2006 Costa de Oro Pinot Noir

A Toast! 

On the penultimate eve of the birth of my second son Ethan, I wish to toast those who came before him in 2008. To Sarah Grace Ervin, a toast. To Sam Eagan, a toast. To Jackson Oliver, a toast. And to all of their parents, a toast.

I toast you all with a bottle of Costa de Oro Pinot Noir that was recommended highly by Village Wines. It runs in the $20 range but is well worth it. I tend to like the bigger reds such as zinfandel but I want to drink more Pinot Noir this summer. I wish I could compare it to another but I can't you will have to take my word for it. It's Great! And besides I am in a much more reflective mood about family than to think if it smells like berries or licorice. My future will smell of much more exotic things. 

A toast to the adventure we are all on!

2005 Steele Shooting Star Barbera

Smooth. That was the first thing that went through my mind when I took my first sip. I have really enjoyed Steele wine before and if I am correct the Shooting Star label is their reasonably priced wine. This one cost about $12. This is a great wine to just drink or have with food. One blogger said this was a good version of the wine you would get at a pizza parlor. I believe it is much better than that but it would be mighty tasty with a pizza. I recommend you give this a try.

Château Saint Martin De La Garrigue Bronzinelle (2004)

I am still looking for the Cave Des Papes Coted du Rhone Heritage and ask for it at the wine shops I visit. They did not have it at Village Wines but it was suggested I try this Château Saint Martin de la Garrigue Bronzinelle from the Languedoc region of France. The wine is a blend of 34% Syrah, 27% Mourvèdre, 22% Grenache, and 17% Carignan. The blend is somewhat similar to the Cave Des Papes.

This wine was very good and it only cost $12.99. This is a Kermit Lynch wine so my streak of really good KL wines continues.

Kermit Lynch

I mentioned this in an earlier post but I was once told that if you see that the importer was Kermit Lynch then buy it. It has served me well over the years. I just bought a few bottles with my birthday gift certificate. We'll see if that holds up.

Editors Note: The white wine Graves Chateau Gravile-Lacoste 2006 doesn't live up to Kermit Lynch quality in my opinion. The vineyard has an aol.com email address. That should have tipped me off.

In Praise Of: Bogle Vineyards

As I am posting about wines I had at Hot and Hot I am drinking a bottle of Bogle Old Vine Zinfindel. I have posted about this before and I really like this wine. It is in the $10 or so range and is one of those wines I grab when I want something cheap. And there is nothing cheap tasting about it. It has been over a year but I have had their whites and all have been very good.

I suggest that the next time you are looking for a bottle of white or red. Try something from Bogle Vineyards.

45th Birthday Wines: Vincent Delaporte’s 2004 Sancerre & 2005 Maysara Pinot Noir, Oregon and

Luckily my birthday was not missed by family members seeing as how we have so many March birthdays and with the new baby just making it to April (we hope). Leigh took me to Hot and Hot fish club where I had the Fudge Farms Pork Trio: Seared Loin on Collard Greens, Crispy Belly on Homemade Sauerkraut and Grilled Leg with Mashed Sweet Potatoes. The crispy belly was like a crispy bacon meatball. Yumm!


Going in I didn't know if I was going to have the red or white so I got both. I started the evening with a glass of the ’04 Sancerre, Delaporte, France. A very nice glass of wine. Sancerre is new to me but I have thrown myself into it. The waiter quickly showed me the bottle so I am not sure this label is correct but I believe it is from Domain Vincent Delaporte. The Wine Advocate wrote that the Vincent Delaporte’s 2005 Sancerre is juicy and engaging on the palate, not especially gripping, but instead discrete and well-balanced, with succulent melon, apple and herbs carrying into a gentle finish (Score: 88). I would agree with that. The importer is Birminghams own Vineyard Brands.


After deciding on the pork I was directed to the ’05 Maysara Pinot Noir, Oregon. What a great wine. I have made it a point to drink more Pinot Noirs this summer and this was a good place to start. The waiter opened a new bottle and I could tell that the wine was opening up more with every sip. It was very good by itself and held its own with the strong crispy belly. I never saw the label but i am assuming it may be the less expensive of the two that Maysara vineyards bottles.

This was a nice way to start out my new year and with the Village Wine gift certificate given to me by Miles and Amy I now have the money to try more Sancerres and Pinots. But after Ethan comes I am going to have to share the bottle with Leigh.