Sunday, March 15, 2009

Chocolate? No thanks. But I'll take the Chocolate Box

First, happy birthday Kim.

Over the last several years, my neighbors, my wife and I have begun the tradition of celebrating birthdays with a nice dinner out.

Max's Alley, a locally-owned restaurant in Concord with an amazing wine menu has been the spot-du-jour on several occasions. I always enjoy eating there because the wine is always a treat.

Tonight was no different (and perhaps even more enjoyable because we lucked up on half price bottle night).

We started with a 2008 Chocolate Box Sauvignon Blanc. The discounted price was $15 a bottle. Special attention is paid in the wine-making process to ensure the sweet flavors of the grapes are preserved. The wine presents a full bouquet of lemon, gooseberry and grapefruit with a hint of asparagus. The palate is rich and creamy, with a smooth, crisp finish that pairs well with chicken and light pasta dishes.

For the red drinkers at the table, myself included, a bottle of 2006 Stags Leap Merlot (about $35) provided a great accompaniment to dinner, which for me was steak. The Nappa Valley merlot is complex, with notes of cherry, pomegranate, plum and strawberry, and hints of vanilla, white pepper and cinnamon. Fifteen months in French oak bring out the depth of the wine, which is certainly my merlot of the year to this point.

1 comment:

  1. Hi... thanks for visiting. I love the look of the fluffy duvet at the foot of the bed too. It's a neat decorators trick. You put a couple of sleeping pillows inside and voila... instant fluff. Looks great!

    ReplyDelete

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