Monday Betsy didn't have much time for prep, and picked up some kebabs
(couple lamb, 1 chicken) and some beef/cheese "pinwheels" at local
deli. Chicken cooked ok, lamb chunks were a bit irregular and too big
so a little hard to get right. And don't get me started on the
pinwheels- in oven maybe, but what a mess on the grill. The wine was
the 2002 Sylvie Esmonin C=F4te de Nuits-Villages. Ripe raspberry fruit
bordering on jammy, not showing a lot on the finish. Seemed more closed
down than earlier bottle, maybe this is a stage, but not worth $15-20.
B-

Tuesday I had a board meeting. 50% of my board are homeless or formerly
homeless, and we try to serve them dinner before meeting. Joe, a homed
board member volunteered to host, and we grilled steaks on his back
porch. Nice meat, Betsy's potato salad, nice green salad, and some
portabellos. There was soft drinks, tea, beer and red wine available, I
purtook of a small glass of red, the 2003 Borsao. Indeed riper than the
say '99-'02 Borsaos, but not over the top. Good red fruit, a bit of
spice, ok balance. Would have preferred more acidic zip, but still a
good $6 wine (I always prefer to the Tres Picos). B

After the meeting I saw off the guys from streets, then returned to try
and help cleanup. But Joe, his wife Rachel, and Betsy had already done
so. Joe suggested we return to the porch for a glass of wine, and we
tried the 2001 Bleasdale Bremerview Shiraz. OK, this is a soft easy
almost sweet Shiraz -not exactly my preferred style. But I found myself
liking it. This is soft and easy, but not structureless -there's some
acid and tannin. And the sweetness is a sweet fruit flavor, not
outright RS. Oak is quite noticable, but I don't find obtrusive in this
non-dinner setting. Nice finish. I'm not sure this is a great food
wine, but for sitting on a porch on a warm summer night with friends,
fits the bill. 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:

> Tuesday I had a board meeting. 50% of my board are homeless or formerly
> homeless, and we try to serve them dinner before meeting. Joe, a homed
> board member volunteered to host, and we grilled steaks on his back
> porch. Nice meat, Betsy's potato salad, nice green salad, and some
> portabellos. There was soft drinks, tea, beer and red wine available, I
> purtook of a small glass of red, the 2003 Borsao. Indeed riper than the
> say '99-'02 Borsaos, but not over the top. Good red fruit, a bit of
> spice, ok balance. Would have preferred more acidic zip, but still a
> good $6 wine (I always prefer to the Tres Picos). B

Dale,
I had the '03 Tres Picos in CA: classic, cherryish Grenache and not
overripe at all. Jean and I both agreed that we preferred it to the '02
Brunier Telegramme that we'd had a few weeks earlier (and another
all-Grenache wine).

>
> After the meeting I saw off the guys from streets, then returned to try
> and help cleanup. But Joe, his wife Rachel, and Betsy had already done
> so. Joe suggested we return to the porch for a glass of wine, and we
> tried the 2001 Bleasdale Bremerview Shiraz. OK, this is a soft easy
> almost sweet Shiraz -not exactly my preferred style. But I found myself
> liking it. This is soft and easy, but not structureless -there's some
> acid and tannin. And the sweetness is a sweet fruit flavor, not
> outright RS. Oak is quite noticable, but I don't find obtrusive in this
> non-dinner setting. Nice finish. I'm not sure this is a great food
> wine, but for sitting on a porch on a warm summer night with friends,
> fits the bill. B+

Blame it on the heat, Dale, and deny everything ;-)

Mark Lipton

Mark Lipton > wrote in news:d87jsp$61r$1
@mailhub227.itcs.purdue.edu:
>
> Dale,
> I had the '03 Tres Picos in CA: classic, cherryish Grenache and not
> overripe at all. Jean and I both agreed that we preferred it to the '02
> Brunier Telegramme that we'd had a few weeks earlier (and another
> all-Grenache wine).

Hi all,

Both Campo de Borja and Calatayud share a characteristic: altitude. The
vines are planted quite high and, then, they enjoy low temperatures in
summer nights. So, it does not matter how torrid the summer is, the
contrast between day and night allows to some acidity to remain in the
grapes.

This is why good Grenache wines from both D.O. usually are fresh, even if
one is tempted to think that a grenache based wine from the Spanish inland
should be characterised by overmaturity.

Best,

Santiago

In article . com>,
says...
>

[SNIP]

Nice finish. I'm not sure this is a great food
>wine, but for sitting on a porch on a warm summer night with friends,
>fits the bill. B+
>
As always, thanks for the TNs. Regardless of what some say, there are wines
that are drinkers, and then some that are meant for food. Most CA Chards fall
into the former category for me.

I've not had any of these wines, but will look for the Shiraz. I've seen
Bleasdale on the shelves, but have yet to pick up a bottle.

Hunt

thanks for informative reply, Santiago! Always enjoy your insights on
Spanish wine.

Mike, is this wine sold as de Batte?

Mark, ny experience with the Tres Picos (don't think I've had the '03)
isn't so much a sur-maturite issue as it being just..too much. I prefer
the lighter regular cuvee (which I think is tempranillo and grenache?).
Big Grenache isn't a favored style for me.

I plan on getting one, to try and assure myself it wasn't just the fact
I was enjoying myself on a nice porch after a LONG day that made me
like it!