On Oct 3, 12:53*pm, Mark Lipton > wrote:
> With various meals recently:
>
> 2011 Navarro Ros 'Mendocino' (13.5% ABV)
> nose: minerals, fresh strawberry
> palate: crisp acidity, light body, lightly fruity
>
> This wine was a pale salmon color and probably the finest ros from CA
> that I've tasted (sorry, Steve E!). *It's not a profound wine by any
> stretch but it's delicious now and hides its (for me) high ABV well.
> Any wine that makes me think of Baudry's Chinon Ros is all right in my
> book. *No idea what grapes go into this, but it's a winner and decent
> QPR ($15 from the winery).
>
> 1998 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon Estate
> nose: pencil lead, brambly dark berry fruit
> palate: chalky tannins, medium body, balanced acidity
>
> With grilled ribeye steaks, this was a fine example of a restrained
> CalCab. *Much less fruit-driven than the norm from the region and also
> less fruity than other years, it was a fine example of a savory CalCab.
>
> 2008 Dom. de Terres Dor es (J.P. Brun) C te de Brouilly
> nose: tart red fruits, juicy
> palate: bright acidity, light body, slightly hot finish
>
> Without food, this was strikingly tart, but with roast chicken it
> rounded out beautifully and seemed much richer. *We probably drank this
> too young, but Jean wanted gamay and the rest of our Beaujolais are from
> '05, '09 and '10.
>
> Mark Lipton
>
> --
> alt.food.wine FAQ: *http://winefaq.cwdjr.net

Montelena is still an all time favorite of mine. Thnaks for the notes
Mark. I still have one more bottle of 1978.