11 Wines for 11 Guests
This Saturday I'm hosting an 11-person get together to "Drink Down Dave's Collection" because I need help!
I always like to say: “I don’t have a drinking problem, I have a storage problem.”
Living alone, but buying wines left and right and not being an alcoholic, I can’t drink them faster than I collect them. So when a local BYOB Los Angeles wine group asked if I wanted to host next, I said “yes! But only if I can supply ALL the wine! I need to get rid of some of this shit!”
So just because we wine nerds love to share this stuff, here are the 11 bottles I chose to share, from top left to bottom right of the above pic:
WHITES
2022 Chardonnay/Albarino, concrete aged, The Blending Lab, Paso Robles: The concrete aging adds a light, fresh minerality and keeps this white wine light on its feet! Green apple and kiwi notes for a tart/sweet flavor.
2022 Burgan's Albarino, Rias Baixas, Spain: I've never had a Rias Baixas Albarino before, but they are ALL the rage right now, so time to give it a whirl!
2023 Nashik, Sula Vineyards, Chenin Blanc, India: I've also never had ANY wine from India before. India! I'm very curious to see how this one tastes. Chenin Blanc is usually a sure bet of a white, too.
ROSES AND ORANGES
2022 Grenache Gris/Touriga Nacional Rose, The Blending Lab, Paso Robles: A gorgeous rose made from grenache gris juice and skins from touriga nacional grapes, the national grape of Portugal and one of the main grapes used in port.
2016 Vin Gris de Cigare Rose, Bonny Doon, Central Coast, California: one of the final releases by the cult winery before its maverick founder and winemaker, Randall Graham, sold it to a larger company. This is a rare rose that was made to age, and now with 8 years of age on it, it's right at its peak. I had a case of these. This is the last bottle.
2023 Grenache Gris Orange (28 days on the skins), The Blending Lab, Central Coast, California: in case you didn't know, orange wine is made by soaking green/white grapes on their skins the way you do with red grapes and red wine. This one came out elegant and gentle with rooibois red tea like flavors.
LIGHT REDS
2021 Les Haute Valcombe Rouge, Ventoux, France: The “second label” from Valcombe. This certified organic wine is produced in the same fashion as their top cuvée. It is based on 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah
2021 Ludovic Montginot Morgon Cote du Py, Beaujolais, France: a rare and meaty Beaujolais which is usually known for being even lighter than this. Morgon is considered one of the premier areas in Beaujolais, and this wine is made by an auteaur winemaker who tends to his 3 hectares of vineyard and his cellar completly unassisted. He's a true one man show. So not many of these bottles are produced every year. I had a few, this is the last.
DEEP REDS
2019 Turley Duarte Vineyard Zinfandel, Contra Costa County, California: Turley is known for Zinfandel, and you have to get on a waitlist to even have the opportuity to purcahse their wines! This should be one of the best representations of Cali Zin we've ever tasted.
2016 Cabernet Sauvignon, Grassini Vineyards, Santa Barbara, California: My second favorite Santa Barbara winery, known for Cabernet, and this is a 2016 so it's going to have soem nice age on it!
2017 Upslope Syrah, Jaffurs Winery, Santa Barbara, 99 Points: My #1 favorite Santa Barbara winery, Jaffurs is known for Syrah, and Upslope is their flagship bottling, collecting the very best lots of every year. This 2017 snagged a 99 point score, something even the 2018-2020's haven't been able to replicate!
DESSERT WINE
2009 Banyuls, Domaine Pietri-Gerard, Cuvee Mediterranee: Banyuls is a region in southwestern France known for making this Port-style fortified dessert wine. Harder to find in the States than Port, Banyuls is often considered more complex and nuanced. This 2009 is going to have a wild 15 years of age on it as well!
So some good stuff. At least I hope so. Some I’ve tasted before, some is going to be the usual roll of the dice that wine always is.
What would YOU pull out of your collection to serve a gathering of guests?
Sounds like a blast! And some good wines!