Saturday Betsy made pork roast (well actually she made on Fri, recipe
called for 10 hours slow cooking). I thought Gruner , but Betsy wanted
red. Time to open the 2000 Perrot-Minot Chambolle Musigny ( I think
this had a Vieille Vignes designation). Dense black cherry juiciness,
some minerality, but marred for my tastes by lots of oak. Big for a
2000, I could see this appealing to a lot of people, but not really to
me. B-

Sunday we went to friends for a nice simple dinner, assorted antipasta
then spaghetti with meatballs and sausages. First up was the 2003 Hess
Select Cabernet Sauvignon. I've thought this a decent QPR in the past,
but the sweetness is too much for me here. Basic red fruit with a
definite sweet note, a little hint of oakchippy vanilla. B-/C+

It's my weekend for oak, up next is the 2001 Castello D'Albola
Chianti Riserva. Nice structure with ample acidity, medium tannins, and
good plum/dried cherry fruit, but overlaid with a LOT of oak. Oh well.
B-

For a respite from oak Copa Santa wouldn't be my first choice, but the
1999 Clavel La Copa Santa (Coteaux du Languedoc) was what I had brought
to the dinner. And this did
have some oak. But the oak has integrated for the most part, now an
accent not the heart of the mix. Nice smoky blackberry Syrah fruit, big
but with a sense of sprightliness. I drank my others too early. This is
quite pleasing now, with leather and grilled meat aromas over the deep
dark fruit. Good finish. 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.

oops, I goofed, the Copa Santa was the 1998.

So, the general picture of this set of tastings was wood. One thing I
can't stand ion a Pinot is to taste the oak. Surprised that a Chambolle
Musigny should be that oaky though.


In article .com>,
"DaleW" > wrote:

> Saturday Betsy made pork roast (well actually she made on Fri, recipe
> called for 10 hours slow cooking). I thought Gruner , but Betsy wanted
> red. Time to open the 2000 Perrot-Minot Chambolle Musigny ( I think
> this had a Vieille Vignes designation). Dense black cherry juiciness,
> some minerality, but marred for my tastes by lots of oak. Big for a
> 2000, I could see this appealing to a lot of people, but not really to
> me. B-
>
> Sunday we went to friends for a nice simple dinner, assorted antipasta
> then spaghetti with meatballs and sausages. First up was the 2003 Hess
> Select Cabernet Sauvignon. I've thought this a decent QPR in the past,
> but the sweetness is too much for me here. Basic red fruit with a
> definite sweet note, a little hint of oakchippy vanilla. B-/C+
>
> It's my weekend for oak, up next is the 2001 Castello D'Albola
> Chianti Riserva. Nice structure with ample acidity, medium tannins, and
> good plum/dried cherry fruit, but overlaid with a LOT of oak. Oh well.
> B-
>
> For a respite from oak Copa Santa wouldn't be my first choice, but the
> 1999 Clavel La Copa Santa (Coteaux du Languedoc) was what I had brought
> to the dinner. And this did
> have some oak. But the oak has integrated for the most part, now an
> accent not the heart of the mix. Nice smoky blackberry Syrah fruit, big
> but with a sense of sprightliness. I drank my others too early. This is
> quite pleasing now, with leather and grilled meat aromas over the deep
> dark fruit. Good finish. 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.