You never know what you’re going to get. No coincidence, I usually have a bottle of something when I visit my friends … or their friends! What exactly? I never know; but sometimes it really works. Before a recent band practice, our meeting venue was decided to be The Seafood Peddler in San Rafael, so with a little educated guesswork, I figured a bottle of White Burgundy would work well. Okay, that’s a little generic, ahem, a bottle of 2007 Paul Pernot Puligny-Montrachet was what I brought. Like I said before, I don’t grow grapes, nor do I make wine, but I do enjoy a fine bottle when I can, and I especially love it when it pairs well with good friends and good food. Well, in spirit of the brand new 2010 baseball season, I hit a homerun with the Puligny. I sit in humble gratitude to those vignerons like Paul Pernot whose efforts make it fun and easy to hit homeruns! I packed the bottle in my Wine House Bag, yet left it in the trunk when I got to the restaurant. As I walked in, the boys were already in good spirits, as the promise of 3 hours of free flowing music weighed on our collective horizons. There were prawn quesadillas, calamari, and lobster … oh, excuse me gents, I left a bottle of wine in the car. When I came back, we popped the cork on the Puligny, and what a success it was! It showed exotic aromas of citrus blossoms and spice, and with racy acidity, displayed a mid-palate that was sublime with the food we were enjoying. I have always said that the best food and wine pairings are with white rather than red wine, and after an experience like this one, I am all the more convinced. The only problem was the bottle was empty long before the need for more was exhausted. Hmmm, just thinking out loud here; perhaps we should look into magnums of Pernot’s Puligny-Montrachet for occasions just like this one. – Peter Zavialoff
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