Sunday Betsy was having fun with a new Indian cookbook and spent the afternoon
grinding spices; then she served a delicious chicken in a tomato masala sauce
along with mixed greens/potatoes, rice with cauliflower, and papadum. OK, looks
like seltzer with dinner. But before and after a glass of the 2000 Fournier "La
Charnivolle" Menetou-Salon (this was replacement bottle for a corked one).
Light and sprightly, lemon and grapefruit fruit. Some chalk on the finish. Nice
$9 wine. B

Monday we were eating with neighbors, and knew they've almost certainly be
serving pasta with a red sauce. Carried over a Salice Salentino, but they
already had a bottle of
NV Marietta Lot 32 Red open. This I think is a field blend, with assorted
grapes, but mainly seems Zinfandel-ish. Kind of brambly blackberry/raspberry
fruit, nice mouthfilling texture, quite good in a somewhat rustic sense. Not
especially acidic, but enough to stand up to a load of sausages in red sauce
with pasta. B/B+

Sick kids led to a last-minute cancellation by some dinner guests Tuesday, but
some quick phones gathered alternates to save us from eating 2 lbs of pasta
(with mushrooms and spinach) by ourselves. The wine was the 2001 Olivier
Leflaive €œLes Sétilles€� Bourgogne Blanc. Bright crisp apple fruit, very
light oak aromas with a nice minerally aftertaste. Good food wine and a deal at
$11. B+

Wednesday was leftovers from assorted previous days, accompanied by the 2001
Trimbach Riesling. Tense, steely wine with lemon and apple fruit topped with a
stoney finish. Nice wine, but even this basic bottling could use a little time.
B+

Thursday Betsy was rehearsing a Rossini duet in the city with our bassist
friend Joe. I took the train down to join them, and after looking at a card he
got recently from Bartolo Mascarello, we all walked to 106th & Columbus to Cafe
A. Teeny-tiny restaurant, the food is cooked elsewhere and then warmed with
microwaves and toaster ovens. Sounds terrible, huh? Actually , it was pretty
good. I had appetizer of smoked mussels, Betsy a pheasant pate, and Joe a
Fuji-apple cheese fondue (cheese inside the apple). For main courses we had
venison sausage, duck confit, and mushroom ragout. Everything was tasty (and
cheap). No wine license, so we had brought our own. A 375 of the 2000 Jean Noel
Gagnard Chassagne-Montrachet "Les Masures" was unfortunately slightly corked.
You could get glimpses of minerals, oak, and rich fruit underneath, but the
mustiness took all the enjoyment out of it.
The 1999 Ch. Siran (Margaux) was a good example of its vintage (a pleasant
early-drinker) and its appelation (pretty rather than burly). A nice
medium-bodied claret with good blackcurrant and red plum fruit, a slightly
floral nose with some distinct toasty oak, apparent but ripe tannins and a
moderate acidity. B+
We opened a bottle of 1990 Monsanto "Il Poggio" Chianti Classico Riserva with a
little hesitation - Joe had picked up at auction, and was concerned re fill and
provenance (fill was down a little, but not enough to be really
concerned-bottom neck). Hey, Wine of the Week! Classic Chianti, medium bodied
with a nice acidic backbone. Nose of black cherries and mushrooms, palate
featuring dried cherry fruit with a bit of plum. As it opens up some tobacco
and leather aromas emerge. Perfectly balanced, fully mature, what Tuscan wines
should be. A-

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.



Dale

Dale Williams
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