Tuesday we flew into JFK, grabbed bags and wine, took the airtrain to our car
(which 2 friends, leaving Sunday, had parked at JFK), and came home. Even Betsy
was too tired to cook, so I ordered pizza. A quick trip to the cellar for a
bottle of 2000 Bartolo Mascarello Dolcetto d'Alba. No sweet little thing here,
actually quite tannic. Deep black plum flavors, some herb, flowers, and cocoa,
good acidity for Dolcetto, Betsy really likes, and so do I. A-/B+

Wednesday Betsy made a seafood salad (shrimp, clams, and squid), we enjoyed on
the patio with our beloved Basset and the 2002 J.P. Brun Les Terres Dorees
Beaujolais Blanc (sorry, I know this is about the 6th note I've posted on this
chardonnay). Apple and chalkdust on the nose, clean white fruit, nice acidity,
no oak. A-

Thursday neighbors came over,bearing flank steak and a tomato salad.* Betsy
countered with potatoes, beans, and blueberry pie. While she was in Mendocino
redwoods at music camp, Betsy had spotted a 2001 Handley Syrah (Mendocino)
shelf-talker that said "1st prize at Mendocino County Fair". That tickled her
funnybone,and she bought for me. Seemed like a good time to open. Ripe dark
berry fruit, chocolate and spice, nice texture. Moderate tannins and fairly low
acidity. B/B+
*
Friday two of our closest friends came over, and Betsy* made lobster in lobster
sauce (from Jeramiah Tower cookbook). We did proscuitto with fresh green figs
and good aged balsamic as an appetizer, and as Joe is a red-centric man I
served the 1997 Leasingham Bin 61 Shiraz (Clare Valley). Better showing than
last bottle, fully mature, very sweet black fruits,spice, fair dose of oak.
Drink up (with pleasure), B+

With the lobster, poat dot (cambodian grilled corn) and two whites:
2003 Rockbare Chardonnay- ripe tropical fruit, oak gives a hint of vanilla,
moderate acidity. B
2000 Druid (Dujac) " Le Limouzin" Meursault- opens with rich toast and
butterscotch flavors, but there's a nuttiness that seems more oxidative than
attractive. Somewhat short finish. Can't be certain on storage, as I don't
remember for sure where I got it. But I think it might be from a Patterson
retailer where I've had mixed results. Grrrr. Still, a B "as is" just for the
first impression.

After dinner, some nice cheeses (Toma Piemontese and 5 year old Gouda). Then,
the 2001 Lafaurie-Peyraugey (from 375). Wow. Lots of botrytis on nose, complex
and compelling. Sweet but with clear clean acidity keeping it lively, apricots
and caramel on the palate. Airtime just brings on more complexity- superripe
peaches, honey, orange marmalade. Solid A.

Saturday a handy friend came over and helped me hang door to winecellar. I
celebrated last big job on cellar by going to Zachys. Tasting of the 2002 wines
of Maison Champy:

2002 Maison Champy Meursault "Charmes" (49.99)
Big pleasant chardonnay, nice balance, long finish though a tad uninspiring.

2002 Maison Champy Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er "Les Peuillets" (24.99)
I like, buy, have that night (see below)

2002 Maison Champy Volnay "Caillerets" (39.99)
Ripe deep black cherry fruit, tannic for Volnay, nice nose, long finish. I buy
B+/A-

2002 Maison Champy Gevrey-Chambertin (29.99)
Nice midweight Gevrey, meaty yet delicate, very good. B+

2002 Maison Champy Vosne-Romanée (32.99)
Ripe, a little empty in the middle. B

2002 Maison Champy Echézeaux (75.00)
Big, good acidity, some vanilla/oak aromas, raspberry fruit, earth and flowers.
Nice . A-/B+

Overall a very good showing. Don't have much experience with this house, so
don't know if it's the house or the vintage (of course, it's both). Nice
pourers - Daniel Johannes and Jaime Dutton from Jeroboam. On way out the door I
have a short chat re Johannes re one of his Montrachet tastings (a Niellon
dinner) that I attended a few years ago.

Betsy had spent the afternoon making an incredible complex (messy!) BBQ sauce
for Sunday, but still managed to make slow-cooked duck legs with baked fresh
figs for that evening. We enjoyed with the 2002 Maison Champy
Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er "Les Peuillets" . Moderate tannins, good acidity, floral
nose. Good cherry fruit with a long mineral/wetstone finish. I should buy more.
B++

Sunday put in some rocks and plants in garden for Betsy, then we took the
hound to Croton Gorge park (beautiful dam) for a hike. Then I picked up our
friends Andrea and Jim*from airport (the ones that dropped my car there), we
came back to our place to enjoy Betsy's ribs, potato salad, cucumber salad, &
green beans. The 2 leftover chards from previous night, and for the red the
2000 Casa de la Ermita (Jumilla). Sweet fruit, sweet oak. Real crowd pleaser,
if not neccessarily my fave. Vanilla/toasty oak nose, concentrated red fruit,
fairly long finish. Not my preferred style, but not a bad match with the spicy
ribs, and probably a good party wine. 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.
*
Dale

Dale Williams
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