The wine was kept in the cooler using the preservation system. Now the fat attitude was nearly gone and converted into a quiet smoothness. Incredible and unexpected. Perfect for a lazy late summer afternoon after a hard working day.