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TN: Pinots on Fri night Betsy left yesterday for a weekend retreat, and I was thinking re leftovers & a night in front of the TV. Then that afternoon my friend Marc invited me to join his semi-regular tasting group, for some Pinot Noir. Before going over, I had a light dinner of leftover pasta and meat sauce, with a glbutt of the 2001 Felsina Chianti Clbuttico. Raspberry-kirsch, a floral lilt to the nose. Good fruit, zingy acidity, A rather international group (the host is Belgian, the other guests were all French except one German and me, the ugly American) gathered at Marc's at 8 PM with our blinded bottles. Marc had a nice cheese tray (Brillat-Savarin,Humboldt Fog, Chatham Shepherd's Wheel, Brie de Meaux, & a truffled Italian) and dry sausage, other guests brought ham and duck rilletes. We snacked, then went for the Pinot: One guest had brought a '80 Pommard (I think Chateau de Pommard), but it was way over the hill-damaged. Maderized & funky, cloudy with color separation. F The next blind bottle was full of ripe strawberry and black cherry fruit, with sweet vanilla overtones. Plenty of fruit, not a lot beyond that. My guess: California (2002 Acacia Pinot Noir , I think Carneros). B Next bottle was less fruit-forward but well-structured. Pleasing balance of acidity, dark fruit, and some light but noticable tannins. Deep blackcherry and blackberry fruit, some earth and spice. This was my bottle, so I didn't guess (1999 Monthelie-Douhairet "Les Chanlins" Pommard 1er Cru). A- Then came a wine that started off very closed aromatically. Opened up a bit over time. Some sweet oak notes on top of ripe cherry fruit, a bit tannic. My guess: young new-wave-modern Burgundy (2002 Joseph Voillot Volnay). Wine got nicer as night went along, after 3 hours it was quite good. B+ Next wine seemed a tad rustic. Strong earth aromas over raspberry fruit. Slightly hard tannins. I thought of Oregon, but eventually just guessed Burgundy (1999 Michel Gay Aloxe-Corton). B I at least got the regions right, better than I do sometimes! Two planned participants couldn't make it, too bad we were so Eurocentric (wine-wise, I mean). We were having a good time, but the bottles were nearing empty. Marc the host opened a bottle of 1997 Bacio Divino (Napa blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Peite Sirah & I think Merlot). Sweet sweet sweet red fruit, loads of vanilla-ey oak. Thick and low-acid. I think I would NOT like this on my dinner table, but serving here as "dessert" it was ok- a bit like having some Port! B-B+ for last night, B--C+ for my dinner table, not something I'd buy after tasting (I looked today, seems to run $70-100- yikes). Marc's house is at the other end of town. I trudged home on a windy chilly night, warmed by the evening's bonhomie (ok, by the alcohol, too). Lucy the Bbuttet was excited to hear we'd have a long car retrieval walk this morning. :) Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency Dale
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