(Boar Background: On Thursday I went to the Salman Rushdie opera "Haroun". On
the way back, Betsy happily told me she had picked up a wild boar roast for
dinner Sunday -she knows I love boar. I had to sheepishly remind her I was
going to a boar dinner Saturday night. She was dismayed, I assured her I could
eat boar every day for a week, no problem).

Friday Betsy was working, but we agreed on an early dinner before she left. She
made a veal/3-pepper ragu over pappadelle, I started with leftover 1998 Neyers
"Neyers Ranch Conn Valley" Merlot . After 2 days this was flabby and hot, and
definitely not for the delicate ragu. So I popped a bottle of the 2002 Michel
Lafarge Passetoutgrains. More Gamay grapiness than previous vintages, yet with
a bit of tannins. OK wine if not exciting. Judgement deferred (see below).

Saturday I went to dinner in a church. A friend of mine is the minister at this
church, which has had some financial struggles (some folks don't care for the
rather activist/liberal stances). So another friend, who used to have a
restaurant in Paris, started a monthly dinner series as afundraiser. This
night Alex prepared a pumpkin soup, wild boar stew, wild mushrooms, and a
potato gratin. I went with some friends, and we carried some wines:
2003 Guenoc Chardonnay - pretty good acidity for a CalChard, just a hint of
light buttery oak flavors, but a slight hint of RS is a bit off-putting. B-/B
1999 Palari Rosso del Soprano - ripe raspberry fruit, a bit tannic, but with
pleasant earth and leather notes. Well-made wine. B++
The following 2 were double-decanted 2 hours before dinner
2002 Pertimali (Sassetti) Rosso di Montalcino - low expectations of this
(brought as a backup to my Brunello), haven't heard anything good re 2002 in
Tuscany. But a pleasant surprise. Good strong black cherry fruit, some spice
and earth on the nose. Medium tannins and a strong acidic spine. Gains
complexity with some time, rather big for a Rosso- this is a dilute vintage?
B++
1997 Le Lecciaia Brunello di Montalcino - more big ripe dark cherry fruit,
moderate tannins, low acidity. Not bad, but nothing to justify it's $40 price
tag. I prefer the Rosso. B


There was also a poor 2003 Rioja, whose name I have happily blocked out. But it
wasn't worse wine of the night. Betsy picked me up on way home, wanted to stop
for a drink. We went to a local tavern. She got a mixed drink, I decided to
stick with wine. The house red was a Merlot called Trumpeteer. Most ghastly
wine I've had in a while, syrupy sweet, oakchip, short flat finish. D


Sunday Betsy made the boar, trying hard to keep away from last night's style.
So she made an Asian inspired dish (Drunken Boar from the D'Artagnan game
cookbook). Boar marinated in gin, mirin, pomegranite molasses, and other stuff,
then stirfried and served with fresh rice noodles. We had the rest of the 2002
Michel Lafarge Passetoutgrains (which had been recorked and refrigerated).
Better than on day 1, smooth and refined. Brightly expressive with clean cherry
fruit (more Pinot-ish than before), and nice clove and earth layers on the
finish. Ok not a wine to write home about, but very good for a $14 wine at this
level. B/B+

Also, over several nights, a 375 of the 2002 Daniel Dampt Cote de Lechet
Chablis. Wonderful minerality, wet stones over clean red apple fruit. Some
floral character after being open couple days (maybe not textbook Chablis, but
quite pleasant). Nice. $13/375

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

Dale Williams
Drop "damnspam" to reply

"Dale Williams" wrote in message
...
The following 2 were double-decanted 2 hours before dinner
2002 Pertimali (Sassetti) Rosso di Montalcino - low expectations of this
(brought as a backup to my Brunello), haven't heard anything good re 2002
in
Tuscany. But a pleasant surprise. Good strong black cherry fruit, some
spice
and earth on the nose. Medium tannins and a strong acidic spine. Gains
complexity with some time, rather big for a Rosso- this is a dilute
vintage?

Not for Rosso - or so I'm told. The way I heard it, the Brunello producers
just couldn't put together enough good fruit in 2002 to justify producing a
Brunello - so they took what they had and made pretty decent Rosso instead,
and _no_ Brunello.

Tom S

"Dale Williams" wrote in message
...
The following 2 were double-decanted 2 hours before dinner
2002 Pertimali (Sassetti) Rosso di Montalcino - low expectations of this
(brought as a backup to my Brunello), haven't heard anything good re 2002
in
Tuscany. But a pleasant surprise. Good strong black cherry fruit, some
spice
and earth on the nose. Medium tannins and a strong acidic spine. Gains
complexity with some time, rather big for a Rosso- this is a dilute
vintage?

Not for Rosso - or so I'm told. The way I heard it, the Brunello producers
just couldn't put together enough good fruit in 2002 to justify producing a
Brunello - so they took what they had and made pretty decent Rosso instead,
and _no_ Brunello.

Tom S

On 16 Nov 2004 18:57:02 GMT, amnspam (Dale Williams) said:

] (Boar Background: On Thursday I went to the Salman Rushdie opera "Haroun". On
] the way back, Betsy happily told me she had picked up a wild boar roast for
[]

Way OT, but how was Haroun? The book is one of the kids favs -- what
5 year old could resist Snooty Buttoo and the Shah of Blah -- and I wonder
if they'd like the opera. If it ever comes around or the next time it's done,
anyway.

-E
--
Emery Davis
You can reply to
by removing the well known companies

On 16 Nov 2004 18:57:02 GMT, amnspam (Dale Williams) said:

] (Boar Background: On Thursday I went to the Salman Rushdie opera "Haroun". On
] the way back, Betsy happily told me she had picked up a wild boar roast for
[]

Way OT, but how was Haroun? The book is one of the kids favs -- what
5 year old could resist Snooty Buttoo and the Shah of Blah -- and I wonder
if they'd like the opera. If it ever comes around or the next time it's done,
anyway.

-E
--
Emery Davis
You can reply to
by removing the well known companies

I thought the staging was magnificent- impressive use of video backdrops,
fabulous costumes, etc.
Cast was good both dramatically and vocally.
But while I am no hater of 12-tone music (there are Alban Berg pieces that
fascinate me), Wuorinen's (sp?) score left me cold. Reminded me a bit of much
of Schoenberg, sounds like the music of a great theorist of composing, as
opposed to a great composer.
Musically a hard piece for kids.
Dale

Dale Williams
Drop "damnspam" to reply

I thought the staging was magnificent- impressive use of video backdrops,
fabulous costumes, etc.
Cast was good both dramatically and vocally.
But while I am no hater of 12-tone music (there are Alban Berg pieces that
fascinate me), Wuorinen's (sp?) score left me cold. Reminded me a bit of much
of Schoenberg, sounds like the music of a great theorist of composing, as
opposed to a great composer.
Musically a hard piece for kids.
Dale

Dale Williams
Drop "damnspam" to reply

I thought the staging was magnificent- impressive use of video backdrops,
fabulous costumes, etc.
Cast was good both dramatically and vocally.
But while I am no hater of 12-tone music (there are Alban Berg pieces that
fascinate me), Wuorinen's (sp?) score left me cold. Reminded me a bit of much
of Schoenberg, sounds like the music of a great theorist of composing, as
opposed to a great composer.
Musically a hard piece for kids.
Dale

Dale Williams
Drop "damnspam" to reply