Re: TN's Hanukkah-mas Dinner and Ch. Burbank Chard

Yes, I am surprised at full ML. The acid indicated to me, that there might still be a bit of malic. Nothing out of balance, just a hint on the tip o' the tongue. Thanks for the specs, and thanks for the wonderful wine.

I also hope that you caught my typo and my apology. Dang, I'm just not good at multi-tasking! I just hope that my clients benefit from my tunnel-vision.

Hunt

So why is it that red potatoes still make white potato pancakes? :)

I was dealing with a mixed crowd, some of whom knew what a good wine should taste like, and some of whom wouldn't know the difference. Aiming low turned out to be a good idea.

I started them out with my last bottle of 1998 Vielle Ferme CdR. Yes, it was $5 a bottle in 1999, and yes, it was still good Monday night. I thought this wine was rather light when I first bought it, but it seems to have picked up weight over the years.

While that was making the rounds I decanted a 1996 Gran Oristan La Mancha gran reserva. This was followed by a 1997 Nemea Saint George Skouras, which I figured would have died a couple years back, but is still showing well for what it is.

Next up was my only bottle of 2002 Mt. Langi Ghiran Billi Billi Creek shiraz (who knew the Speculator would choose it in its Top 100?). For

While I was busy scarfing latkes, somebody got into my stash and opened the bottle of 2002 Zachary's Ladder. This is a recent release from Gorman Winery in Washington. I was tipped off to it by Paul Gregutt at the Seattle Times, who tasted all of Gorman's new releases a few weeks back. (His personal favorite was "The Bully," with "The Evil Twin" close behind.) All it says on the label is Columbia Valley Red Wine, no info on the blend. Paul and I figure it's big on cab and syrah, with maybe a smattering of some other reds. This is a wine that ain't for wimps, and it drew some interesting responses from the group. Some people were not up to the challenge of a big, bold red, especially those who were accustomed to the lighter reds.

The only bottle still in the carrier when the party broke up was a

Mele Hannukahlikimaka!

JJ

An often "tough call," but it seemed that you handled it well. I hate the gatherings with a mixed bag of wine tastes. One hates to offend the serious winos with too much on the lower end of the spectrum, but then it's often hard on the neophytes, when you bring out the rare old Burg, or Bdx and they are all looking for the Blossom Hill.

Just had this one and YES, it is a very good wine. Didn't know that WS had praised it so - been behind on my reading the last month. Well, at least I tasted it, as it has all probably disappeared from the shelves in the US.

Since I've known Brian Delbondio for some years, I usually have some various Markhams on hand, but have never tasted their PS - gotta' get out to Napa more. Will look for this as PS is a secret love of mine and, while not at the level of some, Markham nearly offers very good wine at easily approachable prices - good value for the $.

Thanks for the TN's. I guess the answer to your question is rather like why is the juice from most red grapes white? Maybe if we keep the potato skins in contact with the must longer, we'd have red pancakes?

Aloha, Hunt

Yep, #91, rated 90 points.

shelves in the US.

Dunno. I do know that Garagiste offered the 2003 last week. I snoozed and lost on that one, but I'm sure it'll turn up later in the retail joints.

I've been a devoted PS fan since discovering the 1983 Mirassou Late Harvest bottling two decades ago. Silver Medal winner at the LA County Fair, I later found out. It was $3.50 a bottle at the Washington State liquor stores. After tasting the first bottle, I went back and bought all they had.

First tried the Markham with the 1994 vintage. I like my PS on that real inky, knock-your-socks-off side, and this was just that kind of wine. I almost cried when we finally ran out of it, but fortunately by then the '96 had been released.

Another favorite PS of mine is the Pedroncelli. On a friend's advice (more like insistence, really) I stopped by the winery in 1999 to taste their 1997 release. Absolutely stunning. I think I walked around the tasting room for five minutes with my nose in the glass, inhaling deeply and exclaiming loudly, before I could finally bring myself to actually taste it. The word "big" hardly does it justice. I bought the last two cases at Bottle Barn, and most of it is still in the cellar. Every once in a while I pull a bottle out, just to taste it and go, "Yeah, wow! -- I wasn't dreaming!" :)

Pedroncelli doesn't make the PS every year. I was told that the '97 was their very first attempt. Attempt? Yow. Since then I've also had their 2000 PS, which was very good. And talk about bang for the buck...I snagged the '97 for around $11.50 a bottle, and the 2000 was maybe $14. Pedroncelli is a small family winery in Sonoma, and all their prices are very reasonable.

Or maybe I could marinate them in Petite Syrah! Well, you know that old saying..."All white wine would be red if it could." Maybe the potatoes have a similar problem.

JJ