In March of this year, I attended my first IYI members only event at my happy place and was impressed. This month, I attended my last IYI members only event of 2014 and it was even better than the first one. I think it's safe to say, upgrading my membership was a wise choice.
I took my dad to the first IYI event as my guest and it was only appropriate to take him to the last IYI event of the year.
2013
Y3 Sauvignon Blanc
Jax Vineyards
Napa Valley
I should have known from the first wine we tasted that this was going to be a phenomenal line-up.
I am not a fan of Sav Blancs because they smell and taste like grapefruit and I despise grapefruit. However, this one didn't smell or taste like grapefruit at all! It had a citrus smell and a clean, mineral taste but absolutely no in-your-face grapefruit.
On that fact alone, I was tempted to purchase this wine.
2011
Maldonado Family Vineyards
Los Olivos Chardonnay
Calistoga
I absolutely love a beautiful, Napa Chardonnay with depth and elegance. This Chardonnay blew me away. It has a perfectly balanced smell reminiscent of hay dotted by tiny white flowers. Its color is of honey and its smooth taste was delightful with baking spices and an incredibly long finish. I long to pair this wine with shrimp and scallop seafood pasta with a creamy cheese sauce.
This is a Chardonnay of which I would never tire.
2011
Attune
Pinot Noir
Carneros
I was not looking forward to tasting this wine because it is a Pinot Noir from California.
At this point in the blog, you all know how I feel about non-Oregon Pinot Noir. (If you don't know what I'm talking about then you need to take a boring, rainy day and start reading the January posts and work your way through the 2014 year.)
It is truly amazing how this wine tastes nothing like a Pinot Noir to me. It doesn't taste like the earthy, dirty Pinot Noirs from Oregon. It doesn't taste like the light cherry cough medicine from California.
It is smooth and bigger than a Pinot Noir. It smells of a salad with rotten radishes and strawberries with pepper on the finish. I didn't necessarily like it but it was definitely intriguing.
2012
Sangiovese
Venge Vineyards
Oakville
Sangiovese? Really? Arthur has outdone himself with this IYI event. I love it!
My least favorite wine of the night, this Sangiovese has somewhat of a chalky smell, a big but peppermint flavor and a tangy finish. I can imagine this having promise with food though.
2010
O.P.C.
Buoncristiani Family Winery
Napa
"Our motto is quality not quantity and we craft our wines without compromise.
Handcrafting these limited production wines ourselves allows for the utmost attention to detail of every drop of every gallon in each barrel."
And it shows....
O.P.C. stands for "Ol' Pa's Cuvee" and is the four Buoncristiani brothers' red blend of Cab Sav, Syrah, Malbec and Merlot sourced from some of Napa's most prestigious vineyards.
It is a tribute to the winemaking fathers who came before them and a way to honor the family tradition of handcrafting blends that help accentuate the enjoyment of life.
We couldn't have shared a more perfect wine for my last IYI date with dad!
What a breathtakingly beautiful wine that is just going to get better with decanting. I took a deep breath with this wine and became intoxicated by the smell alone. I didn't rush to taste this wine because the aroma was so incredible. I was proud when Dad smelled it and immediately said with an approving smile on his face, "This smells dirty!"
2012
"Silencieux"
Cabernet Sauvignon
Venge Vineyards
Napa
"The Silent One" is sourced from six different vineyards, and spent time in concrete, stainless steel and oak barrels. It has aromas of chocolate flowers and a plummy flavor. The last sip that I took of this wine took me to a pier overlooking the ocean on a summer day at the Outer Banks.
Doesn't get much better....
2011
Experiment No. G8.1
Ovid Vineyards
St. Helena
Primarily, Cab Sav, this seductive wine is also blended with Cab Franc, Merlot and 100th of a percent of Petit Verdot. The deep, sensational aromas of mulberry and cassis give way to elegant flavors of plum, blackberry and pomegranate.
The winemaker has always been intrigued by alternative closures for wine. For this wine, he decided to try out the glass stopper. Not knowing how customers would feel about easily being able to remove the stopper and not have the ceremonial cork pulling, he took a chance. Not knowing how the stopper would seal the wine and in fact what will happen in 5 to 10 years with a bottle of this wine is taking even more of a chance. This wine truly is "an experiment".
It was difficult to choose which wines I wanted to purchase from this event. I then realized, you only live once and I most likely won't have an opportunity to purchase these wines especially at these prices again. As a result, the Silencieux, the OPC and the Chardonnay came home with me. There is no doubt they will be savored and enjoyed for an upcoming special occasion.
Almost a year has gone by and after much contemplation, it didn't take long for me to know I made the right decision by becoming an IYI member.
I also had no doubt that taking Dad as my date to this event was also the right decision!
"Wine has been a part of civilized life for some seven thousand years. It is the only beverage that feeds the body, soul and spirit of man and at the same time stimulates the mind."
~ Robert Mondavi
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