TN: Wow

[Florida Jim]

Fried green tomato Napoleon with roasted red pepper sauce and chili cream cheese “glue”:

2006 Dry Stack Cellars, Sauvignon Blanc Rosemary’s Block:

Fresh tropical fruit, some grapefruit and a little mineral; potent flavors follow the nose in a fleshy, satin textured delivery with good cut and sustain. A powerhouse sauvignon. 14.1% alcohol and about $20; I’d buy it again.

Chosen because of the concentration and ripeness of the fruit in hopes that it would match the spicy aspect of the dish – it did. Each became more complex with the other and both were well balanced in the pairing. An excellent match.

(Aside: The Napoleon was one of the messiest, most involved preparations I have ever seen but it’s also one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. Tomatoes were fresh from our garden.)

Pasta with beets, beet greens, beans and feta:

2002 Alain Demon, Côte Roannaise La Perrière Reserve:

Smoky, earthy gamay with a crisp mouth feel and plenty of depth and persistence. Very much in the Loire style for the grape and not Beaujolais. 12% alcohol, imported by Eric Solomon and about $12 on release; I’d buy it again.

Chosen for its earthy elements and it went well with those same aspects of the dish. A peasant type dish and pairing but a very good one.

Today, I helped Mark pack, move and unpack almost 100 cases of wine; destination, his new wine cellar. This evening, we were invited to partake of that cellar and Mark’s cuisine:

Assorted cheeses and crackers:

1992 Vogue, Musigny (blanc):

I have little experience with this wine but this bottle was fresh and more like Batard-Montrachet than any other white I have tasted; deep, rich, fresh, beautifully textured and perfectly balanced, this is an exquisite pleasure. I know this wine gets new oak but I could not taste it. 13% alcohol, imported by Dreyfus/Asheby and price unknown; thanks Mark.

Exceptional with the dish and equally so without it.

Coq au vin with white polenta and sautéed black kale:

1984 Leroy, Nuits-St. Georges Les St. Georges:

Youthful, fresh, bordering on closed but a little time in the glass opened it up; very Nuits and retains the firmness that I so associate with the AOC - but still, it has a delicate, feminine side; a contradictory wine and hence, a wine to both contemplate and enjoy. 13% alcohol, importer and price unknown; thanks Mark.

There’s a reason to drink great Burgundy with this dish – and this is it. Beyond words with the dish and each enhances the other exponentially.

Fresh peaches with quince paste, fig cake and parmesan:

2001 Dönnhoff, Riesling Spätlese Oberhäuser Brücke:

Lovely wine; honeyed yet lifted nose of white fruit, flowers, cherry pits and spice; texturally silken with flavors that follow the nose, plenty of cut, perfect balance and unbelievable sustain. 9% alcohol, importer and price unknown; thanks Mark.

It is impossible to pick a better wine for this dish; simply impossible.

Best, Jim