Pasta with broccoli, olives, onions, roasted red peppers and feta:
1996 Pertinance, Langhe – damaged cork, damaged wine; dumped.
1995 Arroyo, Petite Sirah Res. – this wine has always been over-oaked and, at this age, the fruit can’t hold up to it anymore as the entire palate breaks down into sour-oak flavored grape juice; dumped.
2005 Dom. Vissoux, Moulin-à-Vent Les Deux Roches:
Very dark and opaque; plums and dark berries predominate on the nose but there is an earthy, stony quality as well; meaty, intense and firm in the mouth but still an elegant overall impression with concentrated fruit/stone flavors, hints of spice, excellent balance and a detailed finish. Clearly of its place. 13% alcohol, imported by Weygandt-Metzler and about $22; I bought a lot.
(On day two, it was every bit as firm and intense but still showing more than at release. Not ready, of that there is no doubt, but a lovely wine with a terrific future.)
After two missteps in selection I wanted to get something I knew would be good – and did. I also wanted to try this wine again, as at release it was quite tannic and did not show much. Although in needs time it is certainly showing in a better light and paired well with the dish. None of the various flavors of the ingredients fought with it and the balance of the wine’s flavors and those of the dish was pretty equal.
Chicken and lentil stew:
2005 Raymond Quenard, Mondeuse Chignin:
Although I think I like the refosco (Italy’s name for this grape) renditions of this better, this wine has a pungent raspberry/cranberry aroma with a stony/earthy/compost element – it makes for a complex but not altogether pleasant nose; much better in the mouth where the fruit is vibrant and the accents are mineral and stone, good complexity, acidity and balance in an elegant delivery; medium length, clean finish. A slightly damaged cork may have accounted for the difficulty with the nose. 12% alcohol, imported by Louis/Dressner and about $17 on release; I’d prefer to buy the Italian versions.
Chosen because I saw leakage at the cork. Went very well with the dish as the flavors of the wine lent dimension to the stew but did not overwhelm it.
Fresh figs, assorted cheeses and crackers:
1993 Sullivan, Merlot:
A touch volatile and a shower curtain smell mixed in with ripe fruit smells and some bottle bouquet; medium weight in the mouth and completely resolved with solid fruit flavors and some secondary development, not especially complex, integrated and balanced; long in the mouth with no drying. For a wine that was once so tannic I couldn’t drink it, this is showing remarkably. A very nice although somewhat simple wine. 13% alcohol and about $45 on release; I’d not buy it again.
Chosen on a whim and it worked. Good but not great pairing but the wine was stellar with the Stilton that was on the cheese plate.
Best, Jim