mrspjuth

I must say that I am living the good life. A loving family, fun and great job, good friends and a hobby to die for – food and wine!

Notice that I have decided to go English to reach a bigger audience. 😉

The past months I have not written much but I have enjoyed life a lot more. First week of April I had the pleasure to meet and dine with Greg Brewer from St Rita Hills, California. Greg is of course a great winemaker but also a very nice and friendly one. We got to talk about his relationship to winemaking and nature and also how he started his company Brewer-Clifton with only $12.000.
Later that evening he held a Winemakers Dinner at The Local, Kall.
We were served 8 wines from Melville and Brewer-Clifton to a menu created by chef Jonas Landmark.
Menu:
Kalix roe and Västerbotten cheese
Oviken butter, Huså crisp bread, air dried lamb sausage from Fjällbete
Tartar of souvas from Handöl Same Village, Karl Johan mushroom crème
Baked arctic char from Landön, chanterelles, parsley root
Long boiled and smoked bacon from Hedmans, yellow peas, marjoram
Punch sorbet, pancake, blueberries
Shoulder of lamb boiled in butter, dark citrus sauce, spring roll with almond potato, herb pesto
Jemtlandic cheese tapas, selection of local cheeses, pear, berry, walnuts

The wines:
Melville Estate Chardonnay 2009
Brewer-Clifton Santa Rita Hills Chardonnay 2009
Brewer-Clifton Mount Carmel Chardonnay 2009
Melville Estate Pinot Noir 2009
Melville Carries Estate Small Lot Collection Pinot Noir 2009
Melville Vernas Syrah 2010
Brewer-Clifton Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir 2009
Brewer-Clifton Mount Carmel Pnot Noir 2009

A great dinner! The food at The Local with wines fron St Rita Hills are a good combination.
At the dinner was Ashton Ireland, New Zeeland. He is running HaHa Winery. He, as Greg, has a special way and I enjoyed meeting him.

Last week I met up with Michel Jamais agin. Time for a really unique tasting. 10 vintages (1994-2007) of Eisele Vineyard from Araujo, Napa.
Fantastic wines all of them but for me the 2001 was the best. An elagant wine with great fruit! It placed 2:nd this evening (all the guests had a vote). Winner was the 1996. Very elegant with pencil and cigarr in a perfect mix.
A good dinner followed at Villa Källhagen and two more wines were served. The 2008 Sauvignon Blanc Eisele Vineyard – Hint of citrus, pear and soft spice and after a while pineapple. And 2005 Altagracia, Araujo Estate, Napa. Nice nose, green vegetables, berries. I like!

And now, I am at Albert Mann in Wettolsheim, Alsace.

So you see, life is good!