[TN] Lipton vs. Trotter ('02 Ridge Zin/'04 Bojo)

Agree with your conclusions, but wonder what a more restrained Zin with acids like Dashe? I'd still bet on the Beaujolais, but might be fairer fight.

Nice notes.

I never said that I played fair, Joseph. However, I think that you're underselling the ability of Beaujolais to pair with food. With rabbit or quail, I'll take a good Cru Beaujolais over any other wine. To me, it's made for lighter game animals. It'd probably do well with squirrel, too, but I haven't given it a shot (so to speak) yet ;-)

Mark Lipton

Interesting. I think my mind would have been centred on whites (I tend to match wine to food without thought to the tastes - or lack of - that my guests may possess. At best they will expand their wine horizons. At worst, at least I'll enjoy the match!).

I'd have been headed for the Rhine, or maybe Australia as either an off dry Riesling or a rich Semillon would probably be worth trying.

Reds are tougher, but your BJ was probably an excellent choice. I'm a big Zin fan, but would never even think about using one in that company, big or small.

I'm with you all the way, Bill. Having dined at Trotter's restaurant and been impressed with the wine service, I had higher hopes for his suggested pairings, but this one was just misguided IMO.

Mark Lipton

I often think that food and wine pairing is taken to extremes too often. The right wine for a meal is the one the person prefers regardless of anyone else's tastes. Many times when some professional recommendation is made I don't care at all for any of the wine selections made. I do not like sweet wines, only like a handful of white varietals and prefer mostly zins, syrahs, pinots, petites syrahs and an occasional Cab. I think the two women had it right if they enjoyed their food and wine!

Hi miles,

le/on Tue, 29 Jan 2008 19:05:20 -0700, tu disais/you said:-

you mean - shock horror - one actually considers that there might be such a thing as a good match?

Nope, that's the right wine for that person. However there are many people whose wine likes and dislikes are FAR too limited and fashion driven (ABC for example) and for them there simply may be NO wine that is both a good match and pleases their palate. They would be better off drinking nothing, in my view. It seems to me that it's as silly to drink a wine that wrecks the dish simply because one likes the wine, as it is to drink a wine you hate JUST because it goes well.

However, when serving wine for a dinner party, I feel it's better to serve something that's generally recommended, because it's likely you'll please most at the table.

All the Best Ian Suffering from severe electile dysfunction. I can't get excited about any of them!