I will report later on the wine tastings in private homes and one seminar during the Nantucket Wine Festival. My first two nights were spent on Cape Cod at the Dan'l Webster Inn in Sandwich. One evening I drove to Hyannis and dined at The Paddock where I ordered a half bottle of the 2006 Shafer Merlot, Stag's Leap, Napa Valley. Black and red fruits--a medley of blackberries and raspberries. Mellow, juicy, smooth--a nice accompaniment to lamb chops and au gratin potatoes.
On Wednesday, May 15, I took the high-speed ferry to Nantucket and dined at Oran Mor where I had the Sun-Kissed Manhattan and Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc noted elsewhere. Thursday evening was the Harbor Gala at the White Elephant Hotel in large tents attached to the main hotel. Many chefs and restaurants from Nantucket and the Boston area were represented with bites of food and the wine was sampled standing up, so I didn't take notes other than the names of some wines I liked. I tried Stag's Leap Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, 2008 Cain Five (Bordeaux grape varieties in a red blend), Vega Sicilia Pintia (100% Tempranillo), Toro. I did make some notes on a Non-Vintage Brut Rose' Cremant d'Alsace (maybe while I was in the area where the musicians were set up and there were some chairs and couches for sitting.) Pale coral color, steady stream of small bubbles. Dry on the palate. Suggestion of unripe strawberries and lemon peel. My favorite white wine of the evening (and the whole week) was a Christian Moreau Chablis Grand Cru Valmur (the 2010 vintage I think.) I had a chance to try the Christian Moreau Chablis Grand Cru Montmain two days later but it didn't impress as much as the Valmur. I'm excited because I already had two bottles of the 2010 Christian Moreau Valmur in my wine collection at home and now I really look forward to drinking them.
It's late so I will look for my notes on the tastings in private homes tomorrow.