Last night, I had a real yen for a great bottle of meaty red wine, a real fill your mouth, make you think you can chew on it vino. A quick perusal through our stash yielded a 2007 Grgich Hills Cabernet Sauvignon, and I knew I'd hit the jackpot.

Grgich is one of my favorite vineyards. If you're not familiar with it, it's in Napa, is certified biodynamic by the Demeter Association and makes consistently wonderful wines under the guidance of Miljenko “Mike” Grgich, now 89 and a member of the Vintner Hall of Fame. By and large, I detest California Chardonnay; it's too often a flabby, syrupy, cloying, over-oaked mess. But in Grgich's hands, it has enough acidity and crispness that you can appreciate the essence of the grape rather than cringing after swallowing golden treacle. Grgich's Fumé Blanc is one of my favorite summer whites, and for a special upgrade, Essence, the best of their Sauvignon Blanc, is a great bottle.

In the realm of Grgich reds, the Cabernet and Petite Sirah are divine. The Cab last night was so balanced and smooth, woody and tannic enough to leave a great aftermath in your mouth but not so much that your tongue can't recover. To do justice to its confident presence, I made garlic-rosemary roasted potatoes, a tomato salad and the most glorious horseradish-marinated, pan-seared filets. WOW! A hell of a meal followed by Friday night's Real Time and then to bed.