Dinner w/ Steve Edmunds (6/22/18)
Steve Edmunds invited me over to dinner and we tried:
1. Strohmeier Schilcher Frizzante aus traditionelle Flaschengarung Perlwein aus Osterreich (11%; L1604;
www.JennyAndFrancois.com; Monika Caha Slctn; Blauer Wildbacher; 30-40 yr old vines) NV: Bit brownish/garnet
color; rather earthy/mushroomy/rustic nose w/ little fruit; very tart/acid frizzante earthy/mushroomy rather
earthy/rustic/coarse/metallic some pencilly bit funky/fusty flavor; short very acid frizzante earthy/rustic
finish; seems on the oldish side; not very attractive. $35.00 (BayGrape)
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2. Jean-Reni Germanier HumagneRouge AC: Valais/Suisse (13%; Gilles Besse; Schatzi Imports) 2015: Very dark color;
some earthy/loamy/mineral bright black cherry/boysenberry some like PetiteRouge or Refosco quite attractive
nose; lightly tart fairly smooth/rich strong black cherry/boysenberry light earthy/mineral/stony flavor w/
light ripe tannins; very long ripe/black cherry/boysenberry some earthy/loamy/mineral/stony finish; quite a
good example of the variety. $37.00 (BayGrape)
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3. EdmundsStJohn North Canyon Road Syrah ElDoradoCnty (65% Fenaughty/35% Barsotti vnyds; 13.5%) 2015: Dark color;
classic ElDorado earthy/mushroomy strong blackberry/Syrah/blueberry nose; lightly tart classic ElD/earthy/
mushroomy strong blackberry/blueberry/Syrah/rather spicy flavor w/ modest smooth/ripe tannins; very long/
lingering ElD/earthy/mushroomy strong blueberry/blackberry/spicy/peppery/Syrah finish w/ modest smooth tannins;
a lovely balanced Syrah that speaks strongly of ElDorado and one that's only going to get better; very reasonably
priced for an ageable Syrah. $33.00
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. Earlier in the day, Steve had loaned me his car to drive on this trip out for NEB#8. I had not noticed that
my NM driver's license had expired and couldn't rent a car to get around. Steve suggested I pay for him
renting a car and drive his. It managed to salvage my trip out there. Whatta a guy that Steve is. But then
we already knew that.
That morning, I had made a stop at BayGrape, one of my favorite shops in the Bay area. Wound up buying a
case of interesting stuff that I couldn't live without. These two were from that stash I bought.
Dinner was simple. Some apps out on the back deck, then a carry out-pizza.
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2. Schilcher: This is a wine I was introduced to in Graz several yrs ago when Susan & I met up w/ Wolfgang.
We had dinner at a restaurant and Wolfgang urged me to try Schilcher Wein. He took great glee in my reaction
to this fiercely acid beverage. Eventually, after trying 5-6 different versions, I started to acquire a bit
of a taste for it. With their GriebenSchmaltz, it's actually not bad.
It is typically a rose wine produced from the Blauer Wildbacher grape in Western Styria. It is released
immediately after fermentation, usually w/ a lot of CO2, oftentimes off-dry. Pretty much of an acquired taste.
This was, by far, the worst Schilcher I've had. Didn't do much for Steve, either.
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3. HumagneRouge: This is the Swiss name for the Val d'Aosta grape Cornalin, indigeneous to that area. Clearly a
variety they should be planting all up&down the coast of Calif.
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4. NorthCanyon: This is a newly named Syrah for Steve from two of the vnyds he's used in the past. Like most of
his Syrahs, the emphasis is on the balance. It's not a dramatic/in-your-face expression of Syrah but those
who wait will be rewarded w/ something very special.
Tom