Bond and Burgers!

For about five years now, my folks and I have had this annual tradition when they come to town. It started out as "Bordeaux and Burgers", but every year we strayed a little from the original theme; "Cab and Cow", "Bond and Burgers", etc. I think we missed it this year because everyone was feeling too fat already and couldn't bear the thought of a 1 lb. burger.

"Bond and Burgers": What it essentially boils down to is getting a really awesome burger and drinking some really decadent wine with it. I LOVE the idea of tearing down the barriers of pompous wine snobbery. Having burger juice and condiments staining your glass of $300 Bordeaux is one of my favorites. Although, slugging Raveneau 'Montee de Tonnerre' Chablis 2004 out of the bottle with my colleagues is a close second.

So - last night I must've been jones-ing for it since we missed it. Kara (my wife) cam home around 1am from work at Osteria Mozza. I had everything prepped and ready to go: condiments sliced, onions sauteed, bacon cooked, special sauce made (this isn't dirty...), patties formed and wine decanted. The victim this evening was the 2001 Bond Matriarch, the second-label for the Bond in Napa, operated by the same folks who make Harlan Estate.

Well, the burger was awesome and moist. But the wine was drinking awesome - and I don't particularly get excited about Napa Cabernet. The nose was worth a paragraph of text: smoke, espresso, cassis and black currant, anise, purple flowers, pencil shavings. On the palate, consistent flavors, but surprisingly Bordeaux-like in character. The wine actually held some earth and mineral which the tannin had resolved to reveal. Not enough to blind taste this as a Pauillac, but a surprisingly good homage from Napa. The bitter earth clings to the palate and some cigar box and spices, particularly clove, drive the finish, which draws in a touch of blueberry. Great job, guys!

All-in-all, this wine (and meal) was a winner for me. But I think the Bond Matriarch 2001 is in its peak now. It will hold there for a while, but it's showing beautifully and if I had anymore, I'd probably choose to drink them soon. Don't slug them if you have them just because I said so, though. It's all about preference. I like my California Cabernet a little younger and fresher, when it still has its vibrancy.

Whatever you drink or eat today - enjoy!