Last week I gave an employee a ride down to the Bronx, and came back via Arthur Avenue (Bronx's Little Italy, far superior in most aspects to the touristy Little Italy in Manhattan). Stopped at Mt Carmel Wines, a store with big Italian selections. Not as much interesting old stuff as I remembered, and prices a bit high on current releases. But found a few things, including the
1996 Vallana Spanna (Colline Novaresi). A Vallana Spanna from the '60s was one of the best reasonably priced Nebbiolos I ever had, so bought a couple. Opened Tuesday night with some leftovers. A medium-bodied wine, with fairly high acidity and the hints of some real Nebbiolo character- tar and violets. Sound good? Problem is the red cherry fruit is a bit on the light side, and the tannins have an unripe quality. Not especially enjoyable. I'll put other bottle away for a few years, hope the light fruit holds on and the tannins ease a bit (and the seondary aromas intensify). But I don't have real hopes of this holding on like the Vallanas of old, and will have a backup bottle. B-/C+
Betsy left a puttanesca-ish red sauce for David and I Wednesday, put it over pasta and served with broccoli. The 2002 A. Brunel "Domaine L'Enclos" Côtes du Rhone was a perfectly acceptable CdR. Medium-bodied, red fruit, fairly soft acidity. Slightest hint of earth and herb/underbrush. Perfectly accpetable, but nothing to get excited about. Fair value at $9. B
Thursday I skipped wine with dinner, as I was taking a group into the city. But when I got home I did try the 2002 Wirra Wirra Vineyards "Sexton's Acres" Unwooded Chardonnay (McLaren Vale), which I had been sipping on for a week. Screwcapped bottle, the wine didn't show too much oxidation until that point. By Thursday it was shot, but the first couple of days it was decent. Clean sweet apple-y Chardonnay fruit, ripe and round. A little less zip than my preferred styles of unoaked Chardonnay (Chablis), and not as good as the comparatively priced Brun Beaujolais Blanc. But an ok wine, and one I might buy again. B/B+
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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