TN: Week's wines Gayan, Ridge, Brun, Smith, 3 Croix, etc A big list, as I was not my usual obsessive-noteposter-self this week: With a stuffed (prune and apricot)pork loin roast, the 2004 Terres Dorres (Brun) L'Ancien Beaujolais matched pretty well- lively (almost sharp) acidity, bright cherry and strawberry fruit, nice finish- not especially long, but clean fruit and earth. Actually showed even better the following night, with pepper-heavy red meat sauce over linguine. Nice clean easy fun wine, B Betsy made her duck legs with a mustardy crust (served over salad, with acorn squash on the side) for an early meal before we went into city Wednesday (she had gotten me a ticket for the last performance of G & S's "Patience", very funny). I opened a 375 of the 2003 WH Smith Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast). Oh dear. All of the sudden my previous WH Smith experience flashed before my eyes. Lots of sweet toasty oak with a slight burnt edge, over-the-top ripe red fruit with a hint of cola, low-acid, noticable tannins. Even less appealing on day 2, just not my style, and even from a 375 a nice pour makes it into my new vinegar crock. C+ Friday I was soloing again, with chicken-apple sausages with spinach on side, the wine was the 2002 J. J. Christoffel =DCrziger W=FCrzgarten Riesling Kabinett. Excellent acidity, moderate sweetness to the white peach and tropical fruit, nice slatey mineral notes. Held up well over 2 ensuing nights. This was a decent deal at the $12 or $13 I originally paid, but is an absolute steal at the $8 that PC has had for grey-market bottles. B-B+ Betsy was working matinee but off Saturday evening, and we were going to a movie ("Squid and the Whale", very good acting, but some irritating automotive anachronisms) after dinner at home. I was planning on going to city to Chambers St. Wines in afternoon to pick up an order and attend the Louis-Dressner tasting, so decided to use the slow-cooker to prepare dinner. A Chinese-influenced short ribs dish, with white rice and some stir-fried baby bok choy. Life (well, work), got in the way and I never made the tasting, but dinner turned out well, as did the 1998 Domaine Gayan Gigondas. Ripe red fruit with an almost roasted note, hints of earth and meat, lots of tannic structure. Day 2 it shows more smoke and spice. Nice one that could use a couple more years, but nice now. B+ Over the last week +, there have also been a few wines opened with friends or as an after-dinner sip, all consumed over several days: 2000 Les Trois Croix (Fronsac) Now this is a little 2000 that has developed well, and still seems on the upswing. Rather lush raspberry and black plum fruit, velvety texture, earthy finish with the tannins integrating but still noticable. Put away for couple more years, B+-A- 2004 Domaine Aubuisieres "Cuvee Silex" Vouvray No designation but I'd say on the dry side of dissolutionc (or the sweet side of sec-tendre). Clean apple pie chenin fruit with a little peach, but lacking the zippy acidity I'd expect in young Vouvray. A little dilute, ok but nothing to go looking for. B- 2002 Ridge "Geyserville" (375) Lots of ripe raspberry, blackberry,and blueberry fruit, it's a tannic berry plant at moment. There's some vanilla-ey oak, too. Better on 2nd & 3rd days, this needs time. I have a feeling this will be good, but won't touch the 750s for at least 4-5 years. B- for now, B-B+ potential 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. =20 
|
|||||||
