Goodies

[Florida Jim]

With turkey sandwiches:

2002 J. P. Brun Terres Dorees, Beaujolais L’Ancien VV:

Pure wine; focused black and red cherry scents and flavors accented with mineral and spice tones; becomes more integrated the longer it is in the glass. Authentic, delicious, clean and intense; a delight.

With cheese and crackers:

2001 Raveneau, Chablis Butteaux:

Grand cru depth on both the nose and palate with ripe fruit and a touch of spice on the nose and some butter flavors (but not texture) on the palate, concentrated, quite intense, good balance. The nose is very expansive and although this has not yet come together, the elements are all here. Really quite something.

With chicken, broccoli, olives, onions and feta over couscous:

2000 R. & V. Dauvissat, Chablis Les Clos:

Not as intense as the foregoing but better integrated and more elegantly complex; excellent depth and balance with a long, beautiful finish that reprises the ripeness present in the mouth. Harmonious in a way the Raveneau was not; a wine forming a complete sphere. Delicious.

With crackers and cheese:

1999 Gaja, Sitorey:

14% alcohol, 100% Barbera; slick and new wave glossy on the nose and palate, well-balanced and fruit driven, some oak but not overwhelming, the palate impression is that this juice is somehow processed rather than fermented; medium length finish. Not a bad beverage but nothing I would ever buy.

With sushi:

2000 Nikolaihof, Riesling Steiner Hund:

Glorious wine (or is that “nectar”); fully open although not carrying the kind of complexity that further aging could provide, round and full in the mouth but utterly weightless, ripe fruit and mineral accents, good depth and a sort of floral freshness, perfect balance. Finesse thy name is stone dog.

With pasta with brown butter and pine nuts:

2001 B. Giacosa, Nebbiolo D’Alba Valmaggiore:

Talc and raspberry nose along with the typical flowers and tar elements; medium body with an elegant delivery and flavors that follow the nose, powdery tannins are slightly drying, nice intensity and balance. Lightweight in the mouth and just plain perfect with the dish.

With cheese:

1993 Blackwood Canyon, Late Harvest Semillon (375):

Idiosyncratic stuff; somewhat oxidized, not as sweet as 4% RS would imply, flavors of overripe pears, lanolin, green tea, honey and tree bark (or at least, impressions of those), somewhat disjointed and unbalanced. An odd thing I would not want more than a small pour of – but I wouldn’t want to miss the chance to taste it either.

Best, Jim