One Holiday (Labor Day), Two Wines and a Simply Delicious Meal
Background
We decided to BBQ this weekend and invite those family members that were in town for dinner.
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
We started off with a 2023 Culmination Sauvignon Blanc. This is no ordinary Sauvignon from Livermore Valley as it is Barrel Aged. This is made by the Wood Family Vineyards and this label represents their higher end, boutique and artisan wines being produced.
The specific Acacia wood barrel and stirring of the lees makes the wine feel creamier and much broader on the palate. This is exactly the taste and texture Wood Family Vineyards targeted for this wine. Still the same basic flavors of the stainless steel but some slight nuances. The 2023 Barrel Aged Sauvignon Blanc picked up besides textural qualities, it also mellowed out or tempered the stronger notes of the grapefruit and citrus. The aging also provided a secondary aroma and herbaceous flavors not found in the stainless steel. Present was more lemon grass and a tinge of vanilla on the finish which was so refreshing and contrasting to the citrus qualities. The wine ends up being refreshing, high in acidity, complex and creamy. This is precisely the qualitative difference Rhonda Wood was striving to make showcasing the barrel aging offering. This came in at 13.6% alcohol with only 415 cases being produced.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Today they produced this barrel aged Sauvignon Blanc under their new designation called Culmination. The grapes come from the historic Louis Mel Ranch that was established in 1884. Mrs. Mel was friends with the Marquise of Chateau d’ Yquem and was able to secure cuttings from there. This is the second release of Rhonda Wood’s Sauvignon Blanc aged in barrel. The wine is fermented in three barrels with one being an Acacia barrel aged for 7 months. The other two barrels were aged in neutral French oak. They were kept separate until tanked for bottling and aged on the lees and stirred every two weeks. The 2024 Culmination is listed at $50/bottle.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Doing some research found out Sauvignon Blanc is a recommended wine with Guacamole! The reason for this is that the piercing acidity and herbal undertones mirror the lime juice and green onions. This was the truth and while enjoy Sauvignon Blanc by itself, this added a wonderful pairing dimension. The Guacamole dip besides avocadoes including green onions, cut cherry tomatoes, diced jalapeño peppers and tobacco sauce.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Another appetizer for the evening was a new salsa that was recommended. It is called Mateo’s Gourmet Salas Medium and provides a pleasant roasted tomato and pepper taste with a zesty and chewy finish.
We then moved on to dinner with two delicious homemade salads being prepared. The first was my wife’s potato salad that consisted of Russet potatoes, chopped onions, celery, hard boiled eggs, mayo, mustard and cider vinegar.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The second salad was a refreshing fruit salad with pineapple, blueberries, bananas, pears, oranges, peaches and possibly many other fruits by my sister. I was eating so quickly, I unfortunately did not take the time to identify all the ingredients!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The main entrée for dinner was a simply BBQ’ed burger. The meat was from a newly found butcher shop where he makes Brisket burgers. We were shopping there last week and decided to give it a try as it was noted as a customer favorite by the clerk. While we all enjoyed the much heavier consistency of the beef, think we will go back to our regular ground chuck for BBQ-ing. We all discussed next time going with Bison burgers which they also sell. A few Italian pork sausages were picked up and grilled on the stove.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Plenty of food for everyone and this was paired with a 2021 Copia GSM called “The Cure” from Paso Robles. It is 45% Mourvèdre, 28% Grenache and 27% Syrah. This was a perfectly matched wine for the flavorful burgers with the fruit from the Syrah enveloping each bite and the Mourvèdre and Grenache adding both flavors, freshness and subtle spices to the meal. A solid GSM and perfectly matched with the food.
From my previous review of the 2021 Copia Vineyards and Winery “The Cure” written in 2025:
Photo ©Michael Kelly
On the eyes, this a dark and brooding ruby red and medium-heavy viscosity. Once placed under the nose to gain an insight to what was to come, aromas of mocha, dark French coffee and floral notes wafted into the senses. Then on the palate this wine exploded with dark chocolate, depth of the three varietals not commonly found in a GSM. Blackberries and blueberries bounced joyfully in the mouth beckoning yet another sip! At the finish, a plushness of black fruit, along with a smoky quality and spice notes provided ample time to savor each sip. Additionally, beautiful and elegant, yet surprisingly perfectly appropriate tannins were present. The chocolate finish provided a great counterbalance making the textual chewy finish that was elegant and memorable.
This wine received ratings of 95 points from The Somm Journal, 95 points from Wine Enthusiast and 94-96 points from Jeb Dunnuck. This is a pedigree of quality represented in this GSM.
We all left the table stuffed enjoying each morsel served this evening.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
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