We spent the next couple of hours getting acquainted in real time (instead of online) and tasting a succession of whites, while our host made dinner preparations. We also noshed on some excellent dried tomato/pine nut bread with a California Orchards North Beach Balsamic Bread Dip

Bree couldn’t have started us off with a better wine than the ’96 Ridge Chardonnay. Medium straw to pale gold in color, this shows smoky/toasty oak and bright pear/melon on the nose and palate, along with subtle floral nuances from the 25% Viognier. (The chard all comes from the Monte Bello Ridge - 85% from Jimsomare; the Viogner comes from the Norton Ranch [Lytton West]). This is fresh and buttery in the mouth, with enough acidity to keep it lively. The label says it’s 14.3 % alcohol, but it doesn’t taste like it. An absolutely lovely wine, we’d taste this again over the next several days, and it never failed to satisfy completely. Strangely, we brought none of this home with us…

After a glass or two of that, Bree sprang a Mystery Wine on us. It’s a pale to medium straw, and The Director immediately noted "cat pee and pine needles" on the nose. It has nice floral overtones as well, along with ripe pear/fig/herb flavors and aromas, and the vaguest hint of detergent on the finish. It’s aggressive and pretty at the same time; it also shows decent acidity and a soft mouthfeel, a study in contrasts. As it opens, it mutates, with the grassiness receding somewhat and the rich fruit coming to the fore. Bree described this as "a dramatic wine," and we couldn’t have agreed more.

My notes read, "This is Sauvignon the way I like it!"

The varietal was obvious to both Madame and this taster. Less obvious was the producer. I guessed that it was the ’97 Mason, since it seemed similar to the ’96 model that I’d tasted with the Joisey gang, and also because I knew that Bree was a fan of the wine as well. However, he pulled it from its brown paper bag and revealed it to be the Rochioli that everyone has been raving about on the wineboards. I was only mildly surprised, and had actually almost guessed that instead.

There may be better domestic Sauvignons, but if there are, they haven’t come our way!

Since I’d brought up the Mason, that was our host’s next selection. It’s a pale straw, and The Director’s first impression was nutmeg on the nose. Though not nearly as forward as the Rochioli, it still shows pretty pear/herb/fig flavors/aromas with a nice finish. This also has decent acidity, yet a soft, slightly buttery mouthfeel. It would have shown better tasted before the Rochioli, which overpowered it a bit; still it held its own, and it costs 5 or 6 bucks less.

It was about that time that Nine Ball rolled in, and we made the pleasure of her acquaintance. Soon after that, califusa brought out two more Chardonnays and announced the first dinner course.

 We sat down to an absolutely terrific poached King Salmon and tarragon beurre blanc with a fava bean puree and a melange of local peas prepared by Bree. (We HAVE to get these folks together with Canadian Zinfan, Zinchick and Mr. Flippy!)

The Thunder Mountain Chard is a slightly cloudy pale to medium gold with an initial effervescence that lingers some. Nine Ball described "toasty caramel/sweet wood" impressions; Bree noted "wonderful extraction." I found rich pear/maple/brown sugar/sweet lime notes that were interesting, different and delicious. Not your everyday fat low acid California Chardonnay, by a long shot!

We followed a glass of that with a glass of the ’94 Marcassin, a pale gold that Bree called "just gorgeous." Nine Ball commented on a "lovely pineapple/butterscotch nose." I got a slight canned pea/funky smell that blew off for the most part with extended air, revealing soft rich pears. Bree described the funk as "airplane glue." A pure, lovely Chardonnay, this might best be decanted if the whole bottle is meant to be consumed, which this one wasn’t. It was also Madame L’Pour’s first Turley engineered wine. 

califusa’s second course of  pan roasted loin of lamb with carmalized Vidalia onions and roasted garlic potatoes was every bit as delightful as the first, and his choice of wines was superb. They were tasted side by side, and unlike the whites, there was none of either left at the end of the evening.

The ’95 Dehlinger is a dark garnet with flavors/aromas of sweet oak/dark black cherry/cola, and "a little briar on the finish," according to the man. Fairly thick in the mouth, with good acidity and silky tannins, this is bigger and darker than the Skewis. Bree said it had "a touch more focus, polish, intensity and class, yet is still a great, elegant wine."

My notes read "big, rich, smooth and yummy!"

The Skewis is a ruby garnet that shows similar notes of sweet oak/black cherry to the Dehlinger, along with spice/plum/hint o’ cola. These grace a slightly smaller frame than the former model, not being as dense or concentrated. Still, I wondered if this wasn’t a somewhat unfair comparison, because there was no doubt that this is a very fine wine.

And that was it for our first day back in the promised land. No "winery crawl;" no wineries at all. Just kicking back getting to know new friends, eating great food and tasting wonderful wines.