Thread: =?iso-8859-1?Q?Mourv=E8drenight_with_friends?=

Hello,
We had decided to gather a few friends to test a battery of Mourvèdrewines
but unfortunately, everybody had previous engagements except the old guard
Jan-Olof and Catarina. So the battery was diminished.
For aperitif one of these older German wines that now and then for unknown
reasons surface on the Swedish Systembolaget:
Erdener Treppchen Auslese 1994 from Schwaab Kiebel in Ürzig
Nose of ripe apples and petroleum
Good structure, mouthcleaning acidity and sweetness. Possibly a tad too
sweet for aperitif but what the hey, it's Saturday. ALso funny old style
label with pictures and coats of arms and Gothic writing. Wheee!

Two whites semiblind (one of theirs, one of ours)
First is golden in color, giving the impression of a certain age.
Nose intensely of apples.
Mouthfeel a certain fizz giving the lie to the color. Still apples,
noticeable RS. Not appreciable acidity - what is this? My guess is something
from either ALsace or Germany, Pinot Gris/Grauburgunder?
No, wrong - an MSR Riesling from 2003, admittedly atypical, though acidity
gets stronger, possibly as temperature rises:
Pündericher Marienberg Spätlese TRocken 2004 from Clemens Busch
TRocken? Weeeell ... Funnily, it had a finish reminiscent of Gewurz, or
confusingly, white pepper.
Second almost same color, a bit of initial funk blows away and again,
apples. Here there is no hint of sweetness and acidity is prominent, also
noticeable bitterness from oak contact. Our guest had no difficulty
identifying it as Chenin Blanc which was correct:
Ch de Fesle Sec 2003, Anjou AC.
We had with this what the recipe claims to be a clam chowder, though
pure-hearted down-easters may disagree.

Second flight, three wines, also semiblind:
First is from our guests but, given the theme of the night we are not
fooled, and anyway, this is a classical Bandol nose with barnyard and
blackberries. Color intense, very dark.
This, also has a certain fizziness in the mouth. Heavy tannines are balanced
by fruit and a certain small acidity.
WOTN, we are agreed.
Ch Jean-Pierre Gaussen 2002
We went to visit Mr Gaussen summer of 2006 on the advice of Mike Tommassi
and, as is usually the case on following Mike's advice, it was great fun.
But ... Chateau? To paraphrase Star Trek "it's a castle, Jim, but not as we
know it".
Second wine was different from the outset, being paler than #1 and #3. Also,
nose, and palate, were clobbered with vanilla, vanilla, vanilla ... this
wine had been mercilessly been beaten with a cudgel made from good ole
Quercus albus ... also jamminess to the third degree. And alcoholic. I
guess we're not in Provence anymore, Toto ... because this was
Cline Ancient Vines Mourvèdre Contra Costa County 2005.
Would this have been better with age? I sort of doubt it. What is elft of it
could perhaps be used to simmer pears or peaches in?
Third wine, in appearance very much like #1, also nose quite similar, but in
mouth more dour, tannines more massive, a certain raisin feel to it.
Tour du Bon 2000, the basic version, and, I think this, despite being the
oldest wine in the lot, could have done very well with serveral years more
in the cellar. Tonight it was too brooding, though very definitely Bandol.
This too had this certain fizziness on the palate.

What is this fizziness? Is it a secondary fermentation from Bret, kind of
thing? Mike T is the person to ask about it.

With the reds I had made lamb with black olives and garlic, with an orange
and fennel sallad.

ALl in all, good night with good frineds. Background music 3MA, a very
special combo with three musicians from three African countries, MArocco,
MAli, and MAdagascar, hence the name. The guy from Madagascar played a sort
of zither made form a bamboo trunk, with 18 strings made from bicycle brake
wires. AND he had lost his right hand in an accident in childhood. AND he
handled this insturment with virtuosity and style (reminding me at times of
the late and lamented Mississippi John Hurt in his stagepersonality). Hear
this and be inspired, good gals and guys that you are.

Cheers

Nils