Roth Estate makes it great

Not the oldest or the youngest of wineries but Roth wines will certainly not disappoint. Known mostly for their Bordeaux style wines out of Alexander valley, Roth has now ventured into Burgundian style wines like Pinot Noir along the Sonoma Coast. The 2008 Estate Merlot was a beautiful example of an Old World wine done California style, bringing forward the exemplary fruit, complexity, depth and structure. As soon as you open the bottle to pour your first glass wild blueberries take over your senses like smelling a fresh pie from the oven. Full structured flavors of currants and cedar come through with round structured tannins that linger with a smooth finish. Between $20-$25 for the bottle I would highly recommend any of Roth wines. 2008 Merlot paired with seared duck breast with a jalepeno blackberry sauce, that just sounds to good! Cheers!

'95 Alexander Valley Silver Oak

Silver Oak is one of the few wineries in all of Napa that has been a beacon of want and desire for me since I started drinking wine. Of course there are many wines I would love to try and many wineries around the world I love to get to go to but for now, I can say I have had the opportunity to try not only a '04 Napa Valley, '07 Napa Valley, '07 Alexander Valley, I have had the opportunity to drink a 1995 Alexander Valley Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon. Let me tell you, for an 18 year old wine, not to shabby, not at all! And before I forget I have to say a big THANK YOU to Mr. R.T. for giving me this marvelous gift! Beautiful Ruby red color, with ripe red and black fruits, earth and a small hint of spice overwhelmed every sense as I poured, smelled, swirled, smelled then sipped this masterpiece called Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon.

Silver Oak was founded by the Duncan family in the 1960's and is still family owned and operated. Dedicated to strictly making one type of wine, Cabernet Sauvignon, they do 100% Cabernet Sauvignon substantially grown grapes within both the Alexander Valley and Napa Valley continuing tradition set by founder Raymond Duncan in the early 70's. If your ever in the Napa Valley area Silver Oak is must see, that won't leave you disappointed. Cheers!

A moment to "Capture" Friday night off!

Anyone in the hospitality industry knows to have a Friday night or Saturday night off is very rare and for some odd reason I scored a Friday night off! What to do, what to do, hahaha. I knew I wanted to drink a bottle of wine and it had been a while since my wife and I drank a good bottle of White. For some reason this bottle had kept my attention from the moment I had seen it the first time. I mean the name itself is enough to do what it says but the more I saw it I wanted to try it, so I grabbed a bottle brought it home invited my parents over for dinner and drank this exquisite bottle of "Capture Sauvignon Blanc Tradition 2010." With the capture I prepared Prosciutto wrapped, Blue cheese stuffed Artichoke hearts and Roasted Red and Golden Beet Salad with Baby Arugula, Balsamic Vinegar, Dried Cranberries, Shaved Almonds and Creamy Goat Cheese. This food pairing was right on point. The SB had just enough acidity to cut through the creaminess and flavor of the bold cheese while complimenting the dishes. We also drank a different bottle of red, we will get to that later. 

Capture Sauvignon Blanc Tradition 2010 is a blend of Sonoma County and Lake County 100% SB and absolutely delicious! Nuances and aroma of Citrus, vanilla, hints of green apple and gooseberries, with a creamy texture on the palate. I love comparing what the info on the back says to what I and my tasting partners if any think, wine is subjective always remember that! Yes of course what the wine maker and Master Sommelier's say is gonna trump what you or I say but its okay because we are trying to experience the same things they are, everyone's palate is different.