Rob and Robert threw another fabulous dinner party, this time for Maggie’s 49th birthday! It a party with 12 of Maggie’s closest and dearest friends and we are so appreciative to be on this list of friends! Her good friend Tim, who we also know and have vacationed with on several occasions, was in town from New Orleands and it was so great to see him, too! 

The menu for the evening was a iceberg lettuce with homemade blue cheese dressing followed by homemade meatballs with buccatini pasta. The meatballs were THE BEST I’ve ever had!! Plump, flavorful and delicious! There were several bottles that were open this evening but the wine that stood out for me were the Sean Thackrey “Pleiades XXI” Old Vine Red Blend ($24, K&L Wine Merchant).

If you try to find the exact seepage on this always-fantastic red blend, you might find yourself gazing up at the heavens for an answer, since you won’t get one from the winemaker. Word has it, though, that the XXI contains more Sangiovese and Pinot Noir than recent bottlings, giving it a higher tone, redder fruit and a lighter body than previous versions. There are also lovely floral essences–gardenia and orange blossom–that suggest there’s some Viognier in there, too. Tangy hibiscus, anise and the unmistakable Thackrey eucalyptus note round out this very pretty, soft and slightly savory wine. The Pleiades might be the only super allocated, cult California wine for under $25, and it’s sure to sell out quickly, as previous vintages have. From “One of California’s most iconic and mystical winemakers, Sean Thackrey has logged in 20 or more vintages of consistently stunning wines that perhaps say it all with the simple quote on his label.” According to Robert Parker.

Happy birthday, Magg-ster!!