From over the weekend:
NEW WINERY. Or newish, at that. MATERRA on Big Ranch Road right at the intersection with Oak Knoll. Big investment...in addition to their 4-5,000 cases or so they are offering custom crush and production in an amazingly high tech facility. Anyway, they have two consulting winemakers, one of whom is Mike Trujillo of Sequoia Grove fame. Anyway, very balanced wines. The standouts were to me a spot on 2013 Viognier that continues the recent trend of disabusing my dislike of the wine grape. Crisp, peach, apple, pear flavors. Not heavy or oaky. Plenty of delicious freshness. Impressive stuff! The 2011 Rutherford cabernet was deserving of the "dust" name, and very nice.
With pork tenderloin in amazing plum sauce: 2012 LA ROCHELLE Londer Vineyard Pinot Noir (Anderson Valley). I guessed correctly! The Anderson Valley plum/pomegranate really complemented the pork! Lovely texture, plenty of saline acidity. With salads we also tasted the DA VERO 2015 ROSSATO DE SANGIOVESE from Dry Creek. Pretty pink color, bracing acid, a distinct honey note on the finish.
Afterwards, we tried a new wine from Kermit Lynch: Chateau Feuillet from Val D'Aosta. http://kermitlynch.com/our-wines/chateau-feuillet/
FURMAN was the grape. A new one for me. Deep glowing purple in color. Black plum, black pepper, and a very strong lilac/floral quality. Soft and quaffable-no harsh mountain valley tannins despite being a 2014. The floral character almost reminded me of Lacrima de Moro de Crista! Interesting wine.