With it, I opened up two Californian wines - a region I have wanted to better acquaint myself with. The Clos Pepe Estate Chardonnay 2003 (Sta Rita Hills; 13,9%abv) was a huge surprise. The nose shows a very pure Chardonnay fruit of lemon and some minerals. It is very ripe and shows some tropical hints like passion fruit. The palate is well structured with high, but crunchy and juicy acidity, and ripe (rather than over-ripe) fruit. Long, refreshing and mineral aftertaste. I assume this is aged in old barrels since there is only the slightest hint of wood? Very good!
So how does this differ from their Hommage à Chablis? And when did they stop making the Hommage?
I love the Black trumpet mushroom - it is so fragrantly earthy that it would ideally call for an old Burgundy, but Lagier Meredith Syrah 2000 (Mt. Veeder, Napa Valley; 14,5% abv) was excellent with the dish also.
Very dark red. The nose is quite lovely with all the typical Syrah aromatics of black pepper, a mix of dark and red fruit, bacon/animal undertones and a fresh lift. This smells very ripe, but doesn't cross my boundary for what I perceive as over-ripeness. It tastes very ripe also, but has honest, upright tannins, juicy acidity and a very long and mineral afteraste. So it might be a touch riper than I prefer my Syrah, but it is still a lovely wine and within the parameters of my "comfort zone". Like with some ESJs I've had, I can't beleive how there is no heat showing despite such a huge alcohol content. Good stuff!
With our dessert of cheeses (Kuttu Ville, Stilton, Farmhouse Cheddar), my brother brought a bottle of Bodegas Julián Chivite Navarra Gran Feudo Blanco Dulce de Moscatel 2006 which had a very fresh nose, true to the grape, with flowers and grapeyness. Sweet, but refreshingly acidic - a nice and uncomplicated dessert. I find that cheeses and wines are usually a very tough match since the cheeses (even many harder ones) coat the mouth and make the wine taste dirty. True enough, the Stilton and cheddar didn't work; but the Kuttu Ville (a bit like Appenzeller) was a charming companion.
-O-