Father's Day Wine

My dad will be away on Sunday, and my wife is out Friday evening.
So I’m having Dad over for dinner Friday and I’m opening a couple of nice bottles to share with him.
It’s gonna be a Napa v. Bordeaux battle of 2010.
More specifically, Merryvale Cab Napa and Chateau Senejac.
I’ve told Dad he can have whichever remaining half bottle he prefers.

We’ll be at a friend’s house. They’re not very wine savvy, so it’ll be daily drinkers.

For me, none (of which I am aware, that is).

My father lives in Houston, so I may have to honor him by proxy…

These are a cut above what my dad usually drinks.
He did drink a lot of Bordeaux in his working days.
Now he’s 87 and has about a $15/bottle price ceiling.
Except for the occasional cheap Bordeaux I pass on to him he drinks mostly South American Malbec,
or whatever WSJ Wine sends in their mixed cases.

I just want to know how a $50 Cab compares to one of my current favorite Haut-Medocs.

Go for it. Enjoy your dad’s company and be thankful to have such an opportunity. It’s when we stop sweating the small stuff that we can only start to enjoy the big.


Merryvale is a fine wine.
Have fun!

We’re pretty confident.

I tried, so to say.

Sounds like a fun night!

We’re doing homemade pizza, so I’m thinking Bedrock Old Vine Zin should fit the bill nicely.

It was a fun night!
I enjoy my dad’s company quite a bit.
We have much more in common than I believed earlier in life, including our taste for red wine.

Dinner was a NY strip with grilled Portabellas, onions and zucchini, some Pesto Penne pasta and a green salad.
Dad became a vegetarian over 20 years ago but he did have a corner of the steak to go with the wine.

We started with a little hummus and bread while the grill heated up.
The bottles were decanted an hour earlier, with half of each poured into half bottles right away.

I was amazed at how similar these two wines are.
The color was nearly identical, but the Bordeaux had a little browning at the edges. Neither was especially transparent.
The nose of the Napa Valley Cab was more fruity and displayed a hint of eucalyptus.
Both had the same black fruit flavor with a cedar spice note and a lingering finish.
The Merryvale was a little more powerful and fruit forward, the Senejac had a little more minerality and tannin.

Both of us decided the Merryvale was slightly better overall.
The Senejac compared favorably at less than half the price.

So glad I have more of both.

Thanks for sharing your experience, Chris!

I don’t get to share wine with my Dad. I think we shared a bottle of Adelaida HMR Vineyard Pinot Noir one Thanksgiving, but he’s never been a big wine (or alcohol) fan, so I bond with him over other things, like fishing, cooking, etc.

My dad is an indiscriminate wine drinker so that is not a bond between us unfortunately. I am looking forward to hanging out with him tomorrow though, as we have many other things we like to do together… Hope you enjoy the day tomorrow.

My father died way too young, nearly 30 years ago. These threads can be very painful. If yours is still alive, I encourage you to make that visit now.

I will enjoy a '13 Roy Piper (3-4 hour decant), started a Father’s Day tradition last year of opening a young Piper on Father’s Day, paired with some Flannery 60-day dry aged rib eyes. Hope to have a nice meal with my dad and my kids.

Father’s Day dinner with my son, his wife & child, my daughter, her husband & 2 children, my youngest daughter & her new husband (English) & my wife ; 18.5 lb Standing Rib Roast ;
2009 Karl Lawrence Reserve Henry Brothers Vineyard
2009 Myriad Syrah Las Madres Vineyard
2010 Kapcsandy Estate Cab
2008 Outpost Howell Mt Cab

All is well !

1989 Pichon Baron. Daughter’s birth year. Love 'em both.

I did a wine from each of my kids birth years with a grilled leg of lamb.

2001 Carbonnieux Blanc (with appetizers)
1996 Pio Cesare Barolo (greatly exceeded expectations)
1998 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto (fantastic!)

I finally cracked open a 2004 Mondavi Reserve cabernet. Wow - it was supple, velvety and just fantastic.

Celebrating with my dad on Tuesday. I’m bringing a '12 Liquid Farm Golden Slope. He’ll bring an Epoch but I’m not sure which one…