Wednesday Night Dinner

Well - this is not the first time a few of us gather here in the bowels of Rego Park :) I love these informal dinners - one really gets to enjoy company and relax. Simon - THANKS - i hope this is not the last time we lure you into this trap :)
there were 4 of us - Simon, Tom, Countess and the Count

My wife made a russian borsch -not at all the stuff in the cans (thats ukrainian)
this one is made of beef and tomatoes (along with other stuff like cabage and beets and so on)
i think it went well - or as well as it could have :) i did my best

• 2001 Domaine Sainte-Anne Côtes du Rhône Villages Saint-Gervais 91 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône Villages Saint-Gervais

  dark plummy color - rich nose - rustic but with more than expected fruit. Started off rustic but with time gained weight. medium body with good acidity. bit of tannins on a pretty long finish. chewy - and 100% Rhone feel. Excellent wine and a geat QPR

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Chicken breast stuffed with spinach, feta and bacon. along with some stuffed mushrooms and grilled tomatoes
and then we had some cheese :) YUM! its a cheese we bought in Delft - its a local hard cheese made with rosemary...what a beauty!

• 2000 Turley Zinfandel Mead Ranch 92 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Atlas Peak

  Opened with lots of fruit and sweetness. very chewy - but not heavy. Great tannins, good acidic grip and a bit of tar/leather on the finish. Red berries dominate without becoming overly jammy.

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• 1997 Turley Zinfandel Black Sears Vineyard 95 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain

  Holy grail of Turley zins :)
  when we opened it we were very scared - it had a dishwasher liquid smell and alcohol was out of whack... but with some time that fell away to reveal a jewel!
  This is VERY amarone like - both in sweetness and fruit profile. that high toned cherry note that amaroned have on the nose is present here. this is not dying - no matter what anyone says - in fact a third of a bottle was fine the next day (drining some now to refresh my memory)
  On the mouth - some cigar but mostly lush fruit with some sweetness and delicious long finish. I still prefer the old world wines but this is as good as a new world has ever tasted to me. just perfect!

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peach crumble :) worked well i think.

• 2002 Giovanni Dri Ramandolo 88 Points

  Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Ramandolo DOCG

  this was rather upsetting...another of the sweet wines that rather unavaliable here - bought this in Rome. it was a FUN wine but not impressive.
  Caramel and flowers on the nose. Apricot and peach. very light. 86 on the first night...
  this morning though the finish got longer and the fruit profile was clearer ...does this need more time??? in any case - now its right about what i expected - a nice not-complex but delicious wine. its beauty is not in its sweetness (mildly sweet) but in the lightness and fruit flavors (very peachy and apricoty)

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Thanks guys - and lets do this again SOON