What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD)

When buying wine at retail, I frequently shop at Esquin Wine Merchants, where one of the better selections of Oregon wines can be found here in Seattle. A while back I was in the pinot noir aisle when Jerry appeared to help me out with my shopping. Jerry, who retired from Esquin last December, has played a key role in steering me to new discoveries over the years, with this shopping trip being no exception.

After asking Jerry what was drinking well in the 2005 Oregon pinot noir line up, he promptly reached for a bottle of St. Innocent 2005 Seven Springs Vineyard and placed it in my hand. Jerry went on to share his experience drinking the wine with dinner the previous evening, summing it up with the statement, "this is a fantastic pinot noir". He was clearly taken by this wine, which was all I needed to add it to my growing collection of bottles in my basket (retail price $36.99).

This brings to mind the value in getting to know the folks at your local wine retailer. At Esquin, Jerry and a few other individuals have done a great job recommending wines they have enjoyed recently. I find their advice much more reliable than that provided in shelf tags describing Parker points or other wine press reviews. In fact, many times the wines they recommend are bottles you might otherwise pass over if shelf tags were your only guide.

Besides the useful recommendations and exciting discoveries that come with getting to know your local wine retailer, it fulfills one of the best aspects of wine: it connects you to other people. If you're unsure how to approach the subject, then try the following line out, "what's drinking well these days?". I have found this question useful in a retail shop, at a restaurant, and even in a winery.

Getting back to the St. Innocent 2005 Seven Springs Vineyard Pinot Noir (13.9%), I decided to pair it with a new dish Kari was crafting in the kitchen, a chicken goulash with biscuit dumplings. The slow-cooked goulash was based on a sour cream and chicken stock sauce with sauteed onions, red peppers, garlic, caraway seeds, paprika and thyme leaves. An arugula salad with apple wedges also accompanied the meal.

Kari had discovered the recipe in a recent Food & Wine magazine, which recommended an "oaky" chardonnay. Not being a fan of anything oaky, I opted for the St. Innocent pinot noir. It was a wise choice, for the pinot matched well to the flavors in the dish and the richness of the cream sauce. The St. Innocent had deep raspberry notes on the nose with a hint of earthiness hiding behind the fruit. On the palate, the fruit was even deeper with good acidity and balanced tannins. This wine is delicious now and should age well in the coming years.

Kari's goulash was delicious as well. The dumplings were incredible and the flavors in the sauce really came alive with the St. Innocent pinot noir. It was delightful meal all around. And the bottle of St. Innocent 2005 Seven Springs Vineyard provided an opportunity to raise a glass to Jerry and the many others who serve to connect me to wine.