My turn to do dinner while Betsy was returning from a dress rehearsal;
I did broiled tuna, squash, and a bokchoy/garlic chip/enoki salad.
Wine was the 2006 La Mozza "I Perazzi " Morellino di Scansano.
Fleshy.modern styled Sangiovese, round and easy to drink. It's a bit
fat, but I wouldn't deem flabby, there are some underlying acids as
well as light tannins. Black and red cherries, a little anisey/herbal
note, not really getting any oak. Pretty decent wine for $10. B

Wednesday she made lamb shanks in white beans, with a simple salad on
the side. To celebrate a new GM at NYCO I decided to upgrade from a
simple CC to the 1995 Felsina "Rancia" Chianti Classico Riserva. My
last bottle, and I wish it wasn't. Just a lovely bottle of Sangiovese
hitting its stride. Black cherry, leather, earth, and mushrooms. Good
length, concentration, pretty much everything I could ask for in a
Chianti. Mostly resolved tannins, high but balanced acidity. Best
showing for this wine of the 3 or 4 times I've tried. A-

Betsy left for concert early Th (the plane in Hudson -what a story!-
meant she had to go to Carnegie via east side), dinner plans got
scrapped in favor of pizza. She left me some, and I opened the 2004
Muga Rioja Reserva to accompany. Big red fruits, but what a whollop of
oak. Vanilla-y oak, dill-y oak, coffee-oak. I looked to see if I had
somehow ended up with a bottle of the Torre Muga, nope, it's the
Reserva. I've had friends rave over this, now I have some more data re
their tastes. I'll revisit to see if time causes a bit of integration,
but for now I think that my next batch of vinegar will be a touch
oaky. C+ from me, though I'm sure others would rate much higher.

Since I really didn't feel like drinking the Rioja, I opened a white.
The 2007 Wirsching Dry Silvaner was a nice clean if somewhat simple
Franken (sorry, no Bocksbeutel, Bordeaux bottle with screwcap). I'm
not sure I have a true sense of Silvaner, so maybe this is typical,
but I don't know. Comes across like a somewhat minerally Pinot Grigio.
Light, easy, ok. B-

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent
wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't
drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no
promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.
*

"DaleW" > wrote in message
...


I opened the 2004
Muga Rioja Reserva to accompany. Big red fruits, but what a whollop of
oak. Vanilla-y oak, dill-y oak, coffee-oak. I looked to see if I had
somehow ended up with a bottle of the Torre Muga, nope, it's the
Reserva. I've had friends rave over this, now I have some more data re
their tastes. I'll revisit to see if time causes a bit of integration,
but for now I think that my next batch of vinegar will be a touch
oaky. C+ from me, though I'm sure others would rate much higher.

Since I really didn't feel like drinking the Rioja, I opened a white.



My notes on a 2006 WHITE Muga Rioja bought twice May & June 2008, $11 -
"Would buy again."

Dee Dee

DaleW > wrote in news:641ac5ce-758c-47bf-8c48-
:

> I'm
> not sure I have a true sense of Silvaner, so maybe this is typical,
> but I don't know. Comes across like a somewhat minerally Pinot Grigio.
>

That sounds pretty much like Sylvaner to me!

On the Muga did it integrate any with air? Most Rioja's do so I am not
as off put by the initial oak, but if what you are saying is even with
air . . . I shall remember this and thank you next time I don't buy a
bottle!

--
Joseph Coulter, cruises and vacations
www.josephcoulter.com

877 832 2021
904 631 8863 cell

DaleW wrote:

>
> Wednesday she made lamb shanks in white beans, with a simple salad on
> the side. To celebrate a new GM at NYCO I decided to upgrade from a
> simple CC to the 1995 Felsina "Rancia" Chianti Classico Riserva. My
> last bottle, and I wish it wasn't. Just a lovely bottle of Sangiovese
> hitting its stride. Black cherry, leather, earth, and mushrooms. Good
> length, concentration, pretty much everything I could ask for in a
> Chianti. Mostly resolved tannins, high but balanced acidity. Best
> showing for this wine of the 3 or 4 times I've tried. A-
>

Yum. I'm still nursing a bottle of the '97. Think I should hang onto
it much longer?

> Betsy left for concert early Th (the plane in Hudson -what a story!-
> meant she had to go to Carnegie via east side), dinner plans got
> scrapped in favor of pizza. She left me some, and I opened the 2004
> Muga Rioja Reserva to accompany. Big red fruits, but what a whollop of
> oak. Vanilla-y oak, dill-y oak, coffee-oak. I looked to see if I had
> somehow ended up with a bottle of the Torre Muga, nope, it's the
> Reserva. I've had friends rave over this, now I have some more data re
> their tastes. I'll revisit to see if time causes a bit of integration,
> but for now I think that my next batch of vinegar will be a touch
> oaky. C+ from me, though I'm sure others would rate much higher.

Thus is the enigma that is Muga. Even Manuel C agrees that the Prado
Enea is built along classic lines, and all that I know acknowledge that
Torre Muga is the very quintessence of Internationalism. But what about
the ordinary bottlings? It seems that they've gone over to the Dark
Side, or perhaps were always there. Those more knowledgeable than I
will have to make that call.

Mark Lipton

--
alt.food.wine FAQ: http://winefaq.cwdjr.net

On Jan 16, 3:22�pm, "Dee Randall" > wrote:
> "DaleW" > wrote in message
>
> ...
>
> I opened the 2004
> Muga Rioja Reserva to accompany. Big red fruits, but what a whollop of
> oak. Vanilla-y oak, dill-y oak, coffee-oak. I looked to see if I had
> somehow ended up with a bottle of the Torre Muga, nope, it's the
> Reserva. I've had friends rave over this, now I have some more data re
> their tastes. I'll revisit to see if time causes a bit of integration,
> but for now I think that my next batch of vinegar will be a touch
> oaky. C+ from me, though I'm sure others would rate much higher.
>
> Since I really didn't feel like drinking the Rioja, I opened a white.
>
> My notes on a 2006 WHITE Muga Rioja bought twice May & June 2008, $11 -
> "Would buy again."
>
> Dee Dee

I tend to like Muga's white and rose Rioja's, and usually well priced

On Jan 16, 5:04�pm, Joseph Coulter > wrote:
> DaleW > wrote in news:641ac5ce-758c-47bf-8c48-
> :
>
> > �I'm
> > not sure I have a true sense of Silvaner, so maybe this is typical,
> > but I don't know. Comes across like a somewhat minerally Pinot Grigio.
>
> That sounds pretty much like Sylvaner to me!
>
> On the Muga did it integrate any with air? Most Rioja's do so I am not
> as off put by the initial oak, but if what you are saying is even with
> air . . . I shall remember this and thank you next time I don't buy a
> bottle!
>
> --
> Joseph Coulter, cruises and vacationswww.josephcoulter.com
>
> 877 832 2021
> 904 631 8863 cell

Seemed a bit less oaky on day 2, but most still went to meet the
acetobacter

On Jan 16, 5:42�pm, Mark Lipton > wrote:
> DaleW wrote:
>
> > Wednesday she made lamb shanks in white beans, with a simple salad on
> > the side. To celebrate a new GM at NYCO I decided to upgrade from a
> > simple CC to the 1995 Felsina "Rancia" Chianti Classico Riserva. My
> > last bottle, and I wish it wasn't. Just a lovely bottle of Sangiovese
> > hitting its stride. Black cherry, leather, earth, and mushrooms. �Good
> > length, concentration, pretty much everything I could ask for in a
> > Chianti. Mostly resolved tannins, high but balanced acidity. Best
> > showing for this wine of the 3 or 4 �times I've tried. A-
>
> Yum. �I'm still nursing a bottle of the '97. �Think I should hang onto
> it much longer?
>
> > Betsy left for concert early Th (the plane in Hudson -what a story!-
> > meant she had to go to Carnegie via east side), dinner plans got
> > scrapped in favor of pizza. She left me some, and I opened the 2004
> > Muga Rioja Reserva to accompany. Big red fruits, but what a whollop of
> > oak. Vanilla-y oak, dill-y oak, coffee-oak. I looked to see if I had
> > somehow ended up with a bottle of the Torre Muga, nope, it's the
> > Reserva. I've had friends rave over this, now I have some more data re
> > their tastes. I'll revisit to see if time causes a bit of integration,
> > but for now I think that my next batch of vinegar will be a touch
> > oaky. C+ from me, though I'm sure others would rate much higher.
>
> Thus is the enigma that is Muga. �Even Manuel C agrees that the Prado
> Enea is built along classic lines, and all that I know acknowledge that
> Torre Muga is the very quintessence of Internationalism. �But what about
> the ordinary bottlings? It seems that they've gone over to the Dark
> Side, or perhaps were always there. �Those more knowledgeable than I
> will have to make that call.
>
> Mark Lipton
>
> --
> alt.food.wine FAQ: �http://winefaq.cwdjr.net

I actually decided to drink up my 1997 Tuscans out of fear that they
might not do well because they were so ripe, might as well drink
early. But have seen lots of positive notes recently, though not the
Rancia. But I have zero '97s left.

Even the Prado Enea is middle of the road. I wouldn't judge all of the
Mugas from this one bottle. But not rushing out to buy more!