Dinner with friends

[Florida Jim]

2003 Eaglepoint Ranch, Grenache:

Too jammy for me (although, when served with blue cheese toasts, it was a nice counterpoint) with solid acids and a focused delivery.

2004 Pepière, Muscadet:

As always, delicious, bright, happy juice. Buy by the case.

Dinner with Bob and Letta:

With smoked trout stuffed endive:

2002 Baumard, Savenièrres:

Wonderful with the dish; cut through the saline elements of the food and yet maintained a certain dry, chenin driven minerality that enhanced the smoky, salt-air essence of the fish spread.

With grilled scallops and shrimp with salsa verde:

1996 R. & V. Dauvissat, Chablis Les Clos:

Closed at first but, with time, opened to reveal a lemon-edged viscosity that accompanied the seafood beautifully; curiously, it closed back down later in the evening. ‘Hard to figure, but expressive and exceptional with the food when it was with us.

With . . . nothing at all:

2001 Texier, Côte-Rôtie:

Showing very youthful and primary but still, loaded with character and terroir from first sip to last; mineral, bacon, smoky, fleshy fruit, fine tannins, evident complexity, depth, and a long finish with a reprise of fruit and earth, or two – a syrah that makes me understand why the appellation is second to none with this variety. Hold . . . and then hold a bit longer – what a wine!

Best, Jim