Dinner with friends

[Florida Jim]

Hors d'oeuvres:

Asparagus Parmesan Pastry Rolls:

Heidler 2001 Gruner Veltliner Thal: hedge flower and pineapple nose with a touch of mineral/ medium body, quite smooth, fairly viscous (touch of RS?), flavors follow nose, nice balance/ medium length finish.

Not a wine for keeping but delicious with the food – and what other wine goes so well with asparagus?

Second:

Mushroom Onion Tartlet with Goat Cheese and Greens:

Domaine Mugneret-Gibourg 2000 Bourgogne: oaky nose with some red fruit/ better on the palate but still unbalanced by the wood/ medium finish.

Some nice, elegant fruit here got beat up with the wood.

Baumard 1997 Savennieres Trie Sepciale: honey, white fruit and tea on the nose with hints of mineral and floral/ full body, deeply textured and flavored with good complexity playing off the elements of the nose, concentrated, lovely balance/ long finish.

Utterly sublime with the dish and excellent even without. Always a great bottle.

Main:

Salmon with Wilted Lettuce, Cucumber Salad and a Tomato Butter Sauce:

Frog's Leap 2001 Sauvignon Blanc: a pleasant, un remarkable little sauvignon that went with the cucumber salad part of the dish but not so well with the salmon.

Foley 2000 Pinot Noir: a very ripe, somewhat blousy pinot without much varietal character. Cocktail wine for me; better than that for others. Not the best match with the salmon.

Kistler 1995 Pinot Noir Camp Meeting Ridge: very crisp blackberry soda nose with some spice and earth; a bit tight/ more open on the palate but still that crisp, focused fruit and spice feel, concentrated and intense, good grip and balance/ long finish.

Still not at peak but not showing overt oak, very clearly of its variety and place, and, by far the best match with the salmon.

Dessert:

Apricot Souffles

Strong coffee

Best, Jim