White: A beautiful golden yellow color that just lights up the glass. An expressive nose of tropical fruit and floral fragrance. Specifically, lichee nuts, pineapple, and roses. Gorgeous lichee nuts, pineapple, and rose petals on the palate in a wonderful balance with the acidity. Nice long luxurious finish of mouthwatering fruit and acid.
Food matches: Broiled lake trout and Lebanese rice with lentils. Nice with trout but the wine just lights up
with the spicy rice and lentils.
Red: Deep red of considerable extraction. Nice nose of dark plums and blackberries. One dimensional fruit on the palate and a short finish of fruit. This wine is out of balance with fruit and overly ripe tannins that can barely be detected and definitely lacking in acidity.
Food match: Bistro steak with mustard cream sauce. OK match but sauce out matches the wine a bit. Really probably a better match with the white.
White wine: 2004 Zind Humbrecht Gewurztraminer Alsace 14.5% abv
Red wine: 2002 Sebastiani Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County 13.5% abv