Despite Betsy's jetlag, we managed to make it to 2 Memorial Day parties
Monday.

At the first we lightly sampled some gazpacho and split a burger. There
was some Yellowtail and Korbel running around, but I concentrated on a
glass of a wine I had brought, the NV Renardat-F=E2che Vin du Bugey
Cerdon. Fun in a glass. The hostess was giggling over it- it's sweet,
has bubbles, yet a geek brought it. Enough wild strawberries to cause
smiles on a summer night. Beneath the sweet bubbling fruit (there's
raspberry there too) there's an earthiness that draws one's attention.
B+ , with A for fun and value.

A short hop up the road from Irvington to Scarborough, where we had
some nibbles before a dinner of pesto and shrimp over pasta. A couple
of wines of note:
2004 Cantalupo "Il Mimo " Rosato (Colline Novaresi). My first taste
of new vintage of my favorite Nebbiolo ros=E9 (ok only Nebbiolo ros=E9 I
know, but one of my favorite ros=E9s, period). Great floral/tar nose,
rich dry strawberry fruit. Good acidic backbone (and even a slight hint
of tannins). Nice balanced wine that could stand up to meat in the
summer heat. Slightly bittersweet minerally finish. B+/A

2002 Henry Pelle "Morogues" Menetou-Salon (blanc)- pretty intense
gooseberry nose with a little grass and catpee. Full for a Menetou on
the palate, with rather rich citrus and gooseberry fruit. A hit among
some NZ partisans (there's maybe a hint of jalapeno there), there's
some Loire-chalk on the finish. B+

Tuesday Betsy made barbecued chicken, with potato salad and green
salad. I served the 1999 Ambra "Vigna di Santa Christina in Pilli"
Carmignano. Pleasant enough red, with cherry and redcurrant fruit. A
little rounder/fatter than my preference, with a slightly clunky
finish. I've had and liked this wine before. A little surprising oak
note. If guessing I would have thought this had much more than the 10%
max Cab Sauv that I think is allowed in Carmignano. OK wine, bu I'd
rather spend $2 more for a Felsina Chianti. B

One other note- before going to city Saturday, I stopped by Zachys to
pick up a couple of wines. There were a several producers or reps there
pouring wines, I stopped by 2 tables. The guy from Famiglia Anselma was
very nice and informative. The wines were a nice balance - traditional
without being rustic, though the tannins on the 2000 & 2001s made
analysis tough. I preferred the 1997 normale to the 1997 Adasi.

David Bowler Wines were pouring some Germans and Australians, I tried
the Germans. All were 2003s, and were predictably fat. To their credit,
the pourers said right out front this is not a classically styled
vintage, and it's not to everyone's taste. My faves of the bunch were a
Schaefer-Frolich Bockenaur Felseneck Spat, and a Wegeler Rudesheimer
Berg Rotland Spat. Plus a Weins-Prum that I tasted again later that
evening at Triomphe.

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
oups.com...
Despite Betsy's jetlag, we managed to make it to 2 Memorial Day parties
Monday.

At the first we lightly sampled some gazpacho and split a burger. There
was some Yellowtail and Korbel running around, but I concentrated on a
glass of a wine I had brought, the NV Renardat-Fche Vin du Bugey
Cerdon. Fun in a glass. The hostess was giggling over it- it's sweet,
has bubbles, yet a geek brought it. Enough wild strawberries to cause
smiles on a summer night. Beneath the sweet bubbling fruit (there's
raspberry there too) there's an earthiness that draws one's attention.
B+ , with A for fun and value.

A short hop up the road from Irvington to Scarborough, where we had
some nibbles before a dinner of pesto and shrimp over pasta. A couple
of wines of note:
2004 Cantalupo "Il Mimo " Rosato (Colline Novaresi). My first taste
of new vintage of my favorite Nebbiolo rosé (ok only Nebbiolo rosé I
know, but one of my favorite rosés, period). Great floral/tar nose,
rich dry strawberry fruit. Good acidic backbone (and even a slight hint
of tannins). Nice balanced wine that could stand up to meat in the
summer heat. Slightly bittersweet minerally finish. B+/A

2002 Henry Pelle "Morogues" Menetou-Salon (blanc)- pretty intense
gooseberry nose with a little grass and catpee. Full for a Menetou on
the palate, with rather rich citrus and gooseberry fruit. A hit among
some NZ partisans (there's maybe a hint of jalapeno there), there's
some Loire-chalk on the finish. B+

Tuesday Betsy made barbecued chicken, with potato salad and green
salad. I served the 1999 Ambra "Vigna di Santa Christina in Pilli"
Carmignano. Pleasant enough red, with cherry and redcurrant fruit. A
little rounder/fatter than my preference, with a slightly clunky
finish. I've had and liked this wine before. A little surprising oak
note. If guessing I would have thought this had much more than the 10%
max Cab Sauv that I think is allowed in Carmignano. OK wine, bu I'd
rather spend $2 more for a Felsina Chianti. B

One other note- before going to city Saturday, I stopped by Zachys to
pick up a couple of wines. There were a several producers or reps there
pouring wines, I stopped by 2 tables. The guy from Famiglia Anselma was
very nice and informative. The wines were a nice balance - traditional
without being rustic, though the tannins on the 2000 & 2001s made
analysis tough. I preferred the 1997 normale to the 1997 Adasi.

David Bowler Wines were pouring some Germans and Australians, I tried
the Germans. All were 2003s, and were predictably fat. To their credit,
the pourers said right out front this is not a classically styled
vintage, and it's not to everyone's taste. My faves of the bunch were a
Schaefer-Frolich Bockenaur Felseneck Spat, and a Wegeler Rudesheimer
Berg Rotland Spat. Plus a Weins-Prum that I tasted again later that
evening at Triomphe.

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

Where would Scarborough be??

"Where would Scarborough be?? "

Scarborough is one of those non-places Westchester has, like Edgemont.
There's a train station, no actual village. I think it's physically
part of Ossining, though they go to Briarcliff Manor schools.

"DaleW" > skrev i melding
oups.com...
Despite Betsy's jetlag, we managed to make it to 2 Memorial Day parties
Monday.

..... My faves of the bunch were a
Schaefer-Frolich Bockenaur Felseneck Spat...

Hi Dale,
Schäfer-Frölich did two versions of that wine, one with 9.7%abv and another
with 8.5%.
The latter (and expensiver with 14EUR) received 88points noting 'fine
acidity', the former (10EUR) a mere 79 noting 'lack of brilliance and
depth' - points indicating 'excellent' and 'good' respectively.

:-) Anders

In article .com>,
"DaleW" > wrote:

> NV Renardat-Fche Vin du Bugey
> Cerdon

That sounds great. The price seems right as I've seen it list @ $13.
Where did you buy it?

Mike, never had the Peillot sparkler, though I have had the (good)
Peillot Altesse still wine.

I thought last year's Renardet Fache (it's NV, but tends to appear on
market in spring then disappear) was sweeter and more candied than most
before. I assumed 2003 fruit. This is still sweet, but not candied, and
fine for what it is.

thanks!

Anders, thanks for info. I didn't note acidity or AP #s. But it was
(gulp) $24.99 - I passed!

"DaleW" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> "Where would Scarborough be?? "
>
> Scarborough is one of those non-places Westchester has, like Edgemont.
> There's a train station, no actual village. I think it's physically
> part of Ossining, though they go to Briarcliff Manor schools.

I live in Westchester - Amawalk to be exact - there is no Scarborough. You
are correct in saying it's a "non- place".

Lawrence,
Sorry, thought I answered this yesterday, but not showing up that I can
see. I got at Zachys for I think $14: it's typically carried also in NY
by Astor, PJs, and the geek-heaven Chambers Street.

I think Kermit Lynch also has a Cerdon Bugey with a good rep, but don't
think it's Renardat-Fache.

I'd have to say on my end of the county we'd call Amawalk a non-place-
at least Scarborough has a train station

In ,
zara > typed:

> "DaleW" > wrote in message
> ups.com...
>> "Where would Scarborough be?? "
>>
>> Scarborough is one of those non-places Westchester has, like
>> Edgemont. There's a train station, no actual village. I think
>> it's
>> physically part of Ossining, though they go to Briarcliff
>> Manor
>> schools.
>
> I live in Westchester - Amawalk to be exact - there is no
> Scarborough. You are correct in saying it's a "non- place".


I used to live in Westchester--Ardsley and New Rochelle, to be
exact. Of course there's a Scarborough. See, for example,
http://www.hometownlocator.com/City/...h-New-York.cfm

I believe it's a hamlet, not a village, town, or city, and
therefore is not a legal entiry, but that doesn't stop it from
existing. There are lots of hamlets in New York State. In
Rockland County, across the river from Westchester, New City, the
County Capital, is just a hamlet.

--
Ken Blake
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