Hello, You would expect that after a certain time the coin would drop. That I would catch a hint when dropped from a sufficiently superior height. That I, as they say, would "get" it. But do I? Naaaaah ...
The fish monger had offered me pieces of ish, to wit, something I believe is called 'brill' in English (ie ENglish as in UK English, most likely it would mean octopus in US English - I haven´t forgotten that discussion concerning elks, mooses and red deer!) - brill is a fish distantly related to turbot, and, as the turbot, has a firm, easy-to-handle flesh that goes well fried on the pan but also baked in the oven, and is not distinctly 'fishy', so, does well with a light red wine.
I already had decided to do a beurre rouge, which is never less than a colesterol bomb (you simmer chopped shallots in butter, without browning them, then add red wine and let reduce, you are the supposed to strain the reduction and mount with copious amounts of fresh butter - I just mix it all up which gives you the added advantage of healthy shallot fibers, which, so I firmly believe, lowers the colesterol, making it OK to eat beurre rouge).
The first white aspargi (plural of asparagus GOTTA be asparagi!) had arrived, so we started the meal with white asapragi, simmered 15 minutes, a dollop of morrel sauce and a slice of smoked salmon. Accompaniment was a Pinot Gris VV 2003 Bruno Sorg. Shy nose, not typically PG, citrus, low on acidity but lots of fruit, a bit too much sweetness, but fair enough from a difficult year - M. Sorg had commented that he had som facilities for chilling the fermenting wine, but not enough for the needs of 2003.
I had used that bitter bottle of St Romain for the beurre rouge that was, according to Ed Rasimus, made by Welsh itinerant vinyard workers who ad left their rubber wellies in the fermentation vats. This time, I had opened ANOTHER bottle of St ROmain, from anther producer (very friendly, nice people, kept a neat cave). To my dismay, the very same itinerant workers having apparently an enormous supply of rubber wellies had struck AGAIN, leaving, as it were, their footprints all over the commune! I'd recognize thos aromas anywhere. Fortunately, I had a spare bottle prepared - a Beaune 1er Cru, which I uncorked without ceremonies - dreadful. Sort of chemical. sulphur? GAAAH!
Desperately I ran down into the cellar and grabbed the frist thing I could lay my hands on (fish does not like to wait) -
1997 Dom Launay Pommard Les Perrieres [n] evolving, a bit fiery, still young, has not come around yet, after a while in the glass evolved a bit of tobacco and undergrowth. Dill, from the oak, but only to a minor degree. Fleeting sniffs of mint. [p] very tannic, I believe to a great deal fromt he grapes more than the oak - dry as a bone, with dark cherry flavors under it all, lots of goods in there.
Unfortunately, not what could under any circumstances, be called a light red. Xina thought at first it might be from the North, perhaps a Fixin. I believe that it will develop into something good, as time goes by, but, as it were, it might have worked with red meat or game, and some serious aerating (2 hrs in a caraffe).
I hope I have a few more bottles of it.
Cheers
Nils Gustaf