Mr. Vino strolled into the wine tasting in a brand new dark blue Italian suit, and all eyes turned toward him. Chef Kenny shook his hand, and greetings were exchanged.

“I’m sorry I was delayed. I’ve been working on the new wine list at Dali’s, and I was sampling some very interesting Spanish red wines from Roja,” Mr. Vino explained.

I told Mr. Vino that we had tried the chardonnays from Far Niente and Nickel & Nickel. He nodded his head and suggested we try all the red wines.

We went back to the table where the Texan with glasses was pouring and tried the first merlot.

“This here is the Harris Vineyard, Oakville Merlot. It’s 100 percent merlot, like all the merlots on the table – not a drop of cabernet sauvignon or cabernet franc in this wine,” the man said. “This is merlot, and reflects the true character of the grape varietal within this vineyard site.

“Now, Oakville is in the southern half of Napa Valley, and Harris Vineyard is located in western Oakville on a five-acre block of land,” he continued. “The area has fine southern exposure and the soil is composed of gravelly clay loam.”

Before our Texan friend could finish his little speech, Mr. Vino and Chef Kenny had a mouthful of the wine. After sloshing the wine around in their mouths in unison, they took turns spitting it out into the silver Mumm dump bucket. I decided to swallow.

“The merlot has a nice raspberry fruit and hints of coco, with some tones of vanilla in the finish,” I said. “It’s very smooth.”

Chef Kenny nodded his head in agreement. But Mr. Vino shook his head.

Staring at the small amount of merlot left in his glass, Mr. Vino said: “My friend merlot here needs some company. It could use some cabernet sauvignon or its cousin, cabernet franc. Cabernet sauvignon would give the wine a little more structure, and cabernet franc would add some more aromatics.

“Although the wine is good, and to a certain extent interesting, it is unfulfilling,” Mr. Vino continued. “It lacks the flavor profile of a good, blended Bordeaux wine.

“Of course, I know that California wine will always be different and more fruit-forward than any European wine,” he added. “But California winemakers should not ignore the Bordeaux model when it comes to making wine. Even the great Chateau Petrus of Pomerol, considered the greatest merlot in the world, is still blended with a small percentage of cabernet franc. And the reason is quite simple: The wines become more complex and more interesting in a blend.”

Chef Kenny straightened his chef coat and stared down into Mr. Vino’s pale blue eyes. “Mr. Vino, I still like this wine,” he began. “I know that Silver Oak has always been made with 100 percent cabernet sauvignon, and I know that my customers at Chez Suave love that wine.”

I listened in as Mr. Vino said: “Kenny, I know that Silver Oak is a very popular wine among California cabernet drinkers. It is a big wine full of chocolate, raspberry and new spicy oak, with plenty of sweet alcohol. It overwhelms the palate, and it is what our wine guy friend would call a Godzilla wine – a big-flavor, foot-stomping monster.

“But I’m still missing the elegant aromatics of great Bordeaux like Lafite and Latour, which are blended with cabernet franc and merlot,” he continued. “Great wines are still all about complexity, like the great cuisine at Chez Suave.”

I decided to dive into the discussion: “I understand what you’re saying. However, great red Burgundy like the Domaine Romanee-Conti, and grand cru vineyards like La Tache and Echezeaux are all produced using 100 percent pinot noir – no blending whatsoever. And these wines are considered to be on the same level as Lafite or Latour, and to some wine drinkers even better.”

Mr. Vino smiled confidently. “I know that great all-red Burgundy is 100 percent pinot noir, and even in California only the unscrupulous wineries ever blend anything other than 100 percent of that varietal,” he said. “But Bordeaux varietals are different. Unlike pinot noir, the grapes of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and merlot all lack something, whether it’s structure, aromatics or complexity. Pinot noir has aromatics, structure and complexity. It’s the perfect grape; it needs no help.”

We went over to the Far Niente table to sample some of the cabernets, while Chef Kenny suggested we go over to Chez Suave for a special dinner. I couldn’t wait.