Friday 25 February 2011
February fast: day 25
Not long to go now...it is getting tougher now - I am starting to hit the proverbial wall like a marathon runner - and have to get through the weekend - but I can't give up now. Thinking of a couple of events next week keeps me going...and sometimes it is even better to travel than to arrive; looking foward to drinking some great wines next week, watch this space.
Thursday 24 February 2011
February fast: day 24
I'm doing fine and have complied with my mission objective. But I am getting very thirsty...
Sunday 20 February 2011
What a case of Chateau Lafite Rothschild 1996 will buy you
Wine Vintage Number
DRC Richebourg 2000 2
Armand Rousseau Chambertin 2000 2
Ch. Yquem, halves 2003 12
Ch. Petrus 2001 3
Giacosa Barolo Collinda Riserva 1990 6
Giacosa Barolo Serralunga Riserva 1989 6
Castello Di Nieve Barbaresco Santo Stefano 2005 6
Roagna Babaresco Paje 2000 2
Roagna Babaresco Paje 2004 3
GD Vajra Riesling 2009 3
Deux Montille Auxey Duresses 2007 12
Prunotto Barolo Brunate 1967 6
Prunotto Barolo Riserva 1971 1
Prunotto Barolo Riserva 2005 2
Aldo Conterno Barolo Colonello 2001 1
Guigal Cote Rotie La Turque 1987 4
Guigal Cote Rotie La Mouline 1987 1
Guigal Cote Rotie La Landonne 1987 1
Marc Morey Batard Montrachet 1985 1
Marc Morey Batard Montrachet 1990 8
Michel Niellon Batard Montrachet 1989 4
Ch. Leoville Barton halves 2002 24
Francois Lamarche Clos Vougeot 2002 7
Dujac Morey St-Denis 2004 1
Dujac Morey St-Denis 2007 1
Chaveneut NSG 1er Cru Les Damodes 2002 1
Henri Gouges NSG 1er Cru Pruliers 2004 1
Burguet Gevrey- 'Mes Favorites' VV 2001 1
Bachelet Gevrey-1er Cru Corbeaux 2004 1
Jean Grivot NSG 1er Cru Pruliers 2001 1
Allemand Cornas Chaillot 1999 1
Allemand Cornas Chaillot 2000 1
Ogier Cote Rotie 2001 1
Voge Cornas VV 2004 1
Total 128
Some of the proceeds...
DRC Richebourg 2000 2
Armand Rousseau Chambertin 2000 2
Ch. Yquem, halves 2003 12
Ch. Petrus 2001 3
Giacosa Barolo Collinda Riserva 1990 6
Giacosa Barolo Serralunga Riserva 1989 6
Castello Di Nieve Barbaresco Santo Stefano 2005 6
Roagna Babaresco Paje 2000 2
Roagna Babaresco Paje 2004 3
GD Vajra Riesling 2009 3
Deux Montille Auxey Duresses 2007 12
Prunotto Barolo Brunate 1967 6
Prunotto Barolo Riserva 1971 1
Prunotto Barolo Riserva 2005 2
Aldo Conterno Barolo Colonello 2001 1
Guigal Cote Rotie La Turque 1987 4
Guigal Cote Rotie La Mouline 1987 1
Guigal Cote Rotie La Landonne 1987 1
Marc Morey Batard Montrachet 1985 1
Marc Morey Batard Montrachet 1990 8
Michel Niellon Batard Montrachet 1989 4
Ch. Leoville Barton halves 2002 24
Francois Lamarche Clos Vougeot 2002 7
Dujac Morey St-Denis 2004 1
Dujac Morey St-Denis 2007 1
Chaveneut NSG 1er Cru Les Damodes 2002 1
Henri Gouges NSG 1er Cru Pruliers 2004 1
Burguet Gevrey- 'Mes Favorites' VV 2001 1
Bachelet Gevrey-1er Cru Corbeaux 2004 1
Jean Grivot NSG 1er Cru Pruliers 2001 1
Allemand Cornas Chaillot 1999 1
Allemand Cornas Chaillot 2000 1
Ogier Cote Rotie 2001 1
Voge Cornas VV 2004 1
Total 128
Some of the proceeds...
Thursday 17 February 2011
February fast: update
Just arrived in London this morning after a week in Asia...was working hard so hardly went out...Asia is where it is all happening, especially in Singapore, the most vibrant and succesful economy in the world. I would move out there in a heartbeat if I could.
Anyway wine prices are ridiculous in Singapore and I would rather drink lemongrass 'mocktails' - so I did not come close to falling off the wagon. Over half way there now.
Anyway wine prices are ridiculous in Singapore and I would rather drink lemongrass 'mocktails' - so I did not come close to falling off the wagon. Over half way there now.
Sunday 6 February 2011
February fast: day six
No problem after week one.
From now on will only do weekly updates.
Off to Asia on Thursday, which could be more of a test but I am on a roll now so I am not worried.
From now on will only do weekly updates.
Off to Asia on Thursday, which could be more of a test but I am on a roll now so I am not worried.
Saturday 5 February 2011
Friday 4 February 2011
February fast: day four
Went out in the evening for an hour - no problem.
Two new donors:
Donald Amstad - GBP10 a day to the Busoga Trust (for clean well water in Uganda)
An anonymous donor with an undisclosed donation to the British Heart Foundation
Two new donors:
Donald Amstad - GBP10 a day to the Busoga Trust (for clean well water in Uganda)
An anonymous donor with an undisclosed donation to the British Heart Foundation
Thursday 3 February 2011
February fast: day three
I went out to a local restaurant to eat tonight and it was surprisingly easy - perhaps because the wine list is always so dire. So far so good.
Two other people kindly pledged donations today.
Tomas Jelf - GBP10 a day to a charity TBD
Jochen Schneider - 50 euros to a charity TBD
Two other people kindly pledged donations today.
Tomas Jelf - GBP10 a day to a charity TBD
Jochen Schneider - 50 euros to a charity TBD
Wednesday 2 February 2011
February fast: day two
Today was a 'snow day' because we had a nasty 'ice storm' overnight, which made driving very treacherous (roads and pavements covered in one inch of sheet ice). This meant I worked from home (150 bottles in the apartment = temptation), but really it was the same routine as yesterday. I went to the gym early evening, and had dinner, finishing off that sickly sweet bottle of lemonade (water is better I think). Tonight it is Liverpool vs. Stoke. Didn't even remotely think about having a glass of wine. Without tempting fate this could be a walk in the park, when I have other more profound issues on my mind.
The following people have most generously pledged the following, which means we will raise nearly $3000 for worthy causes. Thank you all of you very much.
Jacques Levy $10 a day to Medicine Sans Frontiers (280)
Jon Burdett $10 a day to Centrs Elizabete a Latvian orphanage(280)
David Glasser $500 to the Eye Bank Association of America (500)
Jim How $30 to Legal Services for the Elderly in Maine (30)
Arthur Houdsong $28 each to Teller County and Ark Valley animal shelters in Colorado (56)
Patrick Martin - $100 to the World Wildlife Foundation (100)
Keith Prothero Stg10 a day to Pebbles, charity for South African orphans (450)
Jeremy Carne Stg 1 a day to the UK charity Practical Action (45)
Sudeep Singh - $10 a day to UK Oxfam (280)
Andrew Fullerton – Stg50 to Chilean youth project (80)
Robert Wilson – NZ$100 to a NZ children’s charity (78)
Bill and Jan Johnson $2 a day to National Multiple Sclerosis Society (56)
Tom Whettle $50 to American Rivers (50)
Gail Whettle $50 to the American Heart Foundation (50)
Jonathan Beagle Stg50 to the UK NSPCA (80)
John Abbotts $28 a day to UK Breast Cancer Research (280)
Kim Elstein $1 a day to a charity TBD (28)
Robert Minikin Stg75 to Seeing is Believing (120)
Total: $2843
The following people have most generously pledged the following, which means we will raise nearly $3000 for worthy causes. Thank you all of you very much.
Jacques Levy $10 a day to Medicine Sans Frontiers (280)
Jon Burdett $10 a day to Centrs Elizabete a Latvian orphanage(280)
David Glasser $500 to the Eye Bank Association of America (500)
Jim How $30 to Legal Services for the Elderly in Maine (30)
Arthur Houdsong $28 each to Teller County and Ark Valley animal shelters in Colorado (56)
Patrick Martin - $100 to the World Wildlife Foundation (100)
Keith Prothero Stg10 a day to Pebbles, charity for South African orphans (450)
Jeremy Carne Stg 1 a day to the UK charity Practical Action (45)
Sudeep Singh - $10 a day to UK Oxfam (280)
Andrew Fullerton – Stg50 to Chilean youth project (80)
Robert Wilson – NZ$100 to a NZ children’s charity (78)
Bill and Jan Johnson $2 a day to National Multiple Sclerosis Society (56)
Tom Whettle $50 to American Rivers (50)
Gail Whettle $50 to the American Heart Foundation (50)
Jonathan Beagle Stg50 to the UK NSPCA (80)
John Abbotts $28 a day to UK Breast Cancer Research (280)
Kim Elstein $1 a day to a charity TBD (28)
Robert Minikin Stg75 to Seeing is Believing (120)
Total: $2843
Tuesday 1 February 2011
February fast: day one
I am giving up drinking wine - or any other alcoholic beverage - during the month of February. This is not on medical advice but just to get out of the habit of opening something virtually every night, which can't be healthy in the long run. I want to be able to drink some of the really great wines I have accumulated over the years when they are fully mature. In some cases that won't be for 20 years. My objective coming out the other side is to drink wine three nights a week (Thursday, Friday, Saturday)
To increase the incentive to succeed in my mission I have asked people to sponsor meet to the tune of one dollar (or pound) a day, or multiples thereof, for the full 28 days, to their nominated charity. If I fail I will be liable for the full amount of all monies pledged for the full 28 days. I will list all those who are contributing later this week.
Day one: It is 915pm, and I finished dinner half an hour ago - pork fillets, with two glasses of lemonade, then some green tea ice cream, whilst watching Arsenal vs. Everton on the box. Normally I would have opened a bottle around 8pm after I got back from the gym, and I would be half way through it by now. The craving is there but it is not that strong perhaps because I had a big one last night. The weekend will be tougher, or when I go out, but I feel fine now and I am going off to bed to read.
To increase the incentive to succeed in my mission I have asked people to sponsor meet to the tune of one dollar (or pound) a day, or multiples thereof, for the full 28 days, to their nominated charity. If I fail I will be liable for the full amount of all monies pledged for the full 28 days. I will list all those who are contributing later this week.
Day one: It is 915pm, and I finished dinner half an hour ago - pork fillets, with two glasses of lemonade, then some green tea ice cream, whilst watching Arsenal vs. Everton on the box. Normally I would have opened a bottle around 8pm after I got back from the gym, and I would be half way through it by now. The craving is there but it is not that strong perhaps because I had a big one last night. The weekend will be tougher, or when I go out, but I feel fine now and I am going off to bed to read.
Tuscans at Kittle House, January 31st 2010
Jacques organized our second gathering of Chappaqua residents at Kittle House last night and this time the theme was Tuscany
To wet the whistle:
1996 Pierre Moncuit Champagne
A gutsy, full-bodied, nutty and biscuity champagne, interesting and mature, it tasted a little off-dry
Flight one: The 21st Century Brunello (acute paranoia schizophrenia blues?)
2003 Il Palazzone Brunello di Montalcino
Cherry, sweet melted chocolate, some tannin but not a lot of grip; low acid-international style – this could come from anywhere; smooth and a bit innocuous, would be good with a juicy steak
2003 Ciacci Piccolomini Pianrosso Brunello di Montalcino
A little bit more exotic, unctuous and velvety; nice and expansive on the palate; seductive wine
2001 Poggio Antico Brunello di Montalcino
More interesting nose/attack of cured meats with animal/gamey overtones, more nuanced and complex than the other two with notes of violets and spices
The Ciacci narrowly edged the Poggio for wine of the flight
Flight two: The Super Tuscans: (the Michel Rolland show)
2001 Masseto
Miss January 2011 (de-forested with silicone implants). Mind-blowing nose (‘sex in a glass’), lashings of new oak and jammy fruit; exotic spices and chocolate-y nose; big and expansive on the palate and an extravagant finish. Importantly this is not unbalanced or over the top. This is still a pup but has a spectacular future ahead of it. Some say this is a 100 point wine. I say how would this stack up against Lafite or Petrus? Justifiably and comfortably wotn.
1999 Ornellaia
However; for current drinking this is the wine to have. More mature, Bordeaux-like and resolved, luscious fruits, silky, velvety, refined, polished, and simply delicious. My wotn, second overall.
2006 Ornellaia
Big slug of raw oak, lashings of raspberry fruit, this is ever so young and un-constituted. The view on the table was that it might surpass the 1999 in time.
The Masseto was voted wine of the flight by all but two of us – Jacques and I who voted for the 1999 Ornellaia
Flight three: A 1990s Medley:
1999 Frescobaldi Castelgiocondo Brunello di Montalcino
I got quite a whiff of alcohol on this but it was smooth and svelte, chocolate and cherries, hard not to like this and went down very well. Overall voted third best wine.
1997 Antinori Tignanello
Unfortunately corked. I let the side down badly.
1997 Felsina Rancia Chianti Classico Riserva
Fully resolved, but by no means over the hill, nuanced with notes of leather, timeless.
The Frescobaldi was voted wine of the flight
Flight four: A 2004 Medley:
2004 Saffredi Maremma
This is a seriously impressive Super-Tuscan, less exuberant than the Masseto but not far behind. Tons going on here, with chocolate notes, exuberant fruits and spices, without being over the top or unbalanced. An unsung hero and my third best wine of the night...
2004 Fuligni Riserva Brunello di Montalcino
Quiet an elegant style for Brunello, cherry and spices, nice finish
2004 Marchese Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva
Nice Chianti, leather cherries and spices, already drinking nicely.
The Saffredi was narrowly voted wine of the flight.
Conclusion:
This was an interesting and impressive set of wines. The Brunellos were enjoyable and as Jacques observed they are best drunk with a big juicy steak. But in my opinion they suffer from an identity crisis…many I have recently tried have morphed into a somewhat innocuous and anonymous international style with low acidity. They could come from Argentina, Chile, South Africa or Spain. I think this may be because their appeal has been usurped by the more precocious, exuberant and much cheaper Rossos (di Montalcino). The old style Brunellos usually needed ten years to come round…they skulked in the corner while the Rossos strutted their stuff… so now many of them have become somewhat ‘spoofulated’ – even sometimes illegally so with the (alleged) addition of merlot. These are not ‘bad’ wines, just not particularly attractive at the price point. Most Brunellos sit uncomfortably between Super-Tuscans and Chianti Classicos, neither of which suffers from an indemnity crisis.
From this selection the wine I really want is the 1999 Ornellaia (it would be nice to have the Masseto but it is prohibitively expensive); the 1997 Rancia I already have. Many thanks to Chairman Jacques – and Vice-Chairman Pierre – for organizing.
To wet the whistle:
1996 Pierre Moncuit Champagne
A gutsy, full-bodied, nutty and biscuity champagne, interesting and mature, it tasted a little off-dry
Flight one: The 21st Century Brunello (acute paranoia schizophrenia blues?)
2003 Il Palazzone Brunello di Montalcino
Cherry, sweet melted chocolate, some tannin but not a lot of grip; low acid-international style – this could come from anywhere; smooth and a bit innocuous, would be good with a juicy steak
2003 Ciacci Piccolomini Pianrosso Brunello di Montalcino
A little bit more exotic, unctuous and velvety; nice and expansive on the palate; seductive wine
2001 Poggio Antico Brunello di Montalcino
More interesting nose/attack of cured meats with animal/gamey overtones, more nuanced and complex than the other two with notes of violets and spices
The Ciacci narrowly edged the Poggio for wine of the flight
Flight two: The Super Tuscans: (the Michel Rolland show)
2001 Masseto
Miss January 2011 (de-forested with silicone implants). Mind-blowing nose (‘sex in a glass’), lashings of new oak and jammy fruit; exotic spices and chocolate-y nose; big and expansive on the palate and an extravagant finish. Importantly this is not unbalanced or over the top. This is still a pup but has a spectacular future ahead of it. Some say this is a 100 point wine. I say how would this stack up against Lafite or Petrus? Justifiably and comfortably wotn.
1999 Ornellaia
However; for current drinking this is the wine to have. More mature, Bordeaux-like and resolved, luscious fruits, silky, velvety, refined, polished, and simply delicious. My wotn, second overall.
2006 Ornellaia
Big slug of raw oak, lashings of raspberry fruit, this is ever so young and un-constituted. The view on the table was that it might surpass the 1999 in time.
The Masseto was voted wine of the flight by all but two of us – Jacques and I who voted for the 1999 Ornellaia
Flight three: A 1990s Medley:
1999 Frescobaldi Castelgiocondo Brunello di Montalcino
I got quite a whiff of alcohol on this but it was smooth and svelte, chocolate and cherries, hard not to like this and went down very well. Overall voted third best wine.
1997 Antinori Tignanello
Unfortunately corked. I let the side down badly.
1997 Felsina Rancia Chianti Classico Riserva
Fully resolved, but by no means over the hill, nuanced with notes of leather, timeless.
The Frescobaldi was voted wine of the flight
Flight four: A 2004 Medley:
2004 Saffredi Maremma
This is a seriously impressive Super-Tuscan, less exuberant than the Masseto but not far behind. Tons going on here, with chocolate notes, exuberant fruits and spices, without being over the top or unbalanced. An unsung hero and my third best wine of the night...
2004 Fuligni Riserva Brunello di Montalcino
Quiet an elegant style for Brunello, cherry and spices, nice finish
2004 Marchese Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva
Nice Chianti, leather cherries and spices, already drinking nicely.
The Saffredi was narrowly voted wine of the flight.
Conclusion:
This was an interesting and impressive set of wines. The Brunellos were enjoyable and as Jacques observed they are best drunk with a big juicy steak. But in my opinion they suffer from an identity crisis…many I have recently tried have morphed into a somewhat innocuous and anonymous international style with low acidity. They could come from Argentina, Chile, South Africa or Spain. I think this may be because their appeal has been usurped by the more precocious, exuberant and much cheaper Rossos (di Montalcino). The old style Brunellos usually needed ten years to come round…they skulked in the corner while the Rossos strutted their stuff… so now many of them have become somewhat ‘spoofulated’ – even sometimes illegally so with the (alleged) addition of merlot. These are not ‘bad’ wines, just not particularly attractive at the price point. Most Brunellos sit uncomfortably between Super-Tuscans and Chianti Classicos, neither of which suffers from an indemnity crisis.
From this selection the wine I really want is the 1999 Ornellaia (it would be nice to have the Masseto but it is prohibitively expensive); the 1997 Rancia I already have. Many thanks to Chairman Jacques – and Vice-Chairman Pierre – for organizing.
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