dinwiddie
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The DC Crü (our local wine geek group) got together at the Circle Bistro in Washington DC for dinner and a plethora of California Pinot Noirs. (of course we started with a sparkler and had appropriate stickies for the Foie Gras course). The lineup was as follows:
We started the evening with a 1988 Salon - Slightly yeasty nose with almost still, very faint, very tiny bubbles. Absolutely delish. Oh how wonderfully an aged Champagne begins a meal.
2000 Martinelli Herford Corner PN - starting to muddy in color, it was a little citric/acidic on the back of the throat but still lots of fruit.
2000 Tandum Pisoni - Big wine, huge floral nose. Lots of fruit, very smooth and a long finish. Tied for my WOTN, if only by a nose.
2003 Patz and Hall Pisoni - Chewy, not as as big as the Tandum bu a very nice nose, and lots of fruit.
Served with Pan Roasted Piopinno Mushromms, Fresh Corn Polenta, Mushroom Jus
The second group was:
1997 Chateau de Malle Sauterne - Apples and honey with touches of vanilla. Nice acidity that kept it from being too sweet. Yum.
2004 Henry of Pelham Riesling Special Select Late Harvest - Very sweet, especially compared to the de Malle. Went well with the foie gras.
Served with Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras, Fuji Apples, Frisse, Aged Balsamico.
The next grouping:
2003 Alcina Sangiacomo Pinot Noir - A nose of beef and little barnyard. Nice fruit, cherry and blackberry, toasty oak, spices. Lots of alcohol in this one at 14.3%
2004 Rivers-Marie Summa Vineyard Pinot Noir - Elegant, medium bodied, nose of cranberrys and rasberrys. Lots of fruit and very smooth. Gave the Tandum a run for WOTN.
Served with Wild Alaskan Halibut, Raviloi Vitello, Wilted Spinich, Pinot Noir Reduction
Next:
2003 Siduri Pinot Noir Cargasacchi Vineyard - More extracted that the wines so far, cherrys and plums with a little loam and vanilla. then touches of cola. Went very well with the duck, definitely a great food wine.
2004 Sea Smoke Ten - little acidic, way too young to open, this needs to spend at least 2 more years in the cellar and probably 5. Blueberrys and cherry, complex but just not showing well yet. I would hope that this would show better in a couple of years.
2004 Kosta-Browne RRV - The other WOTN. Blackberrys, cherrys, and raspberrys with a wonderful earthy loam. Smooth and ripe, firm tannins, what a great wine.
Served with Breast Of Muscovy Duck, Glazed Turnips, Poached Local Peaches, Duck Jus
The final grouping:
2003 Kosta Browne Santa Lucia Pinot Noir - Lots and lots of fruit, spices, and just the right touch of oak. Very smooth.
2003 Peay Pinot Noir Sonoma - Concentrated black cherrys and berrys, a touch of minerals, and a long, long finish.
Served with 3 Year Old Gouda, Mustard Vinaigrette, Crispy Shallots
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Our local group of wine nuts (the DC Crü) had dinner at the Circle Bistro Friday night. An absolutely fantastic meal and wines to match. Chef Cox prepared a great meal that perfectly matched with a lineup of California Pinot Noir bling.
The menu and accompanying wines:
Amuse or Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho with Poached Gulf Shrimp. Served in a tall shooter glass it was refreshing and full of fresh tomato and herb flavors.
1988 Salon - Slightly yeasty nose with almost still, very faint, very tiny bubbles. Absolutely delish. Oh how wonderfully an aged Champagne begins a meal.
I. Pan Roasted Piopinno Mushromms, Fresh Corn Polenta, Mushroom Jus
This course was heavenly. The creamy corn polenta sweet from the corn milk was the perfect foil for the perfectly roasted mushrooms. Everyone had to sit back between every bite to savor it. I only regret they took away my plate before I could wipe up every drop of the sauce with the wonderful, crusty bread.
2000 Martinelli Herford Corner PN - starting to muddy in color, it was a little citric/acidic on the back of the throat but still lots of fruit.
2000 Tandum Pisoni - Big wine, huge floral nose. Lots of fruit, very smooth and a long finish. Tied for my WOTN, if only by a nose.
2003 Patz and Hall Pisoni - Chewy, not as as big as the Tandum bu a very nice nose, and lots of fruit.
II. Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras, Fuji Apples, Frisse, Aged Balsamico
Oh boy I do love Foie Gras. Creamy and perfectly seared, it melted in your mouth. The balsamico and apples offering a wonderful sweet/sour counterpoint.
1997 Chateau de Malle Sauterne - Apples and honey with touches of vanilla. Nice acidity that kept it from being too sweet. Yum.
2004 Henry of Pelham Riesling Special Select Late Harvest - Very sweet, especially compared to the de Malle. Went well with the foie gras.
III. Wild Alaskan Halibut, Raviloi Vitello, Wilted Spinich, Pinot Noir Reduction
The veal raviloi with the halibut was an interesting pairing that worked very well. Each component of the dish was great, but it really shined when you tasted all of the things together.
2003 Alcina Sangiacomo Pinot Noir - A nose of beef and little barnyard. Nice fruit, cherry and blackberry, toasty oak, spices. Lots of alcohol in this one at 14.3%
2004 Rivers-Marie Summa Vineyard Pinot Noir - Elegant, medium bodied, nose of cranberrys and rasberrys. Lots of fruit and very smooth. Gave the Tandum a run for WOTN.
IV. Breast Of Muscovy Duck, Glazed Turnips, Poached Local Peaches, Duck Jus
Boy-oh-Boy. This was so good. Perfectly cooked, the peaches and turnips giving it an interesting mosaic of textures and flavors. Some thought the combination was confusing, liking the peaches and duck or turnips and duck, but not all three. I, however, enjoyed it a lot.
2003 Siduri Pinot Noir Cargasacchi Vineyard - More extracted that the wines so far, cherrys and plums with a little loam and vanilla. then touches of cola. Went very well with the duck, definitely a great food wine.
2004 Sea Smoke Ten - little acidic, way too young to open, this needs to spend at least 2 more years in the cellar and probably 5. Blueberrys and cherry, complex but just not showing well yet. I would hope that this would show better in a couple of years.
2004 Kosta-Browne RRV - The other WOTN. Blackberrys, cherrys, and raspberrys with a wonderful earthy loam. Smooth and ripe, firm tannins, what a great wine.
V. 3 Year Gouda, Mustard Vinaigrette, Crispy Shallots - All of it worked well together and separately. Excellent counterpoint to the big wines that were served with it.
2003 Kosta Browne Santa Lucia Pinot Noir - Lots and lots of fruit, spices, and just the right touch of oak. Very smooth.
2003 Peay Pinot Noir Sonoma - Concentrated black cherrys and berrys, a touch of minerals, and a long, long finish.
VI. Mascarpone Cheese Cake, Bruleed Black Mission Figs - creamy and just the perfect end to a fantastic meal. Some thought that the two worked better apart, but how can you go wrong with cheese cake or figs?
Service was great and they did a good job trying to keep up with the flurry of glasses needed to serve the wines. We closed the place and everyone had a great time.
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2004 Dain American Beauty Pinot Noir Amber Ridge Vineyard.
Huge wine, deep, dark opaque purple and a huge wonderful nose of fruit and flowers. Lots of black cherry, vanilla and earth flavors, well structured, good acidity, and supple tannins. Medium finish to long finish. Everythig on could want in a Pinot Noir.
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1. A dork will make you feel uncomfortable. They are supercilious, punctilious, and from my point of view, just plain supersillious. A geek, however, will make you feel comfortable, and value your opinion of his wines.
My wife says I bore people because I talk about wine all the time, but then she isn't "into" wine other than to indulge my buying sprees and drink my Pinot Noir. Hopefully I am the geek and not the dork, since I always want to share wine and find out what others think about it. Maybe that is why my siblings keep showing up at my house around dinner time.
2. A dork holds his glass by the base, or with his fingers curled sensuously around the body of the glass. A geek grabs his glass by the stem and just sticks his nose in. All business.
Definitely a geek at first glance, I have an unfortunate tendency to stick my nose into the glass first thing. But after a while the glass ends up cupped in my hand so that I won't drop it as I discuss politics or the latest book my wife made me read.
3. Geeks love sweet wine and the women who drink them. Always keep a bottle on hand for the sensual possibilities. A dork does not keep sweet wine or palate deadening spices in his kitchen.
Spices all over the place, who can cook without them? As for sweet wines, my wife likes them, nuff said.
4. Dorks love to mention Bordeaux and Burgundy. Geeks speak and kiss French.
Not touching that one. Thank goodness you didn't discuss Greek wine.
5. Dorks spend as much as possible for large bottles at auction, hoping for the ultimate photo opp. Geeks barter, trade and wheedle for wine, but always seem to have plenty on hand.
Hate big bottles, wish there were more wines sold in 375s. What is the use of a big bottle when two or three normal ones will do? Barter, trade, done that more times than I can count.
6. Dorks will ask, "How long will this wine cellar?" Geeks will age a wine only as long as necessary to make it drinkable. They have been known to pick up old bottles and hold them up to the light, shaking the sediment around, and saying, "Do you think I can drink this now?"
Don't you hate it when you find a bottle in the back of the cellar that is way past its prime. I buy bottles that will age, only because I can't drink all the wine I have now and the kid has three years before he is old enough for me to give him some of it for his cellar.
7. In a restaurant, dorks will swizzle wine loudly through their teeth before taking the first swallow. Geeks never do this on a first date, because they know if you laugh, the wine will come out your nose.
Haven't been on a date since I got married over 21 years ago. Besides, if you are with other wine geeks, the noise is frightful.
8. Dorks will order food, then a wine to match. Geeks order wine, and a totally unrelated food. They're always surprised by how well food and wine go together.
I usuall order food to match the wine I bring or am ordering. But then, sometimes it is the other way around. I never met a wine geek who wasn't a foodie too.
9. Dorks follow numerical wine ratings and place their bets accordingly. Geeks are the hecklers of the wine world, and can often be overheard saying, "That wine got an 87? Geesh, I woulda given it a 91. 92?!? How did that wine rate? Are we sure that's not the judge's age??"
I prefer my son's rating system. I like it, can I have more, Dad buy some of this stuff for the cellar. Otherwise, I prefer rating using the Fahrenheit rather than Celsius scale.
10. Dorks have a proper cellar for their wine collection, with adequate temperature controls, and chairs. Geeks and winemakers use their cellars for "important stuff," and store their personal selections in the garage, between the kayak and the workbench.
What, who ever heard of a geek whose wine didn't outgrow the temperature controlled space available? Best wine in the VinoTemp, rest of it in the coolest part of the house, under the bed, etc.
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Back to the Urban BBQ drum. The 2007 Zagat's gave them a 24 for the food.
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Well, if you are going to live near the Court, you won't have much money left for eating, but:
3rd and Eats
500 Third St., NW
Open for breakfast and lunch. Great sandwichs and also strokes your social conscience as it is dedicated to training the unemployed and providing aid to the poor and homeless. But the sandwiches are fantastic.
Las Placitas
517 Eighth St., SE
Good Central/Latin American/Mexican/Salvadoran
Market Lunch
225 Seventh St., SE
Food stand in Eastern Market, a good place for breakfast or lunch if you can deal with carryout and eating at picnic tables, but expect a line.
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Having been born and bred in Silver Spring / Rockville, I have yet to find a respectable sushi restaurant in MD that comes close to the top NYC or Tokyo sushi restaurants. The best two that I've liked are in DC (Sushi-ko) and in VA (Tachibana). Tako Grill in Bethesda is decent enough to fix a sushi craving.
There isn't a sushi restaurant in NY that comes close to the top Tokyo places as far as I'm concerned, but I'm not flying to Tokyo any time soon and if I go to NYC I have better places to go than sushi. Sushi Ko and Kaz are good in DC but we are talking about Rockville. There the best are (imho) Hinode and Ni Wano Hana. Are they great, no way, are they edible, yes.
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I recently tried a decent sushi place in rockville called ni wano hana. It's right next to ben jarong. Crappy sake though.
I live right around the corner from this place and have never tried it - we order from Momo Taro farther up the Pike. What did you order, and how does it compare to Momo Taro (if you've been there)?
We regularly eat at Ni Wano Hana (or at least did until Wasabi Zen opened in Olney which is closer) The sushi here is quite good, especially the special rolls. They also make pretty good sukiaki and tempura. We have always liked the place because when our son was young (he's 18 now) we could take a Micky D's Kids Meal in with us and they didn't complain, in fact encouraged us to do so. Of course, by the time he was 5 he was eating sushi instead. We like it as well as we do Hinode further down the Pike, thought Hinode has a more varied menu of grilled items. I agree the sake is not the best, but what the heck, I'm a wine dork, not a sake sot.
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You are lucky to find half bottles. I'd love to have been able to find those since they are perfect for when I'm opening one at dinner for just me (my wife often doesn't want any wine for some wierd reason.)
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Besides, how can you look cool swirling with one of them?
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I looked at this thread since my son will be attending Juniata College in Huntingdon this fall and we will of course have to visit on occasion. We were quite pleased with the casual Boxer's Cafe in Huntingdon. Not at all what I had expected. A large number of excellent sandwichs, good fries,about 6 micro brews on tap, and very friendly service. And a very cool old fashioned saloon type bar. And the prices were good too. We did not get to try Mimi's, the only white tablecloth restaurant in Huntingdon because it was full (it was orientation week and I hadn't made a reservation) when we wanted to go at around 7 but it looks interesting.
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I live in DC where BYO is only permitted at licensed establishments, but there are over 100 places that permit corkage. A trend we see is free corkage (corkage fees are normally in the $15-25 range) on Mondays and Tuesdays. I think restaurant owners are finding that if they offer free corkage on nights that are traditionally slow, they get people to come in. There is one place where my wine group went on a Monday night to avail ourselves of the free corkage. There were 5 tables of at least 6 people who had brought wine in there that night. And none of us tend to be cheap when we BYO, after all what we are saving on excessively marked up wine, we can spend on the meal. Of course I don't know if Jake's has a slow period on Sundays and Mondays since I've only eaten there on a Saturday now and then when I'm visiting relatives in Phila., but it is better to have diners in the restaurant bringing their own wine than to have empty tables.
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Good luck picking it up, they only imported about 500 cases of it. I can imagine that it was broken out way too late in the evening, and like many Aussie Shirazs, it probably was not given enough time to open fully. I've had it after it was decanted for 6 hours and it still had room to open more. It is a wine that I would love to have in the cellar to drink sometime in the next 3 to 10 years. It should be great for at least that long.
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Thaks for the note on the Beau-Sejour Becot. I've not yet opened any of mine, but it sounds like the time is nearing to do so.
I wouldn't hesitate opening one now, but they are going to be good for a long time. I just wish I had more than just a couple of left. BTW, my son gave one to his favorite teacher last week as a present when he graduated. I think she will appreciate it.
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My son graduated on Friday and we had family and friends over. A few wines that we opened to celebrate.
2001 Trunchard Chardonnay Napa Valley Carneros
Wonderful citrus, pear and peach flavors. Very easy to drink, with a rich mouth feel, it was a complex and very elegant wine. My wife, who seldom asks me to buy "more" wine asked if I had any more in the cellar since she loved it. I wish I had bought a case.
2002 Martinelli Bella Vigna Pinot Noir
It was only decanted for about 45 minutes before we started, but two hours later, it is quite nice. Lots of cherry fruit, not to alcoholic or hot, and quite well integrated. While it can't compare with Martinelli's best, it is a very nice Pinot Noir.
2004 Dain American Beauty Pinot Noir - Amber Ridge Vyd
Floral nose of cherrys, cola and nutmeg that was very pleasant. Supple, elegant wine, not as "big" as other PNs but still very fruit forward. Lots of black cherry, vanilla and earth flavors, well structured, good acidity, and supple tannins. Medium finish to long finish. Everythig on could want in a Pinot Noir. Excellent first effort and I'm really looking forward to the future for these wines.
1997 Joseph Phelps Napa Valley Cabernet
It hasn't gotten any better than the last time I opened one last year, but it hasn't gone downhill any either. Still has plenty of cherry and black fruit flavors with that slight licorice/anise edge with herbs. Soft tannins but not to soft. Still has a fairly long finish. I'd drink whatever you had left over the next couple/three years.
1998 Chateau Behere
About an hour after opening it was wonderful. Still has lots of dark fruits and a touch of mint, but the tannins have smoothed out and the nose was exciting. I think this wine will last for a long, long time, but I'm afraid my last bottle won't.
1995 Château Beau-Séjour Bécot
Still has a lot of life in it but it is quite approachable now. It still has the earthy characteristics that one expects with a St. Emillion, but not distracting. Nose of berrys and spice and cinnimon, lots of fruit and a long finish. Hints of vanilla in the background. The tannins have softened some since the last time, but still give you that bracing taste of oak mid-palate. I enjoyed it a lot and am glad that there are still more left to enjoy over the next 3-4 years.
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I guess it is what you grow up with. I love Miracle Whip because that is what I grew up with (remember Sandwich Spread?) but my wife refers to it as YUCK! since she grew up with Mayo. I don't mind mayonaise, but give me good ole Miracle Whip if I'm making a sandwich. Good thing is, she won't eat it so I have it all to myself.
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The 1982 Domaine de Chevalier Graves was famous for its inconsistency. Some bottles are heavenly, most are ordinary.
I'd decant for sediment but I wouldn't let it sit long as at that age it could break down very quickly.
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Cab Franc?
in Wine
The problem with Cab Franc, at least with those made in the US, is that there is very little of it made. Obviously the Pride is a must, but I'd also try to find some from Washington. I particularly like the Owen Sullivan (now OS) Champoux Vineyard but I had to go to the winery to get it. Spring Valley makes a good one too as does Owen Roe.
As for matching foods, I'd think of it as a less robust Cabernet Sauv. and match it like that.
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This is an interesting topic to have stumbled on and one I've been thinking about since coming back from France. While in Avignon we purchased a Cotes du Rhone (2001 Le Sang des Cailloux from Vacqueyras) and the seller recommended decanting for 1-2 hours which is longer than we were used to. Sure enough the beautiful dense flavours and almost mineral flavours were popping out of the glass after close to an hour and a half.
I've started now as a general rule to leave wines open in the bottle (no decanter at home) for 30 minutes or so and it is quite different than drinking straight from the bottle. Not sure yet if it's better or worse in all cases but it IS different.
you don't need to have a decanter, though they can be had very inexpensively, any glass pitcher will do just fine. In fact, I've used a carafe that my wife previously used as a vase. I just put it in the dishwasher and made sure it was very clean. If you want to, you can put the wine back into the bottle after it has been decanted for a while for presentation at the table.
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I don't think you could say a 1973 Pichon-Lalande was "well-aged" in 1977. If anything, at that point it would have been a young wine that you'd have expected would benefit from breathing.
You are right. When I read the post I automatically read 1997 instead of 1977. However, I agree with a post further along, that simply opening the bottle and letting it air is not enough. For many young wines, I decant so that they can get a decent amount of ariation. I have yet to meet a good Pinot Noir that did not benefit from some time in a decanter. Try it yourself, pour a glass of wine and taste it, then let it sit for about half an hour and taste it again. See which sip you think is better.
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Moody's Weekly Wine ReviewIn May 1977, my friend Alexis Bespaloff published an article entitled “A Corking New Wine Theory” in New York Magazine… it nonetheless presented a radical new approach in regard to letting wines breathe...one of his bottles was decanted one hour before serving, one was simply uncorked an hour before serving, a third was decanted and served minutes before the tasting and the fourth was just uncorked and served minutes before the tasting… (Mondavi and Lichine also tasted each other’s wines.) Don’t shoot the messenger, but: In every case, including a 1973 Chateau Pichon-Lalande with Zraly and Sheldon, the bottle that was just uncorked and served - at the time of the tasting - was preferred!
In reading some of the background on Alexis Bespaloff, who died recently, thread and obit here I read this article .. and wondered, after learning something new ...
Does wine taste better when it can breathe?
Or is it better straight out of the bottle, as is contended here?
Your experience with this?
Whether to let the wine breath is a matter that requires a few factors to be considered. I this case, they let a 1973 Chateau Pichon-Lalande breath and being a well aged wine, of course it deteriorated. That wine needed to be decanted to remove the sediment and drunk immediately. I've had the same thing happen with an aged Insignia (it drank much better immediately upon opening than it did an hour later) On the other hand, I have never had a good Pinot Noir or Shiraz that was less than 6 years old that did not drink better after haveing time to breath. Whether to and how long to decant a wine depends on 1) the type of wine, and 2) it's age upon opening.
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Actually, I only buy Bordeaux to cellar and drink. If you are looking at it as an investment (a very risky thing to do) then the best returns are on the first growths.
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Actually, I find that the best Merlots in that price range come from Chile. I'd suggest trying the Casa Lapostolle Colchagua Valley Cuvée Alexandre and Concha y Toro Peumo Marqués de Casa Concha. Veramonte also makes some nice ones in that price range too. Chateau Ste. Michelle also makes a nice Merlot in that price range if you want something from the US.
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I think that while 2005 is an excellent vintage for Bordeaux, the real strength in 2005 is Margaux. If you can afford it I'd go for Château Malescot-St.-Exupéry, Château Rauzan-Ségla, Château Dauzac, Château Giscours, Château Lascombes.
If you are into the Merlot based wines from St.-Emilion then Chateau Magdalaine is an excellent choice. Other St.-Emilion's I'd suggest looking at are Château Angélus, Château de Valandraud, and especially Château La Mondotte.
Zinfandel novice
in Wine
Posted
In that price range I'd suggest the 2003 Seghesio Sonoma County Sonoma or if you can find it, the Rosenblum Zinfandel Paso Robles Richard Sauret Vineyards. Or go up a couple of dollars to the Rosenblum Zinfandel Rockpile Road Vineyard, the Ridge Dry Creek Valley Lytton Springs or Ridge Paso Robles Dusi Ranch.