WTN: Belle Pente, CRB, Brundlmayer, and Savary

Last night I came home to discover a dozen cases on front porch, the delivery of Betsy's CDs. I would have loved to take her for a special dinner to celebrate, but she had to play "Grendel." She had made a pasta sauce with clams and garlic scapes, I opened the 2004 Oliver Savary Chablis Vielles Vignes (I hate those stupid hard wax capsules). Nose of chalk, apple blossoms, and lemon zest. Rich lemony fruit on the palate, long minerally finish. Just a little rounder than my ideal in Chablis, but still a very tasty bottle. B+

I felt like some cheese later in the evening, and with it a glass of the 2004 Clos Roche Blanche "Pif" Touraine. I believe this is a combination of Cot, Cab Franc, and Gamay. Light body but good concentration. Ripe red fruit underlaid by a lively acidity, a tangy mineral core. I actually usually use "grapey" as a negative descriptor, but this reminds me delightfully of perfectly ripe red globe grapes. B/B+, but at $9 this is a solid A QPR.

I was in city today and took Betsy to lunch at Craftbar. She had salt cod croquettes with aioli, followed by skate with sauteed spinach. I got her the 2005 Brundlmayer "Terrassen " Grüner Veltliner (Kamptal). Lighter style of GV, and maybe lacking just a bit of oomph. Not really dilute, but without real depth. Still, a pleasant enough and typical wine. B-

I had the fried sage leaves  stuffed with sausage, and a panini of duck prosciutto with tallegio and hen of the woods. My glass was the 2004 Belle Pente "Yamhill-Carlton" Pinot Noir. A rather refined lighter PN, yet with a sense of structure. Black and red cherry fruit, some forest floor and mineral highlights, a little spice on the finish. Any new oak is hiding behind the fruit and spice notes. Very nice for what I think is Belle Pente's entry level wine. B+

Hot day, but lovely to have lunch with my wife (who loves Tom Colicchio's cookbooks), and I even found a free parking space.

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.  

Aaaaaaagh, the CD has arrived!!!! So how do we get a copy, cello music right? Count me in.

[David M. Bueker]

Another request to sign up for a copy of the CD.

And I did not think that 2005 was much of a year for Brundlmayer. Schloss Gobelsburg is better.

David,
I was a little disappointed as I thought '05 was supposd to be an excellent GV vintage, will look for the Gobelburgs (and cheap Hofer).

We have more than a thousand CDs at hand, but distribution (and setting up web space) won't start to happen till August. She leaves Monday to play/teach/pray at a Sufi camp, then we do vacation. This is NOT for the most part classical cello (though there's an Arvo Pärt piece and an improv on a Bach piece), rest is .....well, based on Northern Indian classical music, Sufi prayers in voice with cello and tamboura. I'll let you know when webpage (or myspace) is up, you can hear samples.

Thanks Dale, it all sounds very interesting. I sometimes need to get away from the classics, this seems to be up my street!!