Do you ever experience something that surprises you in a good way? Last night Maureen and I had dinner at home with just ourselves. That happens from time to time now with our children being older. I hope Brad survived the FSU game. Sam was working. Wilson took Annie to her end of the year soccer party in Visalia. Wils picked up food in Visalia, even though Mom told him she was cooking. So it became a quiet dinner of garlic chicken for Maureen and I, with Wilson in his room gaming. That wasn't the surprise.
The wine was. We started the evening with a 2005 Campion Pinot Noir from the Santa Lucia Highlands. We're just learning to appreciate Pinots and this was a good one that we received the last time we were in Napa with the Derrs. We liked it, but it seems a bit young to me. That's my way of saying there is a taste somewhere that time in the cellar would smooth out. That being only my naive thoughts. We will probably finish the bottle tonight and see if 24 hours will help. Good wine and a good way to start appreciating Pinots.
The second wine we drank is more like we usually have, but really surprised both of us. Last year after one of Sam's football games in Reedley we needed to pick something up in the country north of Reedley near Sanger. We ended up out near the Redwood Inn, or at least what used to be the restaurant. It is off of Highway 180. I saw a sign that said wine tasting, we had some time, so we stopped. They were just closing up, but offered to let us taste. What a great discovery. Cedar View Winery is what we found. Great people, good wines. They have a B & B nearby and the winery. A couple from New York state staying in the B & B came in and tasted for a bit. It was the end of the month, so we only bought a few bottles of white and a red by their winemaker under his label and promised ourselves to return.
Last night in a sense we returned. I was rummaging through the cellar for a bottle of Cab and brought up the winemaker's red, a 2005 Ramos Lodi Cabernet Sauvignon. It has 10% Merlot and 10% Petite Sirah. From the first sip to the end it was great. Maureen said that it was one of those wines that makes you stand up and notice it in a pleasant way. Lots of fruit and berry tastes that were right up front, but not overpowering. The cab, with its berry tastes, contrasted with the Pinot. Just a very wonderful surprise. We just plain liked it and plans are under way to make the trip North, the back way to Fresno and get some more.
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