DINNER WITH FRIENDS (HERM BL, LOIRE SPARKLER, NAPA SB, GIACOSA BARBERA)
- Tokyo (9/9/2006)

1. An apertif at home

*2001 Ferraton Pere & Fils Hermitage Le Reverdy - France, Rhône,
Northern Rhône, Hermitage*

Rich and deep yellow color, with a bit of a waxy hue. Nose is simple
but rich with suggestions of lanolin and slightly candied tropical
fruit. Palate is of medium weight and shows simple apple and apricot
fruit. As it warms up, a bit of richer fig fruit comes out. A bit hot
on the abrupt finish. An odd combination - never quite fat, but more
because it lacked the weight to be fat (and was, in fact, a bit hollow
in the middle), not because it had any tautness to it. Disappointing.
Two days later from the fridge, this has evolved a ton. Nose has taken
on a bit of herb and creamy lemon. Palate has that same lemon cream I
love from (and look for in) Hermitage Blanc, along with a bit of
stoniness. Still a bit hot and still a bit light in the middle, but
much more interesting and with a little more verve. Nonetheless, not
something I'd be looking to buy again. Some age will be kind to it,
but won't do enough.

2. With slightly aged gouda

*1995 Eclat de Cray Crémant de Loire Chapelle de Cray Brut - France,
Loire Valley, Crémant de Loire*

Picked up as a curiosity and to have around for times that bubbles were
desired, but not the fullness (or price) of a Champagne. Despite age,
the color is on the lighter side of yellow and mousse is still lively,
even though we drank this out of water goblets. Nose is simple but
pleasant, showing a bit of bread, much ripe peach and apple, and
perhaps a wee bit of freshly cut fieldgrass. Palate presents as a bit
sweet and heavy initially, but picks up a little zip after a few sips.
Flavors are again fairly simple like the nose - mostly peach and
apple, but with a bit of honey. Not as zippy as I would like,
particularly from the Loire. Chenin blanc flavors but without the
evident acidity to make it work. Not bad, but I'm not racing back for
more. Perhaps I'm jaded. Everyone else liked it more and would
consider it for a value house sparkler. I just thought it lacked
freshness. Perhaps it should have been consumed younger, though it
showed no notes typical of an over the hill bubbly.

3. With a lightly dressed heart of palm and field green salad

*2005 Duckhorn Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc - USA, California, Napa
Valley*

Lightish grassy yellow. Nose is immediately redolent of grass, but
quickly moves past that into white peach and grapefruit, with a wee bit
of white pepper. Palate is similar in flavors, mostly peach and
grapefruit, with decent acidity but not quite the zip I like from Sauv
Blanc. Much closer to an unoaked Graves than anything from the Loire or
New Zealand. I used to like this wine a lot when I was first starting
to take wine seriously in the late '80s/early '90s. Nothing wrong
with it now, but nothing of real interest. Better than the normal
random bottle brought by fellow guests, but not something I'd buy.

4. With a hearty, reduced-tomato sauced pasta

*2001 Bruno Giacosa Barbera d'Alba Falletto di Serralunga - Italy,
Piedmont, Alba, Barbera d'Alba*

Medium cherry hue, clear and bright - even radiant. Nose of deep
sappy herbs and bright cherry, along with a nice bit of leathery funk.
Palate is absolutely incisive with great acidity that might be tough
alone but just sings with a stout vegetarian, reduced-tomato pasta
sauce. Nice cherry fruit, much deeper than on the nose, some more
herbs, even a hint of something deeper - coffee or spice? Tannin
comes out on the finish, but in a cleansing and resolving way, rather
than a harsh one. Brash and brawn with balance. Not sure how this would
have done alone and didn't get to see because it was too damn good
with the food to save any.


Posted from CellarTracker


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Jim Jones
Tokyo, Japan