Monday Betsy made a steak over horseradish-dressed salad for one of the
last al fresco meals of the year. I opened the 2000 Ch.
Larose-Trintaudon (Haut-Medoc). This is one of the largest vineyards in
Bordeaux, and I've never known it to make exciting wine. But Zachys has
the 2000 for $8.99, and at that price I decided to try a couple. Rather
low-acid, medium black plum fruit with a little cassis. A little
herb/tobacco note. There's some tannic structure here (more than in
most L-Ts) and it stands up to the steak ok. Finish is short for a B2K,
and at it's normal $15 or so I'd probably prefer numerous satellite
Bdx, but for an $9 cab blend this isn't bad. B

Tuesday I told Betsy I'd do dinner, and did my standard semi-teriyaki
salmon on the grill. I actually did two sides, and followed recipes for
both- panko-crusted asparagus ( adapted from a book called "How We
Cook", recipe by Arlene Jacobs) and broccoli with warm bacon dressing
(from Gourmet restaurant issue). I opened a 375 of the 2002 Foris
Pinot Noir (Rogue Valley). I think Betsy's dad has a cousin of
something who works for Foris, so I sometimes pick up when I see a
bottle. I think this wine (Rogue is more southern Oregon) reminds me
more of a California PN than what I think of as Oregon. Seemingly a
little sharp at first, settles down into warm cherry fruit with notes
of black tea and cola. OK, but I think I prefer good Willamette PNs as
a style. 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.

DaleW wrote:

> Monday Betsy made a steak over horseradish-dressed salad for one of
> the last al fresco meals of the year. I opened the 2000 Ch.
> Larose-Trintaudon (Haut-Medoc). This is one of the largest vineyards
> in Bordeaux, and I've never known it to make exciting wine. But
> Zachys has the 2000 for $8.99, and at that price I decided to try a
> couple. Rather low-acid, medium black plum fruit with a little
> cassis. A little herb/tobacco note. There's some tannic structure
> here (more than in most L-Ts) and it stands up to the steak ok.
> Finish is short for a B2K, and at it's normal $15 or so I'd probably
> prefer numerous satellite Bdx, but for an $9 cab blend this isn't
> bad. B


I usually think most vintages of Larose-Trintaudon are a decent value among
inexpensive Bordeaux, but especially at $9, that sounds like a great buy. I
wish I could find it here in Tucson for that price.

--
Ken Blake
Please reply to the newsgroup

"Ken Blake" > wrote in
:

> I usually think most vintages of Larose-Trintaudon are a decent value
> among inexpensive Bordeaux, but especially at $9, that sounds like a
> great buy. I wish I could find it here in Tucson for that price.

A while ago Larose-Trintaudon was our "house wine". Our local Trader Joe's
had it for $8. We changed wines after we bought a case that was cooked.
TJ's took it back with no problem. Last Summer it was 110+ for a few days
here in Nevada. It must have been mishandled during transport or left
outside during unloading. We had LT a long time ago with some steaks. We
bought the 89 and the 90 (this was a long time ago). We opened the 89 and
it was OK, but disappointing. We didn't have much hope for the 90, but it
was very good. We were surprised at how different 2 bottles from the same
vinyard could be. Our current house wine is "Big House Red" by Bonny Doon.
We like it as much or better. I forget how much it costs, but it is in the
under $10 range at case prices.

Fred.

In article >,
"Ken Blake" > wrote:

> DaleW wrote:
>
> > Monday Betsy made a steak over horseradish-dressed salad for one of
> > the last al fresco meals of the year. I opened the 2000 Ch.
> > Larose-Trintaudon (Haut-Medoc). This is one of the largest vineyards
> > in Bordeaux, and I've never known it to make exciting wine. But
> > Zachys has the 2000 for $8.99, and at that price I decided to try a
> > couple. Rather low-acid, medium black plum fruit with a little
> > cassis. A little herb/tobacco note. There's some tannic structure
> > here (more than in most L-Ts) and it stands up to the steak ok.
> > Finish is short for a B2K, and at it's normal $15 or so I'd probably
> > prefer numerous satellite Bdx, but for an $9 cab blend this isn't
> > bad. B
>
>
> I usually think most vintages of Larose-Trintaudon are a decent value among
> inexpensive Bordeaux, but especially at $9, that sounds like a great buy. I
> wish I could find it here in Tucson for that price.

Even for 4$ I don't like Larose Trintaudon. It has always had the worst
nose and taste in my opinion. Smells like wet garbage to me.

I've had a few L-Ts that were pretty bretty, others from same vintage
were ok. I think sometimes that brett blooms in bottles that got too
warm somewhere along the route to consumer. I mean, it has to be there
to start with, but how much it progresses varies. The poster child for
that is the '90 Montrose, which can range from a little pleasant whiff
of barnyard to a waste treatment plant. OK ,. not that bad, it's always
quite drinkable if you're reasonably brett-tolerant, but bottles vary
immensely.

In article om>,
"DaleW" > wrote:

> I've had a few L-Ts that were pretty bretty, others from same vintage
> were ok. I think sometimes that brett blooms in bottles that got too
> warm somewhere along the route to consumer. I mean, it has to be there
> to start with, but how much it progresses varies. The poster child for
> that is the '90 Montrose, which can range from a little pleasant whiff
> of barnyard to a waste treatment plant. OK ,. not that bad, it's always
> quite drinkable if you're reasonably brett-tolerant, but bottles vary
> immensely.

I guess I'm not Brett tolerant. Seems to make me sick.