WTN: 78 Barolo, 89 Saar and St Estephe, more

I did a lot of cooking with Betsy busy with rehearsals and concerts. Thursday I made pork tenderloin with Indian spices and sauteed greens, wine was the 2013 Iche “Les Heretiques” (VdP l’Herault). Round black fruits, earth, some tannin. Not going to call this one elegant but it’s a great QPR alternative to Cotes du Rhone. Ordered a few more. B

Friday I made clams and arugula over pasta, with the 2013 Cirelli Trebbiano d’Abruzzo. Light, easy, pleasant but not a lot there, but inexpensive. B-/C+

Saturday I made corned beef and cabbage as I won’t be home on St Paddys. Wine was the
2006 Nikolaihof Vom Stein Federspiel Riesling. Apparently according to CT there’s an original bottling of this, but this is the one that stayed in wood till last year, Floral, citrus, and mineral, softer than I expect from Nikolaihof (but I’ve never tasted one that sat in cask so long), seemingly a lot of extract, quite interesting but I don’t actually love this. But like. B

Sunday Betsy’s all-cello trio played a benefit concert, then her compadres joined us for dinner.
We started with smoked salmon canapes and mushroom bruschetta

NV Phillipe Prie Brut Champagne
Soft, a little yeast, apples, pleasant enough but no need to seek. B-/C+

Betsy made bucatini with a sardine/fennel topping.
2012 Ca Rugate “Monte Fiorentine” Soave Classico.
Almonds and pit fruits, a hint of oiliness to texture, good food wine.B

then on to my chicken with shallots and tomato, and some broccoli
1978 Ceretto Zonchetta Barolo
Another lesson in how much Nebbiolo loves air. A little stanky and thin on opening. Couple hours in decanter improved it, but still on the thinner side and quite leathery, but some floral notes made it interesting. Then the revisit at end of meal- guests were astonished it was the same wine- much fuller fruit, dried flowers, mushrooms. Good length, great showing for the “basic” wine. B++

1989 Ch. Meyney
Mature, cassis and black plum fruit, cigarbox, menthol. Tannins are mostly resolved, this is drinking well. B+

Cooking wine was the 2012 Monte Bernardi Fuori Strada (Off Road) Grillo, in the 1 liter tetrapak. White peach, citrus, fairly full, this could use more zip but good for price and enjoy the packaging. B-

Monday assorted leftovers with the 1989 Kramp “Coopers Wine” . This is a QbA, part of a stash of 1989s found in a Saar cellar of a defunct producer. Quite youthful really, just a hint of petrol, very light, lime is predominant fruit. Fun to try. B


Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C drinkable. 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.

[David M. Bueker]

I know that people go ga ga over the Vinothek wines from Nikolaihof, but I have never been bowled over by any of their long wood aged wines, Vinothek or otherwise.

I actually loved the 90 Vinothek Riesling, and quite liked a (93?) Vinothek GV I had a sip of at a mega-offline, but not this so much.

I noticed that the AP # of the 89 Kramp ended in 13, which puzzled me, till I realized that's when submitted for approval.

Also realized as I was doing recycling that I left off one wine from Sunday. One cellist only drinks red, and rather than have her working on decanters while rest of us were having Champagne and white, I opened a 2013 Barou “Cuvee des Vernes". Lighter styled Syrah, balanced acid, peppery, herby, pleasant.