TN: Lots of wines with Steve Edmunds and friends at Ciano

Steve Edmunds was in town,and Salil organized a nice group to greet him at Ciano last night. Food was very good, service attentive (though a few mixups), and company was grand.

Many many wines, I didn't take real notes but just quick impressions.

I loved these

1999 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne BdB just like a bottle Jay poured a couple of weeks ago, elegant, deep and lovely. 1998 Fourrier "Combes aux Moines" Gevrey-Chambertin 1er perfumed, a somewhat Volnayesque delicacy,lovely. 1966 Calon-Segur (St. Estephe) Not as overtly young as a bottle couple of years ago, but in a really nice place, classic claret 2000 Edmunds St John "Los Robles Viejos" Hey, if more Rhone blends tasted like this, I'd drink more Rhone blends 1986 Ch. Simone (Palette) mushrooms, funk, earthy and complex, what a treat 2009 Bea Santa Chiara fruit, honey and earth, complex and continually evolving

I liked these a lot

1995 Edmunds St John Zinfandel (Amador) This quite surprised me, plenty of vim left, fleshy without being soft. 2010 Nikolaihof Neuburger I thought this was Gruner before being corrected. Plush pit fruits, green pea, pepper. 2007 Texier Cote-Rotie Really young, but I think this will be great. 2009 Monastero Suore Cistercensi "Coenobium'" Fun wine- orange wine on training wheels

I liked these, but maybe hoped for more.

2000 Thomas-Labaille "Cuvee Buster" Sancerre Some thought this "musty" I didn't get that, but thought it a little soft and a little tired. I actually liked it more after open for a couple hours, almost an upgrade. 2004 Verset Cornas Again, like the Buster a bit more of a case of high expectations. Surprisingly resolved tannins, a bit of animal, I liked but didn't love 2007 Plouzeau "Ante Phylloxera" "Clos de Maulevrier" Touraine Quite nice pleasant wine with raspberry fruit and lots of soil tones, but again a case of expectations (because I was told it was pre-phylloxera)

These didn't really float my boat

1985 Ceretto "Bricco Roche" Barolo There's nothing really wrong here, just a mundane bottle of mature Nebbiolo. 2010 Cowan Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir Blast of fruit, and not much else. I'm sure these will calm down, not opening any more for a while. 1998 Jamet Cote-Rotie I thought thought this mute and uninspired, but better noses declare it corked, and I'll take their word for it. 1995 Gravner Ribolla Giala Honeyed, vanilla, some tannin, not really fun,

I especially enjoyed the veal meatballs and the farro/pea accompaniment to my very good chicken. It was great to meet Steve after enjoying so many lovely bottles of his wines, and also to meet Michael and Gene. Of course always good to see Jay, Jeff, Rahsaan, and Salil, with special thanks to the latter for organizing.

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.

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DaleW
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