Teriyaki King Salmon

This is the type of Asian/Hawaiian fusion dish that just blows the doors off your taste buds, yes, no kidding! As an added bonus, the combination of 2 super-foods, Salmon & Avocado produce a ton of energy in the body thru these types of unsaturated omega 3 fats. We have a new gourmet level grocery store in our area, Metropolitan Market, and all thankfully we were able to procure all of the ingredients in one place, fantastic. So put some more fresh seafood and vegetables in your diet today and Enjoy! RJKirk

2014 Outpost True Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

With the 2014 vintage of their True Vineyard Cabernet Outpost Wines has produced what we consider a perfect wine and as confirmed by Robert Parker of the wine advocate. Congratulations to the Dotzlers and Thomas Rivers Brown! As we sip this 2014 True Vineyard Cabernet at Café 1853 courtesy of BoutiqueReds.com, we again note the big intense fruit, complexity and soft tannins with lingering finish matching our palate to a tee. Indeed, this release has achieved another level with perfect balance through the entire tasting spectrum. As always, all the best and Cheers! RJKirk

Classic Beef Stew

Café 1853 presents “Classic Beef Stew” with a twist! We produced this dish on the last day of spring, so appropriate after a particularly cold and wet Northwest winter. Yes, this is pure comfort food to fight off the damp and cold and restore a positive attitude! Pair your favorite big red wine and satisfaction is guaranteed. All the Best & Enjoy! RJKirk

Del Dotto Vineyards

Del Dotto Vineyards from Bob Kirkham on Vimeo.

While dining at Carmines Bellevue on Valentine's Day we opened a bottle of 2014 Del Dotto St. Helena Family Reserve Block 2 and were reminded of the several tasting experiences enjoyed at their wineries in Napa which you can enjoy vicariously through this video. All of Del Dotto's wines are powerful and elegant examples of the results that various outstanding wine source terroirs and wine making expertise are capable of producing. This particular example received a score of 98 from Robert Parker. So sit back and enjoy the show! All the best and cheers! RJKirk

North Block Hotel Yountville

When we visit the Napa Valley for wine tasting and reviews, we like to stay at the North Block, a boutique hotel located at the north end of Yountville, close to many of our favorite wineries. Enjoy this video review of their grounds, accommodations, staff and amenities and tell them RJKirk sent you. Cheers!

A Season of Fine Wines

BoutiqueReds.com from Bob Kirkham on Vimeo.

Just started a new blog at boutiquereds.com that focuses on exceptional wines from limited production wineries for those special occasions in your lives. Cheers! RJKirk

Dunn Vineyards 2009 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon

Recently we had the opportunity to taste this wine for the 2nd time and were able to confirm our very favorable impression. In our opinion Randy Dunn is one of the premier wine makers in Napa, making elegant wines of deep character and complexity; there is a combination of science, art and magic in his wines you just have to experience to adequately appreciate. Rumor has it that this Napa vintage had a greater proportion of the Howell Mountain fruit that we fell in love with when introduced last spring to the 2008 Howell Mountain Cab. For us, one of the telling marks of a great wine is that we are still trying to figure out  all of the different flavors and nuances of the wine down to the last drop! Our personal bias is that most Napa wines do not benefit from more than 5-6 years of cellar aging; this wine is certain to be an exception. Although very enjoyable right now, consider buying several bottles so you can experience the subtle and improving characteristics with some age. Everyone has an individual palate, but to us this wine presents an extreme value for the quality in the $60-65 range. We expect this wine to sell through distribution quickly, so get some before it is gone :) Check out their site at Dunn Vineyards and our review of their Estate under our wine index. This is RJKirk, Enjoy!!