With cod in a lemon butter sauce and lemon risotto, the 2002 Stephane Aladame Montagny 1er Cru. Richer than most Montagnys I've had, good concentration in the pear-juice fruit. A little nutty (oak?) note. Decent match with the lemoniness of the dish, ultimately a slightly boring wine. B-
With beef braised with tomato and garlic, with whole wheat fettucine, the 1999 Sesti Brunello di Montalcino. Seemed a little light at first pour, but 15 minutes of air brought it into its own. Deep rich black cherry fruit, clean and pure with good acidity. In a way it reminded me of a good 1er Cru Burg from a mid-weight appelation (say Vosne) in a ripe balanced year (i.e. '99). Some more air brought out some leather and violets that made it seem more clearly Tuscan, but then again I was looking at the label. Really quite a nice wine, and an extremely good deal at $40 (Carolina Wine Company). A-/A
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
Dale
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