WTN: Wines with food

With wraps filled with humus and grilled veggies:

N/V Bodegas Pedro Romero, Manzanila Sherry Aurora (500 ml):
A really soft, yeasty, nutty, sea-air infused sherry that goes with this dish so well its like I’m dining on an outdoor patio in Cadiz overlooking the sea; served chilled this has a “pop” in the mouth and it lingers with a lovely freshness. 15% alcohol, imported by Frontier Imports and about $12; I’ll buy more.

2004 San Alejandro, Rosado Las Rocas:
Old vine grenache that has the scents and flavors of strawberries and cherries, clean, bright, juicy and well flavored, this is everything a rosé should be. 13.5% alcohol, imported by Eric Solomon and about $3; buy it by the case.

(Aside: Diane prefers the Rosado with the meal, not being a fan of oxidized wines. But for me, the sherry is tasty and symbiotic with the food. Either way, we are well served by the wines.)

With grilled salmon cakes and couscous:

2001 Edmunds St. John, Los Robles Viejos:
I am too early to this again; composed of mourvèdre, syrah, grenache and counoise from the Rozet Vineyard in Paso Robles, this wine is alluringly scented and quite integrated but also a little closed – I just can’t keep my hands off of it because it still shows well with deep fruit flavors, focus, a broth-like texture and excellent balance. But, it could use a few years in the cellar. 14.2% alcohol and about $27; I bought a lot.

With assorted cheeses:

2003 Dom. Tempier, Bandol:
Warm, complex aromas and a supple, worsted texture with lots of concentrated, savory fruit and a wide open, muscled delivery; a wine of endless complexity and yet, powerful and deep. Drinking wines like this makes the world seem a very cheerful place. Shows no ill effects from the vintage. Imported by Kermit Lynch and about $23 on sale; I’m going back today for the rest of it.

Best, Jim

2001 Edmunds St. John, Los Robles Viejos:
I am too early to this again; composed of mourvèdre, syrah, grenache and counoise from the Rozet Vineyard in Paso Robles, this wine is alluringly scented and quite integrated but also a little closed – I just can’t keep my hands off of it because it still shows well with deep fruit flavors, focus, a broth-like texture and excellent balance. But, it could use a few years in the cellar. 14.2% alcohol and about $27; I bought a lot.

Indeed a beautiful wine! I haven't run across one of these that I thought was closing down yet and I'd like it that way . Agree that this is tough to keep your hands off of, but fortunately a local retailer still has it in stock at a great price, so I stop in every month or two and simply reload.
Bill

Good news about the Bandol. Hard to find anything up here, Jim.
Still have some older Bunan here in the cellar.

[David M. Bueker]

Surprising that the Rocas Rosé is still drinking well. I would have expected that to be a wine that fell apart rather quickly. Good deal.

As for the LRV (or recent Shell & Bone versions), what more needs to be said but buy, buy, buy. I've added 4 cases of ESJ to my cellar in the last 4 months, and it's not nearly enough.

I haven't run across one of these that I thought was closing down yet and I'd like it that way.

Bill,
Maybe I'm using the wrong descriptor, because the wine really does show well. It just seems compact and dense to me - such that, I think a couple of years will loosen it up a bit and give even more complexity and nuance.
Best, Jim

Bill,
Maybe I'm using the wrong descriptor, because the wine really does show well. It just seems compact and dense to me - such that, I think a couple of years will loosen it up a bit and give even more complexity and nuance.
Best, Jim

Jim,
Gotcha now.
BP