WTN: Smorgasbord dinner at Veranda Restaurant, Grand Hotel, Stockholm Sweden with Anders and Marie Kallberg. Wide variety of herring in many variations, excellent roe, very good salmon in a number of variations, good range of vegetables and desserts. The wine was a remarkably good match for almost everything I tasted – there was a slightly sweet note in the attack – abboccato? – which complemented the acidity of the fish and a slightly bitter finish added a grace note to many of the fish offerings, and of course went well with the vegetables.
2004 Rocca Barbera d'Asti Piedmont Italy. Intense ruby red color, deep hue, very good Barbera aroma, very good fruit notes, lots of dark berry notes in both aroma and taste, slightly sweet with mild acidity and quite a nice finish, ending with a bitter note. Fell apart a bit after 45 minutes or so, just when the desserts were arriving and wine was not really necessary. EG2. 3*.
This was such a splendid evening – good food, good wine, a fantastic view of the beautiful city scape – and most of all two people who were very welcoming to us both. Anders and I have read each others posts over the past several years, and he once voluntarily carried punsch to Oregon based on one of my notes that Janet loved the stuff, but we couldn't find it here in the States. Nonetheless, as soon as we saw each other (on the previous evening, notes to follow) it was as if we had been friends for years. The internet has certainly deepened my relationships with people all over the world.
Thanks Anders and Marie.
Regards, Bob