Panther Creek Cellars Fan Stories - Part 1
Panther Creek Cellars Fan Stories - Part 1
Dan Martino
We recently received an email from Dan Martino of Peoria, IL about a library vintage Panther Creek Pinot that inspired us to start this new blog series, Panther Creek Cellars Fan Stories.
With dinner last night, my wife and I had a bottle of your 2006 Pinot. I had bought it in 2011 and it's been resting, well protected in our cellar ever since. I just wanted to write to tell you that I think it's the best Pinot we've ever had and one of the best wines we've had in the last ten years. I'm going to try to find the current vintage locally and maybe buy several bottles this time, allowing some cellar time for a couple of them. I know that wines vary from year to year but I'm crossing my fingers that we get to experience what we did last night with the new vintages. Anyway, kudos from this grateful wine lover.
A Wine Lover's Story
Since 1999, my wife and I have collected labels from every wine we drink...over 2,500 new wines and/or vintages. We document the experiences we have with these wines in scrapbook form...on our 56th book now. So yes, I can share the Pinot specifics, along with every other wine we've had. As I wrote, I bought the 2006 at a local outlet in 2011 for $35. [See their blog, Good Life Destinations]
I'm really glad you replied because I would really like to know your thoughts as to how this particular wine ages. I read on your website that your Pinots age well, so I'm not surprised at how good this wine was. If only I would have had a bottle of the '06 in 2011 so I could perhaps determine just how much it improved these past 11 years. That's what I intend to do with your latest vintage (or vintages) assuming I can find it (or them).
Panther Creek Band - 1960's
I'm not sure if this will be of any interest, but I would like to tell you why your Pinot was in our cellar for so long. In high school and a few years after (late 1960s), I played in a band called Panther Creek. When I saw the Pinot, I had to buy it in hopes of sharing it with my old band mates if we ever got together. Anyway, an occasion presented itself recently that made opening this wine appropriate...I'll spare you the details. But "Panther Creek" holds a special place in my heart and now your wines are a part of that too. Thanks for making them so well.
