Wining and dining

[Florida Jim]

A dinner with my sweetie:

With pecan crackers and cream cheese/smoked salmon spread:

2002 Fevre, Chablis Champs Royaux:

So much better than a bottle tried at release; this was ripe, fleshy, flavorful, showed some depth and had good persistence. Imported by Clicquot, Inc.

The acids have calmed from that first bottle and the fruit is forward. I don’t think I’ll mistake this for premier cru but it’s a lovely, unoaked chardonnay that paired well with the dish.

With baked pork loin with marinara sauce and rice:

2000 Zenato, Valpolicella Ripassa:

Rich but focused with no overt wood and clear dark fruit and spice flavors. Not hugely concentrated or intense but well integrated, bright and ample to serve the dish. Imported by Winebow.

A dinner with friends:

With insalta caprese and assorted cheeses:

2003 Pascal Jolivet, “Attitude”:

Sauvignon blanc nose sans cat pee; fleshy and light, clean, relatively crisp; medium finish. Imported by Frederick Wildman.

Very easy to drink and enjoy; nothing serious; ready now.

With grilled, homemade pizzas:

1999 Dom. du Mas Blanc, Collioure:

Grenache dominated but some mourvedre mixed in; a very southern Rhone nose and palate; medium body and mellow texture; medium finish. Imported by Vineyard Brands.

Pleasant table wine of good quality but nothing more. Ready now.

2000 Jean-Paul Brun, Moulin A Vent:

Reticent nose; focused flavors of cherry, black cherry, earth and spice, good depth, integrated but not in the least flabby, the flavors are etched on the tongue, intense, young; long finish. Imported by Louis/Dressner.

Beaujolais doesn’t get much finer. Laser-like and showing none of the “sweetness” that young gamay can. A remarkable wine that was drunk well before its time yet it still gave pleasure.

With blueberries and peaches with crème fraiche and a touch of brown sugar:

1992 Guillemot-Michel, Macon-Clesse - Quintaine, Selection de Grains Cendres (375):

Nose of spice, pineapple, vinyl and stone; not overly sweet but clearly botrytis affected and honeyed on the palate; nuanced but oddly short on the finish. Imported by Kysela Pere et Fils.

A unique wine with some strong aromatics, sort of average flavors and little finish. Did we open it too soon? Thanks Sam.

Best, Jim