Tuesday I got home to find that Betsy had just found out her beloved
aunt had died about an hour before. Expected, perhaps even
appreciated, but still hard. Betsy had made her peace before, and just
needed a hug. But then as I started making dinner she asked did we
have a wine to make a toast to Betty Lou. The 2005 Drouhin "Vero"
Bourgogne rouge was on the counter, and we toasted with it. Neither of
us was really thinking about the wine, but I paid a little attention
later. Ripe red cherries, a little spice, a little earth. Some light
tannins. I've seen some notes calling this thin, but doesn't seem so
to me. Pretty classic Burgundy. By end of night, it's shut down pretty
tight- tannins and acids, not much fruit. Revisited tonight back to
its open mode- cherries and raspberries, a little sandalwood. Nice
wine for level. B+

I had marinated some cod (regular, not sable) in a miso/mirin paste,
roasted beets, made a salad, and reheated some leftover leeks. For
dinner I chose the 2008 Piesporter Grafenberg Riesling Kabinett (MSR).
Limesicle, anyone? Great limey/citric fruit, minerals, lively acids,
moderate sweetness. Quite long. I want more of this . A-/B+

Today Betsy had a solo concert in White Plains (Indian music, Arvo
Part, the Bach/Gounod Ave Maria) but still managed to put together a
nice dinner. Pierre Franey's scallops in a cream/mushroom sauce, baked
rice with pine nuts, salad. I pondered a white Bordeaux (01 La
Louviere), but went with the easy match, a white Burgundy. The 2007
Paul Pernot Puligny-Montrachet was lovely and classic- nutty,
minerally,pear fruit with bright acidity. Nice mouthfeel, good
length.Maybe something a little fuller (a Corton-Charlemagne or maybe
Meursault) might have been a slightly better match, but this was a
good match and a very good wine. Sweet fruit, acidic spine to keep
lively, I'll look for more of this, too. 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.**

On Jan 13, 9:43*pm, DaleW > wrote:
> Tuesday *I got home to find that Betsy had just found out her beloved
> aunt had died about an hour before. Expected, perhaps even
> appreciated, but still hard. Betsy had made her peace before, and just
> needed a hug. But then as I started making dinner she asked did we
> have a wine to make a toast to Betty Lou. The 2005 Drouhin "Vero"
> Bourgogne rouge was on the counter, and we toasted with it. Neither of
> us was really thinking about the wine, but I paid a little attention
> later. Ripe red cherries, a little spice, a little earth. Some light
> tannins. I've seen some notes calling this thin, but doesn't seem so
> to me. Pretty classic Burgundy. By end of night, it's shut down pretty
> tight- tannins and acids, not much fruit. Revisited tonight back to
> its open mode- cherries and raspberries, a little sandalwood. Nice
> wine for level. B+
>
> I had marinated some cod (regular, not sable) in a miso/mirin paste,
> roasted beets, *made a salad, and reheated some leftover leeks. For
> dinner I chose the 2008 Piesporter Grafenberg Riesling Kabinett (MSR).
> Limesicle, anyone? Great limey/citric fruit, minerals, lively acids,
> moderate sweetness. Quite long. *I want more of this . A-/B+
>
> Today Betsy had a solo concert in White Plains (Indian music, Arvo
> Part, the Bach/Gounod Ave Maria) but still managed to put together a
> nice dinner. Pierre Franey's scallops in a cream/mushroom sauce, baked
> rice with pine nuts, salad. I pondered a white Bordeaux (01 La
> Louviere), but went with the easy match, a white Burgundy. The 2007
> Paul Pernot Puligny-Montrachet *was lovely and classic- nutty,
> minerally,pear fruit with bright acidity. Nice mouthfeel, good
> length.Maybe something a little fuller (a Corton-Charlemagne or maybe
> Meursault) might have been a slightly better match, but this was a
> good match and a very good wine. Sweet fruit, acidic spine to keep
> lively, I'll look for more of this, too. 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.**

Oops, the Riesling is Reinhold Haart. Important detail!

"DaleW" > wrote in message
...
.........
Today Betsy had a solo concert in White Plains (Indian music, Arvo
Part, the Bach/Gounod Ave Maria) but still managed to put together a
nice dinner. Pierre Franey's scallops in a cream/mushroom sauce, baked
rice with pine nuts, salad
.........

Thank you for mentioning Pierre Franey. He was one of the greatest
influences in American cooking, showing the path from classical
French to every day American; being an immense influence on Craig
Claiborne and by extension on the New York Times readership, and
remarkably writing two cookbooks concentrating on fast home cooking
of amazingly good food. Every time I pick up one of his books I wonder
whether anyone else still has them and remembers him. Thanks for
the I hope enduring memories.

pavane

On Jan 13, 11:15*pm, "pavane" > wrote:
> "DaleW" > wrote in message
>
> ...
> ........
> Today Betsy had a solo concert in White Plains (Indian music, Arvo
> Part, the Bach/Gounod Ave Maria) but still managed to put together a
> nice dinner. Pierre Franey's scallops in a cream/mushroom sauce, baked
> rice with pine nuts, salad
> ........
>
> Thank you for mentioning Pierre Franey. *He was one of the greatest
> influences in American cooking, showing the path from classical
> French to every day American; being an immense influence on Craig
> Claiborne and by extension on the New York Times readership, and
> remarkably writing two cookbooks concentrating on fast home cooking
> of amazingly good food. *Every time I pick up one of his books I wonder
> whether anyone else still has them and remembers him. *Thanks for
> the I hope enduring memories.
>
> pavane

This is a very beloved book for us, the NYT 60 minute Gourmet (intro
by Claiborne), 1979 edition. Paperback, falling apart, need to
replace. It's a great source of simple yet elegant classic dishes, and
even I can follow the recipes.