Road Trip to Solvang Day 3

Sunday, May 17, 2015

Last day, going home on Monday. Met some of  the group at Avant, www.avantwines.com,  in Buellton for a tasting at 1:00. Had pizza, bacon wrapped dates with goat cheese which was really good and a raw vegetable plate. Liked the pizza and bacon wrapped dates but the raw vegetable plate was not my thing. Cauliflower cucumbers and carrots with a sauce probably made of pequino peppers along with pita bread. Raw vegetables at a wine tasting just does not go together. I don't care how "healthy" it is.  Avant uses prepaid cards to access the wine in the despensing machines. Tasted about 6 different wines. Avant is a custom crush facility and a lot of the wines are very small production.

Leaving Avant I headed over to Los Olivos to pick up wine at Stolpman and Tercero. www.tercerowines.com, Spent about an hour at Tercero tasting the new releases. Came away with a mixed case. I am a fan of his Rose of Mouvedre, The Outliner which is a dry Gerwurztraminer and now his newest release an Albarino.

Stopped by the Garlic Guy in Los Olivos but alas he was not open. need to replenish by stock. He saells over 50 varieties of garlic.

Dinner tonight is at the Hitching Post.www.hitchingpost2.com,  Everyone of course ordered steak. I had the 5 oz petite filet along with a baked potato. Also came with salad and a choice of soup or shrimp cocktail. My steak was very tender, have really good flavor and was cooked perfectly. 

New wines tonight.

2008 Clos Pepe Pinot Noir is what I brought. Showing really well. I think I drank more of this than any other wine. Suited my palate.

Cookes brought  2012 Doffo Vineyards, Temecula, Cabernet Sauvignon - did not taste. And also the dessert wine from the first night that never got opened. A 2007 Laura Zahtila, "Lauras Theme". A blend of Petite Syrah and Zinfandel.  A little to "sweet" for me.  I like rich but not sweet.

The Sands opened a Twomey, Sauvignon Blanc and a 2012 Carol Shelton Zinfandel., Did not taste either of these wines. I am unfamilar with Carol Shelton.

Blackburns brought a 2012 Kosta Browne, Russian River, Pinot Noir. Nice wine but way to young to be opened. I will open my 2012 's in about 3 to 4  years. They also had a 2009 Silver Oak, Alexander Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon. Did not taste. I am not a fan of Silver Oak. Way over priced for what it is.

The Moselys had a 2011 Justin, Isosceles, Paso Robles, Cabernet Sauvignon. Had a small taste of this wine. Nice. But again I am not a fan of Justin. Overpriced for what it is. But then I am also not a real big fan of Cabernet. So it is probably me and my taste in wines.

I do not know what was in everyone tonight but they were LOUD.  A table next to us asked to be moved because our table was so noisy. It was even noisy for me. Frankly I was happy to be the first one to leave.  Maybe it was too much wine tasting in the afternoon and everyone was geared up. I was just so glad to get away from the noise. Margie and I were the only quiet ones. At least we were seated at the end of the table I would have hated to be in the middle. I left the waiter a very large tip to make up for the noise and everyone having him take pictures of the table. Why 3 or 4 cameras ? Anyone heard of sharing.

So I leave in the morning to travel back to the OC.  A very good weekend.