Dinner at Barbara and Lance's in Princeton (with Brenda, Jen and Tash plus kids and a dog)

We had a lovely dinner in Princeton with Barbara, Lance, Brenda, Jen and Tash -- plus 4 children and 1 dog -- at the gracious home of Barbara and Lance.
I brought pinot noir wines to pair with Indian food from Cross Culture.

We had 2 "mountain" pinot noirs -- including the Richard Berridge 2007 Manchester Ridge (#1) and the Donatiello Sonoma Coast 2012 (#3) -- and one "valley" pinot Noir, the Landmark Grand Detour Pinot noir 2009 (#2). It was interesting how both the mountain-grown pinot noirs had more earth and herbs, and the valley pinot had much brighter red fruit flavors and spice, from more sun.

I gave the Berridge PN the edge in the tasting, but they all drank wonderfully and perhaps they were all equally delicious.

• 2007 Berridge Wines Pinot Noir Manchester Ridge 92 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

  A very tasty wine. Deep, dark red fruits (cherry, blackberry, raspberry), forest floor, earth, bay leaf, pine and spice. Very tasty with our Cross Culture Indian food - especially the salmon tandoori and the samosa.
  
  This was our last bottle and it was drinking beautifully.
  
  A limited edition of 46 cases. A blend of Clones 114, 115 and 777. Drink now but has time, still.
  
  Manchester Ridge is planted along the first ridge from the Pacific Coast, a mere three miles from the Pacific Ocean.
  The site’s cool, maritime climate slows growth and ripening and this vineyard is consistently one of the last to be harvested.
  
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• 2009 Landmark Pinot Noir Grand Detour 91 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

  Lovely red fruit, flowers, vanilla, perfume and a touch of spice on the finish. We had it with the Indian food from Cross Culture (not original but a good pairing!). I especially liked it with the tandoori salmon and the samosas. This was the last NJ bottle but Sue has some in Virginia, I think. Drink now but could hold a little longer.
  
  In our line-up, we had two "mountain" pinot noirs (#1 and #3) and this was the "valley" pinot noir, from Carneros, and it showed (to me), with the brighter fruit.
  
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• 2012 C. Donatiello Winery Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 91 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

  This wine drank better than it did a year ago at the winery. Some good red fruit (cherry, raspberry) and quite a bit of forest floor, earth and herbs. We had this after the Indian food from Cross Culture and it harmonized.
  
  It is interesting that wines #1 and #3 in our line-up were both Mountain fruit grown and were fairly similar, while #2 (Landmark Grand Detour 2009) was obviously valley fruit. (More sun and more and brighter fruit).
  
  It was $40 at the winery and we paid $24 on close-out. Drink now or has time. 650 cases made.
  
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Great evening!