Dinner with friends

[Florida Jim]

The idea that “we won’t see them again until next year” creates a flurry of activity in the weeks before we leave for the winter in Florida. But with our home in the process of being remodeled, having folks in has been more than challenging.

Last night, with the work about ten days from complete, we were able to move aside the caulk guns and paint cans and set a table that even exposed electrical outlets could not diminish.

With garlic soup with gruyere and fresh parsley:

2000 William Fevre, Fourchaume:

very clean but gentle nose of citrus, rain water and mineral/

medium body, flavors follow the nose with a touch of peach, harmonious and well balanced/

medium length with good cut.

While it does not have the acidity of many of the 2000’s nor the depth or concentration of Boudin’s Fourchaume; it is still clean, without much evidence of wood and persistent. Very good with the dish.

With a salad of arugala, tangerine and fennel:

2002 Bruno Giacosa, Roero Arneis:

lovely floral and citrus nose with some pear and honey accents/

lighter in body than the Chablis but more intensely flavored, nicely complex and pretty nice depth, no frizzante but bright acids, perfect balance/

medium length finish.

I simply can’t get enough of this wine. Excellent with the dish.

With pasta with gorgonzola and wild mushroom, and, slices of roast pork tenderloin:

1998 Chateau Potensac, Medoc:

warm red fruit nose with hints of garrigue and iron shavings/

full body, richly tannic, flavors follow the nose with some depth, good balance/

medium length finish.

Opened too early but not by a lot; it opened nicely in the glass and was very enjoyable with the dish.

1998 Chave, Hermitage (rouge):

fantastic bacon fat nose before the TCA broke in and dismantled it on both the nose and palate.

With apricot and walnut strudel topped with a reduction of the apricot poaching liquid:

2001 Donnhoff, Riesling Auslese, Oberhauser Brucke (375):

very alluring nose with good complexity for such a young auslese; lots of pears, flowers, minerals, light honey and citric tones; evolves nicely over about an hour/

medium body and viscous, very harmonious if somewhat simple on the palate with flavors that echo the nose, concentrated and intense, outstanding acidity backing and brightening, perfect balance/

very long in the mouth with a cleansing burst of acidity.

Pretty spectacular stuff for a wine so very young. Delicious with the dish.

Best, Jim