Yesterday my friend and massage therapist Jerry informed me that he had bagged a 160 lb doe in a special, out-of-season deer hunt on Sunday, sanctioned by our fair State to combat the burgeoning Bambi population. He went beyond the mere mention to give me two gorgeous hunks of the backstrap (Jerry's enjoyed a long-standing symbiotic relationship with me in this regard as I don't hunt but love venison). Last night I cooked those medallions of venison, prepared a red wine-lingonberry reduction sauce and opened a wine to go with it, the 1996 Domaine des Rmizires (EARL Desmeure) Crozes-Hermitage "Cuve Christophe". It had a classic nose of animal, olives, dark berry fruit and a hint of smoke. On the palate, it showed completely resolved tannins, balanced acidity, deep berry fruit, and was clean yet meaty.
I'd decided on Syrah as the best match for the venison (there were a few Bandols calling to me, though) and we weren't disappointed. This wine had the classic N Rhone combination of fruit and meat and was perfectly mature though vibrant and still fruity. The wine itself was a good, but not profound, example of Syrah from the N Rhone and won't displace Alain Graillot from my affections, but on this night provided the perfect foil to the food. Alas, this producer is rumored to have succumbed to the Dark Side (in this case, Patrick Lesec) in later years and now uses far more new oak than they did for this bottling. Cue Freddy Mercury and the lads...
Mark Lipton
I'd decided on Syrah as the best match for the venison (there were a few Bandols calling to me, though) and we weren't disappointed. This wine had the classic N Rhone combination of fruit and meat and was perfectly mature though vibrant and still fruity. The wine itself was a good, but not profound, example of Syrah from the N Rhone and won't displace Alain Graillot from my affections, but on this night provided the perfect foil to the food. Alas, this producer is rumored to have succumbed to the Dark Side (in this case, Patrick Lesec) in later years and now uses far more new oak than they did for this bottling. Cue Freddy Mercury and the lads...
Mark Lipton