Wines with food

[Florida Jim]

With lightly breaded chicken breasts stuffed with gorgonzola:

2003 Bregeon, Muscadet Sevre et Maine:

The ’03 Muscadets I have tasted do not have the typical mouth-cleansing (or puckering) acidity profile I am used to; these are rather more fruit driven and somewhat softer. More in the style of an unoaked chardonnay from a cool climate. This bottle shows lovely, fresh aromatics; a somewhat rich, fruit forward palate with excellent structure, integration, balance and intensity; and a medium length, very clean finish. Thoroughly delightful both by itself and with the food (especially in this style). Imported by Kermit Lynch.

With St. Andre cheese and crackers:

2003 Hippolyte Reverdy, Sancerre:

Blousy, ripe, unstructured sauvignon with a half life measured in minutes. Good today; I have little hope for tomorrow. Fine with the cheese. Imported by Kermit Lynch.

With grilled duck breast, grilled polenta and a wine-cherry-salsa reduction:

1998 Colin-Deleger, Chassagne-Montrachet VV (rouge):

Smelled and tasted delicious with chocolate, berry and spice smells and flavors for the first hour (Imported by Kermit Lynch). Thereafter, it completely fell apart; becoming volatile (tending toward vinegar), sour, disjointed, tannic and unappealing to the point that I threw it out and opened . . .

1999 Drouhin, Vosne-Romanee:

Much better with a solid if slightly closed nose of black fruit and spice; medium body, flavors that follow the nose and add some earth tones, good intensity and balance; medium length finish. Needs a few years but was much better with the meal.

Imported by Dreyfus Ashby.

Best, Jim