The 4th Of July In Redwood Shire

Oregon Pinot Noir finally faces a serious threat. Not from Burgundy, nor New Zealand! Alas, from California! Not from the big names in California, but from a small Robin Hood band of winemakers in Sonoma near Sebastopol. We had the good fortune to spend the 4th in a Redwood Glade where the King and Lady Lin rule over an unruly bunch from all over the world who gathered in the forest to celebrate the founding of this country. The groaning board overflowed with good food, good wine, and goodwill. Some of these rascals actually belong to a wine club, but unlike so many they make their own wine and have their own winemaker's dinners. Don, Bim and King, with their damsels, offered up wondrous wines (no headaches from these homemade wines!) King's Cab is mindblowing and Bim's 2004 Pinot Noir in an unlabeled double magnum easy ranked with the best from Oregon - Ken Wright, De Ponte, Tori Mor. These guys are really not amateurs or home winemakers. They are like the best of the best from the Boeing Wine Club in Seattle who have gotten bonded and are selling their fabulous wine from their small boutique wineries. But, does Robin Hood want to become the Sheriff? Do they want to get too serious and take all the fun out of winemaking. Here, just North of Marin County, we have people who have values - cameraderie, excellence, do-it-yourself, freedom, family. Wow! What a great way to celebrate American values just north of Marin County. Rush, are you listening? Ann, are you listening? BTW, the fireworks were spectacular.