Layer Cake Pinot Noir `10 $11.99 ****

Yes, four stars.  Yes, we liked it THAT much.  Hey for $11.99 what is not to like? Which leads me to qualify it as a four star $11.99 bottle of wine.  If it were more expensive, it would lose a star.  JPH bought it as part of a mixed case at Coves Discount, and pulled it from the rack to have with Sunday lunch.

S. and JPH had just been exploring the newest local Fairway Market in Douglaston and came home with some great food.   Lunch was:  Fresh French bread, sausages and cheese.  We had l'ami du chambertin, a delicious (once you get past the smell and the texture) semi stinky, runny French cheese.

As we slathered cheese of bread, JPH commented "this is a good wine".  In between sips I dismissively said "of course" and then went into a spiel about Jayson Woodbridge, his wines and homage to his Grandfather:

"“My old grandfather told me the soils in which the vines lived were a layer cake. If properly made, the wine from these vines was like a delicious cake layered with fruit, mocha and chocolate, with hints of spice and rich, always rich. Never pass up a good Layer Cake.”.

(I monologue like that sometimes...it is a nasty habit - spewing everything I know into lunchtime conversation) I was SURE that I had reviewed this wine.  When I went back to see what I had written, I realized that I was wrong.

Now to correct that oversight....

Layer Cake Pinot Noir `10 is delicious.  Full of fruit, deep flavor with a hint of leather/tobacco and no oak that I could taste.  Cherry, deep cherry, and with a high 14.5% ETOH, all we wanted after a lunch of rich cheese, French sausages and this wine was a nap.  I had chocolate instead and ran to write this review, S. is putting up Christmas decorations, and JPH is cleaning out the gutters with the help of the new puppy.

100% Pinot Noir from the California Coast Monterey vineyards at Arroyo Loma and Alta Loma which border the Santa Lucia Highlands.  This wine shows that America really is on the world wine map.  I was amazed at how well it paired with the flavorful French Cheese.  S. reminded me that the buttery cheese was from Burgundy - it was absolutely screaming for a mouthful of wine like this Layer Cake Pinot Noir to pair it with.

Enjoy this full flavored, nicely priced, easy to drink wine and buy into the story of Layer Cake. The New York cynic in me wants to scream "Hokey marketing" BUT the happily buzzed, well fed writer in me says "Jayson really is on to something.  He hit this one out of the park."

I'll leave you with Ginnie,
the latest addition to the household.

This is the picture that I fell in love with on Petfinder.com.

I'm lucky that S. and JPH are suckers
for long legs and a cute face! 

She is a rescued puppy from Love Handlers Ranch in Tennessee. 

You'll be seeing more of her in the future.