Gott Grenache?

Get Gott?  Well, only if one is partial to overly oaked wine. 

I was hoping this Joel Gott, 2012 Grenache would pair nicely with a spicy Italian sausage pizza that I made for dinner last night: the relatively low alcohol, 13.9%, seemed promising (perhaps making this a food-friendly wine), but alas, no.  All the nice spiciness and raspberry-goodness that I expect in a Grenache just weren't there, hate when that happens.  It's a shame because I have had other vintages of this wine, and other wines from this producer, that have definitely been more palatable - and less oaky. Also, 2012 was supposed to be one of those vintages in which it was almost impossible to make a bad wine.  I did say almost.

The Pear.

Tonight, to celebrate Vinomaker's birthday, we decided to try yet another new restaurant in downtown Napa, The Pear - A Southern Bistro.  The Pear is located in Napa's Riverfront complex in a space recently vacated by the ill-fated Tyler Florence Rotisserie.
Decorated with old musical instruments and bedazzled with strings of Mardi Gras beads, The Pear has a New Orleans thing going on.  Vinomaker was happy with his shrimp and grits with red-eye gravy and I had a nice meatloaf with mashed potatoes. The wine list was a bit sparse, especially the 'wine by the glass' options, but I did happen across a nice red.  The Joel Gott, 2010, Alakai is basically a GSM.  With 77% Grenache it could just have the grape variety name on the label, but Gott apparently decided to give it a proprietary name and simply designated it as a red wine.  It paired (or is that peared?) nicely with the meatloaf.
The food was good, but the restaurant itself is a little lacking in the ambiance department.  The tables are strewn about seemingly willy-nilly and the lasting impression that I took away with me was that the dining room is cold.  Of course, that might have something to do with being seated at the worst table in the place (despite having made reservations), right next to the entrance: not good on a cold night in February, so much so I had to eat with my coat on.  It didn't stop me from ordering the pear tart which came with vanilla bean ice cream for dessert though.
Overall, The Pear was a fairly good experience and we both decided that we'd eat there again.  Or at least Vinomaker will when they put hushpuppies on the menu.
Happy birthday Vinomaker!