Recent content by David from Switzerland

Friday night at my place. Most reds sponsored by Remo and served blind by yours truly, who also prepared dinner and typed all these notes on his smart phone. Guests included Remo (needless to say), Christian, Oliver, Rainer and René. Fritz Haag Riesling Auslese #15 Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr...

You guys crack me up! Happy for you - as well as envious! Greetings from Switzerland, David. _________________ J'ai gaché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ Roger Conti

Glad you like it (green with envy)! With cheese, occasionally as part of gourmet dishes (decoration) as it offsets certain flavors, possibly also desserts. I'm pretty sure there must be Portuguese recipes using their quince paste, the British damson is more rare. I love the stuff so much, and...

Welcome! They also have quince paste, equally as delicious, if you like that. Be sure to insist on the one made from British quince (same as the damson), as they also have imported Portuguese quince paste (cheaper, less complex and intense). Tastes like Tokaji Aszú whereas the damson more like a...

Ever since Jeff mentioned damsons, I'm daydreaming (salivating) about the damson paste sold at Neal's Yard Dairy in London! Haven't had it in ages, but the memory still lingers on... Greetings from Switzerland, David. _________________ J'ai gaché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard...

That's a bummer, but the reason we have our own tree: can't get the indigenous variety at the market, farmers prefer growing more modern varieties that withstand the mould. Greetings from Switzerland, David. _________________ J'ai gaché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si...

Right. Although we're calling the British ones "damsons", smaller and more astringent, almost exclusively used to make damson paste to go with e.g. cheese, as they're almost inedible picked from the tree. But they're both "prunus domestica" varieties. Greetings from Switzerland, David...

Luckily, we usually have enough to be able and throw out all that have mildew or worms - except this year there were so few we ate them all fresh from the tree! Greetings from Switzerland, David. _________________ J'ai gaché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire...

They are! Unfortunately, the indigenous variety is susceptible to mildew, which can be a problem when autumn is wet, as the prunes are fairly sour and lightly bitter harvested prematurely. But they taste much better (more complex and subtle) than modern, low-acid varieties. Even so, they're...

Variety-specific! I do realize some use the term to refer to oxidative style wine-making in contrast to plum, which most associate with e.g. Vintage Port, but sweet and lacking in acidity certainly isn't what springs to mind considering the prunes we grow e.g. in our garden (the ancient...

Henri Bonneau Chateauneuf-du-Pape Réserve des Célestins 2009 L.014 Deep, fresh pruney garnet-red, virtually opaque at the centre. Fruity on the nose, but on the palate has clearly lost fruit compared to the barrel tasting, a bit tighter, less opulent and more dusty-tannic as a result. Still a...

I see your point, we've had discussions of this sort many times. In this particular case, of course, it was used as blending wine, with the other part (two thirds?) botrytised Auslese to Beerenauslese styled. Greetings from Switzerland, David. _________________ J'ai gaché vingt ans de mes plus...

Simon Maye & Fils Syrah Vieilles Vignes Chamoson 2003 Deep ruby-red. Still quite oaky at first, marzipan, black olive tapenade, sweet and ripe, extraordinarily concentrated, precise, nice body, still firm tannin, quite long. One of the finest Swiss red wines any of us has ever had - and I...

I'm with Karen on this one. The wine contains, if memory serves, a third ice wine, and from a vintage known for high and ripe acidity. Given it's all in proportion, I'd call it balanced, but whether wines likes this ever achieve harmony (to me usually the potential long-term result of balance...

Schlossgut Diel Riesling Auslese Gold Capsule VdP-Auction 1996 A standard size bottle that started leaking a few drops (bought at auction and impeccably stored, apparently due to a faulty cork with what looked like an indentation on its side) and that I decided to open and drink immediately...