FoodBanter.com - TN: High expectations: ESJ, Thomas-Labaille, Vissoux

3 reasonably priced wines, all much anticipated, with one slight
disappointment, one happily fulfilling expectations, and one home run.

So my Champagne dinner Saturday had started at 5:30, even with a long
dinner I was home by ten. Waiting for Betsy to call after concert, I
decided a glass of red would do. So I opened the 2002 Wayward Pilgrims
of the Vine "the Shadow" Syrah (California). This is an Edmund St John
wine, but that's only visible in the small print. I believe story was
that Steve Edmunds wasn't happy with 2002 Syrah fruit, so blended
various parcels and released when he felt more ready (but at $12, I
guess he rebranded to not undercut normal releases). This got good
buzz, but I was pretty disappointed at first. Rather generic Syrah -
straightforward blackberry-blueberry fruit with a firm tannin level and
decent acidic structure. Perfectly acceptable for the price, but not
exciting. But retasted Sunday evening, a much more complex wine had
emerged. Smoke and leather over meaty Syrah fruit, a sense of earth. I
think I'll put my remainder away for a couple of years to see what
happens. Very nice for price. B+

Sunday was a long day (I spoke at 4 consecutive masses at a church in
Crestwood). Little energy for dinner, I took some defrosted chicken
breast and rummaged through fridge, came up with celery and leeks to
bake it with. Used a little white wine for moisture, then the same wine
with dinner- the 2005 Thomas-Labaille "Les Monts Damnes" Chavignol
Sancerre (I always struggle with how to list non-appelation places like
Chavignol!). This was a bit of a disappointment- very typical, citrus
(grapefruit) on the palate with an accent of flint, but without
anything that stood up and grabbed my interest. A perfectably correct
and acceptable Sancerre, but maybe a couple shades below what I
expected from a favorite producer in a very good year. Still a solid B

Monday I picked up Betsy at LGA, came home to where I had dinner
prepped. Did a very simple pork tenderloin with Calvados cream sauce
(recent Bittman article in NYT- you brown the tenderloins, then slice
and brown cut sides- very easy, very good), steamed broccoli, and new
potatoes. I gave Betsy choice of big white or light red, she felt like
red. I opened the much anticipated 2005 Pierre-Marie Chermette (Domaine
du Vissoux) "Poncie" Fleurie. Big ripe Beaujolais, really lovely,
excellent depth of fruit. Fruit is darker than I'm used to with
Fleurie, but so tasty I don't care. Maybe doesn't have quite the
sprightly grace of Fleuries like the '02 Coudert regular bottling, but
makes up for it in depth, richness, and class. This is a wine that can
please Beaujolais fans yet also appeal to those who sometimes find
Beauolais too thin. A-

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.