In article
>,
DaleW > wrote:

> A cool summer day Friday, I got home and enjoyed a glass of wine on
> the front porch with Betsy, the 2005 Domaine des Escaravailles "La
> Ponce" Cotes du Rhone. Mid-bodied, honied pears, a bit of pineapple.
> Low to middling acids, nothing to look for. B-
>
> We headed up to Scarborough for dinner with friends. Betsy had brought
> deviled eggs (curried and shrimp) as an appetizer, I had a glass of
> the 2008 Martín Codax Albarino - light, innocuous, grapefruit and
> peaches. B-
>
> With salmon with a little caper/onion salsa, asparagus, and salad; as
> well as some cheeses:
> 2007 Copain "Tous Ensemble" Syrah (Mendocino)
> I think of Copain as rather restrained, but this is quite ripe. Still,
> decent acidity, noticable but easy tannins, only a hint of vanillin
> oak, tasty. B
>
> 2007 Ateca "de Fuego" Garnacha 2007 *
> Well, I thought the Copain was ripe till I tasted this. Macerated
> cherries, blueberries, jammy. Not my style, but for a cheap fruitbomb
> it will appeal (rightly) to lots of people. B-/C+
>
> 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.**

You are much more generous to the Martin Codax to I. C- in my book. Have
not seen this particular Syrah but Mendocino wines are hard to come
about here.