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Default TN: Loire, CA, Spain on the 4th & and 3rd)

Monday we went to a July 3rd celebration in Sleepy Hollow. A non-geeky
group, but there were a few wines as well as burgers, franks, fish, and
salads:

2005 Clos Roche Blanche Pineau d'Aunis (Touraine)
Much darker than the 2004 version. Rich strawberry fruit and a little
wild grass/herb note. Fun yet capable of holding serious interest, a
real winner of a rosé. B+

2004 RH Phillips Chardonnay (California)
I had thought this a decent $7 Chard in the past, but this seemed
dilute and overly sweet. Not a good QPR at any price. C+

Sorrentino Lacryma Christi red (I didn't see a vintage noted)
Short finish, a little fecal, VA. Leaves me reaching for the
Chardonnay. C/C-

On the 4th we went to another party, bearing baby back ribs. The host
provided burgers and franks, and other guests brought a variety of
salads (at least these were different from night before). The wines:

2004 Rancho Zabaco "Dancing Bull" Sauvignon Blanc
This wasn't great, but it was better than I expected (and it was really
cold, which helped in July heat!). Some grapefruit and kiwi fruit, a
little jalapeno. Crisp, if with maybe a slight impression of sweetness.
This isn't a great SB, a bit boring, but it was typical and drinkable.
B

2001 Edmunds St. John Syrah ( California)
This was far more than drinkable. Smoky notes on top of rich blackberry
and raspberry fruit. Good acidity, mild ripe tannins, long finish. A
serious winner in $20~ish Syrah. A-/B+

2003 Borsao
A pleasant enough wine for $7, round red fruit, a hint of pepper,
smooth if short finish. B

2005 Muga rosado
I liked this in past vintages, but it doesn't have the verve of the CRB
Pineau, the Chivite rosado, or the Il Mimo in 2005. Acceptable but not
worth looking for. B

Fun party, complete with a reading of the Declaration of Independence.
Funny how much we found to identify with in the colonists' anger at
"George." Great document. Then we went to some other friend's lawn to
watch the fireworks on the Hudson.

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.

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Default TN: Loire, CA, Spain on the 4th & and 3rd)

On 5 Jul 2006 10:46:24 -0700, "DaleW" > wrote:

>Monday we went to a July 3rd celebration in Sleepy Hollow. A non-geeky
>group, but there were a few wines as well as burgers, franks, fish, and
>salads:
>
>2005 Clos Roche Blanche Pineau d'Aunis (Touraine)
>Much darker than the 2004 version. Rich strawberry fruit and a little
>wild grass/herb note. Fun yet capable of holding serious interest, a
>real winner of a rosé. B+
>
>2004 RH Phillips Chardonnay (California)
>I had thought this a decent $7 Chard in the past, but this seemed
>dilute and overly sweet. Not a good QPR at any price. C+


I've always had good experience with RH Phillips wines, although I
lean heavily toward reds. Was this the "Toasted Head"?
>
>Sorrentino Lacryma Christi red (I didn't see a vintage noted)
>Short finish, a little fecal, VA. Leaves me reaching for the
>Chardonnay. C/C-


Anything that has a title like "Lacryma Christi" immediately makes me
think of Liebfraumilch, Bull's Blood or Zeller Schwartz Katz--IOW,
something assembled from wines unsuitable for much more than rinsing
the barrels out collected and blended to sell to indiscriminate
Americans seeking Euro-sophistication on a budget. If fecal, thank
Christi that the finish was short!
>
>On the 4th we went to another party, bearing baby back ribs. The host
>provided burgers and franks, and other guests brought a variety of
>salads (at least these were different from night before). The wines:
>
>2004 Rancho Zabaco "Dancing Bull" Sauvignon Blanc
>This wasn't great, but it was better than I expected (and it was really
>cold, which helped in July heat!). Some grapefruit and kiwi fruit, a
>little jalapeno. Crisp, if with maybe a slight impression of sweetness.
>This isn't a great SB, a bit boring, but it was typical and drinkable.
>B


Are we getting a bit sated? Grapefruit, kiwi and jalapeno, crisp with
"impression of sweetness" and you find it boring? It sounds to me like
a SB that I'll search out. Always liked the Rancho Zabaco Zin.

>2005 Muga rosado
>I liked this in past vintages, but it doesn't have the verve of the CRB
>Pineau, the Chivite rosado, or the Il Mimo in 2005. Acceptable but not
>worth looking for. B


Muga has tended, IMO, to be over-priced and over-hyped, much like
Pesquera--at least the wines that make it to the US. I'm still
searching this summer for a drinkable rosado. I've fallen back on
chilled Beaujolais Villages for nightly quaffing--Louis Jadot, B&G,
and Duboeuf have passed the table in the last week.
>
>Fun party, complete with a reading of the Declaration of Independence.
>Funny how much we found to identify with in the colonists' anger at
>"George." Great document.


Yeah, the stamp act, the tea tax, the quartering of foreign troops all
are so au courant. In teaching the background of our Constitution, I
always remind the students that Jefferson plucked shamelessly from
John Locke who wrote of inalienability with regard to "life, liberty,
and pursuit of property" several years earlier. Happiness, apparently
is synonymous with owning stuff.

> Then we went to some other friend's lawn to
>watch the fireworks on the Hudson.


Rioting in the Bronx?


Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
www.thunderchief.org
www.thundertales.blogspot.com
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Default TN: Loire, CA, Spain on the 4th & and 3rd)

Ed Rasimus wrote:
> On 5 Jul 2006 10:46:24 -0700, "DaleW" > wrote:
> I've always had good experience with RH Phillips wines, although I
> lean heavily toward reds. Was this the "Toasted Head"?


No, the regular bottling. In the past I had recommended this as a good
choice for the obligatory Chard at large gatherings with limited
budgets,but wouldn't rec this vintage

> >

> Anything that has a title like "Lacryma Christi" immediately makes me
> think of Liebfraumilch, Bull's Blood or Zeller Schwartz Katz--IOW,
> something assembled from wines unsuitable for much more than rinsing
> the barrels out collected and blended to sell to indiscriminate
> Americans seeking Euro-sophistication on a budget.


While sometimes true, the versions from Mastrobernardino and Normanni
are sometimes interesting (though the whites might be better than the
reds)


> >2004 Rancho Zabaco "Dancing Bull" Sauvignon Blanc
> >This wasn't great, but it was better than I expected (and it was really
> >cold, which helped in July heat!). Some grapefruit and kiwi fruit, a
> >little jalapeno. Crisp, if with maybe a slight impression of sweetness.
> >This isn't a great SB, a bit boring, but it was typical and drinkable.
> >B

>
> Are we getting a bit sated? Grapefruit, kiwi and jalapeno, crisp with
> "impression of sweetness" and you find it boring? It sounds to me like
> a SB that I'll search out. Always liked the Rancho Zabaco Zin.
>

I just think there are some NZ SBs that are a bit more exciting (with
similar profiles)

>
> Muga has tended, IMO, to be over-priced and over-hyped, much like
> Pesquera--at least the wines that make it to the US.


I usually like the Prado Enea. The Torre Muga is very Pesquera-ish,
though.

>
> Yeah, the stamp act, the tea tax, the quartering of foreign troops all
> are so au courant. In teaching the background of our Constitution, I
> always remind the students that Jefferson plucked shamelessly from
> John Locke who wrote of inalienability with regard to "life, liberty,
> and pursuit of property" several years earlier. Happiness, apparently
> is synonymous with owning stuff.
>

Well, Locke plucked from Hobbes, who.........

And certain parts are a bit current:
"depriving us, in many Cases, of the Benefits of Trial by Jury"

"affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the
Civil Power"

"FOR transporting us beyond Seas to be tried "

>

cheers!

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