Vincent Arroyo 2006 Greenwood Ranch Petite Sirah

Vincent Arroyo is the only winery we have ever purchased futures from. (Buying futures means you buy the wine before it's actually bottled.) We tasted their Petite Syrah right out of the barrel when we visited for the first time in 2008 and were smitten enough to buy two bottles for future delivery. Those two bottles came in handy when Sally and I dined with both sets of parents last night at Las Brisas before attending the Pageant of the Masters in Laguna. An amazing night calls for an amazing wine and this did not disappoint!

Petite Syrah goes well with Mexican food, so it was a great pairing with the wide variety of dishes at our table, including seafood, chicken, and steak. It had a very concentrated dark fruit flavor at first taste with just a hint of tartness that blended well with the moderately spicy and flavorful food. The finish was smooth and full of tannin, just as you'd expect from a good Petite Syrah.

In hindsight, the wine tasted a little young, but it drew rave reviews from the table and got better as it aired out. We all had some pre-dinner drinks, so the wine carried us through to dessert where it had just enough sweetness to work well with our flan, creme brulee, chocolate covered strawberries, profitaroles, and cheesecake dessert plan. Yum!

Wattle Creek's tasting room in San Francisco

Sally and I visited Wattle Creek's tasting room in San Francisco last weekend. It was a great time as always, and our new friend Brandy shared a lot of great Wattle Creek wine. Free tastings are one of the perks of being a wine club member, though we bought a few bottles on our way out so I don't know how 'free' it really was!

Here are some highlights.

2009 Sauvignon Blanc. One of the few Wattle Creek wines you can get outside of the winery. This is 100% Sauvignon Blanc fermented in stainless steel -- not our usual style but this one is light on grapefruit with a very refreshing taste.  It's perfect to sip on the patio on a warm summer evening.

2006 Malbec. One of our favorite wines - it's 92% Malbec and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep fruit with complex, well-structured flavors, it goes well with many types of foods. It's also only available to wine club members -- another perk of being 'in'.

2007 Shiraz. Great tobacco smell and bold flavors with that smooth fruit finish you expect from a Shiraz.

2007 Petite Sirah. Lots of dense fruit up front with light tannins and alcohol on the finish.

2006 Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a very solid Cab. Let's this one breathe for at least an hour and you'll be rewarded with stick to your teeth deliciousness. Lighter fruit to start and then a smooth but bold finish.