A group of my fellow wine lovers and I went to Santa Maria a couple of months back on a wine tasting trip. We had our share of wine and we all know how conversations get after a few glasses… fun and adventurous! It all started when I told them about the Pinot Noir Summit I was just at in San Francisco, where I tasting over 40 Pinot Noirs, emphasizing the best part being the blind tasting segment of the event. Long story short, we all decided it would be a great idea to do our own blind tasting, giving birth to our first of many blind wine tastings with food pairings.
Here’s how it went… the host set the parameters: wine varietal, region, and bottle price. The host also create a tasting menu that will provide an experience where every sip and every bite will change the taste of both, complimenting both food and wine. The participants brought the wine hoping it will be tantalizing, challenging, and satisfying enough to be picked as the “best of” for the night.
On the Menu: Italian Charcuterie Platter, Blue Cheese Mixed Green Salad with Boxed Tomatoes, Herb Roasted Lamb
The Featured Wine:
From Carneros AVA: Etude 2006 Pinot Noir, Schug 2011 Pinot Noir
From Russian River AVA: Dehlinger 2006 Pinot Noir, EnGarde 2009 Pinot Noir Reserve
From Edna Valley AVA: Wild Horse Unbridled 2009 Pinot Noir
From Santa Maria AVA: Wild Horse Cheval Sauvage 2009 Pinot Noir
Even though none of us were able to figure out which glass was from which producer, AVA, nor year, the night was a success! I mean how can you go wrong with wine, food, and great company.
Categories: Fun
sip&taste 
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