DaleW wrote:

> 2004 Borsao Tres Picos Garnacha
> Very popular with others, I found this overripe. I've consistently
> preferred the cheaper Borsao regular bottling. This was a bit raisiny,
> with prune and dark berry fruits. B/B-

We seem to be opening very similar wines of late, Dale. I passed on the
Tres Picos, but picked up the regular issue Borsao '04 here in FL. I'll
post notes on it when we open it.

> 2005 Babich Sauvignon Blanc
> Clean citrus and gooseberry fruit, a little capiscum edge, crisp and
> lively, a good Marlborough. B/B+

This was another of our Xmas party whites. I got grapefruit and sweat.
Very crisp and lively, as you said.
I felt more like Pinot/Burg, but was worried the more delicate examples
> would be subject to travel shock. I decided to go with a sturdier Burg,
> the 2000 Bonneau du Martray Corton.

Re the travel angle: I always try to bring very young wines when
traveling long distances to minimize the chance of its having thrown any
sediment. (The one exception was bring an '90 CdP to Bill Spohn's in
'03, and it didn't show very well at all). I've also got to track down
some BdM to try...

>
> Good to be with friends and family over Christmas!

Indeed. My non-wine geek inlaws have enjoyed some fine wines with us
this Xmas and we've greatly enjoyed their company and hospitality. (not
least of which since Andrew's going to spend 2 days with his
grandparents while Jean and I mosey down to the Everglades for a quick
vacation.)

>
> PS A side story: I thought the glazed carrots tasted funny, but every
> thing else was good, until I found a salad to have off aromas- I
> realized I thought the salad was corked! Laughed at myself, then today
> Betsy made another salad to go along with some leftovers for lunch, and
> put discovered the carrots had a distinctive TCA smell. Whodathunk?

Hmmm... TCA from cardboard boxes, perhaps? Maybe that's why we
associate TCA's smell with cardboard?

Mark Lipton