Wednesday with rack of lamb with persillade, a 375 of the 1997 Ch. de Sales
(Pomerol). What a disappointment (even w/o high expectations!). Thin, sharp,
raspy berry fruit and a short finish. This is a Seagram Chateaux & Estates
import, a recent purchase (Stew Leonards in Yonkers) , my guess is the reports
of C&E dumping heat-damaged inventory in NE are accurate. C

Thursday we had pizza, and the 2002 Rocca del Macie "Campomaccione" Morellino
di Scansano. Looks like reports of 2002 vintage sucking in Piemonte have some
validity, too. Too much oak for the meager cherry fruit, thin on the finish and
lacking substance. A waste of $9. C/C+

What a week. But it can be salvaged- the 2002 Willi Schaefer Graacher
Himmelreich Riesling (MSR) does much better. Friday we have with an Indian
spiced fish recipe from Mark Bittman. This Qba is a light, easy, but sassy
wine with floral nose, citrus fruit with a touch of red fruits, good acidic
structure. Yippee, back on track. B/B+

Saturday night, rib steaks over a watercress/parsley/caper salad, with baked
potatoes. Recipe was supposedly intended for Petite Sirah, but I serve the 1999
Ch. Leoville Poyferre (St-Julien). As in the past, I really like this wine.
Good blackcurrant fruit, ripe but with enough acidity to not be flabby. Cedary
oak, violets, licorice all on the nose. Not a blockbuster, but a damn good
argument for what can be done in a "mediocre" vintage. B+/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.
Dale

Dale Williams
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