Friday, October 29, 2010

Vision Cellars Pinot Blanc `99 (not TJ's) ***

How can you NOT love a wine whose label reads "I was born the son of a Texas Moonshine maker. My Father, Sue, was considered by many to be the finest Moonshine maker in all of Texas, because of the fine grains he used to make his corn whiskey. My Mother Elbessie, along with her brothers and sister, made wine from the various fruit we grew."


Of course, I read this AFTER I had tried a sip, liked it and pulled the bottle from the sleeve to find out more about this complex flavor that was slowly intoxicating me. (Ok, the Sam Adams lager before dinner may have be the intoxicating aspect of the meal...).

This is an old, yet lush wine that from the first sip hits you with a slug of sweetness that disappears just as soon as it hits, leaving a slightly dry, slightly sour flavor that is nice. It has a long complex finish.  It may be that because it is an 11 year old bottle of Pinot Blanc, the wine has just aged into a complex fruity amalgam - I am not complaining.  The more I read about Mac the owner/wine maker at Vision Cellars, the more I want to try his other wines.  This is a California winery I could easily grow to love.

Tonight was the night that S came home from her 10 day trip to the Far East. We weren't sure if she'd be hungry or would want a drink when she arrived, so we settled in for a dinner of bratwurst and beer.  She arrived, slightly jet lagged and this bottle was iced and made ready for her "Welcome Home" around the dinner table. I shared a glass, and then vowed to review it at lunchtime.

The next day... a lunch of leftovers and Vision Pinot Blanc - I am not too sure how long this wine has been in J&S's cellar, but by the dust on the bottle, I am guessing a few years.

It is almost unfair to review an 11 year old bottle of Pinot Blanc.  I mean really, what shelf is that on for you to buy?  But I am going to review it anyway.  This wine is delicious, complex and not what I would expect.  It is a lot like a Riesling, but it has the mouth feel of a chardonnay and tastes like a well aged fruity wine, with a fleeting sweetness, a lush swallow, a slightly acidic flash as you taste the fruitiness.  What once may have been peach or pear has turned into a nice, dry indescribable fruit taste.

It went really well with the leftover Paella, Smoked Trout Rilette and Fava bean spread.  Well done Mac, I hope to try more of your wines in the future.

Update 11/10:  I reviewed his Vision Cellars Santa Lucia Riesling `06 $18.00 (not TJ's)**  

P.S. If you have noticed all of the beautiful flowers in the past couple of months of posts, it is because JPH believes that a man should buy his wife flowers every week. Last night, S. came home to a family that missed her and that beautiful bunch of flowers in the picture above.  Maybe flowers are one of those small details that are one of the many puzzle pieces to a happy marriage.  All I can say is that staying here between apartments has had many bonuses, the flowers being just one.  Now I need to find a man to buy me flowers by the time I leave, because I have to admit, it really is a nice touch!

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