Back To School Party

Sunday we had a nice get together at Paul’s house with all the kids and celebrated the last day of summer in the pool, cooking in the kitchen, grilling, and of course enjoying fine wine, and each other. I made my baby back ribs on the grill using a Peurto Rican Pig Powder rub that can be found in Steven Raichlen’s book titled Barbeque Sauces, Rubs, and Marinades. It is a great rub for pork ribs. Diana of course did her usual magic in the kitchen. We enjoyed two incredible bottles of wine in the hot tub. The first was a 2003 La Sirena from Heidi Barrett which I have rated before on this site and is a really incredibly awesome wine. The second was a 2005 Beaux Freres Pinot Noir. We didn’t intend to line these two wines up together or to have a second bottle at all, but this Pinot followed Heidi’s wine without a problem. It shows an incredible balance of fruit, acidity, alcohol, and tannin, very much like her various efforts. 

Wine Details:

Vintage 2005

Winery: Beaux Freres

Varietal: Pinot Noir

Appelation: Williamette Valley

unfiltered, unfinned. Aged in 50%-60% new French oak. Robert Parker is a co-owner of this winery.

Deep ruby red color with beautiful dark cherries, and loads of cassis on the nose, white pepper, cinnamon, and some nice spices. There is also a wonderful earthiness, and tar component that actually smelled exactly like those little black things you get from a fireworks stand that you light and they grow like a worm on the ground and smell really good. The balance of this wine is amazing, the fruit, acidity, alcohol, and tannin are all in harmony. The finish is long and pleasant. Drinking well now, but will be good for 7 or more years.

Rating: 93 JH

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