Dinner Saturday night with friends was a simple affair of grilled meat, grilled asparagus & baked potatoes. Of course we also drank some wine:
Aperitif served alongside various finger foods:
1998 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Kabinett (Mosel)
Not for the acid averse. This is showing a golden hue & developed aromatics of apple, slate, kerosene and smoke. Initially served too cold it was a real acid bomb. After it warmed slightly there was better balance, with more fruit and smoke emerging, but it’s still a very acidic wine. ’98 was the last truly high acid vintage in Germany, and this wine shows it. Drink up soon before what’s left of the balance is totally lost. This was bought back when Schaefer kabinett cost $13. Frightening.
With the grill-fest:
1996 Jasmin Cote Rotie
On opening this seemed very insubstantial, so we let it sit for a while. After about an hour it started putting on weight & developed a complex, classical perfume of red fruit, leather, smoke, earth & just a bit of the horse. Smooth, medium weight and a perfect match with the more delicate flavors of a veal chop. This is drinking very well right now, just give it some air. $20 on closeout & well worth it and a bit more.
1995 Dalla Valle Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa)
Now that’s a horse of a different color! Still somewhat primary fruited, though it has shed most of its tannin & drinks very easily. Black fruit, earth, a touch of iodine and subtle wood that came out more with air. Better suited to steak than veal, but very enjoyable to drink. I wouldn’t pay for current releases of this, but it was very nice to have. I enjoy the style of the better balanced Cal Cabs once in a while, but find that I can do so much better in Bordeaux (until the 2005/2006 vintages came along that is) that I just do not buy from California anymore. The 2001 Clos Les Lunelles (a Cote de Castillon wine from Gerard Perse) replicates this style (albeit in Merlot) for 1/3 the price of current vintages of Dalla Valle.
While setting off (legal – thus wimpy) fireworks in my driveway in the rain:
1998 Meulenhof Erdener Treppchen Riesling Auslese Goldkap (Mosel)
We go back to that acidic year again. I’m really enjoying the ‘98s these days. This comes from an era when auslese still meant auslese, so in the current thinking this is more like a spätlese with botrytis. In any event there’s plenty of apple, pear and peach fruit, as well as some citrus zest and a touch of honey and spice. Elegant, refreshing and very drinkable, this is just about at its apogee as it approaches age 10.
Sunday AM it was up early & off to Mt. Tom in Massachusetts for my first serious training hike of the summer. Despite my poor workout habits and expanding waistline (too much business travel) I managed the 8 mile circuit in about 3 hours which was very satisfying. Even more satisfying was being on the exposed trap rock ledges of the Metacomet-Monadnock trail on a bright, sunny day with a stiff, cooling breeze. Despite my well-known hatred for New England hiking (too many trees, roots and rocks, not enough views - give me the Rockies any day) I really enjoy going back to Mt. Tom again & again. Saw a bear as well.