WTN: Loire, MSR, Margaux, and Bourgognes

A pretty nice assortment over several days

2008 Selbach Oster "Anrecht" Zeltinger Himmelreich Spatlese
Over three nights. First night, some spritz, clean acids, good fruit, I liked. But I liked even more on night two, the fruit (peaches, yellow plums, lime) resting on a real backbone of acidity, good minerality on finish. Nervy and tangy. Still tasty on night 3, if not compelling. Initially B+/B, but A- on night 2.

2007 Pernot Bourgogne Blanc
Served with halibut with a white wine, onion, and anchovy sauce, this surprised me by being an absolutely atrocious match. Something with the sauce clashed with the Chardonnay, making it bitter and acrid. Can't quite figure out the clash, but tasted by itself (or with fish minus the sauce), as always a classy fresh basic Bourgogne. Clean pear fruit, solid acids, mineral. B+ (C- tasted with the onion sauce)

2005 Marquis d'Alesme Becker (Margaux)
With lamb loin chops and salad, some firm tannins, cassis and black cherry, a bit of vanilla and cedar. Modest length. If you're looking at this as a 3rd growth from a great vintage, don't think you'll be impressed. But as a $16 Margaux, pretty good. B

2008 Drouhin "Laforet" Bourgogne Blanc
OK, I admit, I didn't look closely enough, and used a foil cutter to remove top of the screwcap. Oops. Fresh, apple fruit with a little floral edge, clean. This was mostly used as a cooking wine, but pretty decent QPR. B-

2007 Francois Cotat "Les Culs de Beaujeu" Sancerre
OK, sometimes I lack patience. I picked these up Thursday, and by Friday I had to have some. As I was preparing a pasta with a shrimp and leek sauce, along with brocollini with currants, I got a head start on the dinner wine. Clean citrus (grapefruit and lime), a minty herby note, but dominated by minerals. Great acids, excellent length, exactly what I look for in Loire SB. A-

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.  

2007 Pernot Bourgogne Blanc
Served with halibut with a white wine, onion, and anchovy sauce...Something with the sauce clashed with the Chardonnay, making it bitter and acrid.

I would guess the anchovies, no? They can be difficult to match with wine.

(I say this as someone preparing to use sardines on a pizza that I will eat with some sort of white wine accompaniment).

brocollini with currants

This sounds interesting. What exactly is the preparation? How do you use the currants/

I would guess the anchovies, no? They can be difficult to match with wine.

(I say this as someone preparing to use sardines on a pizza that I will eat with some sort of white wine accompaniment).

I like an acidic, perfumed, spicy, young Rose' with that kind of food.

marco

Rahsaan, the thing is this recipe (Marcella Hazan) used 2 anchovies, with probably 2 onions and lots of wine. Hard to see that small amount causing the clash, but there was nothing else (well, parsley and garlic) so maybe. I love things like pissaladiere (and like Marco drink rose), but there the anchovy is so much more prominent.

I soaked currants (and actually a couple of cut up dried apricot slices) in white wine to plump/soften. Blanched the broccolini, then sauteed some garlic, added broccolini and fruit, and a little red pepper flake. Good, but not something I thought I must do again.

Rahsaan, the thing is this recipe (Marcella Hazan) used 2 anchovies, with probably 2 onions and lots of wine. Hard to see that small amount causing the clash, but there was nothing else (well, parsley and garlic) so maybe.

I see your point about the portions. Who knows. At least there was some pleasure to be had from the wine.

I soaked currants (and actually a couple of cut up dried apricot slices) in white wine to plump/soften. Blanched the broccolini, then sauteed some garlic, added broccolini and fruit, and a little red pepper flake.

Ok, yes, this makes sense. For some reason I was thinking fresh currants and was wondering how that got pulled off with broccolini.

2005 Marquis d'Alesme Becker (Margaux)
With lamb loin chops and salad, some firm tannins, cassis and black cherry, a bit of vanilla and cedar. Modest length. If you're looking at this as a 3rd growth from a great vintage, don't think you'll be impressed. But as a $16 Margaux, pretty good. B
  

Dale

thanks for the note. I put down a few of these from 2005 really based on my dim memory of the 82 vintage. Sadly I have seen a number of similiar comments over the last year or so. I suspect it will become a Sunday roast kind of wine rather than a special occassion wine. I wsa however going to wait a few more years before opening any.

Mark

I like an acidic, perfumed, spicy, young Rose' with that kind of food.

marco

Well I don't have any rose at home so I went with an 04 Alzinger riesling smaragd. It may not have been a match that will convince sommeliers around the world, but there wasn't a clash and we could enjoy the beauty of both the pizza and the wine. And both were beautiful! Plus the pizza wasn't loaded with sardines so they weren't present in every bite. But will keep that rose in mind for the future. I don't usually buy them but I enjoy them.

Some good ideas here on wine/food match-ups. The sardines have always had me scratching my head so thanks Rahsaan.
I wonder if a dry Portuguese white might be suitable but not a VV I guess?