...but I could! Dinner was a Cuban, and I brought the wine.
We sipped this before dinner and in lieu of cocktails (my host usually starts his evenings with a martini):
2017 Bedrock Wine Co. The Bedrock Heritage Sonoma Valley Zinfandel Blend
Deep rich purple. Sweet nose with complex black raspberry, boysenberry, bramble and grippy tannins on the palate. Full-bodied but not overbearing, and it has a good future ahead of it. One of the best Bedrocks of any stripe I've had in awhile.
With the main course of of flavorful rice topped with chunks of smoked pork:
2016 Valle Secreto Cabernet Sauvignon First Edition Cachapoal Valley
Previously tasted this in 2020--my how things have changed! No longer in the 'plush' zone, it's firm and perfectly tuned for a dry new world cabernet drunk here and now, and a perfect pairing for the main course.
2023 Dominio de las Abejas Vino Naranja Valle de Ojos Negros White Blend, Baja California
Much better, more 'open' that is, than a bottle exactly one year ago. While still dry, this assertive blend of chardonnay, SB, marsanne and viognier (plus a fifth grape I can't recall offhand, chenin?) offers layers of stone fruit with a hint of herb and orange peel. I treated it like a red wine and served it at room temperature--a perfect choice, especially with the food.