Alpha Omega "Era" 2006

Today was the first anniversary for the lovely young lady and I, and so we went to Napa to celebrate. Overall, it was a great day for the trip. We left behind a cold and foggy San Francisco for warm and sunny Napa. We finally got in a visit to Mustards Grill, and followed that up with tastings at two wineries. Because we enjoyed it so much when we went there to celebrate Valentine's Day, we had to go to Alpha Omega again. I am glad we did.

First, Alpha Omega is great for treating everyone there like family. The pourers are clearly excited to work there, eager to discuss almost anything having to do with the winery. While the winery is still under construction, an outdoor patio is complete along with a working fountain. Once all of the construction is done, I hope A/O will get all of the business it deserves.

But, even better, they eagerly offer barrel samples. Today, our pourer, Pauline, pointed us to a barrel sample of the soon to be released "Era" proprietary red from 2006. Wow, wow, wow. Already, this wine shows some excellent craftsmanship. The wine has a nice, balanced red color, and the nose contained almost every element of a Bordeaux-style blend that I love: cherries, raspberries and sweet tobacco were most pronounced. These sensations carried on into the flavors, which also hinted at a touch of mint. The tannins were sturdy but not overpowering -- this is a wine to age for a decade because it will develop, not to round out its edges. Even the lovely young lady said that this was my type of wine. This wine epitomizes class. Easily four and a half out of five stars -- and maybe it will reach five once it gets in the bottle.

So, okay, I bought a few futures -- and now I cannot wait for spring!