Sometimes everything decides to break at the same time. That time is right now and one of those things is my camera. It’s off to Canon for however many weeks it takes for them to figure out what’s wrong, fix it and take my money. Sometimes a winemaker leaves you an unmarked bottle of wine and a handwritten note asking you to taste it and let him know what you think. That time is right now and that winemaker is Michael Christian of Los Pilares in San Diego. Then your day feels not as bad and you go to a potluck with friends and drink that wine and take photos with your phone.
The wine? 2013 Los Pilares LaDona Sparkling Muscat. Everyone at the party was curious about this dark bottle of mystery, so we popped the top immediately. It was a hit! Delicious and drinkable and perfect for our al fresco situation with heaps of fried chicken. If you’d like to know more about the wine, this is what Michael wrote in his sweet note. Kind of sums it up better than I could’ve…
“Sustainably grown by an Italo-America-Indian family on the reservation near Valley Center in San Diego County. Foot-stomped and left to ferment naturally on the stems and skins for 72 hours. Pressed. Set aside some of the partially femented must in a refrigerator to retard fermentation. When dry in tank, blend and bottle under crown cap. Not disgorged. Superbly drinkable. Ginger, lime, orange blossom, hint of bitter/sour tannins balancing barely detectable R.S. (No SO2) 30 cases.”
So if you thought that wine from San Diego sounds like a bad idea, think again. Mkay?