Cheers to wine

I never met David Lett of Eyrie Vineyards. After having tried his wines and meeting the people he influenced; some who I consider my friends, I wish I had. I stopped by the memorial for him over the weekend to pay my respects... Seeing the rooms full of those who knew him, as well as those who, like me, simply wanted to show some sort of respect and support; it had me thinking how interesting and wonderful one little bit of fermented fruit can be.

Wine is odd social connector. Through only one year of going to tastings I have made friends I spend time with - and geek out about wine with, enjoy meals with, poke fun about sports, discuss and debate politics, remember esoteric forgotten pieces of social culture with, and more. In that year I have met so many good people and simply because of our mutual enjoyment of wine. I continue to meet new people who, as wine, I endeavor to get to know better. From vintners, to garagistas, to persons like myself who just enjoy wine and have less knowledge and experience. To David Lett and all those so impassioned by the juice of the grape; who through their excited chemistry and creations have initiated a social network and maintained its person to person interaction even through a time of blogs, facebook, and texting... Cheers and my thanks.

A wine worth mentioning with this post I recently had, from a varietal I had never had prior on its own...
Eyrie 2006 Pinot Munier - Pinot Munier is a grape lesser known genetic variation of Pinot Noir often used in blends... If all Pinot Munier is like this then please let it be bottled on its own! This was a sleak and exciting wine. The nose at first was full of ripe pomegranate, with a subtle cranberry tartness. There too was a very slight darkened earthy funk that seemed unwilling to hold still, appearing both infront of and behind the fruit. Slip onto the palate and its as if you have cracked a pomegranate in your hands, the juice of the seeds and vapors of the pith coating the skin and tastebuds. Have you seen the old Ocean Spray wave commercials? This is a pomegranate-cran-acai berry blend that crests and swells brightly over the tongue. The bright acid was sea spray foam that lifting and clearing away. Still, searching in the flavors, the slightest almost imperceptable burnt smokey earth taste and feel was present. As if charring a field of its last minute stalks to a newly fertile and rich soil. How about this with a cranberry chutney on chicken or even cedar planked red wine infused fish. Its sultry enough to grab your attention and have with such food or if she prefers slip you a mickey all on her own. $$