Florida Jim

Bill, Definitely rustic. But the tannins did not disappear; sorry if that was implied. Rather they morphed into some of the finest and sweetest tannins I have come across. And, at the very end, they did dry the mouth (as pure cocoa powder would dry the mouth-and, come to think of it, they tasted like cocoa, too). But all that said, the wine was exquisite with the steak and a joy to drink. Best, Jim

Bill, There goes the neighborhood. And one man's unready is another's perfect. But then, perhaps bottle variation sped this one on its way. Seriously though, I can see why you would say that (based on the tannins alone) but in the company of a good steak it showed very well indeed. Best, Jim

The 1989 vintage in Barbaresco produced rich, ripe wines of excellent quality and sound acidity. An abundant harvest, most are dense, alcoholic and chewy. In Nieve, Bernardino Gastaldi, made a Rosso that year which bears his name and exemplifies the character of the vintage. However, it would take many years to develop into the great wine that it is today. In the early 1990’s, I bought a case of this wine. It has shown immense promise on each occasion I have tasted it but the tannins have been overwhelming – until now. The nose is of dark chocolate and roses with elements of black fruit and tar; sweet and vinous at the same time. It is captivating and penetrating. In the mouth the wine is extremely dense with ripe fruit flavors and considerable complexity. The substantial tannins are as fine as powder and are almost sweet. Concentrated, rich and very alive with a texture that is extravagant. And not a trace of heat. The finish is palate-coating with the chocolate and fruit flavors resonating at length until, much later, the mouth goes completely dry. A wine that is completely of its place and time. For drinking with food – a grilled London Broil did very nicely this evening. It is a simple fact that wine is made to accompany food; to be lingered over and enjoyed for its “greater than the sum of its parts” combination when it is enjoyed along side a fine meal. Perhaps, this wine waited those many years to open itself so that I might be of a mind to understand its purpose and its sublime gifts. Profound. Best, Jim

I recently had a 2001 Bruno Giacosa, Arneis, that has me interested. I believe it sells for under $20 and there are a number of other producers that make an Arneis for a little less money. A very tasty wine. As was the Soave from a producer named Periopan (sp?). They have a standard version, a slightly more expensive blend and a much more expensive but well worth the money, late harvest version (they all have proprietary names but I forget them). None are sweet; all are delicious. Also the latest vintage of Belle Pente, Riesling (2001) from Oregon at about $12. The best domestic Riesling I have had and competitive with QbA's from many fine producers in Germany. Lastly, a good cheap bubbly is the NV Gruet, Blanc de Noir - made in New Mexico but made by folks from Champagne in the method of Champagne. Full of flavor and quite correct. These will be my summer sippers. Best, Jim

With assorted cheeses: 1999 Hirtzberger, Gruner Veltliner, Honivogl: beautiful nose with scents of oleander, white fruit, light spice, mineral and freshly turned earth/ medium body, very integrated and texturally smooth, flavors follow the nose with good depth and remarkable integration, concentrated and intense, perfect balance/ long, long finish. As together a wine as one could imagine, especially in view of its youth. This producer continues a long list of winners. With mushroom quiche: 1997 Zind-Humbrecht, Pinot Gris, Rangen de Thann, etc.: bronze in color/ aggressive nose of sweetened turpentine (how’s that for an odd descriptor), flowers, well caramelized onion, very ripe grapes and big spice/ full body, flavors follow the nose with a good bit of cut, concentrated and very intense, nice balance/ very long finish. Nothing here for the faint of heart. A powerful wine of strong flavors and great intensity. Exquisite with the dish. Grilled tenderloin steaks covered with arugala and a lemon dressing: 1996 Dom. des Remizieres, Hermitage, Cuvee Emilie: magnificent nose of meat, warm flowers, perfume, red and black fruits, pepper and mineral/ medium body, fantastic flavors follow the nose and leave one wanting another sip immediately, concentrated and intense, fairly well resolved structure, an almost unbelievable sense of harmony, lovely balance/ long finish. ‘Never heard of them before – will seek them out from here on. A wine at its peak and what a peak. Fabulous. Best, Jim

Not a damn thing! Steve, what is going to be interesting is the price of the '01's when the '02's start hitting the market - I make that the fall 2004, if I am figuring it right. I should say that a bargain or two might be spotted - but I doubt a Roumier grand cru will be in sight. :) Best, Jim

David, It certainly wouldn't be the first time. A while back I started complaining about the oak in some of the Flowers pinots. Greg L. (winemaker) came on and asked me to pick the best vintages and the worst of them. I wound up picking the ones with the most new oak. His comments then were simply that yeasts and other items used in the winemaking process can smell or taste like oak to the person who is not fully familiar with the smell and taste of each. Quite a lesson. Perhaps, from now on, I will just say a wine smells or tastes "like" oak. :) Best, Jim

Craig, I was recently asked by a group in a wine class what grape variety of wine I have bought the most of in the last 12 months. My records show it was Gamay, overwhelmingly. So maybe it is a sign of austere times. Or perhaps these wines fit better with our lighter cuisine. But, truthfully, its that I like Gamay; alot. And particularly Beaujolais. But I'm not buying Debeouf or any of the normal standard bearers for the region; rather, the bottles I am accumulating are those from small artisans and growers and generally from the cru. These actually age very nicely while still providing nice drinking along the way. I was somewhat surprised by the response I got when I said Gamay. The grape (and the region) have more than a few detractors. Even some of the folks who did not vocally respond to my answer, looked at me funny. So, one of these days, I'll have them over for dinner and decant several bottles and see what kind of response I get when I serve it with food. Maybe, when I reveal the wines, I'll get a few more (but perhaps different) funny looks. Best, Jim

Craig, 'Might be a little early to make that call. They're both still pretty young and pretty primary - nothing showing to indicate complexity or place. Best, Jim

Craig, This bottle of Brander was my first and I had not heard of them before. Hence, I have no information on them. The Sanford was too oaky for me, the Saintsbury was not. I noticed oak in the Saintsbury and it is always my preference not to, but it was not "over-oaked." The Sanford, OTOH, was - for my palate. And I am acutely sensitive to wood, so take that with a grain of salt. Plain truth; I prefer not being able to sense "oak" in any amount in wine. Its effects are fine, its profile is not. But that's just me - YMMV. Best, Jim

Craig, While I understand some regret, if you enjoyed them when you had them, perhaps that tempers it some. Best, Jim

Was it really your "last" or do you have more? I have a whole lot of "fruity" wines that I would love to trade for more of the 91 Monty. I was quite impressed with it, which may tell you more about my palate than the wine. :) Best, Jim

A few along the way: 1999 Pierre-Bise, Anjou (Rouge): very stemmy nose with solid cherry and berry scents with a sour earth note; tastes about like it smells; medium finish. An ugly little wine that was palatable but just. 2000 Belle Pente, Riesling: still rocking along with lovely, fresh scents and flavors, nothing overdone or disjointed and just a hint of RS. Lovely wine, all the time. 2000 Tribut, Chablis: tasted several bottles over a week’s time and each was clearly of its place, ripe, clean and longer than I would have expected. Will benefit from short term cellaring but tastes very nice today. 2001 Dr. L, Riesling (QbA): pleasant albeit sweet; for drinking with food and not with out. Solid but not much else. 1991 Montelena: just plain great cab. Smoothing some but still well structured and in no danger of diminishing. Yummers. 2000 Michaud, Cuvee Prestige Brouily: I written too many times about how good this is – it still is. 2000 Clos Roche Blanche, Gamay: perplexing wine; not especially impressive on the nose or palate but solid, of its place and quite minerally. Interesting now but not fascinating. Hold. 2000 Remondo, Rioja La Vendimia: ricjh and ripe with lots of dark fruit and dirt with nice red fruit tones. For now and the next several years. 2000 Brander, Sauvignon Blanc: very crisp and quite spicey. Needs a year or two but as good depth and should get better and better. 1998 R&V Dauvissat, La Forets: softer than expected (I attribute that to vintage) but full flavored and nicely persistent. Good wine but I have no idea if time will serve it well. 2000 Saitsbury, Pinot Noir Carneros: a touch woody but not too much and full of spice and fruit. Excellent with lunch fare. 2001 Sandord, Pinot Noir: a little too much oak here but nice fruit and sustain. Maybe the wood will integrate. 1994 Pesquera: Wood soup. Too bad because there is some nice fruit trying to get out. 1993 Lytton Springs, Lytton Springs, Zin.: Drink now; showing at (or just past) peak despite being some what raisined and a touch stemmy. Still, this vineyard and producer have made a good wine here if not at the level of the 92 and 94. Best, Jim

With grilled rack of lamb, baked acorn squash, crusty olive bread and a green salad: 1990 Chat. Rochebelle: beautiful full, soft plum, red jello, dark chocolate nose with a hint of dried herb and dusty earth/ full bodied but quite nimble in the mouth, smooth and integrated with flavors that follow the nose and add a sort of mint/insecticide accent, concentrated but well resolved, fully integrated structure, excellent balance/ medium length without hint of astringency and full of fruit. This wine has never shown better. Terrific texture, good complexity without losing anything off the ripe fruit, intense but utterly seamless; St. Emilion at its best. And oh so good with the lamb. In 2000 Todd McCormick and I imported this wine at about $25 a bottle, total cost. (‘Made me think of Todd and about the integrity involved in difficult choices.) Best, Jim

That's a pretty broad (and demeaning) brush your painting with there. I have nothing against beer but maybe some folks just like wine better; no? Best, Jim

Jason, White peach is the first thing that comes to mind by I also include white grapes, pears, apples and other white fleshed fruit in the term. When I use it, I am trying to describe a melange of these scents or flavors. And it is used as opposed to red fruits or black fruits. Of course, if a wine has a predominant smell of one, say apple, then I would use that as the descriptor. But when one or the other does not predominate, then I use the "white fruit" catch-all. Best, Jim

Robin, No pro am I at aging Beaujolais, but I see no reason not to let it sit as you are so inclined. BTW, if you see the 99 Prestige about, I suspect it will go even longer - a very serious wine. Best, Jim

Recent tastes: 1996 R&V Dauvissat, Le Forets Chablis: lemon oil, white fruit, steel, rain water and a touch of earth on the nose/ medium bodied, bright acids, flavors follow the nose, very intense, a bit angular but some nice complexity and evident depth, balanced/ long, crisp finish. Way too early. Still, it was refreshing, mouth-watering and went with Manchego cheese and crackers. (Aside: some wines you drink young and you can sense that you have missed something by not waiting; some its not as easy to tell. This was one when it was easy – we missed something.) 2000 Alain Michaud, Brouilly Cuvee Prestige: powerful dark fruit and spice nose, nothing light or airy here/ medium body, dense black fruit and spice flavors with depth and concentration, some structure beginning to show but this opens with some airing, intense and balanced/ long, black fruit finish. Beginning to close up but not completely yet. The Bonnes Mares of Beaujolais; powerful, almost brooding wine. Delicious with grilled chicken and a zucchini and feta salad. 1999 Verset, Cornas: From the same lot/case as several other bottles I have had (so I do not suspect bottle variation), this one was nowhere near as fruit filled and meaty as those. Rather it had a “smoldering stems” scent and taste, much as Scotch as that smoldering peat element. Angry stuff and, if it were not for the other bottles I have tasted, I would think it bad – rather, it seems to be going to sleep and does not like to be annoyed. Had with crusty olive bread and butter. Hold. (Day 2 – That stemminess has morphed into olive and bar-b-q; much more attractive and the fruit is more open and generous. Definitely, this wine should be allowed to sleep; your reward will be a great bottle of Cornas.) Best, Jim

Claude, You and Robin have prompted me to go back into the notes and see if my absolute really was - and it wasn't. I had the 95 Ponsot, Griottes about a year ago and it was the essence of black cherry and much more elegant and open than expected. So maybe its time to start digging into these; a little at a time. Best, Jim

Robin, This is a major surprise to me; almost - no, every - 95 1er or grand cru I have had has been closed down. And Roumier is known for longevity. May I inquire - did you buy that on release or recently? Best, Jim

CB, Leave the 88's alone; despite what one might first think, they are not ready yet. Espeically not the Roumier. Best, Jim

My perfect Sunday Up with the sun, as the dogs are stirring and will need their walk soon. I make a cup of espresso, do up any dishes left from last night and put away those already done. Then come get the “girls” and its around the block on clean, cool, Florida morning. Another cup, and then we all head in to rouse Diane; several minutes on the bed getting reacquainted. Diane makes scones served with fresh raspberries and yogurt. I do the crossword puzzle. The girls eat breakfast and then take-up patrolling the yard with noses active. The morning wiles away. About 11:30, I give brother John a call; we are on for lunch and racing. I clean-up from breakfast, walk the girls again, run to the store for bread and head for John’s. Today is BLT’s and John has found some very lean bacon that he slow cooks throughout the afternoon. A little blueberry pie tops it off. We watch the NASCAR race and it turns out to be one of the most exciting ever. Then its back home; do a little e-mail, finish the crossword, flip on Good Eats – Alton Brown cracks me up. Diane has made mushroom lasagna with béchamel sauce while I was gone and we sit down to a big salad and a portion of the lasagna with a glass or two of: 1998 Cantina del Pino, Barbaresco “Ovello”: very expansive nose of rose petals, red fruits, tree bark, earth and spice/ full body, extremely rich but still graceful in the mouth, deep flavors follow the nose, very substantial tannins are fine and not bitter, concentrated and intense, well-balanced/ long, grippy finish. Better with the food with the tannins so prevalent but still a fine wine even if opened before its time. A Garagiste suggestion and, at $35 delivered, one I am happy to have more of in the cellar. Once more around the block with the girls, a bit of washing-up from dinner, a shower and off to bed. Its that simple. Best, Jim