Pasta with veggies and deconstructed pesto (all the ingredients of pesto, added separately):
2002 Jadot, Moulin-à-Vent Chateau des Jacques:
Relatively closed but showing precision and power atypical of Beaujolais; focused, powerful and young Burgundy-like in the mouth but with somewhat more juicy fruit and a fine grained texture; medium length, somewhat closed finish. Immense potential but requires further cellaring. 13% alcohol, imported by Korbrand Corp. and about $20 on release; it would be hard to find a higher quality wine at that price.
Sautéed veggies with sausage:
2001 Edmunds St. John, Los Robles Viejos:
Also showing young and undeveloped (other bottles have showed more development) with good southern Rhône character and a glass-smooth texture; long finish. Needs time. 14.2% alcohol and about $27 on release; considering the amount of time this evidently needs to open up, I have all I need.
Crackers and cheese:
1989 Chat. Lynch Bages:
Still sporting a vegetal aspect to the nose and palate although it isn’t overwhelming and the depth of the wine as well as its texture is simply remarkable. Layered chocolate and berry flavors; if the green dies out I can see this being a pretty spectacular bottle. 13% alcohol, imported by Wildman and about $40 on release; I bought a lot.
Pasta with shrimp and arugula:
2004 A. & M. Tissot, Chardonnay:
My favorite wine right now, this is beautifully pure, ripe and complex with a mineral backbone and a long, sumptuous finish. 13% alcohol, imported by Potomac Selections and about $23; terrific wine for the price.
Crackers and cheese:
2005 Chanrion, Côte-de-Brouilly:
In a great place today with a worsted texture, delineated fruit and earth flavors, a note of cinnamon “red-hots,” with excellent balance and sustain. I don’t doubt that this will develop in the cellar but it is delicious right now. 13% alcohol, imported by Kermit Lynch and about $15; under-priced.
Cesar salad with crusty bread:
2004 de Villaine, Bourgogne (blanc) Les Clous:
A touch sulfurous (which doesn’t blow off); not as good a showing as the last bottle but still, varietally correct, mineral infused and precise. 12.5% alcohol, imported by Kermit Lynch and about $20; this bottle was not worth it; others have been.
Grilled chicken with spinach pesto, onion marmalade and roasted peppers:
2004 Dom. Leroy, Bourgogne:
Rhubarb, cherry and earth tones, reticent; clipped in the mouth with flavors that follow the nose but are mostly earthy; medium length but not much flavor there. Entirely closed and unhappy about being opened now – nothing at all like the first couple bottles I tasted (which were exciting); HOLD. 12.5% alcohol, imported by Leroy Inc. and about $67 on release; not worth it today.
Best, Jim