Abbone Langhe Bianco (Arneis) '04, Piedmont, Italy--medium straw color, spicy nose and flavor, invigorating with aromas of herbs and almonds and spice. Good summer wine.
Glass with lunch of tuna melt at 518 West.
Open wines for free tasting at Carolina Wine Company Saturday (four were repeats for me):
2004 Doluim Sauvignon Blanc, Argentina
Gold with greenish tint. Different aroma (wallpaper paste?) along with some tropical fruit--interesting.
2003 Kumeu River Chardonnay, New Zealand ($19.99 a bottle). Rich on palate. Somewhat buttery but still quite nice. Reminds me of apple butter. I have liked this Chardonnay in the past.
1998 Baroja Gran Riserva, Spain. $24.99 a bottle. 12.5% alcoho. Fruity and ready to drink. I have been a fan of this wine and have a bottle at home.
1998 Del Bondio Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford, Napa Valley $24.99 a bottle. I first tried Del Bondio at a tasting a few months ago (probably a more recent vintage) and liked it. This 1998 is ready to drink. Full of fruit without being "gobby." Good terroir produces good fruit?
2002 Chateau Haut Batailley, Pauillac (Fifth Growth or cinquieme cru) (from Diagio Importers)
Darker color than the Del Bondio. Nice enough but tastes a little disappointing after the Del Bondio. Needs more time to mature and may not ever be as fruity.
2000 Eric Ross Occidental Old Vines Zinfandel, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, CA. 15.5% abv. I have liked both the 1999 and 2000 versions of this immensely. The 2000 is possibly more earthy than the 1999--still very good juice.
Missed getting the vintage on the Kreydenweiss Pinot Blanc "Les Kritt" (Alsace) which I had by the glass at Zely and Ritz Restaurant. Very pleasant as an accompaniment to a salad of goat cheese with red and green tomato slices in basil vinaigrette. Saved some of the wine to sip with the entree of baked flounder Provencal (capers, sweet peppers, onions and tomato chopped finely).
With a dessert of peach and blueberry cobbler with a scoop of peach ice cream (yum) I had a small glass of Bonny Doon Muscat Vin de Glacier. I recommend this dessert wine to anyone who enjoys the Muscat grape and sweet wines.