Wonders never cease

Those of you with partners that don’t appreciate wine to quite the degree you do may enjoy this.
Our usual is that Diane prepares dinner and I select, open and pour the wine. Other than to say a wine is corked, she seldom comments on anything I pour. As she says, “I like to drink it; I don’t like to talk about it.”
Last night, when I poured the following wine (blind to her), she mentioned that it had a funky nose. Not wanting to interrupt her thoughts I responded something like “ummm.” Then she asked, “Is there mourvèdre in this?”
Indeed there is!
M’lady has been sand-bagging me, or so it would appear. But I’ll not mention that and see what other surprises are to come.
Happy me!

2001 Edmunds St. John, Los Robles Viejos:
My first impression is that this is high-quality CdP with great cut; lots of aromatic complexity; very bright fruit flavors that are equally complex but also have a touch of CA ripeness, good balance and excellent sustain. A blend of mourvèdre, syrah, grenache and counoise from the Rozet vineyard in Paso Robles; I understand that more recent incarnations of this blend are called Shell and Bones. A food wine, first and foremost and worth every penny of $27; I bought a lot and would again.

Other tastes:

2001 Giacosa, Nebbiolo d’Alba:
Dusty cherry on both the nose and palate, good grip, complexity and balance, nice sustain. I simply can’t have too much of this wine in the cellar. Locascio imports and about $20 on release; I’d surely pay that again.

2005 Jean-Pierre et Jean François Quenard, Chignin Anne de la Biguerne:
From the website: “This cuvée is made from 65-year-old vines, grown on chalk and limestone soils. After being harvested by hand, the grapes undergo a long fermentation with full malolactic. The lies are stirred in the tank for two months to give the wine additional richness and complexity. The wine shows mineralled notes (tonic) as well as higher-pitched floral notes. Something like a hypothetical cross of Grüner Veltliner and Muscadet. Production is just over 600 cases a year.”
I couldn’t say it much better than that. And one case is not near enough of this at $10; I’d buy it again.

Best, Jim

Jim, were you able to get the ESJ in Florida? I'm on the other side of the state, and haven't seen it there, but haven't looked hard either. Great stuff, lacking only the funk I like in some CdPs. But obviously very high quality stuff, great purity, and I too would buy more, if I could.

Jim, were you able to get the ESJ in Florida?

I ordered direct. Its legal to ship in now.
Stacole may also have some.
Best, Jim

Another question, Jim. I am about to retire and will be spending 4 - 5 months in Florida starting next winter, and want to transfer a part of my cellar down there from Michigan.
Do you store wine in Florida? How? We leave our thermostat set at 80 during the summer, and of course there is no basement, so I have not stored wine there om tje [ast, and just buy and drink, which is nowhere near as much fun as grabbing a bottle from a cellar.
Do you have a wine cooler, and if so, how big?

I have a two case wine cooler I use for whites. I store my reds in an air-conditioned closet. But then, I am only here in the winter when very little air-conditioning is needed. Anything that remains when its time to go north goes in the fridge or comes with me.
My cellar stays in NC. I bring a couple cases back but I have a great wine store here in FL and like to try new things from them.
In NC, we have no good store but we have the entire cellar to drink from.
Win-win.
Best, Jim

Sounds like a good plan. Thanks.

...I am about to retire...

Let us know the big day and we'll all have an on-line toast! Perhaps you could join us in Chat?

Beth still thinks retirement for me is a myth, and perhaps it is, but I intend to give it a real try in about a year, Howie. And I keep remembering Chat about an hour after it's done.

Beth still thinks retirement for me is a myth, and perhaps it is, but I intend to give it a real try in about a year, Howie. And I keep remembering Chat about an hour after it's done.

The memory is a good indicator that retirement is at hand; at least, that's what I found.
I've been happily retired for over 12 years. At least I think its been twelve?
Best, Jim

The memory is a good indicator that retirement is at hand; at least, that's what I found.

Then it must be time NOW. But for what???? I forget!