Dinner with friends

[Florida Jim]

With beet green risotto:

2000 Pieropan, Soave La Rocca:

A lovely, fruit sweet wine mismatched with the slightly bitter dish. Gruner Veltliner would have been a better choice.

Grilled salmon with a salad of arugala and roasted beets:

1996 Kistler, Pinot Noir Kistler Vnyd.:

somewhat candied on the nose and palate; simple, straight-forward juice with good concentration and too much wood.

1995 Kistler, Pinot Noir Hirsch Vnyd.:

bacon/smoke compliments black fruit on the nose but despite huge concentration the palate is hollow and drying.

With sautéed apricots and ginger yogurt-cream:

2001 Cuilleron, Roussilliere (late harvest Viognier) (500 ml):

beautiful peach and pear nose with a touch of wild flowers/

medium body but good density and not too sweet flavors follow the nose, satin texture, excellent balance/

medium length, very clean finish.

A wow of a wine and perfect with the dish.

After hours:

1999 Colin-Deleger, Volnay Les Brouillards:

clear, solid red fruit and stone smells/

medium body, silky on the palate with nice complexity spinning off the elements of the nose, elegant but concentrated, intense, excellent balance/

long, fruit-filled finish.

Superb wine and every bit the essence of Volnay.

Best, Jim

[Craig Camp]

Beet green risotto??? What's that? Isn't beet risotto red?

I love the Pieropan La Rocca. Was it just too rich for the dish?

[Florida Jim]

Beet green risotto??? What's that? Isn't beet risotto red?

I love the Pieropan La Rocca. Was it just too rich for the dish?

Too sweet, actually.

No beets were used in the risotto, hence no red color. Wilted beet greens were and they are delicate but a little bitter. The food was fine, just a bad match.

Best, Jim