Wined and Dined

My aunt was in town over the weekend, perfect opportunity to open up some fun wine. Dinner was couscous with mixed vegetable "stew", creamed sweet potatoes, roasted beets with feta, apple-fennel-mint salad, grilled asparagus, merguez (harissa-spiced lamb sausages) and lemon-chicken kebabs. For dessert, a Malaysian mung-bean congee, made with coconut milk and palm sugar. A feast!

2007 Domaine de la Pépière (Marc Ollivier) Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine - crisp, tangy, salty, tart, and delicious. Perfect for getting into a cooking mood.



N.V. André Clouet Champagne Brut Rosé - J.F.'s ancestors were print-makers, and the tradition has stuck, the various bottlings are variations on this theme. Our favorite pink sparkler.



1999 Movia Puro Rose - with the lees, immediate taste is a bit confused, bitter, but creamy. Opens up later with lots of apricot/peach aromas, minerality, quinine, good body and well balanced by the acidity. yum. I'm also getting a sneaky suspicion that I might be mildly allergic to the lees... last two times I've had more than a glass or two of this, I've awoken in very poor shape. Worth it, but will be more careful next time.



2004 Melusine Lyra Gruner Veltliner Lyra (14%) - holy smokes... Beautiful nose, apples, lemon, that smell of a freshly washed bunch of Thompson grapes, cauliflower, lentil, a light whiff of smoke. Wonderful concentration and balance, broad, silky, oily, but simply lovely acidity to match. Clean, springwater, lemon juice and stones, with a lovely pepper bitter bite to finish. Superb. Not as angular as, say, the 07 Prager Stockkultur, but every bit as satisfying. I loved this, absolutely. The cork, by the by, is emblazoned with a very tarty mermaid, probably the siren's friend.



1986 Chateau Musar Rouge - clear rusty/ruby colour, some brown tones, but healthy looking. On the nose, only lightly lifted, beef broth tones, some roasted/nutty notes and a touch of brown sugar. On the palate, round, spicy, exciting, very sanguine, sweet, deep, delicious. Soft tannins, but still quite alive, very nice balance, medium-bodied and good length. Not as complex as the '88, much more animal. Disappeared quickly. R. passed, naturally.



1982 Mas de Daumas Gassac Rouge - Dark garnet colour, very youthful looking. No VA or brett, but not aromatically challenged - red berries, plum, tomato leaf, and clay. Tannins are smooth but full (these are v.tannic on release), delicious spiciness, medium bodied, good balance, rich but not thick or sweet, elegant yet feisty, and an interesting spiced finish of anise and cinnamon.



Freihof Marille Edelbrand - Tuesday's experience reminded me that I've been ignoring these bottles for too long, so it was the perfect opportunity. The nose is a bit terrifying, because it certainly smells strong, but oh, so smooth, with spot on sweet fruit.