Jean got back into town this afternoon after an "interesting" 24 hour trip to Nutley, NJ wherein her flights both in and out were canceled due to weather. Tonight's dinner of takeout Thai food was accompanied by her request for "a light, fruity red." So, down into the cellar and back with:
2006 Au Bon Climat Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir (78% PN, 22% Mondeuse !!!) nose: sappy, red fruit, bright and juicy palate: medium body, crisp acidity, fruity
Purchased a while back at Sam's for ~$18, this wine proved to hit the spot. Simple but correct, I doubt that it will get any better than it is today, but it's pretty tasty right now. The addition of Mondeuse is fascinating to me and I can't help wondering if Jim Clendennen did that to get a bit more brightness and acidity into a Sta Barbara Pinot.
Mark Lipton