Florida Jim
Florida Jim
2007 Le Colombier, Vacqueras Tradition:
13.5% alcohol, about $15, retail; 70% grenache, 20% syrah, 10% mourvèdre, 30 year old vines, élevage in cement; shy but clean nose of brined meat and dust, little fruit when first opened, later its all dark cherry scents; more generous in the mouth with raw meat, garrigue and wild cherry fruit; focused and firm but not tannic; medium length. With Rancho Gordo® Christmas bean soup, excellent.
2008 Erath, Pinot Noir:
13% alcohol, screwcap and about $16; translucent in appearance, transparent in delivery; smells like Oregon pinot without artifice or enhancement; tastes of clean red fruit, crisp and of its place; good sustain. Not a complex wine but as feminine and easy to drink as one could ask. With braised pork butt, excellent.
2008 Adelsheim, Pinot Noir Willamette Valley:
13.3% alcohol and about $20; much darker in both appearance and delivery than the foregoing wine, slightly sharp but otherwise a pleasant but forgettable wine. Not in the same league as the Erath.
N/V Cedric Bouchard, Champagne La Parcelle:
For Valentine’s Day; I have written glowingly about this several times previous so . . . over the course of the evening, the following stages were observed: mmmm, sigh, gush and swoon. Me, that is.
2009 Jadot, Beaujolais-Villages:
13% alcohol and about $9; firm and reticent at first but opens over 30 minutes to become a complete, fairly deep, beautifully focused Gamay with a mineral backbone and juicy fruit that the cru producers would be proud of. If there is a better $9 bottle of red on your wine store shelf, I’d love to try it. Outstanding with burgers and oven fries.
Best, Jim
13.5% alcohol, about $15, retail; 70% grenache, 20% syrah, 10% mourvèdre, 30 year old vines, élevage in cement; shy but clean nose of brined meat and dust, little fruit when first opened, later its all dark cherry scents; more generous in the mouth with raw meat, garrigue and wild cherry fruit; focused and firm but not tannic; medium length. With Rancho Gordo® Christmas bean soup, excellent.
2008 Erath, Pinot Noir:
13% alcohol, screwcap and about $16; translucent in appearance, transparent in delivery; smells like Oregon pinot without artifice or enhancement; tastes of clean red fruit, crisp and of its place; good sustain. Not a complex wine but as feminine and easy to drink as one could ask. With braised pork butt, excellent.
2008 Adelsheim, Pinot Noir Willamette Valley:
13.3% alcohol and about $20; much darker in both appearance and delivery than the foregoing wine, slightly sharp but otherwise a pleasant but forgettable wine. Not in the same league as the Erath.
N/V Cedric Bouchard, Champagne La Parcelle:
For Valentine’s Day; I have written glowingly about this several times previous so . . . over the course of the evening, the following stages were observed: mmmm, sigh, gush and swoon. Me, that is.
2009 Jadot, Beaujolais-Villages:
13% alcohol and about $9; firm and reticent at first but opens over 30 minutes to become a complete, fairly deep, beautifully focused Gamay with a mineral backbone and juicy fruit that the cru producers would be proud of. If there is a better $9 bottle of red on your wine store shelf, I’d love to try it. Outstanding with burgers and oven fries.
Best, Jim