Absolutely Delicious

Fate is faithful to its course, mysterious in how it presents itself...never on time, nor does it care how you feel...sometimes it conflicts you, other times it embraces your mood...yet it always seems to peek its head in every step we seem to take...for Good or for Bad, inevitable or not...welcome to the ever going, everlasting forward progress called fate.
Listen to me carefully, because I never like to repeat myself.
When "We" started our day, it was an hour or so later then I would have liked...the "We" being Joe, Giovanna and I! The What is simple, we went wine tasting (to where?) out on the East End of Long Island...why? Because the weather was great and the wine was even better! How did we get there? I drove, and I am a damn good driver!
Shinn in Mattituck was the initial destination...their basic red blend is surely better then most (if not all) basic red blends. Their table Merlot again better then the rest of the basic table Merlots...
Just for the record, Paul Giamatti's character in the Movie Sideways LOVES Merlot (how would I guess that?)...His 1961 Chateau Cheval Blanc wine that he treasured the MOST, as he should, is a MERLOT! To all Merlot haters out there...put that in your pipe and smoke it.
Back to our buddies at Shinn...the third tasting was of the Wild Boar Doe (a blend of Bordeaux varietals)...anyone thirsty yet? The final in the quartet was of their Petit Verdot...it was what it was...BIG, juicy, jammy, heavy...its the type of wine that will color your lips purple and it goes great with a Hot Dog. Too bad some of their finer wines were unfortunately unavailable for a tasting...Top to bottom their line of reds can compete with anyones. I leave with no wine, but I am holding three corks in my pocket!!! A nice tip whispered into my ear by the gorgeous trio pouring us our vino..."check out Mcall's Vineyard"...interesting, I know absolutely nothing about those folks, I'll keep my eyes open and my ears attentive for Mcall's...Off We Go...
Second destination is old reliable Pellegrini. Their Cabernet Franc was outstanding and their Encore never disappoints! We sipped our juice out on their seductive outdoor patio...the sun bathing our flesh, the wind's breeze cooling the Earth...Yesterday was truly beautiful. Giovanna recieves a message from her friends and it reads "Meet us at Mcall's"...destiny can find you, anywhere at anytime...it just so happens that we were sitting directly across the street...
but wait, we have one quick stop to make down the road...
Clovis Point, yes I had too and Yes they did had a solid product to sample. Their 2008 Syrah was drinking great by the time my lips met it on the brim of my chalice...the rest of their reds drank well enough...especially since they were paired with a cut of brie and a handful of crackers.
Now, finally...
The final destination on our informal tour was Mcall's! Never heard of it until these beautiful women of Shinn recommended it. Meet Mr Russ Mcall. He's an old timer, a real farmer. Probably his family business as far back as he can remember. Let me go on record as saying his 2007 Pinot Noir Reserve is the Best Pinot Noir that I have tried from Long Island. Great Job Russ! His Ben's Blend (Bordeaux Style Blend) happens to be Russ's best product for sale. I was completely charmed by Russ's vineyard. The tasting room was in his barn, he had tables in the stables (just in case I wanted to sit and sip). Cows hovering around and a large pile of shells out by my car. Even the drunk guy (with his three friends cheering him on) out back puttsying around with a one hundred thousand dollar Porche, attempting to unsuccessfully learn how to drive stick (grinding clutch and all) set an amicable ambiance...even if Russ was not feeling their love for stupidity. Nonetheless...everything was...Quiet, beautiful, serene...heavenly. Thank you Russ for ending my tour on such a wonderful note.
Its close to Six P.M. by now and we opted for some dinner...
Welcome Love Lane Kitchen in Mattituck. A three cheese platter to start. All three cheeses were fresh from the local cheese farm. The platter also boasted fresh crackers, some sour jam and a dollop of honey with herbs...all cute, as well as, delicious (I love that word). I followed it up with a bowl of sausage and potato soup (to die for!). My Dinner...Sausage Bolognsee with a thin flat long pasta (not quite linguini)...we ate everything with a bottle of Taste Red from Bedell...A wonderful full body pseudo Lond Island wine (why pseudo? Because you have California behind its creation...its all good though, because I Still Love going to Bedell and enjoying their wine...the vineyard sits on a breathtakingly scenic setting). By the time dinner wrapped up, I had witness the celebration of a young couple whom just agreed to marry each other and another Young woman celebrate her birthday (she was with seven of her friends).
All in all, a great day that was formed through a bet eight days earlier...Had the Jets won, my day may have been drastically different yesterday...I bet that I would not have even gone out East (but who knows what my fate would have been).
By The Way...
If I ever own a Vineyard
I would call it Absolutely Delicious!