When I flew back from Atlanta Monday, Betsy and her son David flew to Southern California to visit with friends and relatives. So I finished out the year alone (except for some good friends, good food, and some wine- only a little of which was good). A good opportunity to work by way through some dubious Christmas "bounty":
2000 Georges Dubœuf Prestige Merlot (Vin de Pays d'Oc) Not sure I've ever seen a Merlot this purple! Tannic for a Douboeuf wine. with sweet plum fruit, mint and vanilla, and almost no acidity. B-/C+
2001 Boxler Riesling Just delicious. Balanced, minerally, sweet fruit but a totally dry wine. Great bargain at $14. B+
2000 Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Raspberry and plum fruit, lots of sweet oak flavors, short finish B-
At a New Year's Eve party that featured a nice spread of food, and a lot of people who brought instruments (I'm happy as a roadie, the only way I can help make music is carrying a 'cello) and made nice music:
2000 Abadia Retuerta Rivola (Sardon de Duero) I really liked this wine in earlier vintages, not sure if it changed or me (probably both). But this is better than some recent Rivolas I've had. Red fruit, some vanilla-ish oak, decent acidic balance. B
2002 Penfolds Koonunga Hills Chardonnay (Southeastern Australia) oak, tropical fruit, oak, citrus, oak. Lots of wood for an inexpensive wine. B-
NV Pierre Peters Blanc de Blancs “Cuvee Reserve” – A complex mouthful of apple fruit (both tart green and sweeter red apples), a hint of biscuits and chalk, spicy finish. Very very good. A-
NV Veuve Cliquot Brut- Fatter, sweeter, but with some decent yeast notes. B
At a New Year's Day party (more music, this time Irish and duets from Figaro):
2002 Bründlmayer Langenloiser Grüner Veltliner Kamptaler Terrassen Yum. Peach blossoms, minerals, white pepper. Yum. B+
2000 Perrin Vacqueyras Meaty, rich. A little herby note on top of the ripe red fruit. Good. B+
Happy 2004 to all of you.
Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre at best. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Dale
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