More Wine with Friends

Last night we had some more wine lovers over for dinner (Tandoori Chicken Kabobs, broiled in the oven thanks to some very unfortunate thunderstorm timing) and drank a lot of wine.  Since I knew they would appreciate it, I opened up one of my prize bottles - a 2001 Dr. F. Weins-Prum Graacher Domprobst Riesling Auslese from the Mosel.  2001 was a great year in the Mosel with many fine, fine wines made that year.  This Auslese was excellent, and not overly sweet (which I ofter worry about with Auslese).  It tasted of pears and vanilla and was a great, light way to start the evening (and went pretty well with Croghan Bologna, a North Country treat!). 

Afterwards, as we got ready for dinner, we opened up a 2006 Fetish Wines - Playmates from Australia (you may remember the label I posted after buying this bottle back in January).  This was a great case study for giving red wine time to open up.  When I first tasted it I thought it might even have been spoiled, but after 10 minutes it turned into a deep dark wine typical of its type (GSM).  Then we finished off the evening with a 2008 Mollydooker - The Boxer (Shiraz) also from Australia.  This was a wonderful bottle tasting of chocolate and dark berries brought by our guests, the Sauers.  In the past, they have shared another wine from this maker, Two Left Feet, which is similarly yummy.  Thanks, Steve!

Recent Acquisitions

I live in the far north of New York.  We have a good wine store here (T&R Wines and Liquors) but I still like to stock up when I am down in "Civilization."  This week I was in New Jersey.  So I stopped at Gary's Wine & Marketplace on Rte. 23.  I was looking to diversify my collection a little, and possibly pick up a couple of the 1001 wines.  On both counts, I succeeded. 

First, I picked up a half bottle of Chateau La Tour Blanche 2005, a Sauternes.  I'm looking forward to trying this sweet wine, as I've never before had a Sauternes.  I'll have to find the right occassion!

Second, I picked up a bottle of Domaine Huet Sparkling wine from the Vouvray region (2002 Huet Vouvray Petillant Brut).  I enjoy sparkling wine, and have had at least one other sparkling Vouvray.  So, to see a (much) older vintage (1959) of this in the 1001 wines piqued my interest. 

I also picked up some old favorites to round out my collection:  Fairview's Goats do Roam, some value french rhone wines from Perrin et Fils, some New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc from Staete Landt, some South African whites from Mulderbosch, and a bottle each of Las Rocas Grenache and Churchills 2002 LBV Port. 

Finally, on our way back up to Potsdam, we stopped at Saratoga Wine Exchange in Saratoga Springs, NY (a beautiful little town, by the way).  Over a late Christmas smorgasbord at my in-laws, I tried a Fetish Wines, The Watcher, 2006.  I REALLY enjoyed it.  It had a hint of sweetness, but it wasn't at all syrupy.  It was deep and dark, and just absolutely delicious.  So, in Saratoga, I picked up 2 bottles of that, plus another bottle by Fetish Wines - Playmates, which is a blend of Syrah, Grenache, and Mataro.  I just found out that Mataro is another name for Mourvedre, which is commonly blended in rhone wines (primarily Syrah) which I love.  I've had another GSM (Grenache Syrah Mourvedre) by Kaesler Wines, and loved it, so this one should be really fun.