Recent food and wine

[Florida Jim]

With a salad of roasted beets, ricotta salada and arugala:

2000 Belle Pente, Riesling:

Smells of honeycomb, white fruit and citrus; tastes pretty much the same. Not as sweet as it was on release but somewhat deeper and slightly disjointed. About $17, delivered.

With homemade pizzas:

2000 Dom. de la Petite Cassagne, Costieres de Nimes:

I have no idea what this is made of but it smells like Grenache and tastes like Mourvedre. Good grip, some depth of fruit, sauvage accents and decent complexity. A very together wine that keeps getting better in the glass. Has sufficient structure, fruit and balance to warrant short to medium term cellaring. About $9.

This was a friend’s bring and I will be hunting down a box of this very shortly.

2001 Clos de l’Hermitage, Cotes du Rhone:

A pleasant blend without anything to make it remarkable or objectionable. Overpriced at $24.

With hot Cuban sandwiches:

2000 P. Granger, Julienas Cuvee Speciale:

A crunchy, ripe charming Gamay with excellent cut and sustain. Superb with the food. Probably needs two to four years to peak but delicious with food today. A gift; cost unknown.

Aperitif:

2001 Cave de Lugny, Macon-Lugny Les Charmes:

Fresh and lightly citric on the nose with some white fruit and earth scents; light bodied with flavors that follow the nose and the impression of clean ripeness; medium length finish. This is such an elegant, little wine; I was so impressed I bought a case immediately. About $9.

With pork loin and risotto:

1992 Ravenswood, Pickberry:

Still shows the structure of youth but the fruit tastes more mature and a bit attenuated. I am beginning to wonder if there is a point of diminishing returns in aging this wine.

About $35 full retail, at release.

With pasta with smoked salmon:

2000 J.P. Droin, Vaillons:

In an otherwise typical Chablis nose I am picking up the aroma of cheese – to me, a clear indicator that this wine is closing down. Still steely without loss of depth on the palate and predominantly citrus/lemon flavors, but shorter than the last several bottles. Hold.

About $22.

Best, Jim