Wine in the garden yesterday.
With pissaladiere and endive tarts:
2006 Thornhaven Gewurztraminer – sweet varietal nose, good fruit in middle and clean end.
2007 Thornhaven Gewurztraminer – spicier nose, but less happening on palate, druer rendition. Think I prefer the 2006.
2006 Inama Soave Classico – everything harmonious with this wine, nothing at all out of step. Lemony clean and tasty. Too bad about the price locally.
2007 Black Hills Alibi – BC made white Bordeaux blend (about 71% sauv blanc, 30% Semillon). I usually leave these a year or two to mellow out, but thought I’d try one fresh off the boat…er, bus. Lemon and a hint of apricot and clean on palate, finishing crisply and very pleasant now. Will be interesting to see if age adds anything with this one. sadly, pushing over the $30 mark, I will probably not buy this again.
With cheese mash and asparagus and a very tasty rib eye roast done on the BBQ:
1990 Castelgiocondo Brunello – nice mature specimen with lightening edges, still a surprising amount of tannin, but no point holding much longer as it doesn’t have the fruit to carry it many more years.
1999 Castelgiocondo Brunello – this was showing a bit younger in the nose than the last one I had a few months ago. Still berries and vanilla, and smooth on palate. Don’t think it will age as long as the 90, but who cares? Great fun now and over the next 5 years.