Tonight’s dinner was guanciale, eggplant, & tomato sauce on Rao’s large fusilli, with a little added garlic. This was very enjoyable with a 1996 Poliziano Vino Noble di Montepuiciano ‘Asinone’ - cork saturated irregulaly to around a quarter incn; dark ruby garnet in color with no lightness of the edge; interesting nose & flavors of earthy red and dark fruit; good rich mid-palate with fruit and a bit of tannin; and a nice long dark fruit finish. It matched well with the guanciale et al. I also did a 1/4 of the guanciale, a little crisper and atop the the sauce and pasta. It made a nice change, Carollee got the idea from an Anne Burrell show. It made a nice contrast.
Then for dessert, we had gruyere cheese, a pink lady apple, and a 1987 Ch. Montelena Zinfandel - not as rich or fruity as the '83 we had a few days ago. but still rich berry fruit, balanced mid-palate, and a medium long berry finish. It was nice with the gruyere and apple.