Veloman

My mother in law insists on cooking when she visits, and she has a good eye for interesting recipes that generally turn out just fine IF she follows things to the letter. She once, however, did a little freestyle work with a stir-fry that turned out to be basically a bowl of warm soy sauce in which floated chunks of undercooked chicken and charred veggies. Seems that the chicken was cooked while frozen. The veggies had been put in a dry saute pan sprayed with Pam and left, forgotten for a while, on the highest burner setting. The "extra" soy sauce was an effort to rehydrate the crisply blackened veggies. She also had some notion that the acidity of the soy would help finish cooking the chicken (ceviche chicken??). I knew things would be grim when I heard the smoke detector wailing as I came up the driveway for dinner that night. We had to throw out the cheap-o saute pan as it was pretty much destroyed in the veggie meltdown. MIL, to her everlasting credit, was the first to declare after a couple of bites that things weren't quite right and quickly seconded the idea of a pizza delivered. Cheers, Tom

Bill, Nice notes, thanks. In reading them over it doesn't sound as if any of the CDPs you tasted have "shut down," something that I often hear ascribed to these wines in general. Sounds as if they are all showing something in the glass right now, whether nearly at peak or with a little ways to go. In your experience, are there any 1999 and 2000 CDPs that are shut down or "dumb" right now? Thanks, Tom

Some recent whites . . . San Michele, Doltetto, Roero Arneis, Piemonte, 2003: A light amber/gold color, this shows some melon and vaguely nutty aromas; on the palate it is ripe, round, medium bodied and balances the fruit with firm acidity, and a very slight hint of mineral/earth on the finish. We've gone through close to a case in the past few months because this pairs so well with a range of foods--very versatile and consistent. Le Pavillon, J. Christopher, Willamette Valley, Oregon, 2003: Jay Somers continues to impress, especially with whites. This is a field blend of 65% pinot gris and 35% chardonnay from the Le Pavillon vineyard. The nose of this wine is absolutely captivating, just leaps out of the glass with tropical fruits. The label boasts "no oak, no malo," and it shows in a good way on the palate--tons of juicy fruit (apples, pears, hint of guava), with a very crisp, mineral edge and firm structure. Long, clean, lean finish. Beautifully made, and very distinctive. Le Petite Chambord, Francois Cazin, Cheverny, Loire, 2003: Another everyday white that goes well with a wide range of food. I usually drink little sauvignon blanc, often finding it either too grassy or too harshly acidic. This 2003, however, reflects the warm growing season of 2003. It's ripe and plump, showing a lot of fruit (with a citrus and pear flavor profile), while maintaining a backbone of acidity to keep things in balance. Another in a string of 2002 and 2003 Loires that provide a lot of pleasure and great value. Cheers, Tom

Jim, Thanks for the wonderful note. I've not tried this producer before, but will seek it out locally. I'm more fmailiar with chenin blanc-based Loire whites, and haven't invested any effort in tracking down quality muscadets, based perhaps on too many thin, harshly acidic examples in years past. I clearly need to broaden my horizons. Especially with the 2002 and 2003 vintages, the Loire is truly a home for value, even with the dollar's exchange rate woes. Cheers, Tom

Always tweaks me when I order a cheeseburger and then get it served with the cheese basically melted completely off the burger, leaving little more than an oily, slightly cheesy glaze atop the burger. It's especially annoying when you're asked to pick which of several cheeses you'd like--why bother, if whatever gets put on there will be vaporized by the time it hits the table? And since I consider wine a food as much as it is a beverage, I am constantly disappointed by poor quality, completely inappropriate stemware even at "nicer" restaurants. Nothing quite like getting a 5-ounce pour of red wine in a 6-ounce tumbler with a jelly-jar rim. Cheers, Tom

As others have said, the '02 and '03 whites from northern Italy and the Loire offer a lot of pleasure, value, and variety. Some that I've enjoyed recently include: 2003 Francois Cazin Cheverny Le Petit Chambord 2002 Domaine des Aubuisieres Vouvray Cuvee de Silex 2002 Francois Pinon Vouvray Cuvee de Tradition 2002 Cantina Gries Pinot Bianco Alto Adige 2003 Girolamo Dorigo Ribolla Gialla 2002 Doltetto Roero Arneis San Michele All save the Aubusieres are under $15, and although the Aubusieres tips the scale at about $20, it has a wonderfully rich chenin blanc character that suggests graceful aging for a few years. I particularly like the Doltetto, as I'd never had a wine made from the Piemonte arneis before and it matches very well with a wide range of foods. In any case, a lot of excellent lighter-bodied whites out there, discovering more all the time. Cheers, Tom

Second or third the Huet, Baumard, Pinon nominations above, and here are a few additional Loire chenins I've enjoyed recently: Chateau de Varennes Savennieres, 2002 Domaine des Aubuissieres Vouvray, Cuvee de Silex, 2002 La Taille Aux Loups, Montlouis, Les Dix Arpents, 2003 Domaine de la Fontainerie, Vouvray, Coteau les Brules (demi-sec), 2002 All of them are drinking well right now, and the Fontainerie demi-sec especially has great potential to age beautifully. The 2002 and 2003 vintages in the Loire make this a great time to be exploring chenin blanc, and there are excellent values available. Cheers, Tom

Jim, Out here in Portland, OR my retailer (who is a huge Loire fan) reports that the latest vintage of Baumard available locally is the 2000. He is checking to see when the '02s might be on the market, and I'll post when and if there is any good news to report. Cheers, Tom

1999 Cameron Pinot Noir, Brickhouse, Oregon: Deep ruby-red, with a blast of pure pinot aromas, along with earth and spice. Great mouthfeel, with layers of red fruit and lots of mineraly, spicy, earthy secondary flavors. Upon release the tannins were very pronounced, but in just a couple of years things are much more balanced and integrated. Drinking well, with many years ahead. Excellent complement to roasted pork tenderloin with braised lentil salad. Also, 2001 Donnhoff Estate Riesling: What better accompaniment to puttering around with kitchen prep than this? One of the last bottles of a case, this is still fresh and vibrant, combining bright, juicy fruit with underpinnings of minerals, all balanced by crisp acidity. One of my all-time QPR wines. Cheers, Tom

Jim, Thanks for the note. A few days ago I enjoyed the 2002 Domaine de la Fontainerie Vouvray Demi-Sec, Coteau les Brules and was left with impressions very similar to those you describe with the Huet, particularly as to how well integrated the sugars are into the overall body of the wine. The several 2002 Loire Chenin Blancs I've tried all have wonderful texture and balance, regardless of their particular flavor profiles or RS levels. Between these and 2001-2003 Rieslings its hard to imagine better summer weather (and summer food) wine. Cheers, Tom