Wonders never cease

[Florida Jim]

Those of you with partners that don’t appreciate wine to quite the degree you do may enjoy this.

Our usual is that Diane prepares dinner and I select, open and pour the wine. Other than to say a wine is corked, she seldom comments on anything I pour. As she says, “I like to drink it; I don’t like to talk about it.”

Last night, when I poured the following wine (blind to her), she mentioned that it had a funky nose. Not wanting to interrupt her thoughts I responded something like “ummm.” Then she asked, “Is there mourvèdre in this?”

Indeed there is!

M’lady has been sand-bagging me, or so it would appear. But I’ll not mention that and see what other surprises are to come.

Happy me!

2001 Edmunds St. John, Los Robles Viejos:

My first impression is that this is high-quality CdP with great cut; lots of aromatic complexity; very bright fruit flavors that are equally complex but also have a touch of CA ripeness, good balance and excellent sustain. A blend of mourvèdre, syrah, grenache and counoise from the Rozet vineyard in Paso Robles; I understand that more recent incarnations of this blend are called Shell and Bones. A food wine, first and foremost and worth every penny of $27; I bought a lot and would again.

Other tastes:

2001 Giacosa, Nebbiolo d’Alba:

Dusty cherry on both the nose and palate, good grip, complexity and balance, nice sustain. I simply can’t have too much of this wine in the cellar. Locascio imports and about $20 on release; I’d surely pay that again.

2005 Jean-Pierre et Jean François Quenard, Chignin Anne de la Biguerne:

From the website: “This cuvée is made from 65-year-old vines, grown on chalk and limestone soils. After being harvested by hand, the grapes undergo a long fermentation with full malolactic. The lies are stirred in the tank for two months to give the wine additional richness and complexity. The wine shows mineralled notes (tonic) as well as higher-pitched floral notes. Something like a hypothetical cross of Grüner Veltliner and Muscadet. Production is just over 600 cases a year.”

I couldn’t say it much better than that. And one case is not near enough of this at $10; I’d buy it again.

Best, Jim