Well - quite a few things have happened since my last blog... the week of Jan. 25 we had the Great Snowstorm of 2014. Thankfully I was able to work from home and did not get stuck on I-75 for 10 hours without food or a bathroom. I did have to raid the cellar and drink some really awesome Pinot Noir just to survive... Then just two weeks later, its the Great Snowstorm of 2014, Part 2... the snow and ice are melting today but we may see more freezing weather. We Southerners do not know how to handle cold weather!
In the middle of all that I celebrated a birthday. We went to a great restaurant - Seed, in Marietta, GA. We know the head chef and owner, and knew the food would be outstanding. They have a really nice wine selection, but we brought our own since it was a special occasion and I had my eye on a couple of wines in the cellar. The cork fee is a small price to pay when you are opening expensive or non-distributed wines. We opened a nice little Pinot Noir from Nicholson Ranch - it is one of my favorite mid-priced Pinot Noirs available only from the winery. It has a lovely strawberry aroma with a good, full fruit and oaky-vanilla body. It complimented the calamari and white cheddar grits fritters we had as appetizers. The main attraction was a 2005 Philip Togni Spring Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon; a big, bold cab that drank very well in 2014, and could withstand another 5-8 years more easily. First sniff was almost musty, earthy, with a hint of dark fruit, but with some swirling we were able to pick up on the beautiful blackberry fruit that we often find in a "Mountain" fruit cab. It was the perfect pairing for the filets the guys ordered. I had ordered the slow-cooked short ribs with mashed potatoes, and a side of caramelized Brussels sprouts and cauliflower, which both the Pinot Noir and the Cabernet paired nicely. The meal was absolutely fantastic and the service above expectation.
That night was a wonderful bright spot for the week; news of another winter storm coming the following week put us in a bit of a panic. But as I sit here, writing my blog, looking out at the soggy, melting ice and snow, I am smiling with the memory of the night and enjoying the warmth of my home.
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