Friday Betsy needed some work done on a bow, and her bowmaker agreed to do a rehair during evening, so we dropped it off and went Luna, a Mt Kisco restaurant. Reasonably priced wine list with nice variety, I chose a 1999 Genot-Boulanger Volnay. Tight at first, then some raspberry and black cherry fruit came out, with some vanilla oak notes. Pleasant but somewhat simple. B
I'll take a moment to bitch about the restaurant. Mushroom streudel, potato & leek soup, and lamb chops weren't too bad, but my bison ribeye was a tad overcooked and the gorgonzola on top tasted as if it had sat in a fridge for 2 weeks. Place was over-the-top noisy, we saw the waitress exactly three times (when she took order, brought wine which took her 5 minutes to open, and when she brought check) as the busboy brought food, my water glass was empty for 20 minutes, and if you don't order from reserve list you get truly crappy small wineglasses. End of whine.
When we returned for bow, we were invited in for a glass of wine. Bowmaker is a collector, with a particular passion for California. He handed me a glass of
2000 Kistler Durrell Vineyard Chardonnay. Having discussed what I buy (a mostly Europhilic list), he said "too much oak for you?" Truth was, no. I probably would have hated this wine over a dinner table (unless maybe with lobster and drawn butter). But as a post-prandial drink it really shone. Rich pear and tropical fruit, buttery oak and a rich mouthfeel. There's an almost Meursault-like butterscotch note, but you'd never mistake this for anything but California. Big tasty Chard. A-/B+ Saturday we invited over a couple of couples, including a couple (ooohh, got in one word 3 times!) who had just returned from 6 months working in his native Paris. While Betsy finished dinner we nibbled on olives and peppered mackerel, and sipped the 1997 Michel Frères Crémant de Bourgogne Brut Rosé. Very pleasant, and quite the bargain at $11.50. Bright strawberry fruit, lively, with a fine mousse and tingly aftertaste. B+
As we moved to the table we switched to the 2001 Le Louvetier (Pessac-Leognan). Hint of vanilla, white fruit with a touch of honeydew melon. Light grassiness. OK. B
A brief pause for some excellent morel-Madeira soup, then the reds with the main course. Dinner was slow-cooked duck legs (there's mustard on them, but not enough to ruin wine), a sweet potato (the real thing, not yams) garlic hash, and winter greens (kale and collards). I knew one friend loved Cain 5, so first up was the 1996 Cain 5 (Napa Valley). Cassis and black plum, cedary oak with a hint of tobacco. Not a huge wine, fine tannins already mostly integrated, I'm actually surprised how much I enjoy. Very nice showing. A-
Next up was the 1996 Alex Gambal Volnay 1er Cru. Earth and red fruit, some tannin. Nice mouthfeel, but finish seems a little clipped. I have one more of this inexpensive Volnay, will put away to see if it evolves to something a little more appealing,B/B-
Last red was the 1995 Jaboulet "Le Pied de la Côte" Hermitage. Betsy immediately said pepper when sniffing, and indeed there was a distinct Northern Rhone black pepper nose. Black fruit, some definite new oak. I would have been happy if this was labeled Crozes-Hermitage, but as a Hermitage a disappointment. B
After salad, we went to a cheese plate with a Keen's cheddar, a nice fresh Italian I'd never heard of called La Tur, Pont 'L'Eveque, and a Point Reyes blue. Sipped the reds as well as the 1998 Pirramimma (McLaren Vale) Late-Harvest Riesling. Sweet, simple, with citrus fruit and a hint of apricot. Why bother? C+/B-
The dessert eaters loved Betsy's chocolate mousse with espresso and Grand Marnier, then our guests left, I washed dishes, then headed up to rest up for a day's snow shoveling. I don't know if I ever have posted long notes where my two favorite wines were California!
My usual disclaimer: I'm a pretty easy grader, basically A is a very good wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice Dale
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