Saturday, January 15, 2011

Fishing in Napa.

Thursday night Vinomaker and I hit the town. Well, not quite, we really just went out to dinner. But, it was the celebration dinner for me completing my Viticulture degree at Napa Valley College.
Technically, I graduated when I finished my last classes in June of last year, but I did not want to celebrate until I had my diploma in my sticky little fingers. That happened last October. Then work, harvest, holidays, and life in general got in the way. Until Thursday afternoon when Vinomaker informed me that that evening we were going to Morimoto Napa.
This is not a restaurant review. It goes without saying that one can expect any restaurant in the Morimoto chain to conform to some very high standards; the decor was just so, the service was impeccable, the menu was extensive, the ingredients were of the highest and freshest quality...the prices lofty. I do however think that the ambiance could have been a tad more dynamic. The main dining room is large and open, and consequently somewhat bleak in spite of the energetic level of chatter coming from the other diners. But what do I know? Me, who can be entertained for hours by scurrying insects out in the vineyard.
Vinomaker paired his appetiser and sushi with a 2009 Breggo Gewurztraminer, a well balanced wine with just the right amount of linalool, which he thoroughly enjoyed. I didn't exactly experiment with my wine choice. I imbibed in a Sauvignon blanc, from the winery that employs me (sometimes loyalty is to be commended), but then I can make SB go with just about any food. All in all, a good time was had by both of us.
Thanks Vinomaker.

6 comments:

Ron Combo said...

Congratulations Vinogirl Dip. Wine - serious deferred gratification with that celebration!
Apropos of nothing what's your view on Gary Vay-ner-chuk? Do you and VM watch him? Do you and your fellow winemakers rate him?

Vinogirl said...

Thanks Ron.
I spend very little time on the internet, I only follow a handful of wine blogs, so with the limited knowledge that I have of Gary V., I can only say he seems to be a very competent salesman and self-promoter.

Thud said...

linaloo....didn't we have that on the floor of our bedroom.

Thomas said...

Sticky little fingers is the mark of a good vineyard worker so, glad to know that you have them.

Breggo Gewurztraminer was one of the wines that impressed me on my last visit to Anderson Valley.

Affer said...

I celebrated my MSc at TGI Friday Leeds ; the ambience was....was.....well,not as smart as Morimoto Napa. But at least I knew which knife to eat my peas off.

Vinogirl said...

Thud: Yes, of course... and it just so happened to be printed with a rose pattern.

Thomas: They're especially sticky at harvest time :)
The Breggo Gewurtz was very nice, I must buy some to try at home.

Affer: You might have had some difficulty with your peas at Morimoto, especially with their acrylic chopsticks!