Tonight we celebrated Andrew's 6th birthday after getting back from his soccer game. He got a slice of birthday cake and opened presents while Jean and I ate a light dinner of white bean/smoked andouille soup, sourdough rolls and Capriole Farms "O'Bannon," a goat cheese wrapped in brandy-soaked leaves of one of the last remaining American Chestnut trees (and made in Indiana). As is our tradition, we opened a bottle of wine from Andrew's birth year, 2004:
2004 Cristom Pinot Noir "Mt. Jefferson Cuvée" Willamette Valley nose: pencil lead, sappy black cherry, smoke and minerals palate: velvety, medium body, deep fruit, balanced
This wine hit my sweet spot with its Burgundian-Oregon sensibility. It was recognizably New World, yet had the complexity and savory character of a good village-level red Burgundy. Even at 6 years of age, this wine seemed mature without any signs of fading. Although this bottle was purchased in Oregon in '07, I recently saw it for sale in our local retailers', so I might have to go get some more.
Mark Lipton