Once Again, Cold Cuts and "Rhônes"

Last night after a nice wine tasting at Susan’s, we came home and had a light supper of cold cuts, cheeses, and a couple bottles of wine. We had Fra’Mani Salumetti Gentile and Piccante, pepperoni, Salcisson de Vic, and three mozzarella rolls - salame with pizza seasoning, salame with Buffalo chicken seasoning, and Spicy Salame. We also had Drunken Goat and Chaumes cheeses. First wine was a 2002 Las Tablas Estate (Tablas Creek’s label for their non-estate wines) Glenrose Vineyard (35% Syrah, 29% Mourvedre, 26% Grenache, 16% Counoise) - rich earthy dark fruit flavors and very nice with the platter of meat and cheese.

It was a nice warm evening out on our patio, watching the sun creep up the trees and listening to all the birds around. Since we finished the Glenrose before we had finished the platter, i got a another wine from the cellar - a 2000 Eric Texier Chateauneuf du Pape ‘Vielles Vignes’ - initially quite cool, tight, and tannic on the finish, so I brought out our Vinturi. The aerated pouring through the Vinturi and warming up opened the nose and flavors and reduced the dry tannins in the finish. About half the CndP was left when we were finished outside. So we finished it in the library with some of the cheeses while watching TV.

I like that '02 Las Tablas … I bet it paired wonderfully with the charcuterie plate.

It was very good with the different dry sausages and cheeses