SEA SMOKE World-Class Pinot Noir


We thoroughly enjoyed a bottle of the rich and elegant Sea Smoke TEN 2005 Pinot Noir at Melisse Restaurant in Santa Monica.
Appellation: Santa Barbara County, Santa Rita Hills.
Named after the afternoon marine fog (sea ‘smoke’).

From their website:
The 2005 Sea Smoke Ten Pinot Noir shows deep extraction and intensity of flavor, maintains good balance across the palate, and culminates in a firm, but velvety finish. Aromas of dark plum, black cherry, currants, as well as cedar and a hint of earthiness are characteristic of this wine.

At Sea Smoke we believe that the vineyard is the wine. For this reason, we produce Pinot Noir grown exclusively on our estate vineyard.

100% Pinot Noir (Ten Clones, from which the wine takes its name)

We recommend decanting thirty to sixty minutes prior to drinking, particularly if consumed before 2009.

Wine Recommendation for Thanksgiving Dinner

We visited the Tablas Creek Vineyard in Paso Robles, California. I was impressed with all their wines. They are dedicated to growing wine varietals traditional to France’s Rhône Valley. All Tablas Creek wines are estate grown using environmentally sensitive, sustainable practices. They chose the Paso Robles area because of its hilly terrain, limestone soils, and ocean influence.

I saw a bottle of the Côtes de Tablas at Bristol Farms the other day, it was selling for $22.99. I am going serve it as one of my Thanksgiving wines, as it would certainly complement the turkey dinner.

Tablas Creek Vineyard Côtes de Tablas is a blend of four estate-grown Rhône varietals: Grenache, Syrah, Counoise and Mourvedre. Like most wines of the Southern Rhône, it is a blend of varietals, featuring the fruitiness of Grenache balanced by the spice and structure of Syrah, with meaty, earthy notes from Mourvedre and Counoise. The 2004 Côtes de Tablas has a juicy berry nose of currants, raspberries, licorice and spice. The mouth is full of rich, sweet Grenache fruit showing good acidity and a long finish.

I also recommend these wonderful wine tumblers by Riedel Crystal. Great for everyday use, as they can go in the dishwasher.

What are you serving with The Bird this year?

Peter Michael Chardonnay


2004 Peter Michael La Carrière
“The spectacular Chardonnay La Carrière is becoming one of my favorite California Chardonnays, as it tastes like a Corton-Charlemagne on steroids… it possesses that extraordinary minerality, orange marmalade, and layered, full-bodied, concentrated palate. This beauty is a great expression of stone fruits and higher elevation, cool climate Chardonnay. It should drink well for 4-5 years.”
-Robert Parker, Wine Advocate



After thoroughly enjoying the 2004 at the Water Grill, I was thrilled to see the 2005 on the wine list at Trump National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes, California last night. Both delicious (at this time I prefer the 2004).