ABOUT LAST NIGHT:
Ridiculous dinner with @mastroscheidt and our ever-patient lovelies at @lidoatdolphinbay under the watchful eye of @toddbrownhospitality (@purerobina had the night off). Okay so TBH the wine events actually started a little bit earlier at @puffersofpismo up the street with @saintkwines beautiful mourve rosé “CHICKS DIG EL CAMINOS!” then Charlie bumped things up a few notches with arguably one of my favorite Pinot Noirs on the Central Coast,
the Santa Catalina Island reserve from @rusackvineyards which if you are unfamiliar is a crazy old vineyard on the island which they have brought back to healthy production and they fly the grapes over on a puddle jumper to the Santa Ynez Valley to crush. There is also a Zin, and it is an old-skool beauty. Only 13.5 without any slutty fruit but peppery undertones reminiscent of Dry Creek Valley or St. Helena.
Then we moved the tasting from Pismo to Shell Beach and Lido. I grabbed a 2004 Bin 28 out of my cellar and Dave brought his unbelievable dry-farmed Lytton Springs cab. Then we turned to the restaurant’s massive list for reinforcements.
Todd wrangled a 2013 @jolielaidewines GR/SY and a 2011 @tensleywines from one of my favorite vineyards on the Central Coast, the obscure and barely AVA’d Colson Canyon, WAAAAY out in the boondocks kinda above Bien Nacido out on the fringes of SMV. Colson Cyn as most of you know is exclusive to the Tensley’s now. It was showing very very well at 8, tied for favorite of the night with Dave’s DCV cab, which pumped incredible oak, gear-lube and dark tropical into your face. The Jolie-Laide was a stew of funky produce, thick with rubber-band and tapenade. The 15YO Kalimna tasted and smelled like pancake syrup alongside everything. End of story. @ Lido at Dolphin Bay
Stephen McConnell 