In our neighborhood, there's a market that gets part of a chartered planeload of fresh Maine lobster every year on Memorial Day weekend, a promotion they dub 'Lobstermania', and though I wasn't able to get any thank goodness my friend Donna did because she made a heavenly fresh lobster lasagna to celebrate her husband's birthday, and we were invited. These are the wines that showed up:
2015 Craggy Range Sauvignon Blanc Single Vineyard Te Muna Road Vineyard Martinborough
Been awhile since I've had a CR SB. This has great white fruit character and minerality but (thankfully) lacks the washed rind cheese aspect I remember from earlier vintages. Well balanced, interesting.
2014 Township 7 Seven Stars Sparkling Okanagan Valley Champagne Blend
Quite decent, exceeded expectations (for this winery, which I've never been a fan of).
2014 Phelps Creek Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc Columbia Gorge
My bottle. Made in a NZ style. I was afraid that it might have faded some in the nine months since we opened a bottle, but in fact it has firmed there's more body here than I realized. Muted musky melon and white grapefruit with a nice dose of cut grass. This winery, located on the Oregon side of the Columbia River (the Gorge appellation includes both WA and OR sides) deserves to be more well known than it is.
2015 Chateau Ste. Michelle Chardonnay Ethos Reserve Columbia Valley
Best Ethos Chard I've had. Good balance of pear and apple fruit with enough brightness and acidity to cut through the oak (not the usual case, in my experience).
2015 Lopez de Haro Rioja Viura
A gorgeous Viura. Pale, transparent, floral, white nectarine, good acidity. Is this label related in any way to Lopez Heredia? There's an obviously deliberate resemblance on the label.
2013 Beringer Vineyards Chardonnay Luminus Oak Knoll
My bottle. Big oak butterball with serious structure. Not my favorite style of chardonnay but it was inarguably the best match on the table with Donna's fabulous alfredo-sauced Lobster Lasagna.
2010 Conn Creek Anthology Napa Valley Red Bordeaux Blend
Rich and plummy, pretty full into secondary phase with cigar box and relaxed tannins; silky mouthfeel. Probably close to peak, though will hold well here for a few years.
1994 Dow's Port
Also my bottle--to pair with a dark chocolate and salted caramel cake. To die for. Decanted for five hours prior to dinner and minor sediment removed. Wasn't sure a '94 would seem as ready as this was. Plummy and rich with heady aromatics of Christmas spices, sandalwood and bergamot.