Four times a year, the four of us get together to celebrate a birthday; he who is honored, doesn't pay. We usually go to the same restaurant and everybody brings a bottle. I look forward to these gatherings as much as any.
This past Thursday was one. The bottles were:
2009 Rhys, Pinot Noir, Home Vineyard
2009 Phelps, Pinot Noir, Freestone
2002 LaJota, Cabernet Sauvignon, Howell Mountain, and,
2010 Occhpinti, il Frappato.
Between mouthfuls of carpaccio, filet, pork chop, sea bass, pasta, etc. we tasted the wines over the course of about three hours and caught up.
These guys have a mostly CA palate but they know wine from everywhere (although none had tasted Frappato before). All of the wines showed well.
At the end of the evening we comment on the wines.
Mike's comment on the Frappato - "that's the way wine is supposed to taste."
'Says it all.
Best, Jim