Summer Nights with Dave Phinney
Reservations Closed
| Course | Pairing / Description | Wine |
|---|---|---|
| Hors D’oeuvres |
Grouper Ceviche Served in Chinese Spoon
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Tartlet
Every now and then when tasting wine, you come across one that makes you fall into its gravity. One moment you’re having a great time with friends and the next you’re stuck with your nose in the glass—time stands still, and you appear to have a blank stare on your face. Sourced primarily from the Laguna Ranch, MacMurray and Two Rock vineyards, the wine’s main premise is to do just that, make time stand still with glass in hand, just for a few seconds. Glowing in the glass, the aromatics concentrate with notes of lemongrass, fresh cut grass and hints of lavender, cream and jasmine. On the palate, the entry is all acidity but with a serious mid-palate—lively flavors of kiwi, lime and intriguing minerality. The finish is bright and youthful with a slight Meyer lemon rind closing out the wine. |
Orin Swift Cellars Blank Stare Russian River Valley 2018
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| Salad Course |
Arugula and Dried Cranberry Salad with Fresh Strawberries, Manchego Cheese Shavings and Pomegranate Vinaigrette
Seeking a true representation and sense of place is what inspires us at Locations. Much of our time is spent in the vineyard, analyzing each block and making adjustments to farming based on the vines needs. Attention to detail is fundamental in our quest to make the finest blend possible. For the fourth release of “F”, we have again incorporated some of the best regions in France, drawing upon our network of growers from Rhone, Roussillon, and Bordeaux. A dominant nose of raspberry, rhubarb, and wild strawberry are complemented by savory aromas of humid tobacco, lavender and rose petal. An immediate entry of cranberry and other red fruit leads to a touch of savoriness. The wine is fresh and lively with great acidity and approachable tannins. |
Locations Wine F4 French Red Wine
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| Pork Course |
Crispy Tostadas Topped with Slow Cooked Carnitas and Salsa Verde and Cotija Cheese
It was ten years ago that Dave Phinney first took friends up on their offer to visit Maury, France. Nestled in the Pyrénées-Orientales (France’s department number 66), Maury is a historic agricultural village with an enduring legacy of growing grapes. Home to old-vine grenache, syrah, mourvedre and carignan, the region’s warm climate is tempered by the blustery Tramontane wind that whips across the valley. Steep hillsides, black schist and red angile soils reveal striking shades of black, gray and orange, and conspire to make Maury one of the most compelling wine producing regions in Southern France. Aromas of ripe blue fruits and berry compote are complemented by herbal and floral aromas of garrigue and dried lavender. Concentrated plum and dark fruit flavors give way to mountain spices and dried herbs. A persistent backbone of tannin and acidity adds structure, balance and a lengthy finish on the palate. |
Department 66 “Others” Red Wine 2015
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| Main Course |
Whole Roasted Pig Served with Chicharron Dust and Confit Tomatoes
The 2019 Zinfandel was blessed with ideal growing conditions across California, similar to the 2018 iteration. Syrah and Petite Sirah also benefited from the growing season. Sourced from premier California growing regions, the 2019 8 Years in the Desert is a quintessential exemplar of drinkability, perceived sweetness and complexity. Evolving aromatics present themselves first with black and white pepper, then a ripe fruit core of brambly raspberry and sweet persimmon, finishing with savory notes of allspice, clove and fig leaf. Boisterous yet elegant on entry, the wine shows its plush layers with distinctive strawberry preserves, blackberry and raspberry pie topped with fresh crème. Round, ripe tannins close the palate menacingly, leaving one with a desperate thirst for more. |
Orin Swift Cellars 8 Years in the Desert 2019 
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| Dessert Course |
Vanilla Macaroons and Dark Chocolate Mousse
A collage is an assembly of numerous individual images that together, creates a grander piece of art, a statement. Each small piece brings its own visuals and history and helps define the collage; up close, the images speak for themselves, but from afar, they meld away and become one with the others. For many years, Abstract has followed its namesake by showing off an assemblage of Grenache, Petite Sirah and Syrah. Together, the wine stands on its own as a unique peek into Orin Swift, at the same time, each varietal brings its own characteristics providing a depth and complexity not possible on their own. When blended, they become much more than they ever could be. Immediate aromatics escape the glass: blueberry, Mirabelle plum, ripe raspberry, Bing cherry and enchanting musk. On entry, the wine is seamless and enveloping with notes of Black plum, sweet cassis and blueberry compote on the mid-palate. Textured and long on the finish, the wine closes with a hint of dried lavender and dark chocolate. |
Orin Swift Cellars Abstract 2019
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| Chip Wine |
Sourced from growers in the Sta. Rita Hills (John Sebastiano Vineyard, Sea Smoke Vineyard and Radian Vineyard), this new wine from David Phinney (creator of the famous brand, The Prisoner) was aged for nine months in oak barrels, 60% new. To the eye, a lucid crimson sits in the glass. Aromatics of ripe cranberries, forest floor, morels and a touch of bramble engage. The wine slips onto the palate with a silky, enveloping entry of pure juice and ripe cherry with layers evolving while breathing. Incredibly balanced and riveting, the wine closes with concentration and finesse—an exemplar of drinkability. |
L'usine Pinot Noir Sleepy Hollow Vineyard 2017
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