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Storyline:
Tasting
Notes: |
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Storyline:
Tasting
Notes: |
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Cleveland Layover by Larry Meehan |
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Menu Intro Cleveland,
Ohio North Carolina: Detroit,
Michigan:
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I
ask you my friends, are there any greater pleasures for the spirit and
mind than to be in the company of good people? Some nights magnify this
already satiating experience when they, like some fine wines I know,
become seamless events in time -- no hitches, glitches or need of
revisionist history. Such is an evening we recently had in our humble
home...
Kim, geo t ("Georgie" to me and his Aunts) and a man named
Bree came to stay the night before proceeding south on their brief 2001
"Gangster Roadie". We've had a number of visitors pass through
our doors (and certainly no slight to any of them), but this particular
night continues to resonate -- it was simple, funny, serious, elegant,
raw, graceful, and oh so filled with the stuff that is the good life. We
laughed, Larry (the little, above right, helping Georgie blow out some
birthday candles) did not cry, we sang songs, we were
"ourselves", ate good food and drank fabulous wines...I
remember many of the details (for some reason, I almost always do), but
they seem insignificant in the wake of the good feelings that continue
to ripple through me. Nonetheless, some impressions...97 Flowers Porter Bass Chardonnay -- golden hued and initially quite "smokey". Turning "less wooden" with air, featuring apple, vanilla and fig...less minerals than when I tried it last...a good match for Sea Scallops with ripe mango and avocado salsa. Drink up. 2000 Voss Sauvignon Blanc -- bright, expressive and delicious. Lots of tangerine, lime and spice...some "barrel character", but nice acidity ties it all together well... very long on flavor. |
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98 Belle Pente "Murto Reserve" Pinot Noir -- decanted for 2-3 hours.
Still quite young, but seeming more "complete" than last time.
Raspberries, damp, rich earth and prickly spice on the nose. Black
cherry flavors roll about with deep earthiness...but then elevated by
bright acids and a kicked up sense of juicy fruit (lots of
"wet" things going on here ;-). A light dusting of
minerals...nice spice...delicious pinot...not doing it justice. 96 William Selyem "Olivet Lane" Pinot Noir -- Bright, floral, a whisper of cola...very typical of the W/S style. Concentrated berry flavors, with hints of chocolate and a very light earth. Good acids...perhaps just a bit tart (tea?) for contrast. Heading into its prime years...a tasty treat. 93 Banfi "Poggio all' Oro" Brunello -- Decanted 2-3 hours. Roses overlap a substantial earthy nose...smoke, anise, and grilled meats. Understated power and depth, it is tightly wound with many layers. Concentrated black fruits are accented by tar, anise, mint and light chocolate. Both soft and hard...a long finish (anise candy)...a delight with grilled steak and sausages. 85 Ridge Monte Bello -- Poured right from the freshly opened bottle. Still rather deep in color. Mint, ashen earth and "long cooked" coffee spark the nose...flaked stone and minerals too. A smooth, sensual palate featuring black cherry and currants topping an earthy, mineral laden core. Plenty of structure remains, but never imposing... graceful and strong. Gorgeous mouthfeel...subtly evolving... plenty of life left. A profound wine, lifted high by its ample soul (a recurring theme for me where Montebello is involved). From the Allan Bree cellar... 96 Harrison Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon "Auction Lot" -- my first taste of this true rarity...my expectations were high...I was not disappointed. "Fine" and "dense" seem to be the operative descriptors... This wine never seems overdone, but exhibits a dense core of black fruits, backed by substantial, but fine tannins. The nose is sweet with tightly packed fruit, but interesting with flowers, tar, bramble and light spice. The palate is substantial and supple, but just hinting at what will inevitably be intriguing complexity (at least that is what I imagine)...acids are a pretty foil for the fruit and tannin. This received no time decanted, but really impressed me not with its power, but with its balance. Revisit in 5 years. 97 Baumard Coteaux du Layon "Paon" -- speaking of balance, this wine continues to be a delight...sweet fruit -- apricots, tangerines, sweet peaches and bees wax all draped over nice mineral components, than picked up and conveyed by bright acidity. Less than $20 for a 750...I'll be needing more of these. I continue to recall -- The tilt of George's head, eyes closed, as he belts out lyrics he's offered many times before...still with power and integrity...still with spirit. Kim's sly, ear to ear smile and laugh shooting some light right into my heart after one funny anecdote or another. Bree -- softly, subtly, he "enjoys" -- a talent few wear as well...it brings joy to the table and soul. Mary was enraptured in the joy and frivolity of this hastily arranged evening...she was happy and at ease. (The younger) Larry's mirth...even though I have plenty of those "pictures" already. My own contentment ... in recent days it sometimes seems out of reach.
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© George Heritier
October 2001
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