Last night’s supper was Red Mesa ‘Gimme Garlic’ pork sausage browned and sliced into Rao’s Tomato-Basil Sauce enhanced with more garlic and oregano. It was ladled onto Rustichella di Abruzzo Garganelli and served. At the dining table freshly grated Parmagiano Reggiano and a chiffonade of fresh basil were added. All was enjoyed with a 2002 Clape Cornas - fill a cm below the capsule; cork saturated only a quarter inch; rich, spicy, leathery dark berries and currants; adequate acidity, with a long complex dark fruit finish. The combination was remarkably good. The wine showed no signs of dilution from the 2002 rains.
Then for dessert we had Doux de Montaigne and Blue Stilton cheese, with TJ’s Jumbo Raisin Medley and WF Deluxe Mixed Nuts and a surprisingly good 1995 Monterey Peninsula Zinfandel - nice berry fruit, adequate acidity with a medium long berry finish. It was enjoyable with the cheese, raisins and nuts. It had none of the herbal-vegetable notes I generally sense in Monterey wines.