Enobytes Wine Blog

The 2007 Napa Valley Rocca Bad Boy Red is a great Bordeaux style blend and a solid effort worth seeking out.

This blend kicks it hard and will make you sit up and take notice. It has soft and supple tannins paired with big bold flavors.

The aromas are red fruit fading to black; flavors exude quality new American oak rendering vanilla and spice. Broad culinary applications (hold back delicate seafood and citrus sauces).

I would certainly suggest this for any up and coming “We have a great Wine list Restaurant”. This wine is a standalone, no food needed sipper that really shines in that role and could make the top of the list on any wine by the glass list.

Look for this one when you have an audience to impress. Dr’s you have a pulse. Hold back the paddle and keep pouring the wine. ~Marc Hinton

Rating: 91 | $32 | 14.5% ABV

Find this wine to buy: Vinquire | WineZap.com

When I was invited to attend the “Make a Wish Foundation” dinner at Morton’s on April 28, I had no idea the extent of the education I would receive in just the amount of time it takes to eat dinner.  Well, I probably should include the time spent at the bar.

I arrived at Morton’s in Portland a little early. I was quickly greeted and introduced to the facilitator for the evening’s event. After introducing myself and handing out the prerequisite business card, I was told Mr. Mondavi would be ready in a few minutes so I thought it was an appropriate time to head to the bar for a quick beer.

The professionalism and skill of all the staff at Morton’s was impressive. Although I would be surprised if I had experienced anything less at America’s best steakhouse chain other than the sincere, most attentive, service. My hats off to Steve Meek, the Maitre d’ and General Manager of Morton’s of Portland.  He runs a tight ship that sails straight.

As I sat at the bar I went over my questions for Peter Mondavi Jr. and sipped my IPA.  Something told me to turn around …  read the rest of this entry on oregonlive.com >>

On the next segment of this California road trip we will talk about the wonderful visit we had to Napa Valley to visit a property we have driven past but never knew its past.

On this trip, we made some new friends during our visit to Titus Winery in Napa Valley. I reviewed their Cabernet Franc most favorably in one of my previous posts and found the opportunity to visit the winery compelling. The Valley was beautiful on that day and I was ready to taste some wine. Having already consumed some crock-pot tamales from a gas station balanced with an Odwalla “Mo Beta” it was “breakfast of champions” I say. We pulled into Titus ready for anything.

At first, we wondered if we had turned into the right drive. There was no entrance sign and none of the usual disclaimers seen at tasting rooms, because this was not a tasting room. Seems these forty acres have been here for quite a while and one look at the giant gas engine powered fans to thwart off frost; you know there have been vines here for fifty years or more. The farmhouse that represented the main structure on the complex appeared as it was fifty years ago almost untouched and seemingly a million miles away from the intersection of Deer Park Road and Silverado Highway. Read the rest of this entry »

A couple of posts back I mentioned the entity known as Crushpad to introduce another exciting option wine enthusiasts have for procuring custom made premium quality wine. After reading the following post, it may become an idea that not only sounds advantageous but also an idea whose time has come.

The reason I mention this option again is there is a current debate about the fall of the great Napa region’s reputation and Read the rest of this entry »