WTN: 2006 NZ SB, 2000 St Emilion

Thursday's dinner was crispy flounder, with greens and potatoes - quickly consumed before I went with Betsy to opera. I opened the 2006 Cairnbrae "the Stones" Sauvignon Blanc. This is a wine I quite liked in previous vintages, and I looked forward to the 2006. But this seemed a bit muted and a tad dilute, light grapefruit accented by hint of jalapeno. Retasted on Fri and Sat, the fruit had deepened into kind of a "Juicy Fruit" gum meets grapefruit mix. What was missing all 3 nights was any hint of the minerality that made me so like previous vintages. B-

I had done a Run Wed night, gone to see "La Donna del Lago" Thursday, and was a bit pooped Friday. Betsy was working, I stopped at local supermarket on way home. Not my favorite place for meat, but spotted some rib steaks cut 2.5" inches (usually they cut them 1" tops). Grabbed one, did a short marinade with rosemary and sage, grilled with some yellow squash. I decanted the 2000 Grand Corbin Despagne (St. Emilion) an hour or two before dinner. It still seemed tight on first pour, a dark and tannic wine. It gained steam with time, the "bleu" meat a nice foil for the tannins. The palate was a combo of cassis and a little toasty oak. A bit short on the finish. I left the remaining half-bottle just recorked on counter, and finished on Sat (I still had half of the huge steak, I warmed in a pan and made a quick red wine and shallot sauce). On night two this was really singing for its level. This is all about the blackcurrant fruit, with ferric mineral notes and some chocolatey accents. Nothing short about the finish on second night, all one could ask for in a $18 modern St. Emilion. BNased on 1st night's tightness, not touching more for a few years. A-/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.

Dale,

The "lower level" 2000 Bordeaux seem to be quite a good value. We've been buying quite a few of them in the $16 to $25 range and have yet to be disappointed. I've just been opening them to air about 4 hours before drinking and they have been ready to go when called on, for the most part.

We tried the 1998 vintage of this Bordeaux earlier this year. It was odd. Gary B thought it was possibly oxidized, but I didn't see any browning. I am really wondering now if it was simply shut down tight, because it tasted a little off, but not really "spoiled." Oxidation is not something I have a lot of experience with, though. I chatted with the owner of Arlington Wines in Kensigton, CA about the wine (I trust him) and he thought it might simply be going through a closed period. I might take a risk and eventually buy another bottle.

I agree re some of the low level 2000s, though the better ones are now snatched up. I'm planning on getting my Lalande de Pomerols, Cotes de Castillons, etc into drinking queue now.

Brian, I liked the '98GCD a lot. A 375 was drinking nice but young last year, would expect the 750s to have a lot of life left.