Wow! We had a couple of friends over last night for a casual dinner - nothing fancy, but good fun. I whipped up a homemade Chicken Pot Pie - YES, of course I made the crust from scratch!!! A few cheeses and some of the kickin' Costco Carribean Jerk Meatballs - you gotta try 'em!
I've had a box of samples I've been meaning to get around to. So, with friends at the bar, I proceeded to try to make a dent in these wines. Plus, we tore out some fun wines from the cellar, as well. Here is the recap:
2006 Kelham Sauvignon Blanc: Not sure why they're releasing this so late. It's tired. Nice balance, sure, and still showing typical flavors of a California Sauvignon, but where is that vibrance of SB...? The melon/citrus combo is lovely, and I could drink this certainly, but definitely lacking a "wow" factor.
2006 Pelerin Syrah Monterrey: This was my biggest disappointment tonight - I have liked this producer very much, in the past. Albeit, 2006 was a challenging vintage, but this tasted washed out and watered down. The nose was promising with violets and bacon fat/smoke, but as soon as it hits the palate, the character is gone and it feels as if someone has added a third cup of water to what was maybe a decent wine. Maybe they did add in a little too much Jesus juice...
2006 Steltzner Cabernet Sauvignon, Stag's Leap: The best of the red samples and, oddly enough, the cheapest. Showing ripe fruit, integrated tannin. It's fairly middle-of-the-road, but a good value, considering I could pour it by the glass for about $14. Less of the herbal and eucalyptus tones I have come to expect from Stag's Leap, but it makes up for it in jammy blackberry/cassis fruit. They also have a delicious Malbec that reresents a good value, as well. AND - they make a Pinotage that I am chomping at the bit to taste - Pinotage from Stag's Leap?!!!
2001 Kelham Cabernet Sauvignon: This was a real disappointment, particularly at the price. I believe they're asking somewhere in the ballpark of $60/btl for this wine. On the nose, the wine reeks of Brett, which is a strain of bacteria that makes wine smell like barnyard or horse poo. I couldn't get past it. Not really much fruit to back it up or balance it out. And I kept asking myself if I would be comfortable selling this to someone at any price, much less the actual cost. The answer was decidedly no. Everyone dumped this one. I'll be willing to retaste it after a day of air, but as far as restaurant usage goes, it's a no-go. First impressions count for a lot.
2008 Celani Chardonnay: My favorite of the samples, but this was about pairing - we backtracked to Chard for the Pot Pie. I have to say, it worked great! The wine had integrated oak and clean lemon/orange flavors to support the baked red apple and pear. My guests are not white wine fans, but they were thrilled to see how complementary this pairing was. Again - this wine did not stop me in my tracks and I wish I'd paid a little more attantion to it BEFORE I began eating, but based on its performance with the dish - I was very pleased. God, I wish we made a Pot Pie at Jar!
2004 Guido Porro 'Vigna Lazzairasco', Barolo: We started digging into the cellar at this point. Kara wanted a Barolo and, while I would have loved to pull something fancy, I was reaching palate fatigue. This bottle is a fun, early-drinking Barolo that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. Imported by one of my favorites, Kermit Lynch, the flavors are consistent, but the tannins are softer and the body a touch heavier. If you're really craving a Barolo, it's not likely to satisfy, but for a delicious Old World drinker, it does a nice job.
2000 Vieux Telegraphe, Chateauneuf-du-Pape: Bill was remarking how he hadn't had a Chateauneuf. He drinks a lot of Cote-du-Rhone and has tried Gigondas, but somehow the king of the Southern Rhone has managed to elude him. SOMMELIER TO THE RESCUE!!! This is drinking awesome! Juicy red fruits with lavender and herbs. The tannins are soft and juicy. There is always a little seaweed-like character to this wine. Vieux Telegraphe is one of the few wines I've been able to nail blind-tasting down to the producer because of it. Some might want a little more structure on this. I think it's doing great and I will probably drink my last bottle over the next couple of years.
After all this, the Rock Band ensued and the rational drinking ceased. A piece of homemade Pecan Pie with a scoop of Butter Pecan ice cream for desert and life is good. After everyone left and Kara slipped off to bed, I streamed Caddyshack through Netflix and chilled with the pups. Job well done and a pat on the back. Until next time!
No comments:
Post a Comment