A wonderful dinner

[Andre]

Is it not great to have friends with real talent in the kitchen?

Join that with a company of people you appriciate and vise versa and great moments are born.

Sit back and enjoy the ride.

Gewurztraminer Spatlese Trocken, Wuzburger Stein Burgerspital Zum Hl. Geist 2000.

Served with Crab, avocado, and mango sandwich with pink peppercorn biscuits.

This unique wine from the area of Franken, expressed a very aromatic classic litchi nose with plenty of citrus fruit

Very dry in the mouth, citrus with a dominant mineral finish. Excellent acidity that lingers into the smooth mineral finish.

Rioja Conde de Valdemar Finca Alto de Cantabria 1999.

Served with Calamari stuffed with black rice risotto, fish reduction sauce.

The oak aged white Rioja was brown goldish in color with perfectly balanced rich oak flavors, mild acidity and slight citrus and rich spice finish. The Rioja seemed appropriate enough for the next dish: Soupe de poisson safranée, even though a dry sherry was intended for that one.

A small break came in the form of a salad of fennel and apples.

While preparing the meat we opened a brunello:

Brunello di Montalcino Gianni Brunelli 1996

High hopes for this traditional wine. I rarely say that on any wine but I enjoyed the oak aging more than the grapes, it seems. Memories? Perhaps.

A good Brunello, medium bodied with a dominating 2nd year oak aroma. The wine may last several more years but I doubt if any development may upgrade this one.

My hopes were too high although not the best vintage.

The wine was joined by the next masterpiece [ excuse my French ]:

Tournedos de boeuf, sauce madère; purée de pommes de terre avec

huile de truffes blanches.

Also joined by:

Paraduxx, “Super Napa” 1995.

A couple of mallards painted by Roger Blum on the label that says “Napa valley red wine”.

Deep red Bordeaux color.

Massive nose rich with red fruits, prunes, sweet molasses and some subtle spices.

This blend of zinfandel, cabernet and merlot from the Duckhorn vineyards [tasted some great SB from there] proved delicious from the moment of entry to the massive finish. Though still young with plenty of acidity and tannins for several years to come, I found the wine very well balanced and the matching with the butter-fried fillet was excellent.

The back label suggests pasta and grilled meats. I don’t thing they would be appropriate to the wines 8th year of age.

Great company, great food, great wines. A wonderful moment.

[Susan in FL]

Yum!