That would be the 2006 Mt. Eden Vineyards Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir I had been saving (okay, only for two years….) and finally opened.

Such a beautifully-balanced creation. Plums and sassafras, minerals, a through-line of licorice and a bouquet that suggested the elegant Russian Leather perfume by Chanel. All of this was strung, like Christmas lights, on a slender but sturdy core of tannins. At 13.8% alcohol, it is nearly perfect for my palate.

With salmon, it was celestial. And worth the $49.50 pricetag. Let me say that again. You really do get what you pay for, and even though there’s a lot of drinkable stuff out there (thank you Chile) there’s not a lot of memorable wine.

This was memorable.