Now, first of all, let’s stay in a group, so we can find our way back to the van after we’ve had a few. Got to keep that bad reputation intact! Ha ha! That’s just a little joke, of course, we’ll all be responsible today. Today is just a chance for all us Big Bad Wolves to get together and enjoy some of the finest Pinot Noir that California has to offer. That’s why we’re here at Claiborne & Churchill, the vineyard behind the Claiborne & Churchill Pinot Noir 3 Pack!
Okay, now, come along, we’ll be headed to the winery building. See, since 1995, this permanent building has been made from bales of rice straw, making it well-insulated and at a constant temperature without any mechanical heating or cooling. Perfect for wine! Also, totally vulnerable to us Big Bad Wolves. Everybody ready? Deep breath now…
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Ah, there we are! You can see they’ve already set up the 2008 Edna Valley. The fruit here came from vineyards all a mile or two from the winery, handpicked and sorted right in the vineyard for the very best fruit. It’s won Best of Class and a Gold Medal in the 2010 Central Coast Wine Competition, and there’s a nice nose of violet. Mmm, isn’t that fantastic? Then there’s the hit of cherries and berries, some good woody notes, and a long finish. It’s perfect with cheese and truffles, maybe even lamb! That’s right, Paul, when you go back home, nobody’s going to be listening to that boy who keeps crying about you. Go on, take a bottle!
Okay, everyone finished? Another deep breath, and…
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And here we are in building two, with the 2008 Runestone Pinot. Oh, no, don’t worry about those panicked screams, they knew I was bringing a group today. Probably just some pig-lovers or something. So, the Runestone won a Gold Medal at the 9th Annual Pinot Noir Shootout & Summit back in 2008, and that’s really something to be proud of, we think. Also, it’s a limited batch from about 150 barrels, so it’s exactly the thing you can use to impress a date. Jake, you’ve got that redhead hiding near your place in the woods, right? The one you repossessed from her grandmother? Yeah, this Runestone is the perfect excuse to have her for dinner… and then you can have her for dinner! Ha ha ha ha! She’ll go great with this one! I know, everybody says I should do standup, but wine’s really what I love most of all. Here, you take this bottle. With my compliments. Everyone set to move on?
Now this last one, we should probably go ahead and get to it before those security guards arrive. No, no, there’s no trouble, we just want to wrap up so they can get back to work. Deep breaths again, please! And a one, and a two-
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There, that wasn’t so bad, was it? Just a little taste of the 2008 Twin Creeks and it’s back to the bed and breakfast for supper. This pinot also won a Gold Medal at the 9th Annual Pinot Noir Shootout & Summit, plus the coveted Purple Showdown Ribbon. It’s got some cola behind it, making it very interesting, plus it’s spicy and tangy and… you got it dead on, Gunther, it’s perfect with a tomato-based Cioppino or really any Italian dish. No, I don’t actually know how it will pair with seven baby goats you’ve stolen from their mother, but… tell you what, you take this bottle and test it out, and then we’ll all know, won’t we?
Okay, well, it seems that there’s a helicopter and some guys with tranq guns, so we’d better wrap up here and get back on the road. Hope everyone enjoyed Stage One of our tasting, and I bet we have plenty to discuss once we’re safe and far away from the Claiborne & Churchill security team! Oh, one more thing, be sure to get lots of rest tonight, because the place tomorrow is built out of sticks, and it’ll be a little harder to blow down. Whoops! They’ve opened fire! Let’s go, let’s go! Everybody buckle up!
2008 Edna Valley Pinot Noir
The Runestone Pinot Noir is a barrel-select super-premium wine, much like a “reserve” wine. We literally select eight barrels to bottle that we think will yield an elegant, velvety smooth and succulent blend. The clones are typically the new Dijon clones, and the wine is not necessarily spicy or tannic.
2009 Twin Creeks Pinot Noir
Claiborne & Churchill is a small, family owned and operated winery, founded in 1983 and located in the heart of the Edna Valley, just outside San Luis Obispo, California. Inspired by the wines of Alsace, we specialize in premium dry wines made from Riesling, Gewürztraminer, and Pinot Gris grapes, as well as handcrafted Pinot Noir from several nearby vineyards. We also produce small lots of other wines, including a Dry Muscat, Chardonnay, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sparkling Brut Rose, and a Port-style wine.
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