Typical nose of Muscat, with the expected floral qualities. On the palate, it provides a shock to the system when presenting itself as a dry wine, but it has plenty of acidity and enough fruit to make it work. Great stuff.
NV Valdespino Manzanilla Deliciosa en Rama (bottled Spring 2013) (11/4/2013)
Although neither Jean nor I have much tolerance for oxidation in wines, Sherry represents our mutual exception to the rule. This one had a lovely nose: saline and nutty with a slight floral lift. Dry on the palate but with enough richness to hold our interest. One of the best dry Sherries I've had and fantastic with anchovy-stuffed olives.
1999 Louis Jadot Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Ursules (11/2/2013)Drunk tonight with a dinner of smoked quail. Still quite primary, with mineral notes and, by the end of the bottle, some noticeable gamey qualities. Still quite young, but with great fruit and very silky tannins. Drink or hold.
2009 Dashe Cellars Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley (10/29/2013)In search of a fruit-forward wine to open with pizza, I opened this. Classic Dry Creek Zin nose: dark, berryish fruit surrounded by lots of tarry notes. On the palate, it was medium-bodied with plenty of acidity to make for a clean finish. Rich, but not at all heavy, it reminded me of how good how Zin can be in the hands of a talented winemaker like Mike Dashe.
2010 A.J. Adam Hofberg Riesling Kabinett (10/27/2013)Yes, this is big for a Kabinett, but what a lovely wine it is! Off-dry (Jean thought it was more sweet than that) with a nose of peach, citrus and petrol, it has the expected acidity for the vintage and finishes dry, if not a bit tart.
2001 Domaine Anne Gros Vosne-Romanée Les Barreaux (10/20/2013)Opened tonight to have with smoked pheasant, it was tight at first and, even after a hard decant, was rather unforthcoming. Tart black cherry and raspberry and a hint of pencil lead were all that we could get from the nose, and on the palate it had nicely resolved tannins but a tightly wound core of fruit. Maybe better in 5 years, or maybe just a tough wine?
2009 Heinrich Mayr (Nusserhof) Elda (10/19/2013)Opened when our search for Dolcetto in the cellar came up blank. A suitable substitute, though, as it was light-bodied, drinkable with very smooth tannins and a cherry-strawberry fruit profile. Simple but tasty.
2009 Coudert Fleurie Clos de la Roilette (10/15/2013)Surprisingly open and fresh, this wine has a core of juicy, sweet Gamay fruit with a nose that has a floral quality to it. It's got the depth and poise that one expects from this producer and it doesn't scream "2009" at you, either. Lovely stuff.
2011 Bodegas La Val Albariño Rías Baixas (10/12/2013)Lightweight, with citrus and mineral notes. Varietally correct, if not profound.
2008 Wenzel Frank blue table Blaufränkisch10/12/2013)Medium-bodied, quite savory and structured with good acidity. A little bit of herbal character and fruit is in the background. Very nice, if a bit simple.
2010 Trimbach Riesling (10/12/2013)Lovely white peach and apple in a light-bodied, dry package. Just great, and a great value.
2011 La Chablisienne Chablis 1er Cru Fourchaume (10/10/2013)Somewhat round for a Chablis, it had the expected mineral notes, very correct varietal fruit and just enough acid to keep it interesting. Not as nervy as more prestigious Chablis, but a great value for 1er Cru.
2005 Château La Croix de Roche Bordeaux Supérieur (10/8/2013)Early on, a nose of mostly graphite, later taking on more herbal qualities. There is a bit of dark, plummy fruit lurking beneath, but it's pretty muted. Good structure, with bright acidity and some tannins still present. A perfectly acceptable Tuesday claret, but nothing special.
2002 Ridge Geyserville (10/4/2013)Much like my previous bottle, this was rich and plummy (not hot, though) with a mineral note and a bit of pencil lead. A great spine of acidity on the palate keeps it fresh and food-friendly.
2009 Domaine des Terres Dorées (Jean-Paul Brun) Côte de Brouilly (9/30/2013Given a hard decant before serving, it was soft, perfumed and a very nice match for roast chicken. It had just a touch of earthiness and minerality to offset the typical Gamay fruit. Still darker than our ideal, it was otherwise a classic example of Gamay.
Mark Lipton