Hook and Ladder

Recently, we went to Proprietor's Reserve for a delicious night of food and Hook and Ladder wines. Here is the history behind Hook and Ladder. As promised, here are the wine reviews!

Russian River Valley Early Harvest Gewurztraminer 2010

Seared Scallop | Ginger Lime Beurre Blanc | Cilantro Garlic Gremolata

Smells of fresh lychee. This off dry Gewurzt has good acidity with juicy lychee and crunchy cantaloupe. Medium bodied, this had a slight bitter ends which reminds me of grape seed. The pairing of tart with lime was great and brought out the butter smoothness of both the scallop and wine. OOOo

Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2010

Green Apple | Prosciutto | Triple Cream Brie | Garlic Asiago Crostini | Pistachio Arugula Pesto

I could not tell what kind of Chardonnay they were trying to make. A more crisp European style or the buttery creamy Californian? This was not very buttery with a nose of pear. It was smooth but green apple tart. Apparently the oak barrels in which the Chardonnay goes through malo-lactic fermentation gets a little suntanning once in awhile according to Josh although I do not know how much that matters. The pairing highlighted the buttery smoothness of the wine which confirmed it Californian origins. OOO

Russian River Valley Zinfandel 2008

Sweet Potato Hash | Linquica | Red Bell Pepper | Red Onion | Manchego

We were told that this was the last of tipsy turvy 2008 vintage. There was hints of toasty caramel in the nose with lushious fruits. This plush Zin was fruit forward with plenty of berries. It was juicy as reflected in the high abv. It was not a good pairing which brought out the alcohol and damped out the juicy fruit although the food was great. OOo

Station Ten Zinfandel Blend 2008

Steak Chimichurri | Herbed Baby Greens | Roasted Red Pepper | Roasted Corn | Radish | Iberico Cheese

72% Zinfandel, 14% Petite Syrah, 8% Carignane, 6% Alicante Bouschet. The last grape being emphasized by Josh in the introduction. This had a smell of chocolate brownie with raspberry smell along with a more subtle cabbage. A little lighter than the previous Zin, this was toasty with hints of blueberries and a dry end. Decent pairing. OOo

Tillerman Cabernet/Cabernet Franc Blend 2009

Yucatán Style 18 Hour Pork Roast | Shallot Pumpkin Risotto | Shaved Parmesan

This is made from grapes from opposite opp chalk hill. This has leathery nose. Plush toasty wine with notes of meatiness, blueberry and plum. It is well balanced with nice layering complexity and a dry end. It was a good pairing with the best dish so far. The fats from the pork roast goes well with the tannins in the wine, making it seem softer. OOOo

Los Amigos Ranch Cabernet Franc 2009 (Winery Only!)

Coffee Rubbed Tri-Tip | Crème Fraiche Mashed Potatoes | Shitake Cabernet Reduction

  tannins fat

This smells of nail polish although the taste is entirely different. It was fruit forward, a little tart and vegetal. With obvious tannin structure, the end was dry and did not linger much. Again a good pairing of fat and tannins with the coffee rubbed tri-tip and the juicy sauce was a good complement. Probably one of the better Cab Franc I have had but then I have not had many. OOO

Russian River Valley Port 2008
We were given a complimentary Port that I could not taste very well after gobbling down all the chocolate. Oh well.