Short notes on lots of wines from last night's dinner at Cafe Ysabel to try out Gene's new wood-fired oven.
Piper-Heidsieck Brut Champagne NV - The basic Piper-Heidsieck Champagne. We consumed two bottles, one pre-dinner and one with the vegetarian pizza. The first bottle was a very good medium-bodied Champagne. For me, the second bottle seemed somehow leaner. Still, I think this is a pretty good basic Brut.
Ormond Vinoptima Reserve Gewurztraminer 2004 - From New Zealand. Arnie said it smelled like ginger ale, and I agreed. Light sweetness, dry finish and a little short. Light and easy. Not bad.
Sanford Chardonnay 2005 - Light and a little lemony. Good for sipping but totally overwhelmed by the seafood cream soup.
Next we had had cedar plank salmon with another Gewurz and a Pinot Noir.
Bott-Geyl Les Elements Gewurztraminer 2006 - Sweet, oily. Candied orange. Attractive, easy. Muted varietal character, though. Good length. Very good for a basic Alsatian Gewurz.
Alma Rosa Pinot Noir 2005 - Very fruity strawberry but not sweet at all. Fleshy. Light smoke. Quite dry and finishes with good length. Very nice.
Next we had duck sausage cassoulet.
Dominio Dostares Leione 2005 - VdT Castilla Leon and the grape is Prieto Picudo. Very dark. Quite smoky. Nice balance with a good acidity for cutting through rich food like cassoulet. Muted at first, the nose later blossomed with blueberry and fresh grape aromas. Very good and interesting wine.
Austin Hope Westside Red 2003 - An American GSM. Unfortunately, over the hill with all the fruit faded to nothing.
Pandora Mas de la Deveze 2005 - Cotes de Rousillon Villages. Rich, hot, eucalyptus. Plum. Brandy-like. Later, fresh bread scents. Very good, rather powerful wine.
With the lamb, another set of reds.
Chateau Montelena 2003 - Nice nose. oregano and olives. Almost Rhone-like. On the palate, tight and ungenerous now despite having the bottle opened for 3 hours and leaving it in the glass for another 30 minutes. Arnie thought a Vinturi should have been used but I insisted on natural airing. Maybe this needs a revisit in 5 years or so.
Le Baron de Brane 2000 - Stinky, barnyard, poop. Wet dishrag. There's still a bit of tannin at the finish but on the palate it's already drinking well. Although the tannins might be aproblem, I would probably drink this sooner rather than later.
We finished with some Sauternes.
Chateau Rieussec 2003 - Medium-gold. Burnt sugar, Silky. Pineapple, peach, beautiful balance. Elegant and sophisticated. Doesn't seem to have a great deal of botrytis. Very long finish. Excellent and drinking very nicely now but will no doubt still gain in complexity with time.