Balboa Sangiovese Rocks the House!

[WineCellar]

You know it's a good night when you get a hug from the winemaker (Tom Glase) after his hip surgery and are then told that you can buy the $110 bottle of wine at an 80% discount. Perhaps the cute guy behind the bar was pulling my leg about the prices, but I told him I would have paid just about any price for that delicious Balboa Candy Mountain 2006 Sangiovese. Deeee-licious. Dangerously delicious. Balanced, pomegranate, tobacco, ripe plum.

So I bought the rest of the bottles they had in stock. Don't get your hopes up about finding any in the tasting room this weekend, because I bought them out. Yes, I did. Sorry folks, but it had to be done. It was too good to pass up. Especially at an 80% discount [smile]. Okay, really, at $22 a bottle it's a steal. If you find some on a shelf somewhere, buy it! Although I do believe it was a wine club only selection.

From the fabulous new Balboa tasting room at 7 South 2nd Ave, where Amy Glase's artwork is currently displayed on the walls as well as on the wine labels, I went to Flying Trout located at 37 South Palouse Street. There I tried four outstanding wines. The Deep River Red ($28), NV Malbec ($35), 2006 Phinny Hill Malbec ($35), and one more special red wine that you'll have to stop by the tasting room to find out about. It was a tough choice, but I ended up leaving with several bottles.

From there we ventured to 26 Brix for some dinner and cocktails. Industry folks packed the bar, all well into a busy weekend. And there are plenty of tourists about, wine lovers in their element.