TN: savory Savary, fine Faiveley

Yesterday Betsy said she was making seared scallops, so I got out a Chablis, the 2002 Francine & Olivier Savary "Fourchaume" Chablis 1er Cru. A bit riper and less crisp than I expected (though by no means flabby), yet this wine screamed minerals. Chalk, rocks, chalk, a little flint, more chalk. Good apple fruit under the (yummy) chalk aromas. Turned out the recipe was for scallops seared and then topped with a vinegar drizzle, accompanied by braised red cabbage and an apple-potato-onion gratin. This was orginally a meal in Bob Appebreast (there was a pork roast main course, but Betsy skipped for time reasons and make bigger portions of the scallop appetizer). The mag recommended Barbera with the whole meal. And I could see an acidic red working with the scallops (due to the vinegar sauce). But while the sauce made the Chablis not an ideal match, it stood up surprisingly well- no shrinking violet of a wine. Good, needs time. B+-A-

Early this morning I took Betsy to the airport to fly to NC for concerts, by time I got home tonight I was really tired. Luckily, David wasn't home, I only had to cook for me. Last week I was by one of the great culinary treasures of NYC, Gus's Pickles. I had grabbed some great full & half sours, and some sauerkraut. Good pickles don't last long in our house, but sauerkraut is only popular with me. Too tired to do a real choucroute, I managed to pan-fry some knockwurst to have with the kraut. Too lazy to go get a bottle of Riesling, I tried the Chablis. Actually not a bad match (as in not hurting either). I also opened a 375 of the 1998 Faiveley "Clos des Myglands" Mercurey 1er Cru. Good match with the sausage, bad with the kraut. But after the sauerkraut had been consumed, showed itself as a nice little wine. Not really little, actually. Medium-bodied, concentrated black cherry fruit, some damp earth and maybe a little merde. Good wine at $12-half. B-B+

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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