All Set in Massachusetts

Great Pinot Noir: Jezebel from Oregon

Daedalus Cellars

Jezebel Pinot Noir, 2007

Dundee, Oregon

We first purchased Jezebel Pinot Noir at the recommendation of a clerk at the Chelsea Wine Vault in NYC. We brought it to a summer evening picnic in Central Park, where everyone thoroughly enjoyed it along with beef and chicken pitas - samples from the menu of our friend's new restaurant (stay tuned for more info). Even our friend who is not a Pinot Noir fan said that he really liked this wine!

We ARE big Pinot Noir fans and think Jezebel stands out among others we've tried in the low $20s price range. It's light and smooth on the palate, with deep, tart cherry flavors and a hint of spice. The wine comprises fruit from several different Oregon vineyards. We stopped by the wine shop the next day and picked up two more bottles - and we highly suggest you do the same next time you have the chance!

A&T Ranking: 9/10

Wines Celebrating Life

Dancing Bear Cellars

Pinot Noir, 2004

The Life of Riley Cuvee

Sonoma, California

Price: $20-25

When we were on Nantucket celebrating our anniversary last weekend, we stopped in at a store called Current Vintage. This quaint little shop in the heart of town combines many of the things that Alice loves - from vintage Manolos to obscure New Zealand wines. One bottle that jumped off the shelf was a Pinot Noir by Dancing Bear Cellars, whose motto is "Wines Celebrating Life." Perhaps we were drawn to this wine because it's a 2004 vintage (the year we were married), or maybe it was the fact that the wine was created by Eric Munson, a Nantucket native. The wine is named after Eric's youngest son. Riley. Sentimental reasons aside, this was actually a very tasty wine. The aroma is bold, and it has a strawberry flavor with hints of spice and a crisp yet smooth finish. The limited-edition wine may be hard to find, but it's definitely one worth celebrating over.

A&T Ranking: 8.5/10

A Winery to Watch: Brassfield High Valley Appellelation

This summer, we enjoyed two wines from an emerging, yet still relatively unknown, area in California -- the High Valley Appellation. High Valley offers a unique combination of volcanic and alluvial soil, which, combined with the cool climate, makes it ideal for growing top-quality grapes. We tried the Brassfield Estate Winery 2006 Sauvignon Blanc and the 2004 Pinot Noir - both of which were enjoyable and easy-to-drink. We had the Sauvignon Blanc with cheese, crackers and other light hors d'oeuvres at Alice's parents house. Everyone agreed that the tangy pear, melon, and floral flavors of the Sauvignon Blanc made it perfectly refreshing on a warm summer's night. The Pinot Noir was more medium-bodied, with a nice cherry and spice aroma and a long, silky finish that fills your mouth. While these wines may be relatively hard to find (the Pinot Noir says "sold out" on the web site), they're definitely worth trying if you can get your hands on them.

A&T Ranking:

Pinot Noir - 8/10

Sauvignon Blanc - 9/10

Thadd's Price-Wine Score Ratio- P/WS Ratio

A valuation ratio of a wine’s current price compared to its Wine Spectator Score.

For example, if a wine is currently selling at $20 a bottle and has a Score of 91, the P/WS ratio for the wine would be 0.21 ($20/91)  vs. 0.60 ($55/91)

Also sometimes known as "wine multiple" or "wine scoring multiple".   

In general, a high P/WS suggests that wine lovers are drinking over-priced wine and wasting their money.

Final Four Pinot Noir

Estancia

Pinot Noir, 2004

Monterey -- Pinnacles Ranches

The first word that comes to mind when drinking this wine is "smooth." It has a spicy aroma and is packed with dark cherry flavors. Silky from start to finish, this wine reminds us why we love Pinot Noir at just about any price.  At 15.99, this wine is a solid choice for everyday drinking or to accompany a great meal.

A&T Ranking 7.5/10

The Broncos are in the Nuthouse

Argyle Nuthouse Pinot Noir, 2002

Willamette Valley

We enjoyed this special bottle of wine while celebrating Thadd's birthday and watching the Patriots play the Denver Broncos in the playoffs. According to the bottle, 2002 was a great year in the Willamette Valley with warm, dry weather and an Indian summer that enabled harvesting of the grapes at just the right time.  Bottled in March 2004, this screw-top wine has a bold structure and complex tart berry flavors. Overall, we felt this wine balanced our double-cherry duck nicely, as it wasn't too sweet and didn't compete with the meal. The only drawback was a heavy sediment at the bottom of the bottle. Decanting definitely recommended.

A&T Ranking: 7.5/10

Hook 'em Horns and "Pino" Noir

It is the 3rd quarter at the Rose Bowl and Vince, Limas and the boys of Texas are keeping the Trojans in check - so far. For this special Texas occasion, we decided to crack open an excellent Pinot Noir that we purchased in Oregon last summer.  This wine is velvety smooth yet packed with complex flavors, including strong hints of strawberry and a smoky essence. The Oregon Pinots tend to be expensive, but this wine offers high quality for the price.

Carlo and Julian

Pinot Noir, 2003-- 175 Cases

Willamette Valley

A&T Ranking: 8.5

Best of 2005 - Wine, Food, Travel

Happy New Year! As we close the book on 2005 and get ready for 2006, we thought it would be fun to re-cap our favorite hotels, meals and wines of 2005.

Here they are:

Best Meals of 2005

1) Aujourd'hui - Boston, MA: Top-notch service and perfectly prepared, elaborate dishes from appetizers through dessert. Our third visit to this outstanding restaurant didn't disappoint!

2) MIX - Las Vegas, Nevada: Unique "champagne bubble" decor at the top of The Hotel (Mandalay Bay) with amazing views of the strip. A savory spicy thai beef salad and the most tender of beef tenderloins with blac truffles and foie gras make this restaurant worth the exorbitant prices.

3) The Herbfarm - Seattle, Washington: A visit to the Herbfarm is more than just a meal - it's a culinary adventure. This evening-long experience began with a stroll through the extensive herb garden (with a few fresh samples along with way) and cultimated with the "Basil Banquet," where we enjoyed dishes infused with all types of basil - from lemon to chocolate (who knew there were so many kinds of basil!!). Each of the courses was paired with outstanding wines from around the world.

Best Hotels of 2005

1) The Phoenician - Scottsdale, Arizona: Stunning desert views from our terrace in this spacious luxury hotel room with a spa tub and extra-comfortable king-sized bed. Nice pool with good food/beverage service - and spotting the Memphis Grizzlies basketball team catching a few rays was a nice bonus! Romantic terrace bar with live music.

2) The Four Seasons - Vancouver, BC: We spent our one-year anniversary at this oasis in the heart of Vancouver. Upon arrival, the hotel upgraded us to an elegant one bedroom suite on a high floor (with two bathrooms!) and sent us complementary champagne and strawberries for our anniversary. We savored them as we watched a glorious sunset over the city.

3) The W Hotel - Seattle, Washington: We've stayed at several W Hotels and are consistenly impressed with the combination of chic style and excellent service (many hotels do one or the other well, but not both).  Even though it took us a few minutes to get our room due to late checkouts, we ended up with a nice corner room with floor-to-ceiling window views, a luxurious king-sized bed, and designer bath products.

Best Wines of 2005

White: Cakebread Cellars, 2002, Chardonnay Reserve, Carneros, Napa Valley

Red: Tremani, 2003, Pinot Noir, Hansen Vineyards, Russian River Valley

Best Wine Shop of 2005

Sonoma Wine Shop, Sonoma, California

Best Restaurant in the World

Admittedly, there are many amazing restaurants in the world that we have yet to try, but we’ve also had some pretty incredible dining experiences in the past six years – the Herbfarm in Seattle, Enoteca Pinchiorri in Firenze, Fifty Seven Fifty Seven at the Four Seasons New York, Picasso in Las Vegas, and La Mer in Honolulu to name a few. But despite our worldwide travels, we still feel that the best dining experience – especially in terms of food and service – is in our backyard. We’ve been to Aujourd’hui at the Four Seasons Boston three times for Alice’s birthday (2001, 2003, and 2005), and each time it has exceeded our expectations.

Our most recent experience was a few weeks ago, and we once again asked ourselves if it could possibly be as we remembered. Well, it was. Thadd asked for the “most romantic table,” and we were seated side-by-side on a luxurious couch and enjoyed a candlelight dinner with views of the Boston Common. Upon recommendation from the waiter, we ordered an outstanding (and apparently hard-to-find) bottle of Pinot Noir – Kosta Browne, Cohn Vineyard, 2002, Russian River Valley.Every bite of the meal was outstanding. For example, the venison was cooked to perfection and topped with a delicate sauce that included chocolate shavings to remove the “gamey” taste. We also enjoyed amazing sea scallops and a lobster and truffle risotto that was so rich and flavorful that it’s hard to put into words. And the meal was topped off with to-die-for chocolate soufflé and petit fours that even Thadd liked (he never understands the point of Petit Fours).

As always, the service was exceptionally gracious, and we felt like royalty for the entire evening. We could go on & on about Aujourd’hui’s merits, but the bottom line is that this is among the best there is, and while expensive, it’s definitely worth the price. For any romantic occasion, this place is a sure bet. And to top off the evening, take a romantic stroll by the weeping willow tree on Boston Common.

A&T Ranking 10/10. 

Winter Pinot

Belle Glos Pinot Noir, 2002

Clark & Telephone Vineyard

Santa Maria Valley, Santa Barbara County

Purchased: Giles Liquors, Winchester, Mass.

We purchased this wine as a Christmas treat in December 2004 upon the recommendation of the Giles wine manager. We enjoyed the bottle in the dead of winter in February, and it did a lot to warm our spirits. The wine is light but layered with a multitude of berry flavors. The vineyard attributes the complex flavors to the slow ripening of the vines from the sun that pokes through the foggy foothills of the Santa Maria Valley. While this is an outstanding wine, the $40+ price tag is steep.

A&T Ranking: 7/10