Saturday we went to my friend Alex's monthly table d'hôte fundraising dinner for his church, this month with a cheese fondue theme. I was curious how was he going to do fondue for 40+? Quite well, it turns out. Despite having to manage 9 disparate cheese pots, Alex saw to it that everyone got a great fondue experience. He used a classic French Alps mix of Comté, Appenzeller, and Beaufort, with a little white wine (and a touch of kirsch?). Delicious crusty bread served as a dip medium, and a charcuterie plate circulated with salami, bündnerfleisch (air dried beef, kind of a Swiss version of Bresaolo), and ham. Some cornichons and pickled onions completed the experience.
Fondue is pretty much the only time I have Swiss wine, so I carried along the
2000 Robert Gilliard Fendant (Valais). Light-bodied wine, with moderate acidity and white fruit; there's a nutty edge to the aromas. Not a sherry-like nuttiness, more like what you get from a Greco di Tufo. Interesting, but the overall package was a tad dilute. B-
We also had a red, the 2000 Haut-Guiraud Côtes de Bourg. I don't remember buying this, but sure it was in $10 range ('cause I'd remember if I bought a
2000 Bdx for $8, or paid more than $15 for a Bourg other than Roc de Cambes). Fresh juicy style of Bordeaux, ripe red Merlot fruit with some modest vanilla oak. Pleasant if somewhat anonymous red, ok qpr. B
Some nearby diners also traded toasts, we tried :
2002 Guyon Mâcon-Solutre Good white apple fruit, a steely/flinty minerality to the finish. A little fatter than my preference for a Mâcon, but a nice enough wine. B
2001 Haart Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Kabinett Ripe rich fruit, with moderate sweetness balanced by good acidity. A definite grapefruit note to the fruit, which is accentuated when they bring out a palate cleanser of grapefruit and tarragon sorbet. Nice wine. B+
A fun night, and when Betsy found a king in the gallette, I got to wear a crown.
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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