The weather’s warming here in Hockeytown, Blackie. Last night, it was so nice that I enjoyed my first cigar of the season on the back deck after the game, a Cuban Cohiba Edicion Limitada 2004, along with a couple glasses of Warre’s Warrior Port. I was celebrating not only the Wings 2-1 win over your Preds, but just the fact that I could sit outside comfortably at night without a jacket on. It’s a beautiful thing.
Did you uncork that Allemand to out-mojo my @ss like you threatened to? If you did, it almost worked. I was in a foul mood after Radek Bonk (wonder if he’s any relation to Joe?) tied the game with 44 seconds left in regulation, but Johan Franzen saved the day with his breakaway goal 1:49 into overtime. It was a good recovery from the disappointment of the two games in Nashville, and I like Osgood in net for my guys.
We enjoyed two wines from what is becoming one of our favorite producers during the last two games.
2001 Domaine de L’Oratoire St. Martin Cairanne Côtes du Rhône Villages Haut-Coustias, 60% Mourvèdre, 20% Syrah, 20% Grenache, 13.5% alc., $26.99: This looks like a glass of slightly cloudy ink, and offers flavors and aromas of rich red and black plum and berry filled out with earth, iron, underbrush, leather and a note of chocolate as it opens. Full-bodied and big-boned, this is still a young wine at six years old, but one that’s full of promise for a long life of excellent drinking, and like so many of these, it really opens with air, becoming more and more engaging. Still, it’ll be at its best in four or five years, so if you have better restraint than me, be patient.
Imported by J et R Selections, Mt. Pleasant, MI
We found a few bottles of the next one in a closeout bin at The Anderson’s on Talmadge in Toledo last February. Look at that price!
2004 Domaine de L’Oratoire St. Martin Cairanne Côtes du Rhône Villages Cuvée Prestige, 60% Grenache, 40% Mourvèdre, 14% alc., $12.99: Deep and dark in color, with an expressive nose of dark plum and berry shaded with some subtle chocolate, all of which echoes and expands beautifully on the palate with undertones of underbrush and leather. The solid tannic backbone and zippy acidity can’t hold this back now, given some time in a decanter; it’s already delicious and Kim and I both love it, but it should be really singing on or about its 10th birthday. It’s much more user friendly than it was last May, but then, it’s from a different importer. I wonder if there’s any difference between the two?
Imported by Vintner Select, Mason, OH
Ciao 4 now,
geo