I Missed Pinot, Pinot, Pinot, But I Had Salmon and Chardonnay

I'm going to blame this on payroll time clock changes and a school law convention for which I had to register five attorneys: I missed the Parker Wine Cellars weekly tasting. I am SO SORRY!!! Tonight was "Pinot, Pinot, Pinot" and in tribute to Jeff's hard work, I'm going to treat you to what we all missed:


Lange Vineyards Pinot Gris '09~~Lange Estate Winery was the fourth producer of Pinot Gris in the United States and has built a reputation for producing some of the state’s best examples of this popular Oregon grape. The Willamette Valley Pinot Gris is entirely stainless-steel fermented in the classic “Pinot Grigio” style resulting in a light, crisp, approachable wine true to varietal character with beautifully balanced acidity. This 2009 vintage shows orange blossom, nectarine, and lemon cream on the nose, while rich-but-racy palate displays mandarin, mango, white peach, lime zest, and a hint of honey.

Chalone Vineyards Monterey Pinot Noir '08~~ Chalone Pinot Noir? Say no more! Fragrant heirloom roses, ripe black cherries and a touch of tobacco invite the senses into this approachable and enjoyable Pinot Noir. The red fruit brightens across the palate, picking up raspberry and spice. Soft and silky through the middle, the wine crescendo on the finish, leaving a vibrant, juicy memory in the mouth. This guy simply satisfies.

Domaine Chandon Carneros Pinot Meunier '07~~ Here's a grape rarely seen outside of the Champagne region of France, especially in its natural red state. While Domaine Chandon is best known as one of America’s top sparkling wines, the winery also produces limited quantities of varietal wines from estate-grown vineyards. Pinot Meunier, French for “miller” in reference to the powdery underside of the leaves that can look as though dusted with flour, is the soulful sibling of Pinot Noir. It plays a small but vital role in the blending of Chandon sparkling wines. Rarely planted outside of the Champagne region in France, Pinot Meunier is pursued by only the most adventurous winemakers. Rich, vibrant aromas of lavender, plum, and white pepper escape from the glass of this garnet-colored wine with hints of raspberry, nutmeg and sweet tobacco following suit. Luscious flavors of cherries, red plums and strawberries are immediately evident while inherent earthiness and brown spice characteristics develop in the finish.

Yes, I am REALLY sorry I missed this -- I've been looking forward to it all week and then got seriously distracted by work. However, since that's what PAYS for my wine habit, I can't complain too much and I really try to do the best job possible (note that devotion to duty, please, all shareholders who may be keeping up with my blog).

However, I went home to a treat: my husband, who has spent the past 27 years of marriage protesting that he couldn't cook, has taken up a new hobby . . . cooking. Tonight was his night and he decided to grill salmon with a cream sauce (Knorr's Bearnaise), and serve it with rice and salad. We opened a bottle of the Treasure Hunter Chardonnay purchased at Parker Wine Cellars after a wine tasting a few weeks ago, and it was PERFECT with the salmon, nice and crisp. I can't fault any dinner that I don't have to cook, and it really was quite good. High five to the new hobby!