Still celebrating with my sis… (hey, 4 people, 2 bottles of bubbly…right?).  This Cava was nice and crisp but a bit too austere for my taste.  Some people really seem to like that light, acidic sparkle but I do prefer a bit more flavor.

scored

paid $12

Celebrating my sister’s new job with a little bubbly.  This is a bit bigger than a typical champagne, both in body and alcohol (at 13%).  However, they use the traditional Champagne grapes (Pinot Noir/Meunier and Chardonnay as well as the methode).  Very tasty.  They add a “stain” (tache) of still red wine to the mix which imparts the rose color.

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paid $16

Even when I lived in the Abruzzo region of Italy this bottle was a rare sight.  So what it was doing on the shelf here in Menlo Park… is beyond me.  But if you ever see it, buy it!  It is smooth and lush, a big wine with a subdued personality.  Like most great producers Pasetti also has a 2nd wine at half the price, which simply carries the label “Pasetti.” I’m not positive but I think the Testarossa is their “grand vin” (never heard the Italians use a descriptor for “first wine” so I’ll just stick with the French term).

scored

paid $24

Its dawning on me that my love affair with California wines is on the ice.  The turning point was the thanksgiving holiday, which involved copious trips to local wineries and restaurants with visiting family.  So, the going price for a very good bottle of Santa Cruz Mtns Pinot Noir or Zinfandel is $30-$50.  Not quite as bad as Napa, but I realized that I just don’t love these wines 100% more than, say, this Pauillac.  At some level the comparison is flawed, since this wine is made from very different varietals (probably 70% Cabernet Sauvignon with a splash of Merlot to soften it and Petit Verdot to plump it up…) but I feel justified.

scored

paid $27

Still wistfully remembering the Rauzan-Segla from October and I stumble across this gem.  ’99 was apparently a big production year but I was surprised to see this bottle still for sale.  ”We have a direct line to the Chateau”.  Of course you do…

scored

paid: $36

Enjoyed this beauty in celebration of AA’s first publication (in October, 2 months of catching up to do here).  Simultaneously outside my comfort zone in terms of price, and an inspiration for me to do that American thang and go make gobs of money (so I can have this every friday).  Embodies all the qualities one could expect from a Grand Cru CLasse Margaux:  stiff tannins that don’t grate, velvety fruit, all in a light liquid that goes down deceptively easily.  As Bob Dylan said, “you’re gonna make me lonesome when you go.”

Update to the cranky business of scoring and rating wines:  catchpeter has switched to emoticons!

scored

paid $72