Wines sandwiched in between the festivities:
François Cazin, Cour-Cheverny,'cuvee Renaissance', 2002
Chenin-blanc like chalk and lemon grind. Sweet Sprite® flavors with a chalk finish. Lots of bright acidity here along with 3 fruits marmalade. Good stuff, but slightly sweet and not bone dry.
Fattoria Laila, 'Lailum', Marche Rosso IGT, 2001
Black red colored. Closed black fruit aromas; Dusty black cherry, dark plum skin, somewhat reduced. The Fattoria's trebbiano is much livelier and cheaper.
Dom. du Caillou, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, 'les Quartz', 1999
A major disappointment. I was expecting southern France and got Nowheresville instead. menthol and dark fruits on an otherwise unrevealing nose. Plum & cassis (what's Bordeaux doing here?!) and full-bodied almost menacingly thick but without lift, this does open up a bit upon the second day so there might be hope yet, but wait: WTF is the garrigue???!!! The floral perfume good Chateaunuef should have? Good question, and these Caillou needs to go back to their fields and find it.
Chateau Simone, Palette, 2003
A mediterranean white. Light bronzed honey gold colored. Lemon Pledge® on the nose, but muted. Lemon oil and acorn flour on the palate, very austere and very dry. Has a chunky dullness to it, like that kid in the back of class who never spoke to anyone and always made it to the buses just before they drove off. Easy Pass for me. Give me a Cassis over this anyday.
Dujac, Morey-St-Denis, 2000
medium pinot colored, looks lighter than a previous bottle I had a year or two ago. Christmas spices and cherry-vanilla aromas fill up the glass. Cherry-mint julep on the palate, light in feeling with a structure telling me this won't be an ager. If you have any, drink soon (within a year).
Giuseppe Mascarello, Dolceto d'Alba, 'Santo Stefano di Perno, 2004
Blackcurrant-cherry juice colored. Medicinal bandage smell that blows off along with teaberry and morello cherry. Fresh squeezed cherry juice and spicy camphor flavors, this needs time to smooth out. A slight austerity to this. Ideally, this needs to sit for 2 more years for my tastes. A structured dolcetto.