Rafanelli, Dutcher's Crossing and Unti

Today in Saint Plotniko it is beautiful, basketbally and bagelly. It's hard to beat the West Coast in May and June -- yesterday in Sonoma County it was low eighties, clear and sultry, a few fluffy clouds, bumblebees in and out of the lavender and roses.





Yesterday was annual pickup day at Rafanelli Winery, Plotnik's favorite vintner in all of Sonoma County. His friend The Great Zinfandini orders a case each year from Rafanelli and the Plotniks take three or four bottles and put them away. It won't be possible to taste the 2005 vintage, which was released last year, until 2110, and this year's 2006 pickup won't be opened until 2011. So it will be three more years until Plotnik can taste his wine, but not to worry. Last night Jim served a 2001 Rafanelli zin along with a Mauritzen zin of the same age, and, though the Mauritsen was very tasty, it can't touch the Rafanelli, which is like sucking down liquid velvet.



Sophia is not getting any less cute. She likes being upside down.





Karen hauled close to a full case out of Unti, another winery up the road, the next stop after Dutcher's Crossing, which was the next stop after Rafanelli.



The fact is, it took the Plotniks, along with Karen's sister Linda and Carrie, their Mom, so long to fight through the traffic and get to Sonoma, that they missed their half an hour window at Rafanelli. They caught up with the Zinfandinis at Dutcher's Crossing, a gorgeous spot out on Westside Road.



After that, it was pretty easy to get silly.



Plotnik is, by his very nature, far to cheap to be a wine afficionado. Yesterday he bought nothing except the Rafanelli he had ordered in advance. Wine prices are going up like everything else, and although Dutcher's Crossing had a delicious cabernet for $39, Plottie does not part easily with $39 for a bottle of wine. To wine people, $39 is mid-range, and perhaps it is. But a Boont IPA is $7 per six pack. Y'know?

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A word about mojo: Last Thursday, Plotnik could not watch the game, due to another committment. He will not make that mistake tonight. He knows it was his fault the Good Guys are down 0-1. He hopes you will accept his apology and he will try to do better tonight.