2004 Oreana PN, Santa Barbera County

[hotwine]

Stumbled over this at Costco today, just after noticing their shipment of wild Sockeye salmon... sounded like a perfect pairing.

Opened the wine an hour before dinner and sampled a small glass while minding the fish on its cedar plank bed and the hot oak coals below. "Fruit bomb" were the first words that cropped up, but that moderated with a little time, settling down to a very nice sipper. The wine really opened up though with dinner (sauteed asparagus spears and oven fried spuds with garlic bread were sides).....smooth entry over the salmon, not overbearing on the fruit at all, fullness on the palate, graceful finish..... a delightful wine. 13.8% alc/vol and $20.59 per. Looking forward to Round #2 tomorrow (we usually prepare enough food to cover two meals instead of just one, to save preparation hassles the second night. "Nuke and go!")