Yesterday, 8 of us gathered and Traci and my place to enjoy our semi annual pork fest day. An entire menu using that magical animal…the pig. Lots of great conversation about everything from twittering to wine to sports to…Traci rocked it in the kitchen, making sure I was on target and getting my dishes out on time, cooked properly and looking great!! here are brief notes since I spent most time eating, talking and cooking…
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N.V. Domaine Labet Crémant du Jura Cremant Brut - France, Jura, Crémant du Jura
This wine greeted the Pork Fest II participants. Light salmon color and very effervescent. Palate is fun, crisp and a little chalky with notes of strawberries, roasted almonds and citrus. Shows a slightly oxidative characteristic…very tasty. (88 pts.) -
2007 Everett Ridge Diablita - USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley
Served blind by Andrew Gelb, this accompanied the salami and cheese and got us ready for the next wine…fun wine. A little soft on the palate with just a hint of sweetness. Creamy red cherries, a little spice make this a terrific by the pool sipper…I guessed Tempranillo from Spain as did someone else. (86 pts.) -
2007 Lynmar Chardonnay La Sereinite - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Accompanied the “Mother Hens”. Popped and poured. Large scaled with terrific tropical fruit, nice acidity, some spicy pears, and hazelnut with a long complete finish. A very nice Chardonnay that should get better over the next 6 mos - 1 year. 91+ (91 pts.) -
2008 Mulderbosch Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé - South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch
At this point, i thought we needed an intermezzo wine…this is what I am talking about in Rose…crisp, nice minerality, pretty laser like strawberry and red cherry fruit with a little spice. At $6 or so…a nice buy. (88 pts.) -
2002 Shirvington Shiraz - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale
Served this blind and accompanied the bbq pulled pork nachos. Drinking pretty well right now. It’s definitely a big wine with loads of dark fruit, melted licorice, a little bit of that aussie menthol and pepper. It also sports a pretty dense palate presence but doesn’t get heavy or gloppy…Most of the guessers, guessed Dry Creek Syrah. (93 pts.) -
1998 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie Brune et Blonde - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
Brought by Sasha and Kiara…i paired it with the pancetta and mushroom ragout on sweet potato cakes and it was probably the best pairing of the night…it may have been my wine of the night also. Just impeccably balanced and in a great place. Ripe raspberry and dark cherry fruit, a little hint of underbrush, a little bit of tarry asphalt and bacon fat and a bit of white pepper with a terrific silky texture and medium long finish… (93 pts.) -
1996 Silvio Grasso Barolo Bricco Luciani - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Brought by Sasha and Kiara - accompanied the Pappardelle Bolognese. Drinking very young but lots of upside. Rich cherries, slight floral characteristic, a little tobacco underneath. Still need a little time for the tannins and acidity to better integrate but this wine has the stuffing…very nice. 92+ (92 pts.) -
2006 Domaine Charvin Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
My friends Jeff and Pam brought over a Magnum of this tasty wine…killing babies…yes we were!!! Opened around 2 pm and consumed about 7 pm - 9 pm. Young, yes, but terrific. Juicy acidity, terrific concentration and purity of fruit, tannins and acid providing very nice structure…provencal spice, slight licorice, dark fruit, black pepper and a slight leather note…went through a period where it really clamped down on the sides of the tongue but then generously opened back up. 93++ Hold and revisit in 10 years. (93 pts.) -
2001 Turley Zinfandel Hayne Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena
Douglas brought this over to accompany the dried fruit stuffed pork tenderloin with bacon sherry vinaigrette. People laughed about the pairing but in the end, Charlie Trotter (author of recipe) suggested Zin in his cookbook and he was right. The Zin…terrific and in no danger of needing to consumed soon but also drinking very well! Typical brambly fruit, pepper/spice, a little leather note…rich but balanced and showing no heat despite it’s 16.4% abv…I really enjoyed this! (92 pts.)
See you all for Pork Fest III.