WTN: Drouhin, Muga, Bailly, Sineann, etc

Friday with a Mario Batali recipe for a pasta with parsnips and pancetta (this is the recipe that Jenise posted to FLDG, really quite good!), the 2004 Drouhin Cote de Beaune Villages. Rather sturdy Burg with fresh raspberry and black cherry fruit surrounded by earth and a little coffee. Good acidity, some fine tannins. Very nice wine for $15ish. B++

Over a couple nights (usually with a bit of Boucheron) the 2005 Michel Bailly "Les Loges" Pouilly-Fume. Grapefruit and grass, a little cat pee and muskmelon. I really liked the 2002 of this, then ignored as prices went up. Thought this might be a good deal at $13, but it leaves me a little bored, though competent and typical, and I don't think I'll order more. B/B-

Saturday I went to Blu in Hastings for a goodbye party for friends moving to Hong Kong. Nice party, nice nibbles (lamb chops, roast beef crostini, grilled veggies, spring rolls, etc) and nice wines (well, mostly nice):

2005 Bollini Pinot Grigio (Trentino)
I started with a glass of this. Nice, light but not dilute, good acidity over ripe apple fruit. I'm not a big PG drinker but this is tasty. B

1995 Muga Prado Enea Rioja Gran Riserva
Nice to see this old friend. Straddles the line between modern and traditional, with medium body, red fruit, some leather and cigarbox. Good finish, balanced. Kind of Rioja meets Medoc. A-/B+

2004 Terra Noble Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve (Chile).
Oversweet, not fun. Overripe red plums, but with a green minty streak. A bit of vanillay oak. Like a milkshake immediately after brushing your teeth. C+

2002 Sineann "McDuffee "Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley)
Big dark blackcurrant and blackberry fruit, a little grilled meat, a bit of tar. Big impressive wine, big ripe tannins. A bit too much fruit-driven for my tastes right now, but this could develop into a very impressive Washington wine. B/B+ for now.

Good night with good people, Tarrytown's loss is Hong Kong's gain.

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.

 

Dale..I have a bottle of the Muga in my collection. Does it have the stuffing to age more, or is it time to pop it and drink it??

Jim,
I think its just entering maturity, bt doubt any problem in holding another 6-8. I have two, think I'll hold, because I'm more interested in secondary develpment.

I've just been informed by email (and confirmed by Googling) that my presumption that the Sineann was a Washington Cabernet is incorrect. I spotted "Columbia Valley" and assumed the Sineann was from Washington, but it seems that part of the Columbia AVA extends into Oregon, and that's where the McDuffee vineyard is. Oops!