What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD)

A couple of weeks back, Kari prepared a wonderful dish of slow cooked chicken thighs in chipotle sauce, which were served with steaming tortillas along with fresh tomatoes, avocado, and cilantro. I decided to pair the meal with a Carabella 2005 Pinot Noir (14.2%), a bottle we had enjoyed very much while dining at Tilth restaurant. The Carabella is a full bodied pinot noir and matched very well with the spicy chicken.

The '05 Carabella is made of five pinot noir clones sourced from their 27 acre estate vineyard, which is located in the Chehalem Mountains AVA in the north Willamette Valley. Mike Hallock, founder and winemaker, crafted the first vintage in 1998. Their web site mentions that Mike is a geologist, which offers a certain advantage considering the role soil plays in making great wine.

Just as Kari and I were taken with the Carabella the first time we had it at Tilth, so were her parents when they joined us at our table for the chipotle chicken dinner. It was a wine we all enjoyed for its beautiful red color, deep cherry flavors, complementary acidity, a hint of spiciness and nice tannins. We could not get enough of this wine during our meal - too bad there wasn't another bottle in the cellar. I'll need to head back to Whole Foods soon to pick up another bottle ($39.00). Hope you're able to as well.