On Jun 21, 12:59*am, Mark Lipton > wrote:
> On the Air France flight:
>
> NV Heidsieck Monopole Brut
> nose: lightly toasty
> palate: slightly creamy, modest acidity, lemony
>
> '07 La Vieille Ferme Blanc Côtes de Ventoux
> nose: slightly floral, minerals
> palate: simple, correct, decent acidity
>
> '04 Marques de Riscal Rioja Reserva
> nose: meaty, floral
> palate: red, plummy fruit, perhaps slightly cooked, meat, chalky tannins
>
> Dinner at Monvínic:
>
> '07 Dönnhoff Tonschiefer Riesling Trocken
> nose: stones and peaches
> palate: bone dry, grapefruit, high acidity
>
> (with a salad of tomatoes and shrimp, dressed with oil)
>
> '07 Telmo Rodriguez Rueda 'Basa'
> nose: green, herbal
> palate: crisp, lean, modest fruit
>
> (with a selection of charcuterie)
>
> '00 Comte Armand Pommard 1er Clos des Epeneaux
> nose: initially Bretty, later turning into pencil lead and tart raspberry
> palate: bright, chalky tannins, deep red berry fruit
>
> (with a mushroom salad and pigeon with parmentier)
>
> [N.B.: I had asked Cesar, the sommelier, for advice on which '00 Burg to
> open, this one or a Chandon de Briailles Corton. *His response was that
> the latter was still very tannic, so we opted for the former and had no
> regrets]
>
> Wines at El Celler de Can Roca:
>
> NV Albet i Noia "El Celler" Cava
> nose: floral, lightly fruity with herbal overtones
> palate; delicate mousse, good acidity, very lightly toasty, creamy
> texture, herbal finish
>
> This was a mixture of Xarel-lo (the major component), another grape I
> didn't write down and Chardonnay (in minor quantities).
>
> '07 Rebholz Riesling Trocken "Im Sonnenschein"
> nose: stones, floral, citrus
> palate: grapefruit and stones
>
> '05 Can Ràfols dels Caus Xarel-lo 'Pairal' Penedés
> nose: slight hint of botrytis, slight note of oxidation
> palate: high acidity, dry, slightly oxidative
>
> Hidalgo 'La Panesa' Jerez Fino
> nose: *butterscotch, nutty
> palate: bone dry, nutty, oxidative Sherry flavors
>
> '07 Bodegas Valdesil Valdeorras
> nose: minerals, citrus, a hint of flowers
> palate: crisp acidity, off-dry
>
> On first whiff, this Godello struck me as very Muscadet-like. *In the
> mouth, the off-dry character distinguished it. *An altogether lovely wine.
>
> '06 Clos Mogador Clos Nelin Priorat Blanco
> nose: alcohol, butter, licorice
> palate: acidity, rich mouthfeel, white stonefruit
>
> This wine tasted like Roussanne, but is more likely a blend of Grenache
> blanc with Macabeo. *On its own, the wine was a bit hot, but paired with
> the sea bass with olives, this wine was superb. Quite a revelation.
>
> '03 Clos Martinet Priorat
> nose: Zinfandel!! spice, pencil lead
> palate: high acid, spice, Zinberry fruit
>
> One sniff of this and I turned to Jean and asked her, "What does this
> smell like?" Her instantaneous response was "ZInfandel," thereby
> confirming that I hadn't lost my marbles. *Lively red berry fruit really
> reminded us of a well-made Zin, made only a little less believable by
> the high acidity. *Not overextracted or overripe.
>
> '04 F. Villard St.Joseph
> nose: hints of Band-Aid, red fruit
> palate; forward fruit, grapefruit acidity, gamey complexity
>
> '90 Lustau Oloroso Abocado
> nose: nutty, butterscotch
> palate; acidic entry, nuts, peanut butter on the finish
>
> '02 Dr. Bürklin-Wolf RIesling Auslese Gaisbhöhl
> nose: orange, apricot, botrytis
> palate: high acidity, citrusy flavors
>
> Fernando de Castillo Pedro Ximénez Jerez
> nose: raisins, baking spices
> palate: intense, thick, raisiny
>
> Monvínic revisited:
>
> '05 Schloss Gobelsburg Riesling Alte Reben
> nose: hint of petrol, lime, stone fruit
> palate: crisp acidity, rich mouthfeel, citrus
>
> '07 Dönnhoff Riesling Dellchen
> nose: lime, apricot/peach
> palate: medium body, fruity
>
> Bodegas Pedro Domecq Palo Cortado Capuchino
> nose: slightly oxidative, instensely nutty
> palate: dry entry, spicy, long finish
>
> Additional wine:
>
> '08 Torres de Casta Rosado
> nose: fresh strawberry fruit, stones
> palate: crisp acidity, bright, light fruit
>
> (End of travelogue)
> Mark Lipton
>
> --
> alt.food.wine FAQ: *http://winefaq.cwdjr.net

Happy birthday and anniversary!
Sounds like nice trip.
Glad the Comte Armand is drinking well, lots of 2000s are.
Interesting you could get so many non-Spanish wines.
My experience was Godello is limited, but I've liked ones I tried,
though Santiago warned me there's much junk