February 2005 Archives

Good nose of dark fruits and forest floor aromas. Color was a very deep purple/red. The wine looks opaque and youthful like "wine ink". The palate showed ripe fruit and a good level of extraction, but one would not call it"fruit-foward" nor is it even a bit over-extracted or pruney. The wine demands your attention and has serious structure and balance implying good aging potential. The finish lingers and reminds you of berries lying on fresh loam; 13.7% alcohol. Steve Edmunds says this will be ready to drink in 2009 and I certainly don't doubt his opinion one bit after trying the wine. This will certainly gain in points as it ages. (Dinner @ Bizou). (91 pts.) (1/28/2005)

From a bottle purchased on release and not perfectly (!) stored. Medium red brick with slight lightening at the edge. Nose of caramel, cigar box, and some maderization or oxidation. This wine is fully mature, with acid, tannin and fruit in perfect balance. No exidation was evident on the palate. It has a medium body and is not at all powerful or extracted. The finish is a bit short with the tannins still evident, providing some structure, but they are quite smooth. (88 pts.)

I've been reading Mark Helprin's new short story collection: The Pacific and Other Stories, and when I've finished and thought about it for a while, I'll post a review.

In the meantime, and along the lines of food and truth, which are two pretty good subjects, I give you the following short excerpt from one of the stories (Jacob Bayer and the Telephone) wherein an itinerate monk named Jacob Bayer wanders into a new and prosperous White Russian town in 1913:

In stalls on the streets of Koidanyev and in well-ordered stores lit with electric lamps were every type of fruit he had ever known or imagined, and fruit of which he had never heard: all those of a temperate climate, of course; citrus of every variety, half of which he never knew existed; dates; currants; mangoes; papayas; bananas; kiwis; star fruit; breadfruit; passion fruit; and a hundred obscurities such as, for example, Chilean cat pears, which were the color of mourning doves and tasted like marzipan.

I know it sounds like the title of an obscure 19th century romance novel, but it is wine and cheese; sherry from Jerez and cheese from the Goierri valley of the Basque region of Spain. And together - they are heavenly.

Idiazabal is a moderately firm, aged cheese made from unpasteurized sheeps milk. It is piquant, chewy, creamy when dissolved and has a lingering aftertaste. According to the CheeseFromSpain.com website idiazabal is a good accompaniment to grilled or barbarque meats, and they even suggest melting it on top of hamburgers. Presumably, folks who do that don't have to purchase their idiazabal at Whole Foods Market like I do ($$$)!

A long time ago, Jerry Brown was Governor of California. Mayor/Governor Brown is to the left of me on most issues, but he is clearly very intelligent, creative about governing, and not beholden to any ideology; he thinks the issues through and supports positions that make sense. I remember a story from the '70s when there were some articles about the level of crime in Califnornia and Governor Brown was asked to comment on how common citizens could cope. If I recall correctly, he said: "Keep low, move fast, and don't carry a lot of cash." Now, you've got to like a guy like that, and I like him.

He has started a blog, and I'm betting it will be smart and entertaining. Read all about it: Jerry Brown: The Blog.

It is significant when a single company, by declaring a dividend, can distort national income accounting...
CONSUMER SPENDING PUMPED UP BY MICROSOFT DIVIDEND

The government said U.S. consumer spending jumped in December after thousands of Americans shared in a massive payout by software giant Microsoft Corp. (MSFT)

Small, elegant, and approaching perfection like a Faberge Egg or a tiny intricately carved wooden box, Maki serves authentic and delicious Japanese cuisine - no California Rolls here! The official menu is limited, but the list of daily specials is always large, so be certain to ask. They have a good selection of high quality cold sake (served in a small 175mm decanter with an ice-filled insert and decorated with an orchid blossom) and the luxurious lacquer-ware and other implements will make you feel like a Japanese Emperor. Try the Wappa-meshi dishes (like a simple steamed Chirashi) and the savory custard (chawan mushi) - even the miso soup is special (white miso, high quality ingredients, and unlike any miso soup youve had before). Not cheap, but absolutely worth every penny. Highly recommended

2001 Turley Zinfandel Pringle Family - USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain (tasted 3/9/2004)
Probably the most improbable Wine Spectator wine list award winner ever is Ashiana, an Indian restaurant located in a strip mall in the suburbian wilds of western Houston. The chef is from the Hilton in Delhi and her partner is a retired Doctor who loves to collect wine. There are lots of treasures on the list and the markups are fair (2.5 x wholesale). As you might expect, the wine list is extensive; this is how I came to try a 96-point Turley Zin with dinner (@ $90 a real bargain). I've never had a Turley produced wine before, but their reputation precedes them. But, talking about this wine can never do it justice. It was a dark, almost opaque and inky purple-red. The nose leapt out of the glass full of peppery and smoky fruit. But this eye opening event with this wine is when you put it in your mouth. It is thick and tounge-coating almost port-like, but surprisingly, there is enough acidity and fruit to keep it from being cloying. The mid-palate is satisfying and complex. Somehow the 16.2% alcohol isn't really noticeable either on the attack or the mid-palate. The finish is simply delicious with tannins completely integrated. I almost wanted to stand up and applaud giving the wine a standing ovation. (95 pts.)

1983 Château Cheval Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion (Tasted: 2/2/2004)
Wow! WOw! WOW! When first poured, it had a nice smooth nose of tobacco which was muted in comparison to the '85 L'Eglise Clinet. After about 45 minutes the nose, though still smooth, was super big sending out tobacco and earth plus layers of other things I could sense gently tugging at my nose. The palate was smooth on the attack, smooth and mouth-filling on the mid palate, and smooth with incredible and noticably sweet tannins on the extended and delicious finish. Everything was integrated perfectly, but the more I sniffed, and the more I tasted the more there was to find. This was great wine, not a mere collection of tannins, acid and fruit. Compared to the L'Eglise which shared the table, it was both bigger, and smoother, presenting a completely integrated whole. This is drinking superbly now, but will possibly last another 10 years. But why wait? This may be the best wine you ever have! (97 pts.)

2000 Au Bon Climat Chardonnay XX Anniversary Passant des Nuits-Blanches au Bouge - USA, California, Santa Barbara County, Santa Maria Valley (tasted 4/10/2004)

A shining clear pale gold color, with a very nice nose of ripe chardonnay fruit and a bit of oak. The palate shows a good burst of California ripeness balanced by the right amount of acid, changing to a full mid palate and a long and sweet finish. This tastes like a fine white burgundy. It is reserved but has every component in place. It doesn't call attention to itself with a flashy characteristic, but gets your attention with authoritve perfection. It is delicious and is one of the best California chardonnays I have had in a long time. It is a delightful wine. (92 pts.)

UPDATE: This is the heaviest 750ml wine bottle I have ever seen. It weighs just a tick less than 2 kilos!

Well its Oscar month again. Some people spend it in speculation about who is going to win what at this years Oscar Ceremonies. This is something I never do.

Others spend it by watching the Oscar-winning movies of years gone by which are broadcast on the cable channel: Turner Classic Movies. This is something I have often wanted to do, but I forget. I don't print out the schedule and I don't set the recorder and I don't see the movies I wanted to see.

Well this year I have printed out the February schedule at TCM and this year I am NOT going to miss the fine old films that should be broadcast more than once a year but aren't.

And, because I've posted the schedule here, and tipped you off, if you miss something you wanted to see, don't say you weren't warned!