La Boniche Rocks! Superb food and great service! The wines were pretty darn good too, if I may say so myself…
2008 Truchard Vineyards Roussanne (Carneros) Napa Valley – Roussanne grape “This white varietal has been traditionally associated with the Northern Rhone Valley of France, where it is blended with Marsanne to make white Hermitage wines. Floral aromas of ripe peach, apple, and honeysuckle; highlighted with lychee, brioche, and vanilla. The mouth is creamy, filled with intense flavors of nectarine, baked apple, and fresh pear. Bright acidity provides a zesty finish of citrus, mineral, and spice.” Truchard Vineyards
2006 Domaine Bott-Geyl Pinot d’Alsace Métiss (Alsace) France – Blend of 33% Pinot Blanc, 33% Pinot Auxerrois, 17% Pinot Gris, & 17% Pinot Noir grapes
A blend of 33% Pinot Blanc, 33% Pinot Auxerrois, 17% Pinot Gris, and 17% Pinot Noir vinified as a white wine. Elegant and complex fruit, full mouth and freshness. “The ambitious Jean-Christophe Bott declassified ruthlessly in 2006, reducing by around half what is usually a very long litany of bottlings. Pinot Gris had the hardest time, he indicated; and 2007 was not easy for that variety here, either, because Bott’s holdings in the Furstentum – which had been his quality exception among Pinot Gris in 2006 – were among several of his vineyards hailed-on and declassified.” Rated 86 by The Wine Advocate
2005 Mas Belles Eaux Les Coteaux (Languedoc) France –70% Syrah, 20% Grenache & 10% Mourvèdre
“The Mas Belles Eaux 2005 Languedoc offers a sweeter ripeness of black raspberry than the 2006 and a faintly gamey meatiness in the nose. Herbs and ginger spice tinge its bitter-sweet black fruits, with undertones of resin and roasted meat that carry into a finish slightly diminished by hints of alcoholic heat and harshness. This will nonetheless prove impressive paired with the right sorts of foods (such as, rather obviously, herb-seasoned grilled meats) and enjoyed over the next couple of years.”
Rated 88 by the Wine Advocate
2004 Domaine Du Gour De Chaule (Gigondas) France – 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah & 10% Mourvèdre grapes
“Deep red. Intense red and dark berry aromas, complicated by notes of garrigue, coffee and flowers. Powerful spice and earth notes complement an array of ripe red and dark berry flavors and carry through the long, vibrant finish.” 92 points by International Wine Cellar
2007 Domaine de Monpertuis (Châteauneuf du Pape) France – 70% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah & 5% Cinsault grapes
“Vivid ruby. Fresh red and black fruits, blood orange, minerals, rose and smoky garrigue on the nose. Juicy, spicy and expansive, with explosive inner-mouth perfume and superb intensity to the sweet raspberry and cherry flavors. Really classic Châteauneuf, with strong lingering sweetness and spiciness and zero rough edges. But there’s also a weightless quality here that belies the long, warm growing season. This has the freshness and balance to age for a long time.” 93 points by International Wine Cellar
2006 Robert Michel Le Bois des Blâches (St.-Joseph) France – Serine grape (aka Petite Serine, a clone of Syrah)“Robert Michel’s St. Joseph is made from a .6 hectare single-vineyard in the village of Sarras (just north of Cornas). Surprise! It’s not really made from Syrah. At least not from the common form of Syrah. Petite Serine is the name of an older, lower-yielding and generally more finicky grape common to the fields of the Northern Rhone. Some growers consider it to be the real source of quality wine in this region. It is easier for us to think of Syrah (or Pinot Noir, or Sangiovese) as all one genetically identical plant- this is a convenient organizational tool, but it is also far from the messy genetic reality. Les Bois des Blaches was the last of Michel’s holdings to be picked- the fruit harvested entirely by hand at the beginning of October. The wine was fermented either in stainless steel or cement tanks and then aged in oak until its release, approximately 20 months after the harvest.” 3cups.net
2000 Les Allees de Cantemerle (Haut Médoc, Bordeaux) France – 70% Cabernet Sauvignon & 30% Merlot“This is a nicely textured, plum/ruby-colored 2000 with a moderately intense bouquet of black fruits intermingled with licorice, vanilla, and plums. The wine is pure, elegant, medium-bodied, and stylish.” Rated 89 The Wine Advocate