Holiday Dinner at The Silver Trumpet

Saturday, December 1, 2018

Margie's December dinner was at the Silver Trumpet restaurant in the Avenue of The Arts Hotel in Costa Mesa. www.silvertrumpetrestaurant.com.  Dinner was held in a private dining area that was decorated beautifully for the holidays. 

A nice menu with reasonable prices for a hotel. That was a surprise. Several people opted for the "prix fixe" dinner.  I had the Scallops for the main course and they were cooked perfectly. Came on a bed of pea puree with mushrooms and hearts of palm. For dessert which I did not need was a Chocolate Pistachio Mousse which after eating I decided I really did need it. 

We had a small gift exchange which Margie put a $20 limit on. That stopped me from gifting a bottle from my cellar.

A eclectic variety of wines were brought. I did taste most of them. That being said I preferred my Clos Pepe and the Kosta Browne Pinots over the rest of the wines.

2011 Clos Pepe, Sta Rita Hills, Pinot Noir - excellent

2014 Addendum, Rutherford, Skellenger Lane, Cabernet Sauvignon - nice

2015 Dusky Goose, Willamette Valley, Chardonnay - nice wine, I did like it

NV Laguna Canyon, Brut, CA Sparkling - too sweet for me

2013 Silver Oak, Alexander Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon - was not impressed

2014 Kosta Brow, Gulisti Ranch, Russian River, Pinot Noir - very good

2012 Two Hands, Bella's Garden, Barossa Valley, Shiraz - typical aussie fruity wine

2012 Williams Selyem, Drake Estate Vineyard, Russian River Valley Brut Blanc de Noirs - ok but not my style

NV Rombauer Vineyards, Napa Valley, Zinfandel port style - good - not too sweet but had a richness to it

2013 Blair, Arroyo Secco, Pinot Noir - I was not impressed at all. Thought it was non dimensional. It apparently won a gold medal at the 2018 OC Fair.

2006 Lancaster Estate, Alexander Valley, Nicole's , Red Blend. I did like this wine. Iyt was well balanced and had something going for it.

2013 Morlet, Sonoma Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon.  Not overly impressed. I think it needs more cellaring. It did open up after a bit of time and being more palatable. Be interesting to try in a couple more years.