Soft, Gentle, Beguiling...

HERE IS the line-up of vinous delights for tonight's Wine Appreciation course, thematically grouped under the banner 'Curios'.

From left to right: Nyetimber Blanc des Blancs ‘99; Vin Jaune ‘99, Côtes du Jura; Dinstkgut Loiben Pfaffenberg ‘05 (Gruner Veltiner); Yili River Vineyard Suntime ‘03 (Chinese); Monsoon Valley Rosé 2548 (Buddhist calendar, Thai); Denbies Redlands ‘04; Tamada Mukuzani ‘01 (Georgian); Simcic Teodor Réserve ‘00 (Slovenian); Grover Vineyards ‘La Réserve ‘03 (Bangalore) and Tokaji Aszú ‘99, Disnókó. I will definitely provide a spittoon for the pink one in the middle.

Yesterday I enjoyed this fresh 1er Cru Chablis '05 from Fourchaume, bought recently with Robert. The Grand Cru we tasted was twice the price but too mean for my palate. Yesterday's bottle possessed aromas of damp green straw, maturing crème fraîche with a full, almost melting mango sorbet posture and white chocolate, white pepper, slightly honeyed notes with a slight charcoal finish. Overall, soft, gentle, beguiling...

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I decadently shared a bottle of raspberry-ripple Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru '01 (Nicolas Potel) over breakfast yesterday. The knack with wine matching such an early meal is to choose something with soft, kind tannins and relatively light alcohol. IE. Shiraz (unless it is Banrock Station sparkling Shiraz NV with fried English breakfast) would be boisterously inappropriate with croissants, Quaker Oats or French toast. Yoghurt would fight anything that has gone through softening malolactic fermentation. Fresh fruit would support a trickle of beaujolais...