Last week my husband and I took a mid-week break, snagged a babysitter and headed out for dinner. If you have young children, you can understand the importance of a date-night going smoothly. It's likely that your date-nights, like ours, are few and far in between, so when you do manage to get one, you want your meal to be just right and the wine to be perfectly paired. We picked one of our favorite restaurants, Morton's Bistro, (http://www.mortonsbistronw.com/) and headed out the door, eagerly anticipating a tremendous dinner and exquisite wine. The food was just as we had expected - delicious in every way. We started with the amaretto baked brie served with fresh green apple slices and candied walnuts and warm crusty bread. Then we each had the fresh beet salad with goat cheese and oranges, also delicious. My husband ordered the butternut squash ravioli and I had a chicken dish that was served in phyllo. After selecting our entrees, we perused the wine list. Actually, at Morton's Bistro, there is no wine list. Guests are invited to personally visit the wine "cellars" (two areas set up amidst the restaurant) with or without their server, view, ask questions, and select a wine for dinner. We were in a fix. Should we go with a tried and true - Abeja Vineyard Cabernet - or try something new that sounded very good (and, might I say, had a lovely label) - Woodward Canyon, Columbia Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon v. 2005 (http://www.woodwardcanyon.com/) We decided to take a risk and try the Woodward.
It was difficult to judge the color of the wine as we were seated intimately in a dimly lit restaurant. However, holding my glass near the table candle, I could see the deep purple, hazy color. Swirling my glass produced faint legs. I had the impression this wine was not a rich, juicy thick wine at all. At first sniff the earthy aromas came first and powerful - mushroom and tobacco and also very oak-y. I visualized smoking a cigar with this wine. I let the glass sit a bit and then swirled and sniffed again. This time I detected vanillas and burnt toast. The thought crossed my mind that maybe this wine should have been decanted. I took a sip. Dry, very dry. Hardly any sweetness, and very thin body. Although I swirled the wine in my mouth, I felt as though it travelled immediately to the back of my throat, no flavor seemed to linger anywhere and the finish was very short. In my opinion, this wine was very basic and almost disjointed in structure. I thought the price was too high considering the quality. Although I was not impressed, I did wonder if it would have improved with decanting. Later that night I read the Wine Spectator review which confirmed that wine tasting and reviewing really is an individual experience (WS rates this wine at 91 points!), moreover, that this wine will cellar well and might be best after 2010! I plan to give it another shot in a few years. Which, in all likelihood, should coincide with our next date-night!
Earth and tobacco flavors weave through the chunky cherry and black tea character, making this more savory than most. Yet has the structure to age. Definitely worth cellaring. Best after 2010. 2,866 cases made. 91 points ~Wine Spectator
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