TN: Recent meals

[Florida Jim]

Potato and olive soup:

2005 Pépière, Muscadet Granite de Clisson:

Shy aromatics; medium bodied, salty minerality and a fleshy, low-acid showing in the mouth but crisper on the finish. Perplexing wine that is either too young to evaluate properly or so atypical as to confound. 12.5% alcohol, imported by Louis/Dressner and about $20; I have more.

Odd as it was by itself, this was sensational with the soup. The salty character brought up the flavor of the potatoes and the flesh of the wine matched well with the texture and weight of the soup. Made for each other.

Grilled (rare) tuna with a tomato, red wine, caper reduction and a side salad:

2000 Copain, Pinot Noir Dennison Vnyd.:

This wine is too sweet and the confection reaches from nose to finish. By itself, it showed simple and nothing I’d want a second glass of; although there is nothing flawed here, just not my style.

On the second day the nose has earthier black fruit scents but the palate is just as candied. Nothing like the exceptional 1999 from this vineyard and producer. 14% alcohol and about $44 on release; not for me.

But again, the food made all the difference – this time it was the capers (saline and slightly sour) that created a taste in the mouth that stripped the wine of its overt sugary quality and allowed the underlying black fruit and earthen flavors to come through – and they are there, for sure. As a pairing, quite good.

Salmon spread with crackers:

2004 Pépière, Muscadet Clos des Briords:

Much more typical of fine Muscadet than the above Granite de Clisson with lightening-like acidity and brilliant flavors. A baby today but delicious nonetheless. 12.5% alcohol, imported by Louis/Dressner and about $13 on release; I bought plenty.

Excellent with the dish as the strong flavors of the salmon melt into a roundness against it and vice versa. Excellent pairing.

Multigrain pilaf with Persian spices and pistachios, and, winter squash:

2002 Overnoy, Arbois Pupillin:

Pomegranate, raspberry, cherry and loam on the nose; much the same in the mouth with laser-like acidity, intensity and focus; long, clean finish. The best bottle yet of a case of this poulsard and that is saying something; spectacular but idiosyncratic wine. 12.5% alcohol, imported by Louis/Dressner and about $21 on release; I couldn’t have too much.

It needs the sweetness of the squash to be good accompaniment to the dish and fortunately, that’s what I give it. A good pairing but this bottle is so much what I love about wine I can’t really be all that objective about the pairing.

Best, Jim