Perfect night with Bordeaux

Earth, mushroom and velvet tannins. The fruit, which was secondary, was black currant. Considering new world style is starting to become more popular in this appellation, Pauillac, I can finally say that I had real Bordeaux. It wasn't fruit forward, and it didn't just carry the characteristics that this region is known for. Even though I have tried many, I never found one that I always read about in textbooks. The one that someone would tip their head back for....then I though maybe I would not ever really understand French wine.

I had this gem at the restaurant in Manhattan that I have always dreamed of eating at. Being able to associate this wine with my evening, it really bright out a true New York City dining experience to perfection. I cannot agree more when they say that when you're learning wine, its best to tie it to the memory. I like to ask for wine labels or at least write the name down when I find one that I like. When it comes to mind later on, I fell like I an taste it again.

After starting off with Champagne, the wine had about fifteen minutes to open up. On the nose, I picked up clay, cedar, smoke and the palette was the same plus some amazing dark berries. What impressed me the most with this wine was the finish. It just lasted forever. It was so perfectly dry in the end but something managed to linger in such a way, that I found myself thinking about it between tastes. I had sea urchin in beef consomme, foie gras with grapefruit, and Kobe beef with potato puree topped with shaved black truffle. There were a few moments where I put my hand to my chest to stop myself from overreacting and hoping no one would notice. Lynch Bages held up to everything and yet stood on its own. The wine didn't bring out the food and the food did not "pair well" with the wine...they were both there at the right time at the right place. It was perfect.

Serbian Thanksgiving 2008

My mother has no idea about wine. Including tonight, I have seen her drink twice in my life and the other time was on my 21st birthday. So, when she and her boyfriend bought me a bottle of wine to eat along with Thanksgiving dinner... I thought it was adorable. 

They bought a magnum of TIZIANO CHIANTO 2005. It was typical Sangiovese and nicely put together. With cherry and baking spices on the nose from the moment I opened it. I also got a bright cherry and pomegrante on the palette. About an hour after I opened it, I picked up a little copper. The acid was pretty high throughout the entire time I was drinking which was a little distracting at times because thing was something that I could have only with food. I thought it was excellent with an old country dish my mother prepared with braised pork. At hour number three, the wine completely fell apart. I find this to be a "party wine". It's something you bring to a friends place where there will be a lot of people. Its Chianti. That's all.

As much of a New York City girl I find myself to be, I still wound up gossiping about childhood friends and neighbors while drinking Turkish coffee with my mother. I will never change. I just love dishing about things heard through the grapevine. I can't help it.