Both sets of our former neighbors came for dinner Friday, we started with the
2002 Drouhin Chablis. Enough clean apple fruit for the non-geeky others, enough minerality for me. Crisp, clean, with a nice steely finish. I actually usually pay more attention to the Drouhin reds, but this and the reports of the '02 St Veran make me think inexpensive Drouhin whites seem a good bet in 2002. B/B+
One guest was sick, so Betsy served a chicken/bok choy soup as a pallative, then we moved on to an asparagus salad with chevre and toasted walnuts. Alongside, the 2003 Babich Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Gooseberry and melon fruit, a nice herbal note. Adequate without generating any excitement. B
The main course was lamb steaks with a milk/honey/cumin marinade, accompanied by green peas with potatoes, watercress, and leeks. When Betsy said he was making lamb, I had brought several Bordeaux home, but the "Middle-Eastern-ness" of the recipe make me thing Rhône. Didn't have any CdP at home, nor even CdR (?? how did that happen??), decided to stay in Southern France with a 2001 Domaine Faillenc Ste. Marie (Corbieres). Sweet red fruit, some mint, nice medium-bodied wine. B
I did open a couple of the Bordeaux. The 1994 Ch. Clinet (Pomerol) didn't show as well as at a 1994 horizontal a while back- the red fruit seemed to lack that Pomerol lushness. Not especially tannic for a '94, decent balance of acidity. I kept thinking I got the slightest hint of mildew, I think this bottle had a TCA contamination dancing just around my perception threshold. No grade.
We also had the 2000 Ch. Les Trois Croix (Fronsac). Flowers and raspberry on the nose, big red fruit (this could pass for a Pomerol) and fine tannins on the palate. Kept developing in glass, and the remainder held well for the next evening. B+/A- Our youngest guest (6 yr old Seiji) was clamoring for dessert, and was horrifed when I told him the cheese plate (Chevrotin Bugas, 4 yr. old Quebec cheddar, and Humboldt Fog) was it. I appeased him with the hidden brownies, then passed around the 1997 La Chapelle de Lafaurie-Peyraguey (Sauternes). On the simple side, but clean clear apricot flavors, a bit of honey, ok for a second wine. B-
Next night we had Chinese-style pork ribs (cooked on grill for 4 hours, then last 30 minutes with a honey/hoisin/sherry glaze) and fresh rice noodles with baby bok choy and shiitakes. Betsy was going to work, I had the last glass of the Fronsac and the Corbieres. The Corbieres probably went better with the ribs, but the Les Trois Croix showed as a better wine, now developing some cigarbox and tar notes. Nice wine.
That evening I drank a couple of small glasses from a 375 of the 1998 Faiveley "Clos des Myglands" Mercurey 1er Cru. What a difference a couple years can make. This wine seemed quite hard at release, now the tannins have mostly resolved and the fruit has come out from behind the acid. Nice cherry fruit with a little earth and spice, nice. 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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