WTN: Rhone for pre-anniversary dinner

Today is our 8th wedding anniversary, but through bad planning I have a SOBER event. We scheduled our special night out for tomorrow, but last night I decided to open a wedding year wine to go with the roast chicken, sweet potato, and arugula. I went downstairs to get a 2001 Bordeaux, but came up with a 2001 Bernard Faurie St Joseph Vieille Vignes. Red fruit, lots of pepper, very high acid. Actually acid is high enough to make even me pull back at first. With a little time, it fills out, with the fruit standing up to the acid. Nicely spicy, firm tannins, I think a couple more years will do this some good. B+

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.  

[David M. Bueker]

Umm...Dale...you have one understanding wife.

Hey, she booked a 7 AM flight on my birthday. And usually it's her that has to do a performance on our anniversary!

[David M. Bueker]

This is the first time in 10 years that my tasting group's normal date falls on my wife's birthday. Given all the time I have spent on the road the last 3 years I am going to beg for a date change. Call me a coward, but I am not stupid.

2001 Bernard Faurie St Joseph Vieille Vignes. Red fruit, lots of pepper, very high acid. Actually acid is high enough to make even me pull back at first. With a little time, it fills out, with the fruit standing up to the acid. Nicely spicy, firm tannins, I think a couple more years will do this some good. B+

  

Dale, this is good stuff, isn't it? Old school fresh zippy syrah, yeah! I'd agree on the ageability factor too, btw.