This and that

Florida Jim

Florida Jim
2010 Dom. Pépière, Muscadet Las Gras Moutons:
12% alcohol; Fuller and richer than most Muscadet with lemon, seashore and mineral tones, good sustain and nice balance. I marvel that folks still by white Burgundy when this costs only $16. Superb with pesto pasta.

2010 Dom des Braves, Régnié:
13.5% alcohol; also richer than expected with wonderful fresh and cooked fruit smells, good acidity, balance and sustain. Diane loves this wine (a rare comment from her), so I will be getting more soon. Other-worldly delicious with roast chicken. About $14.

2011 Qupé, Marsánne:
13% alcohol; 79% marsánne/21% rousánne; a nice rich wine with a bright delivery and good flavors; maybe a little too much rousánne for me but good accompaniment alongside pasta with broccoli. About $16.

Several of us met at Stark’s steak house in Santa Rosa for fun and dead burnt cow; here’s what we drank:

1998 G. Conterno, Barolo Cascina Francia:
Its pretty, deep, balanced and fleshy but has just enough new wood to make the palate less interesting than a recent Giacosa. Nice wine but it could have been great wine.

2010 Azienda Agricola Cos, Frapatto:
Oh boy is this good! Starts out similar to gamay but morphs into something like village Burgundy; yet it never mimics either one. Has its own distinct, delicious and fun profile and delivers pleasure at every sip. Terrific wine.

2005 Cuilleron, Côte Rôtie:
Distinctly of its place but suffers from the same fate as the Conterno; just a touch to much new wood. Still excellent with cow.

2006 Vall Llach, Priorat:
The perfect wine to put in a Napa cabernet tasting as a ringer. Soft, sweet, cabernet at 16% alcohol or thereabouts. No sense of place and, for me a bit cloying. Cocktail wine.

2007 Heymann Löwenstein, Riesling Schieferterrassen:
Probably at kabinett level but almost dry, this was crisp, clear and almost compelling. A great way to finish off this meal all by itself. My first wine from this producer and a good introduction.

Best, Jim
 
1998 G. Conterno, Barolo Cascina Francia:
Its pretty, deep, balanced and fleshy but has just enough new wood to make the palate less interesting than a recent Giacosa. Nice wine but it could have been great wine.

Wood? I've never really detected this from the two times I've had. And Giacosa is different stylistically, so I don't think it's a fair comparison. To me, you can't argue against either one of them.
 
A little char on the outside is fine, but they didn't actually burn that cow did they? I'm totally with you on Les Gras Moutons. Yes, I will drink Burgundy all day long, but I'm buying Muscadet. (So what else is new?) Don't blame the Roussanne if you think the Qupe could be better. Don't look for neither Gamay nor Pinot Noir in COS Frappato, just the magic and elegance of southern Sicilia. But do look for a little bit of soul in old-vine Cariñena from Vall Llach, even with some Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon thrown in, and understanding that the Priorat is a tropical country.
 
originally posted by Jeff Connell:
A little char on the outside is fine, but they didn't actually burn that cow did they? I'm totally with you on Les Gras Moutons. Yes, I will drink Burgundy all day long, but I'm buying Muscadet. (So what else is new?) Don't blame the Roussanne if you think the Qupe could be better. Don't look for neither Gamay nor Pinot Noir in COS Frappato, just the magic and elegance of southern Sicilia. But do look for a little bit of soul in old-vine Cariñena from Vall Llach, even with some Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon thrown in, and understanding that the Priorat is a tropical country.
Jeff,
You may be the last person I would anticipate giving props to the Priorat but I'm listening. Low acid and high alcohol push me in anther direction but I will wait and see.
Best, Jim
 
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