A Tale of Decanting

I decided to pair my Punch "Siciliana" (prosciutto, picholine olives, basil and artichokes) pizza last night with a solid, everyday Burgundy (pinot noir) from the Marsannay appellation. It was the Louis Latour - Marsannay, 2002 vintage. As a general rule, I have found that pinot noir is a great pairing for pork meats. And the mineral and earthy tones of this wine are harmonious with the olives and artichokes of this particular pizza.

I have purchased/consumed this wine on two other occasions. On one occassion, it displayed the characteristics of earth and cherries, combined with nice minerality. A nice entry into Burgundy wines for a reasonable price ($16-17). WS's most recent issue designated this a "Smart Buy" and rated the 2005 vintage a score of 90.

I also purchased it for a Christmas party in Iowa and it was clearly "corked" (The presence of 2,4,6-trichloroanisole ("TCA") in the wine - tasting/smelling like moldy newspaper, wet dog, or damp basement.) The cork taint odors and flavors mask/dilute the true characteristics of the wine. However, drinking a "corked" wine is harmless.

Last night, I opened the bottle and feared that the "Corked Monster" had returned yet again. Fortunately, the wine opened up and evaporated its initial "wet funk" and vinegar like aromas after an hour of decanting. I can't say enough about what decanting will do for a wine - especially one that appears unpleasant immediately after opening. While decanting can't save a "corked" wine, it will do wonders for young and old wines to allow the true characteristics of a wine to be expressed.

Friday, February 8, 2008 Meeting / Domestic Zinfandel

Domestic zinfandel bottles were sampled at our February 8, 2008 meeting. The following bottles competed for the eventual three way tie:

• Seghesio 2006
• Seghesio 2006
• Terraces 2001 Napa Valley Zinfandel
• Rosenblum 2005 Paso Robles
• 2005 Lodi Old Vine Zin
• Rosenblum 2005 Appellation Series North Coast
• Joel Gott Zinfandel
• Liar's Dice Murphy Goode 2005

  

The three way tie between the winning bottles was: both Seghesio 2006 bottles and the 2005 Lodi Old Vine Zin. Marky C. and Grace had their first win with Lodi Old Vine. Nick & Michelle and Pete & Emily both brought Seghesio. The majority of the bottles displayed classic zinfandel characters such as red and black fruit, peppery spice and hints of oak (suprisingly under control - no real "Oak Monsters").

Jen and Mike were excellent hosts and paired the zinfandel wines with wonderful appetizers including ground beef mini-sandwiches that contained blue cheese, red peppper and other spices. Tyson, the official canine mascot for the evening, kept everyone in line.