Thursday Night Gnocchi.

I met a friend for dinner at a nice little Italian spot where the Dover Sole is to die for and every white sauced pasta dish seems to be made with a stick of butter, and truffles are available to shave over everything.  It was a busy night and I ordered a plate of gnocchi in a creamy butter sauce;  ridiculous.

I scanned the ‘by-the-glass’ menu to see what I’d have with my dinner and was pleasantly surprised to see that they were pouring glasses of 2006 Qupé “Bien Nacido- Y Block” Chardonnay. I quickly ordered a glass so it would arrive at the same time as my ‘order of butter with a side of gnocchi’.

Qupé is located in Santa Maria; north of Santa Barbara and not far from the coast.  Winemaker Bob Lindquist is a respected wine man in Santa Barbara wine country and a fellow Dodger fan.  I was first introduced to Qupé while tasting some of their award-winning syrahs.

Y Block is one of the older chardonnay blocks at famed Bien Nacido vineyard. This block of grapes only goes to Qupé and the end result was in my glass last night.

The gnocchi was fantastic.  And all that evil butter, which I was mopping up with a piece of bread long after the last gnocchi was gone.

The wine?  Even fantastic-er.  A nose of honey led to a bit of pineapple and citrus on the palette, a faint minerality and the best part: the oak was subtle… just enough to compliment the fruit, but in the background where it belongs, letting the fruit fully express itself.  And it danced with the gnocchi in my mouth like it was nobody’s business.

I had a second glass, finished my butter and called it a night.