Raveneau Revelry

[Florida Jim]

With pistachios:

2002 Giacosa, Arneis:

lemony spring water with a hint of bleach/

light bodied, viscous, flavors follow the nose with some depth, well-delineated on the palate, nice balance/

medium length, very clean finish.

Lovely, light-weight wine for sipping and aperitif.

1995 Moncuit, Cuvee Nicole Moncuit Champagne:

fresh bread-yeast nose with hints of citrus/

elegant and flavorful with good balance and mousse/

medium finish.

Delicious wine that drinks way too easily.

With pasta with smoked salmon and capers:

2000 Raveneau, Foret Chablis:

very floral nose – unlike any other Foret I have encountered/

medium body, quite open and integrated with beautiful, ripe chardonnay flavors that tend toward the mineral, perfect balance/

long finish.

Terrific wine, albeit atypical and the exact match for the dish.

With a frittata of gruyere and shitakes:

1999 Ravenau, Montee de Tonnerre Chablis:

more typical on the nose than the Foret with fresh fruit, flint, and light honey scents/

medium body, very open and approachable with flavors that follow the nose, nice intensity and superb balance/

long finish.

I am surprised that it was showing as well as it was; usually this vineyard requires a few more years. Great stuff.

With poached dried apricots, sautéed bananas and almonds with yogurt cream:

2000 Thirty Bench, Riesling Eiswine (Niagara Peninsula) (200ml):

light honey and floral aromas/

medium body, quite sweet but not cloying, clean on the palate with flavors that follow the nose/

long finish.

Excellent with the dish, adding a touch of sweetness that Diane had purposely left out of the dessert. Thanks Alan.

Best, Jim

[docsconz]

With poached dried apricots, sautéed bananas and almonds with yogurt cream:

2000 Thirty Bench, Riesling Eiswine (Niagara Peninsula) (200ml):

light honey and floral aromas/

medium body, quite sweet but not cloying, clean on the palate with flavors that follow the nose/

long finish.

Excellent with the dish, adding a touch of sweetness that Diane had purposely left out of the dessert. Thanks Alan.

Best, Jim

I love Thirty Bench. Their Ice wines are outstanding. They are extremely well balanced between the acid and the sweet - moreso than other Niagara Peninsula wines I've ttried including the most overrated in my book - Inniskillin.

The wines are hard to come by in the States. I got mine at the winery. How did you come by yours.

[Florida Jim]

The wines are hard to come by in the States. I got mine at the winery. How did you come by yours.

My thanks to Alan was because he brought it to me; he lives in Canada.

Best, Jim