[BNA/LION]

I had a Wine tasting for about 20 people last week. It was a Hit! 3 different wines large pours and lots of additional drinking, eating and great conversation.


Sebastiani Gravel Bed Red Blend 2014
Bordeaux Red Blends from Sonoma County, California ($35-$40 /btl)
 
The 2014 Gravel Bed Red is dark purplish to ruby in color. Its nose is swarming with Cabernet spice, currant, black cherries, coconut wood aromatics and hints of black tea. The flavor is fruit forward with delicious blackberries followed by raspberry, underbrush tones, and dried leaves. The finish has great acidity and tannins which helps reign in the generous fruit afforded by a riper season. 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 12% Malbec, 3% Petit Verdot


The 2013 Sebastiani Gravel Bed Red went on to receive a near perfect 97 Point Score from Robert Parker. Robert Parker’s recent article which focused primarily on Sonoma wines indicates that 2014 may even be slightly superior to 2013 for Sonoma Valley. With fruit sourced from famed sites, such as the iconic Cherryblock Vineyard, Bedrock and Mountain Terraces.

Food matches for Red Blends include:
• Roasted Pork Lion
• Veal Parmesan
• Hamburgers
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2013 FROSTWATCH MERLOT 100% Merlot
Sonoma County, CA

Aged for 18 months in French oak barrels, this wine further elevated from more than 18 months developing inside the bottle. ($30-$35 /btl)

Robert Parker of the Wine Advocate tasted the 2013 vintage and in March 2016 scored it at 94 points. This Merlot has an impressive opaque purple color and offers a big blast of fudge and black chocolate along with a dense cherry and blackberry fruit. Unctuously textured, full bodied and rather classic for Merlot, this has a super concentrated style that one rarely sees these days.

Food matches for Cabernet Sauvignon include:
• Spaghetti and meatballs
• Seared - even blackened – salmon
• Braised short ribs
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2013 Flat Rock Laird Cabernet Sauvignon
Yountville, Napa, California ($70-$75 /btl)

Yountville lies partway between Napa town and the village of St Helena. Yountville is surrounded by some of Napa's most famous sub-regions: to the north lies Oakville, to the west Mount Veeder and to the east Stags Leap.

The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Flat Rock Ranch, from another Yountville site, is softer than the Mast Ranch, with sweet tannin, dense purple color, plenty of crème de cassis, blackberry and blueberry. There is a nice ­oral element as well, and the wine finishes full, rich and impressive. Give it 3-4 years of cellaring and drink it over the following two decades.

Food matches for Cabernet Sauvignon include:
• Fillet steak with foie gras and truffles
• Beef wellington with honey roasted carrots
• Korean-style beef stir fried in garlic, soy and sesame