wine notes...

goddamn heat building here in the dismal south. the bugs are already getting ugly outside, pounding miserably against the window panes, searching for a way into the dim recourse afforded by the thin walls of the Compound. so we combat the onrushing misery of summer, and celebrate the temporary glory of a southern spring, the cherry blossoms and magnolias blooming, the sudden explosions of color to be found everywhere, we celebrate with a few bottles of good wine.

right now (yes, right now) I'm drinking a 2001 Carruades de Lafite (Pauillac), the second wine from Chateau Lafite Rothschild, one of the legendary first growths (and its first wine is one of the most expensive). the Carruades is an affordable version of its big brother, and the 2001 is a nice ruby color with pink rim, sweet cherry, currants and raspberries on the palate with a nice balance of jammy fruit and edgy tannins. I like it quite a bit, the mouthful I just tasted had some wood and leather along with the raspberry jam.

last night we had a bottle of 2001 Chateau Troplong Mondot (St. Emilion), a Grand Cru. this wine, for all its Merlot grapes and new oak aging, was really delicious. liqorice and pencil lead, caramel and flowers, this opaque purple/black beauty was full of black fruits, hints of vanilla and toast. it is priced slightly above the Carruades, but I think the Carruades was a bit fuller with more depth (cynthia disagrees).

finally, don't ever buy any Chateau Lalande; the first bottle I bought (then returned) had mold growing on the cork, and the second, mold-free bottle tasted like rubber tires and sweat socks smell. avoid.

here's some goddamn music.