It wasn’t a significant one, but since my birthday landed on
a Friday this year, I made a three-day weekend of it.
A gathering at a local brewery (Confluence Brewing Company)
started the weekend.
A bacon-topped breakfast taco with beers at another local
brewery (515 Brewing) for brunch the following morning was a satisfying
morning-after meal.
Then a houseful of family for drinks and leftovers that
night made a weekend packed full of fun and celebration!
Sunday evening, the house was quiet, another windy polar
vortex was shaking the windows, and I warmed things up by the fireplace with
the Joel Gott Gott 10 Napa Valley Cabernet.
On this birthday, I was grateful for my health, my work, my
family and friends. With age, I suppose,
comes the awareness that time is fleeting, bringing a clear vision of what is
truly important in life. This awareness frees
me up to throw careful planning out the window on occasion and choose to indulge.
Hence, the Gott 10, a Cabernet that holds a significant
price, but also comes with a history of quality, and high respect from the wine
community. Let me be frank; I saved this bottle until the house guests had left
for their respective homes.
Joel Gott sources fruit for this Cabernet from several areas
within Napa Valley,
Howell Mountain,
St. Helena and Southern Napa, to
create a wine so expressive that a person will be “shocked” (Joel Gott’s word). The grapes are picked early in the morning
when the juice is concentrated, allowed to sit on their skins, and when
complete, the wine is aged 18 months in 100% new French oak.
Shocked? No, but as
with all Joel Gott’s wines, I was impressed!
The aromas are concentrated with dark berry and smoke. Baking spices and vanilla balance a bit of
graphite. On the palate gobs of sweet,
jammy blackberry mingle with dried herbs and spice. The wine is thick and rich, feeling much like
an indulgence, and shows a long finish full of more fruits and spice with
smooth tannins.
We paired this superb wine with a plate of cheese, but
really, I preferred it on its own, where I could fully appreciate its indulgent
characteristics.
I was glad to have saved the Gott 10 until the house guests
(for whom I am deeply grateful) had gone!
Well, it was MY birthday after all.
