by JC (NC) » Fri Dec 05, 2014 1:20 pm
Russian River Valley, CA. 14.2% abv. Aged in French oak. When I saw the vintage on this bottle, I was certain I had missed the drinking window. "It Ain't Necessarily So." This has some secondary characteristics but is mellow and enjoyable with plumskin and boysenberries. The first bottle I had some years ago was quite bold and overpowered some of the traditional Pinot Noir or red Burgundy pairings. It seemed better suited to barbequed pork or beef or possibly spicy chili with meat. This bottle, with lots of age on it, is friendly with a greater variety of dishes. I don't think I would recommend holding it for this long, but it worked out well in this instance. I had it with a cheeseburger with caramelized onions and the next evening with a tuna casserole. It also didn't clash with Cheshire cheese. It's slightly tart and medium-bodied with a respectably long finish.
