by Patchen Markell » Fri Apr 13, 2018 3:34 pm
I've been so swept up in our upcoming move that I've barely had time to post, but we had an offer accepted on a house this week, so I can finally stop checking the Ithaca real estate listings every thirty seconds! I'll be hitting everybody up for some cellar-design advice after we make it through the structural, but for now: wine.
Raymond Usseglio 2004 Châteauneuf-du-Pâpe Blanc. In a good place: still fresh but developing some rich waxy notes. Lemon-oil, greenness, turning spicy on the finish. Shows a little bit of heat but nothing too obtrusive.
Occhipinti 2015 IGT Sicilia "Il Frappatto." Bigger than other vintages of this wine, but more vertically than laterally; this has the usual Gamayish florality but this time it's built on a solid, dark base of minerality and tannin that could use some time. Delicious but young.
2014 Cantine Valpane Vino Rosso d'Italia, Ruchè, "Rosa Ruske." Dusky rose color, pretty, with a nice mix of strawberry and herbs. Interesting lighter style of Ruchè that makes a nice quaffer, and a good deal at $15.
Domaine Ninot 2013 Mercurey 1er Cru "Les Crêts. Better than the last Ninot we had (a Rully "Marissou" that didn't do anything for me). Solidly made, tasty, no-makeup Pinot that serves its function well (pairing with a simple weeknight meal of frozen porcini tortellini) but doesn't have much beyond that.
Salvatore Moletierri 2012 IGT Irpinia Aglianico, Cinque Querce. Third of three bottles. First was corked, second was delicious, this was corked. I don't think I'll take a chance on querce numeri quattro e cinque, thanks very much.
Frog's Leap 2008 Napa Valley Merlot. Good time to drink this up. Mellow, medium-ruby, black and red fruit, softened edges, tasty but not going anywhere from here.
Unti Vineyards 2013 Dry Creek Valley Montepulciano. Big and gutsy, but also bright, and now with all its elements working together smoothly. In an excellent place.
Domaine du Pélican 2015 Arbois Rouge, "Trois Cépages" (Pinot Noir, Trousseau, Poulsard). We had a bottle of this at the bar at Le Café Cent-Dix in Ithaca, where we wandered in, in search of dinner, after a long day of looking at houses. One house had decorative pelicans (metal, wood, ceramic, etc.) liberally scattered around the garden and inside the house. Pelicans are sort of our spirit animal, so we thought maybe this was the house for us -- but it turned out that the universe was just choosing our dinner beverage for us. Anyhow, I can't really remember enough detail to write a TN for it, but it was delicious.
The next day, we had dinner with some friends and I wanted to pick up a bottle of wine, so we stopped in to the shop closest to our hotel -- a small place with a pretty cool selection. With the Jura always on my mind (sorry if puns like that give you the willies), I grabbed a Gahier Trousseau and struck up a conversation with one of the staff, who proceeded to give us practically a bottle-by-bottle tour of the store. I was worried that there was another customer waiting, but when our tour was done, the "customer" proceeded to pour glasses of something for the two staffers. Figured he was a rep, but it turned out he was one of the owners of, you guessed it, Le Café Cent-Dix, who comes by the shop when he's got interesting bottles open. "Oh, cool, I heard we'd sold a Pélican last night," he said, after introductions were made. "Welcome to Ithaca."
I think we're going to like this place.
cheers, Patchen