Tonight’s tasting at Susan’s was quite interesting - three pairs of matched varietals, one old world, one new world. We started with two Chenin Blanc based wines- 2006 Champalou Vouvray Sec from the Loire Valley and the 2007 Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc/Viognier blend from California. The Vouvray was pleasantly rich and fruity, with good body, and a medium long fruity finish; the Pine Ridge blend was much better than I expected, no bitterness in the finish, with reasonable fruit and body. Next were two Grenache based wines - the 2006 Domaine des Tours Reserve Vins de Pays Vaucluse - rich, fruity, slightly tannic and with some syrah in the mix; followed by a 2006 Yalumba Bush Vine Grenache - not as ripe and over-the-top as most Oz wines are for me, but actually quite fruity and enjoyable. We finished with two Malbecs, first a 2006 Clos la Coutale Cahors (20% Merlot) - not bad, good fruit with a little herbal note; and ending with a 2007 Salentein Reserve Malbec from Mendoza- rich dark fruit flavors, a good middle, and a long fruit finish, a good Mendoza Malbec.
Then we headed home for our dinner of Shepherd’s Lamb Green Chile Lamb Sausage in a sauce of fire-roasted tomatoes with a little red pepper pesto to blend it all together. The sauce was seasoned with garlic, basil, and an Italian herb mix and served over penne rigate. This was enjoyed with a 1997 TKC Amador County Mourvedre - dark in color; rich, ripe dark fruit in nose and flavors; sufficient acidity to play with the sauce; and a medium long ripe fruit finish. This was the only year TKC made a wine we’d buy. Birds had consumed a good percentage of their crop that year, so the wine was rich and concentrated. The next year the birds didn’t come back and they didn’t thin their crop, so the wine was thin and insipid as usual, too bad.
Then we finished with a crisp Pink Lady apple with two grappas - Banfi Grappa di Brunello and Badia a Coltibuono wood-aged Grappa di Sangiovese. I prefer the Sangiovese with these apples; Carollee prefers the Banfi, which I think is still a bit hot.
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