Bacchus Does Sonapanoma
Brought to you by:



Dinner at John Ash

The Last Supper

WINES TASTED:

1995 Domaine Serene Pinot Noir Evenstad Reserve
1990 Hermitage La Cuvee des Miaux
1994 Dehlinger Pinot Noir Goldridge 20 year old vines
1995 Dehlinger Pinot Noir Goldridge
1995 Karl Lawrence Cabernet (1994?)
1993 Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
1996 Rochioli Pinot Noir Estate
1996 Patz & Hall Pinot Noir Hyde Vyd
1988 Louis Max Grands-Eschezeaux
1978 Guigal Hermitage
1978 Pio Cesare Barolo
1996 Williams-Selyam Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
1995 Rochioli Pinot Noir West Block Reserve
1993 Dalla Valle Cabernet
1995 Baumard Quarts du Charme
1989 Chasse-Spleen
1985 Rausan-Segla
1994 San Vincent Rioja
1994 Gary Farrell Pinot Noir Sonoma County
1987 Cornas Cotes du Rhone
1996 Siduri Pinot Noir Van Der Kamp Vyd
1995 Mondavi Fume Blanc Reserve I Block
1997 Siduri Pinot Noir Van Der Kamp B/S
1997 Siduri Pinot Noir Oregon
1997 Siduri Pinot Noir Hirsch
1997 Siduri Pinot Noir Archery Summit
1997 Siduri Pinot Noir Pisoni
1997 Pisoni Oinot Pinot Noir
1996 Nichols Pinot Noir Pisoni
1995 School House Pinot Noir
1989 Santino Reisling
1994 St. Innocent Pinot Noir

We called ahead to let the restaurant know that we were mechanically delayed, and they were very understanding and accommodating. As you can see, the setting was lovely. We had a portion of the covered patio all to ourselves – or perhaps the restaurant was protecting their other valued patrons (?).

Tonight was the designated "Pinot Night", and we promptly got to work. It was a dazzling array – we started with regular release Pinots from California and Oregon, then, as dinner progressed, to the better wines. Dave Janelle brought some wonderful older wines, including some fabulous Hermitage.

Adam and Dianna Lee brought a generous sampling of their Siduri Pinot Noir from barrel and bottle, and led us through a miniseries of tastings between courses, including Pisoni Vineyard Pinot from three different producers.

Adam and Dianna Lee

The food was wonderful, the wines were terrific, and the conversation was lively. It was great to see folks circling the long table, pouring tastes of the special wine they had brought.

After the entrée was cleared, the "stogie contingent" (including 9-Ball) made its’ way out onto the veranda to pollute the clean country air, while the rest of us looked for remnants of wines we had not sampled. Dessert was an afterthought, and the evening wound down slowly, and people drifted out one by one – not wanting the night, or the tour to end.

Nevertheless – lots to look forward to tomorrow.