Betsy was making a pot roast Wednesday, and called needing a cup of red
wine. I had her open the 2003 Bodegas Castaño "Hécula" (Yecla). With
dinner, this actually seemed less ripe/sweet than the 2002, a return to
quality that I remembered from earlier vintages. There is a lot of ripe
sweet black plum and berry fruit, but it's balanced by quite adequate
acidity and broad tannins. A perfectly nice mid-week burger or stew
wine, good QPR at around $10. B

Thursday Betsy made bouillabaisse. As I was going out that night, only
opened a half-bottle, the 2004 Pieropan Soave Classico. I'd liked this
wine before, but this bottle seemed strangely dilute. Good acidity, and
that Italian-white nuttiness, but just not much in the way of depth of
fruit. Another glass at 2 AM after getting in wet and tired showed
quite similarly- nice flavors, just not enough of them. Strangely
different from previous 375. B-

Friday Betsy made rack of lamb with a honey-hoisin glaze, rice pilaf,
and creamed spinach (the lamb was a recipe from Ed Rasimus- has anyone
heard from him since move?). The sweet glaze made me shy away from good
Bordeaux, my fallback lamb choice, and I decided it was time to see
what had happened to the 1997 Abadia Retuerta (Sardon del Duero). This
is the middle of the Abadia Retuerta lineup- between the inexpensive
Rivola and the more expensive single-vineyard offerings. This was a
wine I liked on release, but that had seemed overwhelmed by oak and
tannins in meantime. The oak had calmed down into a nice
cedar-meets-leather note, the tannins were soft and integrated.
Distinct notes of damp earth, moderate ripe blackcurrant fruit. A
little light on the acidity for me, and a bit short on the finish.
Could pass for a modest St. Emilion satellite from a ripe vintage
(though I think this is Tempranillo and CabS , no Merlot). OK. 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.