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Dinner with Friends (Cotat, Pegau, Felsina, Saxum, Kracher)
Tasted October 4, 2010 by Loren Sonkin with 546 views
Introduction
On Saturday, we had friends over for dinner. This was the first wine dinner we had in our new home. It really helps to have these kinds if dinners to make the house a home. This is by far, my favorite way to enjoy wine. The wines were consumed, by course, over the 5 hours.
Flight 1 (1 note)
With: Spanish Roasted& Spiced Almonds:
Rosé
2009 Bodegas Gurrutxaga Bizkaiko Txakolina Rosé
82 points
Meh. Pale salmon pink in color. A bit of fizz. This was my last rose left from my summer stock. Could it have been better a month ago? I doubt it. Not much fruit. Mot much complexity. Perhaps it was more refreshing on a 90 degree day? A bit bitter on the finish. Certainly worked better with the food. Not terrible, just mostly boring.
Flight 2 (1 note)
With Leak and Aged Goat Cheese Tart:
White
2002 Domaine Pascal Cotat Sancerre La Grande Côte
92 points
I wish I had more of these but this was my last bottle. Still youthful and showing no signs of being past prime. Light golden in color. The nose is great, elegant and complex. Minerals ride a wave of lemons with a barely perceptible not of grass. Full bodied. Layered. Perfect foil to Leek & Goat Cheese tart. Lots of minerals and fruit intertwined. Balanced acidity. Long finish.
Flight 3 (1 note)
With Spicy Tuscan Autumn Soup:
Red
2001 Fattoria di Fèlsina Berardenga Chianti Classico Riserva
91 points
Another bottle that has years left in it. Ruby red in color. The nose is cherries with saddle leather. A strong backbone of acidity went well with the food. Tight layers of cherries, dried cherries and tea leaves on the palate. Long finish. I have a lone bottle left and will hold for a while.
Flight 4 (1 note)
With Fall Root Vegetables over Polenta:
Red
2001 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée
94 points
Wow, this bottle was in a great place. Mature, but still on the younger side of mature. Ruby in color with some purple hues. The palate has raspberries, cranberries, slight barnyard notes and some leather. Full bodied. Layers of complexity. Raspberries intertwined with wet forest floor notes. Great balance. Long finish. Its going to be hard not to drink up my bottles at this point. And why shouldn't I?
Flight 5 (1 note)
With Assorted Cheeses:
Red
2004 Saxum Broken Stones
94 points
Sometimes I get nervous on the 04 Saxum's. This one was another stellar one. Popped and poured, which probably was a mistake, it was great but got better. A lone glass left in the bottle was better Sunday. Purple in color, ruby at the rim. The nose is black raspberries, black pepper, leather and some game. Full bodied. Showing some maturity with tight layering, there is lots of years left. A mineral streak is starting to fight for time with the fruit which is intriguing. Long finish. Always a crowd pleaser. More and more, I am serving wines like this with a cheese course after dinner and before dessert. It is a perfect way to go!
Flight 6 (1 note)
With Poached Pears in Vanilla Sauce:
White - Sweet/Dessert
1998 Alois Kracher Traminer TBA #8 Nouvelle Vague
93 points
This bottle had leaked at some point, so I thought I should open it. As I suspected though, no harm for the wear. Light golden brown in color (diluted iced tea). The nose has great floral notes as well as some pineapple and honeyed notes. Viscous. Great acidity. Long finish. Some sugared pear notes on the wine.
Closing
Good wine and food and better conversation with friends. Thats what its all about!