Not feeling much like being out, we had New Year's at home, with a simply herbed rack of lamb with celery-root and potato mash, seasoned with truffle salt. We decided to forego bubbles and opened a Heitz 1990 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Martha's Vineyard. The cork completely distintegrated, requiring a decant through a strainer, and the initial signs were alarming: a nice nose and decent color, but a dead palate and a wall of residual tannin. But within 20 minutes the wine was showing signs of life, and an hour in, it was thoroughly enjoyable. Supple dark fruit, flowers, notes of licorice and cocoa, and some of what I gather is the characteristic eucalyptus note, though it was hardly prominent. Not opulent; nice texture, if a little angular. This was a one-off purchased long after release, but it's a wine I've always wanted to try and I'm glad I did.
Earlier in the week, we opened a Ridge 2003 Napa Valley (Spring Mountain District) Petite Sirah, York Creek Vineyard, "Dynamite Hill" block. Bought several of these after tasting it on release, and while this, the first we've opened in a while, was a good bottle, I'm unsure where it will go from here; the aromas seem to me less rather than more expressive, and while the tannins have begun to soften, it doesn't have a lot of acid to give it pop. From time to time there were flashes of vibrancy that made me optimistic, but I worry that this may just be on a long, slow slide toward being boring. I hope I'm wrong.
A while back, having enjoyed Michael McCay's contribution to the "Lodi Native" project, I ordered a half-case of his other wines, including five Zins and a McCay Cellars 2013 Lodi Grenache, Abba Vineyard. McCay is apparently pretty keen on Grenache and I can see why: this is a really lovely, pure wine, medium-ruby, with fresh and (slightly) stewed strawberry notes, framed by spice, bright and sunny but not too big and not obscured by a lot of new wood (maybe none). Paired nicely with a non-traditional posole (with sweet potatoes and a little chipotle added to the usual mix).
We don't drink enough Sauternes: that's the conclusion from opening a Château Doisy-Védrines 2009 Sauternes (375ml) the other night. Seemed like the right thing to go with a dessert of sliced pears and Saint-Agur cheese. Delightful: ripe but light on its toes, a little tropical, a lotta apricot, and a very long finish that carries interesting savory elements, white pepper and saffron among them. Not stunningly intense but totally engaging, and at $16 for a half-bottle....
Finally, tonight's wine, a Jean-March Brocard 2002 Chablis Grand Cru "Les Clos," is showing really well: still very fresh, indeed surprisingly grapey-melony on first opening, now revealing some intense lemon-curd, light toastiness, and a long, minerally finish. Still young, I'd say, though this is our last of this wine; the previous one was DOA, so it's nice to finish with an intact bottle.
And happy new year to all. As my dad used to say, "guess we better drink the good stuff first."