I had to share this latest wine tasting experience, as thewine store owner that I do business with invited me to a super luxury Californiawine tasting. I am not sure why, because heknew that I would not buy any of the wines. However, I got to live vicariously by attending the tasting. Most of the wines were very limitedproduction wines from Napa Valley. Thewines included:
2010Stonestreet Chardonnay Broken Road: Retail $70
2009 La JotaHowell Mt. Cabernet: Retail $75
2009 Mt.Brave Mt. Veeder Cabernet: Retail $90
2009Cardinale Cabernet: Retail $250
2009 LakoyaSpring Mt. Cabernet: Retail $350
2009 LokoyaHowell Mt. Cabernet: Retail $350
2008 LokoyaMt. Veeder Cabernet: Retail $350
2007 LokoyaMt. Veeder Cabernet: Retail $375

First of allthere was not a bad wine in the group, which is expected from the retail costand that these wines were handpicked from the wine shop owner for this tasting. I can know say that I can taste thedifference between a $75 bottle of wine and a $250+ bottle of wine.

My twofavorites were the La Jota and the 2007 Lokoya. The La Jota was intense, supple and graceful, with a balanced mineralityand dried berry, currant, cedar and tobacco flavors.

The 2007Lakoya was rich and explosive, with plum, blackberry, cherry, herbaceous andmocha flavors that was tight and focused, ending with chewy tannins. Drinking this was a sensual experience that Ihad not experienced before. Would anyonelike to donate some funds so that I could buy a bottle?

As I amdrinking my $13 Four Vines Zinfandel and remembering the wines that I tastedyesterday, the Zinfandel seems watery and lacking depth. I am quietly cursing my friend (with a smileon my face) to inviting me to taste the luxury wines…..