WTN: Stuart Smalley does Bdx and Burg, w/bonus Basque wine

Betsy is away at Monadnock Music, so I'm fending for Dave and I. Thursday was eel (unagi kabayaki- from freezer section at Asian grocery, this was so good for so cheap I'm never ordering unadon at a restaurant again), leftover pasta salad, and a green salad. Seemed to call for red, so I opened the 2007 Ilarria Irouleguy. I've seen Iroulegy compared to Bordeaux, and as it's mostly Tannat like Madiran that seems reasonable (as Madiran is my fave Bdx ringer). But I can't see that with this one. Cru Beaujolais, Bourgueil, or even Lagrein would seem closer to me. Red fruit, bright acidity, present but light tannins. Strawberries, cherries, and herbs. Not Bordeaux, but very enjoyable midbodied wine. Good deal at $18, I'll go for more. B+/B

Friday as work day ended I was eying the $4/lb lobsters at Stew's and thinking with the beautiful corn and tomatoes I had gotten in co-op halfshare, I could do the James Boyce lobster/corn/tomato salad and open a good white Burg. When David said he'd be with his girlfriend and not be home for dinner, I started to change plans- why do a mutli-step recipe and open a 1er cru just for me? But then I reconsidered- I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and dog gone it, people like me. Why not? So I went to Stews, parboiled lobsters, cooked corn (using tarragon and hot pepper from garden rather than thyme), assembled salad. And opened a 2005 Matrot 1er. But the pox was (barely) lifting it's ugly head. Should I just bear with it, or splurge for something more? I am a worthy human being. OK, I'll compromise, a half bottle.

2005 Matrot Meursault-Charmes.
Medium to full bodied, apple cider, honey, nuts. Obvious signs of oxidation, I put aside for a while. Revisited later, the oxidation seems more integrated, this seems like a just over the hill 15 year old Meursault. For a 2005 Meursault 1er, C+, for a random possibly old white Burg, B/B-.
And that's okay.

2004 Ch. Lagrange (St. Julien, from half bottle)
Cassis and black cherry, toast and a little vanilla, medium bodied claret, good length, nice wine. B+/B


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. 

But then I reconsidered- I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and dog gone it, people like me. Why not? So I went to Stews, parboiled lobsters, cooked corn (using tarragon and hot pepper from garden rather than thyme), assembled salad. And opened a 2005 Matrot 1er. But the pox was (barely) lifting it's ugly head. Should I just bear with it, or splurge for something more? I am a worthy human being. OK, I'll compromise, a half bottle.

Brilliant. I got a good laugh from that.

Yes, bravo.

You had to be facing the mirror when you deliberated on the wine? Or were you, really? Hilarious.

I've seen Iroulegy compared to Bordeaux, and as it's mostly Tannat like Madiran that seems reasonable (as Madiran is my fave Bdx ringer). But I can't see that with this one. Cru Beaujolais, Bourgueil, or even Lagrein would seem closer to me.
 

Dale, I've never really seen the similarities of Irouleguy vs Madiran either, despite the same grape being mostly used. I could definately see the same qualities with Central Loire wines, however.

And when is being alone a reason not to open a wine? If I followed that line of thinking, my bachelor days would have been pretty dry indeed!

And when is being alone a reason not to open a wine? If I followed that line of thinking, my bachelor days would have been pretty dry indeed!

Oh, being alone is never a reason for not opening A wine. But generally with the $40+ I buy them to share, either with my wife or my friends. By myself I'll generally open something good but not expensive. But this internal dialogue had more to do actually with doing the multistep recipe (and driving 5 miles for the lobster) than the wine.

Though I did have an interesting conversation at a vino pool party Sunday about choosing wine for an event. Obviously there's the matching part, but there is also a set of social/financial criteria. It's not like I have conscious list, but I do consider:
1) who is going to be there, are they geeky or just happy with something made from grapes?
2) how many are going to be there?
3) how many bottles of this do I have (and is restocking likely)?
4) how many times have I already had?
5) how is it likely to show- does it need time to evolve in bottle/glass/decanter?

So, at a geeky event like Sunday I want to make sure I pull my weight, and bring stuff folks will find interesting. But knowing there is a good sized crowd and I'll only get one pour, I probably wouldn't take something that I had one bottle of that I had been saving for a long time, and I'm not sure how it will show. I'd be more likely to open that with just Betsy or dinner for 4.
I don't spend time analyzing this stuff, but subconsciously it enters into choices.

Dale, awesome!! Where would we be without a good rationalization once in a while? I'm just surprised you didn't crack open a grand cru

I was searching for info on Irouleguy when I ran into this - great post, Dale!