Page 1 of 1

WTN: Burgs, Italy, etc

PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 5:26 pm
by Dale Williams
Sunday the hound, Betsy, and I trekked over the hill for dinner with friends. The basset and her poodle buddy enjoyed marrow bones, while the people started with the NV Sciarpa Prosecco and canapes of smoked salmon, capers, and onion. The bubbly is light bodied, very appley fruit, ok acids. C+/B-

Starter was a apple/celery/greens salad, with the 2010 Pico Maccario “Berro” Chardonnay (Piedmont).Light, a little lactic, apple and citrus, easygoing. B-/C+

I have to say main course was great, huge veal rib chops in a morel cream sauce

Couple of wines
2006 JN Gagnard “Morgeot” Chassagne-Montrachet 1er
Full, 2006 ripeness, some oak still sticks out, a touch on chalky mineral on finish, good with the food, but this needs time, but premOx makes that risky. For now B

2007 Rivetto “del Commune di Serralunga d’Alba” Barolo
I found the nomenclature unusual, not sure if this is any different from other wines labelled Serralunga (they’re from the commune, too, right?). Quite ripe for Barolo, red fruits, a little glossy, tannins but pleasant and surprisingly forward, B

Monday I made vegetarian fried rice (egg, snowpeas, shiitake, sprouts, etc) and red miso soup. Wine was the ever versatile 2011 Baudry Chinon rose - fresh, strawberry and cranberry fruit encircled by flowers and minerals, lovely stuff. A-/B+

Tuesday I made clams over egg noodles (who knew we were out of spaghetti AND linguine), plus broccoli with lemon, sauteed arugula, & sauteed mushrooms. Wine was the
2011 Ericina “Tonnara”. a crisp and fruity Sicilian white, peaches, citrus, and oyster shell. Fun and straighforward. B/B+

Last night Betsy made roast beef with Henry Bain sauce (a combination of chuntney, Worchestershire, chili sauce, etc), potatoes, and an arugula salad. Wine was the 1995 Domaine Calot “Vieilles Vignes Cuvee Unique” Morgon Reserve. Part of a large Beaujolais cellar CSW recently put out, I picked up a few random bottles (this was $15). I got a little nervous when I saw this was a North Berkeley selection, but ended up quite happy. Plenty of fruit remaining, no sign of oak, lots of life left. Black cherries, earth, a little mushroomy note. I’m not sure if this is an example of “pinoter”, it does resemble Burg in some ways, but the snappy acidity still says Gamay. I’m happy with this, but I can’t say it’s really a complex wine, but it is fun and a nice different thing to try. 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.

Re: WTN: Burgs, Italy, etc

PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 6:07 pm
by Brian K Miller
North Berkeley a concern-
because of their propensity for oak and modernist styling, Dale????