The Laughing Wolf

Saturday Wine Tasting Notes

Well, when you have so many fine wine tastings, like the outstanding South African tasting a couple of weeks ago, it is easy to get spoiled. So, it is not surprising that I ended up a little disappointed yesterday. The wine tasting consisted of five unrelated wines, and I regret to say I found them all to be unremarkable.

We started with a 2000 Chablis from Roland Lavantureux. The nose was light yet sharp with scents of hay and light fruit. The medium mouth was sharp and dry strong mineral, slight wood, and citrus under on the finish. The result was not pleasing, and the only thing I could think of for it was to pear it with something extremely sweet.

The second wine, Castle Rock 2002 Napa Valley Sauvigon Blanc, made up for it a bit. It had a nice nose of pineapple and tropical fruit, followed by a medium mouth that was slighty crisp but with subdued flavors of fruit and mineral. If it had lived up to its nose, it would have been a very good wine.

The third wine was Jewel 2002 Viognier from California. The rich nose was filled with red delicous apple and bosc pear, and the medium to full mouthfeel was crisp and sweet with fruit. A nice finish. While sweeter than my normal like, it would pair well with good white cheeses.

The fourth wine was Qupe 2002 Syrah. It had a nice nose of leather and chocolate with fruit under. The tart mouthfeel revealed fruit – and a bitter finish. This was another wine that if it had lived up to its nose, it would have been very good. As it is, I do not recommend it.

The final wine of the tasting was Napanook 2000. The nose held leather and fruit, and the medium mouthfeel also contained leather and fruit. The finish, however, was not good.

The best wine of the day was not a part of the official tasting, but was offered to me when I arrive a bit early. It had been opened the previous day, and it had held up very well. I was quite pleased with the Mason Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2002. It has a very nice nose of citrus and fruit, and a medium mouthfeel with flavors of citrus and green fruit with a slight crisp finish. This is not a bad summer day wine, and would pair well with fruit and cheese on a hot afternoon.

One thing to keep in mind for wines is that they are not just for drinking. For example, the Jewel above would be excellent for poaching a firm white fish or even some salmon. Take a covered pot, or some aluminum foil to make a container, and place the fish within. Season, and consider using some fresh dill or other herbs appropriate to the fish. Pour in some of the wine, seal, and cook.

Another thing to keep in mind at a tasting, is if you consistently get a reading – such as a mineral note to the nose – no matter the type of wine, it may be the glass. Even minute traces of soap or chemical can throw things off, and if you have hard water the mineral notes you get may be from said local water when used to wash and rinse. Just a thought to keep in mind.

Enjoy your day!