JDR

PALATE PARTY 2

Hi there,

yesterday we organised the second Palate Party.

The concept :
Every person chooses a wine within a fixed price range and makes a small dish that pairs well with the wine. As we were with 4 people, 2 got to choose a white wine (old world vs. new world) and 2 got to choose a red wine (old vs. new world) and before you know it, you have yourself a 4 course meal with paired wines… ain’t that great!

The wines :

Bourgogne Blanc 2009 - Domaine Moret-Nominé - Cote de Beaune, France
100% Chardonnay : Straw coloured - a nice round nose with white flowers, honey and minerality - very elegant mouthfeel and good acidity. To me this wine was just superb!

Robert Mondavi - 2007 Chardonnay Private Selection - Cali, Central Coast, USA
Deep golden colour - very oaky nose : caramel, dried banana, nutty and it was a bit stinky (animal skin) as well - it had good acidity, but the oak made it milky and heavy with a hint of coconut on the finish. Very good quality but not entirely my style.

La Giribaldina - 2007 - Barbera D’asti superiore
Nice classic red colour with a bit of age to it - Forest, earth and paint on the nose, with black fruit - In the mouth the wine is a bit spicy, angry tannic structure, earthy with a hint of sour cherries and strawberries. - To me this wine paired very well with the dish (a simple tomato-olive-parmesan pasta dish) but on itself it does not really know it’s own direction.

Robert Mondavi - 2006 Zinfandel Private Selection - California, USA
Very brown for a wine in the glass - The oak is everywere - butter, vanilla and licorice. - In the mouth however, there is some great dried fruit, with blueberries and celery?! : to me that was a nice surprise when I retasted the wines. The structure is there, but the wine is still sharp, edgy and difficult to drink. I guess it could use some more years in the cellar…

As you see, it was very interesting and we had a great time :)

Palate Party 3, here we come!
JDR